18th East Hampton Library Authors Night Draws Celebrity Fans

Carl Bernstein‘s line was a little shorter than Katie Couric‘s, but not by much.

“People apparently still buy books,” the Watergate writer revealed. “I’ve got to get back to signing,” he added.

Welcome to the 18th annual Authors Night fundraiser presented Saturday, August 13 in Herrick Park. The East Hampton Library event was packed this year.

Several hundred people paid $125 for the chance to buy Chasing History from Bernstein or Going There from Couric.

“It’s fun and the people are very nice. Some have little stories to tell when they come to the table,” Couric said.

Brian De Palma was pushing a “fascinating thriller that my wife and I dreamed up together. I’ve never really written a book before so it’s a new experience for me.” A movie perhaps out of it from the legendary director? “One can only hope,” he said with a smile. And then he too along with wife Susan Lehman went back to signing something called Are Snakes Necessary?

Beverly Camhe was shopping for movie ideas.

Tina Brown looked royal hawking her Palace Papers. She was enjoying the overflow crowd and a line eight-deep with fans.

“It’s a literary buffet,” she said. “All these fantastic bylines sitting at their tables. We’re all chit-chatting. An author couldn’t ask for more. I’m here to support the library. It’s quite a jamboree.”

Tom Clavin told us he had one book optioned by Ron Howard for a movie last week. He was here with another. “I like meeting the people. I’ve been doing this for so many years we’ve become friends,” he added.

Fashion editor Kate Betts was there with co-author Shawn Waldron autographing Slim Aarons: Style. She likes the local color and says only in East Hampton do you have people saying, “Oh, I was in this photo. Slim Aarons shot my family in Palm Beach or Acapulco. So we meet a lot of the subjects and they have colorful stories to tell.”

Betts, like Brown, was a little star struck by nearby Bill Bratton, Nelson DeMille, Bill Boggs, Tovah Feldshuh and Amanda Fairbanks. “I’m going to buy Carl Bernstein’s book,” Betts admitted. “I hear it’s really good.”

OK, Kate, but the line is long.

Bill McCuddy is a frequent Dan’s contributor. He co-hosts two podcasts Sitting Around Talking Movies and The Accutron Show. He is also a cohost of Talking Pictures with Neil Rosen and Lisa Rosman on PBS/AllArts.