A Little of the Old In and Out



You do your thing, Toure. (image via toure.com)

In: Toure, Host, BET News. Trust us -- really, trust us -- when we say that it is exceptionally hard for youngish African-Americans to break through the unspoken of glass ceiling at the fashionable East Coast media duplex. In an infinite media universe, there is only, eveidently, room for a a few overused people of color as talking heads, right? (Averted Gaze) That's why we were happy to see this morning that Toure, who has done wonders in raising the bar, is headed over to BET to host the news and make his own opportunities. Mirabile dictu: from MedialifeMagazine:

"BET News has added three new members to its staff: former CNN pop culture correspondent Toure as host, writer and consulting producer; former The Source editor Selwyn Hinds as interim executive producer for BET News Briefs, some BET News Specials and the soon-to-be-launched Sunday news magazine; and writer/filmmaker Nelson George as consulting producer on all BET News and Public Affairs programs."

We are glad that BET: A) Is aiming after a young African-American demographic and giving some of the better-known media figures a chance to "do they thing," and, B) producing some original content. Finally! Of BET, at the time of Robert Johnson's retirement, we wrote (Tellingly, in the 5th item):

"The Corsair is of two minds about the retirement of Robert Johnson. On the one hand, he started BET. On the other hand, well, he started BET. Do they even have actual programming on BET? Every infomercial and snake oil salesman of a 'preacher' appears to have leased time on the station."

Apparently, no more. We're rooting for them. Congrats to Toure and gang. One small step ...



(image via bookofjoe)

Out: Donald Trump. Short-fingered vulgarian and intermittent blogger, Donald Trump, when not bending over, ass-akimbo, to pick up zinc pennies from the expectorate-laden New York City streets, runs a bimonthly Trumpazine. In the pages of this second-rate Trumpazine, Our Favorite Pennylover gives himself a sloppy, wet beej. According to Gatecrasher:

" In the fall issue of Trump World magazine, dubbed 'The Power Issue,' Donald Trump names himself as the most powerful man in the world."

Is that the Trumpazine with the B-List marginally fucky model Adrian Lima on the cover? (Averted Gaze) Charmed, I'm sure.



(image via house.gov)

In: Madeline Albright's "Busy" Broaches. This is actually kind of a cool piece; it's the sort of multidimensionally sophisticated communication thingie that diplomats used to do back-in-the-days of Grotius, but rarely do nowadays. As a Gemini who values all forms of eccentric communication, we love it. And you thought Albright's "busy" broaches were picked up while she was "antiquing" in Connecticut with Barbara Streisand and served no discenible diplomatic purpose. Piffle. According to USN&WR (link via Wonkette):

"As a rare woman in the male-dominated diplomatic world, former United Nations Ambassador and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright came to the posts during the Clinton years with a different approach--and wardrobe. And, she tells us, that gave her a new weapon in America's diplomatic battles: her trademark jeweled brooches. The Dame of Foggy Bottom reveals that her secret jewelry box diplomacy was sparked by a little comment made by the deposed Iraqi tyrant while Albright was ambassador to the United Nations. 'Saddam Hussein called me a snake,' she says. The next time she was on television, she wore a snake pin to show off her new status."

That reminds us of the Straussians' claim that 16th-century Italian ambassador and political theorist, Niccolo Machiavelli used literary hidden scuds and codes in his Letters and Discourses. But we digress:

"'So then,' she says, 'I thought it would be fun to send messages with my pins.' Word spread fast in the diplomatic community. 'When people would say, How do you feel? I'd say, Read my pin.' Butterflies meant happy, bees angry. Some were sarcastic, as with the huge bug she wore to meet a Russian diplomat after a Kremlin recording device was found at the U.N. At another meeting with Russians to talk about the antiballistic missile treaty, she wore an arrow, prompting then Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to ask, 'Is that one of your interceptors?' Albright's clever answer: 'Yes, and we know how to make them very small.' ... Albright tells us she's planning a book on her brooches."

The Corsair's own "interceptor," though, is well above average, we cannot fail to relate.



