Joan Gelman

Al Roker, Barbara Bush and Peggy Siegal Fetes Elizabeth Olsen - Posted November 9, 2011
We were disappointed to hear that we'd missed seeing Wendy Williams who'd come by on Monday for lunch with her parents. A little birdie told me that the talk show diva issued this rallying cry to mom and dad before departing to face the lone papa... [FishbowlNY]

Caroline Manzo, Morgan Fairchild, Plus HarperCollins Fetes William Boyd - Posted November 2, 2011
One of the things I love most about chronicling the Wednesday scene at Michael's is the random celeb sightings that seem to come out of left field. On offer today: television stars of the past and present that represent the changing (and fickle?) tastes of the viewing public. When none other... [FishbowlLA]

Melania Trump, Charles Grodin and Princess Di's Wedding Designer - Posted July 20, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The oppressive heat didn't keep the faithful away from Michael's today. The joint was jumping with media mavens of every stripe, including one editor who is clearly having a moment (David Zinczenko), high-profile publish... [FishbowlNY]

Glenn Close and Damages Cast Celebrate Season Four - Posted June 29, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Before dashing off to their summer cottages in the Hamptons for the long holiday weekend, the media mavens and moguls were at their regular perches at Michael's today for a bit of last minute networking. It was SRO at the bar and the dining room was jam pa... [SocialTimes.com]

Glenn Close and Damages Cast Celebrate Season Four - Posted June 29, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Before dashing off to their summer cottages in the Hamptons for the long holiday weekend, the media mavens and moguls were at their regular perches at Michael's today for a bit of last minute networking. It was SRO at the bar and the dining room was jam pa... [FishbowlNY]

Mary Higgins Clark, The Hiltons And The Media Mob - Posted June 1, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The sweltering heat (wasn't it just snowing last week?) didn't keep the regulars away from Michael's today. The dining room was jam packed with authors, agents and media mavens all deep in conversation about who knows what. From the looks of things, the power lunch crowd here is ge... [FishbowlLA]

Mary Higgins Clark, The Hiltons And The Media Mob - Posted June 1, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The sweltering heat (wasn't it just snowing last week?) didn't keep the regulars away from Michael's today. The dining room was jam packed with authors, agents and media mavens all deep in conversation about who knows what. From the looks of things, the power lunch crowd here is ge... [FishbowlNY]

Joan Collins, Dennis Basso And The Media Mob - Posted May 4, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE The biblical rain didn't keep the crowds away from Michael's today. The media mavens were networking at warp speed (Bonnie Fuller, we mean you) while the social swans and style set enjoyed their us... [FishbowlLA]

Eliot Spitzer on Working for CNN: 'I'm having a barrel of fun!' - Posted April 27, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Although it might not seem like it given the sheer numbers of journalists reporting from England this week, there are plenty of media folk and fashion mavens who aren't headed out of town to cover that little get-together at Westminster Abbey on Friday. The dining room at Michael's was... [SocialTimes.com]

Eliot Spitzer on Working for CNN: 'I'm having a barrel of fun!' - Posted April 27, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE Although it might not seem like it given the sheer numbers of journalists reporting from England this week, there are plenty of media folk and fashion mavens who aren't headed out of town to cover that little get-together at Westminster Abbey on Friday. The dining room at Michael's was... [FishbowlNY]

Sinbad & Family Dish on Their New Reality Show - Posted April 6, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE It would have been hard to beat the head-spinning scene that I witnessed at Michael's last Wednesday, but this week came close. A camera crew from WNBC-TV's LX-TV was on hand filming a segment on celebrity lunch spots as the masters of the universe (... [semanticweb.com]

Blake Lively, Charlie Rose And An Ex-Caped Crusader - Posted March 2, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE I just love it when the random celebrity turns up at Michael's for lunch. It's always entertaining to watch the usual suspects try to simultaneously network and star gaze. Today's out-of-left-field appearances represented both new and old Hollywood (just like this year's Oscars but... [FishbowlLA]

