Gary Stevens, a retired New York broadcast executive and celebrity publicist, died on May 17 at his home in Manhattan.

People's editors claim to refrain from printing pure Gossip magazine, enough so to lead celebrity publicists to propose exclusives to the magazine, evidence of what one staffer calls a "publicist-friendly strategy."

And, perhaps most bizarre, some celebrity publicists are now calling reporters to check on their health.

But if anything, the prospects for celebrity publicists should now be on the rise; after all, Hunsecker and Falco have all but reversed roles.

Vanessa is a celebrity publicist.

In fact, the only people who seemed to have anything to utter were the army of celebrity publicists responding to calls from reporters with "no comment."

Despite the hour the celebrity publicist appeared cheerful, clean-shaven, and wide awake, swinging his arms a little, shifting his weight restlessly as he waited.

"His name's Valentine Kaiser, and he's a 'celebrity publicist,' whatever that is, or he claims to be."

If the Times wants to print regurgitated press releases emanating from celebrity publicists, more power to them, but don't expect me to pay for that dross.

In the film he recorded Max Clifford, the celebrity publicist, boasting about his work.