Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



"...Pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars ... and night-vision green porn stars." (image via ohnotheydidnt)



The (Heatherette) freaks come out at night ... (image via wireimage)



"QT, contemplating what he's going to do to Rose McGowan's feet later in the evening. (image via justjared)



A mind is a terrible thing to waste. (image via indiewire)

A Little of the Old In and Out



(image via Harrywalker)

In: Larence O'Donnell. Lawrence O'Donnell, the Executive Producer of the West Wing and former Chief of Staff to the Senate Finance Committee has written an intriguing Op-Ed in the LATimes today. The subject is "The Age of Abramoff" and what precisely led us to this particular fine mess we find ourselves in.

In essence, O'Donnell says, it is when legislators begin to set up rules to maintain their power out of fear of losing their majority. Corruption, it seems, arises out of the mechanics of holding on to power. O'Donnell writes:

"There are honorable lobbyists. I dealt with them every day. By honorable lobbyists I do not mean just the ones who did pro-bono lobbying for charities. When a giant corporation such as Kodak sends its high-priced lobbying team in to talk to you about how Fuji is violating international trade laws, you listen � because Kodak is the last manufacturer of film left in the United States and the biggest employer in Rochester, N.Y. Yes, Kodak's lobbyists are trying to protect corporate profits, but they are also trying to protect American jobs and save Rochester from becoming a ghost town. Only the most zealous Marxist could fail to see the honor in that lobbying campaign.

"Good lobbyists tell you something you don't know � say, why teaching hospitals need more money for doctor training. They tell you what they think you should do about it, how to pay for it and, most important, who opposes it and why. They know their opposition is going to be lobbying you too, so they don't say anything that can be proved wrong in your next meeting.

"There aren't enough congressional staffers to keep track of the hundreds of thousands of issues under federal jurisdiction. Good government needs good lobbyists. In the last 11 years of Republican rule of the House, good lobbyists have lost much of their turf to bad lobbyists and some criminal lobbyists. It's all about the money.

"Republican congressmen, led by Tom DeLay of Texas, dramatically increased the pressure on lobbyists for campaign contributions for two reasons: The Republicans had a very small majority, and they believed they were only doing what the Democrats had been doing for the 40 years they controlled the House.But in those 40 years, Democrats never worried about losing the House. They had huge majorities � 149 seats under Tip O'Neill, 83 seats on the day they lost the majority. Democrats were much less insistent fundraisers than Republicans are now because they were confident � wrongly � that they would never lose the House.

"Republicans, having seen their own margin slip to as low as eight seats, rightly feel that control of the House is up for grabs every two years. During the 40 years that House Republicans were a powerless group locked out of every governing decision, they understandably got some crazy ideas about what was going on behind the Democrats' closed doors."

An interesting idea. More here.



(image via theage)

Out: The Sydney Papparazi. The Corsair likes the impromptu exposed celebrity ass-crack pic as much as anyone (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment), but sometimes they go to far. Like in this instance, via yahoo (via ohnotheydidnt):

"Five paparazzi photographers whom Heath Ledger allegedly spat at have retaliated at the Sydney premiere of his new movie - shooting the actor with water pistols."

Oh no they didn't.

"As Ledger arrived with partner Michelle Williams at Cinema Paris at Fox Studios on Friday night, the photographers took aim at the Hollywood heart-throb with the toys.

"They hit him in the face and chest, wetting his hair and clothing, in an action taking some 10 seconds.Ledger put his hands up to protect himself and tried to shield his partner, who was also hit by the water, as they moved quickly inside the cinema complex.

"Upon seeing the incident, security guards moved towards the paparazzi but the five had left the scene.Veteran paparazzi photographer Peter Carrette, who was not (not) involved in the incident, told AAP: 'Enough is enough.'"



(image via gothampublicworks)

In: Johnny Depp, Joker? How inspired is this casting: Johnny Depp as The Joker and Rachel Weisz as Harley Quinn in the Batman Begins sequel? According to Cinematical:

"Those of you who are regular readers of Cinematical are already fully aware of the ever-revolving rumor mill regarding the two major Bat-villians for the upcoming Begins sequel. Well, over at moviehole a 'fly on the wall' has dropped some rather interesting information into the increasingly odd mix. First, we'll start with the Joker, as it seems like every actor in Hollywood is interested in the part. Their fly confirms the popularity of the part, but indicates that the studio (with the very excited blessing of Nolan himself) are interested in bringing on a VERY big name for the role. Rumor has it that said name says he may be interested, if the script is right. Who, you ask? Well the fly puts it this way:

"'Let�s just say that he has a major film coming out this summer and it�s a sequel to one of his biggest hits. In fact, his performance in the first movie was nominated for an Oscar.'

"The first name that leaps to mind given that description is of course Johnny "Captain Jack" Depp, who would be quite a big name indeed. His name has been tossed about the casting rumor before, but never with any legitimacy.

"Second rumor regards a femme-fatale character, who would be making her first appearance in Batman film history. Let's turn to the fly for the scoop and the casting rumor:

"Regarding the character- 'she has a very close connection with a major character in Nolan�s first Batman movie. She will be out for revenge against Bruce Wayne and Gotham in a major way.'

"Regarding the actress- 'let�s just say that she is nominated for a SAG, a Golden Globe and is on her way to an Oscar nomination as well. She is also in fact five months pregnant and will be in tip top fighting shape once production begins to roll early next year but not before she throws a few coins in a fountain.'

"When I first read pregnant I thought 'dear Lord not the Tomb Raider,' but then the rest of the words in the description processed and I realized that Rachel Weisz is probably the call here."

More here.

Patrick McDonald & Cindy Crawford's Battle of the Beauty Marks



Positively pimptastic. (image via NYSocialDiary)

Fashionweek informs us that at Indochine next week a party will be held for hairstylist Stephen Knoll, it will be hosted by the unlikely duo of Cindy Crawford -- who is not having her most photogenic day here -- and the pimptastic dandy Patrick McDonald.

It has been dubbed -- by McDonald, of course -- the "Battle of the Beauty Marks." According to Fashionweekdaily:

"Fashionweekdaily: And are you and Cindy Crawford best friends?

