Claudia Cohen

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Claudia Cohen
Born December 16, 1950(1950-12-16)
Englewood, New Jersey, USA
Died June 15, 2007 (aged 56)
New York City, New York, USA
Occupation Gossip columnist, socialite, television personality

Claudia Lynn Cohen (December 16, 1950 – June 15, 2007) was an American gossip columnist, socialite and television reporter.

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[edit] Early life and education

The daughter of businessman Robert Cohen, the president of the Hudson County News Company, a magazine wholesaler, and his wife, Harriet, Claudia Cohen grew up in Englewood, New Jersey, and attended the Dwight School for Girls (now the Dwight-Englewood School) and the University of Pennsylvania.[1]

[edit] Journalism career

In 1976 she joined the New York Post as a reporter for its fledgling gossip column Page Six. After the departure of the column's editor, Neal Travis, Cohen was installed as editor in 1978. Noted for going for the jugular, creating a column with savvy and a sharp edge Cohen is credited with putting Page Six on the map. Cohen left the Post in 1980 to start her own short-lived gossip column, I, Claudia (a play on words of the book title I, Claudius) at a rival Manhattan newspaper. While that column was not a success it did further Cohen's profile in New York City's entertainment scene. Cohen was a regular on Live with Regis and Kelly and an active member of the Manhattan and Hamptons social scene.

[edit] Death

Cohen died on June 15, 2007 from ovarian cancer[2]

[edit] Personal life

In 1984 Cohen began a relationship with corporate raider Ronald Perelman. The two became a hot item in Manhattan social circles, marrying in 1985; they had a daughter, Samantha. After nine years together the marriage fell apart. Cohen walked away with a reported $80,000,000 (eighty million U.S. dollars) settlement.[3]

Cohen later dated former U.S. senator from New York state, Al D'Amato, who once called a press conference to declare that he was in love with her. Cohen and D'Amato were planning to be engaged, but D’Amato was still legally married at that time. That relationship later ended.[4][5]

At the request of Ronald Perelman, the University of Pennsylvania renamed the historic Logan Hall, which sits next to College Hall, as the Claudia Cohen Hall, much to the surprise of some Penn faculty, alumni, and students. The rear of the newly-renamed building overlooks Perelman Quadrangle.[6] [7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Marquis Who's Who 2006 "Claudia Cohen" retrieved from Galenet 16 June 2007
  2. ^ Fox, Margalit. Claudia Cohen, 56, Socialite and a Reporter of Gossip, Is Dead. The New York Times. June 16, 2007.
  3. ^ Fortune "THE TROPHY WIFE IS BACK--WITH BRAINS" 03/04/95 (retrieved through Australia New Zealand Reference Centre)
  4. ^ Post-Chronicle, Ibid
  5. ^ Fortune, Ibid
  6. ^ Wu, Cecily. Logan Hall to become Claudia Cohen Hall. The Daily Pennsylvanian. March 19, 2008
  7. ^ Wu, Cecily. What's in a name? A lot, say profs, alums. The Daily Pennsylvanian. March 27, 2008.

[edit] External links