Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"I am opposed to the Palestinian effort at the United Nations because I think that it is going to get them nowhere. This is not the time for romantic gestures. This is the time for them to do something that will actually help them get a Palestinian state - a goal that I support. What is the likely outcome at the U.N.? The likely outcome is that the push is going to go nowhere in the Security Council. It may get to the General Assembly and they may get a symbolic vote, but the result of that symbolic vote may well be that they will lose funds - financial support from Israel, the U.S. and potentially from some European countries –and it will make the Israelis feel that the Palestinians have gone in a unilateral direction when the only viable strategy is a bilateral one. At the end of the day, there is only one way you’re going to get a Palestinian state. And that’s if the Israelis agree to it. They have the land; they have the guns; they have the money. Palestinians may regard it as deeply unfair, and I understand that, but it is the world that we live in. The only way they’re going to get a Palestinian state is to engage directly with the Israelis. Now, the Israelis have not been willing to be a productive partner in recent years, though it is worth remembering that the Israeli government under Ehud Barak did make a very serious effort, and the Israeli government under Ehud Olmert made a very serious offer to the Palestinians. So, let’s not confuse Benjamin Netanyahu’s intransigence with all Israeli governments in recent years. The current government in Israel is clearly motivated by domestic politics, a fear of a fragile coalition that will fall apart, and, perhaps by some other ideological reasons, is not in any way being a constructive partner." (Fareed Zakaria)

"There is an emergency session underway within the writers’ room of CBS’s critically acclaimed drama, The Good Wife, which returns for its third season on Sunday, Sept. 25. With 48 hours to go, the writers—overseen by husband-and-wife creators Robert and Michelle King—must rewrite the latest script and untangle a Gordian knot to come up with a new procedural case for hotshot lawyer Alicia Florrick (recent Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies) and the firm to tackle. In the second season of the critical and ratings hit, the personal loomed large for all of the show’s characters. Alicia gave into temptation and slept with her boss, Will (Josh Charles), after years of having bad timing. Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) went to great lengths to conceal a long-buried secret—that she had, years before, slept with Alicia’s husband, Peter (Chris Noth)—in a storyline that involved baseball bats, smashed-out windows, and assaulting rival investigator Blake (Scott Porter). With its deft plotting and character-driven storytelling, The Good Wife—this season moving to a new night and time (Sundays at 9 p.m.)—is hard-hitting drama at its best. So it’s all the more surprising that the writers’ room appears almost serene, even as the clock ticks away. This is not your typical writers’ room, a litter-strewn battlefield where exhausted scribes butt heads, argue, and quaff vast quantities of coffee." (Televisionary)

 

"Now, the focus on lone operatives and small independent cells is well founded. We have seen the jihadist threat devolve from one based primarily on the hierarchical al Qaeda core organization to a threat emanating from a broader array of grassroots actors operating alone or in small groups. Indeed, at present, there is a far greater likelihood of a successful jihadist attack being conducted in the West by a lone-wolf attacker or small cell inspired by al Qaeda than by a member of the al Qaeda core or one of the franchise groups. But the lone-wolf threat can be generated by a broad array of ideologies, not just jihadism. A recent reminder of this was the July 22 attack in Oslo, Norway, conducted by lone wolf Anders Breivik. The lone-wolf threat is nothing new, but it has received a great deal of press coverage in recent months, and with that press coverage has come a certain degree of hype based on the threat’s mystique. However, when one looks closely at the history of solitary terrorists, it becomes apparent that there is a significant gap between lone-wolf theory and lone-wolf practice. An examination of this gap is very helpful in placing the lone-wolf threat in the proper context." (STRATFOR)

"The Michael’s Wednesday lunch was a mob scene. They had to put up extra tables to accommodate the madding crowds. A sampling of the cool and cucumbers. Such as: Literary Luke Janklow and Richard Heller; Time Inc.’s John Huey with Martha Nelson and Sid Evans; Michael J. Wolf and Deborah Fine. Da boyz: Dr. Gerry Ember, Jerry Della Femina, Andy Bergman minus Greenfield and Kramer (same time next week); Jann Wenner; Cathie Black with Ken Lowe; Jon Meacham of Random House, formerly of Newsweek BT (Before Tina); Jason Binn, Stephen Swid with Marshall Cogan, Jill Sackler; David Sanford; Peggy Siegel, Nick Verbitsky, Jeffrey Silverman, (all separate tables); Kate White of Cosmo, who has just published a mystery called 'The Sixes.' Moving along: Desiree Gruber and Tammi Haddad, the Washington horse-whisperer (the high horses up on the Hill, that is); also in from Washington, Liz Wood who grabbed some grub at the bar, the chicest spot in the room if you wanna catch a glimpse of that world coming and going." (NYSocialDiary)

"Juan Williams will speak at this year’s New York Press Club Journalism conference next Saturday. This year’s theme is 'Crisis and Change.' Williams will talk about being dismissed by NPR last October for remarks he made on 'The O’Reilly Factor' about passengers boarding planes wearing Muslim attire. The day after he was fired, Fox News chairman Roger Ailes gave Williams a fat new contract. We’ve also learned today that Ellen Weiss, who fired Williams and was later let go in the wake of the controversy, has been named executive editor at The Center for Public Integrity, one of the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit investigative news organizations." (TVNewser)

"For the first time in a decade, Fox can say that it has a live-action half-hour comedy hit on its hands with New Girl, which blew past all ratings projections to open with a big 4.8/12 in adults 18-49 (10.3 million viewers overall). New Girl‘s great ratings performance caught everyone by surprise, including Fox’s head of marketing Joe Earley. While he is elated today, just a couple of days ago he was very worried as the network’s risky promo stint of putting the New Girl pilot on iTunes, VOD, hotels, airplanes and Hulu for 2 weeks ahead of the premiere had started to get out of hand. Fox had made the deal to raise awareness for the series starring Zooey Deschanel as the show’s intent to view levels had been consistently high but its awareness numbers were still lagging. In exchange for getting the pilot for free streaming, the distributors committed to promote the show across their platforms, including a prominent placement on the homepage of iTunes, which was taking a pre-premiere window on a show for the first time." (Deadline)

