Catherine Zeta Jones Washes Her Hair With Caviar and Truffles



(image via thisislondon)

Yeah. We know. You too have been "Catherine Zeta-Jonesing (Averted Gaze)." She's our favorite Welsh theatre geek turned Hollywood starlet. Granted, the following blog post has Zero nutritive news value, but it goes a long way in showing how the Zeta Jones-Douglas union is rapidly approaching the Kirstie Alley-Parker Stevenson days of wretched Hollywood excess and Caligulesque decadence. It involves what can only be properly construed as hair Mink-ification.

The well-rubied heiress, perennially bejewelled, apparently has a rather eccentric morning hair routine that fully utilizes the gazillions that she and her hubby, Michael "Leatherface" Douglas earn by the boatload producing hugely suspect cinematic shit. Greed, apparently, is good -- and so, dear readers, is sturgeon roe caviar on your locks (Yeah: we're hating a bit on CZJ; we're entitled). According to ThisisLondon:

"Miss Zeta-Jones's hair is washed with a truffle-based shampoo, then smeared with the caviar, which is combed through and left to set.

"The sturgeon roe are liquidised prior to use, which is said to remove any odour.

"... But she credits the gourmet delights for giving her long brown tresses an unbeatable shine.

"The Beluga caviar is apparently flown in from Iran five days ahead of her treatments at a beauty salon in South Kensington."

Stop. Please stop.

"'Catherine discovered the caviar treatment last summer and was astounded by the difference it made to her hair,' said a source.

"She has an incredibly rich and vibrant natural hair colour but the creamy, almost oily nature of caviar really brings this out, making the colour even richer and making it so much more glossy."

Oh, wretched excess stop. Please .. stop.

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ..



Her chemical "Bromance."(image via thecobrasnake)



In another second, Tom Ford's chest hair will prevail over the crisp silk restraints, spreading elegant buttons flying at the socialites like some insidious IED. (image via newyorksocialdiary)





Winner of the 2007 Zonker Harris Cocoa Butter Tanning Competition -- Valentino!(image via newyorksocialdiary)

Media Whore's D'Oevres



"Rick Rubin is considered the most successful producer in the music business - but that's what worries staffers at Columbia Records, where Rubin was given power equal to the label's chairman in May ..Rubin has never been an executive. 'How is he going to have time to do the business [side] when he's in the studio?' one source asks. 'That can take months' .. It doesn't help that Rubin, who was raised here but has a 1923 estate in L.A. and a home in Malibu, won't come to New York. Indeed, when we called Columbia, no one was able to say what Rubin's exact title is." (RushMolloy)

"As my colleague Mike Allen points out, Newsweek has a detailed article about Barack Obama and race today, one in which Obama makes a pre-emptive strike against the notion that simply electing him president will solve America's race problems.It may just be coincidence, but Obama is headed to Birmingham -- a key site in civil rights history -- for his Alabama state kick-off tonight, with no less than Charles Barkley as his special guest." (politico)

Emmy Dish: "'I saw in the Envelope forums some people questioning how 'Friday Night Lights' went over' at the Emmy panels, notes Judge #1. 'It was fine. Very predictable, but def. not bad. I don't think it will be enough to make it into the top 5.'...'Two and a Half Men' once again seems to be . . . the show that impresses the most. I am told that it occupied the number 1 or 2 spot on almost every single ballot my friend could lay eyes on. Others to mention that made the top of lists are 'Entourage' and 'Betty.' My friend really loved 'Extras,' ranking it very high on the list. The bottom 3 spots were given to 'Office,' 'Earl' and 'Scrubs.' She says that those three shows in addition to 'Desperate Housewives' dominated the bottoms of ballots.'" (Goldderby via Popwatch)

"The White House no more expected Domenici to jump overboard than it did Lugar. The shock of Lugar's speech was the reason Hadley quickly scheduled sessions with senior Republican senators such as Lugar and Chuck Hagel, the top two GOP members on the Foreign Relations Committee, and John Warner, former chairman of the Armed Services Committee. 'The president has sent me up here on a scouting mission,' Hadley said to begin the meetings.Always deferential, Hadley took copious notes. But he did more than listen. Based on what Hadley said, one senator concluded that "they just do not recognize the depth of the difficulty they are in." (Novak)

But What About Tina Brown's Talk launch? "In Rome ... the temperatures were running at a nice Mediterranean mid-60 (F) but the place was sizzling because Valentino and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti staged a weekend of parties that the rich, the chic and the shameless of this world will never forget. 'Unbelievable,' sang the choir of VIPs, celebrities, socialites, royalty, European aristocracy and even Mick Jagger. One friend said 'I’ve seen fantastic parties in the world– the Forbes Party in Tangier, the Blenheim Ball, Prince Albert II’s coronation, Marie Chantal’s wedding to Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, the Safra Ball in the South of France, Lynn Wyatt’s annual birthday parties at her villa in St. Jean Cap Ferrat, but nothing beats the two day celebration of Valentino’s 45th anniversary this past weekend.'" (NewYorkSocialDiary)

"In the Grill on the lot of NBC Universal studios here, Ben Silverman has arrived for lunch; and for the moment, almost all activity ceases. As often happens in Hollywood after the coronation of a new prince, attention must be paid. At almost every booth, Mr. Silverman, the new co-chairman of NBC’s entertainment operations, is stopped by well-wishers and supplicants. Several get back a reply of 'Hi, sweetheart.' This reception is not unusual for Mr. Silverman, who has become, in less than a decade, one of the premier networkers in a town where the quantity and quality of relationships often define success." (NYTimes)

"Could 2008 be the year that Americans put an end to an unbroken 218-year streak of electing white male presidents? Large majorities report a willingness to vote for either a woman or an African-American candidate for the office, according to the latest NEWSWEEK Poll. But those numbers drop significantly when respondents are asked whether the country is ready to accept a black or a woman in the White House." (Newsweek)

