Media-Whores D'Oevres
"Martin Scorsese, joined by group of leading international filmmakers on Tuesday in Cannes, officially announced the creation of The World Cinema Foundation. The not-for-profit organization is dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and ultimately, distribution of neglected films from around the world." (IndieWire)
"Scorsese has secured the participation of many of the world’s most illustrious film directors, all of whom have agreed to serve on the World Cinema Foundation’s Board of Advisors. They include Fatih Akin, Souleymane Cissé, Guillermo del Toro, Stephen Frears, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Abbas Kiarostami, Ermanno Olmi, Cristi Puiu, Walter Salles, Abderrahmane Sissako, Elia Suleiman, Bertrand Tavernier, Wim Wenders, and Wong Kar Wai." (FashionWeekDaily)
"So far Bloomberg's non-campaign is better than Rudy's" (Slate)
"Even gayer than Idol is the fact that JOHN TRAVOLTA and QUEEN LATIFAH have been popping up on queer magazine covers about Hairspray! But some people are turning against Turnblad, as it were. FRANCES MILSTEAD—the mother of Divine (a/k/a Glenn Milstead), who played Edna in the original movie—told me last week that she saw the new clips on Oprah and wanted to stop the beat. 'Glenn was ugly,' she said, 'but John is uglier!'" (Musto)
"Michelle Obama just resigned her lucrative board seat at TreeHouse Inc., an Illinois food company whose main customer is Wal-Mart." (Politico)
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Zuckerman's Famous Pig
As always, this blog is ahead of the curve (But we, alas, get little by the way of media credit). Mort Zuckerman's bullshit college rankings -- which we like to call "Zuckeman's Famous Pig" -- have always struck us as a one-sided parlor game concocted by hapless dolts. For example, according to those silly rankings, something called Allegheny College is a better educational institution than the storied Hampshire College; St. John's University of Minnesota is better than the intense Spellman College; and Indiana's Depauw University -- Dan Quayle's alma mater -- is, according to their Daffy-Duck-Logic ("eenie, meenie, miney, mo") a better academic choice than the hyper-intellectual Reed College (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). You get the idea; fuckwittage, this. From FishbowlNY:
"Mort Zuckerman, editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report and and co-publisher of the Daily News, abruptly ended an interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education for a special report on the recent controversy surrounding the ranking system that powers U.S. News' 'America's Best Colleges' — a.k.a its swimsuit issue.
"Just how abruptly? Abrupt enough that the Chronicle's Evan Goldstein issued a press release detailing the incident:
"Mort Zuckerman doesn't appreciate any probing questions about the fairness or profit-making of his U.S. News & World Report college rankings."
It's about time someone blasted that fraud proper. (FishBowlNY)
As always, this blog is ahead of the curve (But we, alas, get little by the way of media credit). Mort Zuckerman's bullshit college rankings -- which we like to call "Zuckeman's Famous Pig" -- have always struck us as a one-sided parlor game concocted by hapless dolts. For example, according to those silly rankings, something called Allegheny College is a better educational institution than the storied Hampshire College; St. John's University of Minnesota is better than the intense Spellman College; and Indiana's Depauw University -- Dan Quayle's alma mater -- is, according to their Daffy-Duck-Logic ("eenie, meenie, miney, mo") a better academic choice than the hyper-intellectual Reed College (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). You get the idea; fuckwittage, this. From FishbowlNY:
"Mort Zuckerman, editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report and and co-publisher of the Daily News, abruptly ended an interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education for a special report on the recent controversy surrounding the ranking system that powers U.S. News' 'America's Best Colleges' — a.k.a its swimsuit issue.
"Just how abruptly? Abrupt enough that the Chronicle's Evan Goldstein issued a press release detailing the incident:
"Mort Zuckerman doesn't appreciate any probing questions about the fairness or profit-making of his U.S. News & World Report college rankings."
It's about time someone blasted that fraud proper. (FishBowlNY)
Media-Whore D'Oevres
"Also (At the Waldorf Astoria), at separate tables, were Oprah's longtime beau, Stedman Graham, and her best pal, Gayle King. The increasingly rare presence of Stedman with Oprah prompted even Ted Koppel to observe that he and his wife, Grace, just celebrated their 44th anniversary, but 'Oprah and Steadman have been engaged for longer than that.'" (RushandMolloy)
"Over on the edge of the crowd on other side of the room were a couple (married) who are not as famous as some of the other writers, such as the aforementioned, but very famous amongst their peers in what is this New York literary colony: Judith Miller, the New York Times reporter (I don’t think you need to be filled in there) and the very famous editor Jason Epstein." (NYSD)
"'But it was always, I think, a pretty serious and hard-hitting newscast,' (Katie Courik) said. 'I think now it's even harder. I disagree with people who sort of say it was too feature-y, because I don't really think that was the case. There were sidebar stories that would appear on the front page of any major newspaper in this country. And I think [with] the 24/7 news cycle in its current incarnation, that oftentimes to do a good news show you have to look beyond the headlines and beyond simply what happened, and talk about other issues as well.'" (PhillyEnq)
"Angelina Jolie has decided to take a year off to spend time with her family, PEOPLE has learned. 'I'm working this summer. I'm in Prague for a few months, then I take two months off, then I work for two months,' Jolie said Tuesday while promoting A Mighty Heart at the Cannes Film Festival. 'And then I take a year off.'" (People)
"Also (At the Waldorf Astoria), at separate tables, were Oprah's longtime beau, Stedman Graham, and her best pal, Gayle King. The increasingly rare presence of Stedman with Oprah prompted even Ted Koppel to observe that he and his wife, Grace, just celebrated their 44th anniversary, but 'Oprah and Steadman have been engaged for longer than that.'" (RushandMolloy)
"Over on the edge of the crowd on other side of the room were a couple (married) who are not as famous as some of the other writers, such as the aforementioned, but very famous amongst their peers in what is this New York literary colony: Judith Miller, the New York Times reporter (I don’t think you need to be filled in there) and the very famous editor Jason Epstein." (NYSD)
"'But it was always, I think, a pretty serious and hard-hitting newscast,' (Katie Courik) said. 'I think now it's even harder. I disagree with people who sort of say it was too feature-y, because I don't really think that was the case. There were sidebar stories that would appear on the front page of any major newspaper in this country. And I think [with] the 24/7 news cycle in its current incarnation, that oftentimes to do a good news show you have to look beyond the headlines and beyond simply what happened, and talk about other issues as well.'" (PhillyEnq)
"Angelina Jolie has decided to take a year off to spend time with her family, PEOPLE has learned. 'I'm working this summer. I'm in Prague for a few months, then I take two months off, then I work for two months,' Jolie said Tuesday while promoting A Mighty Heart at the Cannes Film Festival. 'And then I take a year off.'" (People)
Steven Van Zandt on Howard Stern
Originally, we thought the cast of The Soprano's were greedy when they staged that whole "We Want More money" negotiation ploy that put the final season in jeopardy. After listening to Steven Van Zandt on Howard Stern's Sirius Show this morning, we are not so sure. HBO -- God bless them -- sound ridiculously cheap, especially considering the quality of acting that goes on on The Sopranos. From Marksfriggin:
"After the break Howard said he had actor/musician Steven Van Zandt there. He wasn't sure what to call him, Little Steven or Steven ... Howard asked Steven about James Galdolfini's weight and why he's so big. He said that he blew up on the show but now that it's over, he's trying to lose it. He said they all kind of blew up on that show ... Howard asked Steven about the deal he had over there because HBO is infamously cheap. Steven said that the money for him is just a sign of respect as far as he's concerned. He said he reworked his deal and it never got all that ugly for him. He said he talked about leaving the show but they kept him around. He said they don't get any residuals from the show so what they make that week working is all they get paid. they sell tons of their DVDS too and they don't get a part of that. Artie said that the DVD thing has changed the business because they do sell so many, it's like another form of syndication."