"Patrick McDonald: Cindy and I have gone out many times, through Stephen mostly. We've had dinner many times, with Rande Gerber in Los Angeles, and I've been to her apartment and seen her at Salon and we met her at the opening of the Whiskey bar and danced�I've known her for awhile; I would say, 3 years.

"FWD: Whose mole is more iconic, yours or Cindy's?

"McDonald: Well, we're both different. I could only dream that someday my beauty mark will be as iconic as hers.

"FWD: Are fake moles (drawn with eyeliner, etc) okay?

"PM: Absolutely! I can vouch for that. And sometimes I've been known to wear more than one. Whatever works for the person works. I prefer my beauty mark the way Elizabeth Taylor does hers, but Cindy's works well for her."

Tune in next week when Patrick McDonald weighs in on the Iranian nuclear standoff and the perilous environmental costs of China's rapid development.

(Fashionweekdaily)

Alito Drinking Game Link here

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Mariah Carey starring in: The Emancipation of Cheeky. (image via ohnotheydidnt)



Could someone fetch this man a robust multivitamin? Please? (image via wireimage)



Henry's right, as usual; a glass of Bolivian peasant blood right after a fine meal is the height of chic. (image via nysocialdiary)



Every once in a while The Desolate One, Beelzebub, demands that his humble servant Joe Simpson advertise from whence his daughters achieved their world celebrity. (image via wireimage)

Lunch at Michael's



(image via fishbowlny)

Ah, our favorite media game. Let's get out our binoculars. Our Audubon Field Guide to Media Celebrities. There, all set. From FishbowlNY:

"Table 1: Charlie Rose and a gal with long, blondish hair, speaking animatedly. A birdie told us they might be talking about a book deal?"

With Charlie Rose it was more likely a monologue than a dialogue. Still:

"... 4: Andrew Lloyd Webber, with a dashing fella, but who??"

Considering how Webber looks nowadays not unlike a life sized rodent, we are surprised that an exterminator was not fetched.

".. 7: Diane von Furstenberg, looking glamorous, wearing a giganto silver ring and a chain link fence bracelet on her wrist! She was in a large-patterned suit ... and had a faux leopard handbag.

"8: New York Social Diary's David Patrick Columbia with an attractive socialite. [UPDATE: A little birdie tells us, she was actually no socialite, but Liz Peek, business columnist for the Sun. So much for going on first impressions! (Her husband Jeff Peek is CEO at CIT Financial).]

"... 12: Who were you? We think this was New Yorker publisher Lou Cona. As Cona was leaving the restaurant, we overheard media recruiter Ed Koller say to his guest: 'That was Cona? I made that guy's career! I put him at People mag and look where he is today.' Of course, Koller likes to say that about everyone!"

Zing! Laurel Touby is extra "saucy" today.

"14: Leslie Stahl with Simon & Schuster editrix Alice Mayhew. Talking about a book idea, no doubt!

"16: Kathie Lee Gifford and two other happy, blonde gals."

There, now that The Corsair has properly hooked you on this media crack, for the full list, you'll have to go here.

A Little of the Old In and Out



(image via edge.org)

In: Michael Hirschorn. Yeah, like The Corsair is the only one ODing on the delicious schadenfreude of watching "Breaking Bonaduce." (Steroid cocktail anyone? Spousal abuse?) Anyhoo: our old acquaintance and all-around swell media guy Michael Hirschorn, the man who brought us the concept of celebreality, has been promoted. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, we say. According to Paidcontent:

"Michael Hirschorn has been at VH1 for several years (a reminder of how long it's been since Inside went poof) and has been promoted at VH1 to EVP-Original Programming and Production. He's now responsible for all current VH1 original programming and development, music development, celebrity talent development and the new push into scripted series. He continues to report to Brian Graden, president-entertainment, MTV Music Networks Group."

You do your thing, Michael; you do your thing.



(image via shefinds)

Out: 2005 Style. The gang at Fashionweekdaily asked key members of the fashionable set about their fashion regrets of 2005. A taste:

"Ione Skye: 'I bought fake Uggs. I gave them to Goodwill. I wouldn�t wear real Uggs because I am averse to trends, especially when they are four years old. After all, Uggs were meant to wear as slippers or gardening around the house, not to walk around Soho or Fred Segal.'

"Mickey Boardman: American Apparel hot-pants. They're still very cute, but I wore them around during Fashion Week and when I saw my picture in various publications I thought, �What the hell am I wearing?� I looked cute but way too aerobics-wear for Bryant Park. I'd be sitting next to someone in head-to-toe Balenciaga and I was in a Marni blouse, pink hot pants and an old sneaker! So I'll save those for lounging at home or at the trainer.'

"Michael Musto: 'A shaggy top that looks like it's made of hanging, grayish-green bits of Astroturf. It's a one-joke item that won't bear repeating, though at least it only cost 99-cents.'"

So best. More here.



(image via news.yahoo)

In: Ted Koppel. Ted Koppel is knows how to court prestige in the wake of a significant salary cut. With all the sangfroid of a head waiter and the worst fucking toupee in the media business, Ted is still stirring the waters that the Chattering Classes wade in. Off of Nightline, Koppel flirted with ultimately nixed the idea of becoming a sort of trophy wife of HBO in favor of a more hands-on role as managing editor of documentaries for Discovery Channel, the History channel's coarser, sluttier sister.

Koppell is also headed to the Op-Ed page of the New York Times, according to smartmoney (via iwantmedia):

"New York Times Co.'s flagship newspaper hired broadcast journalist Ted Koppel as a contributing columnist, starting Jan. 29.

"In a press release Thursday, the newspaper publisher said Koppel's column will appear on the Op-Ed page periodically.

"Earlier this month, Discovery Channel named Koppel managing editor to host and produce documentaries. He served as anchor and managing editor of 'Nightline' since 1980, but quit ABC News when his contract expired Dec. 4."



(image via johnlathan.house.org)

Out: John Boehner. Although the race is not over, Congressman John Boehner -- surprisingly -- is behind out-of-the-gate in the race to become House Majority Leader. We add "surprisingly" because, quite frankly, his opposition, acting Majority Leader Roy Blunt, has had a clumsy last few months. In fact, he was considered weak.

