Spike Lee To Direct Stage Version of Stalag 17
Any day now the apocalypse will occur. How else are we to interpret forbidding events. Jean-Paul Gaultier, clothier-baker, gets rewarded as a "superstar" for his inane designs of no value but shock value; Woody Allen does Opera; now -- this? Actually, Woody doing Opera is not too far fetched -- and directors do need a challenge. Likewise to Spike Lee's challenging himself to do a stage production. From The NYTimes:
"The first revival of “Stalag 17,” the 1951 comedy-drama about American prisoners of war written by two former P.O.W.’s, Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski, is scheduled to arrive on Broadway in late spring next year. And in one of the more surprising combinations in recent Broadway history, the director of the new production will be Spike Lee.
"Yes, that Spike Lee.
"Although he has never worked in the theater and couldn’t recall the last play he attended, Mr. Lee, in an interview this week, said the idea of doing stage work was not completely foreign to him. For years, he said, his wife had been pressing him to direct a stage adaptation of his film 'Do the Right Thing,' while Woodie King Jr., founder of the New Federal Theater, urged him to create a stage version of his early film 'She’s Gotta Have It.' But Mr. Lee wasn’t interested."
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Media-Whore's D'Oevres
"Let's face it: Al Gore was right about a great many things. Specifically, the former Vice President of the United States criticized America's overheated media coverage of 'celebutards' as a national distraction. The fact that this criticism was coming from a man who gave up the presidency and founded a start-up news organization -- Current TV -- for The Attention Deficit Generation was particularly galling to those of us who can handle our panty-less Lindsay Lohan photos, thank you very much. We can quit the celebri-smack anytime we want to (cough, cough); we just don't want to right now, okay?! How dare Gore. And so, we just dismissed him as a cranky ex-Vice turned narc, harshing on our mellow." (Ron Mwangaguhunga on HuffingtonPost)
"Which married-with-kids film star was out picking up women in L.A. Saturday night? Says a tipster: 'The hilarious part is that you can see he's got a designer baby seat in the back of his car while he's hitting on my friend.'" (Gatecrasher)
"Technorati is always full of quiet, unexpected surprises, thanks to its list of most popular search terms. Often, these are predictible: Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, iPhone. But just as often, they are unpredictible: Steorn, Hummer Winblad, Cathy Siepp. And, today: Ron Paul." (HuffPo)
"Let's face it: Al Gore was right about a great many things. Specifically, the former Vice President of the United States criticized America's overheated media coverage of 'celebutards' as a national distraction. The fact that this criticism was coming from a man who gave up the presidency and founded a start-up news organization -- Current TV -- for The Attention Deficit Generation was particularly galling to those of us who can handle our panty-less Lindsay Lohan photos, thank you very much. We can quit the celebri-smack anytime we want to (cough, cough); we just don't want to right now, okay?! How dare Gore. And so, we just dismissed him as a cranky ex-Vice turned narc, harshing on our mellow." (Ron Mwangaguhunga on HuffingtonPost)
"Which married-with-kids film star was out picking up women in L.A. Saturday night? Says a tipster: 'The hilarious part is that you can see he's got a designer baby seat in the back of his car while he's hitting on my friend.'" (Gatecrasher)
"Technorati is always full of quiet, unexpected surprises, thanks to its list of most popular search terms. Often, these are predictible: Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, iPhone. But just as often, they are unpredictible: Steorn, Hummer Winblad, Cathy Siepp. And, today: Ron Paul." (HuffPo)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Jean Paul Gaultier, RuleBreaker Or Stone-Cold (Bread) Hustler
One dumb-ass "High"-dea. (image via smh)
In the same goddam righteous spirit that compelled us to call out artistic hustlers Damien Hirst and that clever bullshitter Christo (Along with his accomplice-pimp "Jean-Fraud"), we have to stand athwart Jean-Paul Gaultier's noxious progress yelling "Halt; Bullshitter, 12 O'Clock!" Granted, Taste has taken quite a beating as this age of Attention Deficits drove many, if not most, to put aside novels in favor of magazine profiles. And, granted, Nietzche's "God-is-Dead" proclamation presaged the end of widespread belief in teleologies like "Love" and "Heaven" -- at least as naively as our ancestors believed in them. But does that mean that all Art is now to be merely "stunts," and witty tricks? We hate that shit. Whatever happened to Velasquez?
And now the stunting infects the Fashion world. From DailyVogue:
"HE'S the designer who always manages to catch his public off guard - be it with breast-baring corsets or championing skirts for men - and now Jean-Paul Gaultier's unconventional approach to design will be honoured by Fashion Group International (FGI), who have named him as the recipient of its Superstar Award this year. The annual Night of Stars dinner and awards ceremony, themed 'The Rule Breakers' for 2007, will take place on October 25 at hip A-list eatery Cipriani in New York. 'Jean Paul Gaultier embodies the spirit of this year's event,' Margaret Hayes, FGI's president, tells WWD. 'His rule-breaking design philosophy has secured him a unique place in fashion and identifies him as a true superstar.'"
A superstar, you say Margie? And what, you may ask, warrants this maverick status? How about this, from the Beeb:
"Another French icon, Jean-Paul Gaultier, has joined forces with the bakers for an exhibition at the Cartier Foundation which may also whet the nation's appetite for bread.
"Visitors in Paris are flocking to an exhibition which combines the country's two great passions - food and fashion.
"... Every garment is made of bread, even the conical corset he once designed for Madonna.
"... Elegant dresses made out of baguettes and bread rolls dominate the room, while the scent of newly baked bread from the bakery installed downstairs wafts enticingly through the air.
"It persuades many visitors to buy the distinctive Jean-Paul Gaultier baguette - a blue-and-white-striped loaf, reminiscent of his trademark stripy T-shirt."
Madness!
One dumb-ass "High"-dea. (image via smh)
In the same goddam righteous spirit that compelled us to call out artistic hustlers Damien Hirst and that clever bullshitter Christo (Along with his accomplice-pimp "Jean-Fraud"), we have to stand athwart Jean-Paul Gaultier's noxious progress yelling "Halt; Bullshitter, 12 O'Clock!" Granted, Taste has taken quite a beating as this age of Attention Deficits drove many, if not most, to put aside novels in favor of magazine profiles. And, granted, Nietzche's "God-is-Dead" proclamation presaged the end of widespread belief in teleologies like "Love" and "Heaven" -- at least as naively as our ancestors believed in them. But does that mean that all Art is now to be merely "stunts," and witty tricks? We hate that shit. Whatever happened to Velasquez?
And now the stunting infects the Fashion world. From DailyVogue:
"HE'S the designer who always manages to catch his public off guard - be it with breast-baring corsets or championing skirts for men - and now Jean-Paul Gaultier's unconventional approach to design will be honoured by Fashion Group International (FGI), who have named him as the recipient of its Superstar Award this year. The annual Night of Stars dinner and awards ceremony, themed 'The Rule Breakers' for 2007, will take place on October 25 at hip A-list eatery Cipriani in New York. 'Jean Paul Gaultier embodies the spirit of this year's event,' Margaret Hayes, FGI's president, tells WWD. 'His rule-breaking design philosophy has secured him a unique place in fashion and identifies him as a true superstar.'"
A superstar, you say Margie? And what, you may ask, warrants this maverick status? How about this, from the Beeb:
"Another French icon, Jean-Paul Gaultier, has joined forces with the bakers for an exhibition at the Cartier Foundation which may also whet the nation's appetite for bread.