Now we know how HBO offsets the high production costs for their series -- like the beloved "Rome."
The Corsair's Soprano's Prediction: A.J. is kidnapped by Phil's Leotardo's Brooklyn crew from his "institution." Tony, amidst the scorching gang war, offers himself up as a sacrificial lamb to save his son. After a bloody contretemps in the exchange, A.J. dies (too fragile for this world), and, as a result, Tony turns on the mob to those two FBI guys he's been helping with the terrorists, ultimatley testifies, and goes -- with Carmela and Meadow in tow -- underground, under the Witness Protection Program. His new identity? Kevin Finnerty. (Marksfriggin)
Originally, we thought the cast of The Soprano's were greedy when they staged that whole "We Want More money" negotiation ploy that put the final season in jeopardy. After listening to Steven Van Zandt on Howard Stern's Sirius Show this morning, we are not so sure. HBO -- God bless them -- sound ridiculously cheap, especially considering the quality of acting that goes on on The Sopranos. From Marksfriggin:
"After the break Howard said he had actor/musician Steven Van Zandt there. He wasn't sure what to call him, Little Steven or Steven ... Howard asked Steven about James Galdolfini's weight and why he's so big. He said that he blew up on the show but now that it's over, he's trying to lose it. He said they all kind of blew up on that show ... Howard asked Steven about the deal he had over there because HBO is infamously cheap. Steven said that the money for him is just a sign of respect as far as he's concerned. He said he reworked his deal and it never got all that ugly for him. He said he talked about leaving the show but they kept him around. He said they don't get any residuals from the show so what they make that week working is all they get paid. they sell tons of their DVDS too and they don't get a part of that. Artie said that the DVD thing has changed the business because they do sell so many, it's like another form of syndication."
Now we know how HBO offsets the high production costs for their series -- like the beloved "Rome."
The Corsair's Soprano's Prediction: A.J. is kidnapped by Phil's Leotardo's Brooklyn crew from his "institution." Tony, amidst the scorching gang war, offers himself up as a sacrificial lamb to save his son. After a bloody contretemps in the exchange, A.J. dies (too fragile for this world), and, as a result, Tony turns on the mob to those two FBI guys he's been helping with the terrorists, ultimatley testifies, and goes -- with Carmela and Meadow in tow -- underground, under the Witness Protection Program. His new identity? Kevin Finnerty. (Marksfriggin)
The Bengal Frontier and Beyond
Pervez Musharraf's quixotic twilight struggle against the Chief Justice of the Pakistan Supreme Court is symbolic of the tyrant's natural aversion to the Principle of Law. Tyrants abhor objective realities that inconvenience the free reign of their compulsions to enact destructive scenarios, oftentimes mirroring their bleak inner landscape, ravaged from a war-torn childhood. Reason #7,432 to do something about international conflicts and their effects on children, no? However, whether by History's Dark Irony or by the careful machinations of the Boys at Langley, Benazir Bhutto -- no stranger to corruption, she -- is back, and may be the saving grace of the rapidly disintegrating political scene in Pakistan. And that, quite frankly, is not a bad thing.
Allow us to explain (The Corsair pours a glorious glass of Chateau D'Yquem). Nuclear Pakistan in free-fall is a puzzle of unimaginable geopolitical concern. Musharraf, true to his low-grade-piece-of-ass psychology, is playing The Great Game most modern dictators play in the last quarter of the match with the clock running out on their Idiot Regimes (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). And that game, alas, is Nuclear Brinkmanship.
If a tyrant doesn't have "The Bomb," he will seek the shortest distance towards its acquisition (For further reference, see Il, Kim-Jong) If said Tyrant has already acquired it, and there is no "trustworthy" political opposition (They've usually all been systematically disposed of), then, well, we are generally fucked and the regime is secure. If the only alternative to a nuclearized tyranny is the vacuum of political chaos then we have to support the Tyrant. Real grown up stuff, this; why don't politicians fix us with a level gaze and speak frankly about these things? The alternatives are too horrible to imagine --rogue nuclear weapons sold openly on the black market to the highest bidder; the breakdown of civil order into Civil War; a nuke fired off, amid the chaos, at India, thus precipitating an Indo-Pakistani War on China's doorstep. We paint this stark portrait in skeletal reds and burnt umbers.
The West, quite simply, cannot let Musharraf get thrown out of Power, like Milton's Lucifer. Of course we'd love to supply the population with the means to do so, but we cannot. Dealing with Musharraf is not unlike wrestling with a pig; no one is going to come out of that encounter clean. But compromises must be made -- for the time being -- for the common good.
Enter: Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto is not entirely politically filthy. Only partly. We can deal with the former Prime Minister. One, Bhutto was educated in the West, and, two, she has a tarnished reputation and a chip on her shoulder. Benazir's self-interests and ours could coincide. Bhutto's primary focus in this new incarnation is to make a difference in the sphere of the everyday lives of women. This, too, is one of our largest political objectives in the region. A Musharraf-Bhutto collaborative regime is in our strategic self-interest in that: a) such a regime provides a clear line of succession to Musharraf in the event of an assassination (not an unlikely scenario in South Asia), and b) It gives us a lever to play against Musharraf ("If you can't find Bin Laden, then perhaps -- ass -- we shall turn to Bhutto"), which we presently don't have.
But we could.
Pervez Musharraf's quixotic twilight struggle against the Chief Justice of the Pakistan Supreme Court is symbolic of the tyrant's natural aversion to the Principle of Law. Tyrants abhor objective realities that inconvenience the free reign of their compulsions to enact destructive scenarios, oftentimes mirroring their bleak inner landscape, ravaged from a war-torn childhood. Reason #7,432 to do something about international conflicts and their effects on children, no? However, whether by History's Dark Irony or by the careful machinations of the Boys at Langley, Benazir Bhutto -- no stranger to corruption, she -- is back, and may be the saving grace of the rapidly disintegrating political scene in Pakistan. And that, quite frankly, is not a bad thing.
Allow us to explain (The Corsair pours a glorious glass of Chateau D'Yquem). Nuclear Pakistan in free-fall is a puzzle of unimaginable geopolitical concern. Musharraf, true to his low-grade-piece-of-ass psychology, is playing The Great Game most modern dictators play in the last quarter of the match with the clock running out on their Idiot Regimes (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). And that game, alas, is Nuclear Brinkmanship.
If a tyrant doesn't have "The Bomb," he will seek the shortest distance towards its acquisition (For further reference, see Il, Kim-Jong) If said Tyrant has already acquired it, and there is no "trustworthy" political opposition (They've usually all been systematically disposed of), then, well, we are generally fucked and the regime is secure. If the only alternative to a nuclearized tyranny is the vacuum of political chaos then we have to support the Tyrant. Real grown up stuff, this; why don't politicians fix us with a level gaze and speak frankly about these things? The alternatives are too horrible to imagine --rogue nuclear weapons sold openly on the black market to the highest bidder; the breakdown of civil order into Civil War; a nuke fired off, amid the chaos, at India, thus precipitating an Indo-Pakistani War on China's doorstep. We paint this stark portrait in skeletal reds and burnt umbers.
The West, quite simply, cannot let Musharraf get thrown out of Power, like Milton's Lucifer. Of course we'd love to supply the population with the means to do so, but we cannot. Dealing with Musharraf is not unlike wrestling with a pig; no one is going to come out of that encounter clean. But compromises must be made -- for the time being -- for the common good.
