Joey, "Exposed"


(image via my blog wife, the magnificent Miu Von Furstenberg)

We feel a little bit evil about posting this one up, folks. Just a little. We feel oily, oily like that pseudoFrenchman in Fame who led "Coco" (so ably played, by the way, by Irene Cara, thank you) to his seedy walk-up and got her to pose for the topless pictures while sucking on her thumb ("Et-vous, Coco, et-vous") This picture, similarly, is very unsexy. Katie Holmes clearly looks uncomfortable being the focus of this newfound attention. Or very constipated. One or the other.

The eyes are scrunched. The legs are contorted, painfully. It's a white-knuckle moment behind the partition, let me tell you. The lips are pursed firmly in the shape of a cat's ass. There's some preventative "legsweat" apparatus going on 'tween the knees. The less that is said about that the better. Katie's doesn't appear to be having a good time being the new, urban Tom Cruise's girl (TM).

My very funny blogbrother Daniel Radosh will have to wait a little longer for this trend to end.



Above: Katie's ring, via June 18,2005 (link via Stereogum). Latest posts here.

A Little of the Old In and Out



(image via Davduf.net)

In: This Newscorp Moment. Jesus Christ Newscorp is fuckingmonster huge. How huge? Twentieth Century Fox's Star Wars 3 is set to make $200 million in box office after only one week, and that's not including Memorial Day. Rumor has it the televisions in The West Wing are all set to Fox News. The Sun's (And the NYPost's) Saddam-in-his-knickers pictures were the staple of Chattering Class cocktail party conversation last week. And, according to Variety (link via Iwantmedia), Rupert Murdoch "was paid $17 million in 2004, up about 42% from the previous year. Son Lachlan also got a raise."

They deserve it, quite frankly, whether you are a fan or not, based purely on the numbers. First, Fox is number one, beating even Les Moonves' CBS in the key demographic. Now, last night, American Idol actually beat Lost, which to The Corsair, who is the biggest Lost fan in the world, is inconceivable. Inconceivable!

The Corsair bets that even Matt Drudgie Poo is smacking himself with his cheap fedora for having torched all of his bridges under the Ailes regime at Fox News. According to Drudge:

"'IDOL' FINALE 19.0 RATING/27 SHARE [ABC 'LOST' 13.6/20]... 'IDOL' 32 SHARE MAX NYC, 26 L.A., 29 CHICAGO, 30 PHILLY, 33 SAN FRAN... DEVELOPING..."

Finally, the Fox Reality Channel will air via DirectTV.

Out: Nicky Hilton. Being the smarter half of the Hilton sisters duo is ... still operating under a vast intellectual deficit. This interview with Fashionweekdaily at last night's Entourage party makes clear that being the smart Hilton is still a state of being that's unusually dim:

"Nicky Hilton, was in a sparkly black Calvin Klein dress. She proudly announced that she always has an entourage with her. 'They're all my friends though. They're not like, handlers or anything,' she clarified. 'But in Japan I have a huge entourage, bigger than Puffy's entourage. Japanese publicists, my handbag people, my sister. I can�?t understand them, because I don't speak Japanese.'"

But her sister, apparently, enjoys "speaking Japanese."

"'(Nicky) Hilton told us that she is opening a store on Madison Avenue, with Samantha Thavasa, the company that produces her handbags. She also said she is wary of psychics. 'I feel like they're going to tell me scary things, so I don't go to them,' she explained with a shiver."

The Hilton's being allergic to knowledge of ny species.

In: The event Formerly Called Live Aid II. Although we are not supposed to call it Live Aid II, we shall, at least until Sir Bob Geldof comes up with something with more sassy. Apparently even the Spice Girls are reforming for the event, though we are not quite sure what effect that will have on war torn Darfur.

Out: The Bolton Mess. Outstrategized by former Naval captain Senator John McCain, Majority Leader Darth Frist quixoticaltrackedt-traked Senate Confirmation on the Bolton nomination for UN Ambassador. The goodwill between Democrats and Republicans over the dismantling of the nuclear option promptly evaporated. According to TheHill:

"Senate Democrats are holding up John Bolton�?s nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to protest the Bush administration�?s refusal to answer their demands for sensitive information, threatening to erode the spirit of bipartisanship that has suffused the upper chamber in the wake of an agreement on judicial nominees.

"Democrats said as recently as Tuesday that they would not object to an up-or-down vote on Bolton�?s nomination. But the administration�?s continuing refusal to provide information related to congressional testimony Bolton intended to deliver on Syria and to his handling of intelligence intercepts, Democrats say, is the reason for their current stance.

"The administration has declined to share the information for six weeks, Democrats say."

Update: Something called The Salt Lake Tribune is oddly predicting John Bolton will be confirmed today. Fat chance.



Above: Haskell and Mark Wexler in "Tell Them Who You Are"

In: Tell Them Who You Are. Imagine a famous, perfectionistic cinematographer as a father. Now, imagine the son of said perfectionist becoming a cinematographer, aoutshininger outsining his famous father. Got it? In an interesting turn, the son has made a documentary of the history of this competition with his father. The Corsair hasn't seen the meta-documentary "Tell Them Who You Are," but this review in Indiewire makes a strong case for us all to check it out:

"Mark Wexler has made one of the most bizarrely entertaining, yet frustrating, documentaries of the year. The subject is his 82-year-old dad, Haskell Wexler, who besides directing 'Medium Cool,' was the cinematographer for Elia Kazan's 'America, America,' Mike Nichol's 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,' Milos Forman's 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' and John Sayle's 'The Secret of Roan Inish' among many others.

"According to those in the field, Haskell the Senior is brilliant but contentious. Innovative but ball busting. Hire him as a cinematographer, and you get a man who really wants to direct your film.

"Well, Wexler the Junior interviews the folks who worked with his dad plus his compatriots including Peter Bart, Verna Bloom, Michael Douglas, Julia Roberts, George Lucas, and Albert Maysles, but instead of concentrating on a great cinematographer's craft, the documentary is about what a bad daddy Haskell was throughout the decades.

"Yes, this is a deliciously self-indulgent, at times witty, often moving 95-minute whine by a son who's damnedesthis damndest to get out from under his father's shadow, but who winds up instead getting over-shadowed once again."

We're so there.



Above: Pete Doherty at the Ivor Novello awards, rocking the "magic-marker-scribbles-on-the-face" look.

