The art of fine-wine ...

We were having dinner with our friend, film writer and documentary maker Barbara Martinez. Her family lives in Napa Valley, where they are growing grapes, for wineries. So the conversation focused on the charming spots in the area, when you can stop and taste wine, have a full meal and of-course - buy bottles of superb wine.


Barbara's descriptions of the place, showed real understanding and love for the business of producing fine wine. There are few unique  wineries - she told us - that are not even open to customers ...Only - to special wine collectors. Perhaps now, due to the bad  economy, they will have to accommodate others.


Suddenly - we looked at each other and started to laugh ..."Asif!" we roared loudly. Of-course we were referring to Asif Ali Zardari's love for fine-wine.  To his credit, he really knows how to choose superb wines, let them breath, toast it around in beautiful glasses, before sipping slowly, enjoying every elegant sip.


In my book "My Benazir" - I describe, how he used to store bottles of fine wines in several restaurants in upper-east-side of New York, where he was a regular. The restaurant owners or managers treated his wine with lots of respect. It included a conversation about the wine, uncorking the bottles in front of our eyes, pouring it slowly into a glassy vase. Very ceremonial.


Ironically - Asif hosted us, looking after his selection of wines - as if he had been doing it all along. As if - he had not been in prison, fighting tough allegations for over more than a decade.  It caught my attention. Curiosity - is a more accurate way to describe it.


But putting politics and religions aside (when I visited Asif in Pakistan, after he assumed power, he avoided drinking, and signaled to me not to mention his New-York lifestyle, which ended only few months earlier) - real wine lovers are like art collectors. The passion and joy of searching never goes away ...


For some of us - fine-wine is a piece of art.


A fascinating world to explore.

The Missing Interview ...

While writing my 2nd book, "My Benazir" - I used partial transcripts of my TV interviews with Benazir Bhutto from 1995 and 2006 ... I have included parts of my interviews with former Pakistani president Pervez Musharaf (and his wife), Shahbaz Sharif, Imran Khan ...


One of my editors asked: "The book mentions an additional TV interview you conducted with Bhutto ...Why did you choose, not to include parts of it as well? Did you think, using too many interviews, may hurt the flow?"


Good question!


The balance between being informative, yet engaging, creating suspense - is tricky.
But the question triggered me, to pull these tapes from 2001 interview and watch them. My producers and I didn't expect anything extra-ordinary. After all - "My Benazir" is already published. So we planned to go over it fast, just in case ...


In the 2001 interview, until Benazir started to answer my questions about the Swiss case against them ... At the time, her husband Asif Ali Zardari was in jail for several years. Benazir was living in exile (Dubai) with her three kids. She was very lonely, down ...She began replying to my questions about the ongoing litigation regarding the alleged millions she and Zardari had in Swiss banks...We couldn't believe what we watched: A candid Benazir admitting that ... We ran the tapes again ... Benazir was talking in details ... It looks like at one point, she forgot she was in a midst of a TV interview. She was laying the facts, arranging it while talking ... Separating her husband's actions from herself, saying:  HIS guilt, HER responsibility ...


A fascinating  historical document. And - how relevant to the current Pakistani politics.
Editing the tapes now. 

What every woman needs ...

"Alex Rodriquez has described ex-girlfriend Cameron Diaz as a wonderful person..."


This headline appeared on the "Daily Mail" this morning. Rodriguez (nicknamed A Rod) has had affairs with several glamorous blonds ever since he divorced his wife Cynthia: The tabloids reported affairs with Kate Hudson, Madonna (The Ultimate Blond) ..And then came Cameron. Photos of A Rod  and the blond actress in Mexico, vacationing with HIS children, sent a message that this relationship may last longer (than A Rod's previous ones) ...
Not much longer. They split few months ago.

I met Cameron recently. She has never-ending legs, big blue eyes. When we talked, there was vulnerability about her. Like a woman searching for true love. I truly liked her.

That is why I was happy to read A Rod's public flattering remarks about her. He did the right thing by her. And she - we all - deserve kindness from our partners even if this partnership has not lasted long.  It is even more sensitive, when it happens to people in the public eye. it is even more sensitive to the women among them - their private lives, their partners - so tricky, full of insecurities.


And that takes me back from Cameron Diaz - a Hollywood actress, known for comic roles - to late leader, assassinated on 2007, while trying to return to power in her homeland, Pakistan.

Benazir Bhutto, my friend, was so longing to hear loving words from the man she loved, her husband Asif Ali Zardari, the current president of Pakistan. My new book "My Benazir"  is getting such strong reviews, because there is a Benazir in each one of us, longing to be loved. 

Dreaming about someone tells the world: "SHE is special .."

Who will be the next president of France?

Francois Hollande established a lead, earlier this week against sitting president Nicolas Sarkozy. This was the first shot of the 2012 elections in France. With the rapidly declining economy, and growing unemployment in France - many expect Sarkozy to be a one-term-president. Many agree that Hollande will win in May.

I have met Sarkozy. In fact - I am friends with his ex wife Cecilia, her current husband Richard Attias, and little Louis Sarkozi - the only son of the French president with Cecilia.

I have met Hollande as well. A shrewd politician, no doubt. Our introduction took place after his lover then - the mother of his children - beautiful Segolene Royal lost the elections to Sarkozy.

My exclusive interview with Segolene made headlines around the world. We filmed it, few weeks, before the elections (2007) at the glamorous penthouse of La Fouquette Hotel in Paris. Segolyn was dressed like Jacky O (Kennedy). She had this style which put women on fashion magazines' covers around the world. She was warm, engaging, lovely! The two of us really bonded.