Enter: Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto is not entirely politically filthy. Only partly. We can deal with the former Prime Minister. One, Bhutto was educated in the West, and, two, she has a tarnished reputation and a chip on her shoulder. Benazir's self-interests and ours could coincide. Bhutto's primary focus in this new incarnation is to make a difference in the sphere of the everyday lives of women. This, too, is one of our largest political objectives in the region. A Musharraf-Bhutto collaborative regime is in our strategic self-interest in that: a) such a regime provides a clear line of succession to Musharraf in the event of an assassination (not an unlikely scenario in South Asia), and b) It gives us a lever to play against Musharraf ("If you can't find Bin Laden, then perhaps -- ass -- we shall turn to Bhutto"), which we presently don't have.
But we could.
Monday, May 21, 2007
"Beefsweat" Stallone Returns
You can't keep a good "Beefsweat" down. Sylvester "Beefsweat" Stallone returns (Doesn't it seem from afar as if his sweat has the consistency of an inexpensive consomme?), chewing the scenery in a new installment of "Rambo," his "man-tan" topped with his exquisitely unique marble-mouth diction (Averted Gaze). From the oily Man-Beast who gave The world "Sly Magazine (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)" -- from deep within his reptile brain. We will leave aside in passing any reference to smuggled hormones (Although, if certain torrid memoirs are to be believed, Stallone is not entirely unfamiliar with other, more organic "whore-moans" -- if you know what we mean; wink, wink, pump-pump. Charmed, I'm sure.
Please stay home for this phoned-in performance that will, no doubt, be brimming with sucky-osity. Don't encourage him.
You can't keep a good "Beefsweat" down. Sylvester "Beefsweat" Stallone returns (Doesn't it seem from afar as if his sweat has the consistency of an inexpensive consomme?), chewing the scenery in a new installment of "Rambo," his "man-tan" topped with his exquisitely unique marble-mouth diction (Averted Gaze). From the oily Man-Beast who gave The world "Sly Magazine (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)" -- from deep within his reptile brain. We will leave aside in passing any reference to smuggled hormones (Although, if certain torrid memoirs are to be believed, Stallone is not entirely unfamiliar with other, more organic "whore-moans" -- if you know what we mean; wink, wink, pump-pump. Charmed, I'm sure.
Please stay home for this phoned-in performance that will, no doubt, be brimming with sucky-osity. Don't encourage him.
Media-Whore's D'oevres
Paula Abdul breaks her goddam nose trying to avoid a fucking Chihuahua. Straight up: We couldn't make this shit up if we tried, folks. (TMZ)
All-around gentleman Lockhart Steele leaving Gawker for Curbed. "Under Steele's watch, Gawker Media has seen traffic nearly quadruple, from 28 million to 110 million page views per month, according to traffic provided by Gawker." (FishbowlNY)
"(Marc) Jacobs .. spoke candidly about his recent stint in rehab. 'I’d had a relapse and started to drink a bit, and got involved in going to parties and doing things I shouldn’t be doing,' he admitted. 'But it wasn’t so awful. That’s what rehab is about for me. It was a chance for me to do some meditation ..'" (Fashionweekdaily)
"Gore is one of the very few people in America who could enter the presidential contest as late as he wants without immediately facing the impossibility of raising the tens of millions of dollars required to get his message out. That's partly because Gore could seed a campaign with his new personal wealth, earned in part by getting on the Google bandwagon well before the company went public. It's also because, as the Associated Press reported, a class of America's richest donors -- the Silicon Valley elite, led by Apple's Steve Jobs -- are keeping their financial powder dry for their new friend, the former vice president.
"'Al's the guy,' Jobs told Time." (Politico)
"Then last night at the Waldorf-Astoria in the Grand Ballroom, the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity held its Award Dinner and Oprah Winfrey was the Guest of Honor and recipient of the Foundation’s Humanitarian Award ... Oprah’s award was bestowed in recognition of her global humanitarian efforts. She was presented with the Tzedaka Box, of which the inscription on it read: The Elie Wiesel Foundation Humanitarian Award to Oprah Winfrey in Recognition of her Global Humanitarian Efforts and Her Dedication to Children’s Welfare. Tzedaka boxes were found in synagogues throughout Eastern Europe until the Second World War. They are still used to collect funds which are then distributed anonymously to the needy." (NYSD)
"Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) have intensified their fight for congressional endorsements, setting up whip operations in which their surrogates are cajoling undecided lawmakers to get off the fence .. Members of Congress are important to presidential candidates because they can raise money and mobilize voters in early primary states. But they will also serve as super delegates at next year’s presidential nominating convention in Denver." (TheHill)
Paula Abdul breaks her goddam nose trying to avoid a fucking Chihuahua. Straight up: We couldn't make this shit up if we tried, folks. (TMZ)
All-around gentleman Lockhart Steele leaving Gawker for Curbed. "Under Steele's watch, Gawker Media has seen traffic nearly quadruple, from 28 million to 110 million page views per month, according to traffic provided by Gawker." (FishbowlNY)
"(Marc) Jacobs .. spoke candidly about his recent stint in rehab. 'I’d had a relapse and started to drink a bit, and got involved in going to parties and doing things I shouldn’t be doing,' he admitted. 'But it wasn’t so awful. That’s what rehab is about for me. It was a chance for me to do some meditation ..'" (Fashionweekdaily)
"Gore is one of the very few people in America who could enter the presidential contest as late as he wants without immediately facing the impossibility of raising the tens of millions of dollars required to get his message out. That's partly because Gore could seed a campaign with his new personal wealth, earned in part by getting on the Google bandwagon well before the company went public. It's also because, as the Associated Press reported, a class of America's richest donors -- the Silicon Valley elite, led by Apple's Steve Jobs -- are keeping their financial powder dry for their new friend, the former vice president.
"'Al's the guy,' Jobs told Time." (Politico)
"Then last night at the Waldorf-Astoria in the Grand Ballroom, the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity held its Award Dinner and Oprah Winfrey was the Guest of Honor and recipient of the Foundation’s Humanitarian Award ... Oprah’s award was bestowed in recognition of her global humanitarian efforts. She was presented with the Tzedaka Box, of which the inscription on it read: The Elie Wiesel Foundation Humanitarian Award to Oprah Winfrey in Recognition of her Global Humanitarian Efforts and Her Dedication to Children’s Welfare. Tzedaka boxes were found in synagogues throughout Eastern Europe until the Second World War. They are still used to collect funds which are then distributed anonymously to the needy." (NYSD)
"Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) have intensified their fight for congressional endorsements, setting up whip operations in which their surrogates are cajoling undecided lawmakers to get off the fence .. Members of Congress are important to presidential candidates because they can raise money and mobilize voters in early primary states. But they will also serve as super delegates at next year’s presidential nominating convention in Denver." (TheHill)
Pat Buchanan: "We Own Mexico"
Generally, we regard Pat Buchanan as a sad, elderly relic of an age when African-Americans were forced to go to the back of the bus. Buchanan is the sort of chap who might -- had he not, unfortunately, access to the public airwaves -- be tossing back a milk shake at Ruth's Chris Steak House in DC, wondering why his Ford Administration nomination to the Apartheid South African government never mestastasized (Averted Gaze). His sulfurous denounciations on Israel have continually lent ammunition to charges of anti-semitism, which even his friend and conservative fellow traveller William F. Buckley, Jr. felt rhetorically unable to defend Buchanan against.
But it is in incendiary rhetoric against Mexican immigration that Buchanan really and truly comes into his crisp, white hood. These are the brown people who really get his sheets in a twist. On yesterday's McLaughlin group, Buchanan went what can only be properly construed as Gonzo:
"John McLaughlin: On this point -- this is either for Tony (Blankley) or Mort (Zuckerman): What was left out of this bill that ought to be in the bill with regards to securing of borders?
