Something of a modern-day equivalent of Louella Parsons or Hedda Hopper, the powerhouse American gossip columnist Claudia Cohen one-upped those predecessors by living a sensationalistic life herself, turning the head of many a fellow pop culture journalist. Cohen first gained recognition in the late '70s, as the reporter and editor of Page Six in the New York Post; she then left this position to author the heavily read gossip column called "I, Claudia" for The New York Daily News (during the early '80s), and eventually accepted an assignment as the in-house entertainment reporter on WABC-TV's The Morning Show and on Live With Regis and Kathie Lee.
In 1985, Cohen made headlines when she married billionaire Ron Perelman, the then-future chairman of the Revlon cosmetics empire. Cohen and Perelman divorced after nine years, and Cohen reportedly received a whopping settlement from her husband (of around 80 million dollars!), which of course generated additional tabloid and paparazzi interest -- as did Cohen's subsequent amorous affair with Republican senator Alfonse M. D'Amato of New York. (D'Amato became the first congressman in history to call a press conference to announce that he was in love.)
In addition to her reporting assignments, Cohen guest-starred on a 2005 episode of the Larry David HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. She died approximately two years later, of ovarian cancer, at age 56.