Media-Whore D'Oevres



"The opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is in talks with advisers to President Robert G. Mugabe of Zimbabwe, amid signs that some of those close to Mr. Mugabe may encourage him to resign, a Western diplomat and a prominent Zimbabwe political analyst said Tuesday. The negotiations about a possible transfer of power away from Mr. Mugabe began after he apparently concluded that a runoff election would be demeaning, a diplomat said." (NYTimes)

"Paramount Pictures has preemptively bought 'Lost City of Z,' a David Grann manuscript about the search for a lost city in the Amazon, with Brad Pitt to produce the feature adaptation through his Plan B shingle as a potential starring vehicle. Grann's forthcoming nonfiction book concerns British explorer Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett, who was attempting to find the so-called City of Z when he and his party disappeared in 1925. Over the next 70 years, scores of explorers tried and failed to retrace Fawcett's path, including a 1996 expedition of Brazilian adventurers. Pitt would play Fawcett. Doubleday is scheduled to publish 'Lost City of Z,' an expansion of Grann's September 2005 article in the New Yorker, in February." (Variety)

"Sarah Jessica Parker lived the Carrie Bradshaw life Monday night. The Cinema Society & Allure editor Linda Wells hosted a screening of Smart People at the Landmark Sunshine Theater, followed by a party at the Bowery Hotel. Parker, who plays a doctor in the film, was joined by co-stars Dennis Quaid, Ellen Page, Thomas Haden Church, Camille Mana and Ashton Holmes ... Attendees like Jane Fonda, Matthew Broderick, Cynthia Nixon, Griffin Dunne, Donna Karan, Ellen Barkin, Candace Bushnell, Rachel Dratch, Isla Fisher, Jessica Seinfeld, Eva Amurri and James Lipton, mooned over the witty comedy ... Fonda, who wore Donna Karan was seated next to the designer, entered the theater a few minutes after the film started. 'I love Sarah and Dennis and I think Ellen Page is awesome,though I haven't met her,' said Fonda. 'I need to find her!' The actress spent the night on the hunt for Page until she was eventually introduced to the young actress by Quaid." (Fashionweekdaily)

"An acquaintance joked to me a couple of months ago in Manchester that Obama should seek a single qualification in his vice presidential choice: That his running mate be a racist. He was joking, but explained that he meant someone like Joe Biden, with a history of perhaps off-color remarks, or Jim Webb, who basically copped to using the N-word while growing up and who has long defended the honor of the Confederacy. The power of that kind of moment was something glimpsed on stage in the Des Moines debate, when Obama stepped in to offer his 'testimony' on Biden's behalf. And that kind of choice would embody the narrative of reconciliation that's so central to his campaign.(My acquaintance even had a speech written: 'I've chosen Senator Biden because he's clean, he's articulate....') (Politico)

"Radiohead, iTunes and Garageband are giving fans the opportunity to remix the band's new single 'Nude' at http://www.radioheadremix.com" (BrooklynVegan)

"Yesterday at the Waldorf, (Director Franco Zefferelli) was sung a tribute by Angela Gheorghiu and delivered a spoken tribute by Jeremy Irons. Besides the hundreds of adoring fans, the luncheon was attended by the Met’s director Peter Gelb, actors Lynn Redgrave and Eli Wallach; as well as many of the Met’s stars of now and yesteryear, including tenor Marcello Giordani, baritone Thomas Hampson, sopranos Patrick Racette and Kiri Te Kanawa, Barbara Cook, Oscar de la Renta, and Cardinal Egan." (NYSocialDiary)

"When Ma Ying-jeou is asked how his China-friendly attitude will play out in practice, he flinches. Although Ma just won Taiwan's presidential election in a landslide on an agenda of closer links with the island's economically attractive but politically hostile neighbour, he is very cautious. Welcome to political reality in Taiwan. While Ma has pledged not to move towards independence during his term in office, he has also committed himself not to negotiate unification. This sets a tight framework for what Ma can achieve. He has made clear that he will not try to resolve the conflict once and for all, but rather find a way to end the state of hostility." (Janes)

"Howard (Stern) asked Al (Roker) about his production company and how many shows he's produced. He said that it's been maybe 30 or 40 shows and he's very happy doing that. He said that this is what he wanted to do when he was in school so he really likes doing it. Howard asked Al if he ever curses. Al said that he doesn't do so knowingly. He said that he might talk dirty at home a little bit. Howard asked him if he ever uses the C-word. Al said that he might do that on occasion. Al said that he doesn't watch porn. He said that he doesn't do that because he's afraid. Afraid of getting caught. Howard said that he'd be really surprised if he found out that Al was into hookers like Elliot Spitzer was because you just don't expect that from Al.
... Howard asked Al about his weight loss a little more. Al said that he still sees that fat guy in the mirror when he looks at himself. Howard asked him if he had a lot of extra skin when he lost the weight. Al joked that the extra skin was used to make Tiki Barber. The guys thought that was pretty funny." (Marksfriggin)