Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"The tabloid-ready trial of the year opens November 8 in New York State Supreme Court: Casa de Meadows, Inc. v. Zaman, pitting a member of Brunei’s royal family against legal advisers who, he says, bilked him out of millions while managing various assets on his behalf. Herewith, some background: The Prince Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei, age 55 or so (his birth date is hard to confirm); brother of the Sultan of Brunei. Prince Jefri was Brunei’s Finance minister—the royal family’s money manager—until his brother got fed up with his … lifestyle choices. In 2000, after he was accused of misappropriating billions in funds over fifteen years, a settlement was reached that required him to return most of his assets, including a controlling stake in Asprey—the British jeweler—which cost him nearly $400 million to acquire, and his$500 million yacht called Tits ... His Alleged Harem In another lawsuit, the prince was accused of keeping a 40-girl harem at the Dorchester Hotel, not far from his $55 million home in London. (NYU dropout Jillian Lauren wrote a book about her time with Prince Jefri, entitled Some Girls: My Life in a Harem, in which she declared: 'I knew I was a hooker, but somehow I felt like Cinderella.') " (NYMag/Intelligence)

"The truth is that voters have not turned against the old-fashioned social democracy of the mid-20th century. In Europe as in the U.S., universal social insurance programs for the middle class, as opposed to means-tested welfare programs for the poor, remain popular among voters on the right as well as the left. Voters in Europe are not voting against public pensions and universal healthcare. Instead, they are tossing out a more recent generation of social democrats who went too far in their embrace of markets. The greatest assault on traditional social democracy in the last generation has come from 'Third Way' leaders of center-left parties like Tony Blair, and their continental European counterparts. Like the Clinton Democrats, these 'modernizing' social democrats embraced free markets with a convert’s zeal, celebrating globalization and deregulating finance, while seeking to privatize or dismantle parts of the older welfare state. The politicians of the Third Way were far more libertarian than the voters in their own parties and their actions helped to make possible the global economic crisis. Having given up traditional social democratic economics for a watered-down version of libertarian conservatism, the Third Way social democrats in Europe, like the Clinton and Obama Democrats in the U.S., sought to replace the traditional bread-and-butter concerns of working-class voters with idealistic campaigns about multiculturalism, climate change and obesity that appealed to more affluent, college-educated voters." (Michael Lind/Salon)

"So here was Ms. (Courtney) Love, 16 years later, the toast of fashion. At one point, she took me upstairs to her room to show me some clothes. The bed was unmade, and there was an overflowing ashtray on the night stand next to five prescription bottles and some junk food. 'These are my wakeup cupcakes, some anti-depressants and a cellphone book,' she said without embarrassment. 'I speak to you as someone who doesn’t want to be perceived as a train wreck,' she said. 'Living in L.A. had a really bad effect on me in particular,' she said, describing what sounded like obsessive behavior regarding the legal cases regarding the rights to Mr. Cobain’s estate and allegations of financial wrongdoing. 'I didn’t realize where my reputation had gone. In New York, you can attack the source of what’s gone wrong. Like what Russell (Simmons) did today — I called him and said, ‘You know, Russell, you are a little older than me and you should know by now, with all your crazy money and your good credit and your RushCards, to not mouth off.’ ” (NYTimes/Style)

(image via la-grenouille.com)

"The Marathon was in town, and traffic was heavier than usual because of all the out-of-towners coming in for it. On Saturday, I went with two old friends to dine at La Grenouille, which was packed. Borne of the tradition of haute cuisine in New York mid-20th century, the lighting, the flowers, the service, the food at La Grenouille is elegant. You are transported and with assurance. It’s not just a discipline but also a sensibility. Partaking of it is one of the remaining luxuries of that era, this time, and way of life in New York. Which is why it’s packed. La Grenouille clientele is well aware. Betsy Bloomingdale, in from Los Angeles, was there with friends and family. At a table nearby Casey Ribicoff and Gil Shiva were entertaining Anne and Kirk Douglas, also in from Los Angeles. It was a mid- to older crowd at the 8 o’clock dinner hour and then after ten, a much younger, well dressed crowd, and taking it all in, having the experience. It was a lovely New York Saturday night." (NYSocialDiary)

"Nora Ephron's new book, I Remember Nothing And Other Reflections, hits bookstores next week. On Friday, at a breakfast co-hosted by Credit Suisse and The Daily Beast, Ephron took questions from Tina Brown and a small audience about her illustrious, shape-shifting, constantly surprising career, and the great loves (and great disappointments) in her life ... 'On some level, my life has been wasted on me. After all, if I can't remember it, who can?' goes a line in the new book. Ephron's trenchant, witty style shines in her numerous hit films: Heartburn, When Harry Met Sally…, Sleepless in Seattle, Julie & Julia, among many other charming, classic comedies ... Before she was a thrice-Oscar-nominated screenwriter, Ephron was a journalist, who came up through the ranks at a time when women were not exactly welcome, let alone mentored or promoted. 'Girldom,' Ephron called female ascension at Newsweek—where women weren't writers 'because that's just the way it's always been," as one powerful newsman had explained, complacent or complicit ... In her writing and her comic recounting, Ephron's disappointments—politicians, ex-husbands, her 'Aruba' hair issue (read the book)—never seem to truly embitter her; they're just fodder for calmly satiric material. After breakfast ended and the audience departed, she took some additional questions with The Daily Beast. (Ephron's son is a reporter at The Daily Beast.) When asked what, if anything, makes her truly angry, she paused. 'You know, I have to think about it. I don't want to not answer the question.' But in short order, the conversation circled right back to a hot button: she was pissed about that business at Newsweek back in the day!" (TheDailyBeast)

(Janollari via Deadline)

"I hear MTV is finalizing its succession plans in light of the pending departure of the network's president of programming Tony DiSanto. I hear that the bulk of DiSanto's responsibilities will be divided between EVP scripted development David Janollari and EVP MTV Production Chris Linn. Janollari will continue to oversee all scripted development for the network and may take over some unscripted responsibilities as he is expected to oversee all West Coast development. Chris Linn, who has been the current executive on MTV's biggest series Jersey Shore while also heading development and production of TV movies and production of pilots and series, is expected to take oversight of East Coast development." (Deadline)

"TheDailyBeast: Is all of that really book-worthy? It’s true that in 394 pages, Carter doesn’t much alter the narrative as we know it, which is that Conan got royally screwed. But he adds reams of blind quotes about all the key players and compelling stories of grasping TV executives. The book is remarkably good given that America already watched the whole thing play out on YouTube. TheDailyBeast: I always liked Conan. How does he come off? Smart, sympathetic, and a bit naïve. Carter supplies some key contextual scenes. As a young Saturday Night Live writer, Conan sneaks into Letterman’s Late Night studio and sits in his hero’s chair, imagining himself as Dave’s heir. We also see Conan balking at a lucrative writing career on The Simpsons because he wants to be a performer. In 1993, he infuriates SNL capo Lorne Michaels by turning down a job as producer and writer on NBC’s new, post-Letterman Late Night show, leading Michaels, after a time, to tap Conan to host the thing." (TheDailyBeast)