Out: Pete Doherty. Does an Ex-junkie in a C-List band make for a "good catch"? Troubled supermodel Kate Moss allegedly thinks so. But according to ThisisLondon:

"The Babyshambles and former Libertines front man made a typically shambolic arrival at the awards, wearing a straw hat and with black marker pen scrawled over his face.

"He told of his fears that he is being kept under 24-hour surveillance.'I found a bug, a hidden camera, in my house,' he claimed. 'I don't want to talk about, it's being investigated.'

"Doherty - who claims he has been free of heroin for the past three months after having an implant fitted - added: 'I'm a bit paranoid.'"

"He turned up alone because Moss is working today. 'I'm bang in love with Kate,' he said. 'She's the one for me.'"



In: Giselle Bundchen. Granted, it is, of course, cliche to say, "Giselle Bundchen is yummy," QED. That having been said, the new photos of her in Hello!Magazine are truly fetching. Even for Giselle Bundchen, who never takes a bad photo, this is some hott stuff. Leonardo DiCaprio is clearly one lucky goddam bastard. C'est tout.



(image via CindyandJazzy)

Out: Cindy Adams, Travel Whore. You thought the fetid, rotting corpse of her lapdog, Jazzy, would be enough to stifle Cindy Adams. But you would be wrong. Omigod, Cindy Adams is at it again, whoring -- at her age, for shame! -- for the travel industries of the latest dubious dictatorship in need of her "services." Even a 'ho's gotta eat, eh sister? On rickety knees and with trembling hands, Adams clutches at the phallus of the latest semi-tyranny du jour, tucking in with great gusto. In for a penny, in for a pound.

This time, destination: Peru, last time it was some louche Dubai hotel. God, Cindy's such an enthusiastic "trick."

Cindy Adams' acts of journalistic prostitution here veer between merely spitting out line-by-line the motherjazz distributed by Peru's tourism flacks, and her "original" contibution to the procedings, namely -- a Catskills sense of bravado, circa 1958 (Averted Gaze); here, have a taste of vintage Cindy:

"Mansions along the broad boulevards date to the colonial period when servants weren't just something employed by Prince Charles to squeeze his toothpaste.

"Now a guide tells you: 'We have either poor people or very rich. Our politicians, they are very rich.' However, unlike in our country, the lawyers, they are very poor. They're driving cabs. For some reason, there's no business like sue business in downtown Peru.'"

The Corsair gives Cindy Adams, picklehead, the gassface ...

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Above "Oh, dear God, Somerset, tell me it isn't so?" "I'm afraid it is, Digby, old boy, I daresay yonder sedge warbler has just shat on your new Jag."(image via NYSocialdiary)



Above: "Show 'em how we Conga in Darien, Biff, represent!" (image via NYSocialDiary)

A Little of the Old In and Out



Above: Nicole Miller and the glorious Phoebe Eaton

In: The List. Our favorite social chronicler, David Patrick Columbia of NYSocialDiary has comprised "The List." The List is a compendium of the boldfaces who frequent the philanthropy and gala circuits. Included are the television writer Susan Fales-Hill, the ethereally beautiful Phoebe Eaton (The Corsair swoons), the fantastic Michael Gross, Euan Reillie and the ever-colorful Baroness W. Langer von Langerdorff. DPC has long made a study of these rare birds. Of Patricia Duff, DPC writes:

"In Los Angeles in the 1980s and early 90s, she was known as Patricia Medavoy, married to film producer/executive Mike Medavoy. When the marriage ended, or was ending, it was said that billionaire businessman, Ronald Perelman kept his private jet on the tarmac at LAX, ready and waiting for her."

More?



Out: Diane Versus Katie. Thank heavens for Alexandra Jacobs of The Observer. The Corsair thought he was the only one sick and tired of this early morning news war. Who even watches that dreck? Jacobs writes in the salmon-colored weekly:

"The two women each share screen time with so many other broadcasters, bumping news items around like beach volleyballs, that they�re barely distinguishable as the well-paid anchors they are. Until one sits down for a solid block of morning shows, one might forget how inherently annoying the genre is�comforting in times of crisis, perhaps, but usually just a blaring intrusion on the purest and most possible of hours: the coffee mugs, the banal desk patter, the jolly 'ethnic' weatherpeople, the morons screaming behind ropes outside with hand-lettered placards.
Still, the two leading ladies present a fascinating contrast. Katie is populist, Diane is patrician.

"Katie is pocket-sized, Diane something of a giantess. Katie is warm, Diane is cool�but a luminous cool, like the moon."

Hmm. That's good. But we still prefer Alessandra Stanley's delicious line about Sawyer's, "posed, creamy insincerity."



(image via Photobucket)

In: Jay Z's Bash. With Memorial Day coming up, New York's summer social season is gearing up and Jay-Z plans to be a player. According to fashionweekdaily:

"The Daily has learned that on Tuesday, June 7, Jay-Z will host an intimate (read: 200 person) bash at his 40/40 nightclub, celebrating the impending sellout of his limited edition Audemars Piguet watch-and-iPod combo. Created for charity and costing over $20,000, the watch celebrates Jay-Z�s 10 years in the music business, while the party celebrates the watch."



Out: P Diddy. Who's having the worst week ever and it's only Wednesday? P Diddy. He's being asked to "spread the wealth" in his continuing "baby mamma drama." After a week of catching the gasface from Nicole Kidman, and being asked to leave a club (Is this the same P Diddy who "owned" the years 2000-2003?). According to the AP:

"P. Diddy likes to brag about having the biggest yacht, the most expensive parties, the grandest houses and more. Now he's been ordered to pay what could be the biggest child-support order in New York state history, and he's not happy.

"Last month, the New York State Supreme Court's appellate division approved an increase from $5,000 to $21,782 US per month to P. Diddy's ex-girlfriend, Misa Hylton-Brim. Representatives of both P. Diddy and Hylton-Brim say it's the highest child-support payment in state history."

Ouch.

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Above: An overly excited Damon Dash emits a bitch-like squeal then promptly voids his bowels upon meeting Pam Anderson. (Radar)



Above: Why do multiple plastic surgeries conclude with the victim's decidedly feline countenance? The delicious evil of slaphappy Burt Reynolds.