"The expensive Swiss franc is another problem altogether. When I first came to Gstaad and moved into the Palace hotel, one dollar got you 4.3 francs. Living at the best hotel in town cost me around ten dollars a day, tips included. The most expensive chalet was worth around 100,000 francs; you do the math. A season ticket for all the mountains in the region was less than 100 dollars. My season began on December 22nd and ended around Easter. The place was full of Americans, many of them pilots who had bailed out over Switzerland while bombing the industrial Ruhr ...Now chalets in Gstaad go for 25 to 50 to 100 million francs. One franc is worth about 80 American cents; again, you do the math. There are no Jimmy types around, and the ones that can afford such chalets do not ski, yours truly being an exception. I have 'catastrophic arthritis' on both ankles according to my very nice doctor. I limp all over the place but still kick the bag and punch the makiwara. It’s called refusing to accept the inevitable ..." (Taki Theodoracopoulos)

"'Zack Morris' is still landing roles and making a handsome rate as a working actor, we see. A performance agreement for Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who’s best known for his character on the 1990s NBC sitcom 'Saved by the Bell,' was accidentally e-mailed wide to television executives with details on the upcoming TNT thriller 'Hide' with Carla Gugino by a legal assistant at Turner. The contract, which was even sent to executives at rival networks, states that Gosselaar will make $90,000 for filming a two-hour show. It also includes details about his dressing room, which it specifies 'shall be one half of a double banger trailer' and 'no less favorable than any other lead performer on the picture.' Turner network reps didn’t get back to Page Six about the misfire." (PageSix)

Glenn and Oscar Obrien

"Glenn Obrien: What is it you don't like about Harry Potter? Oscar Obrien: He's a nerd! He's a pure nerd. And the idea is stupid, to wave your wand around. What is your parenting style? GO: Don't talk down to kids, don't treat them like babies, treat them like they're adults, don't do baby talk. We always treated you like you were pretty mature, and here you are, you're pretty mature, so it worked. Maybe it was the way you were, but we always took you everywhere, but you've traveled. You traveled like an adult.  OO: Yeah, I always did. GO: Kids can understand almost as much as adults, don't you think? OO: Except why militias in the Middle East attack civilians, I can't get that. GO: Well we can't get that either. OO: Do you think you gained your style gradually? GO: Yeah, but I think a lot of it is instinctive. The more you sample things the more you find out what you like, what you think is funny, what you think is beautiful. Who's your new favorite actor? Bill Murray? OO: I love Bill Murray" (Papermag)

"It was a society event last night at Geoffrey Bradfield’s 'Big Five' exhibition. Mr. Bradfield, known for his keen interior design eye, designed a series of handwoven tapestries inspired by the wildlife of South Africa. Socialites and would-be preservationists flocked to the scene, assessing the woven rhinos, leopards and water buffalo. Guests included Sharon Bush, Paul Morrisey, Lady Liliana Cavendish, Chiu-Ti Jansen .." (Observer)

Tom Fontana, Christina Wayne at the Charles Bank Gallery

Yesterday I ventured downtown to hear a TV panel with industry superheavyweights Tom Fontana ("Homicide: Life on the Street", "Oz") and former SVP of scripted programming at AMC TV Christina Wayne ("Mad Men", "Breaking Bad") moderated by Variety's Sam Thielman at -- of all places -- the Charles Banks Gallery and sponsored by-- of all organizations -- the The Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

It was a serious conversation about a serious subject: television. I am a TV geek of the first magnitude; I agonized, but was ultimately happy that "Mad men" beat "Game of Thrones" on Sunday night. And the topics discussed last night ranged from how digital devices impact television, cable-versus-the-broadcast-networks and getting "St. Elsewhere" made. Fontana recalled that both Cheers and St. Elsewhere were at the bottom of the Nielsen's at their debut. But "Grant Tinker" -- then at NBC -- "believed," giving them a chance, one that ultimately bore fruit in both cases. "It is interesting to see if (new NBC head via Showtime) Bob Greenblatt will do the same for Playboy Club (which has a cable/"Mad Men" sensibility)," wondered Christina Wayne aloud, because it made a debut to low ratings." Time will tell.

Both mused about the nature of television. Fontana noted that if you pitched to executives a show about DC politics before The West Wing, the suits would "stare at the floor." Fontana laid out how Sorkin's "The American President" -- and its success -- paved the way for the West Wing (and, arguably, Barack Obama). And in the intervening time there were shows on a Senator, interns and the Supreme Court. But now, Fontana noted, if a DC politics show would stare at the floors again. It's come full circle.

Christina Wayne, who has a show about the UN presently in the cable bumper, wondered aloud how curious it was that certain ideas for shows achieve a certain zietgeist at a specific point in time. She noted how she is seeing a lot of shows about the UN now. And there was never such interest before. This side note came out of a discussion about the much-imitated "Mad Men" nostalgia/style style that is everywhere on broadcast networks -- a cultural trend for which Ms. Wayne bears a great deal of the responsibility for starting.

On the "Mad Men" nostalgia/style, Fontana's theory is that the show's period -- the 1950s -- represent a time when America was a fast-rising world power. Fontana suggests that we like bossy men smoking on elevators unapologetically because of the underlying suggestion of the power. And that we miss those times now, as America is in decline.

Towards the end of the discussion, Wayne said that her two favorite shows -- Boardwalk Empire for its lavish photography and Game of Thrones for the pitch-perfect dialogue -- were both on HBO. Tom kind of copped out of the question, loyally (Christina was sitting next to him) naming two AMC shows.

Afterwards, I met Tom -- who has a period drama "Copper" coming out on BBC-America -- and his brother, who is a teacher in the South Bronx. An interesting family, the Fontanas.

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"Rwandan President Paul Kagame is living in luxury during the United Nations General Assembly, staying in the $16,000-per-night presidential suite at the Mandarin Oriental. Kagame’s rooms have 'panoramic views of Central Park, the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline,' says the hotel’s Web site. Rwanda’s average annual income last year was $1,150, according to the World Bank. Kagame, whose reps didn’t get back to us, is one of many world leaders with spending sprees on their UN agendas, despite the dismal global economic climate ... Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri was dining at Harry Cipriani, as were dignitaries from Nigeria. 'They have the Secret Service scout the area and then call up giving a fake American name like ‘Wilson,’' a spy said. Argentina President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner hit town after a Parisian shopping spree, during which she reportedly bought 20 pairs of Louboutins at $5,500 a pair.  Palestinians, including President Mahmoud Abbas -- whose room is a more modest $3,000-a-night -- are holing up at the UN Millennium, as are Egyptian chiefs, sources said. 'Security is unbelievable,' said a spy. “There are bomb-sniffing dogs and an ‘iron ring’ surrounding the hotel.'" (PageSix)

