We're pretty sure that The Donald has broken to pieces Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation here (image via yahoo.news)
Pink: with ... black fringes; Charmed, I'm sure. (image via ohnotheydidnt)
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Harry Connick, Jr Likes JLo's Sweet Ass
(image via lourdes.free.fr)
Sweetface? Nice tush. Honey mouthed Louisiana crooner Harry Connick, Jr. appreciates JLo's substantial "rear cushioning." (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)
Who doesn't? According to the 3AM Girls:
"WHAT'S up with actor and jazzer Harry Connick Jr? His midlife crisis appeared to be raging when he admitted he finds it impossible to tear his eyes away from the ample buttocks of Jennifer Lopez, 35.
"He gasped: 'I am telling you, when you see her from the back you just... it's like eating too much pecan pie. Everything slows down and you can't respond to people.'"
(A considerable pause) We prefer to use as the food metaphor the hearty "Arroz Con Pollo," or (Sniffs haughtily), at the very least, keeping it real (And really regional), "Gumbo," when speaking of her bountious endowments, but, we suppose, in some far-off island of misfit toys, Pecan Pie is a vaguely copacetic symbol for the nobility of that sweet Nuyorican ass. (Averted Gaze)
(image via lourdes.free.fr)
Sweetface? Nice tush. Honey mouthed Louisiana crooner Harry Connick, Jr. appreciates JLo's substantial "rear cushioning." (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)
Who doesn't? According to the 3AM Girls:
"WHAT'S up with actor and jazzer Harry Connick Jr? His midlife crisis appeared to be raging when he admitted he finds it impossible to tear his eyes away from the ample buttocks of Jennifer Lopez, 35.
"He gasped: 'I am telling you, when you see her from the back you just... it's like eating too much pecan pie. Everything slows down and you can't respond to people.'"
(A considerable pause) We prefer to use as the food metaphor the hearty "Arroz Con Pollo," or (Sniffs haughtily), at the very least, keeping it real (And really regional), "Gumbo," when speaking of her bountious endowments, but, we suppose, in some far-off island of misfit toys, Pecan Pie is a vaguely copacetic symbol for the nobility of that sweet Nuyorican ass. (Averted Gaze)
Engaging Russia
(image via nsu.ru)
It is unfortunate that the environmentaly disaterous benzene spill in Jilin province of China is the pretext for a pretext for improved Russo-American relations. Still: engaging Russia is better than not engaging Russia, as the Bushies all but did, quixotically, after their disasterous talks with old pal "Pootie-Poot" at Bratislava Castle earlier this year. (The Corsair gingerly lights a Bolivar Royal Corona; pulls; exhales)
There was so much blissful anticipation before Bratislava. Those were the heady days when Henry Kissinger was dispached as a special envoy to Russia on the grounds that Putin, like most lower primates, can probably sense and give wide berth to a fellow apex-predator. (Averted Gaze)
Putin is perhaps now aware --after all this diplomatic correspondence -- of the political reality that jailing the opposition makes him look like a fucking hayseed in the parlors of Washington DC afterhours. (The Corsair shoots back a glass of Sambuca di Canale)
Remember when Vladimir Putin confidently asserted -- again, at fateful Bratislava -- that President Bush had something to do with the firing of Dan Rather? One could literally hear a pin drop as the poor translator rushed through that sentence while Putin beamed triumphant as an uneducated Serf putting something over on his overlord.
Putin seems to get the hint at present that democratic leaders -- wink, wink; yeah--right -- don't jail their opposition for getting saucy at authority. Now, Putin, duly chastised, harasses his political opposition on the DL. That's class! (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)
The President's hands-on executive search for a "high class" beard for Russia's state-owned oil company is quite touching, in a clumsy Buster Keaton kind of way.
First in line to head Rosneft is former Bush Commerce Secretary Don Evans. He launches Russia TV to up his profile -- and make him look less kleptocratic Byzantine Czar -- to the West.
Gerhard Schroeder is also in line as "liaison" to a Russian pipeline to Europe. This all looks to The Corsair like a class bully making an apology to the class -- this class: The West -- for yesterday's schoolyard hijinx. I guess that's how Putin says "sorry; let's be friends again," by carving up a meaningful slice of the wild boar for his guests. Since we no longer face an existential threat from Moscow we don't have to be on our best manners. But seeing as how rogue nuclear weopon technology getting into the hands of our enemies is still the number one foreign policy priority we must continue to engage Russia. No matter how unseemly it all is.
And if we can gainfully engage Russia (All they really want is respect), while simultaneously extricating them, deflty, from the clutches of the Sino-Russian alliance a la Nixonian triangulation, well, then, that's just the gravy.
(image via nsu.ru)
It is unfortunate that the environmentaly disaterous benzene spill in Jilin province of China is the pretext for a pretext for improved Russo-American relations. Still: engaging Russia is better than not engaging Russia, as the Bushies all but did, quixotically, after their disasterous talks with old pal "Pootie-Poot" at Bratislava Castle earlier this year. (The Corsair gingerly lights a Bolivar Royal Corona; pulls; exhales)
There was so much blissful anticipation before Bratislava. Those were the heady days when Henry Kissinger was dispached as a special envoy to Russia on the grounds that Putin, like most lower primates, can probably sense and give wide berth to a fellow apex-predator. (Averted Gaze)
Putin is perhaps now aware --after all this diplomatic correspondence -- of the political reality that jailing the opposition makes him look like a fucking hayseed in the parlors of Washington DC afterhours. (The Corsair shoots back a glass of Sambuca di Canale)
Remember when Vladimir Putin confidently asserted -- again, at fateful Bratislava -- that President Bush had something to do with the firing of Dan Rather? One could literally hear a pin drop as the poor translator rushed through that sentence while Putin beamed triumphant as an uneducated Serf putting something over on his overlord.
Putin seems to get the hint at present that democratic leaders -- wink, wink; yeah--right -- don't jail their opposition for getting saucy at authority. Now, Putin, duly chastised, harasses his political opposition on the DL. That's class! (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)
The President's hands-on executive search for a "high class" beard for Russia's state-owned oil company is quite touching, in a clumsy Buster Keaton kind of way.
First in line to head Rosneft is former Bush Commerce Secretary Don Evans. He launches Russia TV to up his profile -- and make him look less kleptocratic Byzantine Czar -- to the West.
Gerhard Schroeder is also in line as "liaison" to a Russian pipeline to Europe. This all looks to The Corsair like a class bully making an apology to the class -- this class: The West -- for yesterday's schoolyard hijinx. I guess that's how Putin says "sorry; let's be friends again," by carving up a meaningful slice of the wild boar for his guests. Since we no longer face an existential threat from Moscow we don't have to be on our best manners. But seeing as how rogue nuclear weopon technology getting into the hands of our enemies is still the number one foreign policy priority we must continue to engage Russia. No matter how unseemly it all is.
And if we can gainfully engage Russia (All they really want is respect), while simultaneously extricating them, deflty, from the clutches of the Sino-Russian alliance a la Nixonian triangulation, well, then, that's just the gravy.
A Little of the Old In and Out
(image via uvic.ca)
In: The Print Media. Who says the print media is dead? Yes, Knight-Ridder is potentially up for sale. And, sure, it's not a good time to be an editorial cartoonist. But print media still has a vast influence over our political and business spheres of society. To wit:
Yesterday's reveleation in the pages of The Old Gray Lady -- and the strong web reaction -- that the Bush Administration spied domestically on U.S. citizens led indirectly to the blockage of the renewal of the Patriot Act. Four Republicans -- including, curiously, Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel -- joined the nearly unanimous Democratic Party block.
Moderate Republican Senator Arlen Spector, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, has arranged for hearings into the matter early next year. Curiously, the Times sat on the story, which leads Drudgie-poo to speculate that the filing of the story coincides remarkably with reporter James Risen's new book on the same subject.
Similarly, Steve Case strategically maneuvered Sunday's Washington Post via the Op-Ed page to affect the outcome of the AOL-Google deal. According to today's NYTimes:
"An executive involved in the talks said that as recently as two weeks ago, Mr. Parsons told Microsoft executives that he preferred their bid. Still, that executive said, Microsoft had the impression that executives in the AOL unit preferred to work with Google. Yesterday, several AOL executives said that was true. A source close to Mr. Parsons said his only goal was to do the best deal for AOL's future.
"But a turning point, in Microsoft's view, was an article that Stephen M. Case, AOL's co-founder and the architect of the deal with Time Warner, wrote in Sunday's Washington Post calling for the company to be split up, two executives involved with the negotiations who were familiar with Microsoft's views said.
"Mr. Case's argument was timed specifically to encourage a Google deal, said one person close to him. Mr. Case's longstanding animosity toward Microsoft played a part, this person said, but his main reasoning was that Google has proved itself far smarter about the Internet than Microsoft. That person said that Mr. Case thought that a deal with Google was the best of all the options other than spinning off AOL. Carl C. Icahn, the financier who, like Mr. Case, has been pressing Time Warner to split up the company, was not mollified by the Google deal."
So, we repeat: who says print media is dead?
(image via cnnsi)
Out: Victoria Beckham. Victoria needs to eat some comfort food and chill the fuck out. According to Thisislondon:
"Victoria Beckham was involved in a screaming row with an aging Spanish actress who has been linked to her husband David.
"Posh Spice was spotted yelling at Ana Obregon, 50, in a Madrid gym, saying: 'Leave my husband alone' and calling her 'a piece of s**t.'
"Obregon moved into the same hotel as Beckham when he first joined Real Madrid in 2003.
Reports that the actress was romantically linked to Beckham caused a media frenzy, and the rumours have refused to die down."
Charmed, I'm sure. (The Corsair sips a Col Solare 2001 with hints of earth and caramel) While, yes, Victoria has every reason to worry about David Beckham's malleable fidelity, airing insecurities publicly over her husband's two year old fling with an older woman -- who, incidentally, aint all that -- is probably doing her more harm than hurt.
(image via lott.senat.gov)
In: Blunt Versus Boehner; Lott Versus McConnell. Oh, it's on; it's on like Gray Poupon! The bicameral houses of Congress are in the throes of smackdown. Technically, though, on the House side, everything is in stasis until the embattled Tom DeLay takes himself out of the running altogether for Majority Leader. According to the perfect Dickensian villain, Robert Novak (Who is leaving CNN for Fox):
" A decision on whether to hold new elections for House majority leader to replace Tom DeLay may not be made until the House Republican leadership meets at Cambridge on the Eastern Shore of Maryland following President Bush's State of the Union Address on Jan. 31.
"By then, it may be clear whether DeLay will be able to win acquittal from Texas criminal prosecution in time to obviate an election. Majority Whip Roy Blunt, who has been acting majority leader since DeLay's indictment, probably would be challenged for the job by Rep. John Boehner.
"DeLay has advised colleagues to keep Dec. 27 circled as the date when court decisions in Texas may provide a clearer outlook on what lies ahead."
And, in the United States Senate, Trent Lott is trying to rehabilitate himself (After years of apologies, and lots of pork-barrel legislation directed to African-American interests), according to Alexander Bolton of TheHill:
"Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said today that he plans to run for a leadership post next year, explaining that he has his sights set on the top job: majority leader.
"But Lott also said that he has not made a final decision about running for re-election next year and said that he is considering his finances after losing his permanent residence, which was appraised at between $650,000 and $750,000, because of Hurricane Katrina.
"'I'm looking at it seriously,' Lott said of his possible retirement. 'If I come back here, I'm going to run for a leadership position.'
