So my friend who was texting her showed me a message or three. They spoke of finding out what she would be charged with this week and how worried and scared she was. She was in disbelief over this mess she was in, and she knows she's in a mess. I was allowed one question, so I asked it. "Does she have a good lawyer?"

"Yes," she answered.

"When around, she would be texting endlessly, looking to hang, then she'd be gone... Bubbly, not too bright, but lots of fun, with a million get rich ideas...a book, a concierge service, at 22 she has ambitions.... There was talk of a boyfriend seriously into meth and her stint in a rehab program and words tattooed on her body to keep her straight. "

All this information emerged after "3 Pink Vodka and Sodas," in a nightclub, and is delivered by Lewis secondhand, so it's basically ironclad. Lewis needs to keep drinking with his friends, and blogging, so we can all find out who the famous boyfriend/roomate was.

[Steve Lewis]


On Spears:

We are pretty sure she’s not pregnant. We think it’s a psychological visit. She is being pumped full of drugs and that can affect her weight. I’m sure Regis kept at least 50 of these shots. You can easily keep 50 shots because she is always doing something in frame.

...I’ve never seen her drugged as much as now . She reminds me of my grandmother in France who had Alzheimer’s. She can barely walk. She walked straight into a pole the other day.

She doesn't care at all what she looks like when she goes out. She goes out on rainy days. She wears sweatpants. Her hair is a mess.

Is his relationship with Katie as perfect as what they try to portray in the press? What is really going on? Right now, we know that they are living inside the Scientology Center. They sleep and eat there, and educate their child there. They have no more house. Which is strange, yes?

On the secret cameras they have trained on Victoria Beckham:

. We have hidden cameras, so we know that she is a real mother who takes care of her kids, and that she behaves exactly the same way inside her house! You see real mothers, and you see the ones who just fake it for the camera. Anna Nicole Smith, I photographed her a couple of times with that poor kid. That was a little bit sad. Demi Moore was quite a good mother at one time in her life, until that got a bit boring for her. [Ha, I guess it's more than 18 celebs --ed.]

Atlantic: The Celebrity Hunters

Related, Atlantic main article: Shooting Britney

Related, from Radar: Snap Judgments / X17 co-owner Brandy Navarre on paparazzi principles, and why she just might be Britney's best friend

via Choire Sicha


Now that former partner-in-crime Nicole Richie is a mommy, the "Simple Life" star is on the hunt for a new best friend--and MTV will be...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 14 Mar 2008 | 3:42 am

Ed McMahon on the Mend

Breaking News: HospitalHeeeeeeeere's some encouraging news. Ed McMahon is slowly but steadily recovering after two surgeries to repair a broken neck he suffered in a fall last year, according to a statement...


The Oscar-nominated actress confirmed during an appearance on "The Tonight Show" Thursday that she's expecting her first child....

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 14 Mar 2008 | 1:50 am

Melissa Joan Hart's New Little Man

Melissa Joan Hart, Mark WilkersonMelissa Joan Hart has another little guy to explain it all to. The actress and hubby Mark Wilkerson welcomed their second child, son Braydon Hart Wilkerson, Wednesday in Los Angeles, E! News...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 14 Mar 2008 | 12:44 am

Clooney's Ocean Gang Gives Big to Darfur

George Clooney, Brad PittGeorge Clooney and his pals have proven adept at putting their money where their mouths are. The organization the actor started along with "Ocean's Eleven" costars Matt Damon,...



Earlier: Eliot Spitzer’s ‘Kristen’ Somehow Much More Adorable Than Anticipated, Daily Intel's Complete coverage of the Spitzer Scandal


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 11:15 pm

Final 'Harry Potter' book to be two films

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 13 Mar 2008 | 11:12 pm

Hospitalized Steve-O Jacked with Coke Charge

Steve-O For his next stunt, Steve-O is going to wind down, cool off and rest up. A source close to the British-born "Jackass" star confirms to E! News that he is currently hospitalized at...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 13 Mar 2008 | 11:11 pm

Wait, How Does Larry Silverstein Think These WTC Towers Will Get Built?

WTC Towers

Photo courtesy of Silverstein Properties

Larry Silverstein's feeling upbeat about the future, but we wonder about his grip on reality as it currently stands. Addressing a roomful of construction pros yesterday, the developer promised that the four towers he wants to build at the World Trade Center site will open by 2012 (with retail comprising “big boxes, little boxes, restaurants, and bars”) and told us later that the site would deliver “an urban experience” as walkable as Bleecker Street — “with bollards, of course.” Lovely. But Silverstein also claimed that construction inflation is starting to level off just as his architects are due to start confronting the problem of how to connect four distinct skyscrapers underground. “I was at the General Contractors Association table, and eyebrows went up when he said that,” says Rick Bell, head of the local American Institute of Architects chapter, who has visited the design studio where Silverstein's starchitects are laboring to cost out the towers' underground guts. “I didn't get any consensus on that from contractors or from architects.”

