CBS; Halderman, BRAD BARKET / Getty Images
Dear diary: Still hot and heavy with Dave, still telling Joe it's just cool and friendly - or words to that effect siz- zled off the pen of Stephanie Birkitt.
Sideshow: Liz Taylor to have heart-valve repair
Dame Elizabeth Taylor, 77, revealed yesterday via Twitter that she is "going into the hospital to have a procedure on my heart."
Contact "Side Show" at sideshow@phillynews.com. This column contains information from Inquirer wire services.
But don't worry too much, the star tells fans. "It's very new and involves repairing my leaky valve using a clip device, without open-heart surgery, so that my heart will function better." She added, "Any prayers you happen to have lying around I would dearly appreciate."
Liz was diagnosed with congestive heart failure five years ago. She also has had surgery for a benign brain tumor. Her rep says she has nothing to add to the tweet.
Paying respects to Poe
Edgar Allan Poe, that greatest of gothicists, penetratingest of poets, and dastardliest of drinkers, will finally get the funeral he deserves Sunday in Baltimore as part of the city's celebration of the writer's bicentennial.The author of "The Raven" and "The Fall of the House of Usher" lived in Philly for six of his most productive years, 1838 to 44. He died in Balto on Oct. 7, 1849, at age 40 and was seen to his resting place by fewer than 10 mourners.
Poe's life will be celebrated in two funerals at Baltimore's Westminster Hall, adjacent to Poe's grave.
Each is expected to draw 350 people and will feature actors portraying Poe and his friends. Writers and artists will discuss Poe's influence.
Info: www.poebicentennial.com.
A dose of Grace for Gosselin
The oft-graceless TV bully Nancy Grace, 49, used her prosecutorial smarts Monday night on celeb show The Insider to unload a bucket of bile on Jon Gosselin, one half of America's Most Hated Public Couple."Quit arguing and work on your marriage," Grace admonished.
Asked about his kids, Jon reflected on his parenting skills. "I know I was an avoider," he said in therapy babble. Grace was steamed: "Why is this always about you?" she said. "Why are we talking about you? You were asked about your children."
Nancy, I salute you.
Tony Roberts has minor seizure
Tony Roberts' daughter, Nicole, has revealed that the 69-year-old actor had a minor seizure during Sunday's preview performance of his Broadway play The Royal Family. Nicole says her dad is "feeling great," but did not reveal when he might return to the play, which opens tomorrow. (Understudy Anthony Newfield took over Sunday night.)
Update: L'affaire Letterman
There are new details about the affair between David Letterman, 62, and staffer Stephanie Birkitt, 34. The New York Post says Birkitt reveals in her diary that she continued to have sex with her boss even after she moved in with her beau, CBS producer Robert "Joe" Halderman, 51. (Guess she prefers older men.)Birkitt would assure Joe that she and DL had only "a platonic relationship" even as she spent weekends at the comic's Montana ranch. Last week, Halderman was charged with trying to extort $2 million from DL.
Dave's winning apology
Letterman's widely publicized on-air apology to his wife, Regina Lasko, gave his CBS show a sweet ratings bump on Monday. The Nielsen Co. says the show netted a 4.2 rating, higher than any of competitor NBC's prime-time shows. The total number of viewers is yet to be released, but Nielsen says the rating is slightly less than Thursday's show, when 5.8 mil citizens watched as DL first admitted the whole sorry mess.
LettermanSexGate Joke
Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson was the only late-night host who joked about Letterman's apology."The person you work for, the person you admire and respect is caught in an embarrassing situation," said Ferguson, who works for Letterman's company, Worldwide Pants. "And your job is to be funny about that, whilst trying to keep your own job. . . . So this is my last show."
Ferguson defended DL: "If we are now holding late-night talk-show hosts to the same moral accountability as we hold politicians or clergymen, I'm out. I'm gone."
Contact "Side Show" at sideshow@phillynews.com. This column contains information from Inquirer wire services.
