‘Veep’ing the details straight
HBO’S “Veep,” with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Anna Chlumsky, has been shooting in NYC. Their showrunner’s Dave Mandel. So what’s a TV showrunner?
“In camp, I’d be the counselor. A high-class den mother. In a supermarket, I’m the manager. And, to think, in college I was a government major. We keep the show moving. In LA, with our closed set, maybe our only big decisions would be, in the words of Shakespeare, ‘To pee or not to pee.’ But here on New York streets, it’s — wow!
“Like 80th and Columbus’ cab scene. Out of frame, our set-up cab awaited the show’s signal. But a real cabbie driving a real empty yellow car saw our hail and fought for the fare. It was two cabs — real and fake — fighting for the ride.”.”
Have his crew met the real-life people they’re emulating?
“We’ve been to the capital and talked with Sen. McCain ain the day Romney told us about when he was governor and how explaining means you’re losing — one of our writers walked in on him in the bathroom. Mitt didn’t see the guy because he was, naturally, facing the wrong way.”
ShortSho shrift
LAST week in LA, Martin Short said he’s doing a 50-city comedy tour but not sure in NY. This week he said he’s doing a 50-city comedy tour but not sure in NY — only now, saying exactly the same thing, here in NY . . . But who will be playing NY is Val Kilmer. Possibly the 24th at the West Side’s SVA Theater. A Q&A with “Citizen Twain,” a movie from his one-man stage show on Mark Twain, plus he’s fundraising for a film on Christian Science discoverer and founder Mary Baker Eddy.
Bits & pieces
THURSDAY his Eminence Cardinal Dolan feeds lunch at the Residence for invited faithful — plus a few VIPs who are only semi-faithful . . . SOON we’ll all know how to spell Best Supporting winner Mahershala Ali. Running good, his next may be J.C. Chandor’s shoot-’em-up “Triple Frontier.”
Please try to pay attention
SO qué pasa backstage at a B’way show?
FYI, here’s part of what goes into a stage manager’s off icial log. Booth Theatre. Play: “Signif icant Other.” Barbara Barrie, playing a grandmother, debuted at this theater 62 years ago.
Date: Sat., March 11 , Performance No. 12. Notes: Audience responsive. Barbara’s entrance received applause. Young lead Gideon Glick and cast energized. Standing ovat i on. Technically all smooth. Late: None. Injury/Illness: None. Next Call: Sun. March 12 / 1:30 p.m.
Blizzard effect
TO quote S. Claus: “No business like snow business.”
A crowded garbage-thick snow-logged traff ic-heavy unpassable noisy busy West ’40s street.
A large sign against one cement brick wall in thick cap letters reads “Active Driveway 24/7. Steer clear.”
Steering not clear, leaning against the sign, a lady calmly smoking a cigarette and speaking into her phone.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.