Media-Whore D'Oeuvres



(image via fbi)

"A U.S. commando attack in Somalia has killed an al Qaeda operative who is on the FBI's list of most wanted terrorists, sources tell ABC News. The dead terrorist, Saleh Ali Nabhan, is believed to have taken part in the 1998 attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. He is also believed to have orchestrated the 2002 bombing of a resort hotel in Mombasa, Kenay, and a failed missile attack on an Israeli airliner leaving Mombasa airport. Several sources tell ABC News at least one U.S. helicopter fired on a convoy carrying suspected al Qaeda targets in southern Somalia. An American official says a U.S. Navy ship was also nearby to monitor the situation and provide assistance if needed. Ali Nabhan's death has not yet been officially confirmed, but sources tell ABC News that his body is now in U.S. custody. Ali Nabhan, a 28-year-old Kenyan, is on the FBI's most wanted list for terrorist activities such as the resort and missile attacks as well as participation in the 1998 attack on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania." (ABCNews)



"Diane von Furstenberg's afternoon show yesterday drew the usual glamorous crowd--though several audience members were spotted drinking Peroni beers right from the bottle, tac-ky! Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter sat next Valentino's Giancarlo Giammetti who sat next to actress Candice Bergen and her daughter, Chloe. Daily Beast editor Tina Brown was right across the aisle. Francesco Clemente arrived with daughter, Chiara, and sat next to hotelier Andre Balazs. There were Gossip Girls (Michelle Trachtenberg, Blake Lively), a Grammy award-winning singer (Estelle) and a British socialite (Peaches Geldof). As has become the custom, Barry Diller, the designer's husband, walked out wearing shades right before the show began at 4:30 and took a seat next to Ms. Bergen and her daughter." (Observer)



"(Howard Stern) said he was talking about the Sandra Bernhard thing earlier and how she admitted that she had Ralph involved with her and her girlfriend. Howard said Sandra said that she and her girlfriend banged Ralph and confessed that Ralph ate her out and banged her girlfriend. Howard said that it was discussed on Superfan Roundtable and things like that. Howard said Carol Leifer wrote to him and said she didn't believe it. Howard said he does believe it because Sandra told him more off the air. Howard said he told Beth about it and she was shocked. She thought it was disgusting and all of that. Howard said he spoke to Ralph on Friday. He asked Ralph what was going on there. Ralph said that he was dumbfounded and said that it never happened. Howard said that makes things even more intriguing and he wants to know what's really going on. Howard said Ralph told him that he would have called Howard 3 seconds after he did it, if he had done it. Howard said Ralph doesn't know what Sandra is thinking by telling that story." (Marksfriggin)



"A new book by veteran New York journalist Joyce Purnick, Mike Bloomberg: Money, Power, Politics, sheds some light on the internal deliberations of Team Bloomberg as they mulled an independent presidential bid in 2008. On the one hand, Bloomberg could have positioned himself as a moderate consensus candidate at a time when America was growing tired of bitter partisanship. Also, he had a shitload of money, and was willing to spend it. And even though he'd never articulated a position on the war in Iraq, and he'd never held national office, Bloomberg wasn't worried about his foreign-policy chops. 'I know more about foreign policy than any of the candidates,' he claimed at one point, which is a pretty ballsy statement considering that John McCain and Joe Biden had served in the Senate for a combined four hundred years. On the other hand, Bloomberg didn't have what you might consider a typical presidential biography, and he knew it. 'What chance does 'a short, Jewish, divorced billionaire' have on the national stage?' DLC founder Al From recalls Bloomberg asking. Ultimately, it came down to his viability. Not only was he a short, wealthy, divorced Jew, but since he wanted to run as an independent and appeal to moderates, his chances of success always depended on who the other parties nominated. Had the Republicans and Democrats chosen two candidates that appealed more to their bases, Bloomberg may have seen an opportunity." (NYMag)



