Vot’s Dot, Again?
MAURY ROGOFF, one of the few press agents who still speaks to us, sent us an e-mail message saying that we incorrectly quoted the fabulous TERI GARR in her role as the voluptuous and willing assistant in “Young Frankenstein.” Ms. Garr, we were told, offers FRANKENSTEIN a roll not “in the hay,” but rather “in zee hay,”
We are sick about that, because we love doing accents.
But as one politically incorrect opportunity dissolves, another presents itself. And who did we have the chance to speak with but our pal JEAN-CLAUDE BAKER. One of the many adopted children of JOSEPHINE BAKER, he runs a French joint in our neighborhood called Chez Josephine. Despite residence in New York, his accent has not diminished.
We were chatting with him about a sketch of JENNIFER JASON LEIGH by AL HIRSCHFELD, the Broadway caricaturist who died in January. It was done on a tablecloth at CHEZ JOSEPHINE four years ago. As Mr. Baker tells it, MARGE CHAMPION was having a birthday celebration at the restaurant and Mr. Hirschfeld was one of the guests. Mr. Baker brought Ms. Leigh to Ms. Champion.
“I take hair hover to zee tebble and I am hintroducing hair to Marge,” Mr. Baker says. “Sank you, eet ees a wunderfool leetle encountair.”
Mr. Hirschfeld, meanwhile, is drawing on the white linen tablecloth with ink. There was, as Mr. Baker might describe it, zee leetle tussel among zuh guests for ownership, but it was decided that Mr. Baker should keep it because it was his restaurant.
Mr. Baker plans to sell the sketch and donate the proceeds to the Acting Company, which was co-founded by JOHN HOUSEMAN.
Mr. Baker is hoping it will fetch between $5,000 and $10,000 at auction at Guernsey’s in Manhattan because, as he puts it, “Hélas! Zaire will be no more Hirschfeld hon anyone’s tebblecloths.”