Media-Whore D'Oevres



"The Carnegie Hall farewell to Norman (Mailer) was 2 1/2 hours -- lotsa talking, video, and two wonderful musical pieces. It really did seem like everybody and their dog was given a speaking part, but most of it was captivating. ALL the children spoke (that would be nine people) and they were surprisingly touching or funny ... Tina Brown and Joan Didion also spoke. Charlie Rose emceed. William Kennedy was terrific, as were Lawrence Schiller and Sean Penn. Penn was funny. He said he and Norman talked about what he might say, and Norman said to write it on a Blackberry, and when it said 'full field' you would know you were done and 'it would be brief.' So he did, and read it from the berry. Loni Ali was quite moving talking about a Norris and Norman’s visit to her and Mohammed in Michigan. The other speakers were Don DeLillo, J. Michael Lennon, David Ebershoff (Norman's last editor, quite young), Neil Abercrombie, Ivan Fisher, and Gina Centrello (don't forget, this was Random House's party.) The music was marvelous. A trombonist named Peter McEachern played 'Requiem for a Boxer,' and Sasha Lazard (Mrs. Michael Mailer) sang, gorgeously, something that sounded like opera, then swung into an English song called 'Romance.' She was accompanied by piano and cello." (NYSocialDiary)

"The Media Mob has learned that after several months of hearing from lawyers on both sides of the case, Justice Ira Gammerman of the New York Supreme Court has just made a ruling regarding CBS's motion to dismiss the $70 million civil lawsuit that Dan Rather initially brought against CBS back on Sept. 19, 2007. In short: The case will proceed on a limited basis ... A number of those causes for action—including the claim of fraud—have been dismissed. However, according to Mr. Rather's legal team, three issues are still in play—involving claims of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and tortious interference. Also, the $70 million claim for damages remains on the table." (Observer)



(image via fashionweekdaily)

"Christian Louboutin hit the Big Apple to revel in his Sole Desire exhibit at The Museum at FIT a mere 10 days before its closing date of April 19. Last night, he lectured a packed room of over 300 students before attending an intimate dinner hosted by Diane von Furstenberg--who delivered opening remarks--at Sant Ambroeus. His fans included Carolina Irving, Valerie Steele, Marie Malle, and Anh Duong." (Fashionweekdaily)

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that it is 'strange' to say that NATO enlargement is intended to provide stability and democracy in Europe ... During the summit, NATO accepted Albania and Croatia as members and said that it would accept the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) once barriers relating to its name can be resolved with Greece. The alliance also said it would accept the former Soviet states of Georgia and Ukraine in the future. However, Moscow objects to NATO expanding into its former sphere of influence and moving close to its borders, which Putin described as 'a direct threat to Russia'. The Russians "cannot be satisfied" when they are told the enlargement is not directed against Russia, he said, because when national security is at stake, 'promises' are not enough." (Janes)

"I asked Bijou Phillips if that could be the title of this blog and she said, 'Sure, you could say that!' She looks so fresh and spirited and beautiful these days. And while she readily admits that she has raised some kind of hell with the best of them, no one can deliver close-ups like this one. No frown lines, no wrinkles, no unnaturally puffy lips, no baggy eyes -- what’s up with that? This little party, to mark the opening of the Nolita Shane and Shawn boutique... was jumping all over the place." (Papermag)

"If you believe the hype, there are swarms of of virgins running around Hollywood these days, all of them screaming at strangers, 'I'm saving it till marriage!' A reporter just asked me for my comments on the phenomenon of stars like Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers promoting themselves as purer than cane sugar and way more chaste than chased. Well, I hate to be a cynic, but I wouldn't necessarily believe everything I read. A lot of people who say they still have hymens actually have a running tab at the local abortion clinic. And after all, this 'I'm a virgin' trend is nothing the least bit new. When Britney Spears started out as a young, midriff-baring chanteuse, she claimed to be a sex-negative nun who'd never even touched anyone's manhood." (Musto)

"Wealthy Democrats are preparing a four-month, $40 million media campaign centered on attacks on Sen. John McCain. And it will be led by David Brock, the former investigative reporter who first gained fame in the 1990s as a right-wing, anti-Clinton journalist. The planned campaign is the product of a shakeup in the top ranks of the struggling independent Democratic groups. Brock, now best known as the ex-conservative founder of the liberal group Media Matters, last month quietly assumed the chairmanship of what's expected to be the main vehicle for independent Democratic attacks on McCain, now called Progressive Media USA." (Politico)

"'Dark Matter' begins with a shot of Meryl Streep practicing tai chi, and therein lies a precise encapsulation of the film's attitude toward the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures. In its 90-minute duration, the film grapples with a number of weighty themes: the origins of the universe, the importing of Chinese scholarly talent by American universities, even the deep causes of incidents of campus violence, like those at Columbine and Virginia Tech. But ultimately, the film's approach to these issues is as suspect as an American movie star going through the motions, however gracefully, of the thirteen postures." (Indiewire)

"The House adopted a rules change Thursday that freezes the Colombia free trade agreement by waiving a requirement that Congress act on it within 90 days. The rule passed mostly along party lines by a vote of 224-195 with one lawmaker voting present. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Congress and the White House must first enact policies to help the faltering U.S. economy before approving the Colombia pact. 'We should certainly do more for our economy before we pass another trade agreement,' she said in remarks on the House floor. Pelosi said funding for infrastructure programs and energy tax credits would help create jobs. In a press conference, Pelosi said Thursday's vote would give her more leverage in negotiations with the White House. Republican leaders blasted the maneuver." (TheHill)