Friday, June 11, 2010

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres



"Add two more high-profile victims to Kenneth Starr’s list. Revised charges against the A-list money manager allege that the total fraud comes to $59 million, not the $30 million previously believed. And while a federal government filing Thursday tries to mask the names of the alleged victims somewhat, it mentions a playwright and screenwriter 'who is in his 80s' as 'Victim # 9.' A person familiar with the case has confirmed that victim as Neil Simon, who apparently lost a whopping $8.7 million in the fraud. According to the filing, Starr agreed last year to pay Simon back $4 million, which he eventually did—using money looted from other clients. Meanwhile, 'Victim # 11,' another octogenarian and an actress, whom Starr allegedly defrauded or attempted to defraud of at least $100,000, is former Starr client Lauren Bacall, according to the source. Reached for comment, Bacall said, 'I’m not going to discuss Starr.'" (TheDailybeast)



"THE Police in Masaka (Uganda) have arrested two nuns for allegedly participating in growing marijuana. The two nuns, who had declined to reveal their identities to the Police, were picked from Bwanda Convent in Masaka district, where the Police found a banana plantation full of the illegal crop. The New Vision later learnt that one of the nuns is Nanteza, while the other is Sister Rita. The Masaka district Police commander, Titus Byaruhanga, also arrested two other men — Joseph Rwakasore and Raymond Muwanga — who were found attending to the plantation. However, there was a scuffle when Sister Nanteza attacked the Police, accusing them of entering the convent without permission." (NewVision)



(Maggie Grace with Emilie de Ravin via style)

"This year's Whitney Art Party was held in a sprawling Soho loft and split in two: one side for lounging, one for art. Believe it or not, the latter was busier, and both rooms had ample bars, so that wasn't the differentiating factor. It simply was the sort of crowd—Christina Ricci, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Lost co-stars Emilie de Ravin and Maggie Grace, included—that takes a silent auction very seriously. 'This brings out my competitive side,' said former Sotheby's staffer Dalia Oberlander as she cut a swath through decorative orange trees to check her bids on three works, including a Raymond Pettibon she was competing for against artist Will Cotton." (Style)



(image via NYSD)

"Last night after the rains came and went, the Wildlife Conservation Society held its annual Spring Gala – this year titled 'Flights of Fancy' and dedicated to the birds. This is definitely the last of the big charity galas of the annual spring season. In another week or two many of those who attended will be moving themselves east or north for most if not all of the summer ...The main dinner is black tie. This one is coat and tie. Young New Yorkers on a beautiful summer night in Central Park. DJ Cassidy was playing a lot of 70s rock which is highly stimulates the memory for these ears and a lot of others who now look like they’re too old to be rockers ... I was talking to an NYSD reader who introduced herself named Bianca Kawecki when the BeeGees were singing 'More Than A Woman.' I was so distracted by the song that I asked if she knew of the BeeGees. Born several years after the sensation of 'Saturday Night Fever' at that moment, she’d 'heard' about it. The song still seems new to me because I can still recall the night I saw 'Saturday Night Fever' with a group of friends after which we were so psyched we went right home and partied for the rest of the night. With the BeeGees on the record player of course. In this context last night, talking to Bianca, born several years after the sensation, it now seemed like vintage." (NYSocialDiary)

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