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THE WEB GOSSIP
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Glen CampbellCAMPBELL GOLD --- Hands down, the album of the year is the final opus from singer/songwriter Glen Campbell, entitled Ghost On The Canvas. There's no need to re-visit his proclamation earlier in the year of his ongoing health issues, and his subsequent finale tour (which reached L.A. Last week with none other than Micky Dolenz in the audience), but this last release is just out and simply outstanding … in every way. First off, the material is stronger than anything the singer has ever done before in his career. This is not the “Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife” Campbell, but rather a serious, sobering look at the artist's life and eventual end of it; both the good and the bad. As the singer writes and sings on the very first track, “A Better Place": “I've tried and I have failed Lord; I've won and I have lost; I've lived and I've loved, Lord; sometimes as such a cost.” Let's face it, you don’t go into listening to this album looking for the singer to bring you to a happier place; you know what's going on and when the singer writes in the liner notes (remember them?) “Ghost On The Canvas is the last studio record of new songs that I ever plan to make. I've been saying it to my friends and family, but now that it's in writing, it really seems final. I've done a lot in my life – played, sang, toured, hosted a TV show, acted in a movie – most of the things that happened were because of music, because of the records, and now it's time to close that book.” Before the singer fully emerged as a solo artist in his own right, he played on many of the early records from The Beach Boys and Monkess; he was also a key playing with the legendary L.A.-based group of musicians called The Wrecking Crew. Suffice to say, if you were in the music business back in those days, you knew Campbell. Funny thing was, he was that good; a more-than-proficient player and inspired singer. As he emerged as a solo artist, he literally captivated the country and world with many songs from writer Jimmy Webb: “By The Time I get To Phoenix”; “Wichita Lineman,” and, “Galveston.” His Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (January 1969 through June 1972) on TV was just an amazing show; did you know he had guests like George Harrison, The Monkees , Neil Diamond, and, Willie Nelson on? During his 50 years in show business, Campbell has released more than 70 albums. He has sold 45 million records and racked up 12 Gold albums; 4 Platinum albums and 1 Double-Platinum album. Of his 74 charted records, 27 landed in the Top ten. One of the very first things you notice on this new work, is that there are no Jimmy Webb songs; why? I have no idea, but interestingly enough, conceptually he's been replaced by Paul Westerberg (The Replacements) who has written the brilliant title track, as well as “Any Trouble.” It's always interesting when the artist himself writes the song; I always feel they have more of an attachment to the song. Here, Campbell has written several and they're among the strongest on the album. His “Strong” and “It's Your Amazing Strength” are among the best songs I've ever heard him do. To be candid, I've not kept up with the artist in the last decade or so; his success with “Rhinestone Cowboy” (written by Larry Weiss) and “Southern Nights” (written by Allan Toussaint) were worldwide hits and in a sense brought him his biggest audiences ever, but to me, they were a tad too showy and silly. To hear him express his deepest thoughts at a time like this resonate like never before. The whole album grabs you from the first note … first lyric. Brutally honest and so enjoyable. Jakob Dylan's “Nothing But The Whole Wide World” is a terrific track as well; it makes you wonder why the artist never attempted an album as diverse and artistic as this before. There could be a million reasons why, but we should fully enjoy this one. Me, I loved those Webb-songs as well as his Everyday Housewife” and the terrific “Where's The Playground Suzie?” This one's his best ever … what a career, what an artist. It may well be the album of the year.
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Kelsey Grammer
BOSS IS BOSS -- Kelsey Grammer is someone we've never written about before in this column. We loved him on Cheers and Frasier, but now he's developed a show that is just so brilliant we've got to call it out. It's on cable, so there's some words you don't hear on regular TV and some flesh you're not used to seeing, but it is positively riveting. The roll-out episode was directed by Gus Van Sant and every shot is thoughtfully developed by him; just a wonderful touch. Called Boss, it tells the story with Grammer as the Mayor of Chicago (Tom Kane) with some dark, dark secrets and a debilitating health issue. The writhing is crisp, photography outstanding and the Julliard-educated Grammer is simply sensationally; often saying more with a quiet stare or ominous pose. I had always heard that comedic-actors make the best dramatic actors … and, it appears true. Van Sant's editing is also a standout as well; call it The Shield-factor ... just terrific! Also standing out is Kane's executive assistant Kitty O'Neil portrayed by Kathleen Robertson, who embodies her role was a ferociousness and bold sexuality. She's a babe in dark glasses! Also, Martin Donovan as Kane's chief of staff Ezra Stone is ominously terrific. Thc show is on the cable-net Starz which does makes it a bit harder to find, but do yourself a favor and check it out. Very, very impressive.
****NILES ON TV --- Look for our musical-find from Cleveland, Adrian Niles, to regroup here on the East Coast in late-November with his band for a series of performances. His song “Skylark,” from his latest album Roll & Move, still simmers whenever we hear it. Also, we hear from his rep that several TV's shows have fallen under his spell as well. We'll keep you posted.
