It is the 50th anniversary of the historic moonwalk.
It is Cape Canaveral, Fla. It is outer space’s yellow brick road. It is when America’s Apollo 11 rocketed way up and out into the wild blue yonder. It is when every eye on this planet was turned to a little black-and-white television screen. It is 1969, when the United States of America’s Buzz Aldrin set one of the first steps on the moon.
Now: Here is a happening that was already told half a century ago. Maybe this newspaper even printed it. But I don’t recall reading it. And wherever, whoever, however this may have been reported, many of you mightn’t remember these details. Having just heard the story and this being the anniversary, I thought you should also hear it. One small step for mankind was actually two small steps for womankind. It may have been one giant leap for his future wife, Lois Driggs Cannon.
This story was told to reporter Jesse Nash about 25 years ago, and he just told it to me. We’re back to 1995. The setting? A celebrity junket at Ocho Rios on the Caribbean grounds of Jamaica.
Evangelist Marjoe Gortner’s money-raising Save the Oceans event. The freebie faces included Dennis Hopper, Pete Sampras, Wolfgang Puck, James Woods, Mickey Rooney, Patty Hearst, Henry Mancini, plus Buzz. Some of those names are now gone — this saga remains forever.
While at a Sandals resort sunning himself, Nash claims Buzz told the happening, which was retold subsequently on “The Tonight Show.”
My relating this is in the words of Nash retelling Buzz, who joked about making an engagement ring from a chip off a moon rock and carrying it back to Earth on his person. When People magazine reported on this joke, he denied having possession of the moon rock to government officials. Sounds like astronaut Aldrin’s little plan became a real pain in the behind.
In his book “Magnificent Desolation,” Aldrin admits to making a “whimsical suggestion that Lois’ engagement ring included a . . . moon rock.”
But, People reported, “the mythical ring turned into a 2-carat diamond set in a diamond-studded eternity ring, which now rests on Lois’ finger. When people [asked] about the ring, Lois Aldrin [had] a ready response. ‘I tell them the moon is really made of diamonds.’ ”
They divorced in 2012, and she left Earth last year.
Cat person finally gets dog
Andrew Lloyd Webber did the stage musical “Cats.”
It has hissed and purred in every global litter box. Lloyd Webber just did the movie musical “Cats.” It has Taylor Swift doing the meowing.
Understand, this man’s a real cat lover, owner and keeper. Kittens are catnip to him. The Lordship and Madeleine, his Ladyship, have told me they share it with swimming Turkish Van felines — whatever they are.
BUT . . . stay . . . heel . . . they just finally got a dog. A real live dog. Their first dog. A puppy. Name’s Mojito. Details are scarce — poops are not. All that can be reported is that these Turkish things in residence are not at all pleased.
Please try to pay attention
Everyone’s sending announcements. Just to free up my e-mails, I now repeat a few: Terrence McNally’s “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” at the Broadhurst with Audra McDonald closes July 28.
Designer Zang Toi’s runway show Sept. 10 will have a VIP invitation-only soiree (that’s light lunch) afterward.
TV’s “The View” says this week they gained viewers ages 25-to-54. John Cena and John Leguizamo’s firefighter film “Playing With Fire” opens Nov. 8.
In the old days a “demonstration” meant some schnook showing how to use a potato peeler.
Mumbled only in New York, kids, only in New York.
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