Speaking of lovely personality, I dropped by the Air Tahiti party at the Maritime Hotel celebrating the inauguration of its direct flight between New York and French Polynesia. Tahitian luminaries like the president of French Polynesia walked about in leis.

Nearly all parties seeking publicity have what is called an “arrivals area.” Usually right inside the front door, this where you can intercept notable guests for photos. Photographers shoot the guests, and the guests move into the party. Ninety-nine times out of 100, photographers never see the inside of the party.

I am so accustomed to having little to no interaction with party guests that I couldn’t even make charming conversation when these two former Miss Tahiti candidates Raipoe Adams and Raitea Huteau decided not to go into the party. Instead, they wanted to chat with the photographers working the party.

Pageant participants are unfailingly nice in a way so rare that it’s spooky to encounter. I haven’t met any that have struck me as anything other than honest-to-god sweethearts. An interesting twist too is that they are not super-cool; they have a refreshing naivete straight out of elementary school. After living in NYC for a number of years, I’m so over super-cool sophistication. It’s too tiring. And requires expensive dry cleaning.

The fellows who operate the muppets seem to pretty happy about their jobs. In particular, the Kermit operator Steve Whitmire struck me as the happiest guy on the planet. In an enviable way, not a silly way.

Here’s a shot from a different appearance from a few years ago. That grin pretty much tells the story of his job.

Katie Chonacas

Thora Birch

It turns out the story wasn’t so simple. Her people, or perhaps the Tomb Raider herself, had set up a similar opportunity behind her hotel. Police, barricades, security, even a limo. So a lot of people set up there. She, of course, runs out the front into a downscale Lincoln Town Car. Not the kind of ride you would expect.

After dissing fans and photographers at the hotel, she decides to come in the front at the auditorium. For reasons known only to her, instead of repeating her hotel move, she arrives at the front door. (A backdoor was available.) She waved once or twice, fast, and spent most of her time outside signing for fans. By the timestamps on my pictures, she was outside the auditorium for exactly two minutes. But she wasn’t very generous with the photo op though. It only takes maybe fifteen seconds to do a good one, but of course, who has the time?

He’s also about seven feet tall in person. A full length photo of him is tough to get sometimes.

She said her husband, William H. Macy, picked out her outfit.

Her publicists have been many and ambitious over the last few weeks. At most events, the publicists really don’t want to know you that much. However, for the last couple of weeks, Mariah’s publicists have been working the press lines, introducing themselves, getting cards, etc. Clearly someone’s decided to pull out all the stops for this album.

She’s wearing Ralph Lauren.

Party guests included Jermaine Dupri, Sean Combs, Jay Z, Kanye West, and Robin Williams.