"Friday's exhibition opening at the Meier-designed Ara Pacis Museum followed by a dinner at the Temple of Venus, then Saturday's presentation of Valentino's couture collection and a black-tie ball on the grounds of the Villa Borghese. So, plenty of opportunities for Val's gals to work their way through a wardrobe of his outfits. His tribe included an empress (Farah Diba Pahlavi of Iran), a clutch of princesses (Firyal of Jordan, Caroline of Hanover, Marie-Chantal of Greece, Rosario of Bulgaria), show-biz royalty (Joan Collins, Sarah Jessica Parker, Uma Thurman) and a small army of Italian aristocrats and American socialites.'Nothing looks old,' a bedazzled Elizabeth Saltzman Walker declared, speaking for everyone at the Ara Pacis." (Style)

Tina Brown: "(The Talk Launch) Was The Last Great Party of the 90s"



(image via nymag)

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. One can almost hear the melancholy theme of BBC's Brideshead Revisited as Tina Brown -- our swishy, Chattering Class narrator -- takes us through the glorious, pellucid flameout of Talk Magazine (RIP, 2001), her own personal Great War. Maer Roshan as the ethereal Sebastian Flyte; Harvey Weinstein as the oily Rex Motram; and, of course, Ron Galotti as Boy Mulcaster (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). From Timesonline:

"It was like a total eclipse of the sun, a maelstrom of bad karma. There was a real feeling of darkness after 9/11. Our world had changed for ever.

"Professionally, nobody wanted to commit to anything long-term, including advertising, and it soon became obvious that our backers weren’t going to wait.

"There was this awful feeling — the end was coming. This malaise was going to continue and we weren’t going to survive it. It was a heartbreak.

"Talk had begun with a great launch party on Liberty Island. It was a fantastic hot summer night, in late August, and we hired this huge ferry to bring the guests over. One boatload disgorged Madonna, Salman Rushdie, Demi Moore, Sting… We lit the island with Chinese lanterns, we gave each person a picnic box and we had blankets spread out on the grass. We had Macy Gray, who was just breaking, as the entertainment. People climbed up the Statue of Liberty with no guides. It was the last great party of the 1990s. It was so high-profile, it was probably too much. But I don’t regret it."

Et in arcadia Ego, Tine Brown; et in arcadia ego.

Amy and The Winehouse



(image via thesun)

Reports of the unevenness of her live performaces will have pleanty of ammo when they hear that Amy Winehouse skipped out of a concert to get her drink on. From TheSun:

"The Camden Caner disappointed thousands of fans by pulling out of her sell-out Summer Pops gig in Liverpool on Wednesday night, claiming she was 'exhausted.'

"But I can reveal the singer was actually propping up the bar at her London local The Hawley Arms when she was supposed to be entertaining paying fans.

"Eagle-eyed Bizarre reader and Hawley regular Amber Locke sent me a snap of Amy with husband Blake Fielder-Civil at the puband ordering an ale at 8.45pm."

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



What do Paris Hilton and Yoga have in common? Both can be orally transmitted. (image via ohnotheydidnt)



For your consideration: "Lee" to replace Lie as the past tense of Lay. (image via acesshowbiz)



Fresh-squeezed Guatemalan Peasant cocktails, followed up by slightly sauteed Aztec virgin hearts. (image via newyorksocialdiary)

Media-Whore's D'Oevres

"Bill Clinton, accompanying Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in Iowa (this past week) ..At the Dairy Treat in Nashua, Iowa, the former president whipped out $60 and bought malts for reporters following his wife." (Novak)

"Sitting serenely beneath the Bronzino portrait in his office in a 16th-century palazzo near the Spanish Steps, it is impossible to imagine Valentino — 'Va-Va' to the press, and 'Rudy' (as in Rudolph Valentino) to Elizabeth Taylor — worrying about anything, at least for very long. At the age of 75, he still has the charmed air of the golden boy, who smiles at the world knowing that it will smile right back. And he retains all the hallmarks of those paparazzi shots of him lounging on his yacht with Gwynnie, and hosting balls at his Louis XIII chateau. There’s the caramel tan. The helmet of hair. The impeccable suit. The impossibly big Cartier watch. Beneath the Bronzino is a desk loaded with photographs of the 'very close friends' that Valentino has dressed through the decades: Babe Paley, Marella Agnelli, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sharon Stone. Snoring contentedly at his feet are five pugs, impeccably groomed by their dog butler." (NYTimes)

"The website quotes an unnamed Japanese source and the information is unverifiable. However, it corroborates and elaborates on a story released by Bloomberg on 14 June that (Kim Jung-il) underwent heart surgery in Pyongyang. The South Korean report states that Kim received percutaneous transarterial coronary angioplasty from Berlin Heart Centre doctors to widen a narrow artery. The leader's health was described as good, save for some symptoms of diabetes and kidney hypertrophy." (Janes)

"There are persistent rumors that partisans try to game the online political stock markets, like Intrade. These are the sort of rumors that markets like this always drive, and the best political market rumor was that, in 2004, George Soros was doing it. Who knows if it's ever true." (Politico)

"I just got in. It’s after midnight, the end of my Independence Day. Around 9:30, I went over to Lagerfeld’s for a party he was having with Dom Perignon. Lagerfeld wasn’t there—I don’t think anyone honestly expected him to arrive before 11—but there were a lot of people in the downstairs salons and out in the garden, where the grass was covered with a platform. It was a beautiful night, with a light breeze. I saw Rick Owens, Sidney Toledano, the chief executive of Dior, and Olivier Theyskens. I stayed for about an hour. On my way out I saw Amanda Harlech and Daphne Guinness, who looked really great. Amanda has a streak of emerald green in her black hair." (Runway.Blogs)

"This is Holly Peterson’s moment. Actually it’s been her moment for some time now. Years actually. Since she first got an idea for a novel and first sat down to write it. You’ve probably heard about it now because it’s Out There. 'The Manny.' The life and times of a healthy, bright, enthusiastic, good looking, hunky young guy working for wealthy family looking after their kids .. The book party in East Hampton was hosted by Vogue and Ralph Lauren (the business) and Michael Peterson and Alan and Susan Patricof. All the right names to make a party ample, cozy, well-attended and down-home, Hamptons-style." (NewYorkSocialDiary)

