"I WILL never stop performing. Not so long as I am physically able and as long as people want to see me!"
That was Cher at the opening of the new Beverly Hills restaurant, Luau. The Oscar-winning actress and entertainer deluxe, is apparently finished with thoughts of semi-retirement and extended "farewell" tours. She has been having a great time in Las Vegas, and clearly intends to let the good times roll. Her concerts, as opposed to Madonna's, are not pulsating, punishing efforts to push her body to the max. (You really want Madonna to relax at some point!)
Cher is reasonably agile -- she was never a great dancer -- sings a lot, with that powerful, unique voice, and gives her fans hit after recognizable hit. There's a lot of beading and bangles involved. Old-fashioned glamour, baby -- Cher's still got it. And she does it all without breaking a sweat. Her shows are ... joyful.
The opening at the Luau attracted the likes of Orlando Bloom, Elizabeth Hurley, Chelsea Handler, Garry Shandling, Nicollette Sheridan and David Spade. The statuesque "Desperate Housewives" vixen and the slight Spade surprised the crowd with their intimacy. Well, that's one way for Nicollette to forget her studly ex, Michael Bolton -- take a 180-degree turn!
But it was Cher, the one and only, who attracted the most attention. She is shy by nature and rarely seen on the scene. Our L.A. gad-about, Hal Lifson bravely approached and engaged the often wary Cher in a bit of chat. Along with repping the spectacular, newly remodeled Riviera Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, Hal is a well-known historian of all things '60s, and he immediately asked Cher about those early days of her career with Sonny Bono.
"Oh, I loved that time, even though I wasn't a very good singer." (We disagree!) "But that was the best time, musically. I loved that period. The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Stones, of course. And you know who I really loved? The Hollies. Do you remember them?" (Of course Hal remembers the Hollies. He went on to entertain Cher with a list of all their hits!)
The star also revealed that she is doing a new album of all her favorite '60s songs. "I am really excited about re-interpreting some of that music. It was a pivotal time in history and in my life personally."
And there's even a screen project on the burner, though Cher was reluctant to talk about it. Movie deals tend more often than not to vanish in pre-production mulling and meandering, scheduling and financing. But it is time to see Cher back in the movies. Her last was Franco Zeffirelli's "Tea with Mussolini" and she was just great in that.
Funny thing. The other night while surfing the TV channels, I came across the episode of "Will & Grace" where Cher makes an appearance. Sean Hayes, who played the dizzy Cher-fan, refuses to believe it is really Cher. "I don't need tips from a drag queen on how to 'do' Cher." He says dismissively, and then gives an over-the-top impersonation. "Are you kidding me with this?" says the eternally deadpan Cher. Finally, she calls on her big "Moonstruck" scene with Nic Cage, and gives Sean a resounding smack in the face. "Snap out of it!" she barks and makes her exit. Sean faints.
Cher! It's on the record. She promises she'll never leave us. Long may she belt out "If I Could Turn Back Time."
P.S A bit of Luau history. The original famous eatery was once owned by Steven Crane, who was Lana Turner's second and third husband. They had to marry twice when it was discovered his previous wedlock had not been legally dissolved. Lana was already pregnant with daughter Cheryl when the second ceremony took place. It was a big deal, back then. Especially as Lana was already disillusioned with Steve.
Well, there among the guests looking over the new Luau digs, Cheryl Crane herself, tall and blonde and lovely. Unlike other star-children, Cheryl has always defended and cherished her mother's memory and legacy. I'll tell you soon about the fabulous tribute book she has assembled on Lana, coming out next month. It is spectacular, just like Lana.
AND WHILE we have great lady stars on our mind, Elizabeth Taylor has just returned from England, where she spent several weeks. It was "an inspirational working trip." Though her House of Taylor jewelry line ran into some trouble and folded, La Liz has, typically, not given up. She's still sketching and designing pieces and I wouldn't be surprised if she launches her baubles again.
She has also been researching new scents. Her White Diamonds fragrance remains astonishingly popular -- the star's first perfume, Passion, and the later White Diamonds, made her more money than her entire film career. So, because too much of a good thing is wonderful, Elizabeth has plans to market another vial of seductive fumes.
Elizabeth stayed at her old haunt in London, the fabled Dorchester, where she had many happy/dramatic times with her beloved Richard Burton. She also visited the estate of Sir Simon and Lady Sheran Hornsby. Sir Simon is the president of the Royal Horticultural Society. Sheran is Elizabeth's oldest friend. They knew each other in England, during Elizabeth's blissful horseback-riding childhood, before she was brought to Hollywood.
Little Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor became a fabulous (and often notorious) movie queen -- Hollywood royalty. But during the peak of one of her great scandals, Elizabeth was heard to cry out, "Why couldn't we have stayed in England? Why couldn't I have grown up normal?!"
Of course, later, she embraced the silliness of fame, using it in her AIDS fundraising. She made champagne out of the lemons of her tabloid life.
(E-mail Liz Smith at MES3838@aol.com, or write to her c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207.)
