A Little of the Old In and Out



(image via thereeler)

In: NBC Universal-Dreamworks? Despite the funky weekend box-office stink emanating from "The Island," the Uni-DreamWorls deal procedes apace, with billionaire power players David Geffen and Ron Meyer doing a cautious vertical mambo, a dance remenscent of what can only be properly construed as "the funky capitalist chicken" with a touch of the tarantela. According to Variety (link via cinematical) " ... As the NBC network stumbles and the broadcast business as a whole faces a host of challenges ...":

"... General Electric's board of directors gave Bob Wright's NBC Universal a formal nod Friday to pursue an acquisition of DreamWorks.

"A purchase would include DreamWorks' 60-title library and would safeguard and expand lucrative distribution deals with DreamWorks (for live-action pics) and DreamWorks Animation.
"Still, one Universal insider figures there's less than a 50% chance the two sides will be able to agree on price.

"Wall Streeters think DreamWorks is looking for top dollar, between $1 billion and $1.4 billion. They also said U would like to lock in Steven Spielberg for one or two pictures a year, and it's not clear whether that's an option."

Isn't that amazing? A billion-dollar media deal could turn on whether or not Steven Spielberg, whose DreamWorks attention span appears to have wandered, feels he owes it to the company. Spielberg is like the pretty girl in high school that everybody wants -- or was that the lascivious Paul Allen on Graydon Carter? We can't keep up with quotes in this meta-media universe.



Oily "R-Lister" Matt Dillon presents Mercedes Cup, and, quite possibly, a raging case of herpes. (image via Hello!Magazine)

Out: Bridgehampton Polo. Polo, once the sport of Kings has devolved, alas, into a sport of jokers -- at least in Bridgehampton. Choire Sicha and Lizzy Ratner warned us, now Hello!Magazine supplies the physical evidence of the demise:

"Silver screen hunk Matt Dillon was on hand to present the winner's trophy at this year's Mercedes Benz Cup in the exclusive summer resort of the Hamptons. He wasn't the only heart-throb in attendance, though, as Argentine model Ignacio Figueras was competing in the event. The 28-year-old, who has just signed as the new face of Ralph Lauren's Polo Black fragrance, has been playing professionally for over a decade.

"Kill Bill star Vivica A Fox meanwhile seemed more taken with her pet pooch than the excitement unfolding on the field. The high-kicking actress, elegant in a wide-brimmed hat and halterneck dress, was photographed cuddling with her furry friend in one of the hospitality tents."

Wow, like Vivika Fox, Matt Dillon and an Argentine model; what, was Lou Ferrigno unavailable (Averted Gaze)?



In: Angelica Houston. Excuse us our oversight in not praising Hollywood royalty Angelica Houston enough lately. In A Life Aquatic, Houston was magnificent as the sophisticated jet-setting occupant of Gore Vidal's pad, La Rondinaia, sporting, we cannot fail to note, sexy blue streaks in her hair (Geminians love women with multi-colored hair, and, if humanly possible, multi-colored personalities to match); we were too much in utter awe of Bill Murray back then (Why doesn't this man already have a fucking Oscar? Our mission in life is to help him achieve one), to give Houston the requisite props.

Houston took the Hollywood "lemon" of being an actress over 40, and thus radioactive as an onscreen lead, and made gelato di limone, appearing in edgily-nuanced and perfectly form-fitting independent film roles. But now, according to British Vogue, her "juice" is getting celebrated beyond the independent screen:

"HARVEY NICKS hosted a serious ladies' luncheon last week, when Sabrina Guinness brought a stylish few together in honour of Angelica Huston. Much drinking, laughing and smoking ensued, as the likes of Marie Helvin, Bianca Jagger, sculptress Emily Young, Hannah Rothschild and Nona Summers chatted and reminisced about what is, in some cases, 30 years of friendship - as their fellow lunchers looked on in awe. The fun went on until well after 5pm, we're told'?"




The 90s were not kind to Tori Spelling. (image via janhoo)

Out: Tori Spelling and Dustin Diamond. Yuck. If Darwin were indeed correct about the theory of natural selection, then the formidable forces of the universe would be acting in concert -- aggressively -- to keep these two "looks-challenged" pseudocelebrities as far apart as possible, in case of mitosis. According to Fashionweekdaily:

"Tori Spelling admits her first on-screen kiss was with Screech, aka Dustin Diamond, on Saved by the Bell?"

Now -- The Corsair dares you -- try and eat lunch with that pernicious image floating around in your noggin; we defy you.



(image via aeronautics)

In/Out: Ambassador Bolton, Interim Appointment. The Corsair, who is of a United Nations family, and having attended the UN School, was not entirely averse to the proposition of a Bolton Ambassadorship on the grounds that, a) John Bolton could provide a workable link between the Neoconservative cabal in Washington and the rest of the increasingly skeptical players in the international arena, b) John Bolton would light cacophonousus firecracker under the collective, flabby bureaucratic asses down at Turtle Bay, c) John Bolton would have the support of a Republican majority in Congress -- a very rare occurrence, indeed, and, finally, d) That John Bolton would have the ear of the President, something most UN Ambassadors from the US have rarely even come close to having (In the psychology of a dominant superpower, the invitation to diplomacy is considered, quite frankly, to be an admission of weakness).

Well, a, b, and d are "jake," only: the all-important c) never happened, because -- quixotically -- the President decided not to supply the necessary documentation (which, arguably, could be construed as Biden-in-2008 stalling), to the highly charged Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate. So, according to CNN:

"'This post is too important to leave vacant any longer, especially during a war and a vital debate about U.N. reform,' Bush said from the Roosevelt Room at the White House.

"The move bypasses the confirmation process in the Senate, where Democrats had blocked the nomination in a dispute over documents and accusations that Bolton lacks the temperament to hold the U.N. post.

"'A majority of United States senators agree that he's the right man for the job,' Bush said. 'Yet because of partisan-delaying tactics by a handful of senators, John was unfairly denied the up-or-down vote that he deserves.'

"Senate GOP leaders twice failed to muster the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster and move Bolton's nomination to a floor vote.

"Although the split was largely along party lines, one Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, joined Democrats in opposing Bolton's nomination."