"Mort: Well, I do think that there is a tremendous expansion of the ... border security to the south. The one thing we haven't protected, of course, is against Canadaians. I'm a Canadian, I can understand why.
(Pat Buchanan chuckles softly in the background)
"Tony Blankley: A National ID Card ..
"John McLaughlin: What was left out of the bill was ... Why aren't we leaning on the Mexican government?
"Mort: You can lean on the mexican government all you want. mexico's population has gone from 20 million in 1940 to 110 million today. No Mexican President can survive ...
McLaughlin: --Calderone might do it ..
"Mort: No ... absolutely not ..
"McLaughlin: --Fox wouldn't do it ...
"Mort: -- It's the second largest support ...
McLaughlin: --But why don't we try to do it, we have trade leverage with them.
Mort: We have tried to do it and the only way that we are going to be able to do this -- to some kind of rational system here ...
"McLaughlin: You know the prime reason is the repatriation of money to Mexico.
Mort: --Of course ..
"McLaughlin: --The Mexicans ..
Mort: ... No Mexican president can walk away from that. No Mexican president could succede.
McLaughlin: am I right or wrong?
"Pat buchanan: You're wrong. The reason is, john, the lack of courage in the executive of the united States. We have enormous leverage.
McLaughlin: Absolutely!
"Buchanan: 23 billion goes in remittances every year down there .. we buy their oil .. on tourism .. I mean, we OWN Mexico (Eleanor Clift gorans in the background) you could get seomthing done if you had courage of the Presidency.
"Mort Zuckerman: oh, that's nonsense, pat. We don't own Mexico.
"Eleanor clift: Mexico is a developing society ..
"Mort: Absolutely ..
"Eleanor: .. And as they develop more they will control their family size. and the Catholic Church plays a role in that, too.
Mort: the last thing in the world we need is for Mexico to become a radical left wing government which the policies which you are talking about would accomplish!
"McLaughlin: (Without irony) When we come back, Hellfire in the holy land!"
(McLaughlin Group)
Generally, we regard Pat Buchanan as a sad, elderly relic of an age when African-Americans were forced to go to the back of the bus. Buchanan is the sort of chap who might -- had he not, unfortunately, access to the public airwaves -- be tossing back a milk shake at Ruth's Chris Steak House in DC, wondering why his Ford Administration nomination to the Apartheid South African government never mestastasized (Averted Gaze). His sulfurous denounciations on Israel have continually lent ammunition to charges of anti-semitism, which even his friend and conservative fellow traveller William F. Buckley, Jr. felt rhetorically unable to defend Buchanan against.
But it is in incendiary rhetoric against Mexican immigration that Buchanan really and truly comes into his crisp, white hood. These are the brown people who really get his sheets in a twist. On yesterday's McLaughlin group, Buchanan went what can only be properly construed as Gonzo:
"John McLaughlin: On this point -- this is either for Tony (Blankley) or Mort (Zuckerman): What was left out of this bill that ought to be in the bill with regards to securing of borders?
"Mort: Well, I do think that there is a tremendous expansion of the ... border security to the south. The one thing we haven't protected, of course, is against Canadaians. I'm a Canadian, I can understand why.
(Pat Buchanan chuckles softly in the background)
"Tony Blankley: A National ID Card ..
"John McLaughlin: What was left out of the bill was ... Why aren't we leaning on the Mexican government?
"Mort: You can lean on the mexican government all you want. mexico's population has gone from 20 million in 1940 to 110 million today. No Mexican President can survive ...
McLaughlin: --Calderone might do it ..
"Mort: No ... absolutely not ..
"McLaughlin: --Fox wouldn't do it ...
"Mort: -- It's the second largest support ...
McLaughlin: --But why don't we try to do it, we have trade leverage with them.
Mort: We have tried to do it and the only way that we are going to be able to do this -- to some kind of rational system here ...
"McLaughlin: You know the prime reason is the repatriation of money to Mexico.
Mort: --Of course ..
"McLaughlin: --The Mexicans ..
Mort: ... No Mexican president can walk away from that. No Mexican president could succede.
McLaughlin: am I right or wrong?
"Pat buchanan: You're wrong. The reason is, john, the lack of courage in the executive of the united States. We have enormous leverage.
McLaughlin: Absolutely!
"Buchanan: 23 billion goes in remittances every year down there .. we buy their oil .. on tourism .. I mean, we OWN Mexico (Eleanor Clift gorans in the background) you could get seomthing done if you had courage of the Presidency.
"Mort Zuckerman: oh, that's nonsense, pat. We don't own Mexico.
"Eleanor clift: Mexico is a developing society ..
"Mort: Absolutely ..
"Eleanor: .. And as they develop more they will control their family size. and the Catholic Church plays a role in that, too.
Mort: the last thing in the world we need is for Mexico to become a radical left wing government which the policies which you are talking about would accomplish!
"McLaughlin: (Without irony) When we come back, Hellfire in the holy land!"
(McLaughlin Group)
Kevin Costner Turned Down Offer to Head Orion Pictures
Do you remember when Kevin Costner was "The Shit (tm)"? He was in for a time, it seemed, every conceivable film in every conceievable genre. Action: Costner; Drama: Costner; Western: Costner. And then there was "Robin Hood," where, apparently, the thumoeideitic zeal of his early Middle-Age fizzled, and, amazingly, he appeared -- on-screen -- as literally broken-down tired (Too tired, it seemed, to maintain a British accent throughout). And then there was "WaterWorld," the most self-indulgent film since "Ishtar."
The pendulum swings. Have you seen the trailers for Mr. Brooks? Kevin Costner ventures outside his audience's -- and his zone of comfort -- expectations to play the heavy. And the film looks hott. While we are not generally given to showing enthusiasm at Kevin Costner flics, the trailer look utterly amazing; the trailer even manages to make that scenery-chewing overnbaked ham actor Dane Cook look almost interesting (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment).
Costner and his artistic collaborator Jim Wilson were bright-eyed and bushy tailed for AMC's Sunday Morning Shhotout with Variety's Peter Bart and Uberguber. Before Tom Cruise inagurated movie-star-to-studio-prexy-chic, Kevy was tempted with a taste. Apparently, Costner/Wilson were offered to head Orion Pictures, which is pretty amazing. From Sunday Morning Shootout:
"Peter Bart: Do you -- since you've been so entrepeneurial at filmmaking -- would you ever imagine running a studio like Tom Cruise is; or, have you spoken with Tom much since he took the new gig?
"Kevy: No, but I would, I would, I could do a studio thing with Jim ..
"Jim Wilson: Listen, there was a moment when we almost did. There was a moment when Kevin had done Bull Durham, No Way Out, we had just finished Dances ... orion was going through a real difficult financial period ... and we were approached, you know, quietly, to say: 'Would this be interesting?' We've had a number of times they said are you interested in maybe coming in, taking over and helping out run a studio. But we had so much fun -- at least I did -- uhm, taking film by film and saying that's what you want to do that's where you want to spend your time. That's where our attention should be placed, on individual movies.
"Kevin: I thought about (running a studio) some more recently, just because I know that I could make my partners money, if they have the financial muscle to be brave. Will they be brave and break with conventional wisdon?"
Depends, we imagine, on the box-office of Mr. deeds, which opens June the 1st.
Do you remember when Kevin Costner was "The Shit (tm)"? He was in for a time, it seemed, every conceivable film in every conceievable genre. Action: Costner; Drama: Costner; Western: Costner. And then there was "Robin Hood," where, apparently, the thumoeideitic zeal of his early Middle-Age fizzled, and, amazingly, he appeared -- on-screen -- as literally broken-down tired (Too tired, it seemed, to maintain a British accent throughout). And then there was "WaterWorld," the most self-indulgent film since "Ishtar."