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"It's been a tough week for Barack Obama, who is reeling from a crushing midterm election defeat, yet more bad economic news, and a domestic agenda under assault. No doubt the U.S. president is thrilled to be leaving Washington Friday on a 10-day tour of Asia, where he'll be welcomed by four democratic countries that are nervously watching the foundations of American supremacy crumble before their eyes, while China's growing economic swagger and military might shakes up the region’s balance of power. Of these four -- India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea -- it's India that inspires the most hope among American strategists. Yet for all the talk of 'natural allies,' and despite all the excitement about India's emergence as a 21st century superpower-in-waiting, Washington and New Delhi haven't managed to tie the knot." (ForeignPolicy)

(image via style)

"Artist, actress, heiress, decorator, famed denim designer—is there anything Gloria Vanderbilt can’t do? The ridiculously chic 86-year-old was fêted last night at Ralph Lauren’s new Madison Avenue women’s store as she and Wendy Goodman signed copies of The World of Gloria Vanderbilt, a new book about Vanderbilt’s impeccably-decorated homes, penned by Goodman with a foreword by Vanderbilt’s son Anderson Cooper. Sarah Jessica Parker, Uma Thurman, and Camilla Belle were just a few of the many chicsters that dropped by Ralph’s new mecca to sip champagne and pick up a tome ... 'My friend Lara Spencer, the host of The Insider, just redid my house,' said Kathy Griffin of her own decorating travails. 'I called the theme I’m a Gay Man Going Through a Midlife Crisis in Palm Springs Looking for a Twink for the Night But I Don’t Want Him to Stay Over. That’s the new decorating theme. And that’s what she did! There are pops of chartreuse—whatever that is,' she laughed. 'I think that’s a green? I have an appreciation for a decorating aesthetic, I just can’t do it myself.' Of course, no Gloria Vanderbilt gathering is complete without a discussion of her famous jeans. 'My first pair of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans were green velvet,' revealed Ripa. 'That was 1978!' The evening’s other Gloria, Gloria Steinem (who arrived with new BFF Griffin), was equally nostalgic about the blues. 'I’m sorry she stopped making them!' she said. 'They fit great; they were perfect. For a long time in that era, people would tell me they liked my jeans. They thought it was my line!'" (Fashionweekdaily)

"The votes weren’t close to having all been tallied, and yet the scale of the rout was clear, when John Boehner began to drive a message as simple as it was essential: I am not Newt Gingrich. 'This is not a time for celebration,' the soon-to-be Speaker of the House declared on Election Night—nor for claiming to have won a transformational mandate or arguing that Congress is now the center of the action. 'We must remember, it’s the president who sets the agenda for our government,” he said. And though two days later he suggested that Barack Obama was in 'denial' about the meaning of the midterms, Boehner offered that he and Obama “get along well,” that maybe they could hold a Merlot Meeting (rather than a Slurpee Summit). “I don’t want gridlock,” he insisted. “I don’t want squabbling.' Mitch McConnell would never go that far, for fear that his pants would catch on fire. But on the same day, in a speech at the Heritage Foundation—the one in which he repeated his assertion that his main goal is to turf Obama out of office—he too made it clear that he had been pondering the lessons of the Gingrich Era. 'By their own admission, leaders of the Republican Revolution of 1994 think their greatest mistake was overlooking the power of the veto,' McConnell said. 'They gave the impression they were somehow in charge when they weren’t. And after President Clinton vetoed their bills, making it impossible for them to accomplish all their goals, they ended up being viewed as failures, sellouts, or both … So we have to be realistic about what we can and cannot achieve.'" (John Heilmann/NYMag)

"We've just learned that the Comcast announcement about NBC Universal's new organizational structure is supposed to take place on November 15th. EXCLUSIVE 5:45 PM: NBC Universal insiders tell us they expect a fresh 'prganizational structure' to be announced by new owner Comcast as soon as next week and before Thanksgiving. One thing holding it up: we've learned that final negotiations for a deal is being closed this weekend to bring in a TV veteran executive from outside for a big top NBCU job. It's alongside former Showtime entertainment president Bob Greenblatt whose move to NBCU has been one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood. We also can report that, after some initial uncertainty, Comcast made a firm decision two months ago to keep Universal Studios in the fold and to retain the current management structure as is." (Deadline)

"President Obama hasn't indicated publicly that he will reorganize the White House staff. But sources are telling Marc Ambinder and Glenn Thrush, among others, that Obama is thinking about it. I presume that is a good thing. I don't know enough about the internal dynamics of the administration to understand how much responsibility, if any, advisers and staff bear for Tuesday's drubbing at the polls. (Ultimate responsibility for these things lies with the president anyway.) But I've seen and heard enough to believe the White House isn't doing a terribly good job of formulating and communicating its message. That needs to change. With that in mind, here's one totally uninformed and, quite possibly, half-baked suggestion: Make good use of some Democratic Party's newly unemployed talent. Four Democratic governors will find themselves out of work come January: Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, Bill Richardson of New Mexico, and Ted Strickland of Ohio. Strickland narrowly lost his re-election bid; the rest are out of office because of term limits. Obama is having trouble with white, non-college educated voters, particularly in the industrial midwest. Whether that's a function of the policy decisions Obama has made or the way Obama has explained them, Rendell and Strickland might be able to help." (TNR)

"Ai Weiwei, China’s most famous modern artist, has been placed under house arrest at his home in Beijing, apparently on the orders of senior officials in Shanghai who are trying to stop him hosting a party in the city. Mr Ai, an outspoken political activist as well as successful artist and architect, was planning to host a 'demolition party' for the public at his Shanghai studio to 'celebrate' a government decision to demolish the building, which it says does not have the proper permits. Mr. Ai only built the studio there, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, on the invitation of the Shanghai district government. He believes the decision to condemn his newly-built compound is retaliation by local authorities for his vociferous political activism. The Shanghai government has not commented. 'In a country with no judicial system or independent media then things become very simple – a leader orders something and the police carry it out,' Mr Ai told the Financial Times. 'The Chinese government is arrogant and incapable of dealing with fundamental issues of human rights.' Although not planned as an overtly political or subversive gathering, Mr Ai had intended to turn the demolition of his studio into an ironic political statement by inviting the public and promising to feed them 10,000 'river crabs', a seasonal delicacy that is also a homonym for 'harmony' in Chinese. The play on words pokes fun at the Communist party’s official policy of striving to build a 'harmonious society' instead of providing its people with representative government. It is also a reference to pervasive state censorship, which is referred to as 'harmonisation' by many internet users." (FT)