Above: Voracious maneater Mary McFadden, tired of standard Jewish, Indian and Moroccan fare, now goes in for "Asian cuisine."

Paris Hilton's Modern Interpretive Dance


Fresh from the Carl's Jr controversy, Paris is at it again. Apparently, Paris Hilton is not above a little bit of X-rated fancydancing in public (And why is that not surprising?). According to the 3AM Girls:

"Being ladies and all, we wouldn't wish to go into explicit detail about what exactly Ms Hilton was getting up to at the Soho club. Let's just say, the bouncers had to ask the hotel heiress to stop fiddling with her knickers and touching herself."

This is the 21st century! Let's be politically correct here! It's "fiddling with her African-Americans"! ... Oh, (The Corsair blushingly withdraws) "knickers," The Corsair thought she said ...

"Paris has been bleating on about missing her boyfriend, Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis. But she could have decided to miss him in the ladies, and not in full view!"

"'Paris went for dinner at The Wolsley and showed up at Kabaret after midnight with a bunch of pals,' says our source.

"'She was having a great time and clearly wanted to let off steam, but she went a bit too far.'"

Paris Hilton? No. You must be confused, reporter. Aquarians never go too far.

"'She was dancing on the sofas and on the table her mates were sitting at. Paris is a very sexy dancer and was lifting her dress up. But she kept putting her hands down her knickers.'"

The Corsair shoots a suspicious glance.

"'And let's just say she looked like she was enjoying her own company.'"

Oh, no they didn't.

"'It was in front of all the other clubbers, including Kid Rock and Maxi Jazz from Faithless. In the end, the bouncers had a word with her and told her to tone it down.

"'It was an extraordinary show. It's not the kind of behaviour you see in there... Apart from the time Calum Best and Lizzie Jagger got a bit too pally with each other by the doors.'

"Paris and her pals were certainly in high spirits - they put away almost �2,000 of booze at the club, including two bottles of vintage Dom Perignon and three bottles of vodka.

"Our spy adds, 'She was at the same table as last week when she was grinding up against model Sam Branson, the son of Virgin boss Richard. Paris didn't seem bothered that she was asked to stop touching herself up in public. She just carried on dancing.'"

The full story here.

What The Time 100 Films List Forgot



(image via terminalvideo)

Above: Aquarian sick genius/Mad Scientist Frederico Fellini imagined Nero's Pagan Rome via an interdimensional science fiction. So fucking brilliant it hurts. Didn't make Time's 100 Films List (Averted Gaze)

The Time Magazine 100 Film List was disappointing. Stale, even. Ulysses' Gaze was a pleasant surprise, though. All the usual suspects were included that one would expect any film professor to name. But there are some glaring omissions.



Above: Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers: Quite possibly the greatest film ever. (via reel.com)

Here are some films The Corsair would have included: Fellini's Satyricon, Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander (Corliss and Schickel include the good Smiles of a Summer Night but fails to include the excellent Fanny and Alexander, Bergman's Magnum Opus to film) as Bergman's superior Cries and Whispers and Autumn Sonata (Ingrid Bergman's stunning final performance in a role Ingmar -- no relation -- wrote for her), Hannah and Her Sisters (Corliss and Schickel put Woody Allen's fine but far from perfect Purple Rose of Cairo on the list and excluded the far better Hannah, or even the magisterial Crimes and Misdemeanors), Tarkovsky's Mirror, Cinema Paradiso, Rashomon, Renoir's A Day in the Country, Liv Ullman's Kristen Lavransdatter, Hitchcock's North by Northwest, Nykvist's The Ox, Memories of Underdevelopment and -- IMHO -- Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner.

And while The Corsair loves Pulp Fiction, it is not one of the 100 best films. It is certainly one of the 100 most influential and important American films, just not the best. There is a difference between "importance" and "excellence." Again, Psycho is "important," but it is not a better film than Garden of the Finzi Contini's or Last year in Marienbad.



(image of Felliniesque-"pagansickness" via Damstede.net)

Including The Lord of the Rings Trilogy? A Hard Days Night?! WTF?!

What would you "add on"/ "subtract from" Time's list?

A Little of the Old In and Out



(image via Ocregister)

In: The Band of Brothers. Hooray for nonpartisan centrists. These happy few, this band of brothers rescued America from the divisive partisan bitchery of hacks. Darth Frist and Emperor Rove must be stewing in their Sith juices. The Corsair is a proud centrist (The Corsair pours himself a tumbler of 12 year old Glenmourangie Madeira Wood finish), and this was a great moment for the American Republic. The courtly, traditionalist Senators like John Warner of Virginia and John McCain of Arizona won out. President John McCain? Hmm. We like the sound of that quite much. Overmuch. Sign me up! How can this blog help along this man's quest after the White House? Put us to use, Senator! Quoth the Old Gray Lady:

"Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who was a chief architect of the deal, said the negotiators had been motivated by a mutual desire to prevent lasting damage to the Senate from a rules change. Mr. McCain said the pact was hammered out in the 'finest traditions of the Senate.'

"'We have kept the Republic,' said Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, who had fought the rules change as an abuse of Senate traditions."

No word yet on the impending Sith revenge.



image via Newswire

Out: Tim Russert. We woke up hungover hoping for Sunday morning fireworks and got, well, unimpressive sparks instead. What the fuck? The Corsair is a big Russert fan, second only to the most excellent LX Robotnik in admiration of all things Russ, but Russert grilled Howard Dean medium-rare, and we were expecting something more akin to a scorching. What gives? According to Page Six (link via Wonkette):

"THAT the Beltway crowd is buzzing over Tim Russert's softball interrogation of Howard Dean on 'Meet the Press' on Sunday. Said one observer: 'The Democrats were terrified of how Dean would do, but Russert ? famed for grilling people till they are fried ? basically tanked and asked no follow-up questions, leaving Dean relatively unscathed.'"



(image via NYPost)

In:The Graydon Carter-Anna Scott Nups. We've been hard on old Graydo, our favorite Winston Lights smoking, Libertarian, architectonic haired, no African-Americans on the cover of his magazine having, media persona. So hard we've been. So, we're going to give him a "bye" today, with fashionweekdaily's wedding coverage:

"Guests described the wedding as being laidback but less intimate than they thought it would be. One of the guests went so far as to say that Graydon was not terribly pleased with the number of guests?approximately 175?that attended. The invitees also noted that it rained only during the moments that they were safely tucked away in the church or underneath a tent. Post-wedding, the couple retreated to a tropical island?Antigua was named by some?for a honeymoon of undisclosed length.