Indeed, architects we talked to say they hope construction prices start to moderate, but that the only big factor likely to cause that would be a slowdown in big state-sponsored projects. Is Larry betting that Moynihan Station will stall, freeing up more contractors to bid for his project and enabling him to drive a harder bargain? Maybe. When asked what he'd say to governor-designate David Paterson about the help he needs with the Trade Center site, Silverstein was fairly gloating: “I would say to him that all the contracts [with the Port Authority] have been signed, and other than that, Godspeed.” —Alec Appelbaum


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 11:00 pm

Shandling Takes Stage at Pellicano Trial

Gary ShandlingIt's Garry Shandling's show in the courtroom. Or at least it was for part of Thursday morning. The funnyman provided the first star power of the federal wiretapping and racketeering...

Lorne Michaels took some heat for picking Venezuelan-Japanese cast member Fred Armisen to play Barack Obama when Saturday Night Live returned to the air at the end of February, but Armisen himself isn't having any trouble with it. "I just want to have fun," he said at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 10. "I like wearing outfits and doing things." So how does he turn himself into the country's potentially first black president? "It's really quick," Armisen said. "There's shading on my eyebrows and plastic behind my ears. And there's a little bit of something called Honey, a honey color, that is something I would wear when I play Prince." About the perception that "Weekend Update" favors Hillary Clinton, Armisen's response was similar to what SNL writer Jim Downey told today's Times: "I think they're not favoring anyone," he said. "The pieces are more making fun of the media than anything else. It's all about the jokes." —Bennett Marcus

Related: SNL Searches for A Fauxbama


Tagline: "This summer, our only hope is something incredible."

Translation: Explosions.

The Verdict: Fans disappointed by Ang Lee's slow-moving, mostly explosionless 2003 Lifetime Original–style Hulk film will be pleased to find more action, suspense, and general ass-kickery in the two-minute trailer for this summer's The Incredible Hulk than in the last one's entire fourteen-hour (approximate) running time. Producer-screenwriter-star Edward Norton is allegedly feuding with Marvel over how the movie will be edited (much to the delight of folks at Universal, who are under financial pressure to deliver a blockbuster this time around), but since he reportedly approved this trailer, we're not sure what the dispute could possibly be over. We suppose there's some talking and kissing that the studio might like to see turned into fight sequences, but, no matter who gets final say on the editing, we don't expect anyone will be falling asleep in the theater this time.

Earlier: Edward Norton Battling Marvel Over ‘The Incredible Hulk’


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 10:00 pm

Gary Shandling

Comedian Gary Shandling, pictured in 2007, testified Thursday in a high-profile trial of Anthony Pellicano, a Hollywood private investigator who faces more than 100 charges including illegal wiretapping...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 13 Mar 2008 | 9:59 pm

Like Christmas in March: Gisele and LeBron’s ‘Vogue’ Cover Revealed!

As noted last week, Gisele Bündchen and LeBron James are teaming up for Vogue’s Shape Issue — and now the issue is out, showing off the stripes-n-plaids pairing in all its glory. LeBron is rocking the faux-scary thing which, by Vogue's ultracomposed standards, is actually quite refreshing, and Gisele, as always, looks fantastic. It's not quite as fun or cool as André J on the cover of Vogue's French sister, but we don't see Anna giving us a bearded drag queen anytime soon. Baby steps, people. —Kendall Herbst

LeBron James Is a Vogue Cover Model [Just Jared]


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 9:58 pm

Designer Bradley Bayou Calls Out CFDA for Too-Thin Models

Model Charlotte di Calypso at the spring
Armani Privé show in Paris, January 2008Photo: imaxtree

The skinny-model debate raged on today thanks to Bradley Bayou. The former Halston designer started fighting the good fight after watching his own daughter battle anorexia. He stopped using size-0 and size-2 models, but still witnessed his daughter collapse from the disease. "There are two ways to become a size zero," Bayou said Tuesday night at Harvard. "Starve yourself or take drugs. Or both. And yes, they all do it."

