By Velvet Roper staff 5/31/12 1:21pm

Question of the Week

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President Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Bob Dylan

Question of the Week: Alan Alda, Iris Apfel and Rose Hemingway Oblivious of Bob Dylan’s Presidential Medal of Freedom

So, what did we learn this week as we took the pulse of the partygoing public? A surprisingly large number of those we ran into while out and about apparently don’t have a “Bob Dylan” Google Alert, or possibly not even basic cable! Almost no one was aware of the major award bestowed upon Mr. Dylan by President Obama on Tuesday, the Presidential Medal of Freedom–the first rock musician to be given such an honor–an event which set the internet on fire, perhaps partially because of the crazed dictator look Mr. Dylan sported.

Click through our slideshow for expressions of surprise and ambivalence from several notables, plus comments by Patti Smith and Dylan Lauren, who, as Mr. Dylan’s namesake, bubbled over with congratulations. Read More

By Drew Grant 5/31/12 9:30am

galas

LeVar Burton and Alan Alda at the World Science Festival Gala (Patrick McMullan)

The 2012 World Science Festival Gala: Our Alternate Universe Questions for LeVar Burton and Alan Alda

We arrived late and wet Tuesday night to 5th floor of the Time Warner Building, which, ironically, happens to be the Allen Room and Atrium of Lincoln Center. (We absurdly assumed that this place would be located at Lincoln Center.) Unfortunately, our tardiness meant we missed the ”Performing Arts Salute to Science” show that kicked off The 2012 World Science Festival. Although we did happen to catch either How to to Success in Business‘ Rose Hemingway or her costar Paige Faure sing the last bars of “Defying Gravity” from Wicked (it was hard to see from where we were standing), we were furiously disappointed when guests began to file out of the auditorium.

The evening’s host Alan Alda had spent an hour juggling presentations from Debra Monk, physicist Brian Greene, the MOMIX modern dance company, LeVar Burton and others, but all we caught was the after party, where guests noshed on little takeout boxes of lo mein and mussels in red sauce (one of the more original catering ideas we’ve seen in awhile) while mingling around the small science exhibits set up.

Well, we weren’t going to miss our chance to ask Mr. Alda and Mr. Burton–one of our favorite actors and one of our favorite PBS hosts, respectively–some fawning, Chris Farley Show-style interview questions. Or were we? Read More