WRITTEN & REPORTD BY JIM CARUSO | Hi! This is Jim Caruso, and this column is called “Hot Mic!”
If you’d been sitting with me at a late-night diner this week [week of Sept. 8, 2025], you’d have gotten an earful. First up: I was invited to witness Lady Gaga at Madison Square Garden. My God. The sheer size of it all—the lights, the sets, the dancers, the costumes—made every Broadway blockbuster look like a church basement revue. No kidding, it was high-tech wizardry and raw talent colliding, and Gaga was in absolutely thrilling voice. But my favorite moment wasn’t the fireworks or the spectacle. At the end, when the video cameras trailed her backstage, we watched her sit at a mirror, and wipe away every bit of glitter and eyeliner. Then marched right back out—barefaced, unadorned—and sang the finale. No filter, no artifice, just Gaga. That, my friends, is show biz at its finest and bravest.
A few days later, I enjoyed a quick detour to Orlando, where I had the surreal honor of being a talent judge at the 2026 Miss America and Miss America’s Teen Competitions. Between the two different events, we saw 104 hopeful ladies vying for the prize. Forget any preconceived notions…the emphasis was on intelligence, poise, and character, not just hairdo’s, sequins and smiles. Don’t get me wrong…the sequins were blinding, but the talent portion was no joke. Singers, dancers, spoken word, a ventriloquist…a hoola-hoopiste. But Miss New York – Cassie Donegan – who happens to be a powerhouse vocalist—swept us off our feet and ended up taking the crown. I think she’ll be a fabulous Miss America! The whole experience left me dazzled, exhausted, and oddly inspired.
And then Tuesday, back in the belly of the beast—New York nightlife. The Lineup with Susie Mosher is a regular event at The Green Room 42. Our hostess Susie was in rare form, riffing improv songs that somehow managed to be hysterical, dishy and razor-sharp. The cast was a dream team: my pals Billy Stritch and Nicolas King, The Boy Band Project, the vocal trio Moipei, and a parade of others who kept the night bubbling with music and mayhem. Matt Baker led the terrific trio with John Miller on bass and Clint deGanon on drums. It was one of those evenings where the room itself felt like a character—intimate, zany, very New York.
Upcoming “Lineup” shows: Tues., 8:30pm on Oct. 21, Nov. 4/18; Dec. 2/16/30. Tickets: $19-$45; VenueStream, $26.57. For reservations, click here.
So, between Gaga’s grandeur, America’s brightest hopefuls, and Susie’s riotous mayhem, I’ve been reminded again why I love this crazy business. Only in New York…except, of course, when it’s in Orlando. I’m Jim Caruso, and this is “Hot Mic!”
ABOUT JIM CARUSO | A celebrated force in the nightclub scene, Caruso has been recognized with multiple BroadwayWorld, MAC, and BackStage Bistro awards. Since 2002, he has hosted the legendary Jim Caruso’s Cast Party every Monday night at NYC’s Birdland (315 W. 44thSt.). He has headlined at Carnegie Hall, The White House, and The Carlyle Hotel. He made his Broadway debut alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony-winning Liza’s At The Palace!—the subsequent recording earned a Grammy nomination. For more info, click here to visit Caruso’s website.
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