Lunch at Michael's



ABC's Cynthia McFadden, executor of Katherine Hepburn's estate, she of the stunning cheekbone structure, is the center of attention. (image via fishbowlNY)

Yesterday -- blame it on the rain -- was a bit of a jip at Michael's. One expects, especially on a Wednesday, to be inundated by the boldfacers. Drowning in Power. We wanted to be bedazzled by the talent in the room. Didn't happen. (The Corsair pours himself a glass of 2000 Chateau du Cedre) Unless, that is, you count Regis Philbin as media A-List. (Averted Gaze) We .. didn't think so. According to FishbowlNY:

"Table 1: It was the TV Ladies Who Lunch table, starring Primetime Live senior producer and birthday girl Jessica Velmans (ABC), Marty Spanninger (PBS), Karen Burnes (ABC), Phyllis McGrady (GMA), Cynthia McFadden (Nightline) and Scribner's Nan Graham (okay, she's not in TV). RUMORED: McFadden is writing a script of some sort..."

The script we REALLY want to see materialize is what exactly was McFadden's relationship to the late Katherine Hepburn. We'd pay real money for that story. The Corsair is a thousandaire, you know ..

"... 5: Court TV chairman and CEO Henry S. Schleiff with Talk Show Host Regis Philbin. They looked like old friends.

"6: Dominick Dunne with two people who we couldn't ID .."

We're sure "Dom" would be mortified at thought of dining with the identifiable.

"7: Ex-Variety publisher and current Velocity Services board member Gerry Byrne, who winked at us when we arrived but failed to provide his guest list.

"8: New York Social Diary's David Patrick Columbia with a bevy of guests today, including: socialite Brooke Duchin, fashionably appointed Alex Hitz, 'What Becomes A Woman' author Peter Rogers and Frank Bowling, head of the Peninsula Hotel in LA.

"... 22: Va-va-va voom. Chris Taylor (uber PR Goddess to the media moguls) with the very alluring but a bit shy Silda Wall (married to Eliot Spitzer) and Maggie Jones. They both work for Children to Children, a non-profit.

"... 26: Patricia Duff and cute Jonathan Wald."

As we said, bantamweights. (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) But the recent frequency of Mrs. Eliot Spitzer visits to the Michael's scene is quite curious. Or preparatory. And Patricia Duff, for all her, uhm, "eccentricities," surely prettied up the joint a bit.

For the full dose of the media crack go here.