‘Babylon’ goes on & on
Director Damien Chazelle’s newie movie’s “Babylon.”
A tawdry tale of tacky ’20s Hollywood. Everyone naked. Partying hard. Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie play characters based on actors John Gilbert and Clara Bow. Understood is that if you’re under 100 only Google knows them. Also understood is that it’s the longest movie in captivity and before it’s over your chin needs a tweezer.
Margot: “I read the script and my jaw hit the floor. It’s like if ‘La Dolce Vita’ and ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ had a baby.” And whatever that means, who knows.
Brad: “The script was 180 pages, so I asked ‘What’s going to get cut?’ and Damien said, ‘Nothing.’ ”
In theaters Dec. 23. The thing runs three hours and nine minutes. Each screening probably runs through Mother’s Day.
In other news, sadly, showbiz took two hits last week. Both Freddies. Borscht comic Freddie Roman and British VIP Freddie Hancock.
Pal Larry Amoros, Joan Rivers’ gagwriter: “Roman’s got an open casket because everyone knows he can’t close.” Regarding his toupee: “The lid of Freddie’s coffin is being glued on.” And, “Freddie spent so much time in the mountains his pallbearers are Sherpas.”
Britain’s Hancock, BBC publicist, BAFTA awards creator. A confirmed New Yorker. When HM Queen Elizabeth bestowed a medal on Freddie at Buckingham, the plus-one she brought with her was me.
Leftover politics from T’giving
Assorted mouths: “Incompetence runs in elections. Officials have said: ‘Hey, my cousin Lenny needs a job.’ Lenny can’t find the men’s room, but it’s ‘So, throw him into the county election thing.’ The process can be undisciplined. Not always an overseer saying, ‘Can’t count your ballot. It’s filled illegibly.’ ” Also: “Some neighborhoods are violent, chaotic. Citizens fear even going to church — let alone to vote.”
So, NY ever get a Republican governor? Answer: “No. It’s over. Never be ‘red’ again. The Democratic machine is too powerful. And new foreign arrivals mostly vote Democratic because that’s the party of entitlement.”
Dinner talk
Slow week. Only two Catsimatidis events. Beautiful blond wife Margo’s birthday party — private dinner upstairs at La Grenouille. Next night, honorees John and Margo at a charity supporting service people who’ve fallen. In that Marriott Marquis’ jammed ballroom, Andrew Giuliani — who walked for governor — claimed of Eric Adams’ bizarre aides picks: “Must be he’s on the take.” He then repeated it so others heard it: “This guy’s got to be on the take.”
On the spot
New Yorkers suffer double-parking, tickets, tows, snows, plows, alternate side of the street, outdoor sheds. But: Some New Yorkers have unused parking spaces that come with a condo, rental, co-op — only they have no car. Nice new app Spacer connects those needy with these spots. It’s making money doing zip but allowing someone to park safely in their space so no tickets, towing out or snowing in. Just saying.
Addendum: “He’s a man with credentials. And if you’ve ever had anyone pecking at your credentials, you know how painful that can be.”
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.
