Media-Whore D'Oeuvres



(image via thisislondon)

"After 23 years of being married to Ronnie Wood, Jo has revealed she now feels able to finally focus on herself instead of 'cooking and listening to moaning.' The 53-year-old was at the Cosmopolitan Women Of The Year Awards - to celebrate 'Fun, fearless females' ... Jo has been a regular fixture on the social scene since splitting from Rolling Stone guitarist Ronnie, 61, after he got together with 20-year-old waitress Ekaterina Ivanova. But it looks like she is getting over him, and she let her hair down at the Cosmo bash at The Banqueting House in Whitehall last night. She added: 'It's now my time and I'm loving it.' If there was an award for dignity last night, Jo would have surely won it." (Thisislondon)

"Former Obama chief strategist David Axelrod has accepted the position of Senior Adviser in the White House, sources tell ABC News. Robert Gibbs is also likely to join Obama's White House as Press Secretary, and Obama would like his confidante Valerie Jarrett to play a key role. The exact parameters have not been set." (George Stephanopulos/ABCNews)

"Last night, before heading to the wild party thrown by Santa's Party House and PAPER, I protested the passing of Proposition 8 in West Hollywood with thousands of gay and straights who are standing up for equal rights. The battle will unfold in California's courthouses and on the streets, and I'm not going to stop fighting for gay rights until I can marry a man in all 50 states. I was pumped to be a part of the protest and elated to bump into my LA friends, like designer Jasmin Shockrian, photographer Thomas Whiteside, China Chow and novelist Christopher Rice. Today, after lunch with Bijou Phillips, I'll be at the Mormon Temple (the Mormons raised 20 million dollars in support of Proposition 8) to let those religious fanatics know just how pissed off I am. Please join me at 2 p.m. sharp at the Mormon Temple (10777 Santa Monica Blvd.)." (Peter Davis/Papermag)



(image via JH/NYSocialDiary)

"Last night at Cipriani 42nd Street, the New York Landmarks Conservancy held its Living Landmarks Celebration. This year’s 'Living Landmarks' were Rosamond Bernier and John Russell, Judy Collins, Osborn Elliott, Barbara Goldsmith, Phyllis Newman, Congressman Charlie Rangel, and Charlie Rose. Liz Smith, herself a 'Living Landmark,' was emcee ..This is one of those events that attracts the 'doers' in the city, the people who in one way or another make New York the place it is. A lot of these people know each other, or have met or see each other out, or do business together. Many are famous and/or rich or prominent in their fields or professions." (NYSocialDiary)

"Meryl Streep tends to work a lot--and so does her marriage! And no doubt that's because her husband happens to be a sculptor, not another show biz type who's competing with her for Oscar nominations or wondering who the phone is for every time it rings with a job offer. What I'm getting at is that when two actors get together, it never lasts! (I'm excepting Paul and Joanne because he's gone now. And yes, I know about Kevin and Kyra, Susan and Tim, Goldie and Kurt, and the Hankses. That's four, OK?) Even if a show biz duo LASTS, it doesn't last! Eventually, the coupling implodes since any relationship is based on a very delicate balance of power and when both parties are involved in a competitive struggle for parts and attention, things get ugly on the way to a very unhappy Hollywood ending." (Musto)

" On Monday, Harry Evans holds the week's "Media & the Presidency" confab in the Rainbow Room." (Liz Smith)

"Around 1pm this afternoon, a couple of Observer staffers took a trip to Zaro's Bakery, a branch of which is across the street from The Observer offices on Broadway between 20th and 21st streets. When they walked in, they spotted a little girl by the front sandwich display with a neat head of dark brown hair trimmed into a bob, dressed in an "adorable" red tunic and spandexy black pants, and clutching some sort of toy. 'Oh my God, that's Suri Cruise!' whispered one Observer staffer. Indeed it was the two-and-a-half-year-old Ms. Cruise, accompanied by her 29-year-old mother Katie Holmes and several bodyguards." (Observer)

"Perhaps viewers suffered a TV hangover on the night following the presidential election, as the broadcast networks put up tame numbers on the opening Wednesday of the November sweep. NBC, in particular, looked weak with its revamped — but still fourth-place — lineup." (Variety)

"It didn’t take long for Chicago Democrats to start jumping at the impending open seat in Rep. Rahm Emanuel’s (D-Ill.) district. State Rep.-elect Deborah Mell, the sister-in-law of Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), told The Hill that she would run just hours after Emanuel officially accepted President-elect Barack Obama’s offer to become his chief of staff on Thursday .. Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley said he is leaning toward running and even took a quick swipe at Mell. 'I waited until the congressman made his decision, which was today,' Quigley said. 'You need at least a day to get some questions answered and make some choices. It’s not who decides first to run; it’s who decides that’s best qualified and is most viable.'" (TheHill)



(Mark Whitaker image via msnbc)

"At a meeting in NBC News' DC bureau today, bureau chief Mark Whitaker made a renewed plea to staffers to take the network's buyout package, sources tell FishbowlDC. The buyout offer has been an option for a while now, as part of NBC Universal's plan to trim $500 million from its budget, but, here in DC, few employees have taken it." (FishbowlDC)