"Three of my lunch partners — there were five at table — had just come from 'A Celebration of Life' memorial service at Temple Emanu-el for Casey Ribicoff who had died almost a month ago to the day, at age 89. She would have been 90 on December 5th. Until she became ill with bronchial problems several months ago, Casey got around town daily. She had a big presence, sometimes like those girls who are (used to be) surrounded by bunch of boys at the school dance. She'd lunch at Michael's, dine at Donohue's or La Grenouille; shopped at Ralph Rucci where she acquired the costume that made her one of the most stylish ladies in New York. She was a bit of an x-ray type like those girls of her day who practically starved themselves down to a size one. Although I never saw Casey push away the food on her dinner plate, and she liked a good burger with all the trimmings. She liked her Ketel One too, and her caviar. And her Marlboros ... I don't doubt that all members of her family and her husbands and her birth family knew her well the way we all do in our personal lives. She was outgoing, and friendly by nature. They also knew her history of development. All of us have a History of Development. New York women like Casey Ribicoff can have especially interesting ones, because they are often shrewdly conscious, and develop by their natural ambition which in turn makes them creative. Like a novel. Or a movie. Oh, and Casey even knew Meyer Lansky the Godfather of them all, from her days in Miami. She knew him rather well. I remember her telling about the modest apartment he lived in with his wife. She liked him. A movie; that life." (NYSocialDiary)

"We are a little obsessed with yachts, simply because they are floating piles of burning f-you money, the most astounding sort of consumption. When "Eclipse" was completed in 2009, everyone said, "wow, that's a big boat!" But then earlier this year, we noted that two even bigger boats were being built in Germany (including "Topaz" and another) and, oh no! Now it's time for the Monaco Yacht Show. MORE BIG BOATS." (Choire Sicha)

"CBS Corp. CEO Leslie Moonves touted the company's disciplined approach to programming costs Tuesday at the Goldman Sachs 20th annual Communacopia Conference. Drawing contrast to the increased investments the Eye's broadcast rivals Fox and NBC are making on their fall schedule, Moonves noted the network doesn't have to spend as much to maintain its ratings, citing the introduction of just five new series this fall. 'We're very disciplined,' he said. 'We haven't overspent. It's about quality, not quantity.' He referenced the big bets Fox is putting down this fall on 'The X Factor' and 'Terra Nova' to make its fourth-quarter viewership on closer level to the dominance the network achieves from January through May with 'American Idol.' Moonves also referred to the additional $300 million NBC's new parent company, Comcast Corp., pledged to put into primetime development -- an investment he deemed wise. 'They're in fourth place, they have to rebuild,' he said of the Peacock. 'It's a very smart thing to do.'" (Variety)

"Vice President Biden has been unleashed on the campaign trail, he said Tuesday night, telling a crowd at a Chicago fundraiser 'we are going to win this race.' Biden joins President Obama in the new phase of the 2012 reelection campaign, targeting Republicans in Congress while batting down unflattering reports from a new book. Addressing the 200 people gathered at the fundraiser, Biden appeared to be in his classic, convivial form, saying, "The president said, 'Look, Joe, just go be Joe.' So he let me loose.' The vice president paid a visit to the campaign's headquarters in downtown Chicago, where he said he 'noticed four of my eight top people from my campaign are now in the headquarters, so I am all in.' In a clear rebuke of Ron Suskin's new book, which reportedly portrays a president indecisive during the early days of his administration amid the economic collapse, Biden said of Obama: 'He stepped up. He didn’t hesitate.'" (TheHill)

"The liberal mood today is very much like that of Jimmy Stewart at the beginning of It’s A Wonderful Life. The economy stinks, nothing in our life is going right, and that special person turns out not to be so special after all. One odd, recurring strand of the current liberal funk is a pining away for Hillary Clinton. More than one down-in-the-dumps liberal has expressed the stray thought that, if only Democrats had nominated that other candidate, she’d surely have stood up to those Republicans, rolled up her sleeves, and pushed through a populist economic agenda. Maybe, they should just hurl this presidency over the bridge …As it happens, like Jimmy Stewart, we have a guardian angel to show us the folly of this choice. His name is Mark Penn. As Clinton’s chief political advisor, Penn’s career has been characterized by two traits, neither recommending him to the role of political architect of a liberal alternate-fantasy administration. Penn is a fervent proponent of the belief that Democrats must abhor economic populism, or even moderate economic liberalism, and embrace small-government nostrums. Second, he habitually runs roughshod over any data that stands in the way of him urging his preferred vision. Penn has a regular column in the Huffington Post, in which he treats readers to a glimpse of the strategic thinking that he would have brought to bear under a Hillary Clinton administration. Unlike Clarence the angel, Penn is not consciously setting about to show us the horrifying consequences of this alternative path. That, however, is precisely the effect. So Penn has spent the Obama administration urging Obama to pivot to deficit reduction and give up on health-care reform. Penn’s idée fixe is that the Democratic Party’s fate hinges upon currying favor with the rich." (NYMag)

Michael Musto Book Party Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back

Michael and The Countess, images via WOW

Last night at Copacabana, Michael Musto's book party for "Fork on the Left, knife in the Back" ran like a well-oiled machine. I've noticed that when the nightlife "pro's" -- think Paper magazine -- do parties, everything runs smoothly. The rum drinks were flowing for the entire three hours; the waitstaff was brilliant at keeping the large crowd properly tight; the food arrived at just the perfect time; the performance began just as everyone was done with their meal; and after it was all done there was another half hour of boozing and dancing by a quite competent DJ. Michael is a pro and showed us how proper nightlife is done.

And the crowd was downtown and freaky. Dirty Matini-did-a-burlesque-striptease freaky. Then again, it isn't a Musto party without a burlesque striptease, copious booze -- though Michael is a Diet Coke guy -- celebrities and glorious downtown freaks. You know it is a freaky party when Jerry Springer attends. And Lisa Lampanelli did an incredibly filthy set. It was a wonderful evening.

image via Tony Adams/QueerNewYorkBlog

Also spotted in the crowd: Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, Sharon Bush, Anna Rothschild, Paula Froelich, Caroline Waxler, Fenton Bailey, Andrew Andrew, Danger Cat, Susan Anton, Tony Adams, Anita Sarko, Dandy Wellington, Robin Byrd, Randy Barbato, Malik So Chic, Mickey Boardman and the adorable Anna Musto.

In other words, it was the Kate and William wedding for nightlifers. The yearly (or so) Musto book party.