"YEARS after the fact, Deborah, the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, looked in her mother’s engagement book to see what had been written on the momentous day of March 31, 1920. Nothing. 'She didn’t refer to my birth at all,' the duchess said. “There was nothing for five days, and then, on the fifth day, in capital letters, it said ‘KITCHEN CHIMNEY SWEPT.’ 'No one took any notice of me except Nanny.' Maybe so, but not for long. Now 90, the duchess is doubly famous. First, as the lone survivor of the six celebrated Mitford girls, who included Nancy (the renowned comic novelist), Diana (the renowned beauty and wife of the fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley) and Jessica (the renowned Communist, author and naturalized American). Second, as the woman who transformed Chatsworth, one of the grandest of England’s grand houses, from a museumlike relic into a family house and self-sustaining business that is visited by 600,000 people a year. Along the way, Deborah Cavendish, to use her civilian name (her friends call her Debo), has become something of a national treasure, as grand as the queen but as approachable as anyone, effortlessly bridging the gap between Us and Them in this perennially class-conscious society. 'It is so kind of you to come all this way,' the duchess said recently, greeting visitors in her driveway. Straight-backed and chic in a deceptively simple green wool skirt and black pumps, she proceeded to shake hands with everyone, including the taxi driver." (NYTimes)

"In April this year, Noma, a small restaurant in Copenhagen known mainly to locals and European food cognoscenti, swept past the far more famous El Bulli in Spain and the Fat Duck in the UK to be named the world’s best restaurant by chefs, food writers and restaurateurs at the San Pellegrino Awards. Since then, Noma’s 40 covers have been booked solid. The win propelled the restaurant’s young chef and co-owner, René Redzepi, and his radical Nordic cuisine into the spotlight. Arranging a time to meet proved tricky. Redzepi cooks lunch and dinner in the restaurant and doesn’t have a break in between, so we couldn’t eat at Noma. (Plus, I guessed, those who had travelled far to taste his cooking might be disgruntled to find him dining next to them). Instead, Redzepi agreed to meet me on a rare day off – a Monday, when Noma is closed. I asked my hotel’s concierge about the restaurant Redzepi had chosen. 'Schønnemann restaurant? Why are you going there?' he asked, almost suspiciously. 'It’s where Danish people have lunch.' Schønnemann is in a quiet square, just off the main shopping area in Copenhagen. When I arrive at midday, two cheerful Danish waiters are polishing large beer glasses behind the bar. I am handed a menu in English that states: 'Classical Danish Lunch since 1877.'" (FT)

"DHIRUBHAI AMBANI grew up in a two-room home with an earthen floor in the Indian state of Gujarat, close to the Arabian Sea. Later this month his eldest son, Mukesh(pictured above, right), head of Reliance Industries and the world’s fourth richest man, will throw a party to show off his new home in Mumbai, a towering vertical palace with six floors of parking space, three helipads and a hanging garden. The story of how the Ambanis moved from dusty provinces to city skyscrapers is a tale of pluck, guile and vaulting ambition. But telling it also requires courage and tenacity. Hamish McDonald, an Australian journalist who was posted to Delhi in the 1990s, brought out his first book on Ambani, 'The Polyester Prince', in 1998. Publication in India was scrapped after Reliance set its heart on legal action, but the book became required reading for anyone interested in Indian industry. In his new work, 'Mahabharata in Polyester', Mr McDonald brings the story up to date, adding chapters about Dhirubhai’s death in 2002 and the subsequent feud between his two sons, Mukesh and Anil. The young Dhirubhai lacked money, but not charisma. He raised his first 100,000 rupees (now $2,250) from a second cousin’s father and was introduced to yarn trading by a nephew. His first ventures into textile-making were run by Gujaratis back from Yemen, where Dhirubhai had worked for a petrol company during the day while trading rice, sugar and other commodities in the souk after hours. Indians complain that social connections trump hard work. But no one worked harder than Dhirubhai at forging connections. 'His philosophy was to cultivate everybody from the doorkeeper up,' Mr McDonald remarks. With the help of these relationships, Reliance set about making the most of India’s famous 'Licence Raj.'" (TheEconomist)

CBS Promoting Obama on 60 Minutes



It seems like only yesterday that Steve Kroft and then President elect Obama were feeling each other out. Those were good times. The hardest question back then was whether or not the First Lady's mother would be moving in to the White House to help with the rearing of the children. Then, after Obama was President, came the financial crisis and light questions of punchdrunkenness. But even then Obama could plausibly blame his predecessor.

The pendulum swings. The tide has turned. Obama is at a low point in his Presidency after the 2010 Midterms. No doubt Kroft, a veteran journo, will ask the hard questions. CBS is -- smartly -- promoting the interview heavily.

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"As they assess Tuesday's disaster, some Obama advisers are singling out the recently departed chief of staff. Richard Wolffe on the clash between Emanuel's personal ambition and his party loyalty. As chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rahm Emanuel built a Democratic majority in the House. As President Obama's chief of staff, he devised White House strategy toward Capitol Hill. So when the Democrats were going down in flames Tuesday night, where was Obama's chief political architect? Half a continent away, campaigning for himself. And his old colleagues in Washington aren't too happy about it. Some of them shake their heads in disbelief that Emanuel would bolt at precisely the juncture when the Democrats needed to shape their strategy and message during the homestretch of what everyone knew would be the toughest election cycle in years. 'It was Rahm's strategy and then he leaves a month before the election for his own personal political career,' said one former colleague. 'It's extraordinary.'" (Richard Wolff/TheDailyBeast)

"It was during a von Bülow lunch in a St James’s club which is also mine, and I was seated next to a plump, bald man who smiled brightly and introduced himself as Julian Fellowes ... As everyone outside Hollywood and Wall Street knows, snobbishness is simply an assumption of false superiority. The Fellowes couple seems to practice it with the limitless appetite of true parvenus. In their interview they admitted awarding black marks if they spotted someone tipping the soup plate toward them. And woe to those who 'grasped their knife like a pencil. Now they tell me. I even know people who grasp both their knife and fork like a pencil. I also know that pointing this out is even more common than holding one’s knife like a pencil, as is awarding black marks for lack of superficial manners. Let’s face it. There’s nothing better than exquisite manners—alas, hard to come across nowadays—but there’s also such a thing called humanity. Would the Fellowes prefer to dine with a great and interesting historian who, having grown up behind the Iron Curtain (I do have someone in mind), holds his knives and forks like pencils, or with a moron ..." (Takimag)