"Visitors in Paris are flocking to an exhibition which combines the country's two great passions - food and fashion.
"... Every garment is made of bread, even the conical corset he once designed for Madonna.
"... Elegant dresses made out of baguettes and bread rolls dominate the room, while the scent of newly baked bread from the bakery installed downstairs wafts enticingly through the air.
"It persuades many visitors to buy the distinctive Jean-Paul Gaultier baguette - a blue-and-white-striped loaf, reminiscent of his trademark stripy T-shirt."
Madness!
Media-Whore's D'Oevres
"It's men's Fashion Week in Milan, and we're hearing there was something of an exodus at Versace, when several key buyers actually left the presentation in the middle. Outside the lobby, our spy heard the words "boring" uttered in several languages." (Fashionista)
"In the wake of the embarrassing debacle of NBC's now-you-see-it, now-you-don't $1 million deal for Paris Hilton's first post-penitentiary interview, Matt Lauer said during a conference call to promote next Sunday's 'Concert for Diana' telecast that there was "no quid pro quo" involved in his exclusive interview with Princes William and Harry — despite the fact that the network paid $2.5 million for the rights to broadcast the tribute." (FishbowlNY)
"'My first memory of Hermès is the orange boxes my dad brought home for my mom when I was a kid,' said Chloë Sevigny at the opening of the French house's Wall Street outpost on Thursday night. 'They used to make her so happy.' Rachel Weisz, Leelee Sobieski, Kevin Bacon, and Kyra Sedgwick were among the other A-list guests who ventured downtown—way downtown—to ogle the luxe wares at the new store." (Style)
"Despite caveats from Yahoo and AOL that they weren’t directly challenging the dominance of the broadcast and cable upfront market with their respective ad industry presentations over the past few months, it was clear the intent was to siphon off at least some of the $9 billion going towards the fall TV season. But Mediaweek reports that those attempts hardly achieved the meager objectives of getting advertisers’ attention. " (Paidcontent)
"It's men's Fashion Week in Milan, and we're hearing there was something of an exodus at Versace, when several key buyers actually left the presentation in the middle. Outside the lobby, our spy heard the words "boring" uttered in several languages." (Fashionista)
"In the wake of the embarrassing debacle of NBC's now-you-see-it, now-you-don't $1 million deal for Paris Hilton's first post-penitentiary interview, Matt Lauer said during a conference call to promote next Sunday's 'Concert for Diana' telecast that there was "no quid pro quo" involved in his exclusive interview with Princes William and Harry — despite the fact that the network paid $2.5 million for the rights to broadcast the tribute." (FishbowlNY)
"'My first memory of Hermès is the orange boxes my dad brought home for my mom when I was a kid,' said Chloë Sevigny at the opening of the French house's Wall Street outpost on Thursday night. 'They used to make her so happy.' Rachel Weisz, Leelee Sobieski, Kevin Bacon, and Kyra Sedgwick were among the other A-list guests who ventured downtown—way downtown—to ogle the luxe wares at the new store." (Style)
"Despite caveats from Yahoo and AOL that they weren’t directly challenging the dominance of the broadcast and cable upfront market with their respective ad industry presentations over the past few months, it was clear the intent was to siphon off at least some of the $9 billion going towards the fall TV season. But Mediaweek reports that those attempts hardly achieved the meager objectives of getting advertisers’ attention. " (Paidcontent)
Trousernake To Fans: You're Calling Me a Fuckface?
(image via jusjared)
We feel blameless when we make this judgement as we revoked Justin "Dick-in-a-Box" Timberlake's ghetto privileges immediately after he hung Janet Jackson out to dry over the whole FCC fiasco. Is it any wonder that the guy who bonds with K-Fed over his "BabyMama Drama" would see nothing wrong in -- how does one say this? -- "expectorating" all over his Swedish fans? From Entertainmentwise via Wesmirch:
"Justin Timberlake revealed his true colours recently when he reportedly lashed out at his own fans during the Swedish leg of his world tour.
"According to a report from a Swedish news source, the ever-charming Justin refused to pose for photos, threw missiles at fans from the roof of his hotel and even spat at them.
"When fans – quite legitimately – retaliated by calling the massive ego’d one a 'fuckface,' Justin allegedly responded with 'You’re calling me a fuckface? Go fuck yourself!'"
(image via jusjared)
We feel blameless when we make this judgement as we revoked Justin "Dick-in-a-Box" Timberlake's ghetto privileges immediately after he hung Janet Jackson out to dry over the whole FCC fiasco. Is it any wonder that the guy who bonds with K-Fed over his "BabyMama Drama" would see nothing wrong in -- how does one say this? -- "expectorating" all over his Swedish fans? From Entertainmentwise via Wesmirch:
"Justin Timberlake revealed his true colours recently when he reportedly lashed out at his own fans during the Swedish leg of his world tour.
"According to a report from a Swedish news source, the ever-charming Justin refused to pose for photos, threw missiles at fans from the roof of his hotel and even spat at them.
"When fans – quite legitimately – retaliated by calling the massive ego’d one a 'fuckface,' Justin allegedly responded with 'You’re calling me a fuckface? Go fuck yourself!'"
Is Shwarzenegger Really a Republican?
(image via gothamist)
Ab initio we were hugely skeptical about the political durability of one: Arnold Shwarzenegger. He reeks, to be sure, of obnoxious MittelEuropean aggression -- the experimental use of steroids, the gaudy Man-ring and, of course, the buffonish "action" movies of the 1980s(Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). Clearly, Michael Bloomberg, who may or may not be involved in electoral college intrigues all his own, would like to cultivate the beefsweaty Governor of California into his nascent "post-partisan" political movement. Which brings up the question: What is Ah-nuld anyhoo? Genus-wise, he is something akin to Homo-Erectus, perhaps a kissing cousin to the Missing Link? He is not a Democrat, species-wise; nor is he, all-in-all Republican. Our favorite Dickensian villain (the penchant for three-piece suits, the Spaniel-like fidelity to the notion of a capital gains tax cut), Robert Novak asks the question: is Shwarzenegger really a Republican? From NYPost:
"The Republican Party's condition in the nation's most populous state is desperate, with Schwarzenegger its only visible asset. Yet, a redistricting helping the GOP immeasurably is considered outside the frame of reference for the Republican governor, who remembers the issue as one of the ballot propositions he lost in the disastrous election of 2005. His current national priority is preaching the menace of global warming, and his state mission is practicing the 'post-partisanship' of governing across party lines.
"Is Schwarzenegger really a Republican?"
His wife and his in-laws most certainly are not of the Grand Ole Party. Wouldn't it be interesting to see Bloomberg -- and his astonishingly smart circle of courtiers -- assemble some moderates, like Colin Powell, Shwazenegger, Chuck Hagel, Warren Rudman, Danforth and others into his new coalition to grab as many electoral college votes in 2008, and force some compromises from the major parties, a la Patrick healy's Week in Review article in the Times:
"Mr. Bloomberg’s aides say he has no plans to be a kingmaker. Yet suppose an independent candidate with unlimited means carried New York in the general election on Nov. 5, 2008, winning a sharply divided vote among three home-state politicians (with Mrs. Clinton as the Democratic nominee and Rudolph W. Giuliani as the Republican). And suppose the Democratic and Republican nominees split the other 49 states and the District of Columbia in a way that left both just shy of an Electoral College majority (270 votes) without New York’s 31 votes.