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"The crisis at the News of the World broke in July 2011. It had been gathering for five years, since the first public intimations surfaced in 2006 of a culture of using private investigators to hack into the mobile phones of those the newspaper wished to investigate. Two ‘rotten apples’ were thrown out by News International, the parent company: these were Glen Mulcaire, the private investigator employed by a number of papers to find out secrets of the objects of their investigations; and Clive Goodman, the News of the World (NotW ) reporter who covered the royal family and whose stories had used material gleaned by Mulcaire from interceptions of the royal princes’ phones. The rest of the barrel, the paper and the company said, was unblemished: as evidence of purity of soul, the then editor, Andy Coulson, resigned, disavowing all knowledge of the hacking but shouldering responsibility as the one on whose watch this had happened. A few months later, he was employed as director of communications by David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party and of the opposition; when Cameron moved, in May 2010, into Number 10 as prime minister, Coulson retained his post and moved with him. It was reported that several of those who met Cameron at this time warned him against employing Coulson. The latter’s claim, that he had not asked a senior reporter about the source of stories which would be among the most important published in any given week, astonished those who had any acquaintance with journalism." (Reuters)

"Obama’s campaign was about more than particular policies. He ran on a platform that famously promised change and hope. His tremendous political achievement was in framing those concepts in such a way that they were interpreted by voters to mean precisely what they wanted them to mean without committing Obama to specific policies. To the anti-war faction it meant that the wars would end. To those concerned about unilateralism it meant that unilateralism would be replaced by multilateralism. To those worried about growing inequality it meant that he would end inequality. To those concerned about industrial jobs going overseas it meant that those jobs would stay in the United States. To those who hated Guantanamo it meant that Guantanamo would be closed. Obama created a coalition whose expectations of what Obama would do were shaped by them and projected on Obama. In fact, Obama never quite said what his supporters thought he said. His supporters thought they heard that he was anti-war. He never said that. He simply said that he opposed Iraq and thought Afghanistan should be waged. His strategy was to allow his followers to believe what they wanted so long as they voted for him, and they obliged. Now, this is not unique to Obama. It is how presidents get elected. What was unique was how well he did it and the problems it caused once he became president." (STRATFOR)

"Charlie Sheen has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past week or so, just as his new series, Anger Management, is getting ready to hit the marketplace, probably later this week, with cable and even some broadcast networks potentially getting pitched. Gone is the disheveled look, the chain-smoking, the crazy talk of tiger blood and warlocks and the insults thrown at his former Two and a Half Men employers. They have been replaced by a clean-shaven, charming and remorseful Sheen who seems completely normal again. That is exactly what buyers would want to see as committing to doing a show with a star who has had drug problems is never a 100% safe bet. Over the past 2 months, since Lionsgate TV announced in July that it plans to produce a sitcom starring Sheen based on the movie Anger Management, Sheen has undergone a process of image rehabilitation that included some time away from the limelight followed by his reintroduction as a reformed man this past week. And it seems Lionsgate TV and its subsidiary Debmar-Mercury, which will handle the selling of Anger Management, have timed the shopping of the show perfectly." (Deadline)

"It is the beginning of 'UN Week.' You’ve heard me complain about this before. Basically the center of the city slows to a crawl for hours in the middle of every business day, delaying millions of people in their workday, all for the 'protection' of a few thousand who gather here at the UN. Two of the four lanes running down the middle of 57th Street from Second Avenue west are blocked off for diplomatic traffic, which seems to travel in caravans of black tinted windowed vans and police cars. And at night: A friend of mine dining at a Mexican restaurant on East 86th Street last night told me about four Malaysians from the UN dining nearby. They had 25 in security and several cars with the whirly lights. At that same time (mid-evening) Park Avenue was closed from 79th Street to traffic to the 40s. Probably the President. I don’t know why they don’t just evacuate the city so that these UN people can visit in comfort, worry-free from the presence of us, the great unwashed. That way they could return to their countries, with all the world’s problems solved, leaving us all to live in the peace which they so brilliantly forged for us while they were staying in our 'fair' city." (NYSocialDiary)

"Rock royalty turned out to view art by Bob Dylan over the weekend. Mick Jagger perused Dylan’s paintings at Gagosian Gallery surrounded by a cadre of muscle-bound bodyguards during a private viewing ahead of the show’s opening today on Madison Avenue. Also at the preview, though less well-protected, were Michael Stipe, Patti Smith, Owen Wilson and collector Peter Brant. The exhibition, called 'Bob Dylan: The Asia Series,' runs through Oct. 22." (PageSix)

"Former NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker speaks to B&C editor in chief Ben Grossman in a wide-ranging interview (subscription required). The big topic is obviously former NBC and CBS anchor Katie Couric‘s upcoming ABC talk show (which Zucker serves as EP on), but Zucker also talks about leaving NBCU, and his own future. With regards to Couric, Zucker says that the show will not be a news show, but that it would still remain topical. He also said that he expects Couric to return to what made her so successful when she was at NBC’s 'Today'" (TVNewser)

"'I’m living the American dream,' socialite Justin Ross Lee tells us after the New York Post ran a story about his bankruptcy filing yesterday. 'You can’t be anyone in America until you’ve filed for bankruptcy. Trump, Lorenzo Lamas, Baldwin..they’ve all filed.' The Post had claimed that Mr. Lee — who was recently the subject of a Guest of a Guest contest where the winning 'shiksa' would accompany him to the Emmys — was $160,000 in debt and only had $100 in his bank account, despite posing as one of New York’s social elites. But Mr. Lee says the story about his bankruptcy has only helped his fledgling business, PretensiousPocket.com. 'I’ve had more order today han any other day. I never made any claims about how much money I make…but I live a comped lifestyle. A fly first-class for free around the world.' 'I’m happy the Post ran the story,' said Mr. Lee, who claims he will be staying in his $$2,700-a-month Murray Hill apartment despite the paper claiming he only had $100 in his bank account and was currently being sued by Citibank for $80,000. 'Oh, and that $100…it’s gone.'" (Observer)

