A Little of the Old In and Out



(image via yimg.com)

In: Forest Whittaker. With the possible exception of his role as the snarling, foaming-at-the-mouth, big, black football-playing refrigerator sized stereotype Charles Jefferson in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High (hey, you've got to get your foot in the door, we understand)," we've liked just about everything Forest Whitaker has trained his acting chops against. Whitaker was sublime yet understated carrying Jarmusch's unsung "Ghost Dog," poignant in his brief but memorable role as Jody in "The Crying Game," and -- lest we forget -- a superior director in "Waiting to Exhale." Cable drama and the requisite Emmy (the king of all knicknacks for serious actors) is next on his dance card. According to Medialifemagazine:

"Forest Whitaker is joining the cast of 'The Shield' when the series returns for its fifth season on FX in January. He will play Detective Jon Kavanaugh, who is tasked with investigating series star Michael Chiklis� Mackey and the strike force that he leads. Whitaker recently appeared in the indie film "American Gun." He will also play Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the upcoming Fox Searchlight movie 'The Last King of Scotland.'"

Whitaker as Idi Amin, bane of our diplobratic childhood? Oh it's on ... it's on like Gray Poupon!



(image via dealmemo)

Out: "The Benator." Senator Ben Affleck? (The Corsair rolls it off his tongue for a second, savoring the flava; considers; then, slowly shakes his head) What's up with that shit? He doesn't even have the fucking full-bodied Senatorial hair! According to The WashPo's Reliable Source (link via Wonkette):

"(Garfleck), expecting their first child, have been shopping for real estate around Charlottesville. British tabloids claim it's a done deal; we will only go so far as to report that they checked out at least one country estate a few weeks ago.

"It was about that time that party officials started batting Affleck's name around. 'It's spread pretty widely, at least in the political underground,' University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato, Virginia's premier pundit, told Michael Shear, The Post's Richmond correspondent."

It's spread ... not unlike Ben Affleck's "junk" on the back of director Kevin Smith's neck, you mean. We wonder duly what conservative Virginians will think of having a United States Senator known on Hollywood sets for his amazing "dick tricks." (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)

Kudos to Defamer's take on The Benator.



Rock royals Alexandra and Theodora, frisky. (image via stonesplanet)

In: Intermix's new 4,000-square-foot flagship store. Located, says WWD, "between Mercer and Greene Streets, opposite the Mercer Hotel, Miu Miu, J. Crew and an Apple computer store." Alright already, enough with the real estate namedropping; we are boldface whores, to be sure (and proud of it), but we draw the line at geographical prostitution. Kind of. Notes Fashionweekdaily, "Wednesday, Theodora and Alexandra Richards join Liv Tyler to open Intemix�s new Soho boutique."



(image via scientology-kills)

Out: The GretaWire. One of our favorite TV Newsish blogs -- other than the robust and manly Vaughn Ververs' -- is something called (sotto voce) "The GretaWire." Greta Von Susteren, our favorite slice o' German-American strudel (The Corsair stifles a slow, wolfish whistle), turns up the heat today, blogging, cavalierly:

"Now that I am back from Texas, I have had a chance to see our hurricane coverage. One video clip that I saw (and apparently was featured on Jon Stewart's 'The Daily Show' on Monday night) is of Shepard Smith and me in a split screen. I am standing in a yellow slicker on one side looking forward with little or no expression and Shep is getting pushed so hard by the wind that he fell. He quickly got up and returned to the interview. I never remarked about Shep falling nor reacted for a simple reason: I could not see him."

(The Corsair expectorates loudly into the blogosphere; adressing Greta, acidly) Oh come of it little Miss Greta! The lack of facial expression, the inability to crane the neck -- all the classic signs are there, sweetie. Your face is wrapped tighter than Tara Reid at Open Bar. Lay off the "rejeuvination." (Averted Gaze)



(image via NYSocialDiary)

As you can see, Ambassador Loeb's "pimphand" ... is strong.

In: The Fete de Swifty. It's those random acts of philanthropy that don't often get reported that really turn our heads. This report from our favorite social chronicler, David Patrick Columbia, in NYSocialDiary:

"There was a light rain in Manhattan last night when they held the second annual Fete de Swifty, the largest, chicest block party in New York held in a big white tent that extended for the entire block on East 73rd Street from Lexington to Third Avenue. The event is the brainchild of syndicated columnist Liz Smith in order to raise funds for the Mayor�s Fund to Advance New York.

"The Mayor was there, along with the more than 650 congregating for this do and they raised more than $500,000 for the Fund. These dollars are earmarked for after-school programs in the City�s parks so that the kids have something to do after school � especially the kids who might otherwise be going home to empty houses because their parents are working."

Bravo.



(image via cjonline)

Out: Was Senator Leahy Blindsided? As someone who spent many college years in bucolic Vermont -- smoking the sweet leaf, chasing the hippie chicks, and, finally wrestling with the mysteries of Plato in the quiet of my soul -- Senator Patrick Leahy's quixotic endorsement of Judge Roberts made no sense whatsoever. Nada. Where's the political payoff?

Sure, Judge Roberts is eminently qualified to be Chief Justice, but Vermont is, like, the most progressive state in the Union. And it borders New Hampshire. And the New Hampshire abortion notification case is coming before the Supremes. --Hhello?

Doesn't that make Leahy's re-election prospects dodgy at best should Roberts rule conservatively? Doesn't that give a bazooka to Leahy's next opponent in the reelection campaign? Doesn't that open him up like a hot peanut for a primary challenge within the Vermont Democratic Party?

Now, this from TheHill (The Corsair absently smacks his forehead), explaining that Senator Leahy may have simply got his signals crossed, royally fucking himself in the process:

"Sen. Patrick Leahy (Vt.), the Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking Democrat, vented frustration with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) during a closed-door Democratic meeting last week before stunning colleagues and liberal activists by announcing his support for Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. A day before his surprise declaration, Leahy expressed his irritation at being blindsided over Reid's position, finding out about it from the news media rather than from the minority leader, said lawmakers who attended the meeting. 'I think he clearly wished he had known,' a lawmaker said."

Now it all makes sense. Ah, clarity.