"With his king-making bloc of votes, an independent candidate could broker a deal with one of the candidates, European- or Israeli-style. Cabinet posts could be divvied up (say, Senator Chuck Hagel as defense secretary). Specific policies and spending commitments would be agreed to (say, plans for immigration and health care, two top national priorities for the mayor)."
(NYPost)
(NYTimes)
(image via gothamist)
Ab initio we were hugely skeptical about the political durability of one: Arnold Shwarzenegger. He reeks, to be sure, of obnoxious MittelEuropean aggression -- the experimental use of steroids, the gaudy Man-ring and, of course, the buffonish "action" movies of the 1980s(Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). Clearly, Michael Bloomberg, who may or may not be involved in electoral college intrigues all his own, would like to cultivate the beefsweaty Governor of California into his nascent "post-partisan" political movement. Which brings up the question: What is Ah-nuld anyhoo? Genus-wise, he is something akin to Homo-Erectus, perhaps a kissing cousin to the Missing Link? He is not a Democrat, species-wise; nor is he, all-in-all Republican. Our favorite Dickensian villain (the penchant for three-piece suits, the Spaniel-like fidelity to the notion of a capital gains tax cut), Robert Novak asks the question: is Shwarzenegger really a Republican? From NYPost:
"The Republican Party's condition in the nation's most populous state is desperate, with Schwarzenegger its only visible asset. Yet, a redistricting helping the GOP immeasurably is considered outside the frame of reference for the Republican governor, who remembers the issue as one of the ballot propositions he lost in the disastrous election of 2005. His current national priority is preaching the menace of global warming, and his state mission is practicing the 'post-partisanship' of governing across party lines.
"Is Schwarzenegger really a Republican?"
His wife and his in-laws most certainly are not of the Grand Ole Party. Wouldn't it be interesting to see Bloomberg -- and his astonishingly smart circle of courtiers -- assemble some moderates, like Colin Powell, Shwazenegger, Chuck Hagel, Warren Rudman, Danforth and others into his new coalition to grab as many electoral college votes in 2008, and force some compromises from the major parties, a la Patrick healy's Week in Review article in the Times:
"Mr. Bloomberg’s aides say he has no plans to be a kingmaker. Yet suppose an independent candidate with unlimited means carried New York in the general election on Nov. 5, 2008, winning a sharply divided vote among three home-state politicians (with Mrs. Clinton as the Democratic nominee and Rudolph W. Giuliani as the Republican). And suppose the Democratic and Republican nominees split the other 49 states and the District of Columbia in a way that left both just shy of an Electoral College majority (270 votes) without New York’s 31 votes.
"With his king-making bloc of votes, an independent candidate could broker a deal with one of the candidates, European- or Israeli-style. Cabinet posts could be divvied up (say, Senator Chuck Hagel as defense secretary). Specific policies and spending commitments would be agreed to (say, plans for immigration and health care, two top national priorities for the mayor)."
(NYPost)
(NYTimes)
Media-Whore's D'Oevres
"Howard (Stern) brought up the SNL thing and asked him about what kind of money (Darryl Hammond might) be making. Artie said he thinks that Darrell could be making like $20,000 per episode or something like that. Howard asked him how many episodes they do every year. He said that they do 20 per year and it was an interesting question to ask. He asked Darrell if it's close to what Artie had estimated. Darrell wasn't talking about that stuff though." (Marksfriggin)
"THE former presidential front-runner, John McCain, may drop out of the 2008 race by September if his fundraising dries up and his poll ratings continue to drop, according to Republican insiders. The speculation, vigorously denied by McCain’s camp, is sweeping Republican circles after a disastrous few weeks in which the principled Arizona senator has clashed with the party’s conservative base on immigration and also alienated independent voters by backing President George W Bush’s troop surge in Iraq." (SundayTimes via HuffPo)
"Brett Ratner is set to direct 'Playboy,' the Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment film about the life of Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner. Brian Grazer is producing, and John Hoffman is writing the screenplay.Grazer optioned Hefner's life rights several years ago. The producer's '8 Mile' scribe Scott Silver tried it as a musical, and Oliver Stone developed several drafts. Making a film of Hefner's long life as icon of the sexual revolution has proven difficult, but Ratner and Hoffman found a way to do it that pleased Grazer and the 81-year-old Hefner, who approved the take late last week in a meeting at the Playboy Mansion." (Variety via NYMag)
(image via thisislondon)
"Madonna has spent more than ($11.9 million US) buying her sixth London property. The American singer and her husband Guy Ritchie last week signed a contract on the 10-bedroom Georgian townhouse in London's Marylebone. The couple paid almost twice the ($6.1 US) Mr Davies spent when he bought the property in August last year, even though he has not refurbished it.The house has six floors and includes a vaulted artist's studio which adjoins the garden wall of the family's main home. A source said: 'Madonna has been a very shrewd investor in property - this is her fourth in the area. She knows the prices are significantly lower than in Mayfair but that the area is coming up. She has said she'd like to buy the whole street.'" (ThisisLondon)
"FRESHMAN Gov. Spitzer was the big loser and veteran legislative leaders the big winners as the disastrously unproductive legislative session came to an end Friday, senior officials agree. Spitzer, who pledged to 'change everything on Day One,' looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights after his two most important final initiatives - congestion pricing in New York City and campaign-finance reform - were summarily rejected by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselaer), respectively." (NYPost)
"Howard (Stern) brought up the SNL thing and asked him about what kind of money (Darryl Hammond might) be making. Artie said he thinks that Darrell could be making like $20,000 per episode or something like that. Howard asked him how many episodes they do every year. He said that they do 20 per year and it was an interesting question to ask. He asked Darrell if it's close to what Artie had estimated. Darrell wasn't talking about that stuff though." (Marksfriggin)
"THE former presidential front-runner, John McCain, may drop out of the 2008 race by September if his fundraising dries up and his poll ratings continue to drop, according to Republican insiders. The speculation, vigorously denied by McCain’s camp, is sweeping Republican circles after a disastrous few weeks in which the principled Arizona senator has clashed with the party’s conservative base on immigration and also alienated independent voters by backing President George W Bush’s troop surge in Iraq." (SundayTimes via HuffPo)
"Brett Ratner is set to direct 'Playboy,' the Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment film about the life of Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner. Brian Grazer is producing, and John Hoffman is writing the screenplay.Grazer optioned Hefner's life rights several years ago. The producer's '8 Mile' scribe Scott Silver tried it as a musical, and Oliver Stone developed several drafts. Making a film of Hefner's long life as icon of the sexual revolution has proven difficult, but Ratner and Hoffman found a way to do it that pleased Grazer and the 81-year-old Hefner, who approved the take late last week in a meeting at the Playboy Mansion." (Variety via NYMag)
(image via thisislondon)
"Madonna has spent more than ($11.9 million US) buying her sixth London property. The American singer and her husband Guy Ritchie last week signed a contract on the 10-bedroom Georgian townhouse in London's Marylebone. The couple paid almost twice the ($6.1 US) Mr Davies spent when he bought the property in August last year, even though he has not refurbished it.The house has six floors and includes a vaulted artist's studio which adjoins the garden wall of the family's main home. A source said: 'Madonna has been a very shrewd investor in property - this is her fourth in the area. She knows the prices are significantly lower than in Mayfair but that the area is coming up. She has said she'd like to buy the whole street.'" (ThisisLondon)
"FRESHMAN Gov. Spitzer was the big loser and veteran legislative leaders the big winners as the disastrously unproductive legislative session came to an end Friday, senior officials agree. Spitzer, who pledged to 'change everything on Day One,' looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights after his two most important final initiatives - congestion pricing in New York City and campaign-finance reform - were summarily rejected by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselaer), respectively." (NYPost)
Roshawn-amon
(image via gothamist)
It is like that acclaimed Akira Kurasawa film. There was a mugging. Or, was there? A heinous crime involving a stripper may or may not have happened. It all comes down to the perspective of the observers. Let's call it ... Roshawn-amon.From the NYPost:
"Foxy Brown is a 'colorful character' who was merely telling cops a 'colorful story' when she claimed a woman mugged her at a Brooklyn housing project, the suspect’s lawyer said yesterday.
