Originally posted Monday, September 17, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Entertainment news and gossip saturate daytime TV, from talk shows such as “Live with Kelly and Ryan”and “The Wendy Williams Show” to old standbys like “Access Hollywood” and “E.T.” to hipper takes such as “TMZ,” Dish Nation” and “Daily Mail TV.”
"Page Six TV," referencing the column made famous by the New York Post, debuted last year to add yet another player in this crowded field and managed to survive for a second season.
What it brings to the table is the "Page Six" brand name and three hosts with different strengths: New York Post Page Six senior reporter Carlos Greer, Variety senior correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister and former Bravo TV "Fashion Queens" host Bevy Smith, who has lived in New York City all her life.
Smith flew into Atlanta last week to promote the show's second season and the fact Fox 5 in Atlanta is giving it second, much better time slot than it had season one: 2 p.m. on top of 12:30 a.m. It, in part, replaces Harry Connick Jr.'s cancelled talk show.
Here are excerpts from my talk with her at Aurora Coffee in Little Five Points:
Q: Why is Page Six a big deal in New York media?
Smith: I’ve worked for many years in fashion and media. Page Six was important to my business. You always wanted to seen one of your events in there. It’s considered a landmark moment. It’s not just actors and musicians. It’s influential people in New York in fashion, in real estate, in politics.
Q: So they hired you for your ability to provide context to New York?
Smith: Yes. Context!
Q: And goods looks?
Smith: Of course darling!
Q: You were born in Harlem. You still live there?
Smith: Yes! Harlem is a big part of everything I do. Being part of 'Page Six,' I'm actually the only real New Yorker. Carlos has been here 15 years. I believe you need at lesat 20 to be a true New Yorker. I was there with Ed Koch when Gerald Ford told New York to drop dead. [That was a classic Daily News headline.] I have traveled the world but I always come home!
Q: How else do you differentiate yourself?
Smith: I’m the more risque one. We razz Carlos and Elizabeth for being strictly business. I provide color commentary. I’m not the news person. We are now in a groove as we enter season two. We know who we are. We know our strengths and weaknesses. We play off of them.
Q: How has this been different from “Fashion Queens”?
Smith: That was a fashion commentary show seen through the prism of pop culture. This is a vastly different type of show. We talk fashion maybe four, five times a month. It’s not a meaty part of the show. I’m also part of the Wendy Williams ‘Style Squad’ show. And I do my Sirius XM radio show “Bevelations.” All that kind of means is I stay busy.
Q: I’ve been to SiriusXM headquarters before. Have you ever seen Howard Stern?
Smith: No! He has his own entrance and exit. He's like a mythological creature. But I do love my show there. It's on Andy Cohen's channel. He gave me a show on Bravo a few years back but I turned it down. Andy said, 'We'll work together.' He kept his word. For seven years, he kept trying to find something and finally came up with "Fashion Queens." [That show lasted three seasons and featured Atlantans Miss Lawrence and Derek J.]
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Q: Have you had a chance to see either Miss Lawrence or Derek J since you came into town?
Smith: Miss Lawrence and I had dinner last night. Of course, you know I’m a friend of Lee Daniels. I was on the set of ‘Fashion Queens’ and I taped Miss Lawrence singing ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) and sent it to Lee. He ended up on ‘Empire.’ Lee loved him so much, he gave him a spot on ‘Star.’!
Q: With so many entertainment shows out there, what does “Page Six TV” bring to the table?
Smith: Elizabeth Wegmeister is all about the business of show business. We have the ability to dig deeper into stories. When covering Henry Cavill not being Superman, we are able to talk about the studios and the business behind that decision. And with Les Moonves, she was one of the people that broke the Matt Lauer story. We have that kind of grit. With Carlos Greer, we are on the ground with Page Six every day. He has all the sources in the universe. I'll tease him when he says, 'Sources say.' 'I hate your damn sources!' I'm always up to some shenanigans. I don't want these sources following us all the time!
Q: How have celebrities reacted to you now that you’re on this show?
Smith: The celebrities are very happy for me. Many have said congratulations. They know I respect the relationships I’ve developed over the span of 20 years.
Q: What if they do stupid things?
Smith: If they do stupid things, Carlos Greer can talk about it. I stay out of it! I don’t want people reporting on my stupid things!
Q: Have you spent much time in Atlanta?
Smith: I used to do these 'Dining With Bevy' dinners with movers and shakers. One of my favorite dinners was with T.I. in 2011. I brought all these fashion insiders down to Atlanta. We had never done one in the south much less Atlanta. We did everything Atlanta style. T.I. picked us up in luxury cars. He put us up in nice hotels. The greatest part of the experience was going to a strip club. He gave us a stack of 1,000 singles. It was so much fun! My ladies didn't want to leave!
Q: What would you like to do in Atlanta that you haven’t yet?
Smith: Check out ‘The Walking Dead!’ I want to hang out with Michonne and kick some butt!
ON TV IN ATLANTA
“Page Six TV,” 2 p.m. weekdays, Fox 5 (WAGA-TV)
About the Author