"Lott said that he considers Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a friend, that he appreciates that McConnell stood by him when he was criticized for making controversial remarks at former Sen. Strom Thurmond's (R-S.C.) 100th birthday, and that he's not 'mad' at him for any reason. Nevertheless, Lott said he would consider vying against McConnell for the top Senate post, which is expected to become vacant at the end of next year when Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) retires.
"If Lott were to retain his old post, it would be regarded as one of the most dramatic political comebacks since Richard Nixon recovered from his loss in the California governor race in 1962."
Well, we're not sure about all that, Alexander Bolton, but it would indeed be big. The full story here.
(image via dreamwater.org)
Out: Money Buying Influence in Politics. The whiff of sleaze that hangs about K-Street has never been more pungent. (Averted Gaze) Malodorous swamp gasses -- remember DC's historical beginnings -- in the form of special-interest monies carry over from the K-Street lobbyists and waft the halls of power. (For further instruction see the day's latest Abramoff entanglements) Senator John McCain is gaining momentum in his decades-long struggle to combat the influences of Mannon and get real campaign finance reform going in the House of Representatives.
Did you know, for example, that there are grumblings on the Hill about incoming Senator Menendez? You know the one, John Corzine's appointee? He's not kicking up his dues to the DNCC's. Damed cheek! According to TheHill:
"Thus far this cycle, Menendez has contributed just $57,000 in dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), according to the latest DCCC tallies. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) have given $415,000 and $400,000, respectively, of their $600,000 commitment. DCCC dues vary between $100,000 and $600,000 for the 2006 election cycle, depending on committee assignments and leadership roles.
"'Bob Menendez's biggest talking point for why he should be appointed to the Senate was that he was a member of Democratic leadership,' said a senior Democratic aide. 'Every other member of the leadership has stepped up to the plate. If the DCCC doesn't see that money for some of their challengers, it's going to be remembered.'"
Nice. (Averted Gaze)
Euan and Lucy Sykes-Rellie. (image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)
In: The Young Collector's Artists Ball. According to the Guggenheim site, "Funds raised from the event will be used to acquire works by emerging artists for the museum�s permanent collection and to support the museum�s progressive exhibitions program." As for the event itself, Jim Shi of Fashionweekdaily writes:
"Traipsing into the Guggenheim last night for the annual Young Collectors Artist�s Ball, each guest�motivated perhaps because this event signified the end of the winter social season�sought found meaning in their dresses by YSL, the evening�s sponsor. 'Is it over? Are we done yet?' Ines Rivero joked, as she checked her calendar on her Treo.
"Dr. Lisa Airan wore a ruffled number that mimicked the one Kristin Scott Thomas donned in Cannes; Lucy Sykes-Rellie wore a d�colletage-revealing gown that had been lent to Gwyneth Paltrow ('She didn�t wear it because she was pregnant at the time and her boobs were too big,' the designer added); and Amanda Cutter Brooks just wanted something demure. 'I feel like a priest,' she laughed.
"... Inside the museum, guests like Damien Loeb, Damon Dash, Rachel Roy, Lauren Davis, Rachel McAdams ... Usher .. and Celerie Kemble milled about, checking out the art, as seven moving mechanical bulls were erected high atop a lush velvet platform to illustrate the contrast between posh and raw animal energy."
The full list here (And, scroll down to Amanda Hearst's unintentionally hilarious take on the Guggenheim's architecture).
(image via uvic.ca)
In: The Print Media. Who says the print media is dead? Yes, Knight-Ridder is potentially up for sale. And, sure, it's not a good time to be an editorial cartoonist. But print media still has a vast influence over our political and business spheres of society. To wit:
Yesterday's reveleation in the pages of The Old Gray Lady -- and the strong web reaction -- that the Bush Administration spied domestically on U.S. citizens led indirectly to the blockage of the renewal of the Patriot Act. Four Republicans -- including, curiously, Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel -- joined the nearly unanimous Democratic Party block.
Moderate Republican Senator Arlen Spector, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, has arranged for hearings into the matter early next year. Curiously, the Times sat on the story, which leads Drudgie-poo to speculate that the filing of the story coincides remarkably with reporter James Risen's new book on the same subject.
Similarly, Steve Case strategically maneuvered Sunday's Washington Post via the Op-Ed page to affect the outcome of the AOL-Google deal. According to today's NYTimes:
"An executive involved in the talks said that as recently as two weeks ago, Mr. Parsons told Microsoft executives that he preferred their bid. Still, that executive said, Microsoft had the impression that executives in the AOL unit preferred to work with Google. Yesterday, several AOL executives said that was true. A source close to Mr. Parsons said his only goal was to do the best deal for AOL's future.
"But a turning point, in Microsoft's view, was an article that Stephen M. Case, AOL's co-founder and the architect of the deal with Time Warner, wrote in Sunday's Washington Post calling for the company to be split up, two executives involved with the negotiations who were familiar with Microsoft's views said.
"Mr. Case's argument was timed specifically to encourage a Google deal, said one person close to him. Mr. Case's longstanding animosity toward Microsoft played a part, this person said, but his main reasoning was that Google has proved itself far smarter about the Internet than Microsoft. That person said that Mr. Case thought that a deal with Google was the best of all the options other than spinning off AOL. Carl C. Icahn, the financier who, like Mr. Case, has been pressing Time Warner to split up the company, was not mollified by the Google deal."
So, we repeat: who says print media is dead?
(image via cnnsi)
Out: Victoria Beckham. Victoria needs to eat some comfort food and chill the fuck out. According to Thisislondon:
"Victoria Beckham was involved in a screaming row with an aging Spanish actress who has been linked to her husband David.
"Posh Spice was spotted yelling at Ana Obregon, 50, in a Madrid gym, saying: 'Leave my husband alone' and calling her 'a piece of s**t.'
"Obregon moved into the same hotel as Beckham when he first joined Real Madrid in 2003.
Reports that the actress was romantically linked to Beckham caused a media frenzy, and the rumours have refused to die down."
Charmed, I'm sure. (The Corsair sips a Col Solare 2001 with hints of earth and caramel) While, yes, Victoria has every reason to worry about David Beckham's malleable fidelity, airing insecurities publicly over her husband's two year old fling with an older woman -- who, incidentally, aint all that -- is probably doing her more harm than hurt.
(image via lott.senat.gov)
In: Blunt Versus Boehner; Lott Versus McConnell. Oh, it's on; it's on like Gray Poupon! The bicameral houses of Congress are in the throes of smackdown. Technically, though, on the House side, everything is in stasis until the embattled Tom DeLay takes himself out of the running altogether for Majority Leader. According to the perfect Dickensian villain, Robert Novak (Who is leaving CNN for Fox):
" A decision on whether to hold new elections for House majority leader to replace Tom DeLay may not be made until the House Republican leadership meets at Cambridge on the Eastern Shore of Maryland following President Bush's State of the Union Address on Jan. 31.
"By then, it may be clear whether DeLay will be able to win acquittal from Texas criminal prosecution in time to obviate an election. Majority Whip Roy Blunt, who has been acting majority leader since DeLay's indictment, probably would be challenged for the job by Rep. John Boehner.
"DeLay has advised colleagues to keep Dec. 27 circled as the date when court decisions in Texas may provide a clearer outlook on what lies ahead."
And, in the United States Senate, Trent Lott is trying to rehabilitate himself (After years of apologies, and lots of pork-barrel legislation directed to African-American interests), according to Alexander Bolton of TheHill:
"Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said today that he plans to run for a leadership post next year, explaining that he has his sights set on the top job: majority leader.
"But Lott also said that he has not made a final decision about running for re-election next year and said that he is considering his finances after losing his permanent residence, which was appraised at between $650,000 and $750,000, because of Hurricane Katrina.
"'I'm looking at it seriously,' Lott said of his possible retirement. 'If I come back here, I'm going to run for a leadership position.'
"Lott said that he considers Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a friend, that he appreciates that McConnell stood by him when he was criticized for making controversial remarks at former Sen. Strom Thurmond's (R-S.C.) 100th birthday, and that he's not 'mad' at him for any reason. Nevertheless, Lott said he would consider vying against McConnell for the top Senate post, which is expected to become vacant at the end of next year when Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) retires.
"If Lott were to retain his old post, it would be regarded as one of the most dramatic political comebacks since Richard Nixon recovered from his loss in the California governor race in 1962."
Well, we're not sure about all that, Alexander Bolton, but it would indeed be big. The full story here.
(image via dreamwater.org)
Out: Money Buying Influence in Politics. The whiff of sleaze that hangs about K-Street has never been more pungent. (Averted Gaze) Malodorous swamp gasses -- remember DC's historical beginnings -- in the form of special-interest monies carry over from the K-Street lobbyists and waft the halls of power. (For further instruction see the day's latest Abramoff entanglements) Senator John McCain is gaining momentum in his decades-long struggle to combat the influences of Mannon and get real campaign finance reform going in the House of Representatives.
Did you know, for example, that there are grumblings on the Hill about incoming Senator Menendez? You know the one, John Corzine's appointee? He's not kicking up his dues to the DNCC's. Damed cheek! According to TheHill:
"Thus far this cycle, Menendez has contributed just $57,000 in dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), according to the latest DCCC tallies. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) have given $415,000 and $400,000, respectively, of their $600,000 commitment. DCCC dues vary between $100,000 and $600,000 for the 2006 election cycle, depending on committee assignments and leadership roles.
"'Bob Menendez's biggest talking point for why he should be appointed to the Senate was that he was a member of Democratic leadership,' said a senior Democratic aide. 'Every other member of the leadership has stepped up to the plate. If the DCCC doesn't see that money for some of their challengers, it's going to be remembered.'"
Nice. (Averted Gaze)
Euan and Lucy Sykes-Rellie. (image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)
In: The Young Collector's Artists Ball. According to the Guggenheim site, "Funds raised from the event will be used to acquire works by emerging artists for the museum�s permanent collection and to support the museum�s progressive exhibitions program." As for the event itself, Jim Shi of Fashionweekdaily writes:
"Traipsing into the Guggenheim last night for the annual Young Collectors Artist�s Ball, each guest�motivated perhaps because this event signified the end of the winter social season�sought found meaning in their dresses by YSL, the evening�s sponsor. 'Is it over? Are we done yet?' Ines Rivero joked, as she checked her calendar on her Treo.
"Dr. Lisa Airan wore a ruffled number that mimicked the one Kristin Scott Thomas donned in Cannes; Lucy Sykes-Rellie wore a d�colletage-revealing gown that had been lent to Gwyneth Paltrow ('She didn�t wear it because she was pregnant at the time and her boobs were too big,' the designer added); and Amanda Cutter Brooks just wanted something demure. 'I feel like a priest,' she laughed.
"... Inside the museum, guests like Damien Loeb, Damon Dash, Rachel Roy, Lauren Davis, Rachel McAdams ... Usher .. and Celerie Kemble milled about, checking out the art, as seven moving mechanical bulls were erected high atop a lush velvet platform to illustrate the contrast between posh and raw animal energy."
The full list here (And, scroll down to Amanda Hearst's unintentionally hilarious take on the Guggenheim's architecture).
John Spencer, RIP
(image via bbc)
John Spencer, the respected character actor who played the wise and kindly political practitioner Leo McGarry on NBC's amazingly well-written West Wing series died last night in Los Angeles of a heart attack. The loss is ours for he would have made a wonderful fake Vice President; he was going to have a glorious May-December relationship with Kristin Chenowith.
Much has been written today over the synchronicites between Mr. Spencer and the role-of-a-lifetime character he played on television. Lynn Elber of the AP writes:
"Spencer's death by heart attack Friday stunned fellow cast members, who said his health had appeared better recently. The actor, who would have turned 59 Tuesday, died at Olympia Medical Center in Los Angeles after being admitted during the night, said his publicist, Ron Hofmann.
