The party was ostensibly in honor of the 55th birthday of Hollywood media expert and bestselling author (Guerrilla P.R. 2.0) Michael Levine. But all eyes were on hostess Judith Regan, back on the Big Apple scene after an adventurous sojourn in Hollywood trying to establish an imprint backed by News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch. The venture came to grief, and a hack doggerlizer summarized the subsequent shenanigans in Publishers Weekly’s 2007 year-end issue:

Judith Regan filed a brief
Seeking millions in relief.
After News Corp’s Chief Commander
Pulled the gynarch’s plug and canned her.
Faulty judgment her transgression,
Buying O. J.’s faux confession.
Tempers soared from hot to fissile
Over her abrupt dismissal.

Her lawsuit settled, Regan seems ready to take what’s left of New York publishing by storm, if that’s what she chooses to do.

The party, held in her spacious Grecian isle-white penthouse, was wall to wall with coast to coast movers, shakers, media people and photographers. Guests were invited to “dress to intimidate” but with few exceptions business attire was the couture du jour. This reporter wore his most intimidating fire-engine red power pocket square but no one seemed to cringe, or even to open a path to the hummus dip.

Dick Morris toasted the guest of honor and told a naughty story about him.

RC
Poem excerpt (c) Richard Curtis reprinted from Publishers Weekly, December 31 2007, Reed Elsevier Magazines.