The pendulum swings. Have you seen the trailers for Mr. Brooks? Kevin Costner ventures outside his audience's -- and his zone of comfort -- expectations to play the heavy. And the film looks hott. While we are not generally given to showing enthusiasm at Kevin Costner flics, the trailer look utterly amazing; the trailer even manages to make that scenery-chewing overnbaked ham actor Dane Cook look almost interesting (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment).
Costner and his artistic collaborator Jim Wilson were bright-eyed and bushy tailed for AMC's Sunday Morning Shhotout with Variety's Peter Bart and Uberguber. Before Tom Cruise inagurated movie-star-to-studio-prexy-chic, Kevy was tempted with a taste. Apparently, Costner/Wilson were offered to head Orion Pictures, which is pretty amazing. From Sunday Morning Shootout:
"Peter Bart: Do you -- since you've been so entrepeneurial at filmmaking -- would you ever imagine running a studio like Tom Cruise is; or, have you spoken with Tom much since he took the new gig?
"Kevy: No, but I would, I would, I could do a studio thing with Jim ..
"Jim Wilson: Listen, there was a moment when we almost did. There was a moment when Kevin had done Bull Durham, No Way Out, we had just finished Dances ... orion was going through a real difficult financial period ... and we were approached, you know, quietly, to say: 'Would this be interesting?' We've had a number of times they said are you interested in maybe coming in, taking over and helping out run a studio. But we had so much fun -- at least I did -- uhm, taking film by film and saying that's what you want to do that's where you want to spend your time. That's where our attention should be placed, on individual movies.
"Kevin: I thought about (running a studio) some more recently, just because I know that I could make my partners money, if they have the financial muscle to be brave. Will they be brave and break with conventional wisdon?"
Depends, we imagine, on the box-office of Mr. deeds, which opens June the 1st.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...
Mischa Barton can even make a nip-slip tedious.(image via thisislondon)
Mischa Barton can even make a nip-slip tedious.(image via thisislondon)
Media-Whore's D'oevres
In his first goddam sentence of his blog post, Ari Emmanuel-- yeah, the guy they based the "Entourage" character on -- manages to get out a ferocious plug on "HuffPo." Evil genius: "I was reading the Times of London this morning while making my way to the Cannes Film Festival to see Sicko, my client Michael Moore's movie about the American health care system." (HuffPo)
"An Indian woman at a nearby table inquired if Mr. Mandvi was Russell Peters, an Indian-Canadian comedian. Once corrected, the woman’s companion, also Indian, offered an apology. ('I love Jon Stewart! Sorry, we’ve been trying to place you, you’re familiar and brown.')" (SundayStyles)
"The $15,000 per person concert series is coming to save the day . The line-up includes Prince, Billy Joel (at least he won't have drive far), Tom Petty, James Taylor and Dave Mathews. We are falling asleep just thinking about it." (Papermag)
"Audrey Tautou will star as Coco Chanel in a $15 million biopic about the legendary French fashion designer. Script, penned by (Anne) Fontaine and Christopher Hampton, who is also creative consultant, was freely adapted from the Chanel biography 'L'Irreguliere' by Edmonde Charles-Roux. (Variety)
Ex-Moguls, The New Hippie-Freaks: "(Tom Freston) left with a very sweet severance package, $84 million, and no one will weep for a person in his straits ... he has spent the last several months globe-trotting like a young backpacker. 'I’m trying to figure out what to do.'" (SundayStyles)
"At the IM Global Riviera suite, buyers have been streaming in to watch ten minutes of raw footage from Larry Charles' untitled documentary project featuring Bill Maher. Charles sent a few selects to Cannes for an afternoon screening that filled the IM Global stand with nearly 200 people. CAA is brokering a U.S. deal for the movie and top reps from The Weinstein Company, Miramax, Paramount Vantage, New Line, Warner Independent, Lionsgate, ThinkFilm, Magnolia, Overture, and Roadside Attractions were among the companies watching the footage." (IndieWire)
In his first goddam sentence of his blog post, Ari Emmanuel-- yeah, the guy they based the "Entourage" character on -- manages to get out a ferocious plug on "HuffPo." Evil genius: "I was reading the Times of London this morning while making my way to the Cannes Film Festival to see Sicko, my client Michael Moore's movie about the American health care system." (HuffPo)
"An Indian woman at a nearby table inquired if Mr. Mandvi was Russell Peters, an Indian-Canadian comedian. Once corrected, the woman’s companion, also Indian, offered an apology. ('I love Jon Stewart! Sorry, we’ve been trying to place you, you’re familiar and brown.')" (SundayStyles)
"The $15,000 per person concert series is coming to save the day . The line-up includes Prince, Billy Joel (at least he won't have drive far), Tom Petty, James Taylor and Dave Mathews. We are falling asleep just thinking about it." (Papermag)
"Audrey Tautou will star as Coco Chanel in a $15 million biopic about the legendary French fashion designer. Script, penned by (Anne) Fontaine and Christopher Hampton, who is also creative consultant, was freely adapted from the Chanel biography 'L'Irreguliere' by Edmonde Charles-Roux. (Variety)
Ex-Moguls, The New Hippie-Freaks: "(Tom Freston) left with a very sweet severance package, $84 million, and no one will weep for a person in his straits ... he has spent the last several months globe-trotting like a young backpacker. 'I’m trying to figure out what to do.'" (SundayStyles)
"At the IM Global Riviera suite, buyers have been streaming in to watch ten minutes of raw footage from Larry Charles' untitled documentary project featuring Bill Maher. Charles sent a few selects to Cannes for an afternoon screening that filled the IM Global stand with nearly 200 people. CAA is brokering a U.S. deal for the movie and top reps from The Weinstein Company, Miramax, Paramount Vantage, New Line, Warner Independent, Lionsgate, ThinkFilm, Magnolia, Overture, and Roadside Attractions were among the companies watching the footage." (IndieWire)
On Virginia Politics
The race to replace the courtly United States Senator John Warner -- if, indeed, he even wants to be replaced -- is getting rather interesting. Hypothetically, at least. The state of Virginia is probably now as interesting as it was in the days of Jamestown, Bacon's Rebellion, or the election of L.Douglas Wilder as the first African-American Governor.
Virginia is in the interesting position of being a "Purple" state -- once reliably Red, but, of late, bewitchingly Blue. Virginia is veering in the opposite direction of Minnesota -- once relaibly blue, but presently trending red (Tough cookies, Al Franken). From our favorite Dickenian villain, Robert Novak in today's Townhall:
"With 80-year-old Republican Sen. John Warner not disclosing until late this year whether he will seek a fifth term in 2008, Rep. Tom Davis is building strong statewide support for the GOP nomination if Warner does not run.
"Conservative activists are not happy with the prospective nomination of Davis, who has a lifetime 70 percent American Conservative Union voting record compared to Warner's 81 percent. Davis, who represents a Washington suburban district, would be a strong candidate in populous Northern Virginia (carried by Democrats in their recent statewide victories). Former Gov. Jim Gilmore is a more conservative possibility if he gives up his current campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
"A footnote: Former Gov. Mark Warner would be the strongest Democratic candidate for the Senate, but insiders believe he may forego that race to keep himself available as Sen. Hillary Clinton's vice presidential running mate."
Warner would indeed be a formidable running mate for the heir apparent. He is astonishingly smart (Did you see him on that Davos panel on International affairs?), plays well among the Christian Right and could turn an ostensibly red state -- Virginia -- blue for the Democrats in a close Presidential election.