"Vladimir Nabokov once dismissed as 'preposterous' the French writer Alain Robbe-Grillet’s assertions that his novels eliminated psychology: 'The shifts of levels, the interpenetration of successive impressions and so forth belong of course to psychology,' Nabokov said, '—psychology at its best.' Later asked, 'Are you a psychological novelist?' Nabokov replied: 'All novelists of any worth are psychological novelists.' Psychology fills vastly wider channels now than when Nabokov, in the mid-20th century, refused to sail the narrow course between the Scylla of behaviorism and the Charybdis of Freud. It deals with what matters to writers, readers, and others: with memory and imagination, emotion and thought, art and our attunement to one another, and it does so in wider time frames and with tighter spatial focus than even Nabokov could imagine. It therefore seems high time to revise or refresh our sense of Nabokov by considering him as a serious (and of course a playful) psychologist, and to see what literature and psychology can now offer each other.We could move in many directions, which is itself a tribute to Nabokov’s range and strengths as a psychologist: the writer as reader of others and himself, as observer and introspector; as interpreter of the psychology he knew from fiction (Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Proust, Joyce), nonfiction, and professional psychology (William James, Freud, Havelock Ellis); as psychological theorist; and as psychological 'experimenter,' running thought experiments on the characters he creates and on the effects he produces in readers." (TheAmericanScholar via APieceofMonologue)

"Launching her career in journalism at a Los Angeles television station, (Eleanor Mondale) gained the reputation of a club-hopping Paris Hilton type and femme fatale by dating a series of extremely high-profile men: Arnold Schwarzenegger, rock star Warren Zevon, James Belushi, entrepreneur Ron Perlman—and by marrying and rapidly divorcing football player Keith Van Horne and then Greg Malban, a DJ known as Greg Thunder. And though she paid her dues working for various stations in Chicago, the Today show in New York, and finally for WCCO in Minneapolis, the media considered her a party girl and dubbed her 'Wild Child'' It stuck. The ultimate headline-grabbing episode was a meeting with Bill Clinton in the White House on Dec. 6, 1997. According to the Starr Report, Eleanor and Clinton met for 40 minutes while Monica Lewinsky, who was having an affair with the president, was told to wait in an outer room. Apparently a Secret Service agent told Lewinsky about the tête-à-tête and she was so outraged that she stormed out, went to a payphone and yelled at Betty Currie, the president’s private secretary. Currie was so upset, according to the report, that she told the agents that Clinton was 'irate' over their insensitive disclosure and warned a supervisor that 'someone could be fired.' Rumors of a romance between Mondale and Clinton had been circulating and denied for years. 'What’s funny is every time I’ve seen the president, there have been at least five other people in the room,' she told the Chicago Sun-Times. 'I don’t think we would have carried on this so-called affair right in front of Barbra Streisand and people like that!' No matter what the circumstances, Eleanor’s straitlaced parents never blinked. 'I think they were probably perplexed by her life, they were very proper Minnesotans,' says journalist Elizabeth Drew, a close friend. 'But they were very supportive and if they disapproved they never let on.'" (TheDailyBeast)

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"Nobody knows exactly how much money China has already invested in European government bonds. In Italy, the number is apparently 4% of total debt, which would amount to 76 billion euros. In Spain, Portugal and Greece, several billion more. However, as the latest worsening of the euro crisis shows, China’s move did not influence financial markets. But it’s enough for China to be seen as a potential savior in case of dire emergency. The apparent generosity of the new economic superpower is aimed at changing European perceptions and polishing up China’s image. China needs to win the confidence of European trade partners because that will mean quicker acceptance of it as a market economy - thus removing various constraints with regard to trade with the EU. The EU – not the United States - is China‘s most important trading partner. But China has also been investing directly in European companies. The country is seeking to build down its reserves of dollars and transfer more capital to Europe. The People's Bank of China recently bought strongly into Munich Re. And in early August, Lenovo, the Chinese computer manufacturer, bought a majority holding in German consumer electronics company Medion. Germany is officially China’s most important European partner, but so far they’ve held off with the really big investments out of fear of political pushback such as occurred in 2008 when Dresdner Bank was up for sale and an alleged offer from China unleashed a storm of political concern. In the last five years, China has invested $218 billion worldwide according to estimates of the U.S.-based Heritage Foundation. Of that, 34.8 billion euros went to Europe, $28 billion to the United States, and $61 billion to Canada and South America." (WorldCrunch Via GPS)

"The last time Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu shared each other’s company, you could say that the encounter did not go well if by not well you mean abysmally. This was on May 20, the day after Obama gave his big speech on the Arab Spring, in which he unleashed a tsunami of tsuris by endorsing the use of Israel’s 1967 borders with mutually agreed [land] swaps as the basis for a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Obama and Netanyahu were seated in the Oval Office for what was supposed to be one of those photo ops devoted to roasting rhetorical chestnuts about the solidity of the U.S.-Israel alliance. Instead, while Obama watched silently, looking poleaxed, Netanyahu lectured him for seven and a half minutes, on live televisionabout the folly, the sheer absurdity, of suggesting Israel ever return to what he called the indefensible 1967 lines. Obama was furious with Netanyahu, who in choosing to ignore the crucial qualifier about land swaps had twisted Obama’s words beyond recognition the kind of mendacious misinterpretation that makes the presidential mental. The seniormost members of Obama’s team felt much the same. Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Bob Gates, Bill Daley, the former Mideast-peace envoy George Mitchell: All were apoplectic with the prime minister, whose behavior over the past two years had already tried their patience. The collective view here is that he is a small-minded, fairly craven politician, says an administration source deeply involved in its efforts to push the parties to the negotiating table. And one who simply isn’t serious about making peace." (John Heilmann)

"In the shetlsphere today we’ll be discussing John Heilemann’s New York cover story on President Obama, Israel, and the Jews. It is a nice summation of where we are on the eve of the United Nations action, with some nice scenic overlooks involving new reporting, including about potential problems Team Obama will have with Jewish donors. Toward the end, Heilemann discusses the Jewish vote, and how it could prove important in states like Florida and Pennsylvania. Then he quotes one writer to the effect that Israel may prove the battleground the Republican presidential candidate chooses on which to mount his or her attack of Obama’s foreign policy record, and … hey … that’s me being quoted! Heilemann cites my case that Gov. Rick Perry and other Republicans fervently and frequently proclaims his support for and love of Israel because Israel (and Iran) are where Obama is most vulnerable, national security-wise—among not only Jews but everyone. He calls this “perfect bullshit,” and just in case it’s not clear enough, I’m pretty sure—I hope!—he is referring to the Republican argument that Obama’s Israel policy reveals him to be a blame-America-first ultra-dove, and not, er, my argument that the Republicans will try to use Israel to pin that label on Obama. (Here is the post Heilemann quoted from. I also made it clear here that I consider Obama’s policies to be pro-Israel. And I interviewed Tevi Troy and Matt Duss about it.) Heilemann’s piece surely went to press before Perry published his op-ed chastising Obama on Israel; and before Perry announced a $2500-a-head kosher fundraiser in New York; and before (yikes) Perry announced he would be holding a press conference Tuesday in New York with MK Danny Danon, the politician most closely associated with the plan to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank; and before (yikes!) Netanyahu’s people mentioned the prime minister might make a side trip to New York’s ninth congressional district, site of last week’s Israel-heavy special election." (TabletMag)