"The red-soled shoes of Christian Louboutin are already fetish objects in their own right, but the designer went one step further for his collaboration with director and sometime photographer David Lynch. On display at Pierre Passebon was a series of nudes Lynch took of two dancers from Paris' renowned Crazy Horse cabaret, cast by Louboutin for 'their perfect arches' ... In the crowd were Fanny Ardant, Roland Mouret, Laura Dern, Ben Harper, and Cécilia Sarkozy. The French 'First Lady' showed up in an elegant black pantsuit sans security team and didn't appear to notice, much less inhale, a certain burning herb that perfumed the First Arrondissement gallery." (Style)

Tina on Murdoch



Update: Rupert has not bought the WSJ (as previously reported; sorry). Tins Brown, who has a tangled history with Rupert Murdoch, has a fgew things to say about what a Murdoch-owned WSJ might mean. From FT:

"Like Diana, Brown married into royalty, in her case the newspaper variety. Harry Evans, one of the most revered figures in British journalism, had just been made editor of The Times - by its new owner, Rupert Murdoch - when they married in 1981. But Sir Harry, as he is now, was forced out months later and bitterly attacked Murdoch’s stewardship of the paper. He famously claimed Murdoch dismissed the measures put in place to prevent him interfering with The Times’ editorial content as 'not worth the paper they are written on”.

"So, when I ask Brown about the prospect of Murdoch owning The Wall Street Journal, her reply is hardly surprising: 'It would be a horror show. Very sad.' But why would Murdoch do anything to the Journal that would undermine its value? “They said that about The Times.”

Corsair Classic

Miles Davis ( a personal favorite Gemini), one of the most interesting artists of the latter half of the 20th Century:

Rupert Murdoch Buys WSJ



The sheer will and moxy of Rupert Murdoch is astonishing. It looks like the estimable Bancrofts went in for the money rather than any sense of what Murdoch may or may not do to the reputation of their paper. From TheBusinessOnline (via HuffPo):

"Rupert Murdoch has succeeded with his $5 billion bid for Dow Jones, owners of the Wall Street Journal, according to sources acting for the Dow Jones board. Negotiations have been completed and the board is confident the terms of the deal will be accepted by the Bancroft family, which controls a majority of voting shares in Dow Jones, over the next few days. A formal announcement is expected next week.

"Murdoch’s News Corporation will take over America’s most prestigious financial publisher at the price he originally offered on April 17, when he proposed $60 a share when the stock was trading at $36, a 67% premium."

And they said Bill Moyers weilded too much influence on PBS ..

Separated at Birth?



Wandering, yet animated dancer, Michael Jackson (image via hollywscoop) ...



--And wandering, yet animated character Feivel Mousekewitz? (image via telecaster)

The Line on Mitt Romney



Have you read ther new -- or not so new -- Fortune Magazine article on Mitt Romney? Granted, Romney is an extremely capable and fabulously wealthy businessman and so it is expected that he would get more than fair treatment in the pages of something called Fortune (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). The Corsair has watched Romney for years, however, and while Romney, like his father, he is a competent politician, he is -- unlike his father, a former Michigan Governor -- entirely lacking in a coherent set of fixed political ideas. It is absolutely uncanny how this man has morphed -- in one decade -- from a Moderate Republican into a Born Again Rightie, a 180-degree veer. It may be that the qualities that make a good businessman -- flexibility, compromise -- work against one in the political arena, this is probably most felt at the national level. One needs look no further at the quite possibly insurmountable learning curve of a businessman operating as politican at the national level than America's first CEO President (Averted Gaze).

Despite all the smoke and mirrors and generous helpings of praise lavished upon Romney by Fortune (he looks good in a suit; he is faithful to his wife), the article ends on a vaguely ominous note for "Mr. Fix-It":

"No matter how whiz-bang Romney's fundraising tactics are, his biggest stumbling block is probably himself. In Alton, N.H., on Memorial Day, Romney is meeting with veterans at the American Legion. It's a flag-waving, mostly blue-collar crowd; many of the older veterans are dripping with military bling. Romney takes the mike and begins his rapid, well-rehearsed talk. He moves from issue to issue, including how 'violent jihadists are waging a global war against the United States,' and 'I want to see more immigration in our country, but more legal immigration and less illegal immigration.'

"Then it's Q&A time. A few people want to know how to solve personal issues: a son who hasn't received medical benefits since he returned from Iraq; a father who can't get admitted to a VA hospital. Romney looks uneasy. 'I'm not an elected official right now,' he says, 'but if I were ...' He then goes on to say he'd make veteran health care a priority and instructs the people in need to contact their Congressman."

But he has great hair! These are questions, we cannot fail to note, that a politican -- a former Governor of Massachusetts -- would readily answer if he were comfortable in his political skin. Reptiles, who slough off their skin seasonally, however, get bewildered by this sort of strasight talk lest it cut off their maneuvering room during a long campaign.

(Fortune)

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



"While most people celebrated the 4th with a swim, fireworks and a barbecue, Bai Ling spent her Independence Day getting married! Well, at least that what she said .. Her 'husband' would only say his name was 'anonymous' ... though it isn't hard to see why he'd want to keep his identity secret!UPDATE: An astute TMZ viewer has correctly identified the 'husband' as Damon Elliott, son of singer Dionne Warwick." (TMZ)

"(Barack Obama's) stock on Intrade is the highest it's been, with the traders there now giving him a 37 percent chance of getting the nomination." (Politico)

"From the moment NBC Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly made his hasty exit from the Peacock in late May, there was speculation that he would wind up on the Fox lot, and for good reason. Industry insiders confirmed Thursday that Reilly is in talks to join Fox in a role that is expected to have him sign on as head of programming, while the current occupant of that job, Peter Liguori, takes on a broader role overseeing the network. Sources cautioned that the talks are in the early stages and that it's far from certain that a deal with Reilly will come to fruition. But if so, it would mark a reunion of the duo that were highly successful in turning FX into the original programming dynamo that it is today. Reilly served as FX entertainment prexy under Liguori from 2000-2003, when the cabler was transformed from a repository for 'In Living Color' reruns and live talkshows to a basic-cable equivalent of HBO with cutting-edge fare such as 'The Shield,' 'Nip/Tuck' and the short-lived but critically embraced John Corbett comedy 'Lucky.'" (Variety)