Or, Warner could be a Democrat hero and bring over another Senate seat to the Party. Warner is young, and, like John Edwards, ought to be laying the preliminary groundwork for another day, say 2012. If only Edwards wasn't so incandescently-hot with "The Fever (What happens the moment Secret Service detail gets assigned to a candidate, thus precipitating perennial runs for the White House; for further reference see Gephart, Dick)."
Edwards should be running for Governor of North Carolina (Or -- better yet -- President of Duke University, a school robustly in need of a refresher on "The Two Americas"), solidifying his presence in the state. And Warner was made to be a Senator. For now.
But Mark Warner of the great state of Virginia with the gravelly voice is indeed quite talented, and has surmounted the 10-year learning curve for speaking competently on International Relations. Who knows. But putting all of ones political eggs in the Vice Presidential basket is a long shopt at best, even for someone as talented as Warner (Especially with an effervescent Obama as second behind Clinton)(TownHall)
The race to replace the courtly United States Senator John Warner -- if, indeed, he even wants to be replaced -- is getting rather interesting. Hypothetically, at least. The state of Virginia is probably now as interesting as it was in the days of Jamestown, Bacon's Rebellion, or the election of L.Douglas Wilder as the first African-American Governor.
Virginia is in the interesting position of being a "Purple" state -- once reliably Red, but, of late, bewitchingly Blue. Virginia is veering in the opposite direction of Minnesota -- once relaibly blue, but presently trending red (Tough cookies, Al Franken). From our favorite Dickenian villain, Robert Novak in today's Townhall:
"With 80-year-old Republican Sen. John Warner not disclosing until late this year whether he will seek a fifth term in 2008, Rep. Tom Davis is building strong statewide support for the GOP nomination if Warner does not run.
"Conservative activists are not happy with the prospective nomination of Davis, who has a lifetime 70 percent American Conservative Union voting record compared to Warner's 81 percent. Davis, who represents a Washington suburban district, would be a strong candidate in populous Northern Virginia (carried by Democrats in their recent statewide victories). Former Gov. Jim Gilmore is a more conservative possibility if he gives up his current campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
"A footnote: Former Gov. Mark Warner would be the strongest Democratic candidate for the Senate, but insiders believe he may forego that race to keep himself available as Sen. Hillary Clinton's vice presidential running mate."
Warner would indeed be a formidable running mate for the heir apparent. He is astonishingly smart (Did you see him on that Davos panel on International affairs?), plays well among the Christian Right and could turn an ostensibly red state -- Virginia -- blue for the Democrats in a close Presidential election.
Or, Warner could be a Democrat hero and bring over another Senate seat to the Party. Warner is young, and, like John Edwards, ought to be laying the preliminary groundwork for another day, say 2012. If only Edwards wasn't so incandescently-hot with "The Fever (What happens the moment Secret Service detail gets assigned to a candidate, thus precipitating perennial runs for the White House; for further reference see Gephart, Dick)."
Edwards should be running for Governor of North Carolina (Or -- better yet -- President of Duke University, a school robustly in need of a refresher on "The Two Americas"), solidifying his presence in the state. And Warner was made to be a Senator. For now.
But Mark Warner of the great state of Virginia with the gravelly voice is indeed quite talented, and has surmounted the 10-year learning curve for speaking competently on International Relations. Who knows. But putting all of ones political eggs in the Vice Presidential basket is a long shopt at best, even for someone as talented as Warner (Especially with an effervescent Obama as second behind Clinton)(TownHall)
Whatever Lola (Ogunnaike) Wants ...
Longtime Corsair media crush, the superhott Lola Ogunnaike -- Whatever Lola wants .. -- moves from The Times to be a CNN Entertainment reporter. Call me?
(Gawker)
Longtime Corsair media crush, the superhott Lola Ogunnaike -- Whatever Lola wants .. -- moves from The Times to be a CNN Entertainment reporter. Call me?
(Gawker)
Jude Law's 10 Hour Cannes Bender
Eurotrash; that's what he is. Jude Law is one of those hideous British imports -- think: Hugh Grant(Averted Gaze) -- that are as hard to get rid of as a robust case of the clap. He comes to our side of the Atlantic with a plummy accent and a small wenis and he expects us to simply and over our women for his colonial inspection? Hardly. We're calling him on it. This, from the 3AM Girls, who lived up to their reputation, reporting on the Nanny-loving, Ashlee Simpson scoffing, Jude Law's moist wherabouts at .. 5:30 AM:
"JUDE Law has done Hugh Hefner proud. The Breaking And Entering hunk stumbled into a hotel lift at 5.30am yesterday with two scantily-clad blondes he'd picked up at a Playboy party.
"The Hollywood heart-throb was spotted being propped up by his latest admirers after wooing them during a 10-hour bender in Cannes."
Sienna Miller, we can only imagine, is once again, somewhere, turning "puce." Further:
"Our spy at the Playboy Legacy Collection bash, held in the VIP Room club in honour of serial Playmate Pamela Anderson, tells us: 'It was really wild.
"'Jude and James (Blunt) actually had their arms around two blondes each for most of the party. By the end of the night they were both getting very close to the girls.
"'Jude's hands were wandering and he just couldn't stop smiling. Both he and James looked like they were in heaven.'
"It's little wonder that Jude and James were in such high spirits - their bar tab came to £2,000.
"'...Jude and James were trying to have a chat,' we're told.
"'But they'd had so much to drink they couldn't understand each other...
"'So instead they went back to canoodling with the girls.'"
Eurotrash; that's what he is. Jude Law is one of those hideous British imports -- think: Hugh Grant(Averted Gaze) -- that are as hard to get rid of as a robust case of the clap. He comes to our side of the Atlantic with a plummy accent and a small wenis and he expects us to simply and over our women for his colonial inspection? Hardly. We're calling him on it. This, from the 3AM Girls, who lived up to their reputation, reporting on the Nanny-loving, Ashlee Simpson scoffing, Jude Law's moist wherabouts at .. 5:30 AM:
"JUDE Law has done Hugh Hefner proud. The Breaking And Entering hunk stumbled into a hotel lift at 5.30am yesterday with two scantily-clad blondes he'd picked up at a Playboy party.
"The Hollywood heart-throb was spotted being propped up by his latest admirers after wooing them during a 10-hour bender in Cannes."
Sienna Miller, we can only imagine, is once again, somewhere, turning "puce." Further:
"Our spy at the Playboy Legacy Collection bash, held in the VIP Room club in honour of serial Playmate Pamela Anderson, tells us: 'It was really wild.
"'Jude and James (Blunt) actually had their arms around two blondes each for most of the party. By the end of the night they were both getting very close to the girls.
"'Jude's hands were wandering and he just couldn't stop smiling. Both he and James looked like they were in heaven.'
"It's little wonder that Jude and James were in such high spirits - their bar tab came to £2,000.
"'...Jude and James were trying to have a chat,' we're told.
"'But they'd had so much to drink they couldn't understand each other...
"'So instead they went back to canoodling with the girls.'"
Friday, May 18, 2007
Nancy Grace is More of a Hilbilly Than We Realized
Of all places we never thought we'd see a languid-tongued cracker like Nancy Grace being interviewed by the genteel writers at mediabistro.com. It just seems .. unnatural. It's sort of like asking for Possum on the Wednesday Michael's lunch menu. But there she was, glorious in her Hilbilly, proving what we already knew of her by answering seriously-posed questions in a tone suggesting an afternoon spent in strenuous "cousin-loving (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) fortified by Grampy's hundred-proof moonshine. From the swell gang at Mediabistro:
"What do you think of Amy Poehler's impersonations of you on Saturday Night Live? Have you ever spoken to her?
"I haven't spoken to her, but I was totally flattered. It was a big day in my life when I made it into their Prince segment. I actually scared Prince. I'm a huge Prince fan so that was a big moment for me.