"Spencer played Leo McGarry, the savvy chief of staff to President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet (Martin Sheen), on the NBC series. In a sad parallel to life, McGarry suffered a heart attack that forced him to give up his White House job.
"... Spencer, whose world-weary countenance was perfect for the role of McGarry, talked about the similarities between himself and his character in a 2000 interview with The AP.
"'Like Leo, I've always been a workaholic, too,' he said. 'Through good times and bad, acting has been my escape, my joy, my nourishment. The drug for me, even better than alcohol, was acting.'"
Spencer was, like the character he played, a divorced and recovering alcoholic who, late in life, achieved the zeneth of his aspirations.
This last episode on Sunday past called "The Wedding" involved a dramatic scene in which Congressman Santos, played by Jimmy Smits, and the Democratic Party overlords in the East Room advocate Spencer's character taking over the day-to-day campaign operations from Josh Lyman, his political protoge, played by Bradley Whitford.
Josh has quite possibly lost the Democrat Party Illinois -- 21 much needed electoral votes -- by ceding the television ad wars to the Republicans too early.
From Westwing.beware:
"(DNC Chair) Goodwin tells Santos, 'Only one guy I'd want to have running a campaign this tough. And that's the guy standing next to you.' Leo starts to laugh until he realizes Santos isn't laughing with him. Fade out on Leo."
Fade out on Leo, indeed. McGarry, out of complicated mix of his natural generosity and political loyalty to his protoge, refuses the offer, instead backing Josh, offering his confidence and a moving pep talk. Then, at episode's end, delivers the line of the evening to a conflicted Santos, who clearly wants Leo to take over the faltering campaign.
Spencer, as McGarry, asks Santos to look within himself in the last days of the trailing race to give the campaign what it needs.
It is with these last poignant lines that we remember John Spenser, workaholic, for bringing into our living rooms for 7 seasons the unforgettable Leo McGarry, a warm-hearted, loyal, idealistic, all-too-human pragmatist.
May John Spencer, the exquisite character actor, rest in peace.
(image via bbc)
John Spencer, the respected character actor who played the wise and kindly political practitioner Leo McGarry on NBC's amazingly well-written West Wing series died last night in Los Angeles of a heart attack. The loss is ours for he would have made a wonderful fake Vice President; he was going to have a glorious May-December relationship with Kristin Chenowith.
Much has been written today over the synchronicites between Mr. Spencer and the role-of-a-lifetime character he played on television. Lynn Elber of the AP writes:
"Spencer's death by heart attack Friday stunned fellow cast members, who said his health had appeared better recently. The actor, who would have turned 59 Tuesday, died at Olympia Medical Center in Los Angeles after being admitted during the night, said his publicist, Ron Hofmann.
"Spencer played Leo McGarry, the savvy chief of staff to President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet (Martin Sheen), on the NBC series. In a sad parallel to life, McGarry suffered a heart attack that forced him to give up his White House job.
"... Spencer, whose world-weary countenance was perfect for the role of McGarry, talked about the similarities between himself and his character in a 2000 interview with The AP.
"'Like Leo, I've always been a workaholic, too,' he said. 'Through good times and bad, acting has been my escape, my joy, my nourishment. The drug for me, even better than alcohol, was acting.'"
Spencer was, like the character he played, a divorced and recovering alcoholic who, late in life, achieved the zeneth of his aspirations.
This last episode on Sunday past called "The Wedding" involved a dramatic scene in which Congressman Santos, played by Jimmy Smits, and the Democratic Party overlords in the East Room advocate Spencer's character taking over the day-to-day campaign operations from Josh Lyman, his political protoge, played by Bradley Whitford.
Josh has quite possibly lost the Democrat Party Illinois -- 21 much needed electoral votes -- by ceding the television ad wars to the Republicans too early.
From Westwing.beware:
"(DNC Chair) Goodwin tells Santos, 'Only one guy I'd want to have running a campaign this tough. And that's the guy standing next to you.' Leo starts to laugh until he realizes Santos isn't laughing with him. Fade out on Leo."
Fade out on Leo, indeed. McGarry, out of complicated mix of his natural generosity and political loyalty to his protoge, refuses the offer, instead backing Josh, offering his confidence and a moving pep talk. Then, at episode's end, delivers the line of the evening to a conflicted Santos, who clearly wants Leo to take over the faltering campaign.
Spencer, as McGarry, asks Santos to look within himself in the last days of the trailing race to give the campaign what it needs.
It is with these last poignant lines that we remember John Spenser, workaholic, for bringing into our living rooms for 7 seasons the unforgettable Leo McGarry, a warm-hearted, loyal, idealistic, all-too-human pragmatist.
May John Spencer, the exquisite character actor, rest in peace.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Google to buy 5 Percent of AOL
(image via nysocialdiary)
According to Reuters:
"Google Inc. is in exclusive talks to pay $1 billion for a 5 percent stake in Time Warner Inc.'s online unit AOL, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
"'Those talks include, among other things, a $1 billion investment for a 5 percent stake in AOL,' said the source.
"This confirmed an earlier report on The Wall Street Journal's Web site."
And, according to AP via Forbes:
"Time Warner Inc. is negotiating exclusively with Google Inc. to broaden a lucrative advertising partnership with Time Warner's America Online unit, abruptly ending negotiations early Friday with Microsoft Corp., officials close to the negotiations said. Shutting out Microsoft sets the stage for a high-profile agreement among two titans of the Internet. Among other terms of a deal expected to be announced as early as next week, Google will highlight Time Warner Web properties as sponsored links and AOL will continue to provide Google's search engine to its own subscribers.
"Officials described the negotiations on condition of anonymity, because no agreement has yet been formalized."
(image via nysocialdiary)
According to Reuters:
"Google Inc. is in exclusive talks to pay $1 billion for a 5 percent stake in Time Warner Inc.'s online unit AOL, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
"'Those talks include, among other things, a $1 billion investment for a 5 percent stake in AOL,' said the source.
"This confirmed an earlier report on The Wall Street Journal's Web site."
And, according to AP via Forbes:
"Time Warner Inc. is negotiating exclusively with Google Inc. to broaden a lucrative advertising partnership with Time Warner's America Online unit, abruptly ending negotiations early Friday with Microsoft Corp., officials close to the negotiations said. Shutting out Microsoft sets the stage for a high-profile agreement among two titans of the Internet. Among other terms of a deal expected to be announced as early as next week, Google will highlight Time Warner Web properties as sponsored links and AOL will continue to provide Google's search engine to its own subscribers.
"Officials described the negotiations on condition of anonymity, because no agreement has yet been formalized."
Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...
Extreme Brokeback Mountain fan, ALT. (image via style.com via patrickmcmullen)
The violent contrast between Giorgio Armani's Vancouver sunset-colored mantan and Zang Ziyi's bone china complexion spontaneously combusted several digital cameras. (image via wireimage)
Sometimes, when he's in a frisky mood, Tom likes to roughly grab Katie by the ponytail, close his eyes, and call her "Cisco." (image via ohnotheydidnt)
Extreme Brokeback Mountain fan, ALT. (image via style.com via patrickmcmullen)
The violent contrast between Giorgio Armani's Vancouver sunset-colored mantan and Zang Ziyi's bone china complexion spontaneously combusted several digital cameras. (image via wireimage)
Sometimes, when he's in a frisky mood, Tom likes to roughly grab Katie by the ponytail, close his eyes, and call her "Cisco." (image via ohnotheydidnt)
A Little of the Old In and Out
(image via islandconnections)
In: Jeff Zucker. Never bet against Kurt Andersen, who predicted -- against the prevailing conventional wisdom of the chattering classes -- that NBC's Jeff Zucker would get kicked upstairs. And he did.
Still, we are somewhat baffled as to how a man gets a promotion for declining primetime ratings (Can someone say: Joey?). Plus, what about all those reports of Zucker's immanent decline?
Whatever. According to Bill Carter of the Old Gray Lady:
"The implications of Mr. Zucker's promotion were clear: Mr. Wright and the G.E. chairman, Jeffrey R. Immelt, have designated him as NBC's second-in-command.
"Mr. Zucker, who had been on a different floor from Mr. Wright, will move his office to the 52nd floor of the NBC headquarters in Rockefeller Plaza, Mr. Wright's location.
"NBC's announcement yesterday did not address the implications. The announcement was couched in terms of a realignment of NBC's television management in anticipation of more rapid changes in how TV content is sold and distributed.
"When asked if the changes meant that Mr. Zucker was now positioned as his successor, Mr. Wright said jokingly, 'Absolutely; all he has to do is survive 2006, 2007 and so forth.' But he did not dispute the notion that the promotion put Mr. Zucker, who is 40, in line behind him."
(image via sudan.net)
Out: President Yoweri Museveni. President Museveni is the best President in Uganda's history; Museveni represents stability. He has brought the country from the brink of economic collapse (Courtesy of Idi Amin's pathological tyranny) to a culture of modest growth with expansive democractic reforms (A robust free press, elections, etc).
That is why we were quite astonished to hear that after promising that he wouldn't run again -- after 19 years in power -- Museveni has decided to do so.
The Wagnerian ring of power, alas, is difficult to slip off. According Reuters:
"The party of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni formally nominated him on Thursday to stand in 2006 elections, which the opposition says are already tainted by the jailing of his main rival.
"Last month's arrest of Kizza Besigye -- the biggest challenger to Museveni's 19 years in power -- has alarmed foreign donors and thrown Ugandan politics into turmoil ahead of polls due to be held in the east African state by mid-March.
"Wearing a dark suit, yellow tie and baseball cap, Museveni was cheered by fans as he walked with his wife and officials of the ruling Movement party into a stadium near the capital Kampala where electoral authorities received nominations.
"Once feted by the West and hailed as a new breed of African leader for his economic reforms and strides against HIV/AIDS, critics say Museveni is now showing traits of the continent's old-fashioned 'Big Men.'"
(image via WashingtonPost via AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
In: A Bush-McCain Alliance. The President's ceding of moral and ideological ground on the torture debate to Senator McCain suggests that, as The Corsair wrote a week or so ago, a McCain-Bush alliance is in the nascent stages. The President is, arguably, not as simple as he is made out to be in the Establishment Media. The alliance with Senator John McCain suggests an "Golden Gut" of political shrewdness. There is no doubt that post-Katrina, post-Murtha, post-quasi-lame duck, post- polling in the high 30s approval ratings, the President is aware -- with crystal clarity -- that his legacy will be Iraq.
That having been said, in his present battered political condition, there is no one better to carry on the Bush legacy than Senator John McCain.
Why? One, John McCain is a true believer in the Iraqi project. McCain supported the war, has supported the aftermath, supports, like Murtha, the troops, and he will follow up -- if elected President, with help from George Bush's base -- with protecting a unified Iraq as a central front in the global war on terror. This is precisely what The President wants to secure his legacy; no one else can guarantee it beeter than McCain.
Two, Senator John McCain is beloved by the media. It is not enough that one wants to be a wartime Winston Churchill sort of leader, that glorious boycrush of all politicans in the West. One must be, in addition to Churchillian, an effective communicator. The President may have made the calculation -- or, perhaps he spied the late night comedy shows -- that he is not an effective natural communicator. McCain is; he exudes the gravitas of High Politics. McCain would be the other half of the BushPresidency-Iraq equation, the piece that wins over, or at least wins favorable coverage, from the media elite.