"The truth is so much better than fiction — after France became a Republican punching bag Gingrich is now preoccupied with a new French president. If this is the third time I have seen him talking about Sarkozy he must speak of him often. Gingrich says, 'Sarkozy had the courage to campaign on the theme that the French will have to work harder.' Gingrich criticizes American politicians for losing the will to change or at best being “hostage to advisors who don’t have the will to change ... Maybe Gingrich isn’t admitting that the government response to Hurricane Katrina or its stewardship of veterans care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center were inadequate, but it sounds like he thinks so." (TheHill)

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



(image via style)

"At the Orangerie at Versailles, following a Christian Dior Haute Couture show full of neo-New Looks in honor of the house's anniversary, John Galliano threw a party with a Spanish theme .. Almost all of the show's megawatt supermodels—including Naomi, Shalom, Amber, and Angela—stuck around. Linda Evangelista retained her fire-engine-red bob and Jessica Stam kept her soot-eyed show makeup in place, but the rest of the girls toned it down a bit, changing into more subdued Dior prêt-à-porter ... Dita Von Teese .. made a memorable appearance on the dance floor, taking spins with a gang of club kids who arrived just in time for DJ Jeremy Healy's ear-splitting house set around midnight." (Style)

"I was in an airport [last Wednesday] when that whole Paris Hilton interview was going down. I was watching 'The Situation Room' and they were talking about this interview that hadn't happened yet and then counting down to it. I'll never watch CNN again. I mean it." (Tony Danza to Blog.WashingtonPost)

"According to an analysis of the first-quarter presidential campaign fundraising reports done by the Center for Responsive Politics, three-quarters of the $1.1 million that hedge fund managers contributed went to Democratic candidates. Here's a more specific breakdown. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who represents Greenwich, a hotbed of hedge fund activity, and who is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, was the top recipient on both sides at $347,000. Edwards was next at $190,650, almost all of which came from Fortress Investment Group, where the former lawmaker has worked part time for the past few years. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) was in third at $164,600, and Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) was fourth at $119,300. By comparison, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani lapped the Republican field at $124,200." (Politico)

"With apologies for judging an entire continent, Europeans are obsessed with summer music festivals. Even more fun: They go all out with their style for these muddy, outdoor events. While the upcoming Roskilde Festival in Denmark is probably the best-known of the Scandinavian festivals (it’s been sold out since January!) – Stockholm’s Accelerator is quickly becoming the festival to check out on the Swedish music scene.So of course, we had to go - not just to indulge in guilty pleasure favorites (Interpol, The Gossip, Modest Mouse), but to listen to the hottest new Swedish bands (Lykke Li, Taken by Trees), and to experience the insanity known as a Swedish dance party." (Fashionista)

"'Wait until you see what is about to happen to you,' says Harvey Weinstein, sitting in the back seat of a midnight-blue Peugeot, car No. 3 in a nine-vehicle motorcade. The procession is inching down La Croisette, the seaside boulevard that meanders through Cannes on the French Riviera. Tonight it is lined on both sides with fans hoping to catch a glimpse of celebrities en route to the premiere of Michael Moore's 'Sicko.' ... Harvey wanted to be a media titan, the next Rupert Murdoch, staking claims to the Internet, cable television, and fashion. As the acquisitions piled up - aSmallworld (a MySpace for the jet set), a piece of the cable network Ovation, the remnants of the Halston fashion house - box office suffered. During that time the 55-year-old lost weight (cardio-boxing) and quit smoking (with the Allen Carr method). Now Fortune has learned that the Weinstein Co. board of directors has stepped up its oversight. The board is meeting nearly every month - as it did by teleconference on May 18 during the Cannes festival - and is searching for a top executive to run day-to-day operations." (Fortune)

Corsair Classic



It's not so much getting the 66 hotdogs in as much as how fucked up it's going to be when those same hotdogs decide to exit.

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ..



The Kiss Army is an army of one and even the french could kick their ass. (image via thecobrasnake)



Lightweight! (image via thecobrasnake)



Tennille called; she wants her husband's look back. (image via thecobrasnake)

P-Splitty? Kim Dumps P Diddy



(image via thisislondon)

Is Sienna Miller -- who once turned "puce" at the sight of formerlover Jude "NannyGate" Law getting frisky with the busty Salma Hayek (And who wouldn't?)-- behind the Kim Porter-P Diddy splitty?

Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury: These Brits are bad news; they're positively Jinxy! We've been saying that ever since Hugh Grant paid cash-monies to get a robust "mouth-blast" from Divine Brown (Remember her?). And don't even get us started on Liz "Golddigger" Hurley. Those intrepid Page Sixxies report that P "Bad Boy" Diddy's lady, Kim Porter, has evac'd to the Bayou, then, afterwards, to L.A. According to ThisisLondon:

"Rumours of a rift between the two began circulating earlier this year when, right after the birth of the twins, Combs was seen out partying with Sienna till the early hours of the morning."

Still, that doesn't necessarily mean they were blasting loins (What little they have between them)...

"After the Factory Girl premiere the actress was spotted sneaking into her hotel at 9am in the morning with the rap star in tow."

Okay, they blasted.

"But Diddy, told photographers at the hotel: 'Man, I was just being a gentleman and dropping her off.'"

Hm. "Dropping her off." Not as sharp as "Blasting," but, we'll wager, equally ... penetrating (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment).

