celebrity jurors

What do actor Robert De Niro, TV personalities Regis Philbin and Montell Williams have in common?

They've all served on New York state juries in 2006 and were honored for their civic duties today at Manhattan Supreme Court as part of Jury Appreciation Day.

Composer Marvin Hamlisch ("A Chorus Line"), CNN newscaster Paula Zahn, fashion designer Nicole Miller and several other local news anchors were also among those in attendance.

I had the pleasure of cornering Bobby B just before the ceremony began and asked him if his work on "Cape Fear" helped him navigate a courtroom. De Niro told me he was selected for a rape case earlier this year that never went to trial, hence he had no chance to break into, "Oh counselor, come out, come out where ever you are!"