By LIZ SMITH
New York Post
Miss Rubinstein has been gone from us lo these many years, but my favorite story about her comes from the late Patrick O'Higgins, who vividly recalled going to ask her for a job. He had shined both himself and his shoes to the nth degree. He arrived to find Miss Rubinstein eating a plate of fried chicken. "So, you want a job," she said, inadvertently expelling a small bite of chicken, which stuck to his gleaming shoe. He had to conduct the rest of the interview, said he, standing there with the fearsome blob staring back at him. But he got the job.
COME TOMORROW, all of Washington, D.C., and many big shots from other far-flung spots will attend the annual Gridiron Dinner, at which the press "gently roasts" the president. And it is a tradition that the president always closes the dinner with a speech of his own, giving the omnipresent, sometimes tormenting press a few gibes. It will be interesting to see if Bill Clinton alludes in any way to his ongoing troubles when he takes the lectern.
But whether he does or not, all the evening's speakers have already been cautioned to go easy on the beleaguered chief executive - no Monica Lewinsky jokes, etc.
IN SPITE of all the whopping fun the tabloids have with the star of "Veronica's Closet" - the impressive Kirstie Alley - she remains a "good egg" to her co-workers. She is much admired for her thoughtful humor.
The comedy series wrapped its first season of tapings on Tuesday night. It was a very happy set, indeed, with producers Marta Kaufman, David Crane and Kevin Bright winning acclaim from their cast and crew. (These three also did the smash sitcom "Friends," which wraps its fourth-season's taping tomorrow.)
It is a custom for stars of sitcoms to give everybody involved a small present when the tapings end. Usually this is something minor: a key chain, a cap, an engraved pen. When "Veronica's" closed down its closet, however, they rolled out a number of huge tables covered with cloth. Unveiled for the 150 or so actors and crew members were individual white cages decorated in purple and lavender ribbons. Inside each was a beautiful live canary. Kirstie said, "This has been such a happy work year and I want each of you to have something special to remember it by." Tweet, tweet!
JOHN TRAVOLTA stopped traffic the night after his "Primary Colors" premiere here by taking his wife, Kelly Preston, and 10 buddies to the Shubert Theater, where they watched John's old friend Marilu Henner in John Kander and Fred Ebb's "Chicago."
It was 25 years ago that John appeared with Marilu in the same theater, in the musical "Over Here." Also in that Andrew Sisters nostalgia classic was John Mineo. He is currently part of the "Chicago" ensemble. So the three of them - John, Marilu and John - had a big reunion backstage, along with director Walter Bobbie. Shall I make this more complicated? Bobbie was in the original 1972 production of "Grease," which Travolta joined.
Shubert Alley was mobbed after the show by fans who had heard that Travolta was there. He edged out signing autographs and being gracious.
Marilu Henner leaves the musical on Sunday and the Roxie Hart role goes to Karen Ziemba, who starred last year in Kander and Ebb's "Steel Pier." The L.A. version of "Chicago" opens May 6 with Jasmine Guy and Charlotte d'Amboise. It's already a hot ticket on the coast.
WHILE THINKING about "Chicago," let me put a bug in the ears of the people who are reviving "Annie Get Your Gun" on Broadway next year. Annie is a tough cookie who turns out to be tender inside. Wouldn't the perfect person for this energetic tomboy-who-goes-soft be Bebe Neuwirth? In "Chicago" these days, she is still as "up" as ever to the Bob Fosse material. She can really sing and be heard. She can really dance and be devastating. Imagine Bebe with a gun!! She could get a man - or anything else she wanted.
ENDTHOUGHT: All the hysteria over Leonardo DiCaprio - let's not be too impressed. We've seen it happen before. Remember the season of Brad Pitt, not long ago? Remember the early John Travolta mania? This Leonardo frenzy will soon cool off, leaving the talented actor with great, funny - sometimes scary - memories of his young glory. Then he'll be able to settle into his career again.
ENDFACT: Madonna's "Ray of Light" album is expected to hold onto its strong No.2 position, right under the unbeatable "Titanic" soundtrack. In the 15th year of her world fame, Madonna's 13th album is now selling faster than any of her previous discs did in the vital first two weeks of release. Gee, remember when she was a "flash in the pan"?