"It made me wonder if perhaps there was room for a short handbook of cancer etiquette. This would apply to sufferers as well as to sympathizers. After all, I have hardly been reticent about my own malady. But nor do I walk around sporting a huge lapel button that reads: ask me about stage four metastasized esophageal cancer, and only about that. In truth, if you can’t bring me news about that and that alone, and about what happens when lymph nodes and lung may be involved, I am not all that interested or all that knowledgeable. One almost develops a kind of elitism about the uniqueness of one’s own personal disorder. So, if your own first- or secondhand tale is about some other organs, you might want to consider telling it sparingly, or at least more selectively." (VanityFair)

"'I realized it is basically insane to make any kind of judgment about rap without hearing it.' So says New York magazine book critic Sam Anderson, after NPR questioned the wisdom of reviewing a lyrical anthology of rap without having ever heard the actual songs. Anderson, speaking with NPR's Frannie Kelley, said he read all the raps in his own internal voice, all at the same tempo. 'And then I'd read some of my favorite passages aloud to my wife, and she would laugh at me because it sounded ridiculous' ...In the end, Anderson is glad he didn't try and learn about rap through the music. 'Honestly, if I hadn't read and loved Big L's 'Ebonics' before I listened to it, I'm not sure I would have recognized it as someone engaging in incredibly smart and playful lexicography. Because to me, as an ignorant outsider, it just 'sounds' like a more-or-less generic rap song.' It's the kind of self-awareness that would make Juan Williams proud. The biggest surprise for Anderson, aside from Lil' Wayne? O.D.B., of course! 'His pronunciation of 'zoo' is one of the cooler things I've ever heard: a 'z' with the smallest possible nondescript little vowel syllable attached to it. There is no way on earth to communicate the musicality of the refrain that ends that song in print.'" (Observer)

"The 2010 U.S. midterm elections were held, and the results were as expected: The Republicans took the House but did not take the Senate. The Democrats have such a small margin in the Senate, however, that they cannot impose cloture, which means the Republicans can block Obama administration initiatives in both houses of Congress. At the same time, the Republicans cannot override presidential vetoes alone, so they cannot legislate, either. The possible legislative outcomes are thus gridlock or significant compromises. U.S. President Barack Obama hopes that the Republicans prove rigidly ideological. In 1994, after the Republicans won a similar victory over Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich attempted to use the speakership to craft national policy. Clinton ran for re-election in 1996 against Gingrich rather than the actual Republican candidate, Bob Dole; Clinton made Gingrich the issue, and he won. Obama hopes for the same opportunity to recoup. The new speaker, John Boehner, already has indicated that he does not intend to play Gingrich but rather is prepared to find compromises. Since Tea Party members are not close to forming a majority of the Republican Party in the House, Boehner is likely to get his way. Another way to look at this is that the United States remains a predominantly right-of-center country. Obama won a substantial victory in 2008, but he did not change the architecture of American politics. Almost 48 percent of voters voted against him." (STRATFOR)

"If you look at medieval art it was also to tell stories. This is what is so fascinating about art history, these shifts. You have to look at who the patrons were. There was a shift towards multiculturalism in the 80s …we were so used to seeing this western European idea of art, you know you go to Versailles … but things change and then there’s license to take from anywhere ... I think it’s very complex. I think the average person still has a hard time understanding Picasso. Twentieth century art is difficult. It’s all a kind of philosophy and it gets more and more conceptual." (NYSocialDiary)

"In the new video for LCD Soundsystem's song 'Pow Pow,' Oscar-nominated Up in the Air star Anna Kendrick struts, flirts, preens, and may or may not be a soul-taking deity. It's the kind of music video you have to watch more than once to really understand, the kind of esoteric-but-expensive-looking clip you used to see all the time on MTV but haven't in years. Now, though, the network hopes to bring back the format in a big way, and 'Pow Wow' is the first volley in what MTV hopes will be a groundbreaking new series of videos utilizing A-list talent that the channel is actually going to finance itself. Entitled 'Supervideo,' the series is the brainchild of Mean magazine publisher Kashy Khaledi, a 33-year-old who grew up obsessed with music videos and thinks the recent, YouTube-aided rise of Lady Gaga means that it's high time for a revival of the format. 'It says a lot,' Khaledi told Vulture. 'It says that there's a certain nostalgia, that there's a sort of excitement for the music video again.'" (Vulture)

"Henry Kissinger's lunch with former AIG chairman Maurice Greenberg was interrupted by pretty socialite Esther Silber. We witnessed the former secretary of state's eyes light up when he was introduced to the dark-haired beauty at a nearby table at the Four Seasons yesterday. Kissinger, 87, invited her over to his table for a chat. He later sent over a bottle of red wine, and then invited her back to offer her cotton candy. The excitement even caught the eye of Barbara Walters, who was lunching nearby. As Kissinger got up to leave, he whispered to Silber, 'You are so beautiful.'" (PageSix)

"An insider gave me this guidance about what went wrong with Undercovers, a show that NBC massively promoted and yet was still rejected by audiences: 'Many things. Mostly, what was meant to be a throwback lark of a show felt trivial to people. It felt flimsy and not compelling, partially because it was designed as a stand alone, non serialized show. Perhaps the stories lacked deeper interest and urgency. We tried to embrace a familiarity of form, but the public obviously didn't want something so familiar. Unfortunately we never got an audience from the get-go; our abysmal recent rating wasn't even one point lower than our premiere number. We just should have done better. It is a bummer to be sure. NBC did the best they know how. We feel responsible for the failure, though. But damn, it sure would be easier to blame the network!'" (Deadline)

"I am moderating a conference today here in Chicago for a group of large institutional investors. Needless to say, I will report back on what I learn unless it is really valuable information, in which case I will keep the information to myself, move my chips to the right number on the roulette table and cash out. That said, I wanted to leave you with the answer to a burning question on your minds: Who emerged from Tuesday's elections as the most important political voice in the United States? No, it's clearly not President Shellacking. He may re-emerge, but that will take new ideas. Speaker-to-be John Boehner (R-OH)? Nope, same reason. First of all, he is a workhorse and not a show horse. That's not a bad thing. But he's no limelight-hogging Newt, nor is he a creativity engine. Mama Grizzly? Ha -- although she will probably remain an energizing force for a large cross-section of Republican voters… Might it be Mitt Romney, who just by happenstance had an op-ed in the Washington Post Wednesday almost as if to say, 'Gentlemen, start your engines…'? Could be -- Republicans tend to pick the runner-up from the last election cycle, and he has many attributes that could make him a front runner in the current environment. Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI)? One could only hope. New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg? I light a candle every night. No, the most important political voice in U.S. politics today is … British Prime Minister David Cameron." (ForeignPolicy