But there was something else about her: Some hidden sadness? Loneliness? Such vulnerability under her tough cover. She needed to show her tough side! After all, she was the first ever woman presidential candidate in France! The (macho) knives were out there, looking for any small error, she might make.

When we hugged each other after the interview, she told me: "I need (your) help ..." 

A few days later in New York,  I met my close friend Benazir Bhutto, her husband Asif Ali Zardari and other friends of mine, for a dinner in a French bistro. Segolene was on the cover of a magazine at the bistro's bar. Naturally - everyone at our table wanted me, to share more about, "This first woman to run for president in France .." They asked me, what was she like.

I looked at Benazir. She was going through tough time. She didn't look her best. "Segolene," I said, "reminds me of you Benazir, when I first met you ...Yes, she is beautiful ..." Asif who was sitting next to me, ignoring his wife during the dinner, jumped up. He looked a bit tipsy, when he announced: "Nobody is as beautiful as my wife ..."

The table went quite. I glanced at Benazir. She continue to eat, cutting such a lonely figure. What a different image from the smiling Segolene, the politician, the desired woman who seemed to have had it all?

In June 2007 - I was again in Paris. Sarkozy had won the elections in May.  Segolene had a lot to deal with: Not only being a political loser ...NO! The world learnt that her partner Francois Hollande was in love. Not with Segolene.  

Hollande is a pleasant man. I have no reason or right to judge his personal choices. He may be the best solution for France's current problems.

Yet - the image of a lonely Segolene asking for help, keeps flashing in front of my eyes, dissolving into Benazir ...

More in my new book  "My Benazir."  

Too Much Information?

Actress Kirstie Alley is making juicy headlines again ... She just revealed that she had these feelings - something more than dancing - towards DWTS (Dancing With The Stars)'s professional dancer Maxim Chernovsky.


Handsome Max was her partner, when she (almost) won the show, and lost so much weight. Why did Kirstie need to come out now with all this private information? I call it the "Miss Universe" factor.  Can anyone remember the name of the pageant winner from 2 years ago? 3 years ago??


I met Kirstie in Villa D'este Hotel, in Chernobia, Italy.  She was accompanied by her two kids. Yes, she was over weight. But she told me then, that she had  already lost 50 pounds, "It is hard .."  Her face looked beautiful, and her kids were cheering for her. So was I.
Shortly after - she went on DWTS, and enjoyed a daily media attention. The same one, the current round of DWTS (or other reality shows) get.


I am glad, Kirstie went on the show. It did good for her figure and image. It also gave a big boost to women, in different sizes and shapes.


Yet - her latest revelations add nothing to it. On the contrary!  Wasn't our primary interest in Kirstie because she was a good actress? Wasn't that the reason tabloids started to follow her and tried to guess about her private life??


My new book is about the private woman, behind a leader, former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto.  "My Benazir" unveils, for the first time, the Benazir I knew: A woman in love, facing rejections ...


For many who knew  Bhutto the leader, this private angle is a revelation.  It is the information, they have been seeking for, but never had a chance to get it. "My Benazir" fills this void. At last.


Back to Kirstie, whom I really like: If only  she left us some room for imagination...

Survival instincts of a president

In my new book "My Benazir" - there is an amusing anecdote, which sheds light about Pakistani president Asif Zardari. Some may find it funny. I simply find it telling.

While I was traveling in Europe, for one of my interviews, I left my close friend Erbil Gunasti to look after Asif. At that point, per Benazir's request, we were spending lots of time with him in New-York.

Erbil told me about one of his lunches with Asif, during my trip. He asked Asif about his eleven and a half years in prison. Asif had told us many times, about his tough times there. But this time  - Erbil just wondered loudly: "Asif, what did you do all this time, in jail? Did you write a book?" 


Asif's reply was: "No." 


Did he read books? "No." Asid said.  


Erbil was trying to figure it out:  "So what did you do there?"

 Asif said, he was watching TV. 

That started to make sense to Erbil, who is politically savvy. He was trying to guess which channels: local news? International news?

"National Geography," answered Asif, "I was watching the animals ..."

What was my favorite interview?

I have been asked the same question over and over: "What was your favorite/most important interview?"

There are different ways to answer this question.  

But looking back, there are several interviews which have changed my values and perception of life.

For example: Mother Theresa. Interviewing her in Calcutta, spending four days with her, made me realize that there are so many people, who don't have homes. They live in the streets, waking up every morning with no goals or ambition. They have nothing to achieve beside surviving another day.

It also introduced me to a petite woman, with huge charisma -  Mother Theresa. A nun, single handily made a difference. She attracted people from all around the world, like me, to come and help her, saving lives. When she showed me her notebooks with "My sisters in Gaza", or "Here are my sisters in Budapest .." - I got it!

It wasn't only about her faith and big heart. She had the capacity to think out of the box, and create her own long arms,in order to spread her message. It wasn't about the organization, that made the woman shine. 

It was about one  woman, with such determination.

And that says it all.

What makes an interview work?

I have been asked this question for years. Weather it related to my TV specials, print interviews, or recently - books.

For me - there is only one answer. The same answer applies to my specials with entertainers (like: Michael Jackson, Liza Minelli, Eric Clapton) or leaders (Like: Nelson Mandela, Shimon Peres, Hillary Clinton). It is the human interest that makes a difference!

A good interview/story needs to engage people to care. Weather it is a politician or a celebrity, the story needs to touch other people' daily lives: Their pain, loss, difficult moments, or - joyful ones. The viewer/reader should feel: "I know this feeling .."