Liz Smith: A Whole Lotta Action at Al Pacino's Table

Liz Smith: A whole Lotta Action at Al Pacino's Table

Al Pacino © Shutterstock

"I'll TAKE any trophy, I don't care what it says on it!" remarked actress Mary Louise-Parker a few years back.***SPEAKING of trophies, the Emmy Awards happened while I was away in Italy. So, that's three hours I don't feel I squandered, sitting in front of the TV, watching bad musical numbers, listening to ridiculous patter and wondering why the same people are honored over and over again. I was probably having a late, delicious dinner in Florence. Actors and their egos were far from my thoughts.I can't critique the show because I didn't see it, though I hear it was not the worst awards telecast in history, and there was even some fun to be had in the show's opening number. but of course I had my girl, Cathy Griffin, on hand and she observed a thing or two.When Jack Kevorkian, subject of the movie, "You Don't Know Jack" approached Al Pacino's table, Pacino – who won the Emmy for portraying the controversial "Dr. Death" – leapt to his feet, and hugged Kevorkian. The photogs and party guests with phone cameras almost overwhelmed the frail doctor. Bill Paxton, "Big Love's" big polygamist, also dropped by the Pacino table, but Bill was more fascinated with Kevorkian than his peer, Pacino. Bill called the doctor a "hero." Kevorkian replied: "A person who knows what's right and does what's right is not a hero, he is merely fulfilling his obligation. A hero does something extraordinary, and it may look extraordinary, but he's really doing what's right."Pacino and Kevorkian never met during the filming of "You Don't Know Jack." The doctor says, "He didn't want to meet me because it would change his idea of how he was going to portray me. He studied newsreel footage and photographs. He got me down perfect." Pacino has invited Jack to see him play Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice" in Central Park. Kevorkian is excited because "I'm really not one for plays or even movies." Kevorkian prefers to read.***AL PACINO apparently keeps up with news – even the silly kind. You know, Paris and Lindsay, etc. Thinking perhaps of his own wilder times, Pacino, who was in deep confab with old friend Jon Voight, said: "if you live long enough you see everything come to pass. Forget the drugs, forget the booze, just live long enough and everything happens and life is wonderful!"Voight said, "getting into drugs is idiotic. Anything that changes your ability to think properly is an insanity." (Jon is famously conservative on many matters, not just drugs. He often appears on Fox News, airing his thoughts. Fox loves him because it is rare to find a truly conservative actor.)And now that Jon is reconciled again with his daughter, Angelina Jolie, it was deemed safe to ask him about Jolie – nothing personal, just how did he rate her as an actress? Jon responded: "she has presence – a real presence." He went on to compare her qualities to those of great stars such as Barbara Stanwyck, Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn! Jon said: "Angie has that indefinable something that has the audience missing her when she is not on screen. she is extraordinary!"***The last thing I can properly remark about the Emmys is I am really happy that Kyra Sedgwick finally took the gold for "The Closer." before I left on vacation I wrote a little love letter in the column to Kyra – maybe it helped? (I also included a rave for Angie Harmon and her new show. if Harmon is nominated for an Emmy next year, I'm telling you now – I'm taking credit!)

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