Claudia Cohen

Claudia Cohen
Born	December 16, 1950(1950-12-16) Englewood, New Jersey, USA
Died	June 15, 2007(2007-06-15) (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.

Early life and education

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

Journalism career

In 1976, she joined the New York Post as a reporter for its fledgling gossip column Page Six. She succeeded Neal Travis as editor of Page Six in 1978. Noted for going for the jugular, and 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 maintain Cohen's profile. Cohen was a regular on Live with Regis and Kelly and an active member of the Manhattan and Hamptons social scene.^[2]

Death

Cohen died on June 15, 2007 from ovarian cancer.^[3]

Personal life

In 1984, Cohen began a relationship with businessman Ronald Perelman. The two married in 1985, and had one daughter, Samantha. After nine years, the couple divorced, and Cohen reportedly received a settlement of $80,000,000 (eighty million U.S. dollars).^[4]

Cohen later dated former U.S. senator from New York state, Al D'Amato.^[5]

At the request of Ronald Perelman, the University of Pennsylvania renamed the historic Logan Hall, sitting next to College Hall and originally named after James Logan, secretary to William Penn, "Claudia Cohen Hall," much to the surprise and dismay of some Penn faculty, alumni, and students. The rear of the newly-renamed building overlooks Perelman Quadrangle.^[6][7]

References

1. ^ Marquis Who's Who 2006 "Claudia Cohen" retrieved from Galenet 16 June 2007
2. ^ Olshan, Jeremy (16 June 2007). Gossip Will Be Heavenly: Ex-Six-Pager Cohen Dies, New York Post
3. ^ Fox, Margalit. Claudia Cohen, 56, Socialite and a Reporter of Gossip, Is Dead. The New York Times. June 16, 2007.
4. ^ Fortune "THE TROPHY WIFE IS BACK--WITH BRAINS" 03/04/95 (retrieved through Australia New Zealand Reference Centre)
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.

External links

• New York Observer article about Claudia Cohen's funeral

Persondata
Name	Cohen, Claudia Lynn
Alternative names
Short description	American gossip columnist, socialite and television reporter
Date of birth	December 16, 1950
Place of birth	Englewood, New Jersey, United States
Date of death	June 15, 2007
Place of death	New York City, New York, United States