TV show inspired by a King New direction for Ewan
PIPER Perabo about her new Thursday 9 p.m. ABC-TV series “Notorious”:
“You read lots of scripts, and everybody’s scrambling, and it was during February pilot season when we heard this was happening. There’s some shows I’ve auditioned for, but not this one. I loved it right away.
“I can’t actually watch it while it’s on because that’s the time we’re filming. During working hours I even tweet live. Afterward, we all do popcorn and a little wine. What I do is record it and watch the program after.
“I play Julia, who [is based on series executive producer] Wendy Walker, Larry King’s assistant. It’s about his time on the air and what went on behind the scenes. Wendy’s the one who knew all and did all. In those days, he had everyone on, and I watched him five days a week.
“Our stuff ’s ripped right from the headlines. We went back to review the original shows. The
Scott Peterson trial which lasted forever ... Covering O.J. for so long . . . How did he balance that? What happened in the control room?
“Wendy has many stories. Like not knowing he’d make air on time. Like he couldn’t find those suspenders. I’m sure he gave Wendy his blessing for this, but the man’s awesome. He’s one person I haven’t spoken to. Have to get my courage up.”
Bits & pieces
THE film “Loving” deals with an interracial couple who marry in ’58. WNBC-TV’s former news anchor Sue Simmons: “So? My parents did that in 1942” ... LOTSA luck if you can get into Marc Packer’s just-opened 14 E. 60th restaurant Avra Madison Estiatorio. It’s jammed. What’s so great about him? Who knows, but he also has Tao and Lavo. Also jammed ... FORMER NYPostie Dick
Belsky’s new Simon & Schuster thriller “Blonde Ice” is about a female serial killer murdering NYC gents for thrills. Fiction, but drawn on his big-time crime coverage.
History lesson
LET’S throw a history book at that diplomatic dwarf running the Philippines. Our country saved his land’s assets in World War II. It was America’s Gen. MacArthur, who marched onto his soil and rescued it. With MacArthur, my late friend Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, one of the four original signatories of the UN. Suggestion: Take your bananas, rice, chemicals and Imelda’s cheap shoes — and shove them.
What was said out ‘Front’
THE Broadhurst. Front-page names at B’way’s “Front Page” opening: Jon Hamm: “I live on that other coast. I don’t see many shows except ‘Hamilton’ twice, and I’d see it again” . . . Phil Donahue’s unseen hand was squeezing
wife Marlo Thomas’ behind ... Tovah Feldshuh — gold shoes, gold coat — schlepped a shopping bag . . . Matthew Broderick: “You always say I have nothing to say, so I’ll say nothing.” David Schwim
mer: “I’m buddies with guys in the show. We just did ‘O.J. Simpson’ together” ... Estelle Parsons introduced her escort as: “He’s in ‘Oslo.’ It opens next spring” ... Sarah
Paulson: “Halloween, I’m dressing up as myself.”
Watching me talk with all these VIPs, one wildly impressed fan then asked: “Miss, are you the director of this film?” Only in New York, kids, only in New York.