As I looked to my left on a recent Sunday at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Nixon, a 1988 graduate of Barnard College, entered the room to talk about her life as a quintessential New York actress and about her reprisal of the role for which she is most famous – Miranda Hobbes of Sex And the City.

Nixon was stylishly adorned in a pleated off-white J. Mendel sleeveless dress, cinched at the waist with a deep red suede belt also from J. Mendel – surely memories of her blue and white beanie were distant ones. Yet, I wondered if she recalled the torrential rains that fell on May 18th twenty years hence, ruining the coiffures and graduation outfits of those seated in Low Plaza. And what about the inspiring words of Darth Vader as he accepted his Doctor of Humane Letters?

Those thoughts and many others ran through my head as Nixon settled into her chair and recorders were turned on. As one who had also beaten the odds to graduate from Columbia in 1988, I unilaterally decided that I would begin the discussion with a question about SATC's allure, easing Nixon into what can be an uncomfortable experience. Responding to queries about her new film with the grace that has become her hallmark, Nixon reached across the table and requested my unopened bottle of water as more probing questions were asked.

Accompanied by scenes from the upcoming film, hear Nixon have her say:

And as Ms. Nixon paused to sign memorabilia at the end of the roundtable discussion, I thought briefly of whipping out my mint condition “Frosh Book ‘84” to show Nixon her earthy Black & White photograph on page 71. Alas, humility was a lesson I learned well in Morningside Heights and I refused to alienate others by signaling our shared roots. Although my retro facebook remained in my bag, the next time CC ’88 interviews BC ’88, humility will be tossed to the wind ;-)!  M

May 2008 
 

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