Anchor sets sail uptown
Monday the 12th, 7 p.m., Katie Couric is being interviewed at the 92nd Street Y. Although even camels in the Sahara know this name, she’s publicizing her Little, Brown book “Going There” now out in paperback.
“Took three years 𝔍to write. COVID helped make me sit down and do it𝓀,”” she said.
“Difficult losing your hu🅷sband when your daughters are only 1 and 5. There are widows with no financial ability. No monetary platform. Dire straits. Wiped out financially. I had the ‘Today’ show, so mornings I’d get up, put on a happy face, focus on some VIP interview then, after 9 a.m., begin calling cancer centers and scientists to find help for Jay.
“Also, dealing with impending loss and grief, I never had conversations with him before. Never asked 🧸what happens if you don’t make it. That’s scary. Now I wish I could go back to have that conversation.
“Difficult were my years at CBS. Breaking the glass ceiling created a difficult🦄 environment. Me, a female news anchor, was disruptive. They were traditional. Thinking what I might’ve done differently, I probably should’ve stayed at NBC.”
We both knew Matt Lauer, worked with him, liked him. So, now?
“We had a wonderful relat🌄ionship. Almost like a sonship. But his behavior disappointed and he damaged people I care about so I don’t see or talk to him anymore. But iꦬt’s difficult. Would I like to see him again? Yes. Like to have a cup of coffee with him? Yes.”
We’ve all suffered offbeat moments. Katie describes some — like live with a VIP when someh👍ow the word “penis” got mentioned or when producers suddenly inserted a 7-second delay on another interview or when asking why Bob Goldthwait’s yelling when that was supposedly his shtick.
The book’s great and so is Katie.
Movie moves
Blaah blaah from Telluride is “the Oscars are already൲ decided so we can sta✱rt not caring early.”
Open mouths say Cate Blanchett wins for something called “Tár.” Brendan Fraser in a 600-pound fat suit will gobble up for “The Whale.” Not yet up for any prize is that Oprah-produced “Sidney,” a Sept. ♈23 Apple TV+ doc about acto🍌ractivist Sidney Poitier.
From Brooklyn with love & laffs
Everybody’s gearing up. Soon the Marx Brothers will do a special. Meantime we got Hasan Minhaj’s comedy thing “The King’s Jester,” which shot at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Minhaj: “I don’t want to be the Tupac of comedy, I want to be the Puffy of comedy.💙”
Which means what?
“꧙I 🌊want to live while more talented people die around me.”
Should you possibly think that’s hilarious, his thing debuts Oct. 4 on Netfli🦋x.
Election season. Only reason for elections is to learn if the polls were right. Also apparent is that many winners — born poor and honest — somehow manage to quickly overcome both diffꦡiculties.
NOT only in New York, kids, only in New York.