"The horse—a somewhat obvious allusion done with less subtlety but more wit by the Brits in Hot Fuzz—meets a uniquely disgusting end on the streets of Atlanta in the first episode. But the frontier sensibility continues as Rick finds his way back to a small settlement that includes his wife and son. Trap-lines ring the camp to warn of walkers. Dead game brings danger with it. Rick's friend Shane (the equally excellent Jonathan Bernthal) metes out exceedingly rough justice. And the show is nothing if not self-aware about those references even as it exploits them. 'Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood,' the first survivor Rick meets tells him after he accidentally draws a pack of zombies with loud gunshots. 'You the new sheriff, come to clean up the town?' 'That wasn't my intention,' Rick tells him, only to have the younger man dismiss him with 'you're still a dumbass.' A badge and a gun get you only so far in an apocalypse, and on the frontier. But The Walking Dead isn't set in just any frontier community, and in this case, location matters. The Walking Dead has the potential to be the best, most elegiac fictional look at the fall of Atlanta and the return to the countryside since Gone With the Wind." (TheAtlantic)



"Cee-Lo Green — barefoot, in a white V-neck T-shirt and black-silk pajama pants — is perched aslant on a couch in a suite on the tenth floor of a Gramercy hotel room. Elsewhere in the tidy room: a cheeseburger and French fries in an aluminum-foil takeout container, opened but untouched; a bottle of as-seen-on-Entourage Aviòn Tequila; assorted tequila tumblers; a pair of oversize rock-star shades; ginger ale; and, laid out neatly on the TV stand by the flat screen, Cee-Lo's jewelry, including a bright, shiny diamond-studded watch, necklace, and complicated-looking bracelet. For the entirety of our conversation, Cee-Lo does not budge from his sideways sofa position. It's understandable. On this particular day, Cee-Lo is in the thick of things for promotion of The Lady Killer (out November 9) and he's trying to pace himself. There have been interviews since the morning, an imminent radio-show call-in to make, and, later on, a music-video shoot that promises to go into the early hours iIn fact, Vulture's interview slot is delayed slightly while a tuxedo for the shoot is approved). That means the conversation is stilted at first, with Cee-Lo offering polite, terse responses to questions he's possibly already fielded several times that day. But he warms up fast. And, quickly, he's serving up wide grins alongside candid talk. Also, cocaine analogies. 'Left to my own devices, my album would be powder,' Cee-Lo declares. 'Raw powder. And of course we all know, if you have any kind of common knowledge — it can't be completely raw. They just can't handle it like that.' He’s talking about appeasing the record label, and he knows of what he speaks." (Vulture)

"“Whenever you get a call from Rose Marie Bravo, it’s always good news!” laughed Glenda Bailey of learning she would receive a Phoenix House Fashion honor. Last night at the Grand Hyatt’s Empire Ballroom, Bailey, Saks’ Ron Frasch, and designer Josie Natori were recognized by the organization at the annual Phoenix House Fashion Awards dinner, co-chaired by the illustrious Bravo, along with Tina Brown, Andrew Rosen, and more." (Fashionweekdaily)

No posts today.

Hectic schedule. be back tomorrow, R

Media-Whore D'oeuvres

"The twenty-first century began with a very unequal distribution of power resources. With five percent of the world's population, the United States accounted for about a quarter of the world's economic output, was responsible for nearly half of global military expenditures, and had the most extensive cultural and educational soft-power resources. All this is still true, but the future of U.S. power is hotly debated. Many observers have interpreted the 2008 global financial crisis as the beginning of American decline. The National Intelligence Council, for example, has projected that in 2025, 'the U.S. will remain the preeminent power, but that American dominance will be much diminished.' Power is the ability to attain the outcomes one wants, and the resources that produce it vary in different contexts. Spain in the sixteenth century took advantage of its control of colonies and gold bullion, the Netherlands in the seventeenth century profited from trade and finance, France in the eighteenth century benefited from its large population and armies, and the United Kingdom in the nineteenth century derived power from its primacy in the Industrial Revolution and its navy. This century is marked by a burgeoning revolution in information technology and globalization, and to understand this revolution, certain pitfalls need to be avoided." (Joseph Nye/ForeignAffairs)

"The president’s presumptive chief adversary, Speaker-in-Waiting John Boehner of Ohio, has shown admirable signs of treading humbly. He may have the marbles, for now, but he is wary of overreach, and he is no Newt. He knows that leading is infinitely harder than blocking, and he has signaled, insofar as it would be possible for any modern Republican, that he would like to get things done. Just what Boehner and Obama might get done is another question. On foreign policy, they share some clear goals. There is abundant room for compromise on tax policy. Obama’s bipartisan debt-and-deficit commission—due to report December 1—might yet provide some political cover for politically tough decisions. Whether Boehner can bring the foamers-at-the-mouth in his own caucus to actually make laws remains to be seen." (VanityFair)

"Wealthy candidates spent more than $500 million of their own money running for office this year. They don’t have much to show for it. Former Hewlett-Packard Co. chairman Carly Fiorina, former EBay Inc. chief executive Meg Whitman, and World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. co-founder Linda McMahon were among the losers in U.S. elections yesterday. Whitman failed in the California governor’s race after contributing $141.6 million to her campaign, the largest personal expenditure for a race in U.S. history. 'You can have all the money in the world, but you still have to convince voters you’re the best candidate,' David Levinthal, spokesman for Washington’s nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, said in a telephone interview. “If you’ve struggled to connect with them, your candidacy will struggle.' Of the 58 self-funded candidates for federal offices this year, defined as those giving at least $500,000 to their campaigns, 30 lost in primaries or dropped out before Election Day, according to data the center compiled. Those self-funded Senate and House candidates spent at least $158.9 million combined." (Bloomberg)

"Cipriani on 42nd Street was literally the most fashionable spot in town last night as every single fashion person on the planet showed up to celebrate a century (can you believe it?) of WWD. There were tableaux throughout the space highlighting the history of the daily style bible. So who was there to toast 'WWD @ 100'? (Who wasn’t is really the question). I spotted: Ralph Lauren, Katie Lee, Richard Chai, Olivia Chantecaille, Graydon Carter, Fern Mallis, Prabal Gurung, Ann Caruso, Michael Kors, Mary Alice Stephenson, Alber Elbaz, Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman (together, squashing the rumor that Craig was leaving their label Marchesa), Reed and Delphine Krakoff, Padma Lakshmi, Mark Badgley and James Mischka, Dennis Basso, Jessica Szhor (shockingly the only Gossip Girl star at the party) .." (Avenue)

"William Kristol: 'Russ Feingold, now freed of his Senate responsibilities, is liberated to consider a Gene McCarthy-like run against the president in the 2012 primaries on an end-the-war platform -- pre-empting Howard Dean, who is undoubtedly also considering such an effort.' Interestingly, Ben Smith notes that at the conclusion of Feingold's concession speech, he says, "It's on to our next adventure. It's on to 2012! Forward!" (PoliticalWire)

