“It was the greatest concentration of paparazzi in New York City history,” says Trump, never shy about pulling the trigger on a superlative assessment of his latest achievement. “Robin Leach told me only the Academy Awards was equal.” The paparazzi were there, all right, but they probably had plenty of leftover film. About a third of the 1,500 invitees found something better to do. One leading New York publisher lamented the absence of “the right people.” Presumably he didn’t mean no-show Michael Jackson, whom Trump had hyped all week as a potential guest. Even The Donald’s kids, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, risked a Yuletide coal delivery by opting to hang out in Aspen with Ivana.
About a thousand second-string well-wishers-including 0. J. Simpson, Sen. Al D’Amato, Carl Icahn, Bianca Jagger and Don King did watch Marla strut the aisle in her Carolina Herrera dress and $2 million borrowed tiara before sticking around to feed on trough-loads of caviar and champagne. Best-selling vampire-like radio host Howard Stern was probably the biggest name on hand. As the ceremony ended he was discreetly approached by a phalanx of hired muscle, ready to put the kibosh on any stunts. No tricks, but he scandalized some by predicting the union would falter. “I give him two weeks and he’s back in the sack,” Stem told a reporter. Trump will need to do something to keep people interested.