Media-Whore's D'Oevres

"IT'S already the most incredible line-up of the year, but organisers of this Saturday's massive Live Earth are hoping to secure Paul McCartney to top off the event. With just three days to go, we can reveal Macca has been in last-minute talks about joining the star-studded bill at Wembley Stadium, which includes Madonna, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Razorlight. Former US Vice President Al Gore approached him to take part in the event to highlight global warming, after hearing the former Beatle had been raving about Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth. A source tells us: 'It's true that Paul has been asked to take part. He said that the cause is very close to his heart and he's very impressed with what Al Gore's been doing to highlight it, but he's still deciding whether he can do it at the moment.'" (3AMGirls)

"'Paris (Hilton) tried to check into the Four Seasons first, but they turned her down,' said one guest at that hotel. 'She then tried to stay at the Fairmont Kea Lani, but they turned her down, as well. She finally got a place at the Grand Wailea Resort, but that's because it was a Hilton. We all thought it was hilarious that the Hilton hotel was her third choice.' ... The Four Seasons guest reinforced that impression, noting, "She was shopping at the Wailea concourse, strutting around, posing for the cameras. It was disgusting.'" (Page Six)

Mitt Romney, The Status Seeker: "(Mitt) Romney got serious about fundraising three years ago when he started the Commonwealth PAC (political action committee) ... Romney aggressively took advantage of a loophole that allows donors to contribute to PAC affiliates in multiple states all at one time. He set up affiliate PACs in Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Arizona, and Michigan. (The most an individual can contribute to a federal PAC like Commonwealth is $5,000 annually; state PACs have different, typically higher limits. A dozen states, including Michigan and Iowa, have no limit at all.) That way Romney supporters were able to spread their contributions among the various state PACs. Last year, for example, Lee Munder, a Florida investment advisor, gave $5,000 to Romney's federal PAC, $5,000 to his New Hampshire affiliate, $18,250 to his Iowa affiliate, $18,250 to the one in Michigan, and $3,500 to his South Carolina fund, according to the Commonwealth PAC. (Romney may not be able to use PAC money to fund his campaign now that he's an official candidate, but he can still dole it out to state Republican candidates to build his power base.) (Fortune)

Hamptons Report: "Last Saturday Missy Elliot partied the night away at Dune with pals as Hamptons celebrity DJ, DJ Biggie Da Black Rhino kept the music bumping. We just found out that Akon and DJ AM are going to be touring the Hamptons Club scene this Saturday as well. They will make the rounds from Stereo by The Shore, To Dune and then to Star Room. That on top of P. Diddy hosting a party at Whitehouse tonight makes you think that this year, more then any other year, the celebs are hitting the clubs in full force." (DansHamptons)

Cooking in Front of and Behind the Camera: "Salman Rushdie and his glamorous fourth wife, Padma Lakshmi, made their divorce plans official yesterday. And the 'Satanic Verses' author made no bones about who was driving the split in a statement released to the media. 'Salman Rushdie has agreed to divorce his wife, Padma Lakshmi, because of her desire to end their marriage," said a spokeswoman.
Rumors of the couple's separate lives have been swirling for months. Sources tell Gatecrasher that Lakshmi has struck up several close friendships on the set of 'Top Chef,' the reality show she hosts. 'Even with the crew guys,' says a snitch." (Gatecrasher)

"Britney Spears wrote an apology letter to the paparazzi agency x17 for the infamous 'umbrella incident.' This was the incident where she flipped out after shaving off her hair and attacked one of the cars of the paps with an umbrella. She broke on of the windows. Well, she wrote them a beautiful and touching letter.

Dear x17,

I want to apologize for the past incedent with the umbrella. I was preparing a character for a possible movie role where the husband doesn't play his part so they swap places. Unfortunatly I didn't get the part. I'm sorry I got alil carried away with my role!

Britney


"She spells as well as I do!" (via dlisted)

Corsair Classic

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



"Alan Johnston, the BBC Gaza correspondent who was kidnapped on March 12, was freed early Wednesday and is in the hands of officials from Hamas. BBC correspondent Alan Johnston in the Gaza Strip before he was abducted. Mr. Johnston, looking wan and thin and dressed in a pair of blue jeans, his hair grown out over his ears, was released without violence after negotiations between Hamas, which now runs Gaza, and his kidnappers. Escorted by gunmen from Hamas, he was seen entering the home of the Hamas leader in Gaza, the former prime minister, Ismail Haniya." (Steve Erlanger in NYTimes)

"For years they defiantly stuck together while friends and family urged them to split. But now it seems the tempestuous romance between model Kate Moss and her junkie boyfriend Pete Doherty has finally hit the buffers after he reportedly cheated on her. The Babyshambles singer unwittingly confirmed the pair had gone their separate ways when he appeared in court yesterday on drugs charges. Asked to give his address, he began to give Miss Moss's details before correcting himself, saying: 'Actually, that has changed.'" (ThisisLondon)

"Hilary Alexander had a near-tabloid moment at Monday night’s Dior couture show at Versailles. There, surrounded by Charlize Theron, Jessica Alba, Ziyi Zhang, and Kate Hudson, The Daily Telegraph fashion editor’s laptop bag got caught on the shoestring strap of her red bias-cut chiffon John Galliano gown—causing a portion of fabric covering her bosoms to flap over. Ever the professional, the slightly panicked Alexander held herself up as best as possible with her hands and ran backstage, where she had just been prior, interviewing Galliano. A sewer came to the rescue with needle and thread and stitched her back up.(Fashionweekdaily)

"On June 21, Hirst became the world's most expensive living artist, when Lullaby Spring—essentially a neon pill cabinet—sold to an anonymous bidder at Sotheby's for $19.2 million. Unfortunately, his record-breaking sale still hasn't helped him find a buyer for his $100 million, diamond-encrusted skull piece, For the Love of God. Not even George Michael had enough faith to go through with the purchase."

"I used to admire METALLICA and I don't wanna see them going to fucking therapy. I mean, that's fucking… keep it in the band, man ... I won't watch that movie ['Metallica: Some Kind of Monster'], because I don't want to think of them like that. I wanna think of fucking 'Battery' and 'Damage Inc.' and 'Ride the Lightning'. I don't wanna see these fragile fucking old men that can't have a cocktail anymore because they're afraid of what they'll become. Fuck that!" (MetalUnderground via Stereogum)

John McCain: Decline and Fall



(image via vietnamwar)

Senator John McCain is, by his very nature, an acutely talented underdog and political reformer in a party whose very "conservatasm" resists such categories as if they were an invading virus. McCain operates most effectively from the margins of propriety. His signal moments -- on campign reform, on that spectacular "Gang-of-14 Moment," -- have been made vis-a-vis a position of anti-establihmentarianism. It is that strength that kept him alive for 5 1/2 years in Vietnam.

Sure, he lost to Bush in 2000. But he ran an incredible campaign and kept things alive, winning even Michigan. McCain was fighting against the Christian Right AND The Republican Establishment (Bush the Younger had virtually imported his Fathers' entire cabinet for his 2000 run) AND shitloads of money. "Straight Talk" was, IMHO, a success. If not for those racist fliers in South Carolina, eh Karl Rove?