"Snapshots. At my table Monday night at the Library Lions dinner was a professor who teaches Information Systems at a local university. I I told him I didn’t even know what that meant, Information Systems. Computers, he replied. I asked him about his students; what they were like. They’re not interested in reading, he said. They say they don’t have time. He gave an assignment to make a record of an average day to see how they spent their time. A great deal of it is spent on texting or on the computer. My professor friend felt that they were distracted by the technology of their world. Everything is suddenly different. They are 'not present,' he said. He’s not pessimistic. He has a daughter. Her assignment last summer was to read ten books. Reading, he believes, is everything. He believes it's his challenge as a teacher to find ways to bring his students into the present. And to read." (NYSocialDiary)

"Howard (Stern's) phone rang. He said he put it on last night and forgot to turn it off. Howard said he was very busy last night. He said he goes to the psychiatrist's office and then he yells and screams. Howard said he likes that show 'In Treatment' and he thinks it's good for him to watch. Howard said he doesn't know what to do at the office so he watches that show and does what they watch on there. Howard said it kind of loosens him up. He thinks it's helping. Howard said he's not sure why he likes 'In Treatment' so much. He said it's just two people talking and that's usually what he hates about TV and movies. He said it's really good though and gets into it. Fred said he loves the show. Howard and Fred both said that they like the Indian guy who is on this season. They weren't sure why he was such a big deal though. Fred said he may have been in Slumdog Millionaire. Howard said the show is great. Fred said that he has trouble following what the guy says sometimes. He said he thinks he's putting that accent on a little bit. Howard said he's not sure how Gabriel Byrne remembers all of that dialog." (Marksfriggin)

PEN Prison Writing Fundraiser

Last night, at the invitation of the awesome Jackson Taylor, I attended the PEN Prison Writing Fundraiser at le Poisson Rouge in the West Village. PEN -- the global literary community -- actually runs workshops in prisons around the country matching world famous authors and people wanting to figure out in writing where their lives took a wrong turn. It is a very noble program that helps prisoners find their voice and in the process prevent recidivism. I learned that the US has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, 70% of whom, alas, are non-white. The program is controversial. Many wonder why we should give hardened criminals acess to celebrated authors. To that I answer: why not? Most of those prisoners are going to be rejoining society at some point. Why not give them access to soul-enhancing activity? Would we rather as a society that prisoners train lifting weights and watching music videos?

Jackson Taylor is the head of the PEN Prison Writing Program for 20 of the last 40 years, author of The Blue Orchard, founder of the New School's graduate writing program and -- best of all -- a friend. The fundraiser included a raffle and readings by authors Junot Diaz, BlackStarr's Talb Kweli, Lisa Dierbeck, Sean Dalpiaz, Wahinda Clark and Wally Lamb. Liu Xiaobo winner of the Nobel prize also got a shout out.

These celebrated authors read heartbreaking stories of prisoners -- tales of commisary, of abuse, of madness and of humanity -- as a rapt audience listened and learned about the architecture of a wholly other cosmos. The second half of the evening involved Jackson and the writer Wally Lamb interviewing two success stories from the prison writing program (one from Connecticut, one from Kentucky). Two women who have been published -- Wahinda Clark, one of the speakers, actually starting a "thug love fiction" publishing brand (no lie!) -- shared some of the stories about the prison writing workshop and what it meant to them and the myriad of difficulties they encountered when dealing with the prison authorities. Clark recounted how her punishment for publishing a book while incarcerated in Kentucky was getting transferred to Martha Stewart's prison in West Virginia.

Jackson had one of the most brilliant ideas. One of the big problems in prisons with the PEN program is the jealousy that a lot of working class prison guards have about it all. It is totally understandable. The guards are working class people who have by and large played by the rules and they have to watch prisoners lavished with educations worth thousands of dollars. Why should they allow the prisoners to get college level classes and credits with world famous authors -- leaving aside the argument that it reduces recidivism and gets the prisoners to better come to terms with their impulses. What about the prison guard with a family and a high school education? What do they get?

To this Jackson proposes some sort of GI Bill for the prison guards in which they would have an equal opportunity at college classes. And why not? Jackson argued we give such programs to the military. Isn't being a prison guard also somewhat comparable hazardous work? And it would eliminate the jealousy that the program deals with on a daily level and make a real play at making prisoners better when they come out into society than when they came in. Maybe when the economy gets better a Congress -- clealry not the rightwing one coming in tonight -- could at least explore this idea.

One can hope.

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"I can think of two plausible explanations for the improved performance of our economy when the federal government is divided. Under the 'politicians are idiots' view, divided governments tend to be gridlocked, and gridlock--with apologies to Gordon Gekko--is good. A paralyzed government is a boon to the economy because the changes that politicians contrive tend to be harmful. Under the 'politicians are sensible' view, divided governments produce better lawmaking because only sensible policies can achieve the necessary bipartisan support. When government is controlled by one party, common sense is cast aside as those in power use their muscle to reward friends and punish enemies. One crude way to cast light on the relative merits of the two views is to test the gridlock theory directly. Does legislative activity tend to grind to a halt when government is divided? One imperfect measurement, tallying the number of bills passed by Congress and signed by the president, counters the notion that government is paralyzed when divided. Since 1993, divided governments have passed a median of 241 bills into law each year, while unified governments have passed 210. A similar pattern holds if we expand the sample back to 1970. This is, of course, not decisive evidence, because the number of passed bills is irrelevant if the legislation is meaningless. (Anybody want to name a post office?) Anecdotally, though, some of the great moments in modern legislation, such as the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, also known as welfare reform, were passed when each party enjoyed some control in Washington. There is also some evidence that divided governments have been more fiscally responsible, especially recently. The median federal budget deficit as a percentage of GDP has been 2.7 percent since 1970 under both formats of government, slightly lower (3.1 percent vs. 3.4 percent) in divided times since 1981 and even better (1.2 percent vs. 3.4 percent) in divided times since 1993." (Bloomberg via AEI)

"In retrospect, from the moment in July 2009 when Peter Galbraith found out about the ghost polling centers being established all around Afghanistan, his future path was fixed. Galbraith was then second in command of the U.N. mission in Kabul, and he and several election officials had helicoptered onto a hilltop near the city of Khost, a creepy, bunkered spot where contractors were building fences and digging ditches to keep the Taliban out. The situation looked medieval. The country’s presidential elections were set to take place in a little more than a month, and preparations had begun. Local officials in Khost told Galbraith of polling places deep in Taliban-controlled territory. There were 175 polling places in the region, one U.N. official told Galbraith, and more than 75 were in areas so far beyond the government’s control that they would not be monitored, and would likely not attract actual voters, but would still be included in the official tally. Galbraith was suspicious. The U.N.’s political-affairs staff had long believed that Afghan election officials were more interested in reelecting President Hamid Karzai than in ensuring an honest election; here, Galbraith saw a potential mechanism for their fraud. “The people who were running the election,' Galbraith said, 'were the ones who were planning to steal it.' Some of his colleagues may have agreed with him privately, though there was enormous pressure not to derail the election—the first the Afghans would run themselves. But if you knew Galbraith, the rest was predictable." (NYMag)