"Of the more than half million visitors who attended 'Savage Beauty,' the Metropolitan Museum’s blockbuster show dedicated to the work of the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen, few felt more intimately acquainted with the works on display than Daphne Guinness. Guinness was a friend of McQueen, as well as an aficionado of his designs. She owned close duplicates of many of the clothes in the exhibition. Guinness has been variously described in the press as an heiress, a muse, a socialite, a designer, and an artist, and though all these characterizations are partly accurate, none quite conveys her affect, which is that of a slightly deranged fairy invented by C. S. Lewis. Her aesthetic is often futuristic, but she also appears to have come from a bygone age when getting dressed was considered a demanding form of self-expression, rather than an opportunity to wallow in spandex-enabled comfort. With her fondness for lace ruffles and velvet chokers and frock coats of the sort worn by Regency dandies, and the disciplined line of her silhouette, Guinness often resembles both a Gainsborough portrait of a lady and a Gainsborough portrait of the lady’s husband. Her appearance is so interesting it suggests that her appearance is the least interesting thing about her. Guinness’s father is Jonathan Guinness, a baron and an heir to the Irish brewery fortune; her grandmother was Diana Mitford, whom she resembles in appearance." (NewYorker)

"It used to be that a favorable "Q" score, a high rating on the Davie Brown Index or good old-fashioned ubiquity was enough for a celebrity to secure a high-profile endorsement deal. But increasingly, an active social-media profile has become one of the most important deal-points for brands, talent agents and even PR agencies to consider when negotiating contracts. "Advertising agencies are asking more and more, "How many fans on Facebook do you have? Are you on Google+? What's your Klout score, what's your client's Klout score?'" said George Ruiz, head of digital media for International Creative Management. "These questions are being asked on every single deal that comes from the ad world as they're asking, "Are we hiring the right person to get our message out?'" The lack of sophisticated influence metrics had begun to take its toll on major PR firms such as Interpublic Group of Cos.' PMK-BNC, one of Hollywood's largest publicity shops, with a roster of more than 300 celeb clients. "We had a problem, because if you go to Washington, you hire a lobbyist to do what we do. But now if you come to Hollywood, you do it yourself," said Chris Robichaud, co-CEO of PMK-BNC. 'People are making multimillion-dollar decisions based on nothing or gut instinct. Clients will say, 'I have a Q score, but what do I do with it?'" To help connect the dots of its clients' (and comparable celebrities') influence, awareness and likability, PMK-BNC has introduced a new measurement tool, FanDNA, in partnership with Interpret. The tool compiles quarterly data on top actors, musicians, models and athletes to rate their appeal to certain affinity groups, match them with the most-appropriate brands and ultimately measure the impact of their branding deals. " (ADAge)

"This year’s massive edition of the Toronto International Film Festival came to a close this weekend with Nadine Labaki’s surprise audience award win for 'Where Do We Go Now?.' Her drama was just one of over 200 films that screened over the course of the 11-day event. indieWIRE was on the scene to review the hot titles and report on the breakouts, the buys, the stars and the parties." (INDIEWIRE)

"WHEN is anything going to go right for Barack Obama in the Middle East? The president came to office hoping to deliver a two-state solution in Palestine, and wasted a lot of political capital failing to do so. He wanted dearly to put America on the right side of the Arab spring, though this entailed joining a war in one Arab country (Libya) while looking on helplessly while another (Syria) slaughtered its own citizens. Now he has been drawn into a tangle of quarrels between America’s best friends in the eastern Mediterranean, from which there may be no exit. Only yesterday, or so it seems, the eastern Mediterranean was a tranquil lake, policed congenially by the American sixth fleet. Israel, Egypt and Turkey were all friends not only of the United States but also of one another. Over the years, it is true, the peace between Israel and Egypt grew cold. After the 2008 Gaza war between Israel and Hamas a frost settled on relations between Israel and Turkey as well. Behind the scenes, however, the governments (and armed forces) of the three countries seemed happy to stick to their strategic understandings, leading policymakers in America to hope that this might be at least one virtuous triangle in the otherwise vicious geometry of the Middle East. No longer." (TheEconomist)

"Like the experience of warfare, the endurance of grave or terminal illness involves long periods of tedium and anxiety, punctuated by briefer interludes of stark terror and pain. This endurance need not necessarily be one's own: indeed, the experience of watching over a sibling or mate in extremis can be even more acute. But nothing, according to the experts, compares to the clutching, choking nightmare that engulfs the one who is slowly bereft of a child. It is horrible to see oneself die without children. Napoléon Bonaparte said that. What greater grief can there be for mortals than to see their children dead. Euripides said that.  When we talk about mortality we are talking about our children.  I said that. Joan Didion, here slightly syncopating in the Bob Dylan manner, has striven with intense dignity and courage in Blue Nights to deepen and extend the effect of The Year of Magical Thinking, her 2005 narrative of the near-simultaneous sudden death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne, and the onset of the fatal illness of their daughter, Quintana Roo Dunne Michael. In the course of setting it down, she came to realize that she could no longer compose in the old style: the one that she had 'supposed to be like writing music.' And what kind of music could this have been, except the Blues? But blue is more than the shade of a symphony." (Christopher Hitchens)

Startup Investing Is The New Black

First there was Ashton Kutscher ("An Actor Who Knows Start Ups"). From the New York Times in May, after Ashton's appearance at the techCrunch Disrupt:

In recent years, Mr. Kutcher has become a smart early investor in some of the most talked-about Internet start-ups, including Foursquare, the mobile social network; Path, a photo-sharing application; and Flipboard, a news-reading app for the iPad.

He has also clearly mastered the utopian lingo of Silicon Valley: “I look for companies that solve problems in intelligent and friction-free ways and break boundaries,” he said in an interview this week.

Then, his rival, Justin Timberlake, who starred in the social network, jumped onto the bandwagon. Now Justin Bieber is a startup investor. According to mashable:

His 12.6 million Twitter fans are some of the most active around, according to the company; they account for about 3% of Twitter’s infrastructure at any given time. His video for “Baby” was the most watched on YouTube last year.