Blake Lively, Charlie Rose And An Ex-Caped Crusader - Posted March 2, 2011
-- DIANE CLEHANE I just love it when the random celebrity turns up at Michael's for lunch. It's always entertaining to watch the usual suspects try to simultaneously network and star gaze. Today's out-of-left-field appearances represented both new and old Hollywood (just like this year's Oscars but... [FishbowlNY]

Joel Klein, Diana Taylor and the December Diehards - Posted December 1, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE It was good to be back on the Michael's beat after a two week absence (Word to the wise: Get that flu shot!). I'm happy to report the monsoon-like rains didn't keep those dining room diehards away, although the mood was a bit more subdued than usual. The place... [FishbowlNY]

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Bo Dietl and The Post-Election Posse - Posted November 3, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE The votes are in and this week's big winner is Michael McCarty whose dining room has been packed every day with A-list celebs and politicos of every stripe in town this week to dissect every nuance of election night. T... [FishbowlNY]

Desiree Rogers, Kathie Lee Gifford & The Millionaire Matchmaker Meltdown - Posted October 20, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE There were plenty of movers, shakers and deal makers at Michael's today to keep things interesting, but a little birdie told me the media A-list was also out in force yesterday. So, as a public service to Lunch's faithful readers, here's who was there on Tuesday: ... [FishbowlNY]

Vernon Jordan, Paul Shaffer and Richard Belzer Grab a Bite at Michael's - Posted October 6, 2010
-- DIANE CLEHANE We missed Harvey Keitel (who, we hear, is a pretty nice guy) by a day, but the usual suspects kept things hopping in the dining room at Michael's today. By now, we've grown used to seeing ... [FishbowlNY]

Alex McCord & Simon van Kempen Serve Up Some Tasty 'Real Housewives' Dish - Posted June 23, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE There's never a dull moment on a Wednesday at Michael's. When I arrived in the dining room today I spotted LX TV's senior executive producer Amy Rosenblum shooting a segment for tonight's show with host ... [FishbowlNY]

Deborah Norville, Cindi Leive & A Slew of Fashionable Folks - Posted May 26, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE Sometimes it seems like all roads lead to Michael's, and today was no exception. Everyone in the place seemed connected by less than six degrees of separation, as we observed plenty of old friends and former colleagues exchanging air kisses before dining and dishing. Then there was the completely... [FishbowlNY]