"But much of the discussion in Manhattan after the Connecticut wedding was about the cancelled Vanity Fair party in Cannes. Turns out that, despite other published reports about Vanity Fair special events director Sara Marks being assigned to devote all her time and effort to the nuptials, those who know how Graydon operates insist that there was a never a question about the Vanity Fair Cannes Film Festival soiree and Graydon?s wedding crossing paths.

"'Graydon easily could?ve jetted into the party and jetted right back out,' the close source pointed out, adding that the two events would have been a week apart from each other. 'It?s not like he?s trimming the topiary himself. Besides, his special events team really has the formula for these parties down to a science. If he really wanted to host a party at Cannes again, it would?ve been done?with Sara [Marks].'"

The full story here.



(image Via BBC)

Out: P Diddy. Why does P Diddy suck so badly? When he ran the marathon he was so cool. It's just not P Diddy's year. After crashing and burning on his "Vote or Die" campaign to get the youth vote out (The youth vote ultimately comprised of roughly the same proportion of the electorate as it did in 2000), Diddy kept under the radar for the tailend of 2004, only to resurface as a Diet Pepsi whore in a Superbowl commercial in 2005. To add insult to injury, according to the 3AM Girls, no one was interested in purchasing P Diddy during a (very politically incorrect) charity auction.

We cannot fail to mention that a member of Bobby Brown's seedy entourage was stabbed at a P Diddy Atlanta Restaurant. Finally, according to Rush and Molloy, Diddy was unsuccessful with Nicole Kidman, who likes dark meat, but is allergic to loserdust.



Above: A newly "spontaneous" Tom Cruise molests Oprie. (photoblog via Defamer)

In: Tom Cruise on Oprie. The new, urban (TM), uncontrived, (air quotes) "more spontaneous" Tom Cruise went on "Oprie." (Averted Gaze) -- "He can't be cool, He can't be laid back" -- (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) Defamer captures the cracked ambiance perfectly:

"Was Tom Cruise's appearance on Oprah yesterday really that strange? It was like any other hour spent with someone hell-bent on physically expressing their 'love': there is sweating, uncontrollable yelping, wrestling, the liberal abuse of furniture, the twisting of bodies into extremely uncomfortable positions, more wrestling, and moments of seeming forced imprisonment."

The Corsair never thought he'd say this, but: Hey, Tom, like-- uh, can you, uh, go back to being an intense and contrived super-robot again? Really. You're fucking with my mellow.



(image via Jamesbond007.net)

Out: Benicio del Toro, Elevator man. What the fuck is it with Benicio del Toro and elevators and starlets and award shows? According to that significant cultural artifact The National Enquirer:

"When Penelope Cruz and her mother became stuck in a stalled hotel elevator at the Cannes Film Festival, Benicio Del Toro rescued the damsels in distress. Trapped between two floors, Del Toro lifted both women through the trap door at the top of the elevator."

Of course, we cannot fail to mention the 3:30AM tryst that the accurately named 3AM Girls reported on at last year's Oscar madness between expert social climber Scarlett Johansson and "Benny the Bull":

"'Our spies caught the pair walking into the exclusive Chateau Marmont hotel on Sunset Boulevard at 3.30am with their arms wrapped around each other before getting into a lift to go somewhere a little more intimate.

"'They didn't care who saw them,' says our source. 'They walked through the hotel lobby where there were quite a few people hanging about and didn't seem at all embarrassed to be spotted with their arms all over each other."

The Corsair munches on salt-free popcorn and leans into his screen.

"'It was quite extraordinary. She looks so young and he could easily pass for her dad.

"'They then got into (an elevator) together. At that time in the morning they couldn't have been heading to the hotel pool, put it like that. They were clearly going to the rooms."

Picture Pages, Picture Pages




Above: Quien mas macho? (link via Hello!Magazine)



Above: Pimpin' aint easy: Ice T, his sexually obscene loin-padawan, "Coco (Averted Gaze)," and a fetching new prospect talk over "bidness." (Radar)



Above: The well-lubricated socialite-journo Anthony Haden-Guest (giving up "the gassface"), Debbie Bancroft and the astonishingly phony R Couri Hay. (NySocialDiary)



Above: Alleged waitress shooter Phil Spector rocking The Best Jewfro Ever.



Above: Do you want to robustly face-punch these two hipster ass-clowns as much as The Corsair does? Do you? (via TheCobrasnake via Fashionweekdaily)

Deadlines! One last deadline-for-an-article day this month, guys (There have been few due to the summer magazine scheduling, we know). Anyway, be back duly hungover tomorrow. (Also a Correction: Page Six reports today that Peter Sarsgaard cheated on ex, the leggy Dita Von Teese with supermodel Shalom Harlow, not, as The Corsair incorrectly surmised, Helena Christensen. Our squad of well-paid factchecker will be horsewhipped. And, Helena, dear #2 in The Corsair's Top 10 women list ... call me?)

60 Minutes: The Effects of the Sadaam Photos?

(Ed Note: This was a CBS News story not 60 Minutes as originally "reported." I regret the error. Sorry for the mixup --R)



Above: Via CBS News: "Hamza Adnan, 8, Jinan Jassim, Ayah Faiz, 5, and Duha Munaf, 16, from left, watch Dubai-based satellite television station al-Arabiya as it broadcasts Friday's front page of The Sun."

In the wake of the Newsweek Periscope fiasco, 60 Minutes covers the possible effects of The Sun's coverage of Sadaan Hussein in his "drawers." According to CBS News not 60 Minutes:

"A British tabloid published more surreptitious photographs of Saddam Hussein in U.S. custody along with two former members of his regime on Saturday, a day after it ran a front-page picture of the former Iraqi leader clad only in his underwear.

"The international Red Cross, which is responsible for monitoring prisoners of war and detainees, said the photographs violated Saddam's right to privacy. The U.S. military condemned the publication and ordered an investigation of how the pictures were leaked to The Sun.

