Hampton Habitués

Good News Gossip About Our Notable Friends and Neighbors. 

This summer season feels like it has come and gone almost as fast as seven-time Hampton Classic Grand Prix champion McLain Ward gallops by on his prize-winning horses. Whew, what a fantastic couple of months to live and play out East!

Blazing Saddles
Whilst on the topic of high achievers, we are super happy to announce that former Southampton Village resident Mel Brooks is the subject of an upcoming two-part documentary, currently in production with HBO. Directed by Judd Apatow, the film will span the comedy icons seven-decade career in television and film. 

Brooks, now 98 years old, is one of only 19 people in the world to have earned EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) honors. He’s done so many incredible things during his lifetime, including directing three of the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Comedy Films — Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Young Frankenstein — and he’s still working today! His Spaceballs sequel, starring Josh Gad, is in pre-production with Amazon MGM Studios. What an amazing and rare treasure!

French Frolic
If you’re a fan of fun, frothy and flirtatious comedies, then you’ve surely seen a series or two created by Darren Star. The East Hampton resident and Sex and the City and Younger creator is continuing to enjoy television gold with the release of the fourth season of Emily in Paris. 

The Netflix show, which stars Lily Collins, focuses on an American millennial who practically pole vaults to success at a French public relations firm thanks to her mastery of social media. This season’s 10 episodes promise even more menage, a Michelin star and just maybe a baby to boot. 

Goodbye to Cobra Kai
Say it ain’t so. We just hate to see Ralph Macchio and the rest of the senseis and students go after this final season of Cobra Kai, now airing the final 15 episodes through the series finale next year. It’s been so fun to see him reprise his Karate Kid role of Daniel LaRusso all these years later. 

And though we’re already sad to see him go, the Montauk resident has at least one more “wax on, wax off” left in him. The as yet untitled Karate Kid Movie is in post-production and is expected to air in May of 2025 with Macchio, Jackie Chan, Ming Na Wen and Joshua Jackson in starring roles.  

Comeback Comedies
After retiring from acting about a decade ago, East End habitue Cameron Diaz is set to return to film with a big splash and three new movies. The former model and current organic wine mogul will be seen in Back in Action, alongside Jamie Foxx and Outcome with Keanu Reeves, and heard as Princess Fiona in Shrek 5, also starring Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy. Yay for her!

Movin’ Out
We’ve reported this before, but it seems that Billy Joel’s Madison Square Garden residency, which had been going on For the Longest Time, is now (really, truly) over. Over that past decade, the Sag Harbor resident and famed Piano Man performed 104 sold-out shows and sold 1.9 million tickets there. Bravo!

The Grammy Legend Award-winning musician, who holds the record for the most consecutive performances by any artist at the Garden, graced the stage there a final time at the end of July. But fear not, though he’s done at MSG, he’s not going too far. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer says that he’s looking forward to playing more New York gigs at Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and Giants Stadium. 

Boss Babies
Not-quite-yet former Amagansett residents Alec and Hilaria Baldwin and their impressively numerous brood might be trying to move away from the East End but they will be coming into our Hamptons homes soon enough. The family of nine, which includes the multiple award-winning actor and his entrepreneur/author wife, plus their seven children — ranging in age from 10 years to 19 months — are starring in a new reality series, The Baldwins, on TLC. The show, which has been filming all around Manhattan and the Hamptons, will focus on the chaos of raising a large family. Not sure if Alec’s adult daughter, Ireland, will be included but regardless, there are enough Baldwins already to field a baseball team. 

Beyond the reality series, the versatile actor has more than half a dozen projects slated. Check him out in the upcoming action-packed Hollywood Heist with Nick Cannon, the western Rust with Frances Fisher and Travis Fimmel, and the animated family film Kid Santa with his brother, William. 

A Good Thing?
We are way too excited about the new Martha Stewart documentary, which will open the Hamptons International Film Festival in October. Helmed by renowned Peabody Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler, Martha will include quite a few candid interviews directly with the former East Hampton resident and doyenne of domesticity herself. 

The film will most likely feature the more buzzworthy moments in Stewart’s life, such as her time as babysitter to Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra, her 2004 prison stint, her interesting friendship with Snoop Dogg, and the creation and growth of her massive Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia empire. No worries if you miss it at HIFF, the doc was recently picked up by Netflix and should air before the end of the year.