Quite the contrary. According to TheHill's Daily Tally, Blunt has shored up 64 votes, while Boehner only has 35 votes. There is still time. Also, we cannot fail to note, Arizona Republican John Shadegg is mentioned as a conservative dark horse. House Leadership elections are at 1pm on February 2, two days after the State of the Union Address; so, technically, that leaves less than a month to sway the remaining House Republicans (116 members are needed for victory to be declared).

Both will have a last minute chance to sway still on-the-fence Republican members at The Conservative Member Retreat on Jan. 30 and 31 in Baltimore.



Oily superproducer Dino de Laurentis hoist his Thalberg. (image via oscars.org)

In: The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. It is not inconceivable that some day soon the Geezer's Oscar, AKA, The Irving Thalberg Award, may become -- to insiders, at least -- more prestigous than Best Director, Best Actor or Best Picture Oscar. Witness, from TheEnveloper:

"Robert Altman's selection as this year's honorary Oscar recipient has met with widespread approval, mixed with a little surprise that the famously iconoclastic 80-year-old director has agreed to the honor. As of very early Monday, we had yet to hear from Altman, who is currently working in London; an academy spokesperson indicated, however, that he would likely be doing interviews.

"Altman has been nominated for best director five times without ever winning, a record that ties him with Martin Scorsese, King Vidor, Alfred Hitchcock and Clarence Brown. Like Altman, Hitchcock and Vidor eventually received honorary awards.

"He's also been nominated twice as the producer of a best picture nominee, bringing his total record to 0-for-7 and placing him alongside actors Peter O'Toole and Paul Newman, both of whom had the same record when they accepted honorary awards. (Newman won a competitive Oscar the following year.) Federico Fellini was 0-for-12 in individual nominations when he was voted an honorary Oscar, though three of the movies he directed had won the foreign film award; Walter Lantz, on the other hand, was 0-for-10 without any mitigating factors when the board voted him an Oscar for his animated shorts."



(image via britishvogue)

Out: Tom Ford. Tom Ford is so yesterday. Today is Wale Adeyemi. According to British Vogue:

"WHO is fashion's next Tom Ford. According to Oxford University students, it's Wale Adeyemi � or at least it will be after January 30. The British designer has been invited to address the Oxford Union, just as Ford, Vivienne Westwood and an esteemed list of respected public figures, have done before him. 'This is such great news for Wale, a modest and hard-working designer from East London, to be grouped with the likes of Imran Khan, Clint Eastwood, Dalai Lama, Winston Churchill and so on.' A stylist for many years, Wale hit the public consciousness when he was enrolled as personal designer to Victoria Beckham. Since then his line of casualwear, B Side, has been worn by stars including Beyonc�, Missy Elliot, Usher and Alicia Keys.



(image via amazon)

In: Lions Gate's Crash Blitz. Creepy-crawly spiderlike director David Cronenberg may still want to kick Paul Haggis ass on the Lions Gate backlot, but the little-studio-that-could is going all out for the other Crash. Lions Gate, incidentally,

According to Cinematical:

"Lionsgate is putting all its Oscar money on Crash. They're sending out an astounding 130,000 screeners of Paul Hagis' film � about 10 times the usual screener push. The mailout will include all members of the Writers and Screen Actors Guilds, and unusual move that will put the ensemble drama directly in the hands of those professionals most likely to appreciate its strengths and overlook its weaknesses."

Lions Gate, which has a nice run atop the box office last weekend with Hostel, is also partnering with Starbucks.



(image via ohnotheydidnt)

Out: Kirsten Dunst. This was not an inspired ensemble, to be sure. (The Corsair sips a 1997 Pouilly Fuisse White Burgundy) glass of Perhaps all the partying is getting to her.



The stink eye. (image via soapsgirl)

In: Passions Goes Sci-Fi. Starting February 6, "Passions" is being rerun from the first episode on -- inspired choice -- the Sci-Fi channel. Our old friend the excellent Mr.Mickey, who loves this, writes on the Papermag blog:

"MM is a devoted Soap Opera viewer. Thanks to his friends the Trinity, he's also a subscriber to Soap Opera Digest!

"One of the things currently on soaps that MM lives for is Mrs Wallace on Passions. Let's be frank kids, Passions is at the bottom of the ratings and there are some things about it that are pretty poor (MM detests the Theresa/Gwen/Ethan triangle even though Ethan is gorgeous). Still when Passions gets nutty, it's magic. Tabitha the witch played by the amazing Juliet Mills is riveting. Hello!

"She and her daughter Endora accidentally conjured up an earthquake/tsunami in Massachusetts! That's what I call must-see tv! Mrs Wallace, played by Kathleen Noone, is a booze-swilling, diaper-wearing former town floozy who is hilarious and delightful. She used to have an orangutan named Precious as a nurse and MM cried when Precious left! Passions needs more Mrs Wallace (and her demented homocidal sidekick Norma) and less of evil Alistair Crane killing his daughter Sheridan's boyfriends. Vive les Freaks!!!!"

"The Trinity"?

George Clooney and Lucy Liu



Yum! (image via killerbees)

Failed blog notwithstanding: when not lying doggo on his property on Lake Como, or relaxing at his 8-bedroom Tudor house "Casa de Clooney," or writing critically acclaimed -- and profitable -- films for the Chattering Classes, George Clooney likes him his Lucy Liu.

They actually strike me as an evenly matched couple. She: brainy (Stuyvesant High School '86; University of Michigan, BA, Asian Languages), intense; He: politically-engaged, media-critical, leading man handsome darling of the cultural elite. Any future progeny from this "coupling" could conceivably -- no pun intended -- win assloads of Nobel Prizes and MacArthur grants. According to the 3AMGirls:

"THE world's most eligible bachelor George Clooney and Kill Bill star Lucy Liu set tongues wagging with a New Year's Eve snog.

"Our stateside spy tells us the pair enjoyed a five-course meal and plenty of champagne at Bed club in Miami before getting down to action.

"'She was all over him,' our mole reports.

"'And he didn't mind a bit. In fact, his hands started to wander.'"