"Saturday's pictures included one of Saddam seen through barbed wire wearing a traditional white Arab robe known as a dishdasha, and another of Ali Hassan al-Majid, better known as "Chemical Ali," in a dark robe and holding a towel. The Sun also ran photos of a man and a woman identified as al-Majid, who faces charges for his role in poison gas attacks against Iraq's Kurdish minority, and Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash, a researcher dubbed 'Mrs. Anthrax' for her alleged role in trying to develop bio-weapons for Saddam.

"'Inside Saddam's Prison,' is how The Sun headlined the latest pictures, reports CBS News Correspondent Larry Miller. The Sun says getting a shot of Saddam is like getting a shot of Hitler in his Berlin bunker. But Saddam's lawyers disagree and claim his rights were breached. They have threatened to sue the paper for a million dollars. The photos have not provoked much of an outcry in the Middle East but raised concerns about offending Arab sensibilities and doing further damage to the American image already tarnished by the prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison and a now retracted Newsweek report about the desecration of the Quran at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."

More here.

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Above: "Senator Frist: Evangelical Christianity is the pathway to many abilities some consider to be ... unnatural.
"Reporter: Is it possible to learn this power?
"Frist: Not from a Democrat. (image via Washington Post)

Flavio Briatore Watch


We are obsessed with uberskanky Flavio Briatore. And we know "from skanky"! Okay .. we are duly jealous of Flavio's inexplicable "flavor." Why is this man "poppin"? He's Kryptonite to the Supermodels and -- dammit! -- we want to know why -- Why? Why! Why is this man so "fire"?! (The Corsair ruefully shakes an impotent fist at The Gods."

What does "Flav" have that The Corsair doesn't have, anyway? Millions? An overly aggressive "Mantan"? The $8,000 suits? The Discreet Charm of the Racing cars? An oily, overlouche, Europornish charm?

The Corsair's drinking milk ...

Anyhoo: Flavio, not content at being knocking-up Supermodel Heidi Klum and squiring punchy supermodel Naomi Cambell around the Mediterranean this Spring, is being a bad boy. How bad? So bad that the 3AM Girls call him out:

"FLAVIO Briatore is a braver man than most. The F1 millionaire risked incurring the wrath of supermodel girlfriend Naomi Campbell by flirting with a succession of babes at her birthday bash on Thursday night.

"A spy at the do, held at the swish VIP club in Cannes and sponsored by Evian, tells us: 'Naomi and Flavio arrived together but when dozens of people surrounded Naomi to wish her a happy birthday, he slipped away to try out his Italian charms.'

"Randy Flav was seen stroking a brunette's thigh and holding busty Victoria Silvstedt's hand."

At Naomi Campbell's birthday party?

And when Naomi Campbell gets livid, occupancy figures at the local Emergency Room increase dramatically. In other news, $45,000 worth of clothes and jewelry to be auctioned off for Nelson Mandela's charity was stolen from the yacht. And Kate Moss' car was burglarized.

A Little of the Old In and Out

In: Howard Dean on Meet The Press (image via The Guardian). For the political geek (The Corsair reluctantly raises his hand), Meet the Press tomorrow at the ungodly hour of 10:30 is must-see teevee, for sure. Pop the Alka Seltzer and park thyself in front of the tube for what is sure to be a mighty hoedown. The hardest interviewer in DC, Tim Russert, gets his Buffalo BBQ chicken wing stained mitts on the exceedingly honest if somewhat erratic DNC Chairman, Howard Dean, in his first broadcast interview since achieving that office. Oh, it's on ... it's on like Gray Poupon!

Dean is infamous for "shooting from the lip," making him the perfect interview for the excellent Russert, whose cross-examination of hapless guests is like watching a high speed grinder go to work on a succulent ham. Bzzzzzt. And then, abruptly, the obstruction of bone. Krrrkt.

We are expecting some excruciatingly tense dramatics -- the obstruction of bone -- interspersed with hard, insincere political smiles, eyes that can shoot daggers and of course the, "Now, Tim," which roughly translated, would be: "fuck you very much."

Go: Tim.



Out: P Diddy (image via Exposed). The Corsair can say with blessed finality that P Diddy's cool factor is finally "out." No buzz. Gag him with a fork, 'cause he's done. His synergy is fin-ergy.
That schlocking of "rims" was the penultimate coolness killer (Averted Gaze), a firm "8.7" on The Corsair's Ghett-ometer (TM). But the nail-in-the-coffin moment came the other night, when, according to the 3AM Girls:

"POOR P Diddy. There were no bidders when the rap mogul offered guests at a charity auction the chance to meet him and spend the day living his blingtastic life.

"'It should have gone for thousands but there was no interest,' says our insider."

RIP, Diddy Buzz, 2005

In: "Soap Opera Face." Never have so many cleft chins-in-the-form-of-a-newborne's-ass, and "surgically altered lips" been on display as at yesterday's Daytime Emmy's. Of that significant cultural development known as "Soap Opera Face," The Corsair has written:

"The Corsair -- mirabile dictu -- has made a study of the 'Soap Opera face.' It is the triumph of the plastic surgeon's Art. Observe 'The Bold and the Beautiful.' This celebration of pure facial excess serves our purposes adequately.

"The overcosmeticization of the soap opera faces on 'The Bold and the Beautiful' is naught else but insolent fuck. The 'jutting cheekbones' offend our puritanical sensibilities, and, in close quarters, can put someone's eyes out. The 'overpouty lips' can only be properly construed as sexually obscene. The industry standard 'cleft chin in the form of an infant's ass' (May I slap him?) fall limply under the category of: jejeune. Finally, the fixed-prehistoric raptor gaze is disturbing."



(image via usoe)

Out: Cloners. Every time some darn Star Wars prequel comes out (link via Drudgie poo), "43" gets truculent about the cloners. Apparently his peculiar brand of neoconservative idealism makes it hard for him to distinguish between reality and "make-believe." We won't entertain the possibility of any Star Wars politicking. (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) Now, the President is threatening to cast the first veto (W hasn't vetoed once in either term of his Administration) .According to Reuters:

"President Bush threatened on Friday to veto legislation that would loosen restrictions on government funding of embryonic stem cell research and expressed concern about human cloning research in South Korea.

"In the House of Representatives, supporters of a bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Mike Castle of Delaware and Democratic Rep. Diane DeGette of Colorado that permits expanded embryonic research hope for a vote next week and believe it will be close.

" ... Bush, who has yet to veto a bill during his presidency, said the legislation would violate his principles.