The designer said the CFDA is ignoring the problem. CFDA officials, however, feel the guidelines drawn up over a year ago to help designers and casting directors identify eating disorders and ensure runway models are healthy are in fact working:

Responding to Bayou, CFDA executive director Steven Kolb said Wednesday the organization's education and awareness efforts are causing a culture shift. "There is no question there has been movement," he said. "I see it already on the runways. I'm getting calls from designers and casting agents who are not using girls who don't meet our criteria for health....Getting involved in the complexity of a standardized law [regarding a mandatory minimum body mass index] is not the answer."

Maybe New York should finally start taking cues from our Euro counterparts? Milan Fashion Week prohibits models with a body mass index below 18.5 from the runways; Madrid rejected 30 percent of models from walking its recent Fashion Week because they were unhealthy; but we have no such regulations, and watching the New York shows this season often felt like an exercise in bone counting.

It's great people are still talking about this issue, but we'd guess that until a designer like Marc Jacobs decides flesh is in, it's just all talk.

Bayou Criticizes Industry for Too-Thin Models [WWD]


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 9:54 pm

Kristen Is Rich

Kristen

Photo: myspace.com

Last night, Ashley Alexandra Dupré, a.k.a. "Kristen," told the New York Times she was worried about paying her rent in the fancy Flatiron district building in which she lives. But in fact, in the less than 24 hours since that interview took place, Dupre's personal wealth has increased considerably. The two songs on her Amie Street profile, which each cost 98 cents, have been downloaded more than two million times, and Dupre will receive 70 percent of the total profit. Plus! Playboy and Penthouse are both interested in setting up photo shoots. "We've already discussed some options," Penthouse publisher Diane Silberstein tells Radar, adding that they'd pay in the "high six figures." Book publishers, however, are dragging their feet. "I don't think it's worth anything," HarperCollins publisher Jonathan Burnham tells Portfolio today, making us want to wrap our hands around his neck and administer a light throttle. "There's no story there." Seriously? Does no one remember for instance the best-selling Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl, soon to be an HBO series with Darren Star? Hookers are so hot right now.

Anyway, the point is: Dupre doesn't have to worry about rent money, now. Although she might want to worry a little bit about her neighbors, one of whom was just on NY1 sounding a little judgmental. "She'd be gone for, like, periods of time?" one, called Christina Wang, told the station. "And I don't know where she would be? It's weird." Let's just hope Dupre doesn't own her place. We all know how co-op boards can be.

By the Numbers: An Economic Analysis of 'Kristen' [Radar]
Will Spitzer's Siren Tell Her Story [Mixed Media/Portfolio]


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 9:45 pm

Michael Pitt of ‘Funny Games’ on Giving In to a Controlling Director

Michael Pitt in Funny Games.Courtesy of Warner Independent

In director Michael Haneke’s brutal new remake of his 1998 film Funny Games, a pair of sadistic preps terrorize a genteel couple (Tim Roth and Naomi Watts) who are on vacation with their young son. Local actor Michael Pitt, who cut his teeth playing a Kurt Cobain type for Gus Van Sant (Last Days) and an adventurous American expat in Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Dreamers, plays one half of the murderous duo. Pitt talked to Vulture about his new role — which entailed getting inside the head of one of the year’s creepiest killers.

So had you seen the original before you signed on to do the remake?
Yes, and it angered me the first time I saw it. It took me about a day of digesting it to realize that I liked it. I felt like I was assaulted a little bit when I watched it for the first time. But then what I realized that I liked about the movie was that it reminded me that there shouldn’t be any rules as to the normal ways that you make a film. You can do anything.

When we saw the remake, we have to admit that we felt like we were going to throw up the entire time.
Yeah. It’s a really hard film to watch. I find that parents in particular have a really difficult time to watch it, which is understandable. For Tim, especially, making the film was really difficult. He’s got a little boy about that age.

What was Michael Haneke like as a director?
Amazing. He’s an amazing man. He’s really intelligent, very specific about what he wants, very disciplined, but he’s also very open to a discussion. If you did challenge what he said, he invited a conversation. Of course, nine times out of ten, he was right. I don’t have a problem with the director being very controlling as long as I know that they’ve really thought about it and can really explain it in a very thought-out, intelligent way. I would say that’s probably the biggest reason I did this film. I wasn’t rushing to play this character.

You were reluctant?
Yeah, I was a little reluctant only because I have played killers in the past, and as an actor you want to do things that are different, not the same. But of course this was very different. Also, I had lunch with Michael and then we did a work session and instinctively I could sense that he was way up there — you know, with Bertolucci, Gus Van Sant, and some of the other directors I’ve been lucky enough to work with.

What did you and Brady think of those tennis whites you had to wear? Did you have to wear the same ones over and over again?
[Laughs.] No, we had many. We had many. And they were always clean.