Now sources within the startup scene say Bieber is about to launch himself into a new role: angel investor for early stage companies.

Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun, has talked about such a move for some time. Here’s what he told TechCrunch at its conference in June: “For all of you young entrepreneurs out there watching, if you have a brilliant idea, Troy [Lady Gaga's manager] and I will combine the powers of Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber. Give us a large piece of equity.”

“I realized that the power our artists have created for themselves on Facebook, on Twitter on YouTube are very, very valuable for launching these platforms,” he added. “The great thing about technology that works, and that isn’t dependent on a Gaga or a Justin, but can be launched by a Gaga or a Justin.”

Celebrity: check; Massive Twitter following: check; Early startup investing: check. Sound familiar?

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"Despite what you might think, I don't have much to say about Tom Friedman's column in the Sunday New York Times, where he openly bemoans the disastrous influence of the Israel lobby on U.S. Middle East policy and puts up in bright lights how bad it is for Israel as well. I'm grateful to Glenn Greenwald and Phil Weissfor pointing out that this is the main point that John Mearsheimer and I have been making for some time in our writings about the lobby. But I will say this: Friedman's admission reflects the protracted failure of U.S. policy on the Israel-Palestine issue, going back several decades. That's not news, of course. What has changed in the past few years is that the lobby's operations and its harmful influence are now out in the open for all to see, which makes it almost impossible to make the old arguments that Israel is a 'vital strategic asset' or a country that 'shares our values' with a straight face, or to convince anyone who's not already in agreement. Not after more than forty years of occupation, not after 9/11, not after the 2006 Lebanon War, not after Operation Cast Lead, not after the killings on the Mavi Marmara, and not after PM Netanyahu's repeated acts of contempt toward the U.S. president. The United States has backed Israel no matter what it did because AIPAC and the other groups in the lobby have enormous influence inside the Beltway and use that political muscle to defend Israel whenever its government's policies clash with America's interests." (ForeignPolicy)

"Tony Bennett celebrated his 85th birthday last night with a sold-out concert at The Metropolitan Opera House. Our intrepid associate editor Jill Krementz was there and filed this report along with her photographs: After being introduced by former President Bill Clinton, the legendary singer, dressed in a black Brioni suit, black tie and an orange handkerchief in his breast pocket, sang his heart out. Mr. Bennett was accompanied by his fine quartet, Lee Musiker on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Harold Jones on drums and Marshall Wood on bass. Also appearing on stage for several duets with Bennett were Aretha Franklin, Sir Elton John and Alejandro Sanz. It was like being at a rock concert. After every song the audience rose en masse for a standing ovation. Bennett’s newest release, Duets II, featuring the last recording by Amy Winehouse, will be avaialable on Tuesday." (NYSocialDiary)

"To me silence is music and I really found it first in Hastings-on-Hudson, where I parked my S.U.V. in the village parking lot near the train and would take the Metro-North in on a regular basis to Vogue. It just seemed like the right fit to discover a way of living that was not expected of me. To be able to leave the glamorous lanes of fashion shows, and fashion seasons, important cultural evenings, or just dinner with friends in the city and find solace in a place that was so removed from what is a challenging yet exciting life in the chiffon trenches of fashion. I loved Hastings-on-Hudson until the owners decided to increase the rent to $3,200 a month. Then I thought, time to invest. Now I live in Worthington, in a house built in the late 1800s, with four white columns and a circular porch painted a pale pearl gray that I imagined Pauline de Rothschild might have used. It’s from the porch where I can see the yard (I don’t call it a garden), which has become my sanctuary. On one side of the house are redwoods from the ’20s. The previous owners had planted superb Japanese maples. I put in white hydrangea bushes from Rosedale Nurseries last year. There are groupings of rhododendrons and huge shrubs in black regency pots. The centerpiece is a giant copper beech tree, around which I had lights installed to show it off." (Andre leon Talley)

"The battle for the Republican presidential nomination is just heating up. But the choice of running mate is as good as settled, at least if the Beltway buzz is to be believed. Many party insiders feel that the attractions of Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) for the second spot on the ticket are irresistible. 'Right now, he is head and shouders above everybody else,' Florida-based GOP strategist Rick Wilson told The Hill. (Wilson supported Rubio during his 2010 Senate bid, but did not work for the campaign.) Garlands have been hurled Rubio’s way with conspicuous frequency in the past few weeks. 'Rubio has the most important ingredient of any leader: vision,' conservative columnist Cal Thomas wrote." (TheHill)

"Before her big moment there was of course the much-talked about awkward 'surprise' appearance of Charlie Sheen. After Deadline the news that he was to appear protests came from different corners reportedly including Sheen’s ex-producer Chuck Lorre and Warner Bros’ Bruce Rosenblum (whose studio produces Two and a Half Men) among others according to Nellie Andreeva’s Sunday. When I caught up with them at the Governor’s Ball Academy officials indicated there was great sensitivity to the appearance with one top officer telling me it might be too soon for such an appearance but that Fox , the network airing the Emmys this year, thought it was important to have Sheen on so they reluctantly agreed. Warners’ Rosenblum (who is running for TV Academy Chair in November) confirmed to me that he did place a call to Fox Network’s Peter Rice to ensure the appearance would be handled in good taste. 'I just wanted to make sure there was a five second delay in place at the very least', he said. Another officer said they had a contingency plan in place for anything that might have gone wrong, but didn’t tell me exactly what that plan was." (Deadline)

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"Mother Nature's distribution of oil and gas resources around the world suggests she has a mischievous sense of humor. In the Persian Gulf, South China Sea, and Caspian Sea, large fields lie in disputed zones between unfriendly neighbors. Now we must add another hot spot to that list. New, giant, natural gas finds promise to transform the energy security and economy of Israel and, perhaps, its neighbors. But these treasures could hardly have been better placed to stir up trouble, complicating three of the world's most intractable conflicts: between Israel and the Palestinians, Israel and Lebanon, and Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The recent sharp deterioration in Turkish-Israeli relations makes disputes over gas even more fraught with danger. Golda Meir, the feisty, cantankerous, and quotable fourth Israeli prime minister, used to complain that Moses led the Israelites through the desert for 40 years to bring them to the only place in the Middle East without oil. In 2000, after Britain's BG had discovered significant volumes of gas at Gaza Marine, she was proved at least half-wrong when U.S. exploration company Noble Energy found a similar-sized field, Mari-B, in Israeli waters. In 2009, though, Noble put these efforts completely into the shade. Some bold and creative geological thinking led it to find 8.5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas in deep water at Tamar, the world's largest discovery that year. In late 2010, Noble uncovered an even larger field, aptly named Leviathan, containing 16 Tcf. These fields alone could meet U.S. gas demand for an entire year." (ForeignPolicy)

"As Switzerland’s central bank imposed a limit on the franc’s appreciation against the euro on Sept. 6, UBS AG trader Kweku Adoboli’s Facebook profile had a plea for his friends: 'Need a miracle.'