And, tangential, Liu's brand of man-magic extends into the retail world as, according to Lloyd Grove:

"That was 'Charlie's Angels' temptress Lucy Liu trying on shoes in a crowded Bergdorf Goodman the other afternoon, with a gaggle of men at her beck and call. A Lowdown spy reports that Liu was in a side room of the designer shoe area amid racks and racks of on-sale footwear. She reclined on a bench in the corner as three gents scurried about, fetching box after box."

It's a slow day, people.

The Unbearable Whiteness of Magazining

The Corsair is a freelance writer now, but that was not always the case. In a previous incarnation -- in our fiesty mid 20s -- we had ambitions at editing one of the New York glossies. Unfortunately, those entry portals never opened, despite our best efforts at getting in the door. Lizzie Ratner in the salmon-colored weekly does a timely piece on people of color in the magazine industry, or, to be more accurate, the astonishing lack.

Some backstory: The Corsair started as an intern The Nation in 1995. At the time, most of the interns were people of color (2 Asian, 2 African-American, 2 White). There are not enough superlatives to heap on The Nation, which was a wonderful internship. I followed up at New York Magazine, where I factchecked for the remainder of 1995. But afterwards, trying to get an entry position in the magazine industry was -- how does one put it? -- difficult. And one would think that with experience at The Nation and New York, something by the way of an Editorial Assistant position might have been offered. Lord knows I applied to enough venues, especially with the free postage privileges at The Nation. Interviewing at Conde Nast -- even with Christopher Hitchens as a solid reference -- was a total bust. The interview, which seemed to go ducky, ended, weeks later, with a form-letter rejection. And, afterwards, it seemed like entry into the world of editorships was, quite frankly, impenetrable.

Granted, it is a tough nut to crack, this universe of New York glossies; but -- especially in the case of Conde Nast -- we felt the chilly brush off. We eventually landed at Paper Magazine, then the now-defunct Silicon Alley Reporter, then as editor-in-chief at consumer magazine MacDirectory, and, years later, after a stint as Contributing Editor of the dearly departed Razor Magazine, at present, freelancoviching and blogging. Is it because The Corsair is African-American? Has that played a factor in my lack of editorial connectedness?

I'd say no; I am hard-wired to be an optimist, and not to fall back on the race card. That sort of reasoning always struck me as "victimy." Still, this article is intriguing:

"At Cond� Nast, the premier magazine empire, the fleet of 29 top editors includes just one person of color. �'The magazine industry is probably the least diverse of any of the media. They�ve taken a real pass,' said Pamela Newkirk, a professor at New York University�s Department of Journalism and author of Within the Veil: Black Journalists, White Media. 'As I say that, I can just hear all the people trying to shake the trees to tell you they have all this diversity�and then start mentioning people in the mailroom. But no, I�ve been in too many of these places, and I know firsthand that they are just not diverse.'"

More here. Also: FishbowlNY' s Rachel Sklar, our favorite Canadian, does an excellent follow up here.

The Samuel Alito Drinking Game



(image via usatoday)

Today we get into the race and civil rights phase of the Alito hearings -- yesterday was the Abortion phase, the previous day was backstory. As you can imagine, the rhetoric is magestic. Maureen Dowd leads the media opposition in calling Alito "shifty." John Podhoretz, on the other side of the media firmament, calls the opposition, "a gaggle of boorish, clownish, hectoring geese."

Charmed, I'm sure. (Exahggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) We duly contribute to this high democratic discourse with the Alito Drinking Game:

Take one drink if:

... Stare decisis is mentioned

... The word subpoena is mentioned

... A Republican refers to Alito as "consistent" and his opponents as "desperate"

... The audience breaks into fake Washingtonian laughter.

Take two drinks if:

... Someone says "White Boys Club."

... A heated argument breaks out between Senators/ A Senator loses his or her temper

... Brown v. Board of Education is brought up.

... Senator Spector, adrift on a sea of chaos, pedantically reminds everyone, "I am the Chairman of this Committee"

Pound it if:

... A Senator drops the "Scalito" bomb.

CBS To Launch MobiSoap



Enthralling melodrama. (image via wikimedia)

We are still caught between whether or not the idea of 3-to-5 minute soap opera episodes on mobile phones is a clever thing, or testament to our collective Attention Deficit Disorder as a society. CBS is launching something called MobiSoap (Mobile soap, get it?), using a format called, in the biz, "manipulated reality." No doubt, viewers will be encouraged to respond to plots and cosmetically-nehanced cheekbones and lips via text. According to PaidContent:

"And I am going to start throwing up some mobi-suds if they do not stop with this mobi-naming thing...anyway, CBS is launching an original made-for-mobile series...CBS' daytime department is handling the project, sealing a deal with writer-producer James Dutcher ('City Guys') and Leah Hecker to create this series. The name and concepts are still being worked out, the story says. The show will run five to seven original episodes a week, at three to five minutes show, and could run as long as three months."

Because, quite frankly, who needs the development of character. Just give us the cheating, the catfights, the lying and sex scenes in easily digestable "mobisodes." And, over cosmeticized soapopera bitchface; we can never get enough of the soapopera bitchface.

Variety
PaidContent

A Little of the Old In and Out



(image via tomgpalmer via newsweek)

In: Steve Jobs. It's a good time to be Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs is like a rock star to geeks. Apple shares are at a record high. New products were realeased to great fanfare. iPod sales are through the roof. Steve Jobs' nemesis, Michael Eisner, announced he will be doing a show on the cable ghetto CNBC. In an age where Hollywood studio's are good for one thing -- event movies -- Pixar appears to be well-situated. Disney's new CEO, Bob Iger, is bending over backwards to strengthen his relationship with Jobs.

Like The Corsair said: It's a good time to be Steve Jobs.




(image via nyc-architecture)

Out: The Unbearable Whitness of Magazining. The Corsair is a freelance writer now, but that was not always the case. In a previous incarnation -- in our fiesty mid 20s -- we had ambitions at editing one of the New York glossies. Unfortunately, those entry portals never opened, despite our best efforts at getting in the door.

Lizzie Ratner in the salmon-colored weekly does a timely piece on people of color in the magazine industry, or, to be more accurate, the astonishing lack.

