A legal eagle gets his due
JAMES Patterson — known today as our best bookseller — is out Dec. 20 with “The Defense Lawyer.” It’s about Barry Slotnick — known for years as our best criminal lawyer.
I know lots about this book. I’m in Patterson’s thank-yous because forever I’ve known Barry, his lawyer son Stuart who handles some of today world’s legal problems, Barry’s wife Donna who remembers enough for her own memoir.
I know their in-laws, their grandchildren, their animals, their homes, their friends, their vacations, their lives.
Publisher, Little, Brown. Price, $30. Pages, 416. Over a decade Slotnick never lost a case. Clients run — or some maybe jump into getaway cars — from Gotti to Colombo to Noriega to Gigante a k a The Chin. Plus, chiefs of state who maybe I’ll keep nameless to Bette Midler’s bathhouse contract to the famous front page headline defense of Subway Shooter Bernie Goetz to Melania Trump’s prenup.
Always known for his custom-made — with vests — blue Fioravanti suits. And sharp mind.
And perfectly barbered beard. And fidgeting with a paper clip when in thought. And invoking their secret code to have Donna disappear, hide, when trouble was coming. Even when life for him was scary.
So who’ll play him in a movie? George Clooney? Matthew McConaughey? Ben Affleck ,if he can manage to unload J.Lo?
Farewell, friend
ARLENE Dahl. I knew her. Loved her. I spent a lifetime with her. I remember her Texas barbecue for Joan Collins, Norwegian dinner for Van Johnson, parties for Debbie Reynolds, Helen Hayes, Anthony Quinn, Gloria DeHaven, Diana Rigg, Baz Luhrmann, Joan Rivers. I stood with her when a fan misrecognized her for Rhonda Fleming. And when some autograph hunter also thought she was somebody else. Her dog Max wore rhinestones at my dog Jazzy’s birthday party, then mated with Liza Minnelli’s schnauzer Emelina. Liza tripped and fell over her own dog. We had dinner after one of Trump’s weddings. Into astrology big time, she did charts for the Clintons. Hosted Oscar night parties. I was at her daughter’s wedding. I was at her son’s wedding. For a whole lot of years she lived a whole lot of life. We all appreciated knowing her.
Opinions vary
THE Kyle Rittenhouse decision attitude depends on your cable network choice. Hearing Al Sharpton, it’s: “A black man would’ve been convicted in two hours.” With Tucker Carlson, it’s white supremacy is a myth and he’s producing a documentary about it. Watch. Further polarization awaits this case.
PALM Beach. A ritzy dowager escorted her VIP 3¹/2-pound Yorkie — complete with hair bow — outside for an airing. But not so its wee manicured legs might touch ordinary sidewalk. For it to be pushed in its own special doggy carriage. How special? The front and back ends of this custom-made carriage bore its own Florida license plates.
Definitely only in Palm Beach, kids, only in Palm Beach.