Three: John McCain has paid his dues. The Republican Party is, eo ipso, a party of clear hierarchies (Can someone say: Dole?). The opaqueness surrounding the 2000 South Carolina primary notwithstanding, Senator McCain has stood loyally at the President's side, occasionally even planting a manly kiss at his cheek. McCain also reportedly turned down John Kerry's quixotic cross-party offer of Vice President, instead supporting Bush-Cheney.
Four: A Bush-McCain alliance, covering the right and the center, guarantees deep Democratic Party headaches in 2008. But it doesn't guarantee that Tom Tancredo cannot run to McCain's right, possibly as an independent -- Reform Party? -- and thus elect a Democrat President.
The Corsair on the CBS Blog
(image via ilgop.org)
Today I do a guest spot on the CBS Eye Blog in the "Outside Voices" segment. We have to say, CBS is a very decent organization. In the invitation, Brian Montopoli of CBS made it clear that they would not make any restrictions on the content of my essay.
They even invited me to criticize CBS News if that was where I wanted to go.
Anyway, check out what The Corsair had to say on 60 Minutes' recent trending towards the puffy sports profiles. Obviously this is being done to keep the sports eyeballs from "The Game." We can't blame CBS for that -- especially since Sean McManus, the new head of CBS News, is also the head of CBS Sports.
McManus has, obviously, a mandate; he needs to increase the interest of young viewers in the News division. How else to accomplish this than by promoting sports stories on 60 Minutes during the game? Again, I don't blame CBS News -- this is the natural play -- but I am critical about the types of sports pieces that they are presently doing. If the CBS News division is going to increase sports reporting on 60 Minutes, they ought to do it in a manner organic to the seriousness of the program.
Just yesterday Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel won a prestigous DuPont Award for their magnificent investigative report "The Sport of Sheikhs" on the exploitation of child jockeys in the middle east. This is the first instance of sports reporting getting love at the DuPonts. HBO's Real Sports should be the model that CBS News looks to rather than the horrendous "Romo" steroid story.
CBS, to their credit, didn't censor a word that I wrote.
(CBS Public Eye)
(image via ilgop.org)
Today I do a guest spot on the CBS Eye Blog in the "Outside Voices" segment. We have to say, CBS is a very decent organization. In the invitation, Brian Montopoli of CBS made it clear that they would not make any restrictions on the content of my essay.
They even invited me to criticize CBS News if that was where I wanted to go.
Anyway, check out what The Corsair had to say on 60 Minutes' recent trending towards the puffy sports profiles. Obviously this is being done to keep the sports eyeballs from "The Game." We can't blame CBS for that -- especially since Sean McManus, the new head of CBS News, is also the head of CBS Sports.
McManus has, obviously, a mandate; he needs to increase the interest of young viewers in the News division. How else to accomplish this than by promoting sports stories on 60 Minutes during the game? Again, I don't blame CBS News -- this is the natural play -- but I am critical about the types of sports pieces that they are presently doing. If the CBS News division is going to increase sports reporting on 60 Minutes, they ought to do it in a manner organic to the seriousness of the program.
Just yesterday Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel won a prestigous DuPont Award for their magnificent investigative report "The Sport of Sheikhs" on the exploitation of child jockeys in the middle east. This is the first instance of sports reporting getting love at the DuPonts. HBO's Real Sports should be the model that CBS News looks to rather than the horrendous "Romo" steroid story.
CBS, to their credit, didn't censor a word that I wrote.
(CBS Public Eye)
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...
Bareback mounting? (image via wireimage)
Lauren Hill-billy. (image via wireimage)
Denise Rich, in a rare photo, not surrounded by African-Americans. (image via nysocialdiary)
Bareback mounting? (image via wireimage)
Lauren Hill-billy. (image via wireimage)
Denise Rich, in a rare photo, not surrounded by African-Americans. (image via nysocialdiary)
Marc Jacobs' Best Little Ho-down Bash
Sophia Coppola and friends. (image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)
Fashionweekdaily's Faran Krentcil was impressed by the Marc Jacobs party last night. The slinky Lisa Marie and Amanda Lepore -- more or less ass-naked, as per usual -- were among the guests. Krantcil writes:
"Last night�s Best Little Ho-down bash by Jacobs and his crew was an epic holiday fete that raises the bar for hauterflies and cowboys alike. Want to make your next party better? Don�t even think about a guest-list until you�ve consulted this guide."
(image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)
"... The doors at Skylight Studios opened at 8�and shut promptly at 8:15. Even VIPs like Robert Duffy, Andre Leon Talley, and (shock!) Naomi Campbell made punctual-ish arrivals, and as for Jacobs himself? He stood outside in below-freezing weather to greet every guest with a twangy 'Howdy, hello!'
(image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)
"... Did we mention Marc was in a giant pink pig costume? 'I�m Wilbur!' he grinned shyly, referencing Charlotte�s Web with a giant blue ribbon that read 'Some Pig.' Meanwhile, it took guests several double-takes to recognize Sofia Coppola, in war-paint and a giant headdress, echoed by New York�s Jada Yuan and also Alison Sarofim. There were rodeo clowns, a space cowboy, and Richie Rich in bright pink chaps!
Tracy Monrantz on Style.com writes:
"Now the trend has received official sanction. Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy, whose annual holiday party is the stuff of legend, hosted a good old-fashioned hoedown Tuesday night�complete with rodeo midgets, a shooting gallery, and a mechanical bull.
"The party's invite encouraged revelers to dress Wild Wild West-style, and guests, including Jacobs' pals Naomi Campbell, in a Pocahontas getup she already happened to have in her closet (don't ask), and Anna Sui, who came as a cowgirl, happily obliged. Line dancers in full Western skirts clapped and twirled, as Sofia Coppola, in a headdress by Sui, hung out at a picnic table with Andr� Leon Talley. 'There's no way I'm dancing,'Coppola insisted. 'They've been taking lessons for months!' Elsewhere, models in chaps and models in no chaps (and not much else) made themselves comfortable on hay bales, where they feasted on cornbread, coleslaw, pulled-pork sandwiches, and baked beans."
Yes well (Averted Gaze) sitting chapless is a sure recipe for "pulled-pork sandwiches."
The full, unexpuragated story here. And here.
Sophia Coppola and friends. (image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)
Fashionweekdaily's Faran Krentcil was impressed by the Marc Jacobs party last night. The slinky Lisa Marie and Amanda Lepore -- more or less ass-naked, as per usual -- were among the guests. Krantcil writes:
"Last night�s Best Little Ho-down bash by Jacobs and his crew was an epic holiday fete that raises the bar for hauterflies and cowboys alike. Want to make your next party better? Don�t even think about a guest-list until you�ve consulted this guide."
(image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)
"... The doors at Skylight Studios opened at 8�and shut promptly at 8:15. Even VIPs like Robert Duffy, Andre Leon Talley, and (shock!) Naomi Campbell made punctual-ish arrivals, and as for Jacobs himself? He stood outside in below-freezing weather to greet every guest with a twangy 'Howdy, hello!'
(image via fashionweekdaily via patrickmcmullen)
"... Did we mention Marc was in a giant pink pig costume? 'I�m Wilbur!' he grinned shyly, referencing Charlotte�s Web with a giant blue ribbon that read 'Some Pig.' Meanwhile, it took guests several double-takes to recognize Sofia Coppola, in war-paint and a giant headdress, echoed by New York�s Jada Yuan and also Alison Sarofim. There were rodeo clowns, a space cowboy, and Richie Rich in bright pink chaps!
Tracy Monrantz on Style.com writes:
"Now the trend has received official sanction. Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy, whose annual holiday party is the stuff of legend, hosted a good old-fashioned hoedown Tuesday night�complete with rodeo midgets, a shooting gallery, and a mechanical bull.
"The party's invite encouraged revelers to dress Wild Wild West-style, and guests, including Jacobs' pals Naomi Campbell, in a Pocahontas getup she already happened to have in her closet (don't ask), and Anna Sui, who came as a cowgirl, happily obliged. Line dancers in full Western skirts clapped and twirled, as Sofia Coppola, in a headdress by Sui, hung out at a picnic table with Andr� Leon Talley. 'There's no way I'm dancing,'Coppola insisted. 'They've been taking lessons for months!' Elsewhere, models in chaps and models in no chaps (and not much else) made themselves comfortable on hay bales, where they feasted on cornbread, coleslaw, pulled-pork sandwiches, and baked beans."
Yes well (Averted Gaze) sitting chapless is a sure recipe for "pulled-pork sandwiches."
The full, unexpuragated story here. And here.
A Little of the Old In and Out
(image via fredhayes)
In: Harvey Weinstein. Six Flags has signed on Big Harv to their Board of Directors. He kicked ass at the Golden Globes nominations( Which, although admittedly oily, are momentum into Oscar season). 74 days in business and The Weinstein Company gets 8 Golden Globe nominations.
When not commenting on the fuckability of Samantha Morton, Harv was -- reportedly -- a great influence on Jack Black's portrayal of the oily Carl Denham in King Kong.According to Liz Smith:
"He is the head of the spanking new Weinstein Co., reacting to nods for Transamerica, Mrs. Henderson Presents and The Matador.
"Of his new life, the once derailed, terrible-tempered Mr. Big of independents says, 'I am calmer, better. After almost three years of soap opera with my previous business partners, I am feeling the excitement of a fantastic freedom. Disney's Bob Iger and I have a wonderful relationship. The pressure's down. And I think even the people who work for me every day would say I'm in a less tumultuous frame of mind.'"
(image via hello!magazine)
Out: Paris Hilton. The ink had barely dried on the dog magazine press release which scored Paris Hilton as the worst pet owner in the known cosmos before the amateur porn star issued her own sentimental "Fuck You Very Much" back at them.
Paris, if you don't already know, has become a pet-parent again, adopting two puppies. (A considerable pause) Obviously, in a past life, those puppies were brutal African dictators. Karma's a bitch, you see. According to Hello!Magazine:
"Accompanied by her little sister Nicky, the reality TV star hit the city's shops carrying the tiny canines. And her furry friends may soon be making key decisions for the 24-year-old. Paris has said she relies on her Chihuahua Tinkerbell to approve new suitors."
You're going to die, puppy! (image via hello!magazine)
"'If Tink likes a guy, I know they're good,' she once revealed. The blonde beauty, who also counts a ferret, a goat and a kinkajou aong her menagerie, is so attached to her pets she once tried to board a plane with the animals after a shopping spree in Las Vegas. Unimpressed flight attendants directed her to the nearest car hire to make the six-hour drive home to California."
(image via 15minutesmagazine)
In: David Patrick Columbia. We like it especially when our favorite social chronicler mixes in the personal and all things societal. David Patrick Columbia doesn't disappoint in today's NYSocialDiary:
"I walked a few more blocks in the freezing cold to the townhouse of Arthur Altschul who dates Patricia Duff. They were having a big holiday cocktail party. Mr. Altschul is related to the prominent Lehman family here in New York, one of the distinguished 'Our Crowd' families.
"There were a number of the relatives among the guests. It was interesting because dynasties are always interesting.The party was on two floors. On the first floor was a bar overlooking the back patio of the house which features a waterfall. The bartender in black tie was serving pink champagne. Excellent. Other waiters in white jackets were passing the hors d�oeuvres. I saw several people I recognized including Richard Meier the architect ... Mort Zuckerman, Richard Cohen, the political columnist ... Alexandra and Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Katrina vanden Heuvel and many more who looked very familiar but whom I don�t know.
"Ms. Duff has long been active in political circles and so there were, no doubt, a lot of politcal personalities and/or commentators there.