Some backstory: The Corsair started as an intern The Nation in 1995. At the time, most of the interns were people of color (2 Asian, 2 African-American, 2 White). There are not enough superlatives to heap on The Nation, which was a wonderful internship. I followed up at New York Magazine, where I factchecked for the remainder of 1995. But afterwards, trying to get an entry position in the magazine industry was -- how does one put it? -- difficult. And one would think that with experience at The Nation and New York, something by the way of an Editorial Assistant position might have been offered. Lord knows I applied to enough venues, especially with the free postage privileges at The Nation.

Interviewing at Conde Nast -- even with Christopher Hitchens as a solid reference -- was a total bust. The interview, which seemed to go ducky, ended, weeks later, with a form-letter rejection. And, afterwards, it seemed like entry into the world of editorships was, quite frankly, impenetrable. Granted, it is a tough nut to crack, this universe of New York glossies; but -- especially in the case of Conde Nast -- we felt the chilly brush off. We eventually landed at Paper Magazine, then the now-defunct Silicon Alley Reporter, then as editor-in-chief at consumer magazine MacDirectory, and, years later, after a stint as Contributing Editor of the dearly departed Razor Magazine, at present, freelancoviching and blogging.

Is it because The Corsair is African-American? Has that played a factor in my lack of editorial connectedness? I'd say no; I am hard-wired to be an optimist, and not to fall back on the race card. That sort of reasoning always struck me as "victimy." Still, this article is intriguing:

"At Cond� Nast, the premier magazine empire, the fleet of 29 top editors includes just one person of color.

�'The magazine industry is probably the least diverse of any of the media. They�ve taken a real pass,' said Pamela Newkirk, a professor at New York University�s Department of Journalism and author of Within the Veil: Black Journalists, White Media. 'As I say that, I can just hear all the people trying to shake the trees to tell you they have all this diversity�and then start mentioning people in the mailroom. But no, I�ve been in too many of these places, and I know firsthand that they are just not diverse.'"

More here. Also: FishbowlNY' s Rachel Sklar, our favorite Canadian, does an excellent follow up here.



(image via parentheticalnote)

In: Governmental Reform. As we said yesterday, the era of legislators taking pride in having their fingerprints all over special interst "Earmarks" is over. Of course, the prescient Senator John McCain has been talking about this since 1999. Today's WSJ notes -- link via wonkette -- that Speaker Hastert, in hopes of defanging Republican corruption as an issue in the 2006 midterm elections, is looking to ban "all privately funded trips for lawmakers."

From a 1999 CNN story, while Senator McCain was campaigning for President:

"Five years after the Republican takeover of Congress, McCain said conservative goals have been held back by special interests who control the legislative process. Special interest earmarks in spending bills have increased under GOP control, he said, adding that as long as soft money donations dominate campaigns, they will dominate legislation.

"'We talk about cutting taxes for working men and women, we talk about providing real school choice for parents, we talk about cutting wasteful spending,' he said. 'But talk is cheap. The reality is that passing these reforms won't occur until we take on the entrenched power of the special interests, who have corrupted the legislative process with their $100,000 checks.'

"McCain's campaign is centered around overhauling campaign finance and mentions it in almost every discussion of other issues on the campaign trail."

But, of course, the Bush campaign tragically smeared McCain, he lost South Carolina's primary, and that was the end of that little discussion. Until now.

Naomi Campbell Conquers Anger



(image via pub.tv2)

For thousands of years the great sages have worked to conquer the red emotion, anger. For Naomi, it took a few kind words from her toyboy. According to Contactmusic:

"Feisty supermodel NAOMI CAMPBELL has conquered her anger demons - with a little help from close pal pop star ROBBIE WILLIAMS.

"The leggy beauty, 35, is renowned for her fiery temper, but she has learned to rise above problems after taking some simple advice from the ANGELS hitmaker.

"She says, 'I won't let people push my buttons, I just want to walk away.

"It's taken me God knows how many years. Robbie Williams told me, 'Always put your headphones on.'"



(image via neomoda)

We cannot fail to note this, from a Corsair post in November (3rd item):

"If you don't remember, Robbie Williams was once big on this side of the Atlantic for his one-hit-wonder song 'Milennium.' And Naomi Campbell is famous for, among other things, beating her social inferiors robustly with electronic gizmos. Put them both together and you get some volatile, long-lasting hott monkey sex, according to the extremely downmarket Newsoftheworld:

"SUPERSTAR Robbie Williams secretly bedded catwalk beauty Naomi Campbell during a steamy year-long affair, the News of the World can reveal today.

"The pair enjoyed marathon 48-HOUR ROMPS behind the back of the supermodel's boyfriend, racing boss Flavio Briatore, according to Naomi's former PA, Rebecca White.

"... Rebecca said: 'The two of them were clearly already close before I started working for Naomi the previous year.

"'She would talk fondly about Robbie from time to time, so I knew they were acquainted.

"'But the first time I actually met him was that day in February 2001 when I walked into Naomi's bedroom...and found them cuddled up in her bed.

"'It was the apartment Naomi shared with boyfriend Flavio with whom she was supposed to be having a serious relationship. But Naomi didn't try to hide that she was cheating on Flavio with Robbie.

"'When I entered the room, Robbie was under the bedclothes but he wasn't wearing anything on his top half. And Naomi wasn't wearing any bottoms because, at one point, she got up to go to the bathroom and I got an eyeful of everything!

"'The two of them spent that entire weekend cooped up in her bedroom together having sex.

"'I lived in the apartment below and every few hours they would summon me up to bring them food and drink."

Correction: No Proenza Shouler Class to Mass Sale



(image via variety)

Once again -- grrr -- the British press trafficked in a falsehood. Last week The Mirror reported Matthew McConaughey busted his collarbone -- he didn't. Now, British Vogue, which reported that Proenza Shouler was the next in a line of Mizrahi-inspired Class to Mass sales is ... Not hardly. According to Fashionweekdaily:

"Oh, to buy a Proenza Schouler dress for $29.99!

"Sound too good to be true? That�s because it is�at least according to sources inside the sportswear company. Late last week, rumors swept the internet�and British Vogue�claiming that Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez would soon design a low-priced line for the popular chain.

"Alas, it doesn�t look like that�s going to happen, at least in the next year. While WWD could say only that 'officials from Proenza Schouler could not be reached' to confirm or deny the story, The Daily has this from Proenza�s feisty publicist, Bonnie Morrison: 'The first�and only�I had heard of the Target collaboration was when I read it last week. But I love rumors, so if you hear any other good ones, send 'em this way...'"

