Liz Smith Put The Gossip Behind Her To Focus On Her Charity. Starting With An Evening Of Readings...

[Two scandalous media ladies- Liz Smith and Paula Zahn. Photos by Patrick McMullan, PMc]

By now it's no big news that Liz Smith, old-school NYC gossip queen, was let go by the New York Post. In her interview on the Daily Beast, Smith says that a useful purpose for gossip is in fact, "... to raise money for charity, which I’ve done millions of dollars worth over the years, and I don’t think that was too well received... in my most recent job." Literacy Partners is one charity for which Ms. Smith would gossip as she (as chairman) attended the Pre-Gala Cocktails for the organization's Evening Of Readings (held in May). The event, held at Michael's, brought out Paula Zahn, Mary Higgins Clark, Rory Tahari and more.

More photos below

Rory Tahari, Sarah Simms Rosenthal

Liz Smith, Arnold Scaasi, Barbara Taylor Bradford

Christopher Buckley, Susan Mercandetti

Patrick McMullan, Mark Gilbertson