New York, June 29, 2009 – Mariah Carey apparently plays all the parts in a new music video she was filming at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan on Monday, including a male bellhop/doorman type character, and a male stalker who the Daily News assumes to be Eminem. 

But being dressed as men was not the only change we noticed in Mimi.  The notoriously demanding diva was in a great mood, laid back, hard working and self-effacing during the video shoot.   She took direction, laughed, got the scenes down fairly quickly, and apologized to the crew when she screwed something up. 

Mariah laughed at herself when she couldn’t figure out how to operate the iPhone her hoodie-clad male character had to use in one scene.  She kept turning it around every which way, attempting to snap a photo with it.  Obviously confused and embarrassed, Mariah kept her cool and laughed at her ineptitude and apologized for causing the delay.  (Funnily enough, the Apple store was directly across Fifth Avenue from where she was standing.)

Mariah seemed to really be into making the scenes come alive, and maintained her completely un-diva-like demeanor through multiple costume changes, with crowds of onlookers and paparazzi watching the entire time.

Mariah's professional behavior was in glaring contrast to Jennifer Aniston's hostility on her film set this week.

Atlantic City, NJ, June 21-26, 2009 – Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler were both ensconced at the Water Club all week, where they were shooting scenes for their movie The Bounty Hunter at the Borgata Hotel & Casino.   

Aniston had dinner with the movie’s director, Andy Tennant, at Bobby Flay Steak, and one evening she hosted eight people in her suite for dinner, served by the hotel’s butler staff.  While guests and staff at the hotel reported Aniston to be approachable and friendly, she was anything but when we caught up with her on the set on Thursday, June 23. 

Crew members merely shrugged as Aniston required take after take to nail the scene in which she drove a boardwalk pedicab while Gerard Butler pursued in a vintage Oldsmobile Delta 88.  A production assistant mentioned that the budget allowed for so many retakes. Aniston was openly hostile to photographers near the set.

Butler also filmed a scene at Borgata’s Porte Cochere with co-star Jason Sudekis of Saturday Night Live. 

Both Jen and Gerard checked out Friday morning and headed to New York. 

New York, June 18, 2009 – 2009 inductees to the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame included Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora; David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash of Crosby Stills & Nash, and many others. 

At the ceremony, attendees were treated to jaw-dropping performances by Bon Jovi and CSN as well as Clint Black, James Taylor, Chris Daughtry, Jason Mraz and BeBe Winans. 

Tom Jones, he of the swiveling hips, was honored with the Hitmaker award, and sang Green Green Grass, and followed that with his hit It’s Not Unusual!  Sir Tom also mentioned in his speech that he never expected to be honored by songwriters – but maybe there’ll be more to come, since he’s been writing his own songs recently. 

The evening’s biggest surprise came while singer Monica Mancini was singing Moon River: suddenly Andy Williams, who made the song famous, joined her onstage and finished the song.  Moon River received the Towering Hit award at the ceremony.

Country star Joe Nichols is preparing for his upcoming Broadway appearance in Pure Country by studying the songs and honing his acting skills, but he doesn’t yet know if he’ll be required to dance.  “If we’re doing dance numbers, that’s going to take a lot of work for me,” he said.  “A lot of work.”

New York, June 16, 2009 – Kathy Bates didn’t prepare much for her role as a courtesan in Belle Epoque Paris in the movie Cheri.  “I literally flew into Paris on a Sunday, arrived on Monday morning, went into costume fittings and started shooting on Tuesday,” she told us at the Cinema Society screening.  Bates said that director Stephen Frears does not like to rehearse, but he denied that, saying that Bates simply got there too late.  “If she’d come earlier, she could have rehearsed,” Frears said.  “It’s not my fault.  I’m innocent.”  The director was in a playful mood at the screening; Michelle Pfeiffer looked shocked when Frears nonchalantly walked past her on the red carpet.  “Oh my god!” she exclaimed, and then spotted him.  “I should have known it was him,” Pfeiffer said.  “Who else would come up to me and run their finger down my back but Mr. Frears?”

New York, June 15, 2009 – With the big opening party for the long-awaited High Line park falling the same night as the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards, Monday was one big – and long – night in New York City.  While the fashion folks were handing out awards at Lincoln Center, Friends of the High Line supporters gathered downtown at Chelsea Piers for their summer benefit honoring actor Edward Norton and philanthropists Lisa Maria and Philip Falcone, who donated $10 million to the park. 

But that was just the start of the evening, as attendees from both events converged at the High Line, where Calvin Klein Collection sponsored the first party at the new park, located on an elevated railroad track running through West Chelsea and the meatpacking district in Manhattan.  CFDA Award winner Alexander Wang arrived at the High Line wearing a torn white T-shirt, and admitted it was simply what he wore under his dressier outfit earlier in the evening.  “I did a little switcheroo in the car,” Wang said laughing.  The designer did wear his short pants to the CFDA Awards ceremony, however.  “They’re Commes des Garcons, so I thought they’d be acceptable.” he explained.

Celebrity couple Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman got involved in the High Line through their friend, Edward Norton.  “This is my neighborhood; we live on 19th Street,” Perlman said.  “I’m so excited.  I can’t wait to get up there; I’m so glad it stopped raining,” she added. 

Many partygoers noted that this official “first party” on the High Line is actually the second – back in September, Calvin Klein, Inc. celebrated its 40th anniversary with a private party on the unfinished trestle – but they had to do their own landscaping for that extravaganza. 

Atlantic City, NJ, June 13, 2009 – Newly single Paris Hilton hit the Jersey shore this weekend for a girl’s night out at the Borgata resort in Atlantic City.  Paris and her BFFs dined on Japanese food, and then headed to club mur.mur, where she gave in to her inner wild child, dancing on banquettes and jumping onstage to sing along and dance to the music.  Almost like the old days!  Fellow partiers snapped Paris’s photo and even asked for autographs.

New York, June 8, 2009 – It was a very exclusive event when Kelly Ripa announced the Electroluxe Virtual Lemonade Stand campaign at the Central Park Boathouse.  So exclusive, in fact, that most members of the press were not invited to hear about the fundraising program for ovarian cancer research. 

But the charming Ripa was delighted that some enterprising photographers who were not admitted rented a rowboat and rowed across the lake to snap some photos.  Kelly laughed when she noticed the amphibious cameramen pointing lenses from the boat, and came over to the edge of the dock and posed. 

New York, June 7, 2009 – The 2009 Tony Awards got off to a rollicking start with virtually everyone on Broadway joining in a chorus of Let The Sunshine In, followed shortly thereafter by Rock of Ages’ Bret Michaels getting smacked on the head by a descending stage set.  While Hugh Jackman may be the gold standard of Tony hosts, Neil Patrick Harris did an admirable job, although we kept wondering why his tuxedo was so shiny.  NPH walked the red carpet proudly with his partner David Burtka, as he does every year at the Tony Awards.

The three Billy Elliots David Alvarez, Kiril Kunish and Trent Kowalik won hearts with their tongue-tied acceptance speech, but they were blasé around Sir Elton John, who composed the score – because they’ve met him before.  Their Best Actor in a Musical win was historic, marking the first time that a Tony award has been shared by three people. 

Liza was happy, happy, happy in the press room, mugging with her Tony statuette.

Hollywood types like Dolly Parton and Will Ferrell thrilled the Broadway folks, but despite her lack of Broadway credits, everyone was swooning over Anne Hathaway all evening.  )Perhaps because Nicole Kidman, who was slated to appear, had to cancel.)

Tony Awards viewership was reportedly up this year, and that doesn't count the 1,000 people gathered in Times Square to watch the live simulcast.