Liz Smith, the legendary gossip columnist who died from natural causes at 94, is being honored for her career that spanned decades and shaped the future of celebrity journalism.
The Texan-born writer, with her sweet southern nature, became a figure of endearment among celebrities, ultimately leading to her clinching major tabloid scoops, Variety reported.
Although celebrities are often weary of gossip writers, she was revered and tributes began to pour in.
Rob Lowe responded to news of her death within hours, posting a brief message honoring her legacy.
“Loved Liz Smith. Smart and funny. Gossip from the High Road.”
Weather anchor Al Roker recalled his time working with Smith in a sentimental tweet.
“I was fortunate enough to work with the amazing Liz Smith. During my time at WNBC she was nothing short fabulous. Liz passed away at the age of 94 and with her, a piece New York.”
Singer and actress Betty Buckley shared her thoughts on Twitter, posting: "Deeply sad reading this. Liz Smith was such a force & great, great lady."
“Liz Smith was the definition of a lady,” said James Wood on Twitter.
“She dished, but always found a way to make it entertaining and fun. #RIPLiz”
Smith moved in various social circles and her charismatic charm and signature blonde bob impacted many people, not just celebrities.
Amongst them was Jeffrey Eric Jenkins, the professor of theater at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Theatre, who paid tribute to the gossip columnist on Facebook.
“I got to know Liz Smith a little through my late, great friend, Shirley Herz, and due to my work on behalf of the Theater Hall of Fame,” he wrote.
“She was a fan of the Best Plays series, which I edited for about a decade, and she even honored me with a bold-face mention in her column after a speech I gave. In my experience, she was no-bs, loved the theatre, and had a wicked way with a dirty joke. Rest In Peace, Liz.”
Carole Southall, an artist living in Wilton Connecticut, was another person whose life was deeply impacted by Smith, despite only meeting her briefly.
“I loved this woman though I barely knew her,” she wrote in a post on Facebook,
“She was at every single charity gala and for some reason we connected and she remembered me so that every time we bumped into each other, we would have a mini deep convo. I adore people like that - no BS, just cut to the heart of the matter, easy to laugh with, easy to be with. Her gaze was like a laser and her laugh was like a low rumble, and she was a genuinely kind person.”
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