"'I've made it very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life -- I'm against that. And therefore if the bill does that, I will veto it,' Bush told reporters during a picture-taking session with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen."

No word on whether or not the Danish Prime Minister "averted his gaze."



(image via Waspost)

In: The Preakness. According to The Old Gray Lady, the weather will be ducky for this one million dollar race. There is lots of speculation all over the web as to which horse will win. Lots of odds talking. One thing is for certain, however. Somewhere ... Karl Lagerfeld will be watching the race, lustily, fingering his ponytail and slurping on a Diet Coke, with his mouth watering.

Ok; The Corsair is hung over, but it is a writing deadline that keeps me from posting today. Be back tomorrow.

Dita Hearts Marilyn



Generally, The Corsair has little to no interest in the career of "shocker" Marilyn Manson. He appears to have an effective hustle. Disguising his obvious lack of talent with a taboo faux-Satanic theatrics he has managed to put the fear of God into the heartland (And kindle a morbid fascination in the minds of awkward suburban teenagers) and, in the process, make a lucrative career for himself. Marilyn's fiance, the "leggy" Dita Von Tise, however, is another matter altogether. She gave an interesting interview recently.

Among other things we learn she had explosive sex with the "Goth" rocker, so much so that a hotel door was trashed. And we learn that Dita and Marilyn hooked up "just days after Dita discovered her previous boyfriend, Kinsey actor Peter Sarsgaard, was cheating on her with a famous supermodel, who she refuses to name." (Page Six now reports this is Amber Harlow, not, as we incorrectly surmised, our love goddess, Helena Christensen) According to TheSun:
On the marriage proposal:

"'I had an inkling because he called me and wanted me to come home immediately. In the lead up I felt he was feeling me out to see if I'd say yes or no.

"'We have been together for over four years so there was never any questions that I wouldn't say yes.

"'Our wedding won't be on a sunny afternoon in a garden. It will be a night time wedding indoors and very romantic.

"'Obviously we're not getting married in a church. I won't be giving any stripping performances at the ceremony but maybe on my wedding night in the bedroom especially for Marilyn.'"

Thanks for sharing. They continue:

"Dita is quick to point out that people shouldn't believe all the anti-Christ hype about her lover. She said:

"'I want him to keep his mystery. What both of us portray on stage isn't very far from what we are.

"'It's not like we are the complete opposite and go home and take off our make-up and wear sweatpants and watch cartoons.

"'But we are not sacrificing small animals either.'"

Swell and lovely! More:

"The pair live in a 15 bedroom 1920s style house in the Hollywood Hills that belonged to The Maltese Falcon actress Mary Astor.

"Marilyn boasts a ghoulish collection of medical specimens including a jar filled with a foetus, which Dita insists is 'beautiful' rather than weird."

Too much information! The full monte here.

A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words





Above: The Radar-Denton Media Empire Frisson Continues Apace. Writes in Nick, always a good sport, via email, "Mort Zuckerman was right there. I doubt he was in on it. He looked, um, mortified." (image via Gothamist) The full story -- if you haven't already read it -- here.

A Little of the Old In and Out



Above: Lucha Libre! Caught in the appraising sweep of The Corsair's eyes.

In: Catfights. What is it about a catfight that is so visually arresting? A catfight appeals to all that is base in The Corsair. (The Corsair easily pours himself a glass of Ouzo, puts on a particularly mysterious piece by Francois Couperin) We know we should not like such things (The Corsair pours out some Ouzo for "the dead homiez"), but we are powerless to resist our nature. One cannot deny that there is a sort of "vicious attractiveness" to it all. From Thisislondon:

"Miss Pope, in faded denims and a low-cut top, was suddenly confronted by the two wannabes - one in white, one wearing pink.

"'They came up screaming their heads off,' said an onlooker. 'One said something like, I was talking to him, you f...... bitch. You think you are so pretty, you f...... celebrity.'

"Miss Pope was knocked off her stilettoes and ended up flat on her back, then Penny was bustled to the ground after trying to help her. One of the attackers was even heard to shout gleefully: 'I hit a celebrity - that'll teach her.'"

more.



Above: Katie Couric, back when she was cool.

Out: "Jonathan Wald's Revenge." (Averted Gaze) Crackpot theories abound in Titanic situations, when an organization is in decline (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). Blame it on the entropy. NBC is blaming their faltering ratings on some vast "transportation reporter" conspiracy.

We won't entertain the possibility that the sinking feeling may be due to the fact that Katie Couric is no longer "Miss American Pie." Seven figure salaries and colossal displays of diva will do that to a person. According to the Page Sixxies:

"BOTH Ken Auletta of The New Yorker and Meryl Gordon of New York magazine are working on stories about the vicious war between the morning news shows. Auletta is said to be getting more cooperation from the folks at NBC, who are on the defensive because of the recent firing of 'Today' executive producer Tom Touchet and the steady erosion of their ratings dominance.

"'Today' had a 6-million viewer lead a couple of years ago. Now they are down to a 70,000 margin," said one TV insider.

"... Meanwhile, fingers are pointing at the New York Times, which ran a piece by Alexandra Stanley last month trashing 'Today' host Katie Couric. 'Insiders at NBC News say it was a premeditated hit and have taken to referring to the piece as Jonathan Wald's Revenge, ' said one source. Wald ? the 'Today' executive producer forced out before Touchet was axed ? is the brother of Matthew Wald, the Times' energy and transportation reporter."

Riight. Whatever.



Above: Bob "Me So Horney" and Harvey "Pretty Boy" Weinstein, triumphant. (image via CBSNews)

In: The Weinstein's. The business of building an second media empire from scratch is thirsty work. But them Weinstein brothers are at it again. According to The Old Gray Lady:

"The Weinstein brothers will be given an undisclosed sum of money to acquire low-budget films for distribution mainly on DVD and television, and their company will become the sole home-video distributor and overseas sales agent for Rainbow's IFC Films unit. Production credits for IFC Films include 'The Ballad of Jack and Rose.' It was the theatrical distributor of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' in 2002 and, with Lions Gate, 'Fahrenheit 9/11' last year.

"The Weinsteins will also handle home-video distribution of original programming by Rainbow's various cable networks, including the Independent Film Channel, American Movie Classics, WE: Women's Entertainment and the Fuse music-video network, a rival of MTV.

"The Rainbow networks will get first crack at the domestic broadcast premieres of films bought by the Weinstein-run fund."