Ralph Lauren, Jenna Bush, and the Media Mob - Posted May 19, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE It was good to be back at my regular perch at Michael's today after a nasty bug kept me home last week. I returned to a scene buzzing with a head-spinning mix of fashion designers, famous faces, and the requisite media moguls. Don't these people ever take a day... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Harold Ford, Jr., Ken Starr, and a Slew of Fashionable Folks - Posted April 28, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE There was definitely something in the air (besides all that pesky pollen) at Michael's today. The dining room was so jam packed with every conceivable type of boldfaced name I could barely keep track of all the wheeling and dealing that was going on around me. While the fashionistas... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Tom Brokaw, Charlie Rose, and John Sykes Stop By - Posted April 7, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE The mood may have been a little low-key today at Michael's, but we spotted plenty of power players dining and dishing about their next big moves. I was intrigued to see former MTV colleagues John Sykes (now Playlist's CEO) ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Johnny Weir Is "Not From Mars," Nate Berkus Readies Transformations - Posted March 3, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE You just never know who's going to turn up at Michael's, and I've learned to expect the unexpected during my weekly lunches. That's just what I got when U.S Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Happy Birthday Donna Hanover & Paula Zahn - Posted February 24, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE If it's Wednesday, it's party time at Michael's. We're still recovering from the head spinning spectacle of last week's A-list lunch for James Cameron. This week, the celebration was a tad more ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: James Cameron's Oscar Campaign Comes to Michael's - Posted February 17, 2010
— DIANE CLEHANE It was Hollywood on the Hudson at Michael's today as Peggy Siegal hosted one of her legendary lunches right smack in the middle of the dining room. Today's guest of honor was ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Jermaine Jackson Stops By Michael's - Posted December 2, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The joint was jumping today at Michael's as usual, but there's always room for one more when the random headline-grabbing celebrity makes an unannounced appearance. No matter that Jermaine Jackson... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: TV Titans, Ivana Trump, & Devo! - Posted November 18, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE You never know who you're going to meet on any given Wednesday at Michael's. I've chatted with former presidents, Oscar winners, and tabloid targets who have made the usually unflappable crowd turn and stare, but it's those unexpected, below the radar moments that are often the... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Warren Buffett Dines & Dashes - Posted November 11, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE How about a side order of sound investment advice with that salmon? When none other than Warren Buffett showed up at Michael's today, every head in the dining room turned his way. Even if he is... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Special Evening Edition as Michael's Celebrates 20 Years - Posted November 5, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE As much as we enjoy observing the social customs of the various media tribes during our Wednesday lunches at Michael's, we jumped at the chance to mingle with the natives last night as they roamed free from the pecking order in the dining room. ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: What Recession? Michael's Keeps Buzzing with Walter Isaacson, John Sykes & The Gang - Posted October 14, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The power lunch lives! While budgets are being slashed all over town, if the media mavens at the top are feeling the pinch, they're determined not to show it. For the past several weeks, I've noticed that Michael's is back to its pre-Great Recession level of buzz with a... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Joan Collins Holds Court at Table One, Plus Barbara Walters & Vernon Jordan - Posted October 7, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The dining room at Michael's was buzzing as boldface names settled in to plot their next big move and dish over their Cobb salads. We overhead plenty of chatter about the David Letterman and ... [FishbowlNY]