"Clinton Hughes said his client Roshawn Anthony 'denies these charges in their entirety.'
"But, despite the fact that the hotheaded hip-hopper now denies she was even in the East New York projects when the supposed crime took place, Anthony, a stripper, was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 bond."
So, unlike Kurosawa's meditation upon Truth and Perspectivism, Inga's cinematic life is colorful. Also, the stripper may or may not have absconded with Foxy's hearing aid and, uhm, hair:
"Anthony, 23, and several other women allegedly pulled Brown from her car at the Pink Houses project at 4 a.m. Saturday and beat her before swiping her Louis Vuitton bag, which contained $500 in cash, credit cards and her hearing aid. The women also ripped out strands of Brown’s hair, police said."
Only in New York, kiddies. (NYPost)
(image via gothamist)
It is like that acclaimed Akira Kurasawa film. There was a mugging. Or, was there? A heinous crime involving a stripper may or may not have happened. It all comes down to the perspective of the observers. Let's call it ... Roshawn-amon.From the NYPost:
"Foxy Brown is a 'colorful character' who was merely telling cops a 'colorful story' when she claimed a woman mugged her at a Brooklyn housing project, the suspect’s lawyer said yesterday.
"Clinton Hughes said his client Roshawn Anthony 'denies these charges in their entirety.'
"But, despite the fact that the hotheaded hip-hopper now denies she was even in the East New York projects when the supposed crime took place, Anthony, a stripper, was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 bond."
So, unlike Kurosawa's meditation upon Truth and Perspectivism, Inga's cinematic life is colorful. Also, the stripper may or may not have absconded with Foxy's hearing aid and, uhm, hair:
"Anthony, 23, and several other women allegedly pulled Brown from her car at the Pink Houses project at 4 a.m. Saturday and beat her before swiping her Louis Vuitton bag, which contained $500 in cash, credit cards and her hearing aid. The women also ripped out strands of Brown’s hair, police said."
Only in New York, kiddies. (NYPost)
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Triumph of the Stupid: Damien Hirst is the World's Most Expensive Artist
(image via arthrob)
You know how we feel about Damien Hirst. Hustler, scammer, punk. He's no Picasso (Is Picasso even Picasso?) Now, we are really starting to question the institution of Democratic-Capitalism, or, at the very least the Contemporary Art tastes of oily Russian billionaires and hedge fund fucks. From via Yahoo News:
"Britain's Damien Hirst has been crowned the world's most expensive living artist at auction, lifting a title held for years by America's Jasper Johns.
"It was the high point of a frenetic week of London art auctions that saw records tumbling like ninepins and which is likely to get close to $1 billion when it ends later on Friday.
"Hirst took the title on Thursday when Sotheby's sold his 'Lullaby Spring' pill cabinet for 9.6 million pounds ($19.1 million).
"Johns has held the title off and on since the mid-1980s, swapping in November 189 with Willem de Kooning who held it until his death in 1997."
From BlackBook in 2004:
"Irvine Welsh: I was interested in one of the things you said one time -- that you want people to react to art the way that they react to medicine.
"Damien Hirst: Well, I think art gets boring pretty fast, and to give it relevance today is pretty difficult; you've got to catch people out visually. So I think you're always looking for that, and I thought that pills were a brilliant little form, better than any minimalist artist. They're all designed to make you buy them.
"Irvine Welsh: This is the thing; there's a design concept for everything, whereas before it was really just functional.
"Damien Hirst: I mean, pills do come out of flowers, plants, things from the ground, and it makes you feel good, you know, to just have a pill to feel beauty."
Please kill me. (Yahoo News)
(image via arthrob)
You know how we feel about Damien Hirst. Hustler, scammer, punk. He's no Picasso (Is Picasso even Picasso?) Now, we are really starting to question the institution of Democratic-Capitalism, or, at the very least the Contemporary Art tastes of oily Russian billionaires and hedge fund fucks. From via Yahoo News:
"Britain's Damien Hirst has been crowned the world's most expensive living artist at auction, lifting a title held for years by America's Jasper Johns.
"It was the high point of a frenetic week of London art auctions that saw records tumbling like ninepins and which is likely to get close to $1 billion when it ends later on Friday.
"Hirst took the title on Thursday when Sotheby's sold his 'Lullaby Spring' pill cabinet for 9.6 million pounds ($19.1 million).
"Johns has held the title off and on since the mid-1980s, swapping in November 189 with Willem de Kooning who held it until his death in 1997."
From BlackBook in 2004:
"Irvine Welsh: I was interested in one of the things you said one time -- that you want people to react to art the way that they react to medicine.
"Damien Hirst: Well, I think art gets boring pretty fast, and to give it relevance today is pretty difficult; you've got to catch people out visually. So I think you're always looking for that, and I thought that pills were a brilliant little form, better than any minimalist artist. They're all designed to make you buy them.
"Irvine Welsh: This is the thing; there's a design concept for everything, whereas before it was really just functional.
"Damien Hirst: I mean, pills do come out of flowers, plants, things from the ground, and it makes you feel good, you know, to just have a pill to feel beauty."
