David Patrick Columbia is a true gentleman, reminiscent of a time when good manners ruled New York. I sat down for lunch with him at Michael’s, where the power elite of media and entertainment gather to nibble on cob salads and to reign over the premiere tables. I must say, Mr. Columbia has earned the coveted table nestled near the bar where everyone who is anyone walks by to say hello to him. It was a gridlock of major media stars. Our first lady of gossip Liz Smith stopped traffic as she beamed a warm Texas smile to David. After a quick chat you could tell David truly respects her and she without a doubt knows he is a real gem. He mentioned that Liz was the first to reach out to him when he launched New York Social Diary in 2000. David had previously held editorial positions at Avenue and Quest magazines—the social bibles of New York.
David moved to New York fresh out of college and found himself living in one of New York’s most famous buildings—740 Park Avenue. As grand as his new digs were, David told me that he really wanted to be living in a small studio in the West Village like all his other friends.
David spent years practicing his writing, acting and even gave being a stockbroker a whirl before he moved to the West Coast after Sherry Lansing of MGM had read a screenplay he had written. The play didn’t pan out but he soon found himself a ghostwriter for Debbie Reynolds biography. David says, “Debbie’s one great gal” and mentions it was a wonderful experience working with her. It was during his 14 year stay on the West Coast that David tells a wonderful story about going to dinner parties at the Edie’s Goetz’s home the daughter of legendary movie studio czar LB Mayer. David says “Edie was truly the Queen of Hollywood. She gave the most interesting dinner parties and treated every guest as an equal. She served the best food in Southern California and women wore long gowns and spectacular jewelry at her parties. But what really made her dinners memorable was when her living room was crowded with the likes of Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and Fred Astaire. Even if you weren’t a star, you always felt comfortable at her parties,” he continued. She was a woman of great style and no one would think of upsetting the Queen”.
I asked David if he likes to cook and he said he loves roast chicken but in a New York kitchen cooking is more challenging than in LA. Throughout lunch there were endless intimate interruptions as the famous paused to say hello to David. Melania Trump stunning sans make-up spoke with a chic accent that made the whole package work! I must say, I was impressed with how David kept eye contact with me amidst the constant flow of the famous. Candy Spelling snuck by and David barely skipped a beat—an art that he has magically mastered and that makes you feel he really is interested in you and not just pretending.
After two hours of discussing Social Diary, the economy, a bit of old Hollywood, I realized that David is successful because he cares about ordinary people. Let me qualify, I asked David if he were going to a dinner party who would he want to sit next to—dead or alive? He paused, and then said “You really never know who you will get as a dinner partner. “It is a roll of the dice. I look forward to meeting different people from all walks of life—that is what makes life interesting”. But that probably isn’t the answer you expected.” How true! I was looking more for someone like Jackie Onassis, Nan Kemper or Princess Diana. I think what makes David tick is his desire to reach beyond his Social Diary audience and include all kinds of people I his social circle. He told a wonderful story about a homeless woman sitting outside of Zabar’s feeding half of her sandwich to her dog. What he noticed and admired was that this woman was taking care of her dog before she took care of herself.
I must say I was a bit taken-aback at how regular David is. My preconceived notions were more of a cross between Dominick Dunne and Glen Birnbaum. But what I got was a charming, smart and highly mannered gentleman who fell into this crazy business of reporting on what socially prominent people from all over the globe do when out on the town in the evening. David’s NYSD is much more than just A-list people at swanky parties—since interviewing David I have made it a point to read his daily column, and discovered that he captures the story of the moment with a personal and professional viewpoint filled with compassion, humor and good sense. Whether it is the Bernie Madoff story he covered or a luncheon given by the American Cancer Society, his journalistic freshness and candor are hallmarks of a personal style which is often missed among other writers in his world.