McCain ought to have retired from the Senate and become a marginal but important voice in America's future course. George Mitchell and Warren Rudman and Gary Hart and Bill Bradley and Sam Nunn -- those legendary Senators of Olde -- are perfect examples of this sort of patriot that guide the ship of State through the Breakers.

Unfortunately, McCain did not retire to the Hills; instead, McCain made some grotesque compromises to become the Establishmentarian candidate. Some would even say he sold his soul and besmirched his incredible career in the Senate. Being The Establishment is an unfamiliar and awkward position for McCain. He has never run under those circumstances, and the fact that this President's popularity rating is dropping into Ohlmertian numbers isn't helping. That mistake -- running an Establishmentarian campaign with lots of spending and perks for campaign workers and ad blitzes -- may be fatal. From TheHill:

"Folks, I hate to say it, because I like him personally, but John McCain is close to being toast. His campaign has underperformed on the fundraising front and overspent beyond the level of incompetence. Excuse me, but spending $22,000,000 of $24,000,000 in the first six months before a vote has been cast, a TV ad aired, or a straw poll taken? Absurd.

"His only chance is to totally retool, fire his financial managers, and go back to the 'Straight Talk Express.' He will have to barnstorm Iowa and New Hampshire and get back to a grassroots campaign. Leave the Senate behind and REALLY run for President.

"He now has a scarlet letter I tattooed on his forehead, standing, of course, for 'Immigration.'"

Yes, well, leaving aside the Hawthorniness of that analogy (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment), can The Establishment candidate -- one so closely allied to Bush -- now wear the mantle of the "Reformer"?

(TheHill)

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Yo, on the serious tip: This whole Team Anniston-Team Jolie shit has got to stop. (image via thecobrasnake)



They've wined and dined with Kings and Queens, but they prefer laying in the gutter eating pork and beans. (image via thecobrasnake)



Charmed, I'm sure. (image via thecobrasnake)



Easy access. (image via thecobrasnake)



Clearly looking for a little Bromance. (image via thecobrasnake)



Once you go "Geek" ... (image via thecobrasnake)

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



"This is the week fans of film legend Ingmar Bergman descend on the tiny Swedish island he calls home to celebrate his life and work. And sometimes the reclusive 88-year-old director even shows up. Even if he doesn't repeat last year's surprise appearance, which surprised and delighted fans, the global spotlight on Bergman will shine brighter this year after UNESCO added his work to its store of history's greatest archives." (Reuters)



(image via exposay)

"When The Early Show news anchor Julie Chen began hosting CBS' Big Brother eight summers ago, critics chastized her and the network for blurring the lines between news and entertainment by having a journalist host the show. It was no fun, says Chen, 37, who had never been the subject of any big news articles. "People were writing that I was horrible in the job, and there was all this talk about 'blurring the line' and 'What's happening to journalism?' " Eight years later, news and entertainment have survived, Brother remains a solid CBS hit, and the criticism has all but evaporated." (USAToday via TVNewser)

"I’ve been taught by the master, my fellow Pundits Blogger and old friend Lanny Davis, in the art of the 'Friday Night Dump.' Those of us covering all the public relations disasters of the Clinton presidency, finessed so often by Lanny, never made plans for Friday night. So I was surprised the White House made this a MONDAY night dump instead of waiting one day to make sure EVERYONE was somewhere else for the Fourth ...no one has been punished for the Underlying UNDERLYING lie: the intentional misrepresentation of intelligence about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction … or lack thereof. That deception has sent thousands of young Americans to their deaths. Of course, Scooter Libby participated in that too. Who knows how much he would have been willing to reveal about all that if he really did go to jail, or how much the president and vice president thought he MIGHT reveal." (TheHill)

Tommy Lee, Pink Taco, Kimberly Stewart



(image via hollyscoop)

The weather is getting hot, and so, like clockwork, Tommy Lee's already prodigious copulation schedule continues at bacterial velocity (Averted Gaze). Ordinarily the words "Pink Taco," and "Tommy Lee" are met when conjoined -- Eew -- with careening waves of Sartrean nausea -- but it's not what you might think. The Pink Taco in question is a geographic, and not biological destination, and -- mirabile dictu-- it involves Kimberly Stewart, whose previous contributions to Rock-and-Roll involve giving her old silicon breast implants to Jack Osbourne to hang on his wall. Now, this. From those intrepid Page Sixxies:

"SUMMER heat causes all sorts of weird couplings, including the latest Hollyweird duo: Tommy Lee, 44, and Rod Stewart's wild-child daughter, Kimberly Stewart , 26. They met in London several months ago and are now dating. At last week's opening of Pink Taco in L.A., Stewart was seen running out to Lee when he was denied entry after the fire department shut the party down. Our spy said, 'They threw their arms around each other and she started saying, 'Baby, baby,' before kissing and leaving.'"

Let's hope there are no "baby, baby's" involved, else the Centers for Disease Control might have to contain the issue upon birth.

Diddy and Sienna: Is It On Like Gray Poupon?



(image via bossip)

On paper, a Diddy and Sienna Miller bedroom collabo/ horizontal mambo seems thoroughly unlikely. But there is definitely .. something going on between them that they want to keep from Diddy's longtime companion- Kim Porter's reptilian eyes (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detaschment)-- or, at least, her lawyers' eyes (Averted Gaze). There is no hard evidence that there is something going on between them, but the 3AM Girls -- who didn't get that name for naught -- have other suspicions. Basckstage at the Princess Di Celebration, Diddy said:

"'I wanted a good party to celebrate Diana's life - she was an amazing, inspirational woman.'

"But he didn't look too happy to be there... until Sienna arrived! 'He had been stranded in the middle of the dancefloor on his own table,' a source close to the rapper tells us.

"But when he got wind that Sienna was there, he was asking to be moved back into the VIP area.

"For seemingly the first time all night, he started to enjoy himself."

"... At the rapper's lavish post-Concert For Diana party on Sunday night, Diddy ordered six burly bouncers to form a ring of around the couple.

And one unlucky reveller who accidentally strayed too close to the pair at Paper nightclub was manhandled out of the way by their heavies.

