Brill, 26, writes of a tortured decision during her trip to step away from her family, which includes her famously acerbic father, profiled briefly but ably by Michael Wolff 10 years ago. She opens up to a "beautiful" yachtsman piloting her around in a small boat.

I wanted to tell him absolutely everything - even things about my parents and my relationships with them that I was only beginning to come to grips with myself.

"I can't go back," I said under my breath, doing my best to maintain a lighthearted tone. [The yachtsman] couldn't have know that "going back" referred to not only my current job situation, but also to my entire way of life... and particularly to the extent to which I could no longer allow my parents and their values to stop me from experiencing life the way I was meant to experience it.

A close friend encourages Brill to follow her gut and push forward with her decision to make a break with her family. By the end of the trip she had decided, "My parents are out."

I realized on that boat and under those stars that this is what I want to do. I am not declaring myself unwilling to work but rather, unwilling to be conventional. I've been working non-stop on this site and will continue to work non-stop. This is my life now.

Brill writes that she's "striking out ... and striking back" and "going public." As of Friday, that means jumping into fashion week at an event later in the day, possibly with her friend Devorah Rose, editor of Social Life Magazine.

In a sense, Brill is following in the footsteps of her father, who parlayed his larger-than-life personality and skills as an inside player into American Lawyer and, more lucratively, Court TV. But unlike her father, she's not the sort to lash out -- or perhaps just too smart. Though Brill writes Gawker's previous coverage took "my private life public," it also "gave me exactly what I needed: a good kick in the ass to get going. Finally."

[Essential Emily: Confessions of a 5th Avenue Misfit]


Well,...

On working with other Latinos (gotta look out for each other!)(Hollywood Reporter):

It's a totally natural thing to help and work with other talented Latinos. Those are the people I know, and they come from where I come from. It's natural to bring them on board.

On how filmmakers (not housekeepers) should be treated (Puntismos.com):

Well . . . in my opinion, it's just about freedom. The filmmakers sometimes complain about the extreme control that they experienced working in the industry. The independent arena has to offer them a space to let their talent explode. My work behind the camera is just to construct the space for the talent to create.

On the key to success (Hollywood Reporter):

There are two very important things. One is discipline and the other one is passion. You need to find something that can really make you alive and happy.


Bill Cosby is supposedly going to cut a non-profane rap album called State of Emergency, and in just half a day the news is dusted up the sort of controversy once reserved for rap albums with graphic sex, cop-killing violence and psychopathic clowns. Entertainment Weekly thinks Cosby will "embarrass himself," New York Magazine speculates the album will be "terrible" and the commenters at All Hip Hop are barely more kind, particularly given Cosby's previous criticism of an urban subset of black teenagers. But Cosby has become a more interesting cultural critic in his old age than most hot rappers are now that their genre has awkwardly matured and their once-controversial macho poses become stale. It helps that, as described, Cosby's album would follow in a psuedo-revolutionary, "edutainment" tradition pioneered by rap crews like Boogie Down Productions two decades ago and, perhaps until now, long out of fashion. Also, the man's Sergeant Pepper rendition is brilliant, audio excerpt after the jump.

Via Feed Me Good Tunes

When it comes to being by Spears' side...
After barely a year on the air, Al Jazeera English is hamstrung by the very Western-Arab tensions the channel was created to mend. The Brits and Americans are recoiling as they lose the once-generous funding from the Emir of Qatar, bringing their benefits down closer to those of the Arab staff, and as the channel is transformed from a relative independent into something of a lapdog for neighboring dictators. Inside Al Jazeera, the English-channel staff is being frozen out of board meetings, while outside critics (like the Times of London) say the channel needs less wonky internationalism and more "news from home," i.e. America and Britain. That sounds a lot like the makeover Samantha Bee was mocking in her hilarious Daily Show segment on the launch of Al Jazeera English, excerpted after the jump.


The Tumblr you know
Because Gawker covers, well, New York and the media, we link to blogs by New York media personalities, particularly when they bitch about each other. That's why all we know about College Humor exec Ricky Van Veen's Tumblr is that he hates reading all his friends' crap, or that his former business partner Jakob Lodwick is too busy to flush the toilet (the link is safe for work, honest). We might know more about Julia Allison than we ever wanted, if we actually kept up with her blog, which seems to get more updates than Gawker itself. Let's ignore the question of why we actually clicked through these links, read them, then came back to Gawker to complain about the pain of reading them. All I want to demonstrate is that this is just one little enclave of a generally fantastic collection of blogs.


The Tumblr you're missing
The advantage of Tumblr is in not doing what the blogs above do, but in sharing fun things from the Internet or leaving very short messages that would seem skimpy on most WordPress or Movable Type blogs. Microblogging was already popular before Tumblr, since technically it's just blogging really briefly and linking a lot, and tumblelogs (the term inspired Tumblr's name) like Kottke.org, Fimoculous, and Robot Wisdom have been a source for other high-profile blogs for years. Even Poynter's Romenesko news feed is pretty much a tumblelog.

