New York Post
Richard Johnson
July 16, 2004
THE bloom is off the rose on Mayor Bloomberg’s relationship with State Banking Superintendent Diana Taylor.
The couple, who are working on their fourth year together, had a public spat at the party Bloomberg and Applevision head Christy Ferrer threw at the Rainbow Room Wednesday night in honor of the celebrities who have appeared on Applevision and supported New York City throughout the year.
According to several eyewitnesses, Bloomberg arrived midway through the party, which had started at 6 p.m., in an apparently agitated state.
“The mayor showed up late and he was very irritated,” one witness said. “He walked straight in the room towards Diana and was visibly upset with her.”
An insider said Bloomberg was irked because he had wanted Taylor to meet him at Gracie Mansion earlier for a reception celebrating Harlem, and for the two of them to leave together for the Rainbow Room. But Taylor had other plans, and instead of explaining them to Bloomberg, she didn’t answer her phone when he called and went straight to the Rainbow Room without him.
“[Bloomberg] was mad at her because he couldn’t reach her on the cell phone,” the source told PAGE SIX.
According to several people at the Rainbow Room event, Taylor complained to Bloomberg, “I have my own job, I can’t do both!” — before noting the weather was bad and she simply didn’t feel like trekking up to Gracie Mansion in the pouring rain.
Bloomberg was not mollified and the two left the party together, gesticulating angrily.
“The mayor was supposed to give a speech,” said another partygoer. “But he came, he fought and he left — without saying anything.”
The party, which Bette Midler, Barbara Walters, Katie Couric and Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg were supposed to attend, was a bit of a bust. While Couric did show, the only other boldfaced names were Susan Lucci and Marisa Berenson — a former Bloomberg galpal.
Bloomberg rep Ed Skyler said: “I never comment on the mayor’s personal life.”