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Bethenny FrankelSCHRAGER SHOWS AT 54 --- Ian Schrager did show up at last night's Sirius/XM/Studio 54 event, but the only names I saw posted from the old days were Lady Bunny, Randy Jones, and Patti Hansen (pre-Keith). The celebs that did show, Andy Cohn, Donald Trump, Bethenny Frankel, Tinsley Mortimer, Jason Binn and Robert Verdi, would not have made it in back then sorry to say … well, maybe Verdi. Where were Jellybean, David Geffen, Barry Diller and Billy Smith? Our friend David Salidor, by the way, didn't make it in at all. Sorry to say Sirius/XM … good idea, but to have captured some of the original flavor of the club might not have been a bad idea at all. Right? Funny thing about these sat-casters (satellite radio) … you don't get it for free … you've got to pay for it. I don't know how the Studio 54 channel is doing … but, by January I'm sure it will be gone. Hell, even the station's star Howard Stern didn't show. Sad.Photos By: Walter McBride/RD/Dziekan/Jackson/Retna
Kathleen Robertson
Jeff Hephner
Gus Van Sant
Hannah Ware
Connie Nielsen
Laura Regan
Kelsey Grammer With Farhad Safinia
Glen Campbell
Kelsey Grammer
BOSS IS BOSS -- Kelsey Grammer is someone we've never written about before in this column. We loved him on Cheers and Frasier, but now he's developed a show that is just so brilliant we've got to call it out. It's on cable, so there's some words you don't hear on regular TV and some flesh you're not used to seeing, but it is positively riveting. The roll-out episode was directed by Gus Van Sant and every shot is thoughtfully developed by him; just a wonderful touch. Called Boss, it tells the story with Grammer as the Mayor of Chicago (Tom Kane) with some dark, dark secrets and a debilitating health issue. The writhing is crisp, photography outstanding and the Julliard-educated Grammer is simply sensationally; often saying more with a quiet stare or ominous pose. I had always heard that comedic-actors make the best dramatic actors … and, it appears true. Van Sant's editing is also a standout as well; call it The Shield-factor ... just terrific! Also standing out is Kane's executive assistant Kitty O'Neil portrayed by Kathleen Robertson, who embodies her role was a ferociousness and bold sexuality. She's a babe in dark glasses! Also, Martin Donovan as Kane's chief of staff Ezra Stone is ominously terrific. Thc show is on the cable-net Starz which does makes it a bit harder to find, but do yourself a favor and check it out. Very, very impressive. 
Bethenny Frankel
Kayte Walsh With Kelsey And Spencer Grammer
Troy Garity
James Hesketh With Spencer Grammer
Mario Van Peebles
Minnie Driver
Kathleen Robertson
Jeff Hephner
Hannah Ware
Emma Bell
Gus Van Sant
Connie Nielsen
Anthony Weiner
Kelsey Grammer
Andy Cohen
Jean And Martin Shafiroff
LL Cool J
Donna Karan
Also on Saturday night, Donna Karan opened her East Hampton estate for the launch of Showtime’s new series. “The Big C” starring Laura Linney, John Benjamin Hickey and Oliver Platt. For Karan who lost both her husband and a best friend to cancer it was a no brainer host the event at her waterfront home. With a tag line that says “Time to Grab Life by the Balls”, the series follows Linney, a suburban mom, diagnosed with cancer who tries to find the humor in the disease. Linney’s TV fame includes her Emmy-winning role as Abigail Adams in HBO’s “John Adams” and movie career includes hits like “Kinsey” and “Love Actually”. Organized by Andrew Saffir’s Cinema Society, the screening pulled in a star studded crowd of Hollywood movers and shakers, Hamptons fashionistas and New York socialites including Calvin Klein, Martha Stewart, Alan Alda, Fern Mallis, Sarah Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick, Mark Ruffalo, Gabourey Sidibe, Edie Falco, Olivia Palermo, Linda Wells, Reid Scott, Aida Turturro, Darren Star, Ingrid Sischy and Sandra Brant, Tamara Mellon, Patrick Demarchelier, Hana Soukupova, Bravo TV’s Andy Cohen James Lipton and Showtime’s CEO Matt Blank and their new president of entertainment, David Nevins. Following the screening, everyone headed to the beach for an old fashioned bonfire. 
Richard Gere
Later that afternoon, there was an amazing confluence of culinary wizardry with the annual Great Chefs Dinner to raise funds for the Hayground School in Bridgehampton and to remember one of its co-founders, Jeff Salaway, the East End restaurateur (Nick & Toni’s) who died in 2001. More than 60 percent of Hayground’s students receive financial aid, and this annual benefit is an important source of revenue. For foodies, it was a day in heaven with rock star chefs like Eric Ripert, Tom Colicchio, Marc Meyer and Laurent Tourondel working alongside the cream of the crop of East End food scene such as Miche Bacher (Sacred Sweets), Claudia Fleming (North Fork Table & Inn, Southold), Sam Talbot (Top Chef, Surf Lodge in Montauk), Kevin Penner (1770 House in East Hampton), Bryan Futerman (Foody’s, Water Mill), Tom Schaudel (A Mano in Mattituck), Christian Mir (Stone Creek Inn in East Quogue), Joseph Realmuto (Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton), Keith Luce (Luce & Hawkins in Jamesport), Steven Lewis (First Street Restaurant in Greenport) and Vittorio Assaf (Serafina East Hampton). An added bonus was real rock star Jon Bon Jovi who generously posed for photos with fans at the dinner. Richard Gere, Carey Lowell and Star Jones also lined up for tastings from the top toques.
Kelsey Grammer
Bobby Flay