New York, June 1, 2006 – The Fresh Air Fund folks took seriously our ribbing at last year's gala about the aromatic situation outside Tavern on the Green in Central Park. This year, they attempted to remove the horse manure fragrance from the air with a leaf-blower. That didn’t work, and in fact, made things worse by adding clouds of dirt and dust to the stench. But mother nature saved the day with torrential thunderstorms that created a delightful river inside the press tent. Correctly realizing that guests like Mariah Carey were not going to slosh their way through for the cameras, organizers moved the media folks to another tent that was dry and odor-free.

And that was most appreciated, since Mariah arrived well after 9 P.M., almost two hours after everybody else. In fact, members of the press arranged a pool, betting on what time Mariah Carey would show up. The winner got $28, and said that if it had been more money, she would have donated it to the Fresh Air Fund. Mariah is a big supporter of this cause, and she gamely got out of her car despite the downpour - accompanied by three umbrella holders, of course.

Movers and shakers that joined Mariah in helping to send inner city kids to the country included John Turturro, Marisa Tomei, Patricia Heaton, Kevin Bacon, Spike Lee, designer Donna Karan and Vogue’s Anna Wintour.