Liz Smith interview

[DRW50]

Never been a huge fan (although I always remember her from The Gossip Show - I miss that show...), but this is an interesting interview with her on her life and the celebrities she's met over the years, plus how she's struggled since being fired by Rupert Murdoch.

Why am I not surprised that Baba Wawa has frozen her out.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/at-92-liz-smith-reveals-787004

[DaytimeFan]

It's a very juicy interview - especially the shade she effortlessly threw at Barbara Walters.

The great thing about Liz Smith, who I have always liked and whose memoir 'Natural Blond' I devoured when she published it 15 years ago or so, is she's 92 and doesn't give a flying f*ck anymore. Once she was fired from the New York Post, which I don't really believe was at the behest of Rupert Murdoch who Liz herself says was nice to her (and I don't think there was any animosity between them at all given that he asked her to break the story of his divorce from Anna Murdoch), her career as a newsmaker and story breaker was over.

Liz had become the bastion of the over 50 star - and let's face it, the entertainment business is very ageist, so her firing from the New York Post wasn't a huge surprise. That it was a surprise for her was unfortunate, particularly if she's not fibbing about saving enough money to tide her over into old age. That said, Liz Smith has many very rich friends, not to mention her (former?) lover Iris Love, who would never let her fall on hard times - she'd be taken care of without question.

So she's letting it fly and good for her. Barbara Walters is such a bitch to drop her when they're in their 80s and 90s.

[DRW50]

What is her current column?

When I used to read tabloids, she was almost always in one or another as a columnist, but they've changed so much, generally not in good ways. It was refreshing to have an interview where there was an admission from both sides that "stars" these days really do blur together and often aren't worth covering.

Not that they have anything to do with each other, but I can't help thinking of Helen Thomas and her last few years. At least Liz Smith seems to be fading from the spotlight on a better note.

There was a British actress with the same name, probably best known for Vicar of Dibley. They even looked a little alike.

[DaytimeFan]

Liz's column is still syndicated with the Chicago Tribune syndicate, so she's in many, many papers in the US, and she is a part owner of WOW - a website for women owned by many prominent women, and her column appears on the New York Social Diary website.

Helen Thomas and Liz Smith are no way comparable except that they got too old for their businesses. Helen Thomas imploded. Liz Smith is going down laughing and smiling.