But we managed to sneak past the bouncers and watched as the couple flirted in a cosy corner of the Central London club.

In fact, they were so engrossed that Factory Girl star Sienna failed to notice staff accidentally smash several champagne flutes at the table."

More: (3AMGirls)

Nick Lachey: Pimping Aint Easy



Nick Lachey via 42nd street in the late 1970's. (image via z.about)

Somewhere in the boiling bowels of Hell, Nick Lachey's last album welcomes the new inhabitants. Nick Lachey, who looks, at times, not unlike a 1970s street pimp, has class. He handles his bidness. With savoir fair. And sangfroid. And what not.

Like, from todays Gatecrasher:

"Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo have responded to the furor over recent pics of their sexy hot-tub frolic. 'Where's the scandal?' Lachey told OK! magazine. 'I was in Mexico with my girlfriend of a year, celebrating our anniversary on a private vacation. It's not like I was caught with a Mexican hooker.'"

--Although his familiarity with that variety suggests a more than passing familiarity ...

Zach Braff, Drew Barrymore, Sex Eyes. Eew.



There is nothing wrong with Zach Braff that a stiff shot to the chops followed up with a roundhouse gut-punch couldn't remedy. Dammit, we actually like Drew Barrymore, little girl lost turned Mega-Producer (With backend points on "Charlie's Angels," smart). She .. had us at the Blow (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). Fer Realsies, yo. We like her Venusian-Maneater-ness; it's so Liz Taylor-made with pathos, we could cry. And we like the fact that she smokes "Drewbies" with her galpal Cameron Diaz (No matter how rich or powerful one becomes, you can always smooth-your-head-out with a toke of the sweetleaf; pfffft). We love that Drew Barrymore jumped out of her car in Los Angeles traffic to barge into the car of Tom Green.

.. And You know how we feel about "The Crazy Chicks 9tm)" (They are a Blessing, and deserve our Love and Understanding)

But we cannot abide Zach Braff, that Contentious-Little-AssFace purporting to be a sensitive man of calibre (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). His studied impression of vulnerability and "I-Need-Saving" is clearly calculated to ensnare women who like to salvage the salvagable. And, granted, much as we like Drew, she is quite quirky and has, uh, Questionable taste in dudes (Don't be mad at us, Drew; You were the one who made out with an Arctic Monkey at Coachella). So when we heard about Zach Braff giving her "Sex Eyes," we dry-heaved a bit and then raised a coiled fist to the heavens, shouting: "Whyyy." From Gawker:

"We were never going to mention notorious cad Zach Braff again. But then, in today's mailbag: 'On saturday night we were at beauty bar on 14th...zach braff and drew barrymore arrived and danced the night away while he continued to give her "sex eyes"...there was a lot of making out. what happened to spike jones?' AND! 'Saw Drew Barrymore and Zach Braff sucking face on the dance floor late Saturday night/Sunday morning at Beauty Bar (14th and 3rd). Zach declined my offer for a shot of Jagermeister. The DJ declined my requests to play songs exclusively from the Wedding Singer and Garden State.'"

Dammit, Drew: Snap out of it.

Al Gore to Work With Participant Productions, Again; En Route to Live Earth



Did anyone else catch that kick-ass Op Ed piece -- toned down from Al Gore's usually professorial style -- in Sunday's Gray Lady? It dovetails spectacularly into next week's superhott Live Earth concert and -- perhaps -- a Nobel Prize and a Presidential run (The Corsair crosses his fingres) Al Gore, whose cool allows him to have super-secret access to the last Soprano's episode, is working again with Participant Productions, the little Indie studio that could. From Indiewire:

"Brian Hill's Century Films and Katie Bailiff will produce a feature-length documentary from Participant Productions inspired by the upcoming Live Earth concert event taking place July 7, 2007. Backed by producer Kevin Wall and Al Gore, the Live Earth concert will take place at venues around the world this Saturday. 'Jeff Skoll and Participant always believed in the message of 'An Inconvenient Truth', long before it was fashionable to do so,' said Gore in a statement, referencing his Oscar-winning doc that was produced by Participant. 'I'm thrilled to be working with them again in this new effort to focus attention on climate crisis.'"

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



(image via ladiescourt)

"Hobbled and hurting and essentially playing on one leg, Serena Williams managed to gut out a three-set victory at Wimbledon on Monday against an opponent who helped by fading right along with the daylight. Williams crumpled to the grass in the second set with a left calf injury, was treated on court, then kept on playing, barely able to move. Given a reprieve by a nearly two-hour rain delay, Williams returned to compete, over her mother's protests. And she won .." (Breitbart via Drudgie-Poo)

"During George W. Bush's first presidential campaign, Karl Rove told reporters he aimed to be the Mark Hanna of the 21st century. Like Hanna, the wealthy Cleveland industrialist who died in 1904, Rove would create a durable, conservative Republican majority by appealing to groups that had previously leaned Democratic -- particularly Hispanics and white Catholics. For Rove, the folksy Bush would serve as the modern parallel to the genial William McKinley, Hanna's protégé and close friend. Both men were skillful, according to Rove, at bridging partisan divides and represented a softer, more compassionate image of their party than did the ideologues who preceded them. During Bush's first term, Rove seemed to have a decent chance of achieving his objective ... The reversal of fortunes the president and his party have since endured has been widely blamed on the botched adventures in Iraq and New Orleans, as well as on the stink of corrupt dealings on high. But Rove has been unable to devise a way out of the mess, and his failure to follow the example of Hanna is part of the reason." (Politico)

Is This a Surprise to Anyone? "A distraught Kate Moss has fled to Paris with her daughter Lila Grace as her relationship with Pete Doherty hits an all-time low. The 33-year-old model is said to be 'devastated' after it emerged her fiance cheated on her with a South African model called Lindy. Kate was unable to contact Pete for days after a bust-up last week and on Thursday he picked up Lindy in Marylebone's Crystal club and headed back to a friend's house. Pete, 27, was seen kissing and cuddling the brunette." (DailyMirror)

What's More: "AGENT PROVOCATEUR boss Serena Rees has confirmed rumours that Kate Moss' 12-month contract as the face of the brand will not be renewed when it expires in August." (DailyVogue)