So, apologies. The Corsair's team of factcheckers will be duly drawn and quartered.

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Hott: Charlize and Reese, "Witherspooning." (image via wireimage)



"... Because Mariah needed guidance." (image via ohnotheydidnt)



Usher, freshly fucked. (image via hollywoodrag)



George Clooney deftly avoids getting sprinkled with Dennis Miller's loserdust. (image via wireimage)



"I'd like to skank the fluffers, without whom I could not have risen to the occasion." (image via yahoo)



The Matrips. (image via ohnothedidnt)

Conversations with Michael Eisner



(image via epochtimes)

There are so many conversations The Corsair would like to have with Michael Eisner. As the author of the blog post "Fuck Michael Eisner: Remember the Alamo," you can imagine our line of questioning would be ... intense. One question would be: What do you really think about Roy Disney?

Another, Don't you think you should have treated Steve Jobs better, considering he's a Master of the Universe and you are taking over the old Tina Brown slot on the perennial cable-ghetto that is CNBC? Also, what were you thinking with the theme parks? Theme parks are louche.

Moreover, While we are on the subject: Just What the fuck were you thinking when you wrote the book "Camp"? Is there really a literary market for go-getters who want to read about what Michael Eisner learned at Camp? Really: Who gives a fuck?

(A considerable pause) We'd also like to know if he believes that Jeffrey Katzenberg is now eating his lunch (Because he is; he really is). Did Eisner really throw $8 million into the void on Clive Barker's Abarat for Disney. Because, of course, you know how much little kids like Clive Barker books and movies. (Averted Gaze)

And, finally, one single menacing word: Ovitz.

The Conversations with Eisner would be endless -- sotto voce -- priceless. According to Reuters (via iwantmedia):

"Ex-Disney chief Michael Eisner will host his own bimonthly interview show on CNBC, 'Conversations with Michael Eisner.' In October, Eisner was tapped as a guest host for PBS's Charlie Rose, when he interviewed InterActiveCorp CEO Barry Diller and actor John Travolta."

A Little of the Old In and Out



(image via sg.hu)

In: MySpace. Apparently Rupert Murdoch has plans to make the teen online hangout MySpace the new "It" portal. (The Corsair sips a glass of 1988 Chateau Haut Brion) Growing at "about 1 million people a week," Newscorp is going to offer free video downloads. And with such buzzy Newscorp properties as "24," "The Family Guy," "Prison Break," and "The Simpsons," it should be interesting. Very interesting. According to Paidcontent:

"At the Citigroup Entertainment, Media and Telecom conference, Rupert Murdoch outlines some plans for MySpace and other Internet ventures. [The archived webcast of his talk is here...]

"He said: -- 'This week, we're starting free video downloads on MySpace [Ed: not sure what he means...I'm assuming he means music video downloads from bands on MySpace. It could also be Fox TV shows], which will be tremendous. We will probably have millions of downloads per day. [Is this the video download page?] -- Very shortly, we'll be launching our own instant messaging service [on MySpace]. It was a technology from IGN...we've refined it for MySpace. And following that we'll add voice to it too. -- Revenues: On a present trajectory, our main sites with MySpace-FoxSports-IGN would rake in about $350-400 million in revenues in 2007 and will take off from there. We're the biggest mass of unsold inventory for now...we have the third-most page views online in U.S. now, only behind Yahoo and MSN. We're building a business on community sites...no one has done that before. It is clearly the way to go.'"

Could you imagine the viral capacity of video download outtakes on MySpace of "American Idol"? There are a thousand neo-William Hung's out there ready to be spitballed by the teens at Myspace.



(image via bbsnews)

Out: The Medicare Drug Benefit Program. Ten days have passed. Perhaps The Corsair is overly cynical in his political prognostications, but doesn't the complexity of the Bush Medicare program lend itself to a major negative in the 2006 midterm elections? It is labyrinthine, to be sure, but add to the mix that it speaks to senior citizens who have, we cannot fail to note, precious little understanding of internet resources. To ask seniors to ask their children -- and granchildren -- to explain it to them does not a popular, seemless policy make.

Doesn't it seem like a no-brainer that the Democrats, employing the mantle of populist, are going to run mightily against the drug benefit program in 2006 Congressional elections, to part the Bushies from the senior vote? According to our favorite Dickensian villain, Robert Novak:

"It is said only in hushed tones and not by anybody of prominence, but a few brave souls in the Bush administration admit it. President Bush's Medicare drug benefit that went into effect Jan. 1 looks like a political blunder of far-reaching consequences. Furthermore, these critics assign major responsibility to Karl Rove.

"The hideous complexity of the scheme, which has the effect of discouraging seniors from signing up, is only the beginning of difficulties it entails for the president and his party. It will further swell the budget deficit without commensurate political benefits. On the contrary, the drug plan may prove a severe liability for Republicans facing an increasingly hazardous midterm election in November."

"This program looks less like a bump in the road than a major pothole on Rove's highway to permanent majority status for the Republican Party. As Bush's principal political adviser, Rove has a brilliant strategic mind and can take credit for crafting the 2000 and 2004 presidential election victories. The drug plan was an audacious effort to co-opt the votes of seniors, reflecting Rove's grand design of building on the electoral majority by adding constituency groups. By failing to win new supporters while alienating old ones, the drug plan betrays a flaw in Rove's strategic overview and points to potentially disastrous consequences.

"This is the winter of Republican discontent, even if it is not openly conceded. GOP members of Congress live in terror of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal touching them. Once House Republicans return from their global junkets in about two weeks, they face increasing pressure to elect a new majority leader to replace Tom DeLay. The Bush Social Security reform concept lies strangled in its crib, while his tax reform did not even get that far. In this atmosphere, the consequences of passing the drug benefit two years ago become unpleasantly clear."



(image via moviecentral)

In: Sleeper Cell. Abigail Azote of MedialifeMagazine duly slams Showtime's "Sleeper Cell" based on it's lackluster ratings. Fair enough. But what about the quality of the show? Doesn't that factor even a smidge on any final judgement?