Please kill me. (Yahoo News)
Media-Whore's D'oevres
"Prince William turned 25 on Thursday and gained part of the inheritance left him by his mother, Princess Diana. William, who is second in line to the throne, gains access to the interest and other income accrued on the $13 million he was left by his mother, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.William's Clarence House office would not say what the prince planned to do with the money, estimated at $500,000 to $600,000 a year. Harry, 22, William's brother, will gain access to a similar amount when he turns 25. According to Diana's will, the brothers gain access to the capital sum when they turn 30." (HuffPo)
Oddly Compelling Crying Criminals (TheSmokinggun)
From Maverick to Urchin: "SEN. John McCain, reflecting dire financial straits for his Republican presidential campaign, has sent a desperate plea for funds to previous contributors who have not reached their campaign limit. 'I took a risk by sending you first class postage stamps with this air gram letter,' McCain began his appeal. 'But I had no other choice because I urgently need your help before June 30th.'" (Rovak)
"HOLLYWOOD director David Lynch, of Mulholland Drive fame, will direct the advert for Gucci's new perfume, named simply Gucci. He follows a trend set by Baz Luhrman, who directed Nicole Kidman in a Moulin Rouge-inspired advert for Chanel No 5." (DailyVogue)
"While we all enjoy bashing the Hollywood studios for lack of imagination, at this point in the summer the naysayers should also own up to this reality: The world's filmgoers seem to like what they're getting.The basic facts are as follows: Just about all the tentpoles and sequels have turned out to be hits this summer, unlike last. Box office results have improved by roughly 7%, and that's a big number. Earlier concerns about 'cannibalization' (too much product in the marketplace) haven't materialized, except that some independently financed fringe movies are being crowded out of the multiplexes. And the lineup of films still to appear seems remarkably solid -- shows like The Simpsons, Hairspray, Transformers and the next iterations of Rush Hour and Bourne Identity. To be sure, there are still some big question marks. Will Evan Almighty, with its oddly evangelical subtext, justify its enormous budget (somewhere around $200 million)? Will Michael Moore's superbly crafted Sicko perform like a Columbine or like a Fahrenheit? Setting these aside, the bottom line seems to be that the movie going public worldwide seems to relish its diet of sequels and remakes." (HuffPo)
"Prince William turned 25 on Thursday and gained part of the inheritance left him by his mother, Princess Diana. William, who is second in line to the throne, gains access to the interest and other income accrued on the $13 million he was left by his mother, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.William's Clarence House office would not say what the prince planned to do with the money, estimated at $500,000 to $600,000 a year. Harry, 22, William's brother, will gain access to a similar amount when he turns 25. According to Diana's will, the brothers gain access to the capital sum when they turn 30." (HuffPo)
Oddly Compelling Crying Criminals (TheSmokinggun)
From Maverick to Urchin: "SEN. John McCain, reflecting dire financial straits for his Republican presidential campaign, has sent a desperate plea for funds to previous contributors who have not reached their campaign limit. 'I took a risk by sending you first class postage stamps with this air gram letter,' McCain began his appeal. 'But I had no other choice because I urgently need your help before June 30th.'" (Rovak)
"HOLLYWOOD director David Lynch, of Mulholland Drive fame, will direct the advert for Gucci's new perfume, named simply Gucci. He follows a trend set by Baz Luhrman, who directed Nicole Kidman in a Moulin Rouge-inspired advert for Chanel No 5." (DailyVogue)
"While we all enjoy bashing the Hollywood studios for lack of imagination, at this point in the summer the naysayers should also own up to this reality: The world's filmgoers seem to like what they're getting.The basic facts are as follows: Just about all the tentpoles and sequels have turned out to be hits this summer, unlike last. Box office results have improved by roughly 7%, and that's a big number. Earlier concerns about 'cannibalization' (too much product in the marketplace) haven't materialized, except that some independently financed fringe movies are being crowded out of the multiplexes. And the lineup of films still to appear seems remarkably solid -- shows like The Simpsons, Hairspray, Transformers and the next iterations of Rush Hour and Bourne Identity. To be sure, there are still some big question marks. Will Evan Almighty, with its oddly evangelical subtext, justify its enormous budget (somewhere around $200 million)? Will Michael Moore's superbly crafted Sicko perform like a Columbine or like a Fahrenheit? Setting these aside, the bottom line seems to be that the movie going public worldwide seems to relish its diet of sequels and remakes." (HuffPo)
Friday, June 22, 2007
Media-Whore's D'Oevres
"Howard said he heard what went on between John and Richie Sambora. He heard that John was doing a concert for VH-1 Unplugged and Richie got so drunk that he had to send him off to rehab. Howard figured that Richie was upset about losing this young chippy Denise Richards .. John (Bon Jovi) said that Richie (Sambora) was drinking to excess but not over Denise (Richards). He was having some problems in his life and he really didn't play that bad at the Unplugged thing. He played quite well but the band did talk to Richie and told him to go to rehab. John said that there was nothing dramatic to say to him, they just talked to him and Richie went to detox. He said that they played last night and Richie is back to working and doing just fine. Howard asked John if he thinks Richie would ever go back to Heather Locklear. John doesn't think he would. Howard asked him if he really disliked Heather. John said he didn't but Howard (Stern) said he heard things and he really did dislike her. John said that's not true. Howard said that John is always going to side with Richie because he's been friends with him since they were kids .. He asked John if he was ever tempted to do Heather Locklear. John said that he would if he could have. He said that he couldn't follow Tommy Lee and then Richie. Howard said that he's heard that Richie has a big penis and John said that its' like a baby's arm with a boxing glove on it." (TheHowardSternShow on Marksfriggin)
"We hosted a really fun little party last night on Crosby Street in honor of my old friend hairstylist Ric Pipino's (... with Mark Hunter) new hot venture. He has partnered with the fun cosmetics chain store Ricky's and is opening cute, inexpensive, super-groovy hair salons in the back of these shops (starting in NYC) called Shears Hustle and Blow." (Papermag)
"As Zimbabwe’s disintegration gathers potentially unstoppable momentum, a swelling tide of migrants is moving into neighboring South Africa, driven into exile by oppression, unemployment and inflation so relentless that many goods now double in price weekly. South Africa is deporting an average of 3,900 illegal Zimbabwean migrants every week, the International Organization for Migration says. That is up more than 40 percent from the second half of 2006, and six times the number South African officials said they were expelling in late 2003." (NYTimes)
" ..Isn't it sort of amazing that Citizen Kane held on to the No. 1 slot? I figured for sure The Godfather would usurp it, if only for the way pop culture (especially The Sopranos) has indirectly managed to keep Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece at the top of everybody's brain for the past eight years, even as black-and-white film classic seemed to be drifting further and further into the past. In fact, I was actually rooting for The Godfather to come out ahead. I love Kane, I've seen it all the way through at least a half-dozen times, but I'm not sure I would've voted for it over The Godfather. Kane, deep down, is a movie you study; The Godfather is more emotionally involving, a slightly richer experience." (Popwatch)
"Nicole Richie went shopping for diaper bags, but her dad isn't ready to be a grandfather. TMZ spotted Lionel jetting from Koi last night, where the 'Dancing on the Ceiling' singer said, 'Don't scare me!' after a photog asked if he'll be soon be called Gramps." (TMZ)
"Howard said he heard what went on between John and Richie Sambora. He heard that John was doing a concert for VH-1 Unplugged and Richie got so drunk that he had to send him off to rehab. Howard figured that Richie was upset about losing this young chippy Denise Richards .. John (Bon Jovi) said that Richie (Sambora) was drinking to excess but not over Denise (Richards). He was having some problems in his life and he really didn't play that bad at the Unplugged thing. He played quite well but the band did talk to Richie and told him to go to rehab. John said that there was nothing dramatic to say to him, they just talked to him and Richie went to detox. He said that they played last night and Richie is back to working and doing just fine. Howard asked John if he thinks Richie would ever go back to Heather Locklear. John doesn't think he would. Howard asked him if he really disliked Heather. John said he didn't but Howard (Stern) said he heard things and he really did dislike her. John said that's not true. Howard said that John is always going to side with Richie because he's been friends with him since they were kids .. He asked John if he was ever tempted to do Heather Locklear. John said that he would if he could have. He said that he couldn't follow Tommy Lee and then Richie. Howard said that he's heard that Richie has a big penis and John said that its' like a baby's arm with a boxing glove on it." (TheHowardSternShow on Marksfriggin)
"We hosted a really fun little party last night on Crosby Street in honor of my old friend hairstylist Ric Pipino's (... with Mark Hunter) new hot venture. He has partnered with the fun cosmetics chain store Ricky's and is opening cute, inexpensive, super-groovy hair salons in the back of these shops (starting in NYC) called Shears Hustle and Blow." (Papermag)
"As Zimbabwe’s disintegration gathers potentially unstoppable momentum, a swelling tide of migrants is moving into neighboring South Africa, driven into exile by oppression, unemployment and inflation so relentless that many goods now double in price weekly. South Africa is deporting an average of 3,900 illegal Zimbabwean migrants every week, the International Organization for Migration says. That is up more than 40 percent from the second half of 2006, and six times the number South African officials said they were expelling in late 2003." (NYTimes)
" ..Isn't it sort of amazing that Citizen Kane held on to the No. 1 slot? I figured for sure The Godfather would usurp it, if only for the way pop culture (especially The Sopranos) has indirectly managed to keep Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece at the top of everybody's brain for the past eight years, even as black-and-white film classic seemed to be drifting further and further into the past. In fact, I was actually rooting for The Godfather to come out ahead. I love Kane, I've seen it all the way through at least a half-dozen times, but I'm not sure I would've voted for it over The Godfather. Kane, deep down, is a movie you study; The Godfather is more emotionally involving, a slightly richer experience." (Popwatch)
"Nicole Richie went shopping for diaper bags, but her dad isn't ready to be a grandfather. TMZ spotted Lionel jetting from Koi last night, where the 'Dancing on the Ceiling' singer said, 'Don't scare me!' after a photog asked if he'll be soon be called Gramps." (TMZ)
Kate Moss to Make Pete Doherty: "(Makes Him) Happier Than Any Given Smackhead"
Blowcane .. It's a Hell of a Drug; but then again, so is Love. If there would be a column that -- in its name -- clearly captures the slimy, ungenty essence of Pete Doherty -- Eew -- it would have to be something called "The 3AM Girls (Averted Gaze)." And, of course, it would have to be outcalls only. And you'd have to take a dose of penecillin immediately thereafter. From the soi-dissant 3AMGirls:
"PETE Doherty has finally confirmed that he WILL marry Kate Moss this summer - as long as he is 'smack and needle-free'."
