"I tell you, my clock's been ticking for a long time! I cannot wait to have a baby! ... I think I'm
finally at that place where I'm willing to be less selfish. I'm going to welcome giving up sleep, being unable to travel at
the drop of a hat."
So said Brooke Shields to this office last week. Now, before you get all excited, Miss Shields is not infanticipating with
her fianci, Chris Henchy. She's just all fired up about motherhood in general, after digging deep for the Barbra
Streisand-produced Lifetime movie What Makes a Family, which premieres Monday. This is the true-life tale of a
gay woman's court battle to regain custody of her deceased partner's child, taken away by the dead woman's parents.
Not only did this role stir Brooke maternally, but it is said she gives the most complete dramatic performance of her
career -- a career that Shields, only 35, is finally getting control of, having moved far beyond her teen-star "beauty"
days. Four years as the star of TV's Suddenly Susan has seasoned Brooke as nothing else could. She has
tremendous self-confidence now. Brooke talked to us before going onstage at L.A.'s Canon Theater, where she was
reciting Eve Ensler's emotional and funny The Vagina Monologues with Swoosie Kurtz and Jenifer Lewis. (Just
about the only thing that brings a frown to Brooke's flawless face is when critics say she is "surprisingly good."
Working in film since age 11, she says, "Why do they think I've been around so long, because I don't have talent?"
Brooke says she was totally relaxed in her What Makes a Family love scenes with Broadway's Cherry Jones.
"Cherry is so lovely and so comfortable with her sexuality. ... I've been more uncomfortable with some of the scenes
I've done with men!"
As for the real man in her life, Brooke says, "He is rock solid and so incredibly aware ... he just revels in me, but
doesn't hold me on such a pedestal that I'm too far away from him." She has only kind words for her ex, Andre Agassi,
and says, "I believe he is happier, too."
Special Reading
And here is a Vagina Monologues exclusive. On Feb. 10, at Madison Square Garden, Oprah
Winfrey and Calista Flockhart will perform two new monologues written by Eve Ensler. Oprah's
piece will deal with the horrific conditions women live under in Afghanistan. Calista's monologue deals with young
girls taking charge of their own bodies -- a piece in fact written for Calista. This special reading
will be the centerpiece of "V-Day 2001," a fund raiser to fight violence against women. Others participating that night
include Jane Fonda, Marlo Thomas, Winona Ryder, Ali MacGraw, Claire Danes, Gina Gershon, Rosie Perez, Glenn
Close, Kathy Najimy and Swoosie Kurtz. Tix range from $25 to $500. Call TicketMaster at (212) 307-7171.
Casting Note
Ed Harris, gathering rave reviews for his performance and directorial debut in Pollock, has just
been tapped to star with Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman in The Hours, based on Michael
Cunningham's book.
Harris will be on screen throughout the year -- with Jude Law in Enemy at the Gate ... with Vince Vaughn in Prime
Gig ... with Joaquin Phoenix in Buffalo Soldiers -- and for director Ron Howard, he'll soon film Beautiful Mind.
Material Girl Reigns Supreme
Eminem might hold the king of controversy title at this year's Grammy
Awards, but Madonna remains the queen of all she surveys. And just to prove it, I hear it will be the Big M who opens
Grammy 2001, on Feb. 21. Not Britney, not Christina, not Destiny's Child, not 'N Sync. And certainly not
Eminem.
In answer to our question -- will Madonna really open the show? -- her rep, Liz Rosenberg, answered, "Beats me!"
Which, of course, is what we want to do when Miss Rosenberg's job requires her to be evasive.
Yours Truly
A & E's Open Book series has asked me to take part in its Thursday "Women in Power"
breakfast at Fred's, located in Barney's New York on Madison Avenue. A & E has pulled together a group of
impressive ladies -- Wendy Wasserstein, Lesley Stahl, Marie Brenner, Candace Bushnell and Gretchen Reuben. These
worthies will offer their take on the changing roles of women in power, what we've overcome, where we are headed.
TV's Perri Peltz, another impressive woman, moderates. Tix for this 8 a.m. event are $35. Call (212) 450-8701.
Oops
A glitch here in our office caused us to cite Washington as the place where the Harvard AIDS Institute dinner
happened -- the gala at which UN Ambassador Richard Holbrooke was honored. It actually happened at the St. Regis
Hotel in New York City.
(C) 2001 Newsday Inc. Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.
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