Media-Whore D'Oevres



(image via NYtimes via Origlia/Getty Images)

''Italy’s government finally fell Thursday, after Prime Minister Romano Prodi lost a confidence vote that made it clear that Italy’s leaders know they face a deep political and economic crisis but are venomously divided over how to solve it. Emblematic of those divisions, during the debate one senator rushed in fury to the desk of a colleague, Stefano Cusumano, and taunted and apparently tried to attack him. Mr. Cusumano, 60, reportedly cried, then collapsed. 'If I had the chance, I would have spit in his face,' said the attacker, Senator Tommaso Barbato, who had to be held back by his colleagues. His action came after Mr. Cusumano changed his vote to support Mr. Prodi." (NYtimes)

"Last night Casey Ribicoff gave a small birthday dinner at '21' for our friend Peter Rogers. The hostess, this writer, Liz Smith, Adolfo, Elizabeth Peabody and Alex Hitz. Casey had placecards made of cookies. Peter is holding his for my camera. After dinner they took our picture. I’m saying 'keep your eyes open' because lotsa times people get nervous and don’t. This crowd didn’t get nervous, as you can see ... Last night they were talking about the campaign. Nothing about the Financials. Nothing. The Campaign though covered the gamut of candidates. Hillary, Obama, McCain, Giuliani, Romney, Edwards, Huckabee. To varying degrees. Hillary got a lot of time because everyone at table has met her or knows a lot of people who have. And she’s one of our Senators. Not everyone at the table would vote for her although there was none of this hate Hillary stuff that you so often encounter. Mrs. Ribicoff is the widow of the late governor and senator from Connecticut Abe Ribicoff. Her political connections on a national level are excellent and she by nature has the gift of friendship. So everyone paid attention when she had something to say." (NYSD)

"Though animation isn't the movie form most expected from a war memoir, cinematic masterpiece Persepolis stunned guests including Christine Baranski, Bob Colacello, Gaby Hoffmann, and Deepak Chopra at the Diane von Furstenberg-hosted movie screening in Midtown Thursday night. While many knew the plot about a young Iranian girl who starts a personal revolution, the backstory between the designer and the writer was a welcome anecdote. Marjane Satrapi and von Furstenberg were destined to meet for ages: Satrapi wore a DVF dress when she won the Jury Prize in Cannes, claiming it was her good luck charm, and von Furstenberg had owned Persepolis for years, even gifting it to friends, though she was still unsure of exactly what to call the genre. 'Graphic novel? Is that the way you call them? I didn't know that! I've read a few; I read Maus, and then I read this one. I was going to say comic book. I'm glad you taught me that!' she exclaimed." (Fashionweekdaily)

"One has to be careful even when hugging a big, friendly bear that one is not suffocated," warned EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn in June 2007, speaking of Russia's backing for Serbia over Kosovo's looming independence. Belgrade's big, friendly bear is now in the wings, waiting to see if its favoured candidate will triumph in a presidential showdown and shift the country decisively away from the West. The first round of Serbia's presidential elections held on 20 January saw ultranationalist Tomislav Nikolic of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) take the lion's share of the vote with 39.4 per cent, setting him up for a widely predicted showdown against incumbent Boris Tadic of the Democratic Party (DS). With turnout at an extremely high 61 per cent in the first round, and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica in the role of kingmaker, the ultimate outcome is still unclear. Tadic believes Serbia's future is in the EU and also believes Serbia needs Europe more than the bloc needs Belgrade." (Janes)

"And right when you thought you got rid of me... Hi guys, I am back! And I have a question: why are you reading this blog if you think I am a douche bag? Come on, click away from this page and make room for all those who like me, because yes, they are many and many more. Did I get rid of you? Did I now? Okay then, keep reading, but now the douchebag is you!!! ... Now let's talk about my TV project. I was approached by Lifetime and asked to participate in an episode of their show Top This Party. Basically, the show follows you and your party planner's trials and tribulations throughout the process of trying to plan the best party EVER. Since I just got the endorsement campaign, and my friend Brittny Gastineau wanted to throw me a party for that, we just jumped at it and said YEEEESSSSS!" (Fabian Basabe/Papermag)