Greasy! Summer lovin' had me some crack/ Summer lovin' happened so fast
"The junkie rocker lifted the lid on his relationship with the supermodel in his explosive journals, published yesterday ..
"..The revelations - contained in his long-awaited coffee table tome, The Books of Albion (£20 a pop in hardback) - offer a fascinating insight into his tortured relationship and violent rows with Moss.
In an entry penned on January 31, 2007, during a stint in rehab, the Babyshambles star writes: ' ...smack and needle-free we shall marry in the summer and I become 10 times happier than any given smackhead. Huzzah!'"
Huzzah indeed. it doesn't stop there, of course. More:
"But he also lifts the lid on their arguments, including one furious bust-up on a Eurostar train from Paris to London in July 2005 when the couple were returning from designer Hedi Slimane's birthday celebrations.
"Kate and I f****** and fighting all the way on the Eurostar until finally blood runs down my palm and up my head, and before I leg it to oblivion leaving her at the station calling me a this, that and the other and a so-and-so (accompanied by hand gestures)... "
In a second entry, Doherty also tells how they clash over his habit of sitting in the potting shed at her home in the Cotswolds.
"My dear sweet love would appear to be in somewhat of a rage perhaps due to my being decamped to the potting shed this cold rainy night," he writes.
"'You're sat there in your hovel in your own s**t, wallowing in self-indulgence'. The Lord knows it's a consistent response."
But Doherty also clearly adores Moss, who has a four-year-old daughter Lila Grace. "For single mothers everywhere in love with crackheads, you are a shining light of hope," he says. 'Hold me in your arms and I want for nothing... but your sweet scent, your soft supple body and skin.'"
The full, skincrawling account of Pete Doherty, former rent boy, and the two loves of his life, Kate and The Crackrock (In no particular order). (3AM)
Blowcane .. It's a Hell of a Drug; but then again, so is Love. If there would be a column that -- in its name -- clearly captures the slimy, ungenty essence of Pete Doherty -- Eew -- it would have to be something called "The 3AM Girls (Averted Gaze)." And, of course, it would have to be outcalls only. And you'd have to take a dose of penecillin immediately thereafter. From the soi-dissant 3AMGirls:
"PETE Doherty has finally confirmed that he WILL marry Kate Moss this summer - as long as he is 'smack and needle-free'."
Greasy! Summer lovin' had me some crack/ Summer lovin' happened so fast
"The junkie rocker lifted the lid on his relationship with the supermodel in his explosive journals, published yesterday ..
"..The revelations - contained in his long-awaited coffee table tome, The Books of Albion (£20 a pop in hardback) - offer a fascinating insight into his tortured relationship and violent rows with Moss.
In an entry penned on January 31, 2007, during a stint in rehab, the Babyshambles star writes: ' ...smack and needle-free we shall marry in the summer and I become 10 times happier than any given smackhead. Huzzah!'"
Huzzah indeed. it doesn't stop there, of course. More:
"But he also lifts the lid on their arguments, including one furious bust-up on a Eurostar train from Paris to London in July 2005 when the couple were returning from designer Hedi Slimane's birthday celebrations.
"Kate and I f****** and fighting all the way on the Eurostar until finally blood runs down my palm and up my head, and before I leg it to oblivion leaving her at the station calling me a this, that and the other and a so-and-so (accompanied by hand gestures)... "
In a second entry, Doherty also tells how they clash over his habit of sitting in the potting shed at her home in the Cotswolds.
"My dear sweet love would appear to be in somewhat of a rage perhaps due to my being decamped to the potting shed this cold rainy night," he writes.
"'You're sat there in your hovel in your own s**t, wallowing in self-indulgence'. The Lord knows it's a consistent response."
But Doherty also clearly adores Moss, who has a four-year-old daughter Lila Grace. "For single mothers everywhere in love with crackheads, you are a shining light of hope," he says. 'Hold me in your arms and I want for nothing... but your sweet scent, your soft supple body and skin.'"
The full, skincrawling account of Pete Doherty, former rent boy, and the two loves of his life, Kate and The Crackrock (In no particular order). (3AM)
Thursday, June 21, 2007
ON The Theme Of JLO'S ASS-SWEAT
(image via mavericktimes)
We always wondered about the downside of all that extra ass that JLo carries around, with, we cannot fail to note, a certain regal carriage. It's summer-- it's hot; all that fleshy, caramel lagniappe must get misty. And then there are those micro-mini outfits that popstars -- especially ones with appeal to the Latin market -- are required to wear as their uniform.
Sure, the entourage of beefy bodyguards are sufficint to deter the most ardent papparazi from catching said popstar in a particularly perspirous moment of Ass-Cheeks-Gone-Awry... We try not to think about these things too-often, but then Fashionweekdaily gets into it, catching a moment of Ass-Sweat, and, well, Things-Fall-Apart. From Fashionweekdaily:
"With uniformed Capuchin monkeys from South America on the red carpet as well as Jennifer Lopez, Debra Messing, Pharrell Williams, and Jim Gold on the host committee, guests at Lorraine Schwartz’s Diamond Monkey collection launch party Wednesday night at the Hotel Elysee's Monkey Bar knew they were in store for more than the typical passed hors d'oeuvres and photo ops .. Lopez, whose arrival with full security detail mimicked the onset of a monsoon, swept through the red carpet for photos and quickly holed herself up in a corner booth with Schwartz, Messing, and Gold. The Bergdorf’s chief executive, whose store carries the line exclusively, pulled his daughter, Caroline, and niece, Katie, through the throng of gawkers and crush of photographers to personally introduce the giddy girls to Lopez, even taking out his personal digital camera to take a group shot like a proud papa. The Latina lovely, who kept wiping perspiration off her seat after getting stuck to the booth thanks to her shorter-than-short outfit .. "
Charmed, I'm sure.