And you had to address the camera at points…
Yeah, that was pretty weird. It’s a tricky thing to do. In watching the film now, I think the first time I do it in the film isn’t as good as when I do it later. I got a little more comfortable with it. But you know, the rule is never look into the lens, so it’s difficult breaking that rule once you’re programmed.

I read that when you moved here you were living in an apartment with nine other guys…
Among other places.

And what’s the biggest way life has changed since then?
Well, I guess the biggest change is that I’m able to make my rent every month. Which is kind of the goal I think for everyone, right?
—Sara Cardace


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 9:35 pm

Michael, Aretha Deal with Housing Woes

Michael JacksonThe King of Pop and the Queen of Soul are working to resolve problems with their respective castles. With a public auction looming, Michael Jackson has managed to refinance his outstanding...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 13 Mar 2008 | 9:18 pm

Spitzer’s Departure Bad for Moynihan Station, Too!

Cobble Hill: Just as young parents here suffer the creeping feeling that their edgy youthful coolness is slipping away between their fingers, along comes an Urban Outfitters to profit off all their insecurities! [Cobble Hill Blog]
Clinton: Spitzer's resignation may put a further drag on the development of Hudson Yards and Moynihan Station, already slowed by the credit crisis. [Crain's NY]
East Village: Lest you think Trader Joe's mania was dropping off, please note that the line to get in was back this weekend. No frozen organic brown rice for you, little low-income vegan! [East Village Idiot]

Long Island City: Come this summer, you will never again boogie down at P.S. 1 or party at Water Taxi Beach and still be gaily oblivious to the reality that countless locals find you highly annoying. [Queens Gazette] via [Queens Crap]
Soho: David Byrne is among the many locals that supports closing Prince Street off to car traffic on Sunday afternoons. This ain't no car-park! This ain't no gridlock! This ain't no drive up and down! [journal.davidbyrne.com] via [Gridskipper]
South Slope: Here's everything you ever wanted to know about the hood that's on a slippery, uh, slope to becoming a new version of its stroller-warring northern counterpart. [amNY]
West Village: A longtime holdout on the once-sleazy, increasingly posh west end of Christopher Street, Badlands Adult Video is for rent ... at $40,000 a month. That's a lotta peep-booth visits! [Jeremiah's Vanishing NY]


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 9:05 pm

Mariah Carey’s Fragrance Earns Fifi Nom; Guerlain Brings Back Shalimar

Photo: Mimifroufrou.com

FRAGRANCE
• The Fragrance Foundation announced the semi-finalists of the Fifi Awards, the Oscars of the fragrance industry (what industry doesn't have its own Oscars?). Mariah Carey’s “M” scored a nod in the luxe women’s category. Those ads weren’t airbrushed in vain! [Now Smell This]
• Guerlain relaunches the classic Eau de Shalimar in two weeks. It was first created in 1925. [Moment/NYT]

NAILS
• The China Glaze eco-collection launches with nature-inspired colors. Neon green is “Tree Hugger,” bright yellow is “Solar Power,” deep gray is “Recycle,” and bright aqua is “Shower Together.” So, what — now we all know what a girl is trying to say if her nails are bright blue? [All Laquered Up]
• Sun exposure isn't just bad for your skin, it could turn your nail polish yellowish too. Such a waste. Yello-Out is a top coat that prevents discoloration. [BellaSugar]

SKIN
• Aromatherapy comes in a spray can with H20’s shower mist. It’s offered in three scents, but might be a bit strong for small bathrooms. [Beauty Snob]

MAKEUP
• Sephora launched its Natural + Organic initiative today. Even though no FDA regulations exist for “natural” beauty products, the folks over at the makeup superstore set their own standards, and are showcasing the brands boasting natural ingredients — like Urban Decay, Skyn Iceland, and Bare Escentuals — more prominently in stores. [Beauty and the Blog]


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 9:00 pm

‘Daily Show’ Producer Josh Lieb Makes Million-Dollar Movie Deal With McG?

Josh LiebPhoto: bigthink.com

After a spirited competition, we hear, Daily Show executive producer Josh Lieb has made a handsome movie deal for his YA novel, I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President. We're told that McG's production company Wonderland optioned the book for $150,000 against a $500,000 purchase price, based only on Lieb's (very funny) 30-page proposal. In addition, Lieb will write the screenplay, and his writing deal could, we're told, add up to another $600,000 — bringing the complete deal up past a million bucks. It won't make Lieb the third-richest person in the world, like his seventh-grader hero, but it certainly is a nice chunk of change.

