Meeting Angela Lansbury at the AFI Anniversary...

So last night was really one of those big star-studded events where REAL stars came out and made their way down the red carpet. I went to the ArcLight in Hollywood to cover the 40th Anniversary of the American Film Institute. Ten classic movies were playing in different auditoriums and stars from each of them were on hand to introduce them and chat a bit. I gabbed with Kirk Douglas, Clint Eastwood, Tippi Hedren, Rob Reiner, Talia Shire and Alfred Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia, before the movies began.
But, being the super-gay man that I am, I was most excited to chat with Angela Lansbury. I never really watched much of "Murder, She Wrote," but I am a big fan of the musical "Gypsy" which Lansbury won one of her four Tony Awards for. I have the soundtrack of her show as well as others by Merman, Bernadette Peters, Tyne Daly and Bette Midler who did a TV movie version.
There is word that Patti LuPone might be doing a Broadway run as Mama Rose as well and I wanted to know what Miss Lansbury thought of it: "That's exciting, that's wonderful. You know, 'Gypsy' is one of the great book musicals of all time and it takes a great personality to do it. Patti's got it. We're all different, we all bring something different to the table. Bernadette did it and i did it and Patti's gonna do it and Tyne [Daly]."
Talking to Angela Lansbury about "Gypsy." Too cool.
To read a full account of my night at the AFI event, go on over to my other blog, HOLLYWOOD JOE, and enjoy!