Media-Whore D'Oeuvres



"I'm told that General Electric, parent company of NBC, held its corporate inauguration party today from 11 AM to 1 PM in Washington D.C. Attending were GE CEO Jeff Immelt, NBC Universal boss Jeff Zucker, Universal Studios mogul Ron Meyer, and bunches of other company bigwigs from the far less glamorous divisions. My sources say Ben Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and NBC Universal Television, was supposed to be there but was glaringly absent. One showbiz PR type says he saw Ben last night around 6 PM in Sundance at Village At The Yard. But at the GE party, Immelt was overhead asking Zucker, 'Did your boy show?' To which Zucker responded, 'No.' ...'Classic Ben,' one source told me." (DeadlineHollywoodDaily)

"ABC News' David Wright reports: Today may be a day when the nation briefly sets aside partisan enmity for the peaceful transition of power, but personal enmity? That’s another matter. One small example: as the ex-Presidents gathered in the crypt of the Capitol preparing to head out to the platform, a chilly day got a bit chillier as the Carters and the Clintons were forced to occupy the same cramped space. Former Democratic President Jimmy Carter appeared to greet former Republican President George H.W. Bush and his wife warmly, kissing Barbara Bush on the cheek. But as Carter passed fellow Democrats Bill and Hillary Clinton, the two men did not appear to acknowledge each others presence at all. A total snub." (ABCNews)



"New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd held a huge bash in honor of Hollywood mogul David Geffen on Sunday night. Packed in elbow to elbow were Tom Hanks, Larry David, Jeff Zucker, David Katzenberg, Ron Howard, Joe Scarborough and masses of print-media members. The crowd behaved itself until around 10 p.m. when ABC's George Stephanopoulos backed into a tray of martinis, sending them crashing to the ground. 'It wasn't me!' he said, but he left red faced and laughing moments later." (PageSix)

"WASHINGTON, DC - Sunday. The Lincoln Memorial ..This inauguration's new-style segregation was a line of port-a-potties reserved just for celebs. No mingling of unimportant everyday behinds. A few yards away from Honest Abe, their big-print signs read 'Women Talent' and 'Men Talent.' As I lunged for Steve Carell, he disappeared into the 'Men Talent.' The tent marked TH for Talent Holding also held a buffet table. Near a hot plate of spaghetti, Jon Bon Jovi. So, why's he part of this event? 'Barack Obama's been to my home. We've done several fund-raisers together. I helped raise millions for him.'" (Cindy Adams)



"If I were Jon Favreau (Mr. Obama’s 27-year-old wunderkind speech writer) right now, I would be under the bed in the fetal position, or at the nearest bar, draining my fourth Martini. I would be, in other words, scared. I feel your pain, Mr. Favreau." (Christopher Buckley/TheDailyBeast)



"Mr. Mickey might be an old granny, but he does like to check out the hot new shindigs on the scene and only needs the flimsiest excuse to head down to Santos Party House. So when Drewpsie announced his new party (sans Trinity), Counterfit, would be held at Santos on Thursdays, MM put on his dancin shoes. The party is co-hosted by The Glitter Kids and the lovely ladies of SixSixSick, and despite the subzero temperatures the cuties came to see and be seen. Mr. Mickey even ended up snuggling with a facebook friend. Quelle scandale!" (Papermag)

"Well, I think, without sounding bitter—and I'm not bitter—I do believe there was a media bias. I do believe that the media had a specific agenda and with that said, the American people cast their vote. But I do believe that there is a voyeuristic media: Everyone is a reporter now because everyone has a camera on their phone, the face of reporting in general has changed. There is very little difference now between journalism and gossip. I truly feel that unless the media goes back to unbiased reporting they are going to do a disservice to the youth of this country. The future of this country lies in the youth and we have to be good stewards of information and truth. There is so much more to it than just one article and people telling lies, it affects much more than that. It is interesting that it got to the point where The New York Times profile of me is being used as an example of the bias in reporting in journalism classes, at your alma mater, Columbia's journalism school, I believe." (Cindy McCain/The Daily Beast)



"The actor started early, and was spotted sneaking out the back door of the screening clutching a beer followed by his wife Angelina Jolie. Later on, he looked considerably refreshed at the afterparty as he enthusiastically moved on to champagne. At the moment it's more like a matter of The Curious Case of Brad Pitt's Grooming with his Great Gatsby side parting and moustache." (Thisislondon)

"Over the years I watched Sundance grow from a cultish event for edgy filmmakers and hardcore film buffs into a frenzied happening full of glitzy premieres, corporate bashes and a crush of rubberneckers -- me included! -- hoping for a glimpse of someone famous. As a result, parties became ridiculously hard to get into. One bouncer, surveying the desperate throng outside his door, shouted, 'Nobody is getting in unless you're famous, and I don't recognize any of you!' As I got older and got married, my appetite for Sundance's excesses waned. My wife didn't share my Sundance obsession, which became a problem when January came around and I'd disappear to Park City for a week. I stopped trying to crash the parties. I no longer kept lists of celebrities I'd spotted. Paris Hilton showed up, and I didn't even look for her." (CNN)

"Dr. Drew stopped by to promote the upcoming season of "Celebrity Rehab: Sober House," and Howard asked him if he felt like he was taking advantage of sick people by putting them on TV. Drew admitted it had the potential to exploitative, but the trade-off was threefold: 1. the celebrities do get good treatment; 2. the cameras and publicity motivate them to stay strong; 3. the show helps them serve as an example to others struggling with addiction. Artie asked if Drew would have Jeff Conaway back for a third season/try, but Drew refused: 'No. I'm done.'" (HowardStern.com)