— DIANE CLEHANE

We were hoping for a star-studded dining room since it's Upfront week when the networks trot out their overpaid and underfed stars to shill for their supper, but we had to settle for a smattering of television titans who toil behind the scenes. (Note to NBC: You might want to move your red carpet inside next year if the forecast calls for winter coats, pleez!). We heard Jimmy Buffet and John Mellencamp dined and dished at neighboring tables yesterday and Lance Armstrong is expected tomorrow, but today Michael's was jam packed with the usual suspects.

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. Gerald Schoenfeld, Herb Sturz and Judge John Keating.

2. Today's executive producer Jim Bell with Dick Wolf. I congratulated Law & Order's main man on last night's devastating season finale of L&O: SVU, which wrote off the characters played by Diane Neal and Adam Beach in the show's signature jaw-dropping fashion. Beach, who scored a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in HBO's Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, spent only one season with the franchise. Says Wolf: "Adam has all kinds of things going on..." Neal, who has played A.D.A Casey Novak for several years reportedly told several insiders she'd been fired. I asked Dick about L&O's inevitable "ripped from the headlines" treatment based on Eliot Spitzer's downfall. "It's the finale — you can watch it next week." We wouldn't miss it!

3. Terry Allen Kramer and, we're told, Howard Lorber.

4. Reality show guru Mark Burnett with Teddy Forstmann. Could it be that the formidable Mr. F is considering a foray into reality TV? Just imagine: Survivor: The Billionaire Edition or perhaps he could duel with the Donald on The Apprentice? The mind reels with the possibilities...

5. John Josephson & Stan Shuman.

6. Early show: Jonathan Tisch, who was nice enough to stop and chat at the bar, with Jeff Stewart. Second seating: Peggy Siegal sporting a gamine, short new 'do ("I just got it cut on Saturday!") with some fashionable-looking gals.

7. First act: Producer Jon Hart and a young gent in a fabulous madras jacket that we didn't recognize. Grand finale: Kim McCarty (Michael's wife) with daughter Clancy and a pal celebrating Clancy's graduation from NYU this morning. Congrats!

8. New York Social Diary's David Patrick Columbia with two stunning blonde gals and another fine fellow.

9. Mickey Ateyeh and my good pal Lisa Silhanek.

10. Allure editrix Linda Wells.

11. Wayne Kabak.

12. Cindi Lewis and pals. Second shift: More's new-ish editor Lesley Jane Seymour.

14. Gerry Byrne.

15. Lou Korman.

16. Nick Verbitsky.

17. Hallmark honcho Henry Schleiff with an unidentified fellow.

18. Legendary photog Harry Benson with a gent named "Mr.Walsh".

19. Best Life editor Steve Perrine with public relations maven Elizabeth Harrison discussing some "big deals."

20. Freddie Friedman.

21. Quest's Chris Meigher & Tony Hoyt.

22. Matt Rubell. For all of you gals who have stepped out in a pair of Payless' cheap chic shoes (Come on, admit it, you've gone in to check things out. I've seen you in there when I was paying for my Rodarte pumps at the Fifth Avenue store!) you've got Matt to thank for it. They've come a long way since Star Jones shilled for the brand...

23. Harper Collins' David Hirshey, who introduced me to his lunch date, first-time novelist Sherri Rifkin. Sherri, who once toiled for Harper Collins as head of online marketing and went on to bigger things at Bravo, has just published the fabulously titled Lovehampton with St. Martin's. Sherri has garnered rave reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Cosmo (makes sense) about her page turner that chronicles the rise — and fall — of Tori Miller, whose story involves looking for love in a summer share house with reality show cameras in tow. Sounds like a winner in a summer that's sure to be dominated by any and all things that resonate with the Sex & The City crowd...

24. Don Welsh and friend.

25. Tom Goodman of Goodman Media and television consultant Jeff Gralnick. Tom is terribly busy these days working on the launch of Museum at Bethel Woods on the historic site of Woodstock in the Catskills. A visit to the museum, which opens June 2, is truly a "trip" with lots of peace, love and tie dye to behold. Tom showed me the stunning images of the interiors and I'm planning my visit as we speak.

26. Sandy Hill.

27. The Imber Gang...

30. Publisher's Weekly's Sara Nelson.

Please send comments and corrections to DianeClehane AT mediabistro Dot com and lunch at mediabistro DOT com.