It's Spin City for Moguls & Machers at Michael's - Posted September 30, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The flacks were certainly out in full force today at Michael's. It seemed anyone who was (or represents) anyone was out and about with something to spin. Well, at least it's a sign that life goes on in Manhattan no matter how bleak New York magazine says ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Christiane Amanpour Draws an A-List Crowd - Posted September 16, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE On the menu at Michael's today: a tasty stew of media mavens and moguls with a heaping helping of famous faces on the side. We could barely keep up with the goings-on in the dining room, since every other minute there was some boldface name heading to the Garden... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Cindi Leive, Harold Ford, Jr. & The Gang - Posted June 10, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE We heard we missed quite a scene yesterday when the dining room was filled with the likes of dirty joke diva Sarah Silverman, ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Andre Leon Talley Stops By -- and Hugh Jackman is Coming Tonight! - Posted June 3, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Our invitation to tonight's party for Joel Grey hosted by Hugh Jackman and his wife, ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Barry Diller (on a Vespa!), Harvey Weinstein & Judge Judy - Posted May 6, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE Maybe it was because it finally stopped raining for five minutes, but the power-lunchers were out in force today at Michael's. There was a crowd gathering in the lounge before noon waiting for tables. Of course, most of the regulars breezed in at their appointed hours, making su... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Ben Bradlee -- Fewer Newspapers May Not Be 'Such A Bad Thing' - Posted April 1, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE It was truly a head-spinning afternoon at Michael's today. The joint was jumping with so many movers and shakers we could barely keep up with all the goings on, but we did a few laps around the dining room to catch up with the boldface names and those media... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Liz Smith, Frank Langella & A Bevy of Social Swans - Posted March 11, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The streets may be eerily empty these days (at least you can always get a cab), but you can pretty much count on a full house on Wednesdays at Michael's. Today the dining room was buzzing as media mavens and a fair share of fashionistas made the scene. Before... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Tina Brown & Barbara Walters Break Bread; Jonathan Wald Works The Room - Posted February 4, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE It's a little disconcerting these days when no matter where you go in the city, the streets seem quieter than usual, and there are 10 cabs lined up outside Grand Central any time we need one. But we've observed an interesting phenomenon: The worse the economic news, the busier... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Special Post-Inauguration Edition - Posted January 21, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE The mood was festive at Michael's today, with plenty of Obama buttons on display and lots of talk about the president's stirring inaugural address. Jack Kliger told me, "I thought the whole thing ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Musical Chairs With Sir Paul McCartney - Posted January 14, 2009
— DIANE CLEHANE So you think you've got problems? Paul McCartney (that's Sir Paul to you) arrived at Michael's today shortly before noon to scope out a table for a quiet lunch with ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Why So Glum, Anna Wintour & Ralph Lauren? - Posted December 10, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE It was standing room only at Michael's today with a head-spinning assortment of movers and mavens doing some serious table-hopping between bites. We were brightened to see there was a dash of celebrating between all the intense conversations that were going on all around. It's t... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: The Special Post-Election Edition - Posted November 5, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE The Michael's crowd was in full party mode today as television titans, media mavens and talking heads mingled gleefully with politicos who were celebrating Barack Obama's historic victory. "Fina... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Les Moonves, Barry Diller & Kathleen Turner - Posted September 3, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE Forget the lazy days of summer. Class is back in session as the cool kids returned to the cafeteria today in force. The scene at Michael's was a tasty stew of moguls and media mavens with a side order of the random celebrity sighting -- ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Charlie Rose, Joe Scarborough, and the Summer Die-Hards - Posted August 6, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE With the dog days of summer upon us, the usual suspects at Michael's are soldiering on over their Cobb salads until it's time to take off those last few weeks of the month to the Hamptons, Nantucket or some other sun-filled spot ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Where the Magic Happens - Posted July 30, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE I thought I'd seen just about everything from my regular perch at Michael's during my weekly visits, but today topped all. They were serving up sides of card tricks with the Cobb salads today and the gang was just eating it up. When I arrived, illusionist ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch: Hillary—Obama Smackdown! - Posted May 28, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE Bill Clinton isn't the only one who is getting a little testy about the endlessly long and increasingly tabloid-y battle for the democratic nomination. At today's lunch, politics were on the menu... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch At Michael's: Paging George Clooney! Fern Mallis is Saving You a Seat at Fashion Week! - Posted January 23, 2008
— DIANE CLEHANE What recession? The dining room at 55th & Fifth was buzzing with the usual assemblage of bold face names, social swans and television types that tucked into their Cobb salads with gusto while digesting some of the week's harrowing headlines. Hollywood figured heavily into many... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Presidential Politics & Brian Grazer - Posted September 12, 2007
— DIANE CLEHANE The media mavens, captains of industry and money men were out in full force today where a heaping helping of presidential politics were on the menu. Mayor Joe Armstrong, fresh off his latest trip to Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp hosted ... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Forget Michael Caine — It's Star Jones! - Posted June 6, 2007
Imagine our disappointment when we heard that had we chosen to come by on Monday, we'd have been sipping Bloody Marys at the bar with Claire Danes and Natasha Richardson. Luckily, there were enough faces in today's crowd from filmdom, fashi... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Ralph Lauren Is Into Leather - Posted May 2, 2007
Fashion designers are a strange bunch. These arbiters of style often appear in some head-scratching ensembles that, if they were mere mortals, would land them squarely in "What were they thinking?" territory. We're always on the lookout for the sartorially splendid during o... [FishbowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Brokaw & Burns Break Bread - Posted March 28, 2007
The scene at 55th & Fifth was bustling as always thanks to one iconic newsman (we always sit up a little straighter when Tom Brokaw is in the room), a mix of movie moguls and the usual roundup of public relations pitchmen and women. Peggy Siegal... [FishbowlNY]