"It was one of those cocktail parties where I thought I�d stop in and say hello and turn around and leave. But it turned out to be one of those parties where everyone was in a chatty and friendly mood, so there was all kinds of talking to people I�d never met before. Jay Cantor is the man who gave me and JH a tour of the Jay Gould house 'Lyndhurst' last summer up in Irvington on the Hudson. We ended up talking about writers. He asked me if I�d ever read David Sedaris who has a new book out. No, I hadn�t. So as he was leaving, Jay handed me paperback of a Sedaris book called Holidays on Ice. Frankly I never thought I�d even open it since humor writers are not my priority.Then about nine o�clock I decided I needed to get home, so I left, with my book. I couldn�t find a taxi so I decided to take a bus up Third Avenue.
"Once in my seat, I opened Holidays On Ice. The first part is about the author applying for a job as an elf at holiday time at Macy�s. It was hysterical. I was laughing out loud all the way up Third Avenue. The kind of laughing where you know other people are looking at you and either thinking you�re nuts or wondering what you�re reading that�s so funny. A perfect holiday cocktail party."
Lunch at Michael's
(image via chriscaffery)
Yesterdays' Lunch at Michael's, where the media titans go to swoop down on a hearty bowl of crab bisque, courtesy of our favorite Canadian, Rachel Sklar of FishbowlNY:
"7: Court TV's Henry Schlieff.
"8: David Patrick Columbia's customary table, where he was joined by Chris Meigher, publisher of Quest Magazine.
"1: Here's where the sweet, sweet jazz comes in: Elvis Costello and Diana Krall enjoying lunch and, presumably, each other.
"2: Time Warner editor-in-chief John Huey, who was not in our sightlines so we can't say whether he looked troubled by yesterday's surprising round of pre-holiday layoffs.
"... 11: Lloyd Grove with CNN morning anchor Soledad O'Brien, who even from across the room was really glowing (you too, Lloyd). Apparently getting up for 6 am start time is not as killingly painful as it sounds."
Grove's new padawan, BTW, is Katherine Thomson.
".. 20: Hotshot music lawyer (and Lizzie dad) Allan Grubman, joined by an upbeat salt-and-pepper-haired man in a suit and a soul patch.
"14: Pam Fiore, editor of Town & Country.
"... 26: First shift: David Corus from NBC. Second shift: Fetching WWD 'Memo Pad' scribe Sara James with fetching Gawker scribe Jesse Oxfeld.
"... 28: The Tweedledum and Tweedledee of Blazered Magazine Editor Cuteness And Big Bowls of Broth, David Zinczenko and Adam Moss (it's a hotly contested title). Both were in fine form (and both were in white shirts, black blazers, and rakishly ruffled hair), laughing, smiling and seeming to have a great time ..."
Broth? That sounds a tad insubstantial for magazine editors faced with the task of shaping reality. Perhaps they are both on the ab diet?
The full monte here.
(image via chriscaffery)
Yesterdays' Lunch at Michael's, where the media titans go to swoop down on a hearty bowl of crab bisque, courtesy of our favorite Canadian, Rachel Sklar of FishbowlNY:
"7: Court TV's Henry Schlieff.
"8: David Patrick Columbia's customary table, where he was joined by Chris Meigher, publisher of Quest Magazine.
"1: Here's where the sweet, sweet jazz comes in: Elvis Costello and Diana Krall enjoying lunch and, presumably, each other.
"2: Time Warner editor-in-chief John Huey, who was not in our sightlines so we can't say whether he looked troubled by yesterday's surprising round of pre-holiday layoffs.
"... 11: Lloyd Grove with CNN morning anchor Soledad O'Brien, who even from across the room was really glowing (you too, Lloyd). Apparently getting up for 6 am start time is not as killingly painful as it sounds."
Grove's new padawan, BTW, is Katherine Thomson.
".. 20: Hotshot music lawyer (and Lizzie dad) Allan Grubman, joined by an upbeat salt-and-pepper-haired man in a suit and a soul patch.
"14: Pam Fiore, editor of Town & Country.
"... 26: First shift: David Corus from NBC. Second shift: Fetching WWD 'Memo Pad' scribe Sara James with fetching Gawker scribe Jesse Oxfeld.
"... 28: The Tweedledum and Tweedledee of Blazered Magazine Editor Cuteness And Big Bowls of Broth, David Zinczenko and Adam Moss (it's a hotly contested title). Both were in fine form (and both were in white shirts, black blazers, and rakishly ruffled hair), laughing, smiling and seeming to have a great time ..."
Broth? That sounds a tad insubstantial for magazine editors faced with the task of shaping reality. Perhaps they are both on the ab diet?
The full monte here.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...
Hey: Even a "Hugh's" gotta eat. (image via hello!magazine)
He's got 99 problems but dead squirrel aint one. (image via ohnotheydidnt)
Squeezed in Translation. (image via go_fug_yourself)
But what I really want, Santa, is for Kimora to get laryngitis. (image via ohnotheydidnt)
Hey: Even a "Hugh's" gotta eat. (image via hello!magazine)
He's got 99 problems but dead squirrel aint one. (image via ohnotheydidnt)
Squeezed in Translation. (image via go_fug_yourself)
But what I really want, Santa, is for Kimora to get laryngitis. (image via ohnotheydidnt)
A Little of the Old In and Out
(image via theobserver)
In: Woody Allen, Dramatist. Thank God Woody Allen is done with comedy. Granted, he needed to go "light" after that dreadful row with Mia Farrow; but still. (Averted Gaze) Comedy is a young man's game.
Suzy Hansen does a wonderful profile of Woody Allen in the salmon-colored weekly, which says, in part:
"For New Yorkers of a certain age�and I�m 28�he is still our director, the Jewish Male of All Jewish Males, an important and orienting force for nascent American shiksas everywhere. He has celebrated a kind of perpetual adolescence. He is the New York of wit, banter, bookstores, infidelity, hardwood floors, moldings and area rugs, cocktail piano, live television studios, gray skies, sell-by-date romances, movie lines and movie-line references, fallible best friends and fragrant dinner parties, young and na�ve beautiful women, older and smarter quirky men. His milieu is his memory, his persona not him, he says, but a construction: Alvy, Isaac, Gabe, Harry. Fielding Mellish.
"Then, black clouds, etc. Mia culpa.
"The past decade has been another era: Soon-Yi, children, Europe, some empty art houses, Small Time Crooks, Anything Else, a cruel crack in the jaw from his old safe port, The New York Times�the paper whose late, great film critic, Vincent Canby, saw Renoir and Bergman in Woody Allen. Then, a stunningly successful stand-up at the Oscars after Sept. 11, a couple of more stinkers, and, out of the mists of Variety, a cry: 'Woody�s back!' It was for Match Point, a somber, violent, stirring film, shot far away from New York in dank, posh London, starring Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. The hype returned, but calmly, without the strain of wishful desperation."
(image via blunt.house.gov)
Out: Congressman Roy Blunt. The DeLay limbo has placed acting Majority Leader -- and Majority Whip -- Congressman Blunt in a delicate position. One, Blunt is widely regarded as being a less-capable leader than his predecesor.
Two, Blunt was expected to be nothing more than a loyal placeholder for Tom DeLay; but now that the Texas legislator is going to trial (and facing a primary challenge or two), other, more ambitious members of the House (John Boehner, cough, cough) are gunning for the job. According to TheHill:
"Committee chairmen in the House have defied and frustrated leadership officials this year by publicly questioning their decisions and, at times, voting against high-profile bills.
"... Rep. Charles Bass (R-N.H.), who has publicly called for leadership elections, believes that the chairmen are challenging interim House Majority Leader and Whip Roy Blunt�s (R-Mo.) authority.
"In a November interview on C-SPAN, Bass said, 'I believe [the House Republican conference] works better when he have open elections, when we have a real majority leader.'
�'I have no qualms or reservations about the hard work [House Majority Leader and Majority Whip] Roy Blunt [R-Mo.] has done but he is shackled by the fact that he�s only acting [majority leader], and the committee chairmen, most of whom have been there a lot longer than he has, don�t feel the kind of allegiance to him that they might feel if the whole conference had elected him and he fought for the seat against other qualified candidates.'"
Paltrow and her newly plump decolettage at Annie Hall. (image via wireimage/ Ferdaus Shanim)
In: Gwyneth Paltrow's Boobs. We are not really a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow. She strikes us as exciting as a magnum of chloroform. (Averted Gaze) But, we have to admit, pregnancy has done wonders for her, uhm, form. (A considerable pause) And we're not the only ones noticing. According to the 3AM Girls:
"(Orlando Bloom) was bowled over by her curvy new look when he spotted her at the celeb-packed Motorola Grand Classics screening of Annie Hall at Notting Hill's Electric Cinema on Monday night.
"The 28-year-old Lord Of The Rings star obviously hadn't rumbled the worst-kept secret in showbiz - that Gwyneth is expecting her second baby. But she soon put him right.
"Our insider at the exclusive bash, who overheard snippets of conversation between the two, tells us: 'Orlando hasn't seen Gwyneth in a while and he remarked how big her chest looked.
"'She just laughed and said, 'I know, they are big. I can't believe it. It's amazing, isn't it? It's the best thing about being pregnant. I love the way I look!'"
(image via forbes)
Out: Carl Icahn. Perhaps he has some strong ideas, but Carl Icahn really comes off like a massive prick. Hey, dude, mellow out: Cut Richard Parsons some slack; get up off his ass! According to Staci at Paidcontent:
"What a great present having this settled by the end of the year would be ... and what an unlikely one. Now Carl Icahn wants Time Warner to cough up the minutes of board meetings where, according to Steve Case, breaking up the company was discussed and vetoed. (SEC filing.) He also wants an accounting of PR spending by the company. (When is another shareholder going to ask for an accounting of how much Icahn's effort is costing the company? Just curious.)
" -- Keeping an Eye on Icahn: A scathing take on Icahn, who author James B. Stewart recalls from his own reporting days as 'a notorious 'greenmailer,' a corporate raider'
"... Based on past experience, I don't entirely trust the new activist Icahn to function in the broader interest of Time Warner shareholders. *Chairman and CEO Richard) Parsons has delivered so far on his promises and has impressed me as someone with integrity. He has rightly stressed the need for a sound, long-term strategy, not just an attempt to make a quick killing. But it's time to take the debate over Time Warner's future out of the privacy of the boardroom and into the public arena.' He suggests that could help the company with investors.
"-- Proxy Fight For Time Warner Predicted: Now that would be a shock ... "
More Staci here.
(image via nysocialdiary)
In: Donna Karan. The past few days have been all-Karan-all-the-time. According to our favorite social chronicler David Patrick Columbia in NYSocialDiary:
"I went around the block and up the avenue to Donna Karan�s boutique where the designer was hosting a party with Jay Johnson, Sandra Brant, Bob Colacello, Arthur Dunnam, Tom Cashin and Temo Callahan in celebration of Jed Johnson�s work and the publication of Jed Johnson: Opulent Restraint (Rizzoli New York).
"We covered the publication of the book when Barbaralee and Carl Spielvogel gave a party for Jay, the twin brother of the late interior designer who lost his life in the Flight 800 tragedy over Long Island several years ago.There is a great lingering Andy Warhol influence in this crowd.
"Bob Colacello took his first steps in the media celebrity firmament as a/d/c and editor for Andy. The Johnson twins were prominent members of Andy�s Factory gang. Indeed, Sandra Brant and her partner Ingrid Sischy own and run Warhol�s creation Interview Magazine which set the tone for popular culture magazines.
"Karan�s large and elegant shop was beautifully decorated for the holiday season with a large Christmas tree covered in white lights and lots of red garments on the mannequins."