Of course, Tumblr blogs aren't as spot-on as Kottke or Romenesko, but they do show a lot of promise. The blogs Garden of Varied Delights and Tumblus do a decent job collecting Internet fads, if a bit slowly. The Stumbling Tumblr keeps digging up ten-year-old fads, but the author, an Australian lawyer in his 60s, also finds enough weird undiscovered stories to warrant an occasional check-in. The blog Giancarlo Can! is a documentation of one divorced man's bitter, petty fights with his ex-wife, which is so painfully Larry-David-without-the-jokes that I had to stop reading because I found I was involuntarily tensing all my muscles. White Whine is a collection of yuppie complaints, like "Why do they sell every flavor of Vitamin Water in 32oz bottles except for B-Relaxed?"

But the real good stuff is the smart-ass guys who combine links with their own commentary. This sweet spot is filled by Kung Fu Grippe ("The Burger King is such a dick"); Your Monkey Called ("The song's little-known subtitle: 'Your Body is a Wonderland (And I Am Its Carnie)'"); and Lonely Sandwich ("If this movie were a candy bar, it would be called Disembowel Nut Crunch. Or Marshmallow Genocide Bar. Or Snickers").

And of course there are the Tumblrs of former Gawker editors Jessica Coen and Alex Balk, which when combined are funnier than anything I'll ever put on Gawker, but you knew that.



Taxpayers across America should be happy to know they paid for extensive planning to safely get Britney Spears to the hospital in the event of her inevitable recommittal, and so photographers could follow her into the emergency room, until they get thrown out. Not only did the LAPD block off roads, the FAA actually cleared airspace, God knows why, maybe the lawless paps bought a Predator drone or something. A source told People, "the motorcade and everything was planned, it was already in the works to have them block off the road and airspace. It worked out perfectly." Unlike, say, federal terrorism and disaster planning, which are still a mess. After the jump, First Responder cameramen (Never Forget) are told they could kill someone by barging into an ER, and they reply that they are just trying to live the American dream.

Paps: "Wecome to America... it's called hustling man."

While sources have said that, when the time came, Spears compliantly...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2008 | 2:35 am

Hospital Bed Rest for Grey's Chambers

Justin ChambersBeing surrounded by a lot of fake doctors doesn't necessarily ensure good health. "Grey's Anatomy" star Justin Chambers checked himself into UCLA Medical Center earlier this...


Julianna Margulies, who quietly tied the knot with lawyer Keith Lieberthal in November, has given birth to the...
On Dec. 8, newbie garage rockers Foxboro Hot Tubs launched its website with the six-song EP "Stop Drop and Roll" available...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2008 | 12:37 am

Stars Pressure Shows to Pull Ledger Video

Natalie Portman, S.J. Parker pressure "ET" to pull drug video of late actor.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 1 Feb 2008 | 12:29 am

Suzanne Pleshette's Final Starring Role

Suzanne PleshetteIt's never too late to honor the best in the business. Suzanne Pleshette posthumously received the 2,355th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, which would have been her 71st...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 1 Feb 2008 | 12:09 am

Clooney's Peace Plan

George ClooneyGeorge Clooney has a new pin. And it means more to him than a certain statuette tucked in his trophy case. The Hollywood heartthrob got the VIP tour of UN headquarters in New York Thursday,...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 31 Jan 2008 | 11:56 pm

Britney No Longer Hostess with Mostest

Claus Hjelmbak, Britney SpearsBritney Spears is heading back to the unemployment line. Though considering what else is going on, termination is the least of her worries. Two weeks ago Spears agreed to host next month's...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 31 Jan 2008 | 10:49 pm

George Clooney's new role: peace messenger

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 10:44 pm

Celebs Ain't Family, So Stop Caring So Much

Some obsess about Britney, Heath & Anna as if they were close personal friends.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 9:30 pm

Members of a video game team play "Counter-Strike"

Members of a video game team play "Counter-Strike" during the World Cyber Games in 2007 in Seattle, Washington. Brazilian fans of the popular computer games "Counter-Strike" and "EverQuest" are to protest...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 31 Jan 2008 | 9:28 pm

Spears' mother: Britney is doing all right

Pop star Britney Spears was resting at UCLA Medical Center on Thursday, her mother said, hours after police escorted her to the facility from her Hollywood home.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 9:17 pm

'Boy Soldier' defends his book

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 8:40 pm

Sylvester Stallone poses during a photocall for his new film John Rambo

US actor Sylvester Stallone poses during a photocall for his new film John Rambo on 28 January 2008. Hundreds of Myanmar residents in Singapore have planned a unique tribute to victims of last September's...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 31 Jan 2008 | 6:54 pm

Daniel Barenboim

Pianist-turned-conductor Daniel Barenboim, seen here in 2006, received a standing ovation after returning to the keyboard for a Brahms concerto played with the Orchestre de Paris which he once led.
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 31 Jan 2008 | 6:52 pm

Thousands of tents are pitched by music fans attending the Glastonbury music festival

Thousands of tents are pitched by music fans attending the Glastonbury music festival in 2007. A New York rapper will be one of the headline acts at Britain's Glastonbury Festival this year in an attempt...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 31 Jan 2008 | 6:50 pm

What could 'Lost' possibly do next?

