HE’S the anti-bimbo billionaire.
Newly eligible media baron Michael Bloomberg, 58, is displaying a rare taste among single New York men of his means – he’s dating women his age.
Not just any women: Bloomberg was spotted recently dining with recently divorced Supreme Diana Ross, 55, at Bond Street restaurant in Noho.
He squired clothing designer Mary McFadden, 61, to her niece’s high-society wedding.
And the founder of the Bloomberg financial news empire compared figures with actress Marisa Berenson, 52, at a few of the power dinners he regularly hosts at his Upper East Side townhouse.
Friends say Bloomberg recently split with his girlfriend of the last five years, Mary Jane Salk, who is in her mid-50s and the widow of child psychologist Lee Salk.
Like fine wines, these time-tempered temptresses boast depth, quality and the ability to stimulate conversation.
“He’s got a great sense of humor,” said longtime friend Betsy Gotbaum, executive director of the New-York Historical Society. “He’s very smart and he likes witty comments.”
“Michael is a man of substance, a man of ideas and action,” said friend Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fair.
“He’s got good taste.”
WITH his taste for women of a certain age, Bloomberg sets himself apart from New York’s bad-boy billionaires.
Financier Teddy Forstmann, 58, has been linked with newly Hugh Grant-less Liz Hurley, 35.
Koch Industries’ David Koch, 59, is married to 37-year-old former clothing design assistant Julia Koch.
Three-times married Revlon rascal Ron Perelman, 56, has divorced No. 3, Patricia Duff, 45, and is set to make actress Ellen Barkin, 45, wife No. 4.
But what’s a decade – or two – between lovers? Developer Donald Trump, 53, is still seeing model Melania Knauss, 26.
None of these public shenanigans for Bloomberg. No dealing with doe-eyed dates who don’t know that Simon and Garfunkel sang the original version of Mrs. Robinson, or who giggle, “That scotch you’re drinking is older than me!”
On the contrary, Bloomberg has even dined recently with The View’s Barbara Walters, 68.
Bonnie Behrend, a newswoman with CNBC who is friends with her former boss Bloomberg, said plenty of feminine temptations are placed in his path, but bimbos are beneath him.
“He is constantly around and introduced to some of the most fabulous women in the world,” said Behrend, who says she’s “beautifully over 40.”
“He has a lot of integrity. I wouldn’t imagine he’s behaving in a way that would embarrass him or his family, or anyone in his life.”
BLOOMBERG has never been known to date any of the hundreds of bright, ambitious women who work for him.
He divorced his first wife, Susan Brown, in 1993 after two decades of marriage. The two are still friendly and have two children, Emma, 21, and Georgia, 16.
McFadden, who said she’s “forgotten” how old she is, said she began seeing Bloomberg after the two were reintroduced at “21” recently.
“We’ve been meeting,” she said. “I’m just a friend.”
But she did say he was her escort at the celebrity-studded wedding of her niece Lisa McFadden to George Leon Melas on May 20, before McFadden headed to Russia for a fashion show in the hall of mirrors at Catherine Palace.
“Now I’m going to Israel, so I won’t see him until I get back June 10,” she said.
Bloomberg spokeswoman Chris Taylor said, “Mike doesn’t speak about his personal life, nor do I comment on it.”
Salk said she doesn’t talk to the press.
Asked once if he thought women were only after his financial assets, Bloomberg told a reporter, “I never had the feeling any woman I went out with was after my money.
“I dare say one or two might have thought, ‘If I end up with this guy, it might be a nice lifestyle.’ But, on the whole, no.”
FRIENDS say he’s cagey about whether or not he’ll ever marry again.
A night after the McFadden wedding, Bloomberg was seen at Bond Street with Ross, a spokeswoman for the restaurant said.
A spokesman for Ross, touring with The Supremes, said she doesn’t comment on her personal relationships.
Blue-eyed Berenson, 52, who appeared in the films “Cabaret” and “Barry Lyndon,” said she was introduced to Bloomberg through mutual friends and has seen him three times.
“I’ve been to his house for dinner a few times. We’re friends,” the long-limbed former model said.
“He’s a gentleman. He’s very nice.”
She said it’s “refreshing” that Bloomberg doesn’t seem to chase far-younger women.
The 5-foot-9 businessman keeps himself fit with regular morning Central Park jogs, golf and a running bet with a friend about who will gain the fewest pounds each year.
BLOOMBERG, whose fortune is estimated at $1 billion, has been considering a mayoral run.
A former Solomon Brothers executive, he made his fortune on Bloomberg terminals, which provide up-to-the-minute financial information to about 90,000 subscribers. He has expanded into satellite and cable television programs and a news wire service (used by The Post.)
Born to a blue-collar Massachusetts family, he gives away tens of millions of dollars to charity every year and has said that, when he dies, most of his money will go for philanthropic causes.
Carter said not being married might help Bloomberg as mayor because every meal with a woman would provide fodder for gossip columns.
“Michael reminds me of some late 19-century Wall Street figure,” Carter said.
“He’s very forthright, very blunt, does not make foolish small talk and he’s a man of principles.”
The Vanity Fair head has some women in mind for Bloomberg, but he wouldn’t name them. Gotbaum wasn’t so tight-lipped with her list of potential partners, which includes Warnaco tycoon Linda Wachner, writer Sharon Hoge and newly single Jane Fonda.
“Why not Donna Hanover?” Gotbaum asked. “She’s got a great sense of humor.”