"Yes, the hack was a criminal attack. But I'd be lying if I didn't say I've been laughing over the revelations, while I'm not crying over the racist comments. The truth is these Hollywood mavens think they're better than us. And they can't stop crying about piracy, can't stop bitching that someone moved their cheese, all the while believing they're entitled to their millions because they've been anointed with 'special juice,' that gives them divine insight into America's entertainment wants. Hell, if the entire Sony studio caved in, our culture would be none the worse. But it's the racist comments that bug me. We've got a Supreme Court which declares racism is over, with voting rights laws no longer needed, and then we have the so-called west coast liberals making fun of the President. Makes me puke. I agree we should not be beholden to terrorists. We must not be cowed as a nation, certainly not artistically. But I'd be more upset if the movie wasn't 'The Interview' but something meatier, whether it be 'They Shoot Horses Don't They,' or 'Carnal Knowledge' or a true work of art, like 'Ulysses.' But we don't make those in America anymore. Business is the religion of America, God is second to cash, just ask the evangelists passing the plate, and if it delivers cash, it's all right. Now no one wants their private e-mails revealed. Then again, what kind of nincompoop puts heinous bigoted thoughts on the company server? Do these nitwits truly believe they're untouchable? Can't they at least get a Gmail account for the stuff they don't want to ever go public? Hell, the regular Fortune 500, the Wall Street Fortune 500, the industrial Fortune 500, know that e-mail is forever, that it will be subpoenaed in some case where the corporation skirted the law or someone wants to make the company pay, rightly or wrongly. How come Amy Pascal doesn't know this? Teenagers know this! They know they're building a public record all the while, they self-edit all the time, afraid they're going to lose a job or be unable to get into the educational institution of their choice. But the Sony execs, they're above the law, above public suspicion. And then they hire David Boies to scare the media into submission. As if Boies won all the time. As if anybody should listen to anything these
people say. I think it's great this info comes out. It's great that everybody knows these execs are as bigoted and stupid as the rank and file. You mean you want to influence our culture, whether it be with smoking or the products you place in your films, but we cannot comment upon you? Ain't that an entertainment exec. Criticize the actors, those on stage, while I hide in anonymity. While I keep my gig as the talent fades. If it's all about money, are you really entitled to judge Adam Sandler flicks? No one put a gun to your head to make them. As for making a Steve Jobs biopic, wouldn't it be fine if Sony actually innovated itself, moved the culture in significant ways, but the execs are all about keeping their jobs while they party amongst their brethren, believing, once again, that they're better than us." (Bob Lefsetz)
"While it’s not exactly a secret that many Capitol Hill Democrats have a distant — if not dysfunctional — relationship with the White House, rarely has the family feud gone as public as it did with the omnibus spending bill last week. House progressives, inspired by Elizabeth Warren and led by Nancy Pelosi, protested and nearly blocked the $1.1 trillion spending bill, and required frantic arm-twisting from the White House to avoid another round of shutdown brinksmanship next year. Representative Keith Ellison, Minnesota Democrat and co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, breaks down the progressive revolt and what it portends for the next Congress. Why did House Democrats revolt against the spending bill? We decided to fight the cromnibus because it contained two features that were simply unacceptable, and they took on sort of an iconic status for what’s wrong with Washington and what’s wrong with the way that our country is addressing — or not addressing — income inequality. On the one hand, one part of the bill is rolling back banking reforms and on the other hand it’s lifting caps that the donors can use to give more money to political parties. So they can now give about $320,000 and a couple can give almost $700,000. It’s like.'We’re hooking you up, so give us donations.' What does that do to income inequality and what is the signal we’re sending to the average American watching this, as we’re just past an election where only 36 percent of people voted? Why aren’t people voting? They aren’t voting because they feel no matter what they do, big rich guys will get their way. We don’t have any time to take care of unemployed; they were cut off last December 26. We don’t talk to them. We don’t have time to raise the minimum wage. But we have plenty of time to run the thing to get the banks what they want. Maybe the raise on the caps was debated in the Senate, but I don’t remember any debate on it in the House. There are people who say this will bring more transparency — no, we need less money in politics, not more. It just proves how much power these interests have; they’re corroding the power of our representative democracy." (NYMag)
 |
Lauren du Pont, John Demsey, and Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer
|
"Last Tuesday a week, John Demsey who is Group President of Estee Lauder Companies, is also the consummate party giver. In his East Side townhouse, he invites an eclectic group of New Yorkers who are industriously doing things. Including a lot of the fashion world. It's one of those places where even if you don't know everyone you feel welcome because John gives that to his guests. Last Tuesday, a week, he gave his annual Christmas party, surrounded by his closest friends and a lot of their closest friends. Hearst and McInerney and Farias give this party. Between the three, they have a wide variety of friends. Their annual Christmas cocktail reception is a big list and the kind of party where people came away delighted that they 'saw everybody' they knew. The truth is, 'everybody' doesn't know everybody, but by the degree of separation with their hosts, all of whom are very sociable individuals, they do know everybody. That's what makes a great holiday cocktail. A chance to feel good, and relaxed, and happy to be there ... at Doubles with Wendy Carduner pulling out all the stops so that the cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were devoured." (NYSD)
"The drinks flowed and the gossip whirled during last night’s launch party at the Daily Mail‘s New York headquarters on Astor Place, celebrating the evolution of MailOnline to the U.S.-friendly DailyMail.com masthead and URL. Party host Jenny McCarthy (never far from the side of new hubby, Donnie Wahlberg) was beaming. No doubt in part because of her new gig on SiriusXM, Dirty, Sexy, Funny with Jenny McCarthy, which the former co-host of The View described to FishbowlNY as “amazing!” McCarthy doesn’t mince words on her show and was similarly forthcoming about her thoughts on the recently revamped ABC talk show. 'Um, I’ve seen it… once,' she told us before quickly adding, 'I’m so happy to have my SiriusXM show.' When addressing the crowd, which included Kelly Killoren Bensimon of the Real Housewives franchise and Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, McCarthy aptly lauded the UK tabloid’s shift to a .com, but joked, 'I’m just hoping they never talk shit about us.'" (FishbowlNY)
No comments:
Post a Comment