"You've also been parodied on the soap Passions with a character named Grace Nancier and someone else played a character based on you on Boston Legal. What gives?
I understand I got hit in the head with a shovel (on Boston Legal) but then I appeared on TV with a huge bandage on my head -- like a vampire. I'm flattered.
"How would you say you've got to where you are?
"[Long pause]. Hmmm. I would say one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. I always remind myself when I'm tired and going to my second job that it beats digging ditches. That kind of keeps me going. [Laughs]."
That ... and some athletic "cousin-loving." (Mediabistro)
Of all places we never thought we'd see a languid-tongued cracker like Nancy Grace being interviewed by the genteel writers at mediabistro.com. It just seems .. unnatural. It's sort of like asking for Possum on the Wednesday Michael's lunch menu. But there she was, glorious in her Hilbilly, proving what we already knew of her by answering seriously-posed questions in a tone suggesting an afternoon spent in strenuous "cousin-loving (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) fortified by Grampy's hundred-proof moonshine. From the swell gang at Mediabistro:
"What do you think of Amy Poehler's impersonations of you on Saturday Night Live? Have you ever spoken to her?
"I haven't spoken to her, but I was totally flattered. It was a big day in my life when I made it into their Prince segment. I actually scared Prince. I'm a huge Prince fan so that was a big moment for me.
"You've also been parodied on the soap Passions with a character named Grace Nancier and someone else played a character based on you on Boston Legal. What gives?
I understand I got hit in the head with a shovel (on Boston Legal) but then I appeared on TV with a huge bandage on my head -- like a vampire. I'm flattered.
"How would you say you've got to where you are?
"[Long pause]. Hmmm. I would say one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. I always remind myself when I'm tired and going to my second job that it beats digging ditches. That kind of keeps me going. [Laughs]."
That ... and some athletic "cousin-loving." (Mediabistro)
Media-Whore's D'oevres
Tina Turner gets the last laugh (And the career, the money, the adulation): "According to a lengthy statement just released by Ike (Turner's) manager, Phillip Arnold, 'Ike was in a private holding cell, about 4x4 ft., with a bench only, and without a bunk or blankets. He passed out from exhaustion several times, and fell off the bench onto the cement floor, sustaining a minor injury to his leg.'" Poundcake karma, aint that a bitch? (TMZ)
Someone has been reading what The Corsair already wrote yesterday (Grrr) " A ticket of Al Gore for president and Barack Obama for vice president would create an electricity and enthusiasm that would transform American politics and send shock waves of excitement throughout a world yearning for new American leadership." (TheHill)
Eva Longwhoria has finally jumped the shark (Popwatch)
"(Jerry) Seinfeld says 'Bee Movie' came about during a dinner he had in the Hamptons with Steven Spielberg. Making small talk during a lull in the conversation, Seinfeld jokingly suggested a 'B movie with bees.' Spielberg liked the idea so much he called Katzenberg from the table. To hear Seinfeld tell it, he was shocked. 'I had no intention of making any movie,' he said." Oh, oh: Chris Rock had no intention of making that stinker either, but Spielberg egged him on as well. (Fox411) From Marksfriggin: "Howard (Stern) wanted to know more about the pressure Chris was under making this movie. Chris told Howard how he didn't even want to direct this movie but the movie company wanted him to do it. He said that Spielberg actually told him to try out the directing thing. He directed Head of State and Spielberg thought that he should direct more so he went with this one and tried it out."
Tina Turner gets the last laugh (And the career, the money, the adulation): "According to a lengthy statement just released by Ike (Turner's) manager, Phillip Arnold, 'Ike was in a private holding cell, about 4x4 ft., with a bench only, and without a bunk or blankets. He passed out from exhaustion several times, and fell off the bench onto the cement floor, sustaining a minor injury to his leg.'" Poundcake karma, aint that a bitch? (TMZ)
Someone has been reading what The Corsair already wrote yesterday (Grrr) " A ticket of Al Gore for president and Barack Obama for vice president would create an electricity and enthusiasm that would transform American politics and send shock waves of excitement throughout a world yearning for new American leadership." (TheHill)
Eva Longwhoria has finally jumped the shark (Popwatch)
"(Jerry) Seinfeld says 'Bee Movie' came about during a dinner he had in the Hamptons with Steven Spielberg. Making small talk during a lull in the conversation, Seinfeld jokingly suggested a 'B movie with bees.' Spielberg liked the idea so much he called Katzenberg from the table. To hear Seinfeld tell it, he was shocked. 'I had no intention of making any movie,' he said." Oh, oh: Chris Rock had no intention of making that stinker either, but Spielberg egged him on as well. (Fox411) From Marksfriggin: "Howard (Stern) wanted to know more about the pressure Chris was under making this movie. Chris told Howard how he didn't even want to direct this movie but the movie company wanted him to do it. He said that Spielberg actually told him to try out the directing thing. He directed Head of State and Spielberg thought that he should direct more so he went with this one and tried it out."
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Will Bill Maher Rule Cannes?
Bill Maher is not unlike a First Amendment superhero-rockstar. After Maher's tussel with Disney over his politically incorrect staements over September 11th on the program "Politically Incorrect" and his subsequent lionization by Chris Albrecht's HBO, Maher finds himself beloved by the Chattering Classes on both coasts. But could Maher presently be taking his Hollywood street cvred international? His film on religion is getting tremendous buzz just as my old boss Christopher Hitchens' paean to atheism is getting good buzz. Could this be an anti-religious zeitgeist; could Bill Maher ride that wave -- this Godless moment -- to be the next American darling at Cannes? From Indiewire:
"But, perhaps of greatest interest to buyers is, from the director of 'Borat,' the 'Untitled Larry Charles Project,' a new movie about religion that is narrated and presented by Bill Maher. Saying that anticipation for the movie is 'sky high,' Ford added that he will show buyers about 10 minutes of raw footage during a Friday afternoon screening. He also said that while the film is still in post-production, Friday's screening would answer key questions buyers had about a director's statement that was presented in Berlin."
Most curious. (Indiewire)
Bill Maher is not unlike a First Amendment superhero-rockstar. After Maher's tussel with Disney over his politically incorrect staements over September 11th on the program "Politically Incorrect" and his subsequent lionization by Chris Albrecht's HBO, Maher finds himself beloved by the Chattering Classes on both coasts. But could Maher presently be taking his Hollywood street cvred international? His film on religion is getting tremendous buzz just as my old boss Christopher Hitchens' paean to atheism is getting good buzz. Could this be an anti-religious zeitgeist; could Bill Maher ride that wave -- this Godless moment -- to be the next American darling at Cannes? From Indiewire:
"But, perhaps of greatest interest to buyers is, from the director of 'Borat,' the 'Untitled Larry Charles Project,' a new movie about religion that is narrated and presented by Bill Maher. Saying that anticipation for the movie is 'sky high,' Ford added that he will show buyers about 10 minutes of raw footage during a Friday afternoon screening. He also said that while the film is still in post-production, Friday's screening would answer key questions buyers had about a director's statement that was presented in Berlin."