A magnum of our best fizzy stuff for our sweet. (image via 2rosas)
And, definitely In: Socialitelife. Congrats to our magnificent blog wife, Miu. We've always regarded her as number one, but now others are in on the not-so-secret. Cheers, Luvy.
(image via theobserver)
In: Woody Allen, Dramatist. Thank God Woody Allen is done with comedy. Granted, he needed to go "light" after that dreadful row with Mia Farrow; but still. (Averted Gaze) Comedy is a young man's game.
Suzy Hansen does a wonderful profile of Woody Allen in the salmon-colored weekly, which says, in part:
"For New Yorkers of a certain age�and I�m 28�he is still our director, the Jewish Male of All Jewish Males, an important and orienting force for nascent American shiksas everywhere. He has celebrated a kind of perpetual adolescence. He is the New York of wit, banter, bookstores, infidelity, hardwood floors, moldings and area rugs, cocktail piano, live television studios, gray skies, sell-by-date romances, movie lines and movie-line references, fallible best friends and fragrant dinner parties, young and na�ve beautiful women, older and smarter quirky men. His milieu is his memory, his persona not him, he says, but a construction: Alvy, Isaac, Gabe, Harry. Fielding Mellish.
"Then, black clouds, etc. Mia culpa.
"The past decade has been another era: Soon-Yi, children, Europe, some empty art houses, Small Time Crooks, Anything Else, a cruel crack in the jaw from his old safe port, The New York Times�the paper whose late, great film critic, Vincent Canby, saw Renoir and Bergman in Woody Allen. Then, a stunningly successful stand-up at the Oscars after Sept. 11, a couple of more stinkers, and, out of the mists of Variety, a cry: 'Woody�s back!' It was for Match Point, a somber, violent, stirring film, shot far away from New York in dank, posh London, starring Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. The hype returned, but calmly, without the strain of wishful desperation."
(image via blunt.house.gov)
Out: Congressman Roy Blunt. The DeLay limbo has placed acting Majority Leader -- and Majority Whip -- Congressman Blunt in a delicate position. One, Blunt is widely regarded as being a less-capable leader than his predecesor.
Two, Blunt was expected to be nothing more than a loyal placeholder for Tom DeLay; but now that the Texas legislator is going to trial (and facing a primary challenge or two), other, more ambitious members of the House (John Boehner, cough, cough) are gunning for the job. According to TheHill:
"Committee chairmen in the House have defied and frustrated leadership officials this year by publicly questioning their decisions and, at times, voting against high-profile bills.
"... Rep. Charles Bass (R-N.H.), who has publicly called for leadership elections, believes that the chairmen are challenging interim House Majority Leader and Whip Roy Blunt�s (R-Mo.) authority.
"In a November interview on C-SPAN, Bass said, 'I believe [the House Republican conference] works better when he have open elections, when we have a real majority leader.'
�'I have no qualms or reservations about the hard work [House Majority Leader and Majority Whip] Roy Blunt [R-Mo.] has done but he is shackled by the fact that he�s only acting [majority leader], and the committee chairmen, most of whom have been there a lot longer than he has, don�t feel the kind of allegiance to him that they might feel if the whole conference had elected him and he fought for the seat against other qualified candidates.'"
Paltrow and her newly plump decolettage at Annie Hall. (image via wireimage/ Ferdaus Shanim)
In: Gwyneth Paltrow's Boobs. We are not really a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow. She strikes us as exciting as a magnum of chloroform. (Averted Gaze) But, we have to admit, pregnancy has done wonders for her, uhm, form. (A considerable pause) And we're not the only ones noticing. According to the 3AM Girls:
"(Orlando Bloom) was bowled over by her curvy new look when he spotted her at the celeb-packed Motorola Grand Classics screening of Annie Hall at Notting Hill's Electric Cinema on Monday night.
"The 28-year-old Lord Of The Rings star obviously hadn't rumbled the worst-kept secret in showbiz - that Gwyneth is expecting her second baby. But she soon put him right.
"Our insider at the exclusive bash, who overheard snippets of conversation between the two, tells us: 'Orlando hasn't seen Gwyneth in a while and he remarked how big her chest looked.
"'She just laughed and said, 'I know, they are big. I can't believe it. It's amazing, isn't it? It's the best thing about being pregnant. I love the way I look!'"
(image via forbes)
Out: Carl Icahn. Perhaps he has some strong ideas, but Carl Icahn really comes off like a massive prick. Hey, dude, mellow out: Cut Richard Parsons some slack; get up off his ass! According to Staci at Paidcontent:
"What a great present having this settled by the end of the year would be ... and what an unlikely one. Now Carl Icahn wants Time Warner to cough up the minutes of board meetings where, according to Steve Case, breaking up the company was discussed and vetoed. (SEC filing.) He also wants an accounting of PR spending by the company. (When is another shareholder going to ask for an accounting of how much Icahn's effort is costing the company? Just curious.)
" -- Keeping an Eye on Icahn: A scathing take on Icahn, who author James B. Stewart recalls from his own reporting days as 'a notorious 'greenmailer,' a corporate raider'
"... Based on past experience, I don't entirely trust the new activist Icahn to function in the broader interest of Time Warner shareholders. *Chairman and CEO Richard) Parsons has delivered so far on his promises and has impressed me as someone with integrity. He has rightly stressed the need for a sound, long-term strategy, not just an attempt to make a quick killing. But it's time to take the debate over Time Warner's future out of the privacy of the boardroom and into the public arena.' He suggests that could help the company with investors.
"-- Proxy Fight For Time Warner Predicted: Now that would be a shock ... "
More Staci here.
(image via nysocialdiary)
In: Donna Karan. The past few days have been all-Karan-all-the-time. According to our favorite social chronicler David Patrick Columbia in NYSocialDiary:
"I went around the block and up the avenue to Donna Karan�s boutique where the designer was hosting a party with Jay Johnson, Sandra Brant, Bob Colacello, Arthur Dunnam, Tom Cashin and Temo Callahan in celebration of Jed Johnson�s work and the publication of Jed Johnson: Opulent Restraint (Rizzoli New York).
"We covered the publication of the book when Barbaralee and Carl Spielvogel gave a party for Jay, the twin brother of the late interior designer who lost his life in the Flight 800 tragedy over Long Island several years ago.There is a great lingering Andy Warhol influence in this crowd.
"Bob Colacello took his first steps in the media celebrity firmament as a/d/c and editor for Andy. The Johnson twins were prominent members of Andy�s Factory gang. Indeed, Sandra Brant and her partner Ingrid Sischy own and run Warhol�s creation Interview Magazine which set the tone for popular culture magazines.
"Karan�s large and elegant shop was beautifully decorated for the holiday season with a large Christmas tree covered in white lights and lots of red garments on the mannequins."
A magnum of our best fizzy stuff for our sweet. (image via 2rosas)
And, definitely In: Socialitelife. Congrats to our magnificent blog wife, Miu. We've always regarded her as number one, but now others are in on the not-so-secret. Cheers, Luvy.
Dave Chappelle Gets Sued
Sunday, Comedy Central assembled together the measly scraps of Chappelle's thwarted third season for a trailer in anticipation of the soi-dissant "Chappelle wake." Today, TheSmokingGun (link via defamer) airs Dave Chappelle's dirty laundry (And, financials):
"Claiming that Dave Chappelle has stiffed him for at least $864,500, the comedian's former personal manager has sued the star, opening a window on the performer's finances and his lucrative Comedy Central deal. In a breach of contract complaint filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Mustafa Abuelhija claims that he and Chappelle last September entered into a management agreement, though the deal 'was never reduced to writing.' In late-June, upon his return from an abrupt and mysterious South African sojourn, the 32-year-old Chappelle fired Abuelhija during a meeting at a San Francisco hotel, according to the lawsuit, an excerpt of which you'll find below During his 10 months as Chappelle's manager, Abuelhija contends that he played a crucial role in deals that earned the comedian about $10 million (and which potentially could earn Chappelle tens of millions more). Abuelhija, who began working as Chappelle's 'jack-of-all-trades' in 2001, claims that he is owed a piece of the performer's 'Chappelle's Show' deal with Comedy Central as well as a chunk of revenues generated by personal appearances, a future DVD, and the Michel Gondry-directed movie 'Dave Chappelle's Block Party.'"
Chappelle made a killing on the DVDs. He's rich, bitch. No wonder he can find time to tour the "Funny Bone" in Kentiucky. (TheSmokingGun)
Sunday, Comedy Central assembled together the measly scraps of Chappelle's thwarted third season for a trailer in anticipation of the soi-dissant "Chappelle wake." Today, TheSmokingGun (link via defamer) airs Dave Chappelle's dirty laundry (And, financials):
"Claiming that Dave Chappelle has stiffed him for at least $864,500, the comedian's former personal manager has sued the star, opening a window on the performer's finances and his lucrative Comedy Central deal. In a breach of contract complaint filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Mustafa Abuelhija claims that he and Chappelle last September entered into a management agreement, though the deal 'was never reduced to writing.' In late-June, upon his return from an abrupt and mysterious South African sojourn, the 32-year-old Chappelle fired Abuelhija during a meeting at a San Francisco hotel, according to the lawsuit, an excerpt of which you'll find below During his 10 months as Chappelle's manager, Abuelhija contends that he played a crucial role in deals that earned the comedian about $10 million (and which potentially could earn Chappelle tens of millions more). Abuelhija, who began working as Chappelle's 'jack-of-all-trades' in 2001, claims that he is owed a piece of the performer's 'Chappelle's Show' deal with Comedy Central as well as a chunk of revenues generated by personal appearances, a future DVD, and the Michel Gondry-directed movie 'Dave Chappelle's Block Party.'"
Chappelle made a killing on the DVDs. He's rich, bitch. No wonder he can find time to tour the "Funny Bone" in Kentiucky. (TheSmokingGun)
On Usher's Colonic
(image via msn)
One of the best interviews we've ever read concerning Usher is in the Complex December/January issue on sale now. Here's a taste:
"Complex: I heard you get a monthly colonic to clean out your colon. Is that true?
"Usher: Nah man. I mean yeah ..."
As you can see, we're off to a rocking start. Break it down for us, Ush:
"Usher: ... I had a colonic before but not no shit like that. Not no monthly thing. Hell no. Someone who travels alot like I do, while you're on the road, flying over to Africa and eating meats in certain places, you don't always eat the way you should and a lot of waste builds up in your body. That's why I did it."
Hm. We sense shame. Why is Ush veering into the second person? "While you're on the road," and, "a lot of waste builds up in your body." What goes on in Africa stays in Africa, Ush.
"Complex: Doesn't that procedure involve having a tube inserted into your rectum? It all sounds pretty painful, brother.
"Usher: It aint no shit you're gonna be proud of, I'll tell you that."
(A considerable pause) The interview continues:
"Complex: ... Tell me a shocking Usher story that might scare off some of your kiddie fans.
"Usher: Um, nothings gonna be shocking at this point, you've read it in the tabloids. You know, the orgies and the whole nine. At 15 being surrounded by that shit I saw, looking at orgies and all kinds of stuff, I had the lifestyle of a rock star.
"Complex: Were there homosexual activities going on in any of these orgies? That might be a shocking story ..
"Usher: There was woman-on-woman but never man-on-man. Shit, nowhere near that! Hell, no. No one that I ever roll with or would roll with would get down like that."
Unless, of course, that tube inserted into the rectum was done by a registered nurse or medical doctor with a gentle touch. More:
"Complex: ... You seem like a laid back dude. Do you ever get rah rah? Like did you ever smash somebody in the face with a bottle or steal a VCR out of somebody's crib?
