A Little of the Old In and Out

In: Rock Chicks. Liv. Kimberly. Liz. Riley. Leah. According to Hello! Magazine:

"Making it in the world of modeling is no easy task, even if you are blessed with the looks. But having a surname that is already synonymous with fame and glamour may be a big help. And these days not a few rock stars' daughters are making their mark on the fashion industry."

We love rock royalty, guys, almost as much as we heart Page Six.

Out: The Exorcist Prequel. An unprecedented two versions of the same film, one going to theaters, one going to DVD. Livin la vida loca, people. FlyOnTheWall throws down, in furious anger:

"The penultimate issue of The L. A. Weekly had a very interesting and dishy article about the complete fiasco behind the making of The Exorcist prequel, titled Exorcist: The Beginning, which opens today. If you live in LA, you've probably already read the piece. If you're an out-of-towner, you can read the entire article for free here.

"It's a great trip behind the curtain to see the uglier side of the Hollywood moviemaking reality. In a nutshell, acclaimed writer and director Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull) made a version of the film you'll never see. Certifiable hack Renny Harlin (Cutthroat Island, The Long Kiss Goodnight), the former Mr. Geena Davis who was also fired as the director of Alien3, completely reshot the film with a radically different script, and that's what's opening today. (For those who didn't keep up with their tabloids, Geena divorced Renny for banging and impregnating his personal assistant.)

"I've heard from a few people who have seen both versions that Schrader's is a far better movie, but Harlin's has all the amusement park scares that studios want in their summer releases. Translation: Schrader had quality; Harlin has scary gorefest crap. Hopefully, someday we'll be able to see Schrader's version. I'm guessing greed factory Morgan Creek will release it on DVD at some point in the future."

In: Sarah Jessica Parker goes Ga-Ga for Kerry. According to Fashionweekdaily, SATC star and Gap ad pitchwoman (what the fuck is up with her all over the city?) is pitching Kerry on her very own body:

"Kicking it up a notch we hear Sarah Jessica Parker already has THE hottest Kerry accessory of the season: is it true she swapped her diamond 'CARRIE' necklace for one that reads 'KERRY'? We have a feeling that they will be coming soon to a store?or website?near you."

Out: Eminem and Dre Denied Entry. According to the Daily Dish (3rd Story Down):

"Hip-hop superstar Eminem was reportedly denied dinner at a Florida restaurant, because he was 'rude and obnoxious.'

"The rapper spent time at theme park Walt Disney World's Ritz-Carlton Orlando with his 8-year-old daughter Hailie and mentor Dr. Dre recently, but what should have been a relaxing break reportedly turned into a trip full of conflict.

"Sources say that because of their alleged bad behavior, they were denied dinner at the Ritz restaurant.

"A source tells Us Weekly, 'Their bodyguards threw one of the waiters into a plant, causing him to fall on the floor. We said we didn't need their business. Plus, they were dressed terribly!'

Averted gaze.

In: The Anti Kerry Ads Controversy. According to TheSmokinggun:

"The broadside against John Kerry's war record is particularly bizarre in light of what one of the leading bomb throwers had to say about the Democrat while both served in Vietnam. George Elliott, a key member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who appears in the anti-Kerry group's virulent TV commercial, recommended Kerry for a Bronze Star in 1969. In the below Navy report, Elliott, a lieutenant commander, recounts how Kerry was 'highly courageous in the face of enemy fire' during a fight on the Bay Hap river in March 1969. During that skirmish, Elliott noted, Kerry dodged sniper fire to save a colleague who was knocked overboard when a mine detonated. In a March 1969 evaluation, Elliott reported that Kerry was involved in 'several enemy initiated fire fights' and 'exhibited all of the traits desired of an officer in a combat environment.' A December 1969 fitness report was equally laudatory, with Elliott giving Kerry the highest possible grade available ('Is not exceeded') in most categories, including loyalty and moral courage."

Out: Jerry Hall Going Back to Texas. Ask Janice Dickinson, Mick Jagger can even make a girl forget her roots. British Vogue writes today that Jerry Hall is trying to exorcise the her last sympathies for that rock and roll devil:

"JERRY HALL is going home to Texan to rediscover her accent. The 48-year-old supermodel has landed the part of cowgirl Calamity Jane in a new West End production of the play that was first made famous by Doris Day. But, having lived in London so long, she is concerned that she might not have the right voice any longer. 'I'm going to have to go back to Texas for a while to brush up,' she told CONTACTMUSIC.COM. "

You've always been a Texan, Jerry, Dallas doesn't wash off: London is just a temporary state of mind.

In: The Nation. In the summer of 1995 I got my intro to the New York media chattering classes as Christopher Hitchens' intern at The Nation. Clinton was president, so the magazine had a vital role in criticizing the administration, and, to my joy, my phone calls for documents and quotes were promptly returned.

Fast forward: 2000. The pendulum swings. George Bush assumes the Presidency. One might think that such a change would augur badly for a left-contrarian journal like The Nation, the times, evidently, were a changing.

Au contraire. Nation subscriptions and newsstand sales actually improve during a GOP administration, just ask Paul Colford of the Daily News, who writes:

"As the nation awaits the formal start of the presidential race on Labor Day, The Nation has picked up the most support among political magazines.

"Circulation of the liberal journal, a weekly voice of opposition to George W. Bush, has risen 71% during his presidency so that it's now the top seller in the field of opinion mags.

"At 165,000 copies, The Nation's circ is still dwarfed by the size of The New Yorker (1 million), The Atlantic Monthly (448,000) and other glossies.

"But The Nation's growth in the past four years, including some 24,000 new subscriptions since the Iraq war began, is striking compared to the performance of the three other leading political mags.

"Circ in the first six months of 2004 was out this week from the Audit Bureau of Circulations."

Also, Joanne Wypijewsky, the sexiest and most cerebral Catholic labor writer of all time, has summed up Jesse Jackson's legacy to the democrats Party magnificently here.