Claudia Cohen (1950-2007)
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Birthplace:
Englewood, New Jersey, USA
Born:
December 16, 1950
Died:
June 15, 2007
Claudia Lynn Cohen was an American gossip columnist, socialite, and television reporter. Her father, Robert Cohen, was the founder of Hudson News, a chain of newsstands and stores located primarily in American airports and train stations. Cohen grew the Hudson News into the world's largest airport newsstand retailer from a single location he opened in LaGuardia Airport in 1987. 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 newspaper, the New York Daily News. 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. 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. She later dated former U.S. senator from New York state, Al D'Amato. Sadly, she passed on June 15, 2007, at the age of 56. At the request of her ex-husband, Ronald Perelman, the University of Pennsylvania renamed the historic Logan Hall to Claudia Cohen Hall, in her honor in 2008 much to the surprise and dismay of some Penn faculty, alumni, and students. This building, housing the University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts and Sciences sitting next to College Hall, was originally named after James Logan, secretary to William Penn. The rear of the newly renamed building overlooks Perelman Quadrangle.