(image via NYSD)

"Last night was the New York Public Library’s annual Library Lions Dinner. This is one of the most prestigious benefit galas (fundraising dinners) of the autumn season in New York. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is the prestige of the great New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. The 2010 Library Lions were Malcolm Gladwell, Ethan Hawke, Paul LeClerc (the Library’s CEO and main officer who is retiring from his post this year), Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) and Zadie Smith ... Then there today’s supporters many of whom were there last night and many who number among the wealthiest members of the community including Stephen Schwarzman, whose $100 million donation to the Library was acknowledged by carving his name in stone on the main building. These contributions (and bequests) are what has made it possible for this Library to become one of the greatest in the world, and an inspiration and a haven to writers and scholars everywhere. Last night I was seated at the table near Robert Hughes, the eminent art critic and historian who has just finished a history of Rome which was largely written in the very room where we were dining. Another guest whom I know, Susan Fales-Hill, writes her books in this same room. She and Mr. Hughes both credit the Library and its facilities for their ability to create and complete a work." (NYSocialDiary)

"After the break Howard (Stern) came right back and had Sandra Bernhard come in ... Howard asked Sandra if Jay Leno was good in bed. Sandra said it was not pleasant. She said that he didn't go down on her. She said the most fun they had was when he picked her up on his motorcycle. Howard said she must have been cracking up when he stuck his sausage in her. Sandra said she was only 20 at the time. She said they only went out like twice. They didn't really date. Sandra said that Jeff Goldblum took her out too. She said that she didn't sleep with him. She said that he's just not present and he's not there. She said he's sweet and all but she wanted to find out if there was anyone in there. She said he's never gotten married or had kids and she feels bad for him. She said that he did have a couple of great women but she feels bad for him. Howard asked if she's happy that Jay's show isn't doing well. Sandra said she doesn't really care. Howard said maybe Conan will have her on. Sandra said he should. Howard said that Dave didn't have Joan Rivers on for years. Then he broke down and had her on recently." (Marksfriggin)

"Katie Couric opened an award luncheon-turned-roast for ex-NBC President Jeff Zucker at the Pierre yesterday with New York's latest joke. 'When my agent calls and tells me I've got a gig in a New York hotel," she cracked, "it means I'm gonna be working with Charlie Sheen.' Couric, followed by Brian Williams, Mark Feuerstein, Alec Baldwin and Lorne Michaels, picked on their former boss, who received the Frank Stanton Award from the Center for Communication. The honor came just a month after Zucker was pushed out, just as ex- Viacom head Tom Freston once got the same award soon after being ousted. "This lunch has a certain kiss of death about it," Williams joked. 'In that spirit, I've been asked by the organizers to congratulate Katie [Couric] and Diane [Sawyer].' Sony Chairman Sir Howard Stringer, Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Universal studios Chairman Ron Meyer toasted Zucker, who closed with a self-deprecating speech filled with zingers." (PageSix)



"After more than three decades, former Mary Tyler Moore Show sparring partners Mary Tyler Moore and Betty White are about to go another round. Moore has been tapped to guest star in the Jan. 19 second-season premiere of White’s TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland. Details on Moore’s role are being kept under wraps, but a Cleveland source hints that she will be involved in the story line that saw White’s caretaker character Elka get arrested in the season 1 finale. (Maybe she’ll be the judge presiding over her case?) This will mark the first time the comedy legends have appeared on screen together in 33 years. Cleveland — which averaged a record-shattering 4.7 million cume total viewers in its first season — was renewed in July for a 20-episode second season." (Deadline)

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"Paris Hilton had a style scare with her Halloween costume. At her Hollywood bash over the weekend, she dressed up as a sexy Indian warrior princess. But her skimpy top kept slipping down and nearly exposed more than she wanted to." (USWeekly)

"I see where the U.S. government has disclosed that its total intelligence budget is $80.1 billion. (I was surprised to see that the military chunk of that is so big -- $27 billion. I am guessing that a lot of that goes to satellites, probably the part of defense spending most neglected by reporters.) That means the U.S. intelligence community as a whole has a larger economy than any these countries, going by the IMF's estimates for nominal GDP, 2009 ... Luxemborg .." (ForeignPolicy)

"'Oh, Joe!' Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, said to the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz. It was Monday afternoon in an emptying auditorium across from the Empire State Building. 'Are you going?' Mr. Stiglitz asked. Mr. King, a man who looks like his name should be Stamp Brooksbank or Delillers Carbonnel, apologetically nodded his silver head. He said that Mr. Stiglitz, whose work he's been keeping up with, should let him know when he's in Britain. Mr. Stiglitz, wearing a scratchy beard and a blazer with dandruff on the shoulders, turned. 'Laura?' 'Nice to see you!' said Laura D. Tyson. 'You, too,' said Mr. Stiglitz, who succeeded her as chair of Bill Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers when she left to become director of the National Economic Council. 'How've you been?' she said. A dreamy song by Beach House, the Baltimore duo, played outside, in the reception with Caribbean empanadas and assorted arepas.'I've been fine!" said Mr. Stiglitz. 'How are you? This is kind of a fun thing!' 'Oh,' said Ms. Tyson, holding a Naked juice, 'even better than I thought it was going to be.' It was the end of the first day of The Economist's Buttonwood Gathering. This was only its second year, and it had another day to go, but the auditorium already had that brawny and lacquered feeling certain spaces in New York City get when very important people are talking about very important things." (Observer)

"'Top Chef Master' Marcus Samuelsson may be late in opening his new Harlem restaurant, Red Rooster, but at least some people got to sample his work at a recent party thrown by the developers of Fifth on the Park, a luxury condo across from Mount Morris Park, where Samuelsson cooked up spicy shrimp and grits, Swedish meatballs and mini red velvet cupcakes. While he sliced and diced away, he talked up Harlem's history and how the cuisine at his new place will reflect that heritage when it finally opens in a few weeks just a block from Sylvia's on Lenox Avenue." (PageSix)

