A Little Of The Old In And Out



In: White House social secretary Desiree Rogers. While, yes, the President is going to be signing the stimulus package in swing-state Colorado, socialite Desiree Rogers made a media splash today at the tents at New York Fashion Week. The White House social secretary is, for all intents and purposes, Petronius Arbiter to Obama's Nero -- in other words, the arbiter elegantiae for the coolest President since JFK. And to show up in the front row next to Anna Wintour, the most powerful person in the fashion world, is, for students of the neglected art of soft power, quite interesting. To this we add: Welcome back taste; welcome flavor!

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Out: Shoichi Nakagawa. Remember when Poppy Bush vomited on Japanese Prime Minister Miyazawa Kiichi's lap during a dinner celebrating a successful trade mission? Pat Buchanan, not without his moments, remarked, Bush ought to have, considering the terms of that trade agreement! Charmed, I'm sure. Another embarrassing international incident concerning digestibles. From The NYTimes:

"Japan’s finance minister resigned Tuesday after widespread criticism of embarrassing behavior at the weekend Group of 7 meeting in Rome.

"The minister, Shoichi Nakagawa, raised eyebrows for his slurred speech and muddled answers, and for appearing to fall asleep at a news conference in Rome on Saturday. A clip of Mr. Nakagawa in which he appeared to be groggy in front of journalists was posted on YouTube.

After intense criticism from politicians who said he had embarrassed Japan, Mr. Nakagawa stepped down on Tuesday, adding to the woes of a government that is facing a backlash for its handling of the economic crisis."

In: The Friday the 13th Franchise. And: kudos to Michael Bay. We have a pet theory that horror movies make for better date movies than even romantic comedies ("Don't ask us for the precise psycho-social reasons or particulars, know only that those Friday the Thirteenth/ Hellraiser slasher pics arose, decaying, from out of the climax of The Reagan Administration, which shock-doctrined that national security card to tremendous effect?"). They -- horror fliks -- offer better opportunities to canoodle in the scary moments. That, and the horror genre so parallels the economic crisis. Whatever the case, Friday the 13th did tremendous box office in the important Valentine's Day weekend. From DeadlineHollywoodDaily:

"These are 4-day numbers for what was the biggest Presidents Weekend in Hollywood history -- $226 million and up 35% over last year... I don't know which is worse: that moviegoers flocked to horrific Friday The 13th 2009 from New Line/Warner Bros because it's Friday the 13th. Or that they also saw a machete-wielding psycho killer with a loved one on Valentines Day. It's turning into the best-ever R-rated 4-day opening -- amazing for a retread. Hollywood anticipated high $30sM for the 4-day holiday, but the film reach $43.7M from 3,105 theaters. On Friday, it opened to a huge $19.3 million, then expectedly fell 26% Saturday to $14.2M. With Sunday estimates, that's a $40.7M three-day weekend. Sensing there was more mayhem in the murder franchise, Michael Bay asked New Line to give his production company a chance to revive it. Then he brought Paramount into the mix to handle international. The pic did well because of young females and young males, with older males not far behind."

He's Just Not That Into You -- the big romantic comedy in its second week of release -- did a respectable $19.6 million in box office over the 3-day weekend (It was Valentine's Day).



Out: Donald Trump. Schadenfreude -- aint it a bitch (The Corsair rubs his hands together slowly, anticipating a Trumpian feast)? Haven't we been here before with the short-fingered vulgarian? Trump debt going bust, and this time there will be pain and suffering. Maybe Trumpie should just go into PR and stop tyring to be a big CEO-type. Perhaps Donald Trump, alleged financial ghostface-killa, ought to apprentice himself -- how does one say this kindly? -- to a better businessman, one that's got his game on tight? From FT:

"He is known as a successful entrepreneur to the millions who watch him on the US version of The Apprentice but Donald Trump on Tuesday suffered the indignity of watching a company that bears his name file for bankruptcy protection.

"Trump Entertainment Resorts, of which Mr Trump owns 28 per cent, filed for Chapter 11 protection at a court in New Jersey on Tuesday after bondholders who control the debt-laden casino operator rejected Mr Trump’s attempt to take the company private.

"The filing came as the group missed its last deadline on a $53m interest payment. It is not the first time the group has filed for Chapter 11: four years ago, an earlier incarnation of Trump Entertainment also sought bankruptcy protection from its creditors."