Having just seen "Sleeper Cell," Episode 01 on Showtime-on-Demand, we can vouch that it is an engaging drama. And we cannot say enough about the cathartic value of a good drama on this subject in this era of global terrorism. Unfortunately:

"In this time of raised terror alerts and airport security screenings, the threat of another terrorist attack has become part of day-to-day life. Except, it seems, when it comes to TV viewing. Shows examining this all-to-real worry have been more misses than hits, and the latest example is Showtime�s 'Sleeper Cell.' The 10-hour miniseries was perhaps more intense than any terror-themed show that�s aired since 9/11.

"It stars a black Muslim FBI agent who goes undercover to stop a terrorist plot and is told from the point of view of terrorists plotting an attack on a major American city. But despite its unique approach, 'Sleeper' failed to find viewers. Sunday�s two-hour finale at 8 p.m. delivered 309,000 viewers, up just 4 percent from its premiere. That brought the miniseries� average to just 207,875 for its limited run. Even considering Showtime�s modest 13 million subscribers, those numbers are disappointing.

"Compared to other Showtime series, 'Sleeper' was a stinker. Last spring�s 'Fat Actress' premiered to 942,000 viewers, compared to 'Sleeper�s' 296,000. 'Actress' fell sharply thereafter and was canceled after one season. Showtime�s 'Huff' averaged nearly double 'Sleeper�s' audience in its debut last season. But perhaps the better comparison is to FX�s 'Over There' which, like 'Sleeper,' dramatized an ongoing and very real problem, the war in Iraq. 'Over There' was canceled after its ratings slid sharply from its debut. FX executives blamed the ratings slide on audiences� reluctance to watch a real-life issue play out on television. They were most likely right.

"With 'Sleeper's' poor showing, it's unlikely it will be extended."

Note to Showtime/Viacom: Stream a few episodes free on the web and let word-of-mouth determine its fate.



She's still hott. (image via latina)

Out: Elizabeth Vargas. No love for World News Tonight co-anchor and hottie Elizabeth Vargas. According to TVNewser:

"I liked the first week of the Woodruff-Vargas version of 'World News Tonight' much more than I expected," the New York Sun's David Blum says. 'You have to give the tag team points for hard work; in a busy news week, they showed their faces in Iran, Israel, and West Virginia, updated the newscast for the West Coast, and did a thorough job with complex stories like the Abramoff bribery scandal and the mining disaster - owing much, in both cases, to ABC's distinguished investigative reporter Brian Ross.

"Still, after a week I wonder whether I'm ever going to turn to Elizabeth Vargas in an hour of need. Her facial expressions remind me of a scenery-chewing stage actor who doesn't quite understand the character she's supposed to play. She smiles like the star of a toothpaste commercial, and wrinkles her brow like she's about to get a flu shot - and neither at quite the right moment. Peter Jennings must be rolling over in his gravitas."

Yum! Total turn on, TVNewsers. Elizabeth Vargas rolling over in her gravitas.



Julian Schnabel, head and shoulders above the Downtown artists. (image via nysocialdiary)

In:The Downtown Show: In which Our favorite social chronicler, David Patrick Columbia, ventures beyond East 59th Street, in NYSocialDiary:

"The Downtown Show is organized in eight sections divided between two NYU venues � the Grey and the Fales Library. At the Grey are: Interventions, which examines how artists took their art to the streets; Broken Stories � a fresh look at the innovative and disjunctive narrative techniques of Downtown writer, visual artists, and filmmakers; The Portrait Gallery displaying likenesses of Key Downtown denizens that create a collective communal 'portrait'; Sublime Time, exploring the period�s search for the sublime in the wake of minimalism�s reductive, formal beauty; Salon de Refuse, works referencing Downtown detritus used to create a 'trash culture'; and The Mock Shop, comprising low-cost artist�s multiples, fashions and accessories featured in 'stores' that sprung up in a number of influential Downtown shows.

"At the Fales (which we did not see) are De-Signs, referencing grafiti and presents artists� use of advertising�s shorthand signs and strategies; and Body Politics which features art works concerned with sexuality and identity.

"The exhibition concludes with Ronald Reagan�s re-election and the rise of the East Village�s storefront art galleries. The show was designed to demonstrate how this crucial decade radically altered American art and culture. Viewing it, having lived during that time, it is curious to see how the wildly new, even radical, has settled into The Past."

Out: "Earmarks." Congressional earmarks are a no-no. Once par for the course, ones record of earmarks all but nixes a candidate for a leadership position in this new climate of anti-lobbying. According to George Will, on the race for House Majority Leader, " "A salient fact: In 15 years in the House, Boehner has never put an earmark in an appropriations or transportation bill."



"

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Years have passed in the interim, but still, the disturbing nimbus of "Mullet" hangs about Michael Bolton like a gin hangover on Kirsten Dunst. (image via hollywoodrag)



Larry King's Depends undergarments are backed-up six ways to Sunday and his limo driver is on break; he's looking, quite frankly, for any excuse to paste some hapless DC smart-aleck with a mild sock to the chops. Don't be that guy. (image via cityrag)




Wyclef Jean, as always, exhibits pimpalicious amount of self-control in the presence of "sweet ass." (image via ohnotheydidnt)



Robert Cavalli, unbuttoned, exposes vast azure expanses of leathery Mantan. (image via nysocialdiary)

A Little of the Old In and Out



half -"Naked Ambition." (image via longislandpress)

Out: Kelly Bensimon. According to Fashionweekdaily, "Kelly Bensimon is said to be vying for Anne McNally's fashion director's post at Vanity Fair."

Here we go again. Is vying shorthand for another titanic struggle? Why is it that we always hear about Kelly Bensimon's career ambitions in the media? Is her unique brand of social climbing -- even before she gets the position -- actually news?

Not that we have any juice at VF, but we prefer Joe Zee for the post. He doesn't wear his outsized ambitions on his sleeve. Like ... some people do. (Averted Gaze)

(image via sfgate)

In: Larry Kramer. Our favorite unrequited media boycrush (Platonic, of course), Larry Kramer, has put out there the interesting proposition that Google might buy CBSDigital. Possiblymaybe.