Just over a week later, at 3:30 a.m. yesterday, police in London arrested the 31-year-old Adoboli on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position. UBS told investors less than five hours later that 'unauthorized trading by a trader' it didn’t identify caused a $2 billion loss. Adoboli worked on the bank’s Delta One desk, a unit that handles trades for clients, typically helping them to speculate on or hedge the performance of a basket of securities. It also takes risks with the bank’s own money in arranging trades. It was the same kind of desk as the one worked by Jerome Kerviel, who triggered a 4.9 billion-euro loss ($6.8 billion) for France’s Societe Generale SA in January 2008. 'It couldn’t come at a worse time for UBS,' said Fred Ponzo, a former trader at Societe Generale and capital markets adviser at Greyspark Partners in London. 'The thing is, it’s very hard to go through the fail-safes by error. The only way to dig a hole this big is by design. You have to ask the question that if this is a $2 billion hole, is this is a failure of technology and risk management?' The arrest as global regulators are pressing banks to curb their proprietary trading is likely to revive calls for financial institutions to increase controls on risk and separate their investment banking from their retail businesses. It may also force Chief Executive Officer Oswald Gruebel, 67, to abandon further expansion of UBS’s investment bank." (Businessweek)

"A wild foursome sparked the interest of an A-List crowd celebrating Nas’ birthday Wednesday night. Jay-Z, Carmelo and La La Anthony, Ne-Yo, Common, Andre Harrell and Mos Def marked the rapper’s 38th at new hot spot Catch in the Meatpacking District. 'While everyone was celebrating, a foursome was going on at the Gansevoort Hotel across the street,' a witness told Page Six. 'Everyone turned their attention to the lucky guy who left the shades to his hotel room open while he was all over three other girls. The group sex was the talk of the party.' After midnight, Nas’ crowd headed upstairs to Jeremy Scott’s Belvedere Red after-party, where the hipster-fashion bash turned hip-hop." (NYPost)

"Hipster favorite, Jeremy Scott, knows exactly what he's doing. His front row reeks of cool each and every season and this time's no exception. The average age of Scott's front row looked to be around 18. Fashion plates Catherine Baba and Leigh Lezark shmoozed it up prior to the show, while Ellie Goulding and Peaches Geldof hugged it out to the side. Peaches said of Scott, 'I met Jeremy through my good friend and Jeremy's muse, Jonny Makeup, while I was staying in LA when I was 17, 18 or so. Jeremy's been my saving grace ever since and I love everything he puts together.' He likes 'em young, it appears, as budding pop star Sky Ferreira (whose album drops Spring 2012) divulged she met Jeremy 'in LA when I was 14. We worked recently together on the Adidas campaign.' Perhaps the eldest member of Scott's front row roster was shy rocker, Michael Stipe, who was overheard sarcastically telling an E! News reporter that he was 'just the most fashionable person on the planet.'" (Papermag)

"Illusionist David Copperfield allowed a select group a rare glimpse of his antique-filled penthouse at a party to toast his being crowned 'Magician of the Century.' Copperfield gave guests, including Roberto Cavalli and Michael Stipe, tours of his East 57th Street pad, which boasts a floor devoted to rare, restored turn-of-the-century vintage arcade machines, including a fortune teller, a strength tester, quarterscopes and a magical massager. Of his award, presented by Vinny Grosso, president of the Society of American Magicians, Copperfield told us, 'It is a great honor to be recognized by my peers and by the organization founded by Harry Houdini. I am a perfectionist, but this means a lot.' He was toasted by attendees, including Steve Tisch, Owen Wilson, Peter Brant, Rita Schrager and Blaine Trump. Naomi Campbell, an expected guest, did not appear. She pulled up on the street outside in her SUV but, instead of joining the party, remained inside the car for over an hour, at one point asking for the nearest Starbucks, before driving off. A source told us she was headed to the airport. Another eerie moment occurred during the tour of Copperfield’s pad when a mystery man was discovered inexplicably dancing in the tub in the bathroom adjoining the bedroom. The stranger was immediately ordered to disappear." (PageSix)

"Last night I stopped by the penthouse apartment of Hilary and Wilbur Ross where Diana Taylor, Michael Schlein and Gina Harman were hosting a cocktail reception to launch Accion’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, with Vikram Pandit, CEO of Citigroup as Guest of Honor. There was a good crowd, including Liz and Jeff Peek, Mary McFadden, Edgar Battista, Yaz and Valentine Hernandez, Ann Rapp, Cece Cord, Sharon Handler, Ann Dexter Jones, Richard Turley, Glenn Horowitz and Tracey Jackson, Ellery and Marjorie Reed Gordon, Estie and Dan Brodsky. Accion International is a private, non-profit organization founded fifty years ago to address the desperate REAL poverty in Latin America’s cities by giving people the financial tools to work their way out of it." (NySocvialDiary)

"After more than a week of fashion parties, the casualties are starting to pile up. Having hosted a bash for Another Magazine the night before, Jefferson Hack didn't make it to his own Dazed & Confused dinner at Edi & the Wolf last night, a celebration of the mag's recent Club Monaco campaign ... Meanwhile, in his 54th-floor penthouse in midtown (with views that stretch clear into…what is that, Colorado?) magician and Fantastic Man profile subject David Copperfield hosted a magazine party of his own, celebrating his spread, his birthday, and a new honorific: King of Magic, so crowned by the Society of American Magicians. Owen Wilson, Roberto Cavalli, Michael Stipe, China Chow, John Currin and wife Rachel Feinstein Currin, Sean MacPherson, and Peter Brant were a few who came to take it in. The multilevel space is filled with Copperfield's collections, which range from movie memorabilia (the Best Director Oscar for Casablanca) to artists' mannequins (including the one Cézanne used) to turn-of-the-century arcade games housed in their own fin de siècle amusement room.The view into his sanctuary (well, his New York one, at least) was a rare treat." (Style)