(image via mavericktimes)
We always wondered about the downside of all that extra ass that JLo carries around, with, we cannot fail to note, a certain regal carriage. It's summer-- it's hot; all that fleshy, caramel lagniappe must get misty. And then there are those micro-mini outfits that popstars -- especially ones with appeal to the Latin market -- are required to wear as their uniform.
Sure, the entourage of beefy bodyguards are sufficint to deter the most ardent papparazi from catching said popstar in a particularly perspirous moment of Ass-Cheeks-Gone-Awry... We try not to think about these things too-often, but then Fashionweekdaily gets into it, catching a moment of Ass-Sweat, and, well, Things-Fall-Apart. From Fashionweekdaily:
"With uniformed Capuchin monkeys from South America on the red carpet as well as Jennifer Lopez, Debra Messing, Pharrell Williams, and Jim Gold on the host committee, guests at Lorraine Schwartz’s Diamond Monkey collection launch party Wednesday night at the Hotel Elysee's Monkey Bar knew they were in store for more than the typical passed hors d'oeuvres and photo ops .. Lopez, whose arrival with full security detail mimicked the onset of a monsoon, swept through the red carpet for photos and quickly holed herself up in a corner booth with Schwartz, Messing, and Gold. The Bergdorf’s chief executive, whose store carries the line exclusively, pulled his daughter, Caroline, and niece, Katie, through the throng of gawkers and crush of photographers to personally introduce the giddy girls to Lopez, even taking out his personal digital camera to take a group shot like a proud papa. The Latina lovely, who kept wiping perspiration off her seat after getting stuck to the booth thanks to her shorter-than-short outfit .. "
Charmed, I'm sure.
Fitty and Fergie
(image via TMZ)
That the Princess of York, who didn't once suck the toes of a louch Texan millionaire, held hands a little longer than usual with 50 Cent -- we cannot fail to note -- had Nothing to do with the breathless Forbes Magazine reports of Fitty's $100-plus million unexpected windfall. Nothing.
But it does tend to erase uneasy memories of the fact that he has bullet fragmants in his tongue.
(image via TMZ)
That the Princess of York, who didn't once suck the toes of a louch Texan millionaire, held hands a little longer than usual with 50 Cent -- we cannot fail to note -- had Nothing to do with the breathless Forbes Magazine reports of Fitty's $100-plus million unexpected windfall. Nothing.
But it does tend to erase uneasy memories of the fact that he has bullet fragmants in his tongue.
Woody Allen To Direct Opera
In one of the stranger stories we've had to relate -- mirabile dictu -- Woody Allen is set to follow in the tradition of his idol Ingmar Bergman, who directed Mozart's Die Zauberflauten. It is a supremely interesting artistic exercise for the film director. From Variety:
"Woody Allen will make his operatic directing debut in September 2008, helming Puccini's lone comedy, 'Gianni Schicchi.' The production will be part of the Puccini 'Il Trittico' tryptich of "Schicchi," 'Il Tabarro' and 'Suor Angelica,' the latter two being directed by William Friedkin.
"Placido Domingo, the Broad general director of the Los Angeles Opera, said he had approached Allen about four years ago. 'I've seduced many a film director into directing opera, starting with John Schlesinger and 'The Tales of Hoffmann' at London's Covent Garden,' Domingo said in a statement. 'I will admit that my pursuit of Woody takes the prize of the longest pursuit.' Allen, too, issued a statement: 'I have no idea what I am doing, but incompetence has never prevented me from plunging in with enthusiasm.'"
"Incompetence, or, for that matter Father-Daughter incest taboos (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment).
In one of the stranger stories we've had to relate -- mirabile dictu -- Woody Allen is set to follow in the tradition of his idol Ingmar Bergman, who directed Mozart's Die Zauberflauten. It is a supremely interesting artistic exercise for the film director. From Variety:
"Woody Allen will make his operatic directing debut in September 2008, helming Puccini's lone comedy, 'Gianni Schicchi.' The production will be part of the Puccini 'Il Trittico' tryptich of "Schicchi," 'Il Tabarro' and 'Suor Angelica,' the latter two being directed by William Friedkin.
"Placido Domingo, the Broad general director of the Los Angeles Opera, said he had approached Allen about four years ago. 'I've seduced many a film director into directing opera, starting with John Schlesinger and 'The Tales of Hoffmann' at London's Covent Garden,' Domingo said in a statement. 'I will admit that my pursuit of Woody takes the prize of the longest pursuit.' Allen, too, issued a statement: 'I have no idea what I am doing, but incompetence has never prevented me from plunging in with enthusiasm.'"
"Incompetence, or, for that matter Father-Daughter incest taboos (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment).
Media-Whore's D'oevres
$100 million Gets You a Whole Different Class of Friends: "The original Fergie kept it real -- by holding hands with 50 Cent after the dandy rapper performed on Wednesday at a NY concert for the Sarah Ferguson Foundation. Go shorty, it's your charity!" (TMZ)
"LET'S hope Duran Duran get their act together before next weekend's Concert For Diana. An unsteady Simon Le Bon slurred his way through a show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on Sunday and completely forgot the words to opening hit Planet Earth. Si... 'This is Planet Earth, Calling Planet Earth, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop...'" (3AMGirls)
"Most members of Al Gore’s inner political circle have not yet signed up with any presidential campaign, triggering speculation that the 2000 Democratic nominee will jump into the race for the White House later this year. But Gore’s ex-aides and advisers say they do not think their former boss will enter the presidential fray. Democratic political experts who played significant roles in Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign, expressed strong skepticism that Gore would challenge Democratic frontrunners Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.). Ex-campaign manager Donna Brazile, former policy director Elaine Kamarck, former media strategist Tad Devine, ex-traveling chief of staff Michael Feldman and former spokesmen Chris Lehane and Jano Cabrera shared their views with The Hill. None of these former advisers are helping a Democratic presidential campaign." (TheHill)
"At the Cooper Union tonight, (John) Edwards, as expected, stressed his return to themes of economic inequality: "There are stil two Americas,' he said. The most interesting response, to me, was to WNYC's Brian Lehrer's question about the effectiveness of Bill Clinton's landmark 1996 welfare reform. The legislation had 'serious flaws,' Edwards said. 'There was not enough effort put into job training' and a failure to provide 'decent and affordable childcare.' 'The infrastructure that was necessary to make this work was not fleshed out the way it needed to be, and on top of that it had very little impact on young African American men,' he said." (Ben Smith on ThePolitico)
$100 million Gets You a Whole Different Class of Friends: "The original Fergie kept it real -- by holding hands with 50 Cent after the dandy rapper performed on Wednesday at a NY concert for the Sarah Ferguson Foundation. Go shorty, it's your charity!" (TMZ)
"LET'S hope Duran Duran get their act together before next weekend's Concert For Diana. An unsteady Simon Le Bon slurred his way through a show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on Sunday and completely forgot the words to opening hit Planet Earth. Si... 'This is Planet Earth, Calling Planet Earth, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop...'" (3AMGirls)
"Most members of Al Gore’s inner political circle have not yet signed up with any presidential campaign, triggering speculation that the 2000 Democratic nominee will jump into the race for the White House later this year. But Gore’s ex-aides and advisers say they do not think their former boss will enter the presidential fray. Democratic political experts who played significant roles in Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign, expressed strong skepticism that Gore would challenge Democratic frontrunners Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.). Ex-campaign manager Donna Brazile, former policy director Elaine Kamarck, former media strategist Tad Devine, ex-traveling chief of staff Michael Feldman and former spokesmen Chris Lehane and Jano Cabrera shared their views with The Hill. None of these former advisers are helping a Democratic presidential campaign." (TheHill)