And why not? CBSDigital, we learn, is profitable (And "the margins are growing"); CBS already has a pay-per-view deal with the Google Video Store; and, News, if done right and cheap, has just the right patina of Old Media prestige that may appeal to a rising New Media organization; so, In the Merc (via iwantmedia):

"Merc: Internet search is a big way that people are beginning to find video. How do you see that playing out?

"Larry Kramer: That, to us, will be a big business, because you'll be able to go on Google and say, 'I'm doing a report on Jackie Robinson for school.' And you can go and find out that `60 Minutes' did a piece on him in the '60s. And you can go get it, and now see it for a buck, if that's what we decide to do. Or you can see it with commercials. I'll be able to sell entertainment programming from Paramount. And maybe it will cost you, or maybe we'll inject ads. Those are dollars we wouldn't have been able to take in before. We could have never matched that buyer with that content without a search mechanism.

"Merc: Have there been discussions with Google to make your video more find-able?

"Larry :Everybody. Google, Yahoo, MSN.

"Merc: There have been predictions that Google and Yahoo will begin to build up news staffs. Do you see them becoming content- providers?

"Larry: Yahoo is obviously further down the road there, and they're wrestling with that question... And I do not believe that they've made that decision that question that they want to go big. Right now, they don't think they can. They don't expect to be CBS News or CNN. But they do want to do more and more programming of their own. Because the problem is, they were dependent totally on partners for content. And guess what? The partners are starting to get stingy because they want to build it themselves on the Web. There's a built-in conflict.

"If you take that to its logical conclusion, Google buys CBS. They've got the kind of money to buy someone or a content-creation machine. (But) that hasn't gone well historically with technology firms."



Plenty uptop.

Out: Jamie Foxx. You can take the man out of the ghetto, but, well ... old habits die hard. And, besides, urban riots are best observed -- or, for that matter, best incited -- from the balcony. According to those intrepid Page Sixxies:

"EVER-clever Jamie Foxx has a new party trick. The other night at Teddy's in L.A., the Oscar winner was drinking champagne with actors Dylan McDermott and Djimon Hounsou, PM Lounge owner Unik and some others. When the bill came, Unik grabbed it and Foxx said, 'Let me get the tip.' He reached into his shoulder bag, pulled out some cash and started slowly counting out singles. As his buddies began to giggle, Fox kept reaching and kept counting, finally dumping out 1,000 $1 bills on the table. Foxx got the last laugh - as he did two weeks ago in Las Vegas, when he tossed a huge roll of bills from a nightclub balcony. A small riot broke out but subsided quickly when the money-hungry mob realized they were jousting over $1 bills."

Crazy like a Foxx. To paraphrase the great Roger Ebert, who, like Foxx, prefers his dark meat "plump" (you go, Roger; you do your thing), the balcony is closed.



(image via the-tidings)

In: Jim Nussle. All paths lead to Nussle. Follow the money, said Deep Throat, in All The Presidents Men. That's what USnews&WorldReport did, cleverly, in pursuit of who in the 2008 Republican game is showing their poker hand, unintentionally:

"If money talks in politics, then it's already getting pretty loud in Iowa, home to the first presidential caucus slated for 2008. Here's the 411: Rep. Jim Nussle is the Republican front-runner in the Iowa 2006 gubernatorial race, making him the go-to guy for likely presidential candidates hoping to curry favor with a potential GOP guv. But when Nussle asked the political action committees of some possible 2008 candidates for donations, not everybody ponied up. Those who did, according to soon-to-be-released financial reports: Virginia Sen. George Allen $10,000; Arizona Sen. John McCain $5,000; Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback $2,000; and Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum $1,000. Who didn't: Tennessee Sen. Bill Frist, New York Gov. George Pataki, and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. But, we're assured, Pataki and Romney showed their love by offering to help raise money."

Note to Rick Santorum: You have to get past a stiff challenge from Bob Casey before you can even begin to think of 2008.



(image via thestage)

In: Rob Lowe. Goddamn that Rob Lowe. If it isn't bad enough that he has major buzz to replace John Spence on NBC's spectacular West Wing, he's still catnip to the ladies on the continent. That man got more ass in the 80s than the seats at Madison Square Garden, and his cup still runneth over. According to Taki in TheSpectator:

"Three weeks ago in London, I went to a party at Tramps and sat down with the Bismarks and the Hoares. A very pretty girl across the room kept staring at me. I pointed to my white hair, meaning that she could not be looking at an old man, that she was either blind or suffering from extreme gerontophilia. But she kept looking, so I crossed the Rubicon and went up to her. Me: 'Oh, hello, how are you ...' She: 'What do you weant?' Me: 'Well, I thought perhaps you'd like to come over and have a drink ...' She: 'Are you a friend of Rob Lowe's:" Me: 'Er, not really, but my friends are ..' She: 'I only care to meet him ...' In other words she told me to bugger off.

"Once back at the table, the penny dropped. Rob Lowe was sitting with us and exactly between the girls view and me. The pretty one was trying to catch his eye. So I told my sorry tale to the lady next to me, who, having heard me out, told me her name -- Mrs. Rob Lowe."



Adrien Boredy. (image via wiredimage)

Out: Boredom. Is this The End of Boredom? Marc Cuban seems to think so in a provocative post:

"Portable media devices, whether Ipods, portable gaming devices, phones with all their features, or whatever have solved what has been a generations old nuisance for all of us, boredom.
We have our little devices and now we are never bored. We dont find ourselves staring off into space unoccupied, wondering what to do. We dont find ourselves muttering about how bored we are sitting on the train, or on a plane, trying to do anything to make the time go by more quickly.

"Our little mobile devices are so popular because they are the ultimate, continuous distraction. They are the easiest cure for boredom.

"Check your email. Call your friend. Play a game on your phone or PSP. Watch a movie on your Ipod. It doesnt matter where you are anymore. You always have at least one.

"When we leave the house now, its keys, wallet, phone/pda/IPod, lock the door. The minute we have nothing better to do, or our mind starts to wander, regardless of where we are, meetings, events, elevator, exercise bike, walking down the street, out it comes."

You know, of course, The Corsair's position on the dangers that our society -- via video gaming and MTV -- is shortening the length is its attention span. We disagree completely with Cuban's thesis (And, we know, sound like olf fogeys). But it is interesting, and it is here.