"This past Saturday night I went down to the Tents in Bryant Park for the Chado Ralph Rucci 2010 Spring Collection in the big tent. The show was called for 7 although at quarter after we were still clamoring with hundreds of others just to get into the big tent. I got in at about 7:30 and the place was already packed. Mr. Rucci, who is the heir apparent to the tradition of American couture, has a large following among the best-dressed women in New York. He drew a huge crowd of the social ladies and the fashion media as well as fans such as the great James Galanos who, though retired (and living in L.A. and Palm Springs), keeps up with the world in which he remains legend. didn’t see Anna Wintour, although I did see Glenda Bailey from Harper’s Bazaar and Vanessa Friedman of the Financial Times and Suzy Menkes of the International Herald-Tribue. Andre Leon Talley of Vogue was present in the first row, looking very much the potentate awaiting his litter (or magic carpet), bedecked in a vast raiment of ivory silk. Just across the aisle from him was Mario Buatta the Prince of Chintz who also moonlights as a comedian in all the right places." (NYSocialDiary)



"Sales heat intensified at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday afternoon as a trio of pictures caught the eye of distributors. Driven by buzz from its Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, 'Lebanon' suddenly has jumped to the top of critics' and distributors' lists. The pic generated a near-riot at a media and industry screening as many clamored to get in but were shut out. Samuel Maoz's movie takes a look at the rigors of war from the interior of a tank trapped inside enemy lines during Israel's 1982 war with Lebanon. Sony Pictures Classics, IFC and Oscilloscope are among those said to be interested in the pic, which Celluloid Dreams is repping. (SPC had last year's foreign-language darling, "Waltz With Bashir," also set during the 1982 Middle East war.) Observers noted the irony of buzz for an Israeli pic in a festival beset by controversy over Israeli films, adding that the pic wasn't part of the contentious City by City sidebar despite its political subject matter. Also gaining traction at the fest is Tom Ford's 'A Single Man,' another Lido hit. The gay love story has tragic death at its center, making it a marketing challenge, but nonetheless has come to be seen as this year's version of 'The Wrestler' -- the kind of movie an awards-hungry distributor can pick up and build a campaign around. Buyers said they were drawn to its sharp look, dramatic story and a strong performance from Colin Firth (like Mickey Rourke in 'Wrestler,' Firth won the acting prize in Venice)." (HollywoodReporter)



"Despite waiting almost two hours to get in and enduring a feisty girl fight just inches from my left ear, I must admit that Alexander Wang threw down last night for his SS10 afterparty co-hosted by Love Magazine. Held at the dangerously hip Milk Studios gas station (literally dangerous, cigarettes and petrol aren't exactly an ideal mix), the party featured a performance by the one and only Miss Courtney Love, as well as surprise appearances by Santigold and Naeem Juwan (of Spank Rock fame). Partygoers sipped on pomegranate Belvedere cocktails served by Exxon-Mobil outfitted bartenders, while others headed to the free-for-all mini mart, overstocked with traditional gas station fare. Think chips, candy, gum, and... oh, Veuve Clicquot. Kudos to Mr. Wang; the awesome music, fun location, and cute crowd made for an excellent end to a long and busy day." (Papermag)



"Saturday night also saw the Alexander Wang after party. Held at 'the Gas Station' at Milk Studios, it was the best fashion after party yet (though tonight’s Marc Jacob’s party may give it some competition). Courtney Love ended up performing at this party that lasted well into the morning." (Guestofaguest)



"Sir Elton John announced yester day that someone had 'stolen his heart.' He was talking not about longtime partner David Furnish but a 14-month-old Ukrainian orphan, whose parents died after struggling with AIDS. John performed for HIV-positive children at an orphanage near Donetsk, Ukraine, over the weekend, and he and Furnish toured the orphanage as part of John's AIDS foundation work. The couple is seeking to adopt the child, Lev, and readying for what stands to be a complicated process, because UK adoption rules have stipulations concerning the parents' ages and John never thought he'd be a parent at 62."(PageSix)



"Kanye West was, according to MTVNews.com, booted from their Video Music Awards after his already infamous live microphone- and moment-stealing attack on Taylor Swift. In case you were dead or watching tennis last night, he bum-rushed the show when Swift won in the illiterately-named Best Female Video, and said, essentially, that Beyoncé should have won in that category. The outrage was insane and immediate, both at the show, where the booing was a little frightening, and online, where everyone speed-Tweeted their horror and disapproval. It is amazing that Twitter did not go down completely." (TheDailyBeast)