Tums, anyone?

Liz Smith's gossip column
1994

As it turned out, the Dalai Lama, Dolly Parton and young Mr. Jordan never showed up at the Lotos Club. But here's who did attend the post-screening gathering: "Little Buddha" stars Chris Isaak and Alex Wiesendanger (the latter being all of 10, adorable and very camera savvy) . . . the film's director, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Debra Winger, Diane von Furstenberg, Mort Zuckerman, Buck Henry, Bianca Jagger, Dominick Dunne, James Lapine, Lee and Ken Auchincloss, etc. Also on hand - amusingly and incongruously - was Janet Charlton of the Star supermarket tabloid. For some reason, Janet thought she might not be entirely welcome, so she kept ducking every time Peggy Siegal hove into view. "I always avoid women in black who wear pearls," said Charlton, wedged between the buffet and a potted palm.

But Janet was hard to miss. She wore flesh-colored, elbow-length, fingerless gloves with tattoo-like designs stenciled on them, and a midriff-baring dress. It was not an outfit to disappear in.

Chris Isaak was the hit of the night. The super-cooperative singer / actor arrived with Donna Daniels of Miramax and five members of his band, and was immediately engulfed by admirers. A few comments: "Oh, God, a straight man with style!" . . . "Look at his hair, I'm such a sucker for a pompadour" . . . "I want to have his children - right now!" . . . "If you tell me he's married, I'm going to impale myself on this asparagus spear." (And these were just the men!)

Best overheard exchange:
"During the film, Debra Winger slipped Chris some Tums."
"She slipped him the tongue?!"
"No - Tums!"
"Oh . . . too bad."

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