Piven Still Not Off the Hook Over Mercury Poisoning

Albany's in turmoil. The MTA's in fiscal crisis. Cheap lawn chairs clutter Broadway. But just in time to heal a troubled city, Jeremy Piven is back. You'll recall that last December the Smokin' Aces star abruptly quit the Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow, claiming that excessive seafood consumption—not excessive partying, shut up!—had left him exhausted with "dangerously high" mercury levels. The world—or at least, that tiny fraction of it that goes to theater—snorted derisively, but Piven stuck to his story, even going on Good Morning America to warn everyone about mercury. Producers of Speed-the-Plow, which made less money once the rubes learned a tee-vee star wasn't in it anymore, filed a complaint against Piven with the actors' union. At a grievance hearing in February, the five actors on the panel bought it (he cried!), while the five producers didn't, and thus here we are at arbitration, which is happening this week! Producers whisper to the Post that they'll nail Piven good this time by citing examples of his odd behavior at the theater, which included showing up late for his call time and even telling one backstage visitor, "I'm bored out of my mind."