NY Mirror

Why the resistance to Cher's single? One insider told me, 'American radio doesn't go for older artists.' Perhaps they'd like some of her boyfriends.

Comments (0) By Michael Musto Tuesday, Feb 2 1999

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Bill Murray provided his own swingin' entertainment at the Harvard Club party for Rushmore. The event became more like Gushmore when star Jason Schwartzman announced to the room, "I love Bill Murray!" Well, the Saturday Night Live vet— who's also smitten with Bill Murray— responded with a sardonic speech: "I'm winning all these awards and thinking, 'Why? It's the same old shit.' But then I looked at the movie tonight and realized, 'I'm really good!' "

A real blast from the past— and it's really good— comes via publicist John Springer, whose "Forgotten Films To Remember" event at the Players Club serves up a cult classic, a celebrity Q&A, and a choice of omelettes. Last time out, he showed Powell and Pressburger's A Matter of Life and Death,a celestial experience starring the Oscar-winning guest of honor Kim Hunter. Hunter told me she loved working with Michael Powell, though he had a hideous sense of humor. "He'd put you down," she said, "and if you let him get to you, he'd put you down again and again until until you died." Of course, hedied first.

Hunter— who admitted that most of her fan mail these days involves Planet of the Apes— is the one to whom gorgeous gorilla Marlon Brandoyelled "Stella!" in Elia Kazan's A Streetcar Named Desire. How does the once blacklisted actress feel about the special Oscar being awarded to McCarthy-informant Kazan? She's actually delighted, and said, "We're through with that friggin' period. Let it go!" All right, all right, but did she watch Andre Previn's friggin' opera version of Streetcaron PBS? "I tried," she said, "but I ran after the first 20 minutes. That's no comment on the performers. I just can't be objective about anyother production of Streetcar." She made sure to add, though, that "Andre Previn knows nothing about the South!"

And finally, if I can board a streetcar named nasty, I was all set to raise an omelette to God's Love We Deliver, which does incredible work— but then I caught a TV commercial of theirs which takes great pains to note that the male patient being visited in the ad has children. I.e., he's not a fruit! Gee, thanks! It's a tragedy!