Media-Whore D'Oevres



"What do you get when you pay a prostitute $4,300? Okay. Yes. Other than that. The answer, according to vice squad detectives and people familiar with the sex trade, is a pledge of ironclad silence, and the promise of an unusually attractive, intelligent companion -- albeit one who measures companionship by the hour. They said this price, allegedly paid by New York Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer for a purported few hours with a New York call girl at the Mayflower Hotel, exceeds the rates of even the priciest of Washington's hometown escorts." (WashingtonPost)

"THE behind-the-scenes chaos at Madonna's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction Monday at the Waldorf-Astoria was way more entertaining than the three-hour snoozefest that took place onstage ... Madonna was spotted fanning herself with her four-page speech in the hotel kitchen beforehand. She got a standing ovation after calling Justin Timberlake a '[bleep]er' and the audience 'mother[bleep]ers,' and admitting to once doing ecstasy with Michael Rosenblatt, who signed her to Sire Records. 'I jammed my demo tape into his hand, we both did a tab of ecstasy and then we danced the night away,' she said ... A shirtless Iggy Pop followed Madonna, who sat front-row and rolled her eyes at his punk rendition of 'Ray of Light.'" (PageSix)

"The argument over race and grievance could carry short-term benefits for Hillary Rodham Clinton and could boost her support among white voters in Pennsylvania, who may be turned off by a more intense focus on Barack Obama's race. Obama's promise has been based in part on his dexterity in moving past the old-fashioned political battlegrounds — including the politics of race — where he's found himself battling Clinton in recent days. But a Clinton supporter's charge that Obama has received preferential treatment because he's black also carries serious dangers for her, as senior members of Congress and other superdelegates begin to signal discomfort with the Clinton campaign's increasingly sharp attacks. Notably, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday she thought Clinton's attacks on Obama had put a joint ticket out of the question." (Politico)

"Charlize Theron may have played an afflicted and bewildered mother in Sleepwalking, but at Tuesday's Cinema Society & Dior Beauty-hosted screening at the Tribeca Grand, the Oscar winner let loose. 'When I come to New York, I like to have fun, be a little naughty, and then board a plane and go back to my normal life,' she smiled ... Others who took in the film and the bash were Theron's co-star Nick Stahl, Hana Soukupova, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Nicole Miller, Maggie Rizer, Lars Nilsson, Beth Ostrosky, Dior U.S. president Pamela Baxter, and Rachel Zoe, who flew in for a cover shoot. 'It's mesmerizing as usual to see Charlize on the screen, even in her brief moments,' offered Padma Lakshmi. 'But I don't watch myself on the TV screen every Wednesday because I pretty much know what happens!''' (Fashionweekdaily)

"indieWIRE's ongoing series of filmmaker talks at the Apple Store - SoHo continues next month with special guest Wong Kar Wai. WHEN: Tuesday, April 1st, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; WHERE: Apple Store - SoHo, 103 Prince Street, NYC; COST: Free, No RSVP required. Seats are first come, first serve. Seating is limited. Filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai ('In The Mood For Love,' 'Chungking Express,' 'Happy Together') will participate in a discussion and show scenes from his latest film, 'My Blueberry Nights,' which tells the story of Elizabeth (Norah Jones) and her journey across America where she leaves behind a life of memories, a dream and her soulful new friend - a cafe owner (Jude Law) -- all while in search of something to mend her broken heart. Film journalist Dennis Lim will moderate the discussion." (Indiewire)



"As the years go by, the number of true 'event' DVD releases continues to dwindle (see above). Criterion always seems to come up with the goods though, and this latest box set provides just another reason as to why they're followed avidly by so many. Rainer Werner Fassbinder's mammoth miniseries Berlin Alexanderplatz has been unavailable (legally, at least) for years, but a recent restoration done in Germany gets the series back into the spotlight, allowing those of us who only knew it by reputation to see what the fuss was about. The series, based on Alfred Dublin's 1929 novel, tells the story of Franz Biberkopf (Gufcnter Lamprecht), newly released from prison. Convicted of manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend, Franz has spent four years in prison and exits unsure as to his place in the world. By the end of the first episode, he has decided to become an "honest" man, even if this means becoming a street peddler. In a series where the first episode is titled 'The Punishment Begins,' you'll hardly be surprised when Franz runs into...difficulties." (DigitallyObsessed)