Most curious. (Indiewire)
Media-Whore's D'Oevres
"Mrs. Obama’s is the trickiest of political performances. She is a black woman in a campaign in which no one knows quite what role race or gender will play." (NYTimes)
Howard Stern Show: "Howard played a clip of Sean Hannity talking Christopher Hitchens about (Rev. Jerry) Falwell. Howard said that the guy was spot on with all of his comments about Falwell and he thinks that he's terrific. He said he's very articulate and got it all right. " (Marksfriggin)
That super-hott chick from last Sunday's The Sopranos. (RadarOnline)
"On my one visit to Waverly Inn, our posse was sandwiched between Ron Perelman and company were at one table, Rupert Murdoch and crew at another. Stereo supermoguls: very nice. I might have popped by their tables to introduce myself if it hadn't been for the leg clamps. Just being in the vibrating vicinity of those two tycoons was invigoratingly buzzy" (JamesWolcott)
"Mrs. Obama’s is the trickiest of political performances. She is a black woman in a campaign in which no one knows quite what role race or gender will play." (NYTimes)
Howard Stern Show: "Howard played a clip of Sean Hannity talking Christopher Hitchens about (Rev. Jerry) Falwell. Howard said that the guy was spot on with all of his comments about Falwell and he thinks that he's terrific. He said he's very articulate and got it all right. " (Marksfriggin)
That super-hott chick from last Sunday's The Sopranos. (RadarOnline)
"On my one visit to Waverly Inn, our posse was sandwiched between Ron Perelman and company were at one table, Rupert Murdoch and crew at another. Stereo supermoguls: very nice. I might have popped by their tables to introduce myself if it hadn't been for the leg clamps. Just being in the vibrating vicinity of those two tycoons was invigoratingly buzzy" (JamesWolcott)
Steve Jobs: "(Al Gore's) The Guy. Like many others, I have tried my best to convince him. So far, no luck."
Ideally we'd like to believe that former Vice Presdent Al Gore is waiting in the tall grass. Should Obama injure Hillary in her run for the Democratic nomination for the American Presidency, Gore could, in September, swoop in and take the whole damn thing for himself. He has the stature and the cachet (Hell, some might say he never even lost in 2000). Then -- for political junkies, geeks and grinds -- McCain would pick Lieberman; Gore: Obama; and the four would have a serious series of Lincoln-Douglas style debates in each geographical region in the United States, fixing our injured Democracy and fractured red-state-blue state/ white: black National divide.
But then, there are all those unconfortable stories of how Al Gore is happier now than he's ever been (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment), richer than he's ever been (Averted Gaze), and deeper in love with Tipper than he has ever been. And, as living, breathing human beings who have been around the block, we are happy for him, anything to let him get over the pain of being so goddam close to his lifelong ambition of the Presidency.
But as Americans, we are beside ourselves with the angst that any lesser man take up the mantle of President after what Bush hath wrought.
The world is an unbelievably dangerous place as a result of the recklessness of Bush the Younger. We need Gore. Gore is the only American with the sufficient international stature and gravitas to bring us back from the brink -- with Lebanon, Palestine and the Middle East, with Russia, with South America, with North Korea, and, while he's at it, keep us ahead of China and solve gloibal warming. Than k you. From Time:
"The former Vice President just doesn't seem interested. He says he has "fallen out of love with politics," which is shorthand for both his general disgust with the process and the pain he still feels over the hard blow of the 2000 election, when he became only the fourth man in U.S. history to win the popular vote but lose a presidential election. In the face of wrenching disappointment, he showed enormous discipline—waking up every day knowing he came so close, believing the Supreme Court was dead wrong to shut down the Florida recount but never talking about it publicly because he didn't want Americans to lose faith in their system. That changes a man forever.
"It changed Gore for the better. He dedicated himself to a larger cause, doing everything in his power to sound the alarm about the climate crisis, and that decision helped transform the way Americans think about global warming and carried Gore to a new state of grace. So now the question becomes, How will he choose to spend all the capital he has accumulated? No wonder friends, party elders, moneymen and green leaders are still trying to talk him into running. 'We have dug ourselves into a 20-ft. hole, and we need somebody who knows how to build a ladder. Al's the guy,' says Steve Jobs of Apple. 'Like many others, I have tried my best to convince him. So far, no luck.'"
(Time)
Ideally we'd like to believe that former Vice Presdent Al Gore is waiting in the tall grass. Should Obama injure Hillary in her run for the Democratic nomination for the American Presidency, Gore could, in September, swoop in and take the whole damn thing for himself. He has the stature and the cachet (Hell, some might say he never even lost in 2000). Then -- for political junkies, geeks and grinds -- McCain would pick Lieberman; Gore: Obama; and the four would have a serious series of Lincoln-Douglas style debates in each geographical region in the United States, fixing our injured Democracy and fractured red-state-blue state/ white: black National divide.
But then, there are all those unconfortable stories of how Al Gore is happier now than he's ever been (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment), richer than he's ever been (Averted Gaze), and deeper in love with Tipper than he has ever been. And, as living, breathing human beings who have been around the block, we are happy for him, anything to let him get over the pain of being so goddam close to his lifelong ambition of the Presidency.
But as Americans, we are beside ourselves with the angst that any lesser man take up the mantle of President after what Bush hath wrought.
The world is an unbelievably dangerous place as a result of the recklessness of Bush the Younger. We need Gore. Gore is the only American with the sufficient international stature and gravitas to bring us back from the brink -- with Lebanon, Palestine and the Middle East, with Russia, with South America, with North Korea, and, while he's at it, keep us ahead of China and solve gloibal warming. Than k you. From Time:
"The former Vice President just doesn't seem interested. He says he has "fallen out of love with politics," which is shorthand for both his general disgust with the process and the pain he still feels over the hard blow of the 2000 election, when he became only the fourth man in U.S. history to win the popular vote but lose a presidential election. In the face of wrenching disappointment, he showed enormous discipline—waking up every day knowing he came so close, believing the Supreme Court was dead wrong to shut down the Florida recount but never talking about it publicly because he didn't want Americans to lose faith in their system. That changes a man forever.
"It changed Gore for the better. He dedicated himself to a larger cause, doing everything in his power to sound the alarm about the climate crisis, and that decision helped transform the way Americans think about global warming and carried Gore to a new state of grace. So now the question becomes, How will he choose to spend all the capital he has accumulated? No wonder friends, party elders, moneymen and green leaders are still trying to talk him into running. 'We have dug ourselves into a 20-ft. hole, and we need somebody who knows how to build a ladder. Al's the guy,' says Steve Jobs of Apple. 'Like many others, I have tried my best to convince him. So far, no luck.'"
(Time)
Bloomberg for President?
For someone who has said he wouldn't run -- then again, so did Al Gore -- he garners a lot of 2008 Press. Our favorite sopcial chronicler David Patrick Columbia weighs in on the Bloomberg-for-President question that has everyone on the Chattering Classes in New York wondering:
"There has been increasing speculation that Mr. Bloomberg may run for President in 2008 as an Independent candidate. I wrote in these pages quite some time ago that I believed he would run, simply because he told a mutual friend of his and mine a number of years ago (in the mid-90s) that he wanted to be President. This 'revelation' came when he was asked what he planned to do with himself since he’d built his company, made his billions and still had some youth on his side.
"When our friend repeated the conversation, shortly after it took place, it struck me as typical, for a man who had realized great ambition. He’s certainly not the first person I’ve heard express that (what I thought of as a) fantasy."
(NySocialDiary)
For someone who has said he wouldn't run -- then again, so did Al Gore -- he garners a lot of 2008 Press. Our favorite sopcial chronicler David Patrick Columbia weighs in on the Bloomberg-for-President question that has everyone on the Chattering Classes in New York wondering:
"There has been increasing speculation that Mr. Bloomberg may run for President in 2008 as an Independent candidate. I wrote in these pages quite some time ago that I believed he would run, simply because he told a mutual friend of his and mine a number of years ago (in the mid-90s) that he wanted to be President. This 'revelation' came when he was asked what he planned to do with himself since he’d built his company, made his billions and still had some youth on his side.
"When our friend repeated the conversation, shortly after it took place, it struck me as typical, for a man who had realized great ambition. He’s certainly not the first person I’ve heard express that (what I thought of as a) fantasy."
(NySocialDiary)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
