‘Good Night & Good Luck’ Screening

mediabistro.com associate editor Aileen Gallagher reports from NY:

“The New York Film Festival kicked off Friday night with the premiere of George Clooney‘s take on Edward R. Murrow and the role of broadcast news, Good Night, and Good Luck. mediabistro.com was there and IDed media hoi polloi around every corner. Andy Rooney held court in the lobby of Avery Fischer Hall, but left the screening early. He had a terrible seat — obstructed view and he had to crane his neck to see the screen (like us), so it was likely more comfortable elsewhere. Helen Thomas sat in the bar area, possibly preparing for her Saturday afternoon panel discussion, “Speaking Truth to Power: Media, Politics, and Government.” She looked considerably more relaxed than she does when sparring with Scott McClellan. And we’re 90 percent certain we saw ABC’s John Cochran, but it was hard to tell amid all the glitz. The movie’s great. We’re not sure if Fred Friendly was like George Clooney, but Frank Langella as Bill Paley and David Strathairn as Murrow were fantastic.”