"At the Cooper Union tonight, (John) Edwards, as expected, stressed his return to themes of economic inequality: "There are stil two Americas,' he said. The most interesting response, to me, was to WNYC's Brian Lehrer's question about the effectiveness of Bill Clinton's landmark 1996 welfare reform. The legislation had 'serious flaws,' Edwards said. 'There was not enough effort put into job training' and a failure to provide 'decent and affordable childcare.' 'The infrastructure that was necessary to make this work was not fleshed out the way it needed to be, and on top of that it had very little impact on young African American men,' he said." (Ben Smith on ThePolitico)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Media-Whore's D'Oevres
"Court TV made Nancy Grace. But now the network and its star host are going their separate ways. Grace, now best known for her primetime show on Headline News, said goodbye to Court TV yesterday. She signed off from 'Nancy Grace: Closing Arguments' at 5pm..." (TVNewser)
(image via alwaysontherun.net)
"Over at the Daryl Roth Theatre, it was Anglomania redux at a lively bash hosted by GQ and the Sundance Channel hosted to celebrate the launch of Live from Abbey Road. The Union Jack hung proudly over Union Square while the assembled crowd enjoyed an array of British delicacies including shepherd’s pie, Yorkshire pudding, and French fries served in Financial Times paper cones .. The evening’s highlight was a performance by Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals. Harper, dressed in a Gucci shirt and Stronghold jeans and his band, all outfitted in Penguin, wowed a full house, which included Harper’s wife, actress Laura Dern (also in Gucci), Aaron Eckhart, Paz de la Huerta, Drena De Niro, Jamison Ernest, Andrew Keegan, Sky Nellor, Andres Serrano, Amy Redford, Kim Stolz and Huvane’s girlfriend Laura Katzenberg." (Fashionweekdaily)
"Radar has discovered that Dr. Charles Sophy, the psychiatrist that visited Paris Hilton in jail and aided with her initial release, is neither the UCLA professor his website claims he is, nor the board-certified M.D. he's reputed to be. (Not that anyone could tell by reading his press, which often cites him as an M.D.)" (RadarOnline)
Cafe Society Is Talking: "During a small dinner after a recent fundraiser for Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.), New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was then still a Republican, told fellow diners at the residence of Georgette Mosbacher that he would not be running for president. 'During the dinner he said, 'The last thing this country needs is a 5-foot-7 Jewish billionaire,' King said. The lawmaker added that this did not dampen speculation but, rather, prompted the group to begin talking about a possible Bloomberg run. 'We’ve discussed [Bloomberg] running for president and I think he’s probably 50-50,' said King, adding: 'He’s intrigued by the concept and at peace with himself.'" (TheHill)
Former fellow Razor Magazine columnist Anna David and sexy, dark Lusty Lady Rachel-Kramer Bussel -- friend of Corsair -- are at Border Books tomorrow at 7-9pm discussing Anna's new book 'PartyGirl'" (InfoHere)
"Mike Allen and I have a piece in Politico today on John Edwards, which has him shifting his geographic focus — a little less exclusively Iowa — and his message — more domestic policy — to reinvigorate his candidacy. 'We're not trying to compete on the stage of national celebrity and money,' a senior Edwards aide says, and Harrison Hickman details some of the research on Edwards. There are also some reasons to worry in the piece. It seems likely that Edwards won't be able to keep pace with the second quarter fundraising, and some signs that trial lawyers are hedging their bets on him: One prominent Chicago lawyer and Edwards supporter, Joe Power, is co-hosting a Hillary event next week." (BenSmith)
"I could easily go through the rest of my life without hearing this Seattle-based band's music, but I would still love them just for the name alone. I mean, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head? It's just about as perfect as perfect can get. But then hey, what do you know? I listened to their music and it's pretty good! .. After listening to every song available on their MySpace page, it's apparent that these guys' whole shtick is being the amateurs in the game. Yet somehow they pull it off AND manage to include almost every style of electronic music into their songs while simultaneously maintaining a sweet and innocent sound. I love it -- come to New York!" (Shanon Kelly in Papermag)
"Court TV made Nancy Grace. But now the network and its star host are going their separate ways. Grace, now best known for her primetime show on Headline News, said goodbye to Court TV yesterday. She signed off from 'Nancy Grace: Closing Arguments' at 5pm..." (TVNewser)
(image via alwaysontherun.net)
"Over at the Daryl Roth Theatre, it was Anglomania redux at a lively bash hosted by GQ and the Sundance Channel hosted to celebrate the launch of Live from Abbey Road. The Union Jack hung proudly over Union Square while the assembled crowd enjoyed an array of British delicacies including shepherd’s pie, Yorkshire pudding, and French fries served in Financial Times paper cones .. The evening’s highlight was a performance by Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals. Harper, dressed in a Gucci shirt and Stronghold jeans and his band, all outfitted in Penguin, wowed a full house, which included Harper’s wife, actress Laura Dern (also in Gucci), Aaron Eckhart, Paz de la Huerta, Drena De Niro, Jamison Ernest, Andrew Keegan, Sky Nellor, Andres Serrano, Amy Redford, Kim Stolz and Huvane’s girlfriend Laura Katzenberg." (Fashionweekdaily)
"Radar has discovered that Dr. Charles Sophy, the psychiatrist that visited Paris Hilton in jail and aided with her initial release, is neither the UCLA professor his website claims he is, nor the board-certified M.D. he's reputed to be. (Not that anyone could tell by reading his press, which often cites him as an M.D.)" (RadarOnline)
Cafe Society Is Talking: "During a small dinner after a recent fundraiser for Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.), New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was then still a Republican, told fellow diners at the residence of Georgette Mosbacher that he would not be running for president. 'During the dinner he said, 'The last thing this country needs is a 5-foot-7 Jewish billionaire,' King said. The lawmaker added that this did not dampen speculation but, rather, prompted the group to begin talking about a possible Bloomberg run. 'We’ve discussed [Bloomberg] running for president and I think he’s probably 50-50,' said King, adding: 'He’s intrigued by the concept and at peace with himself.'" (TheHill)
Former fellow Razor Magazine columnist Anna David and sexy, dark Lusty Lady Rachel-Kramer Bussel -- friend of Corsair -- are at Border Books tomorrow at 7-9pm discussing Anna's new book 'PartyGirl'" (InfoHere)
"Mike Allen and I have a piece in Politico today on John Edwards, which has him shifting his geographic focus — a little less exclusively Iowa — and his message — more domestic policy — to reinvigorate his candidacy. 'We're not trying to compete on the stage of national celebrity and money,' a senior Edwards aide says, and Harrison Hickman details some of the research on Edwards. There are also some reasons to worry in the piece. It seems likely that Edwards won't be able to keep pace with the second quarter fundraising, and some signs that trial lawyers are hedging their bets on him: One prominent Chicago lawyer and Edwards supporter, Joe Power, is co-hosting a Hillary event next week." (BenSmith)
"I could easily go through the rest of my life without hearing this Seattle-based band's music, but I would still love them just for the name alone. I mean, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head? It's just about as perfect as perfect can get. But then hey, what do you know? I listened to their music and it's pretty good! .. After listening to every song available on their MySpace page, it's apparent that these guys' whole shtick is being the amateurs in the game. Yet somehow they pull it off AND manage to include almost every style of electronic music into their songs while simultaneously maintaining a sweet and innocent sound. I love it -- come to New York!" (Shanon Kelly in Papermag)
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