Columnist Liz Smith is reporting that Natasha Richardson was taken off life support at 1:30 pm EST today.

Tuesday I was sitting at lunch with Page Six’s Paula Froelich and casting director Bonnie Timmermann at Michael’s restaurant. The head man came and whispered in my ear, “Natasha is dead.” I was worried whether to pass this bad news on to Paula and Bonnie, knowing that the latter was a great friend of Liam Neeson. But I did and therein lies the problem with un-inspected news. He hadn’t said, “Natasha is brain-dead.” He said, “Natasha is dead.” So I ruined Bonnie’s lunch and my own.

Through the afternoon we all realized that this wonderful, unusual star and actress was perhaps not dead and had been moved from Montreal to New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital. Liam, who had been filming in Toronto and had rushed to her side, was now in NYC with the children. I had been waiting for several days for a phone call from Vanessa Redgrave, who was coming to New York to give an award at the UN. The call, of course, never came. Everybody in the family — Liam, the two boys, Vanessa, Lynn Redgrave, Joely Richardson — have all been in the hospital with Natasha, and word is in at 1:30 PM WEDNESDAY they have taken Natasha off of life support. This is not unexpected. Insiders felt yesterday, on learning they were flying Natasha in to Lenox Hill, that this meant her condition was hopeless and they were just finding a place to be together with her and to say good-bye. As one insider remarked:”Nobody goes to Lenox Hill who is really sick; if she’ d had a chance to live, they’d have found another great brain hospital!” This is all just utterly horrible to write!

Liz Smith is a longtime columnist with close ties to the Broadway community, so she’s probably a voice to trust here, although we still don’t have confirmation from the family.

This is just so unbelievably sad. My heart goes out to the family.

I’m totally willing to be rolled around everywhere on a gurney with Annie Leibovitz’s telephoto lens shoved in my face if I can capture the same effect.

Picture 1-Singer Adele at the Grammy Awards, February 2009

Picture 2-Adele, photographed by Leibovitz, for a Vogue.com article

Every once in a while, I come across a story that leaves me a little speechless.  This would be one of those times.

Salma Hayek is on the cover of April’s issue of InStyle and talking all about how her billionaire husband helped her through the devastating burden of figuring out what to wear.

François was my stylist,” Hayek, 42, tells InStyle for its April issue about the champagne Bottega Veneta gown she wore to the Golden Globes. It was Christmas and I was just overwhelmed with so many things to do. He said, ‘Let me help you. How can I help?’

And I said, ‘Well, I have to pick a dress for the Golden Globes,’  Hayek continues, recounting her conversation with hubby François Henri-Pinault, whose company PPR oversees Balenciaga, Gucci and YSL. So Bottega Veneta sent swatches and sketches, and François worked with the designer Tomas Maier, and he took care of everything.

A man picked out and designed this dress?  Well, that explains the neckline.

This is a screen grab from Leann’s blog today.  I guess it wasn’t just an affectionate yet platonic kiss across a table.

This is a very difficult time for me and my loved ones, but I appreciate all your continued support.”

I would like to assure all of you that this is a place for you to hear things directly from me and as you all know, not everything in our lives is always black and white.

Sadly, the place for her husband to hear things directly about Leann was probably Us Weekly.

Someone who hates me gave my kid an American Idol microphone for Christmas a couple years ago.  I keep throwing it away but like the Friday the 13th movies, Jason, as I’ve named the microphone, keeps on fucking returning.  Now, the continuing stream of annoying American Idol merchandise continues.

On April 21st, you will be able to purchase American Idol trading cards.  138 cards will feature the four judges, current and past contestants and if we’re really lucky, Ryan Seacrest.  There will also be six autographed cards randomly placed somewhere in the trillions of packages on the shelves.

Expect lines to wend out the door and around the corner of your local mass merchandise retail store on the release date.  Seriously-can you even control yourself thinking about the possibility of having a pocket Paula that fits right in your wallet?

Earth Hour: The Huge Turn Off- Alanis Morissette PSA

Now listen, I hate when websites don’t warn you that you are about to be subjected to something gross.  You are being warned.  You are about to be subjected to something gross. If you are feeling strong of stomach and you don’t have feet issues, press play and watch Alanis Morissette’s new PSA regarding Earth Hour on March 28th.