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 6:18 pm

'Lost' Found ... and Gone in Two Months

Strike shortens new season from 16 episodes to 8; how will the show be affected?
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 6:15 pm

Midnight Run: Britney Rushed to Hospital

A dozen cops on motorcycles, two cruisers and two choppers transport her.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 5:52 pm

'Eli Stone' Is Saccharine Sweet

The new series about faith and fantasy tries a little too hard.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 5:50 pm

Witness: Stern took pix of Daniel Smith's body

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 5:19 pm

Doris Lessing Receives Nobel Prize

Nobel literature laureate Doris Lessing, who greeted news of her victory with the words, 'I couldn't care less,' received her prize Wednesday night at a champagne reception in London.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 5:00 pm

Heath "Drug" Video, Rehab Reports DOA

Heath LedgerApparently, there are some lines not even the tabloid media will cross, no matter how last minute the decision not to cross them. Despite initial reports and TV-spot promotions to the contrary,...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 31 Jan 2008 | 4:56 pm

German football legend Franz Beckenbauer and his wife Heidi pose for photographers

German football legend Franz Beckenbauer and his wife Heidi pose for photographers in Dresden's Semper Opera house on the occasion of the annual Semper Opera ball, attended by personalities from the world...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 31 Jan 2008 | 4:42 pm

Wait a minute, wasn't Captain America dead?

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 4:39 pm

'ET' won't run Ledger party video

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 4:39 pm

'Entertainment Tonight' Won't Run Heath Drug Party Video

"Entertainment Tonight" says it won't air a video it has acquired that shows the late Heath Ledger at a Hollywood party where drugs were apparently being taken.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 4:34 pm

Playboy.com Readers: Angelina Jolie Is Sexiest Celebrity

Angelina Jolie is this year's sexiest female celebrity, according to visitors to Playboy.com.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 4:10 pm

Ethan Hawke, Girlfriend Expecting a Baby

Ethan Hawke and his girlfriend, Ryan Shawhughes, are expecting a baby. "I can confirm and they are thrilled," Hawke's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 4:02 pm

Anna Nicole Pal: Howard K. Stern Photographed Dead Son

A former companion of Anna Nicole Smith said Wednesday that her attorney-turned-boyfriend Howard K. Stern took several photographs of the collapsed body of her late 20-year-old son for profit.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 3:57 pm

Marvel Comics Revives Captain America ... Sort Of

Marvel Comics, which killed off the veteran superhero almost a year ago, brought him back to life Wednesday — sort of.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 3:49 pm

Oscar Contingency Shows in Works

2 Academy Awards Shows in the Works in Case Strike Remains Unresolved
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 3:38 pm

'Girls Next Door' to Appear for Third Time on Playboy Cover

Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson — better known as Hugh Hefner's trio of blonde girlfriends from E!'s "The Girls Next Door" reality series — will appear for the third time on the cover of Playboy.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 3:29 pm

FOX411: Jessica Simpson in Dolly Duet?

Jessica Simpson hits New York; new tape from a 'Hollywood drug party' surfaces.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 2:18 pm

Pop Tarts: Paris Hilton the New Pussycat Doll

How does someone like Paris Hilton celebrate her 27th birthday? She'll appear as a burlesque bombshell and guest Pussycat Doll on stage at the lounge at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, of course!
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 2:05 pm

Gone Before 30: Stars Who Died Young

Heath Ledger and Brad Renfro's deaths are the latest to hit young stars.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 1:55 pm

'Montel' wrapping it up

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 31 Jan 2008 | 1:53 pm

Britney Spears arrives at the Los Angeles County Superior courthouse on January 14

US pop star Britney Spears arrives at the Los Angeles County Superior courthouse for a hearing regarding visitation rights for her two sons that she has with ex-husband Kevin Federline, January 14. The...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 31 Jan 2008 | 1:07 pm

LAPD Defends Huge Police Presence With Spears

The Los Angeles Police Department defended the decision to use at least 10 officers on motorcycles, two police cruisers and two police helicopters to escort disturbed and fallen pop princess Britney Spears to the hospital early Thursday.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Jan 2008 | 1:01 pm

John Mellencamp Finds His Freedom

Photo

A few weeks ago John Mellencamp brought Rolling Stone up to his 41st floor suite at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas following a sold-out show. After playing RS his new T Bone Burnett-produced album Life, Death, Love and Freedom, Mellencamp talked candidly about the new album, his forthcoming play co-written with Stephen King and why he doesn't want to play "Hurts So Good" anymore.

Rolling Stone: It's got to be nice as an artist to be in a spot where you have your audience and your...

Source: Rolling Stone: Features | 31 Jan 2008 | 11:35 am