"Usher: I aint never really been the type to be getting thug and shit like that. You know -- breaking into people's houses, or cars. I just always tried to stay away from all that. And fighting, I don't necessarily lose my cool like that. I got people to handle that type of B.I. for me. I aint no hard cat like that either."
A touching moment of candor. And then the conversation turns ...
"Complex: If God was to take away, what would you rather give up: your voice or your penis?
"Usher: What kind of question is that to ask somebody, man? Why would you ask me that? That's crazy?"
But the colonic and smash someone in the face with a bottle questions were above board.
(Complex)
(image via msn)
One of the best interviews we've ever read concerning Usher is in the Complex December/January issue on sale now. Here's a taste:
"Complex: I heard you get a monthly colonic to clean out your colon. Is that true?
"Usher: Nah man. I mean yeah ..."
As you can see, we're off to a rocking start. Break it down for us, Ush:
"Usher: ... I had a colonic before but not no shit like that. Not no monthly thing. Hell no. Someone who travels alot like I do, while you're on the road, flying over to Africa and eating meats in certain places, you don't always eat the way you should and a lot of waste builds up in your body. That's why I did it."
Hm. We sense shame. Why is Ush veering into the second person? "While you're on the road," and, "a lot of waste builds up in your body." What goes on in Africa stays in Africa, Ush.
"Complex: Doesn't that procedure involve having a tube inserted into your rectum? It all sounds pretty painful, brother.
"Usher: It aint no shit you're gonna be proud of, I'll tell you that."
(A considerable pause) The interview continues:
"Complex: ... Tell me a shocking Usher story that might scare off some of your kiddie fans.
"Usher: Um, nothings gonna be shocking at this point, you've read it in the tabloids. You know, the orgies and the whole nine. At 15 being surrounded by that shit I saw, looking at orgies and all kinds of stuff, I had the lifestyle of a rock star.
"Complex: Were there homosexual activities going on in any of these orgies? That might be a shocking story ..
"Usher: There was woman-on-woman but never man-on-man. Shit, nowhere near that! Hell, no. No one that I ever roll with or would roll with would get down like that."
Unless, of course, that tube inserted into the rectum was done by a registered nurse or medical doctor with a gentle touch. More:
"Complex: ... You seem like a laid back dude. Do you ever get rah rah? Like did you ever smash somebody in the face with a bottle or steal a VCR out of somebody's crib?
"Usher: I aint never really been the type to be getting thug and shit like that. You know -- breaking into people's houses, or cars. I just always tried to stay away from all that. And fighting, I don't necessarily lose my cool like that. I got people to handle that type of B.I. for me. I aint no hard cat like that either."
A touching moment of candor. And then the conversation turns ...
"Complex: If God was to take away, what would you rather give up: your voice or your penis?
"Usher: What kind of question is that to ask somebody, man? Why would you ask me that? That's crazy?"
But the colonic and smash someone in the face with a bottle questions were above board.
(Complex)
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...
How much money could we be making if we weren't here? (image via nysocialdiary)
... Feed me? (image via supload via ohnotheydidnt)
He had a very odd way of saying hello. (image via thecobrasnake)
" ... Cartesian science, I want to argue, is an attempt to construct a bastion of reason against the terrifying God of nominalism." (image via style via Sarah Jaye Weiss for Abaca USA / Courtesy of Nike Communications)
How much money could we be making if we weren't here? (image via nysocialdiary)
... Feed me? (image via supload via ohnotheydidnt)
He had a very odd way of saying hello. (image via thecobrasnake)
" ... Cartesian science, I want to argue, is an attempt to construct a bastion of reason against the terrifying God of nominalism." (image via style via Sarah Jaye Weiss for Abaca USA / Courtesy of Nike Communications)
George Stephanopoulos Named The Alphabet's Washington Correspondent
(image via emmyonline.org)
We're not going to entertain the possibility that this "promotion" -- wink, wink -- was a face-saving maneuver by the alphabet network to keep Old Steph happy after not giving him the Nightline slot that he clearly coveted. Heaven forfend! According to Medialife:
"'This Week' host George Stephanopoulos has been appointed chief Washington correspondent by ABC News, reporting for 'World News Tonight,' 'Nightline' and 'Good Morning America,' in addition to his own show. Stephanopoulos has been with ABC News for 10 years."
(image via emmyonline.org)
We're not going to entertain the possibility that this "promotion" -- wink, wink -- was a face-saving maneuver by the alphabet network to keep Old Steph happy after not giving him the Nightline slot that he clearly coveted. Heaven forfend! According to Medialife:
"'This Week' host George Stephanopoulos has been appointed chief Washington correspondent by ABC News, reporting for 'World News Tonight,' 'Nightline' and 'Good Morning America,' in addition to his own show. Stephanopoulos has been with ABC News for 10 years."
Ballerina Girl Rahm Emmanuel: The Anti-Howard Dean
(image via nndb)
We cannot quite figure out if the studied contrast between Howard Dean and former ballet dancer turned Democratic Party heavy Rahm Emmanuel is affected or pure happenstance. Whatever the case, Rahm Emmanuel is the icy, pragmatic foil to Howard Dean's idealistic naive, political waif.
According to TheHill:
"Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), will not repeat Howard Dean�s prediction that the Democrats are going to win back the House in the 2006 midterm elections.
"In an interview with The Hill, the second-term congressman makes it clear that he will not go as far as the Democratic National Committee chairman, who wrote in this newspaper Nov. 30 that his party would take control of both chambers next November.
�'We�re not in a game of predictions,' Emanuel says, apparently about to clash with his colleague in a nearby office. But he then threads the needle, indicating a certain disapproval without subsiding into open criticism. 'I don�t want to do that,' he goes on, 'Others can and do, and that�s their right. My job here is to affect, not predict.'
And if it wasn't enough that his notoriously brusque, on-message political persona didn't come through in those imperial thumos-infused pronouncements, this:
"Emanuel is sitting in his white-walled office at DCCC headquarters, holding a leaking ice pack on one knee to treat an injury suffered during a Thanksgiving-holiday game of touch football."
Blogger, please. You're still our ballerina girl, Rahm. No matter how many ostentatious displays of feigned athleticism and macho kinesis. To paraphrase the mellow Lionel Ritchie: "Don't you ever go away/ Ballerina Girl... "
New Corsair posts here.
(image via nndb)
We cannot quite figure out if the studied contrast between Howard Dean and former ballet dancer turned Democratic Party heavy Rahm Emmanuel is affected or pure happenstance. Whatever the case, Rahm Emmanuel is the icy, pragmatic foil to Howard Dean's idealistic naive, political waif.
According to TheHill:
"Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), will not repeat Howard Dean�s prediction that the Democrats are going to win back the House in the 2006 midterm elections.
"In an interview with The Hill, the second-term congressman makes it clear that he will not go as far as the Democratic National Committee chairman, who wrote in this newspaper Nov. 30 that his party would take control of both chambers next November.
�'We�re not in a game of predictions,' Emanuel says, apparently about to clash with his colleague in a nearby office. But he then threads the needle, indicating a certain disapproval without subsiding into open criticism. 'I don�t want to do that,' he goes on, 'Others can and do, and that�s their right. My job here is to affect, not predict.'
And if it wasn't enough that his notoriously brusque, on-message political persona didn't come through in those imperial thumos-infused pronouncements, this:
"Emanuel is sitting in his white-walled office at DCCC headquarters, holding a leaking ice pack on one knee to treat an injury suffered during a Thanksgiving-holiday game of touch football."
Blogger, please. You're still our ballerina girl, Rahm. No matter how many ostentatious displays of feigned athleticism and macho kinesis. To paraphrase the mellow Lionel Ritchie: "Don't you ever go away/ Ballerina Girl... "
New Corsair posts here.
On Golden Globe
(image via theworldjournal)
And how fucking distracting was Globe nominations presenter Kate Beckinsale's legs? (image via statesman)
The Corsair is not so outside so as not to know that the Golden Globes are essentially a meaningless award given by a dubious organization of silly little freaks. They're oily too, but we won't mention that. (The Corsair sparks up a Montecristo) Still, they do give off some momentum for the Oscars stretch.
Keeping that in mind, we are going to take on the nominations (Corsair pick in red):
Picture, Drama: "Brokeback Mountain," "The Constant Gardener," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "A History of Violence," "Match Point."
And, you might even get diagnosed with lung cancer by the end of the screening.
Actress, Drama: Maria Bello, "A History of Violence"; Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica"; Gwyneth Paltrow, "Proof"; Charlize Theron, "North Country"; Ziyi Zhang, "Memoirs of a Geisha."
We quote the always on-point Michael Musto: "Desperate Housewives' FELICITY HUFFMAN plays a transsexual in the upcoming mixed-bag film Transamerica, and at first I thought she was way too tasteful and subdued to register as anywhere approaching convincing. The trannies I know are generally good-time gals who run around screaming 'Ay, papi! My pussy's on fire!' while shaking tambourines and singing Madonna songs. But then I remembered having met some transsexuals of the type that want to pass for women (which they are) and do so with subtle body language and light makeup. Felicity nailed it."
Actor, Drama: Russell Crowe, "Cinderella Man"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"; Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow"; Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain"; David Strathairn, "Good Night, and Good Luck."
It's Hoffman's world, people, we just live in it.
Picture, Musical or Comedy: "Mrs. Henderson Presents," "Pride & Prejudice," "The Producers," "The Squid and the Whale," "Walk the Line."
Actress, Musical or Comedy: Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents"; Keira Knightley, "Pride & Prejudice"; Laura Linney, "The Squid and the Whale"; Sarah Jessica Parker, "The Family Stone"; Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line."
God bless Reese Witherspoon's giant nugget-sized head! The only casualty here will be Ryan Phillippe's rapidly diminishing manhood. Does he still have an office off Melrose? Does he still go there with his briefcase? What the fuck does he do all day? Scribble?
A propos of nothing --WTF: Sarah Jessica Parker?!
Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson, "Match Point"; Shirley MacLaine, "In Her Shoes"; Frances McDormand, "North Country"; Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"; Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain."
We dig Rachel Weisz's sexy Jewish woman mojo (The Corsair sips an Armagnac with secondary wood aromas); she always looks as if she languidly stepped out of a Modigiani painting. And, we believe it will be Rachel Weisz's year at the Oscars as well. Best Supporting Actress Oscar usually goes to a hott starlet -- Jennifer Connelly -- or a stately elder actress at the end of an illustriuous career.
Supporting Actor: George Clooney, "Syriana"; Matt Dillon, "Crash"; Will Ferrell, "The Producers"; Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man"; Bob Hoskins, "Mrs. Henderson Presents."
We can't imagine a universe in which Matt Dillon is actually awarded for his work; similarly, we can't imagine a universe in which we'd actually pay $12 to see Bob Hoskins in anything.
Director: Woody Allen, "Match Point"; George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Peter Jackson, "King Kong"; Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"; Fernando Meirelles, "The Constant Gardener"; Steven Spielberg, "Munich."
Woody Allen so goddam deserves this, if only to coerce him to veer clear of lightweight comedies which are so beneath a man of his stature, and to keep chasing American drama; a genre this country has far to few pursuing luminaries. But the dubious, oily chaps at the Hollywood Foreign Press were made for the jocular "Kong," no?
Screenplay: Woody Allen, "Match Point"; George Clooney and Grant Heslov, "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, "Crash"; Tony Kushner and Eric Roth, "Munich"; Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, "Brokeback Mountain."
