A Little of the Old In and Out

In: Helena Christensen. The Corsair has had a crush on the radiant Helena Christensen for as long as he can remember. Yum yum:



According to Hello!Magazine:

"Nineties supermodel Helena Christensen is back on the runway after a six-year retirement, and it happened in Barcelona.The 36-year-old photographer and mother of one, who still appears in front of the cameras for selected advertising campaigns but is hardly ever seen on the catwalk, was modeling for Catalan designer Josep Font at the Gaudi collections this week in the northern Spanish city.'Helena is a big fan of Josep's work and agreed to come out of retirement just for him,' her spokesman says."

Out: Overcommercialism. There is nothing wrong with a little tasteful marketing in a capitalist society -- especially in this Republican Age -- but when it gets overly aggressive, well ... Ss Sundance, which we were told, was disgustingly overcommercial, The Old Gray Lady wonders aloud whether or not Fashion Week may be next to jump the shark:

"...There is concern that commercialism tarnishes the fashion industry as a whole, and some designers fear that the deals with sponsors, increasing each season, will come across as awkwardly as product placement in movies or as the heading on a press release announcing the

"'I'm walking by Bryant Park and all I see is a circus, with a tightrope walker and a cotton candy machine,' said Bud Konheim, the chief executive of Nicole Miller, who decamped several seasons ago because he did not like the atmosphere of Fashion Week. 'When you're talking about sponsors, they come with commercial obligations that have to be in your face all the time. What happened to the fashion? Where is the elegance?'"

Ironically enough, The Old Gray Lady is one of the sponsors of Fashion Week.

In: The Watergate Papers. From The Daily Texan (via Romenesko):

"The Harry Ransom Center is now the proud home to thousands of documents chronicling Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward's and Carl Bernstein's coverage of the Watergate scandal.

"Beginning today and for the first time ever, the public will have access to the work the two men compiled during the course of their four-year investigation into the Watergate Hotel break-in, subsequent scandal and ultimate resignation of former President Richard Nixon."

Out: Hissing. The State of the Union address at times sounded not unlike the contentious Prime Minister's Question Time (and we don't have Betty Boothroyd to scold, "Order! Order!" hear hear). According to TheHill:

"Some Republicans say Democrats crossed a line of decorum when they grumbled and hissed during President Bush's State of the Union speech Wednesday night. 'I think it was really inappropriate,' said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). 'It's foolish -- They're going to run [for reelection] on the plan for Social Security -- which is to have it go broke.'

"'They think this is their ticket back to the majority,' said Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.). But several Democrats defended the conduct, although none interviewed confessed to taking part in it.

"'There was intense provocation,' said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). 'The president is being very dishonest.'"

Uhm, okay, Congressman Nadler.

In: FishbowlNY. Fellow Marlboro College alum Christian Moerk writes brilliantly today in FishbowlNY:

"... When Nan Kempner told Gotham how she would describe the best party, she said that 'someday, I'm going to throw a party where everyone hates one another, just to see what happens.'

"Fishbowl has, somehow, acquired part of the guest list for Nan's upcoming 'Who Blinks First Hate-A-Thon' to benefit (location TBD, but definitely a place where the rug has been Scotch-guarded to get the blood out easily) unemployed d�butantes passionate about entering the PR biz. If you find the other half, please let us know.

"Table One: Rudy Giuliani, Donna Hanover, Judith Regan, Bernie Kerik, Judith Nathan, Ed Oster, Henry Kissinger, Chris Hitchens."

Excellent. Can we do a table too? It would include: Toby Young, Graydon Carter, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and Harry Belafante!

This is an addictive game: Martin Peretz, Norman Mailer, Tom Wolfe, John Irving and the Vermont media.

How about as a corner table: Liz Smith, John Simon and Rex Reed