(image via everglo)

Out: Kimberly Stewart Versus Joe Francis. These are two class acts, to be sure. He's famous for making millions off coercing barely-legal/ barely-sober girls into toplessness without ever paying them a fucking cent; and she's famous for -- well, we don't quite know what she's famous for (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment), but she's famous. Their humpy B-List love was about as shallow as the shaft of cupid's bow, and when the ties that bond snapped, well -- things got ugly. According to The Lowdown:

"Rod Stewart's son Sean avenged his sister Kimberly on Halloween by dressing up as her ex-boyfriend, 'Girls Gone Wild' promoter Joe Francis. Lowdown hears that the 25-year-old Stewart showed up at Haylie Duff's party in L.A. sporting a shirt that read, 'I love kiddie porn,' along with 'GGW' shorts and baseball cap. Way harsh. 'Sean's costume was, like, the highlight of the party,' says one attendee."

Moreover, according to those intrepid Page Sixxies, the Francis-bashing moved from Duff's party to the Chateau Marmont:

"At the Chateau Marmont earlier this week, the less than subtle Stewart began very audibly raging against Francis, saying dating him was a big lapse in judgment. 'It was as if she wanted everyone in the room to hear her,' says one observer, who adds that Stewart went on to accuse Francis of planting the pictures of Paris Hilton and Stavros Niarchos. 'Kimberly said that Joe always does this. He invites people to his island and then rats them out to the paparazzi, so his place looks like it's so hip.' Elliot Mintz, a spokesman for Stewart, says 'she confirms that her friendship with Joe was not the wisest decision she's ever made, but says she didn't accuse him of plant ing those pictures.' Tell that to the 20 people within earshot."



(image via ultragrrrl)

In: The Paper Magazine Nightlife Awards. Bloggers Karenplusone and Ultragrrrl, AKA The Tarts of Pleasure, made out like bandits at the Paper Magazine mightlife awards. According to the ubiquitous Faran Krentcil at Fashionweekdaily:

"Since the awards honored 'the culture, evolution, and fun' of New York Nightlife � at least according to Paper founder David Herchkovitz � nearly all of the guests had a stake in who took home the coveted Bloated Baby statues, designed by Kid Robot especially for the night.

�'I think there�s going to be a rumble!' laughed Kenny Kenny, as The MisShapes took the first award � for Best Party � and almost everyone exploded in wild applause.

"And while Amy Sacco graciously received her award for Bette by thanking 'all the kids who work so hard for me and do an incredible job running the place,' some speeches were less than sweet � like when Thom Filicia told a Chanel-clad Tinsley Mortimer, 'the only thing your outfit needs is a�' It�s not even worth repeating."

Damn.

"Some guests were stunned by the clean sweep of a luminous Ultragrrrl, aka Sarah Lewitinn. The novice DJ and popular blogger beat out The Trinity to win Best New Promoter, and also swept the People�s Choice Awards for her Stolen Transmission party, a jam-packed bash at Orchard Bar she runs with best friend Karen Plus One. Alone, it�s impossible to find Karen�s last name; together, the duo are called The Tarts of Pleasure. "



(image via skyturnonline)

Out: LeAnne DeVette. Couldn't you see this one coming? Nepotism ... doesn't work. Siblings allow all sorts of things -- like jumping up and down on Auntie Oprah's couch -- that ought not to be allowed. According to Defamer:

" Tom Cruise has finally thrown publisister LeAnne DeVette under the couch, replacing her with professional PR firm Rogers and Cowan. (Come on, did you think Cruise was going to go crawling back to Pat Kingsley?)"

We did. Stop harshing on our mellow. Call us naive, but we actually envisioned a whole Hollywood reconcilliation scene replete with Mimi Rogers and Nic Kidman, but we did not forsee this whole, dark complicated Indie ending.



(image via sfgate)

In: Larry Kramer. CBS Digital President Larry Kramer, a man with whom we have an unnatural blog-obsession (The restraining order keeps us on our toes), is considering a partnership with ... Apple. According to Rafat Ali, "CBS is in talks with Apple for video downloads to iPod... Larry Kramer said a partnership with Apple is a strong possibility as long as the 'economic proposal is fair enough.'"

You do your thing, Lar; you do your thing.