None of the above: The Best screenplay of the year was "The Squid and the Whale," honorable mention to "Broken Flowers". But if we must pick: We'll go with Clooney. BTW: Did you know his aunt Rosemary Clooney was an angry drunk?
Drama Series: "Commander in Chief," ABC; "Grey's Anatomy," ABC; "Lost," ABC; "Prison Break," Fox; "Rome," HBO
Rooooommmmeeeee!!!!!
Actress, Drama: Patricia Arquette, "Medium"; Glenn Close, "The Shield"; Geena Davis, "Commander in Chief"; Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"; Polly Walker, "Rome."
And we hope Polly Walker wears a sexy little number to fetch her award.
Actor, Drama: Patrick Dempsey, "Grey's Anatomy"; Matthew Fox, "Lost"; Hugh Laurie, "House"; Wentworth Miller, "Prison Break"; Kiefer Sutherland, "24."
Prison Break -- after Rome and the astonishingly well-written The West Wing -- is the smartest show on tv.
Series, Musical or Comedy: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO; "Desperate Housewives," ABC; "Entourage," HBO; "Everybody Hates Chris," UPN; "My Name is Earl," NBC; "Weeds," Showtime.
Do we need to explain this vote?
Actress, Musical or Comedy: Marcia Cross, "Desperate Housewives"; Teri Hatcher, "Desperate Housewives"; Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives"; Eva Longoria, "Desperate Housewives"; Mary-Louis Parker, "Weeds."
Mary-Louise, the woman Billy "What Was I Thinking" Crudup dumped for Claire Danes --! --if only that we can make "Golden Globe" breast jokes.
Actor, Musical or Comedy: Zach Braff, "Scrubs"; Steve Carell, "The Office"; Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"; Jason Lee, "My Name is Earl"; Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men."
Don't you want to hear Jason Lee thank his son, Pilot Inspektor, on live teevee?
Miniseries or movie: "Empire Falls," HBO; "Into the West," TNT; "Lackawanna Blues," HBO; "Sleeper Cell," Showtime; "Viva Blackpool," BBC America; "Warm Springs," HBO.
Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Halle Berry, "Their Eyes Were Watching God"; Kelly MacDonald, "The Girl in the Cafe"; S. Epatha Merkerson, "Lackawanna Blues"; Cynthia Nixon, "Warm Springs"; Mira Sorvino, "Human Trafficking."
( A considerable pause; embarrassment) Yeah, okay, we watched Lifetime -- (Ironic quotes) "victim tv," if you will -- to see Mira Sorvino. She deserves the Globe, though; really and truly.
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Naveen Andres, "Lost"; Paul Newman, "Empire Falls"; Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"; Randy Quaid, "Elvis"; Donald Sutherland, "Commander in Chief."
The Piv ought to have won this a year ago.
(image via theworldjournal)
And how fucking distracting was Globe nominations presenter Kate Beckinsale's legs? (image via statesman)
The Corsair is not so outside so as not to know that the Golden Globes are essentially a meaningless award given by a dubious organization of silly little freaks. They're oily too, but we won't mention that. (The Corsair sparks up a Montecristo) Still, they do give off some momentum for the Oscars stretch.
Keeping that in mind, we are going to take on the nominations (Corsair pick in red):
Picture, Drama: "Brokeback Mountain," "The Constant Gardener," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "A History of Violence," "Match Point."
And, you might even get diagnosed with lung cancer by the end of the screening.
Actress, Drama: Maria Bello, "A History of Violence"; Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica"; Gwyneth Paltrow, "Proof"; Charlize Theron, "North Country"; Ziyi Zhang, "Memoirs of a Geisha."
We quote the always on-point Michael Musto: "Desperate Housewives' FELICITY HUFFMAN plays a transsexual in the upcoming mixed-bag film Transamerica, and at first I thought she was way too tasteful and subdued to register as anywhere approaching convincing. The trannies I know are generally good-time gals who run around screaming 'Ay, papi! My pussy's on fire!' while shaking tambourines and singing Madonna songs. But then I remembered having met some transsexuals of the type that want to pass for women (which they are) and do so with subtle body language and light makeup. Felicity nailed it."
Actor, Drama: Russell Crowe, "Cinderella Man"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"; Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow"; Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain"; David Strathairn, "Good Night, and Good Luck."
It's Hoffman's world, people, we just live in it.
Picture, Musical or Comedy: "Mrs. Henderson Presents," "Pride & Prejudice," "The Producers," "The Squid and the Whale," "Walk the Line."
Actress, Musical or Comedy: Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents"; Keira Knightley, "Pride & Prejudice"; Laura Linney, "The Squid and the Whale"; Sarah Jessica Parker, "The Family Stone"; Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line."
God bless Reese Witherspoon's giant nugget-sized head! The only casualty here will be Ryan Phillippe's rapidly diminishing manhood. Does he still have an office off Melrose? Does he still go there with his briefcase? What the fuck does he do all day? Scribble?
A propos of nothing --WTF: Sarah Jessica Parker?!
Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson, "Match Point"; Shirley MacLaine, "In Her Shoes"; Frances McDormand, "North Country"; Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"; Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain."
We dig Rachel Weisz's sexy Jewish woman mojo (The Corsair sips an Armagnac with secondary wood aromas); she always looks as if she languidly stepped out of a Modigiani painting. And, we believe it will be Rachel Weisz's year at the Oscars as well. Best Supporting Actress Oscar usually goes to a hott starlet -- Jennifer Connelly -- or a stately elder actress at the end of an illustriuous career.
Supporting Actor: George Clooney, "Syriana"; Matt Dillon, "Crash"; Will Ferrell, "The Producers"; Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man"; Bob Hoskins, "Mrs. Henderson Presents."
We can't imagine a universe in which Matt Dillon is actually awarded for his work; similarly, we can't imagine a universe in which we'd actually pay $12 to see Bob Hoskins in anything.
Director: Woody Allen, "Match Point"; George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Peter Jackson, "King Kong"; Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"; Fernando Meirelles, "The Constant Gardener"; Steven Spielberg, "Munich."
Woody Allen so goddam deserves this, if only to coerce him to veer clear of lightweight comedies which are so beneath a man of his stature, and to keep chasing American drama; a genre this country has far to few pursuing luminaries. But the dubious, oily chaps at the Hollywood Foreign Press were made for the jocular "Kong," no?
Screenplay: Woody Allen, "Match Point"; George Clooney and Grant Heslov, "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, "Crash"; Tony Kushner and Eric Roth, "Munich"; Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, "Brokeback Mountain."
None of the above: The Best screenplay of the year was "The Squid and the Whale," honorable mention to "Broken Flowers". But if we must pick: We'll go with Clooney. BTW: Did you know his aunt Rosemary Clooney was an angry drunk?
Drama Series: "Commander in Chief," ABC; "Grey's Anatomy," ABC; "Lost," ABC; "Prison Break," Fox; "Rome," HBO
Rooooommmmeeeee!!!!!
Actress, Drama: Patricia Arquette, "Medium"; Glenn Close, "The Shield"; Geena Davis, "Commander in Chief"; Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"; Polly Walker, "Rome."
And we hope Polly Walker wears a sexy little number to fetch her award.
Actor, Drama: Patrick Dempsey, "Grey's Anatomy"; Matthew Fox, "Lost"; Hugh Laurie, "House"; Wentworth Miller, "Prison Break"; Kiefer Sutherland, "24."
Prison Break -- after Rome and the astonishingly well-written The West Wing -- is the smartest show on tv.
Series, Musical or Comedy: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO; "Desperate Housewives," ABC; "Entourage," HBO; "Everybody Hates Chris," UPN; "My Name is Earl," NBC; "Weeds," Showtime.
Do we need to explain this vote?
Actress, Musical or Comedy: Marcia Cross, "Desperate Housewives"; Teri Hatcher, "Desperate Housewives"; Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives"; Eva Longoria, "Desperate Housewives"; Mary-Louis Parker, "Weeds."
Mary-Louise, the woman Billy "What Was I Thinking" Crudup dumped for Claire Danes --! --if only that we can make "Golden Globe" breast jokes.
Actor, Musical or Comedy: Zach Braff, "Scrubs"; Steve Carell, "The Office"; Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"; Jason Lee, "My Name is Earl"; Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men."
Don't you want to hear Jason Lee thank his son, Pilot Inspektor, on live teevee?
Miniseries or movie: "Empire Falls," HBO; "Into the West," TNT; "Lackawanna Blues," HBO; "Sleeper Cell," Showtime; "Viva Blackpool," BBC America; "Warm Springs," HBO.
Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Halle Berry, "Their Eyes Were Watching God"; Kelly MacDonald, "The Girl in the Cafe"; S. Epatha Merkerson, "Lackawanna Blues"; Cynthia Nixon, "Warm Springs"; Mira Sorvino, "Human Trafficking."
( A considerable pause; embarrassment) Yeah, okay, we watched Lifetime -- (Ironic quotes) "victim tv," if you will -- to see Mira Sorvino. She deserves the Globe, though; really and truly.
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Naveen Andres, "Lost"; Paul Newman, "Empire Falls"; Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"; Randy Quaid, "Elvis"; Donald Sutherland, "Commander in Chief."
The Piv ought to have won this a year ago.
How Hott is Angelina Jolie?
(image via kennygunnie)
She's off the radar hott. Angelina Jolie's ex, Jennifer Shimizu still has feelings for the better half of Brangelina. According to our favorite superhero gossip duo Rush and Molloy:
"Model Jenny Shimizu says, 'I think we will continue to have a deep relationship. It really does go beyond just the sex.'
"Shimizu's passion for Jolie was tindered when they played lovers in the 1996 film 'Foxfire.'
"'We used to visit strip clubs and there was this tension,' the tattooed Asian beauty tells the London Sun. 'After the second week of filming, we kissed.
"'She is beautiful. Her mouth is amazing. I've never kissed anyone with a bigger mouth than Angelina. It's like two water beds - it's like this big kind of warm, mushy, beautiful thing.'
"Shimizu is ostensibly committed to her partner, Rebecca Loos (who, you may recall, claimed to have dallied with British soccer star David Beckham)."
We prefer to remember Rebecca Loos -- who sports a very meaningful name, by the way -- as the woman who manually gave a domesticated pig a "happy ending" on British TV. (Or, digitally, if you will)
"But she says, 'Whenever [Angelina] calls me up I visit her. It's not always the case that we have sex. Sometimes we go to her property in Cambodia and explore the jungle.'"
Even that's hott!
(image via kennygunnie)
She's off the radar hott. Angelina Jolie's ex, Jennifer Shimizu still has feelings for the better half of Brangelina. According to our favorite superhero gossip duo Rush and Molloy:
"Model Jenny Shimizu says, 'I think we will continue to have a deep relationship. It really does go beyond just the sex.'
"Shimizu's passion for Jolie was tindered when they played lovers in the 1996 film 'Foxfire.'
"'We used to visit strip clubs and there was this tension,' the tattooed Asian beauty tells the London Sun. 'After the second week of filming, we kissed.
"'She is beautiful. Her mouth is amazing. I've never kissed anyone with a bigger mouth than Angelina. It's like two water beds - it's like this big kind of warm, mushy, beautiful thing.'
"Shimizu is ostensibly committed to her partner, Rebecca Loos (who, you may recall, claimed to have dallied with British soccer star David Beckham)."
We prefer to remember Rebecca Loos -- who sports a very meaningful name, by the way -- as the woman who manually gave a domesticated pig a "happy ending" on British TV. (Or, digitally, if you will)
"But she says, 'Whenever [Angelina] calls me up I visit her. It's not always the case that we have sex. Sometimes we go to her property in Cambodia and explore the jungle.'"
Even that's hott!
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