"Over the next three days, the political world will be watching as Bill Clinton makes his first campaign swing with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, starting this evening at the State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The questions are interesting: How long will Mr. Clinton talk in introducing Mrs. Clinton? Will he outshine her, as happened at the funeral of Coretta Scott King? Will Mr. Clinton talk about President Bush, or the other Democratic presidential candidates, or stick to talking about his wife? And will the Clintons agree to an extended Mr.-and-Mrs. press conference? (That one is easy: Fat chance). Their joint presence in Iowa, though, also hints at an intriguing and broader political story playing out in the state. Mrs. Clinton is embarking on a major effort to shore up a definite weakness in her candidacy – the widespread sense, shared by her own advisers, that she is trailing in Iowa, the state that starts the nominating process." (NYTimes)

Steer Clear of the Roast "Beast"



One question: Will they be serving Lagerfeld's special "Horsemeat"? Eschew the very red mystery meat pate. From Fashionweekdaily:

"Karl Lagerfeld is toasting his new Dom Pérignon ad campaign featuring Claudia Schiffer with a bash at his private residence in Paris on Wednesday."

Eew.

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



"Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Sunday announced a fundraising total of $32.5 million for the second quarter, setting a new record and outraising Democratic presidential frontrunner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) by $5 million ...Obama boasted contributions from over 154,000 donors in the second quarter, bringing his total to 258,000 donors this year ... Clinton has yet to release how many donors contributed to her campaign in the second quarter. Her campaign received contributions from approximately 60,000 donors in the first quarter. Then-president Bill Clinton set the previous second quarter Democratic fundraising record in 1995, raising $9.6 million for the primaries." (TheHill)

"TINA'S L.A. TURN: 'Women always seem to come back after difficult times. It's like a badge of honor,' Arianna Huffington told the 18 women gathered in her Brentwood home June 25 for a girls' lunch honoring Tina Brown. 'It's nice to be part of Arianna's tribe,' said Brown, in town for a series of events promoting her best-selling book, 'The Diana Chronicles.' Of course, the guests, including Sony Pictures chairman Amy Pascal, Barbara Guggenheim, Gigi Grazer and Lynda Obst, took the opportunity to ask Brown for more dish on the late princess. 'I didn't realize that the British had so much sex,' said Pascal. 'So what are we doing here?' asked Grazer." (WWD)

"In case you weren’t invited, Alexander Wenner married Emily Eisen-Berkeley last night! Jann was joined by his wife (but not exactly) Jane Wenner at Villa Des Amis in Bridgehampton to celebrate the small, private affair. Wonder if Jann’s brawling nabes showed up. Remember the hedge-fund 'hedge' scandal from a few weeks ago? Yes, they’re in his ‘hood." (DansHaptonsBlog)

"U.S. India PAC chairman Sanjay Puri, says Indian-Americans gave between $7 million and $10 million to presidential candidates last cycle, and expects that to double this cycle" (Politico)

(via stereogum)

Princess Diana Concert Overview



Duran Duran was Princess Di's favorite band and thus got a personal intro from Prince William and Harry. Duran Duran promptly devoted the song "Wild Boys" to the two Princes. Duran Duran rocked the house mightily at the Princess Di concert, but our favorite quote of the concert was from UK Presenter Dave Berry who was unintentionally hilarious when he said, "I just bumped into Duran Duran backstage, they were hot and sweaty from doing 'wild boys.'"

Chelsea boys everywhere are rejoicing.

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Celebrated starfucker Griffin Dunne, after a hard party's worth of social mountaineering finally arrives at the peak of Mount Kelsey Grammer. (image via newyorksocialdiary)



Paris may be burning, but Who needs Valtrex for those Hepes flare-ups when one has the Pacific-ocean at the ready? (image via thisislondon)

Bruce Willis Likes The Red Panties



There are stars, and there are actors. And there are actors who are stars, like Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington.

Bruce Willis is a star. Let's just say you won't see Bruce Willis giving up a summer to do Shakespeare in the Park (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). It's just not his way; It's all good though.

What willis does is entertaining and light and it puts asses in seats during the summer months with his profitable New-Jersey-Everyman shtick, but no one who knows what acting is would ever accuse Brucie of associating with "The Craft."

Brucie also has, unfortunately, a rather messy social life. Sure, he has the what can only be properly construed as "Postmodernist" relationship with his ex wife and her current boytoy and their "It" kids that looks, well, swell in the Anmnie Liebovitz treatment. But he likes porn stars and Playmetes and Assplay (with aforementioned pornstar) and other things that people in his tax bracket tend to sweep underneath the rug.

From Marksfriggin, March 20, 2001: "Howard ... got distracted with Alisha (Klass') Bruce Willis dating stories. She told Howard that she actually has video of Bruce totally naked on a PC camera. She went through the short relationship she had with Bruce. She said it was a one night sex thing but the phone relationship they had was a few months. They had sex one night and he performed anal sex on her and she said it was the best she's ever had."

Is it that surprising that Bruce Willis likes the red stockings? Apparently, 26-year old former "Days of Our Lives" star Nadia Bjorlin has some Brucie tales -- out of school, to be sure (Averted Gaze) -- to relay, salaciously, for the right price to the extremely downmarket NewsoftheWorld:

"Eyes lighting up as she relives the moment for the first time, Nadia says: 'That night we could not keep our hands off each other. We had not even made it into the bedroom when we started tearing each other's clothes off in his living room.

"'So much so at one point we were romping on the sofa, clawing at each other, when my bare bottom crashed into a lamp behind us and went crashing to the ground.

"'I had been too excited to notice it was so close. As it came smashing down around us Bruce jumped up to make sure it had not cut my bottom.

"'It did not stop us but then again nothing ever did. We were so into each other we would not have noticed if the building had been on fire.'"

Did we mentioned Bruce Willis, action-star, liked Ass-play? Also -- mirabile dictu -- the Newsoftheworld bullet point that Nadia was:

"ORDERED her to dress up in his favourite red stockings and garter so she could do a sexy strip for him."

Charmed, i'm sure. You might seriously want to consider a shower after reading this. (newsoftheworld)

latest posts here: (July 5th)