We've been scouring the city in search of an Avenue for weeks now just so we could find the cover story on Page Six capo Richard Johnson. Apart from phenomenal photography like the portrait at right (a picture we're captioning, "Richard is once again forced to hear a story about what Page Sixer Paula Froelich's dog Karl did that weekend"), you get a polite and friendly profile of New York's most powerful gossipeur*. In fact, it goes to great lengths to show you what a mensch the man is.

[W]hen then-Governor Mario Cuomo inadvertently revealed that his wife was on a diet, "He begged us not to run it, and he promised us three great items in return," Johnson says. "And I know he did his best to make good on his promise."

Whaddya wanna bet that one of them was "Koch is a fag." Anyway, we're really struck by the Johnson's "Nordic face." In fact, it kind of reminds us of something...

The Face of Page Six [Avenue]

*The piece is so friendly that there's nary a mention of those inconvenient DUIs. Unless you have your own way with some of the quotes. Let's try:

It's very addictive," says Jay McInerney, who may be referring to alcohol.

[I]f the secret [alcohol Richard was drinking when he got into that car] could be bottled and sold, there'd be plenty of takers."

Over the years, there have also been a few drinks thrown in Johnson's Nordic face [that have landing in his Nordic mouth and been absorbed by his Nordic liver]."

And finally,

Another Page Six alum, Chris Wilson, now an editor at Maxim, tells that story: "[Joe] Conason had been baiting Richard in print, and when Richard called to complain, I think Conason blew him off or hung up on him. The story goes that Richard went over to the Voice, called Conason from the phone in the lobby, and when Conason came downstairs, Richard decked him. Then he walked outside and drove [drunk] back to the Post."