Media-Whore D'Oeuvres



"Several Obama transition advisers are strongly advocating Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for secretary of state, a move that would create the ultimate 'Team of Rivals' Cabinet, according to officials involved in the discussions. President-elect Obama has narrowed the possibilities for secretary of state, and Clinton is among those being strongly considered, the officials said. Some even call her the favorite. It is not known what Obama himself thinks of the idea. But the fact that it is being entertained within his camp shows how much things have changed in the months since he defeated her for the Democratic nomination in a protracted primary marathon." (Politico)

"Lindsay Lohan had a novel way of staying off the booze last night. The 22-year-old actress had a flunky by her side to sip each of her drinks to make sure there was no alcohol in them .. LiLo, who went into rehab last year after admitting she was addicted to drugs and alcohol, was at Dolce nightclub in Soho where her girlfriend Samantha Ronson was DJing. Our spy said: 'Lindsay was determined to stay off the drink, and had a man to sip from her glass every time she got one to make sure there was no alcohol in it. Even when 12 waitresses arrived with champagne bottles with lit sparklers attached, she still wasn't tempted to drink' ..And as she was leaving, LiLo threw a diva fit at her minder as their limo wasn't waiting close enough to the venue." (Thisislondon)



"What a difference a day makes. Had we kept our weekly Wednesday lunch date, we'd have missed running into Elton John and his partner David Furnish at Michael's today. The two gents couldn't have been more sporting as they gave us a big hello right before they rushed to air kiss Barbara Walters, who was joining 'Mayor' Joe Armstrong and a whole host of luminaries at Table One to celebrate tonight's Broadway opening of Billy Elliot .. (at Table) 12. Politicos Ed Rollins and Robert Zimmerman talking 'transition.' Before Ed sat down, he stopped to chat with his ex Sherrie (who is now married to ABC president David Westin) who was there separately lunching with Lisa Caputo at Table 80 ..(at Table) 18. Disney-ABC president Anne Sweeney .. I had a nice chat at the bar with Page Six's Richard Johnson .." (For the full list: FishbowlNY)

"Considerable anxiety has been expressed about the possibility of al Qaeda taking advantage of the handoff of security agencies from the Bush administration to the incoming Obama team. But according to CIA Director Michael V. Hayden, all's very quiet on the Western front. For the moment. Hayden, who headed the eavesdropping National Security Agency before taking the CIA job, said Thursday there had been 'no increased chatter' about plots picked up by U.S. intelligence, according to my CQ colleague Tim Starks, who covered Hayden's appearance at The Atlantic Council of the United States, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington." (CQPolitics)

"Jonathan Toubin from New York Night Train throws the raddest underground rock parties in New York. There always draw loads of cool rocker types. And this night downstairs was no exception. It brought The Witch Hats from Australia (think Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds), as well as Downtown's finest, The Fresh Kills, Sorceress and everyone's favorite The Stalkers. The basement was 100 degrees and i've never seen so many sweaty rocker dudes. Eveyone felt like they were in a steamroom." (Papermag)

"IT might almost be over between former HBO original programming president Chris Albrecht and his fiancée, Karla Jensen. An insider told Page Six, 'They broke up like two weeks ago. She moved out of the house and he is already trying to be set up with other women. He's out of a job and bored - what else is he going to do?' Albrecht left HBO last year after he was arrested in Las Vegas for choking Jensen following a boxing match. While Jensen refused to press charges, Albrecht pleaded no contest to battery charges. He then headed over to IMG as head of media development. He was let go in August .." (PageSix)

"We caught up with (Prince Harry) tearaway at Whisky Mist in London on Wednesday night. And, dressed to the nines in sharp a suit and checked shirt, right, Harry told us he was on a boys' night out. But that didn't stop the gaggle of girlies in the VIP area from having a crack. A procession of wannabe princesses paraded in front of him, giggling and shaking their booty. But Harry, 24, was having none of it. One persistent blonde in tight leather pants then broke royal protocol and went right up to the Prince and asked him to dance. But Harry said: 'Oh, I am so sorry, I am a terrible dancer. Ask someone else. 'Chelsy will be pleased." (3AMGirls)



(image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)

"Maybe it's Madonna or maybe it's Max Azria, but the plight of Malawi is now top of mind. Last night, Lubov Azria, Jillian Wolstein, Lori Leavitt, and Zoe Saldana hosted a cocktail party to benefit H.E.L.P. Malawi at the BGBG Max Azria store on Fifth Avenue. A percentage of the profits from the Lori Leavitt Jewelry and the exclusive H.E.L.P. Malawi T-shirt designed by Azria will help fund construction of the Nandumbo Medical Clinic in Malawi. 'Anytime a celebrity can use his or her fame to bring attention to a cause or crisis, it's great,' said Joy Bryant, who dropped in for a glass of champers and an air-kiss with the Azrias. 'I've supported this cause for two years,' said Max. 'It's important that the money goes to the right place, and with them, it does.'" (Fashionweekdaily)

"UNHAPPY times are here again for Ron Perelman and Patricia Duff. Citing recommendations by a court-appointed expert yesterday, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Rosalyn Richter set a hearing next month for the Revlon head and his ex to duke it out - again - over their daughter, Caleigh, 13, reports The Post's Dareh Gregorian. The latest round was touched off months ago when Caleigh asked her lawyer for an order of protection against Duff for undisclosed reasons having to do with 'emotional abuse.' Duff has portrayed the differences as typical mother-teen daughter clashes, but the expert's preliminary report apparently found there was more to it than that." (PageSix)

"The elder statesman is Michigan Representative John Dingell, 82, the longest-serving House member, with 52 years in office. The challenger is Henry Waxman of California, 69, who has been in Congress for 34 years and is vying to replace Dingell as chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. The stakes are high because the panel has jurisdiction over energy, health care and telecommunications issues, central elements of President-elect Barack Obama's agenda. Dingell, one of the auto industry's staunchest allies, is being challenged as the nation's carmakers are in financial turmoil and have asked for up to $50 billion in federal support. Next year, he is likely to be one of the strongest advocates of a universal health-care plan. Waxman's record as chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee indicates he would be tough on the energy, drugs and auto industries ..The fight pits the Rust Belt against Silicon Valley, Big Labor against the new economy, and the old guard against relative newcomers." (Bloomberg)