(image via Wanadoo)

Out: Liz Hurley, Box Office Jinx. Parallel to the Weinstein's we have (Averted Gaze) Elizabeth Hurley. Question: Has a Liz Hurley film ever made a studio a dime? Why is she famous? Why do we care? Why was she gifted a vanity production company? Liz Hurley has the charisma, charm and box office appeal of recycled cardboard. And she looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth besides! According to Ananova:

"Elizabeth Hurley has announced she is to star in a new film.

"She is to appear with Lucy Liu in the action comedy The Cleaner reports IOL.com.

"The announcement comes three weeks after she said she was quitting acting to spend more time with her son Damien.

"The film will be released next year."

And, a week later, on DVD.



(image via awwbn)

In: Usher. "Ush" runs a tight game. Multidimensional, even. You don't want to get on the wrong side of Usher. According to popbitch:

"At last year's MTV Europe awards, host Xzibit was overheard casting doubts on Usher's sexuality. Then Usher met a girl at that very event, with whom he's recently been seen out and about. The girl? Eisha Brightwell, now ex-fiancee of Alvin Joyner aka Xzibit. Funny."

Out: E3. Alexandra of LA.Com said it best when she said, "At last night's Inside E3 party at Avalon, techno circus act Mutaytor entertained geeks with aerial acts while scantily clad models who looked like baked potatoes wrapped in tin foil roamed about."

Charmed, we're sure. More social evisceration from the cool cats at LA.Com



Above: Socialites Ashley Hilton and Kady Tremaine. The woozy, glowing red feral eyes are courtesy of the rich, full bodied Panamanian peasant blood upon which they feast.

In: The American Cancer Society. According to our favorite social chronicler (And, most recently, the smart and urbane host of a swishy shindig at the Maya Stendhal Gallery), David Patrick Columbia in NYSocialDiary:

"Bill Boggs was the master auctioneer. The objective was to raise money to launch the Society?s New York City Hope Lodge venture. Hope Lodge is a much-needed place for out-of-town cancer patients seeking treatment in New York City ? an adult version of the Ronald McDonald House (and completely free). Gold balloons sold for $50,000, silver for $25,000, pearl for $10,000 and red for $500 each. In fifteen quick minutes the auction raised a whopping $262,000 which will go toward the naming of a suite in honor of the spring gala 2005."

Hooray for philanthropy.

Paris Cheats on Paris in London



Above: Whoopsie! (image via chadmuska.org)

The Mirror's 3AM Girls have been hunting Paris Hilton as she moves through the continent of Europe as if she were big game. From Cannes to London, they've stalked the increasingly "boozy" socialite-porn star-cryptoracist skank. And they've saved us some gibblets:

"This time, Paris didn't turn up at the launch for her self-titled scent at Il Bottaccio restaurant in the West End until 11pm.

"Her behaviour became increasingly bizarre until she left at midnight to go clubbing, and ended up dirty-dancing with model Sam Branson, son of Sir Richard.

"Yet earlier she was gushing to 3am about her love for latest boyfriend, Greek billionaire Paris Latsis."

See, and we thought Greek shipping heirs always trumped the children music entrepreneurs, no matter what title is involved. You learn something new every day.

"'I'm very loyal to my man,' Paris told us. 'I really missed Paris when I was in Cannes. I never even looked at any other men. We're not in any rush but we hope to start a family in two years.'"

Simultaneous Paris Hilton Translator (TM): After a fashion, Paris really is loyal to her man. The report stopped short of actual sex. She only cheats when he's not there. The loins want what the loins want.

"'I wanted to bring my chihuahua Tinkerbell with me, but we're not allowed to bring dogs to London.'"

Simultaneous Paris Hilton Translator: That was the reason Paris Latsis couldn't come. Haha. The dog's part rat. He'd fink me out to The Other Paris for a doggy treat and a bowl of Evian. I couldn't risk it.

"Straight after that odd comment, she did an impromptu dance on the stage to a Michael Jackson number, which involved flinging her arms around and rubbing her back against the wall."

Simultaneous Paris Hilton Translator (TM): ??? We give. Postmodern interpretive dance?

"Next, she mimed to her own unreleased song called Screwed, but couldn't remember the words.'"

"Paris then headed straight to the bar and ordered a Pink Paris cocktail - a tipple named in her honour made with vodka, grenadine, lime and lemonade.

"Our spy reveals, 'She took one sip and spat it out in the barman's face. She said it was horrible and asked for vodka and Red Bull instead, leaving the poor guy dejected.'"

Simultaneous Paris Hilton Translator (TM): The barman will dine out on the tale of the night he "made Paris spit up" for years to come.

"After an hour, and tired of being pestered for autographs, Paris left for Kabaret's Prophecy club.

"There she sat in a booth with 18-year-old Sam - who is set to inherit �1billion from his dad's Virgin empire - and it wasn't long before the pair were doing a raunchy dance routine."

Simultaneous Paris Hilton Translator (TM): The "raunchy dance" is Paris Hilton's naive but well-intentioned way of saying, "Isn't this club neat"? Flavio Briatore means the same when he sires out-of-wedlock babies.

"We hear: 'They were inseparable all night. Paris spent the evening grinding with Sam. They looked like they were really enjoying themselves.

"She knocked back Cristal champagne, tequila shots and more vodka. They were very touchy-feely with one another. Paris was dancing on her chair with him at one point. But she left the club at 4am with her pals."

Paris is really getting into "the happy juice" this European tour. Big time. We'll be chronicling the upcoming "Paris Hilton's Road to Betty Ford (TM)" special with rapt attention. The full story here.

For fresh, new posts with a bold splash of wit -- September 2010 -- check out The Corsair.

A Little of the Old In and Out


In: Mickey Rourke's Distraught Bitchface. The Corsair is not going to say at the outset and out loud that Mickey Rourke's botched plastic surgery on display at Cannes this week made him look like a "distraught bitch" ... we'll just splash the bewildering photo up above and let the reader draw his or her own inference.



