11/10/2006: "A Warm November Night"

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Past lovers Mariah Carey and Derek Jeter are sure to cross paths tonight at the Chelsea Piers during the 4th Annual Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation Gala. Joe Torre is, of course, the manager of the New York Yankees baseball team and Jeter is their prize shortstop. Mariah has been slated to be the performer at the event, which serves to bring awareness to domestic violence. It’s a riddle to me of how Mariah was booked for this charity event. It’s well known that the Yankee’s owner George Steinbrenner was not a fan of Mariah Carey. During the relationship, Derek would be asked about his girlfriend instead of baseball and her presence at Spring Training could have been seen as a distraction. Steinbrenner denies reports that he made it known to Jeter that he should keep his girlfriend away from the ballpark.

The stars claimed that their relationship began after Mariah’s separation from Tommy Mottola and it seems that they have moved on with their respective lives. So why is this chance meeting worth talking about? It’s about timing!

Here are the facts:
- Mariah moved out of the Bedford Mansion into her mother’s house in December of 1996
- A legal separation was announced in May of 1997
- The divorce was final in 1998

Speaking of 1998, it was that year that The New York Post ran a story about Mariah Carey’s former limo driver, Franco D’Onofrio. D’Onofrio chauffeured Mariah for four years and became very vocal about his customer’s travels. He claimed that in the fall of 1995, he began helping Mariah carry out her secret late night meetings with Derek Jeter. His account was that he would drop her off a block away from East 79th Street where Jeter resided and that he would pick her up four hours later. “She’d be wearing no makeup, looking disheveled, and he’d drive her back up to her home”, said a close friend of Franco.

1995? Is it possible that Mariah became involved with Jeter in 1995? This is the year that Derek Jeter was brought to the Major Leagues by the New York Yankees after another player was placed on the disabled list. Okay, so the timing and location coincide. 1995 may be a little too early but former journalist A.J. Benza has recollections from 1996. He records in his 2001 book, “Fame: Ain’t It a Bitch” that his first interview with Mariah was during the inception of her vanity label “Crave”. It’s known that the label was being developed during 1996 since the first album release was from a group called Allure in May of 1997. The Benza interview was mandated by her current husband Mottola to help churn better press about their marriage. It was conducted in the Spy nightclub where Mariah’s group, including Derek Jeter, was huddled on a perch. Benza notes that he found himself falling for her after a five-minute chat but was forced to lean over Jeter to get some quotes.

In his book “The Life You Imagine” Derek, himself, claims that he met Mariah at a charity function for the Fresh Air Fund in November 1996 and that their relationship lasted only 6 months. “I know some people have written and want to believe -- our romance started that day, but that's not true. I barely even talked with her that first day”, Derek proclaims. What does Mariah say about that November night? From the song “The Roof” released in 1997 –

It was definitely a little misty on that warm November night / And my heart was pounding / My inner voice resounding / Begging me to turn away … And then you casually walked in the room / And I was twisted in the web of my desire for you / My apprehension blew away / I only wanted you / To taste my sadness As you kissed me in the dark

Hey! You make your own conclusion. I’ll just again give you the fact that Mariah moved out of Bedford the next month! You may be interested in these other lyrics that have been speculated to be about Jeter, five years after the demise of their relationship. From the song “Subtle Invitation” released in 2003 –

That you're still somewhat / Attached to the dream / Of being in love once again / When it's clear they've moved on ... And if you happen to be somewhere listening / ... Baby all you ever need to do / (I'm quite sure you know) is call me and let love rush in (that this one's for you) / (cause I'm giving "My All")

“My All” was, of course, a song released in 1997 during the time of Mariah and Jeter’s relationship. From the song “Lullaby“ released in 2003 –

And we can revisit us one more time / Yes, I'll come home with you tonight ... So here we are again / All by ourselves / So familiar you know / That it actually almost feels like deja vu / Of that night on the roof / We kissed under the sky amid city lights

Here is seems that she is alluding to that November night in 1996. Songs like this fuel speculation that five years later she was still writing about a relationship that supposedly only lasted six months. Maybe this quote from a 2005 edition of Allure Magazine can explain the mystery:

“I ask if it's true that, since the Declaration of Independence states that we are ‘endowed by God,’ Jeter was more endowed than others, Carey whoops with delight. ‘Oh, my goodness!’ she squeals, and then collects herself. ‘No comment, dahhhling,’ she purrs. ‘Put it just like that. And make sure 'dahhhling' is spelled d-a-h-h-h-l-i-n-g.’”

Of course, I kid I kid. It seems that Mariah is very happy with her current boyfriend, Mark Sudack, an executive member of her current record label, a man whom she's been rumored to be dating since at least 2003, and someone who has earned a great reputation with Mariah’s fans. We certainly wish them all the luck.

However, we can all watch the drama unfold tonight and at least reminisce! Stay tuned …