Sinking Scott Rudin holds on to Little Island
as Barry Diller defends him
BY RACHEL HOLLIDAY SMITH
THE CITY
Despite departing other high-profi le
positions amid a slew of allegations
about abusive behavior,
famed producer Scott Rudin will remain
as an advisor at a new Hudson River islandpark
built by his friend, media mogul Barry
Diller, THE CITY has learned.
Little Island — the new Hudson River
park-on-stilts bankrolled with a $250 million
gift from power couple Diller and Diane
von Furstenburg — lists Rudin as a major
creative force driving the programming
there. The space is weeks away from opening
off Pier 55 on Manhattan’s West Side at
around 15th Street.
Diller confi rmed to THE CITY on Monday
that Rudin will stay on an advisory board
for the island. In a statement, Diller defended
Rudin as a frequent collaborator who’s lived
an “outstanding creative life.”
“I’ve never witnessed, nor heard of a single
instance in all that time that would even be
on the outskirts of anti-social behavior,” said
Diller. “It is profoundly the opposite — and I
believe that would be attested to in the thousands.
All I’ve ever known of his behavior is
that of one of the great creative collaborators
and creators across the entire spectrum of
entertainment.”
Little Island, seen in October, should open in late spring. Live performances
at its amphitheater were set to begin June, overseen by Scott Rudin (inset).
Rudin has been a part of the plans for
Little Island, once nicknamed Diller Island,
as far back as 2014 when the billionaire
tapped him to oversee events there. A press
representative for Little Island did not respond
to a request for comment.
Together with Broadway luminaries
George Wolfe and Steven Daldry, Rudin was
slated to help bring music, dance and theater
to the island, The New York Times reported
in late 2018. Once opened, the new green
COURTESY OF THE CITY
space built on concrete pylons over the river
will feature a 700-seat amphitheater.
Rudin and Diller are longtime friends who
have worked together often, according to a
2018 New York Times profi le — in which
Diller, riffi ng on the #MeToo movement, said
“all men are guilty.”
Accusations have mounted against Rudin
since ex-staffers went public earlier this
month with tales of a boss who was “unhinged,”
abusive and violent.
Last week, theater workers marched
against the powerful producer, demanding
workplace changes in the industry. And this
weekend, The New York Times published a
new report about his behavior, including a
damning account from actor Rita Wilson.
A spokesperson for Rudin declined to
comment on behalf of the producer, referring
a reporter instead to a previous statement
made about his diminished role with NY
PopsUp.
Diller said he knows of “no one who is
more selfl ess about the work.”
That’s “one of the prime reasons” Rudin
stepped back, “so that he does not impair
the productions in any way with his personal
issues, and out of respect for the performers
and staff,” Diller said in his statement.
“I don’t condone nor am I an apologist
for actions relating to his work in his
personal offi ce but I do believe separate
and special consideration be given to his
work outside of that offi ce, where to my
knowledge he hasn’t been reprimanded or
criticized for anti-social behavior by anyone
in over 35 years of being in the center of
an outstanding creative life,” Diller added.
This article was published on April
26, 2021 by THE CITY, an independent,
nonprofi t news outlet dedicated to hardhitting
reporting that serves the people of
New York.
A ‘ferry’ big problem on the East Side: docks
BY DEAN MOSES
One NYC Ferry boat wound up
being stuck between a rock and
a hard place — or at least a hefty
current and a wooden pier — on April 23.
A Friday evening rush hour voyage
swiftly turned into a watery fi asco when the
commuter ferry became wedged between a
dock and the esplanade on East 34th Street
at around 6:30 p.m. on April 23.
The Cyclone Shark’s trip back and forth
across the East River was disrupted when,
according to an NYC Ferry worker, the
boat was abruptly caught up in the current
and jackknifed. Riders aboard the
vessel were instructed to remain seated,
as staff frantically scrambled to rectify the
situation.
Members of the FDNY, NYPD, and EMS
swarmed the scene, with some fi refi ghters
decked out in wetsuits. First responders
remained on standby while a second ferry
approached, preparing a hefty line. The
rope was cast and following a 45 minute
The strong current jackknifed the NYC Ferry.
battle, the Cyclone Shark was tugged free,
allowing it to dock safely.
Passengers emerged a little shaken, but
otherwise unharmed.
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
“We just got stuck. The current apparently
was really strong so I guess it pushed
us and we were not at the dock at all,”
Elissa Castles said after being trapped on
the ship for almost an hour.
“They kept trying to get a rope to pull
us out and they couldn’t because of the
tide,” added Castles, a fl ight attendant who
knows what it’s like to experience travel
delays.
For Nora and Frederick, it was more an
entertaining inconvenience than a daunting
experience.
“We don’t even really know what happened.
They didn’t give us any information,
they just told us to say inside,” Frederick
said upon exiting the ship. “I think they
probably just bumped the pier. I really don’t
know. Maybe the walkway wasn’t down,”
he added.
Nora simply smirked; she is well
acquainted with ships, as a sailor and is
certifi ed to drive boats in New York.
“We weren’t given any information as to
what was going on. I thought it was amusing
and very confusing,” Nora said, adding,
“So I kind of had fun just watching them
drive around and I probably could have
taken care of it.”
4 April 29, 2021 Schneps Media