Above: With considerable effort, several uncomfortable minutes, loud groaning and, ultimately digital aid, Oz correctly answers the riddle, "What's 3 minus 2?"(image via cmi.ac)

Out: Midget Slavery. Jaded snarky blog readers who thought they have heard it all will be pleased at the discovery that there are still human vices left to sample. And, of course, Ozzy Osbourne has already beat us to the finish line. In an "ownership society," midget slavery shouldn't surprise. According to our favorite crimefighting-gossip duo, Rush and Molloy:

"Ozzy Osbourne remembers when he lost his patience with the midget Black Sabbath hired for a tour. 'He showed up late, he drank ... It got to me after awhile. So, one night, when he wanted to get on the tour bus, I threw him in the luggage compartment.

"Somebody grabbed me and said: 'What you're doing is not only illegal but it's inhumane.'"

A lone roadie voice of moderation and restraint among the Satanic prole horde. Afterwards, of course, they probably killed and smoked this man's remains in a giant antique hookah.

"(Ozzy) lost it. I yelled: 'He's my [bleeping] midget and I'll [bleeping] do what I want with him.' There was a silence and then a small voice emerged from the luggage compartment: 'He's right: I'm his midget and he can do what he wants with me.'"



Above: Charlie Rose ... the man, the myth, the drinking game. (image via smu)

In: The Upfronts. What are the upfronts? James Poniewozik of Time describes it thusly, "... The annual New York City ritual in which the major broadcast networks announce their schedules for next fall. Like all things televisual, the upfronts are a little bit about art and a lot about money."

Actually, they are almost completely about money (i.e. Impressing advertisers, creating ad buying buzz). Rounding out the upfront news in the blogosphere, we begin with the TVSquad, who are all up in this bitch. The big news, reported by Drudgie Poo, is that 60 Minutes 2 was cancelled (Man, this really isn't Dan Rather's millennium), allowing the always tired-looking Charlie Rose a chance get some slumber. We, ironically enough, achieve a consistent and most perfect watching Charlie Rose. (And dreaming of destroying Ann Coulter's ass)

On ABC this Fall, Geena Davis, that quixotic perennial longshot for Olympic archery gold, will be President. We ask because you won't: Is America truly ready for a President with pouty blowjob lips?

Defamer detects the cloven-hooved evil of CBS overlord Les Moonves' and his unholy love of the "18-49 demographic." Do you remember when CBS was the old folks' network, with such televised chloroform (Zzzz) as Murder: She Wrote and Trapper John, MD? The broken hip is all healed up nicely, and CBS now sports a slow, "pimp stroll." The only question we have is: How will NBC News steal Kelly Ripa is Hope and Faith is being re-upped by ABC for another season?



Above: Ms. Couric expresses her thoughts regarding all the Kelly Ripa as replacement chatter. (image via strangepolitics)

Out: The Today Show. Do viewers really prefer the "poised, creamy insincerity" of Diane Sawyer over Katie Couric's juicy, unblemished "gams"? Is this the beginning of the end of the present configuration at NBC's Today Show? Will hottie Kelly Ripa -- she of the shapely camel toe -- replace Katie? According to Drudgie poo:

"FLASH: CEREAL WAR: ABC 'GOOD MORNING AMERICA' WINS ALL MAJOR CITIES TUESDAY MORNING; NBC 'TODAY' SHOW ONLY TAKES SAN FRAN... 'GMA' MOST-WATCHED IN NYC, L.A., CHICAGO, PHILLY, DALLAS, BOSTON, DETROIT.... "

And, in further Katie-Today Show friction, Page Six reports:

"FORMER 'Today' executive producer Tom Touchet wasn't disliked by all at the NBC show ? just Katie Couric. To show his love and appreciation, 'Today' co-anchor Matt Lauer held a private dinner for Touchet last week at Primavera on First Avenue. 'It was held in a private room,' said our spy. 'Al [Roker] and Ann [Curry] were invited [but could not make it], and all the top brass came. Everyone but Katie, who was not invited.' A rep for 'Today' said: 'This dinner was a casual and informal dinner with Matt, Tom and a few 'Today' staffers. Al, Ann and Katie had nothing to do with it and all wish Tom well.'"

Richard Gere: Roving Ambassador



Above: Richard Gere, Diplomatic Man-whore at large.

According to Hello!Magazine:

"Richard Gere has met up with Jordan's King Abdullah and former US President Bill Clinton in an effort to solve humanity's most pressing problems."

Because, you know, when The Corsair thinks of geopolitical concerns such as -- Third World Debt relief, rogue nuclear weopons, the trafficking of slavery and, last but not least the international gangsterism of the Yakuza and the Russian mafia -- Richard Gere, diplomatic problem solver, he of the immaculate silver coif, that chic Buddhist, immediately comes to mind.

"The three men are among 25 Nobel Prize winners and 19 international figures taking part in a pioneering summit of the world's greatest minds."

Yes, Richard Gere, Koizumi's "private dancer," a dancer for money (Averted Gaze), he'll do what you want him to do ...

"The conference, which is taking place in the Jordanian city of Petra, is hoping to find consensus on how to tackle international issues like poverty, disease and violence. Among the other VIPs jetting into the ancient location were the Dalai Lama and Trinidad-born British author VS Naipaul, along with top physicists, economists and humanitarians. King Abdullah, who is co-hosting the 'World In Danger' summit with Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, is hoping it will give a much-needed boost to efforts at building a more just world."



(link via Joebobbriggs.com)

They seek to build on a world in which Richard Gere, who played quite the complex "man-whore" in "Breathless," was paid millions, while unchampioned "man-whore's" throughout Southeast Asia are being paid significantly less, and, comparatively speaking (Averted Gaze), the genre of clientelle are (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) altogether dissimilar.

"In a rousing speech to the assembled delegates, the Jordanian monarch said that many young people in the Middle East 'have no memory of a time without conflict,' before warning that globalisation is failing to deliver on its promises. 'People see a huge gap between rich and poor.' "

Would that "gap" be Paris Hilton?

"... They see diseases that wealthy nations have wiped out, that are still crippling people in the developing world. They see gender inequality holding back talents of half the world. They see the harm as well as the hope brought by globalisation.'"

Bleh, bleh, blah blah blah ... and the other thing. So, in other words, another international confluence of hot wind and gassy rhetoric thus hath comes to pass. Absolutely nothing is accomplished, no solid policy proposals are made, but -- and this is the point -- at swishy dinner tables across globe, the swells will have an anecdote-at-the-ready for the next time someone asks, "...But what are you doing about the conflicts in the world?" That, and the after party at the confab had to be smashing.