"Halloween is here, and it’s making monsters out of my favorite news publications and blogs. Yes, it’s that time of year, when the journalistic ritual known as The Shaming of the Sexy Halloween Costume rears its smug head, chastising Raggedy Anns who dare show too much cleavage. All month, articles like Happy Slut-o-Ween, 2010 Edition and Sexy Costumes Get Even More Horrifying have been popping up left and right. This, even while there are more of us opting for sexy costumes than ever before, according to the National Retail Federation. There’s also the usual crop of 'Hide your daughters!' editorials like this one, bemoaning the immodest options parents face when costume shopping for their little Emilys and Madisons. Never mind that the media seems to have no problem with the overwhelmingly violent crop of costume selections for young boys—everything from Freddy Krueger to machete-wielding convicts. Apparently teen pregnancy is still a threat but aggression in teenage boys has been handily resolved." (TheDailyBeast)

"Is there anything this old broad can't do? The only surviving Golden Girl, 88-year-old Betty will be featured in the Female Force comic-book series available in late November, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) per the request of Betty herself." (Musto)

"WHAT: Halloween at Alison Sarofim's WHERE: Greenwich Village, NYC WHEN: Saturday, October 30 WHO: Alber Elbaz, Marc Jacobs, Lorenzo Martone, Richard Phillips, Carlos Mota, Linda Fargo and Virginia Madsen." (Papermag)

"I had planned to do the Diary today on the New York City Opera Gala that I attended at Lincoln Center last Thursday night, but last minute this weekend, I got a ticket to the opening night at the Lyceum Theater of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s 'Scottsboro Boys' directed by Susan Stroman with book by David Thompson. So there’s more. Stroman and I have mutual friends, including my friend Mrs. DeWoody who got me the ticket last minute. So I have spent time in her company. She has won the Tony five times, but she’s so unassuming in manner. She’s like your really pleasant, courteous, friendly next door neighbor: she’d always be there if you ran out of anything. And share it with a smile. However, that’s all hyperbole in view of the woman’s resume. We saw her in the theater lobby last night just before taking our seats. She was gracious and seemed as if she was only there because she was waiting for a friend. It actually never occurred to me that she might be nervous until halfway through this incredibly brilliant production that I realized she might have been nervous. That’s not her style. She told me about this show at a little dinner hosted by our friend George Farias last June or July at '21' when I asked her what she new projects she was working on. A lot of people never heard of the Scottsboro Boys. It was the biggest news in the area of Civil Rights and racism in the national press throughout the 1930s and the Great Depression. How, I wondered aloud was she going to tell that story and be even funny at times, at moments? In life was tragedy, terminal for many lives and seminal for many many others, (including last night’s audience at the Lyceum). Well, she did." (NYSocialDiary)

(Javier Bradem via VF/Best Dressed)

"You know what gets me hot under my Brooks Brothers collar? It’s the goofballs who go off the rails into fantasy-land when it comes to formal wear. What do you suppose it means when the invitation calls for 'black tie'? There you go, Mr. Mensa—you’re supposed to wear a black jacket and trousers, a white shirt, and a black bow tie. Silk facing on the jacket, a stripe of similar ilk down the trou, a piqué shirt with French cuffs, and some patent-leather shoes properly complete the outfit. Black tie does not mean some cockamamie, off-the-wall, colored cravat with matching cummerbund that make the wearer look like a carnival freak-show barker.  A fine point: Ironically, the best tailors, Anderson & Sheppard, make their formal outfit in the darkest midnight-blue material. Mr. Halsey, their now-retired boss man, told me that blue is more flattering under artificial light than jet-black. The key is that the blue is so dark that the fellow in black doesn’t know why he looks not as nice." (BunkyMortimer)

"By the time he arrived at his office at Universal on the morning of Monday, January 4, Jeff Gaspin had already made up his mind about what was going to happen. The longtime head of NBC’s hugely successful entertainment cable channels, Gaspin was just five months into his added duties leading the network’s struggling entertainment division. Faced with the threat of massive station defections if Leno’s show continued at 10, Gaspin, after consultation with the NBC Universal C.E.O., Jeff Zucker, had finally settled on an elaborate remodeling plan, one designed to keep both NBC late-night stars in-house: Jay would be offered the chance to return to late night, and his old 11:35 p.m. start time, but only in a shrunken, half-hour format; Conan would hold on to his title and control over the storied late-night franchise The Tonight Show—but not its storied time period. He and the show would slide back to 12:05 a.m. The moves had contractual rationales. Gaspin believed he could finesse Conan into agreeing because Conan had no legal recourse to refuse to work on a Tonight Show moved 30 minutes later. Leno’s situation had been made more challenging by the contract he had squeezed out of NBC in exchange for his agreement to forsake ABC and instead test prime time. NBC had signed an apparently unprecedented guarantee to 'pay and play' Leno—meaning he could sue, or possibly even seek an injuction, if NBC tried to yank him off the air. Winning Jay’s agreement to go back to late night rather than initiate an ugly court fight was the first linchpin in Gaspin’s plan." (VanityFair)

"Call it being a team player. If you’re a Republican House candidate flush with cash and poised to win, you can score points with leadership if you donate to competitive races. That cred could lead to good committee assignments down the line. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) followed that model in 2006 and ended up with a prime spot in leadership. Now he’s advising candidates from South Carolina to Missouri to do the same, even suggesting which contenders are most in need of funds for new ads. In a great year for their party, some House Republican challengers are doing more to grow the incoming freshman class than just winning their own races. Several of these not-yet-elected candidates have supported their potential classmates in tougher races late in the campaign cycle, contributing not only to the National Republican Congressional Committee but also directly to fellow candidates. South Carolina state Rep. Tim Scott, the prohibitive favorite in the race to replace retiring Rep. Henry Brown (R), said he gave to about 30 Republican contenders earlier this week. He might be the most prolific giver in a growing group of candidate-donors. 'I tried to find people who were philosophically consistent with where I am,' he said." (CQPolitics)

"Those lucky enough to experience a Lanvin show in Paris know the drill: lots of drinks and treats, loads of applause, and plenty of hugs given by Alber Elbaz. Well, Lanvin took those joyful essentials and multiplied them times a hundred with a Halloween extravaganza at the brand's new Madison Avenue boutique. 'I missed Halloween terribly after I moved out of New York,' explained Elbaz. 'I used to work for Geoffrey Beene, and that was by far his favorite holiday. Once, I even made a pretty good geisha!' The store was decorated with over 2,000 balloons, while Dolly Parton and Cher impersonators danced alongside Kenny Kenny, Sophia Lamar and more in a special creative collaboration between the brand and Paper magazine. 'I love how our porcelain dolls were turned into these splendid, shiny dancers,' exclaimed Elbaz. 'It just puts a smile on my face!' Others who were grinning? Anne Hathaway, Constance Jablonski, Robert Burke, Rachel Zoe, Mary Alice Stephenson, Padma Lakshmi, Kate Lanphear, and The Daily's best-costumed of the night, Linda Fargo." (Papermag)