The bigger question is whether McG is the right fit for this charming story of an isolated teen who lashes out at the world, the details of which we first reported on Tuesday. Several sources we spoke to seemed unconvinced that the mono-monikered director of Charlie's Angels would pull off the material. "Not the version of the story I wanted to see," sniffed one Hollywood insider we spoke to whose studio lost out on the property. Another said, more succinctly: "Barf."

Earlier: Neil Gaiman and Josh Lieb Get Hollywood All Excited About YA Books Again


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 8:45 pm

Could John Ritter have been saved?

Read full story for latest details.


Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 13 Mar 2008 | 8:21 pm

Star Tattoo Secret Model Symbol

Clockwise from top left: Isabeli Fontana, Freja Beha (2), Daria Werbowy, Catherine McNeil, and Freja Beha.Photo: Imaxtree

Models may be blank canvases for designers to create their masterpieces, but some ladies are getting a little crafty themselves. Yes, our lovely, leggy lasses have discovered the ever-so-ubiquitous trend of tattoos. But what exactly are the girls getting inked? Everyone's favorite L-train design: stars! Daria, Daul, Gisele, and Catherine McNeil all have them. Who said fashion wasn't original?

Herewith, a list of other model marks:

Isabeli Fontana :
-"Zion," her son’s name, with wings between her shoulder blades
-Barbwire on her foot
-Cancer symbol, her birth sign, on her right wrist

Freja Beha:
-“Redemption” on her left elbow
-“Float” on her neck
-“This too shall pass” on her upper left arm
-“This world tonight” on her right wrist

Daria Werbowy :
-A star and a winding series of symbols on her left foot

Suvi Koponen:
-“5” on the middle of her back, both the number of people in her family and her lucky number

Daul Kim:
-A star on the bottom of her left palm

Catherine McNeil:
-A star behind her left ear

Gisele Bündchen:
-A star on her left wrist
-Crescent moon and stars on her right ankle

Viviane Orth:
-“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” written in Portuguese between her shoulder blades

Carolyn Murphy :
-A Japanese Koi fish on her right hip, a design similar to the ink her ex Brandon Boyd has

Kendall Herbst


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 8:17 pm

Kristian Laliberte & Co. Developing a ‘Hills’-in-Manhattan Reality Show

Devorah Rose, Kristian Laliberte, and Annabel Vartanian

The cast: Annabel, Kristian, and Devorah. We're definitely missing a Brody and a Justin Bobby in this picture.Photo: Patrick McMullan

Sometimes, the world around you creates situations that you never thought could be so perfectly distilled into brilliance that it's just stunning, like the invention of meat on a stick and that Website about men who look like old lesbians. This is one of those times. Kristian Laliberte on camera, all day long? What could be better? (Well, a competition show where monkeys throw poop at Oscar-winning actresses would be better, but we like to keep our expectations within reach.) According to Emily Brill, authoress of EssentiallyEmily.com, an ABC-affiliated reality show is being developed about Kristian and his two friends Devorah Rose and Annabel Vartanian. It's apparently supposed to be “a Manhattan version of The Hills,” which we would have thought would be impossible because nobody here in New York is that bad at acting. Still, the prospect sounds delicious. Kristian is the lovably quotable socialite/stylist/something-or-other you might remember from that party you went to when you were drunk but not as drunk as everybody else. Devorah is the editor of Social Life magazine, and Annabel is that girl who passed out at the La Perla party in December. It's going to be about their raucous lives running around the city and desperately striving to be relevant, or at least, you know, present and photographed. Apparently they asked Brill to be on the show. “Emily, tell me the truth. Look at me," someone involved asked her. "Do you want to be FAMOUS?” Brill considered, and then replied: "No. I want to be respected." Man, this show is already gold.

SO, ABOUT THAT TELEVISION SHOW [Essentially Emily]
Update: Kristian just called to tell us that Brill "was never involved in any stage of what we were doing." Apparently the filming that's been done was not for a reality show, it's "more like a documentary." Hey, we'll take it any way we can get it!


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 8:15 pm

War: What Is it Good For? Awesome Drawings, Says Artist Geneviève Castrée

The cover of Geneviève Castrée's Tout Seul dans la Forêt en
Plein Jour, Avez-Vous Peur?
(All Alone in the Forest in Broad
Daylight, Are You Scared?
) (2007).Image courtesy of the artist and Adam Baumgold Gallery, New York.

French Canadian artist Geneviève Castrée's elegantly comic style, as illustrated here on the cover of her book Tout Seul dans la Forêt en Plein Jour, Avez-Vous Peur? (All Alone in the Forest in Broad Daylight, Are You Scared?), makes her one of the only relatively kid-friendly artists working with wartime imagery. Graphic prep for the pending election? Castrée's show of drawings opens at the uptown Adam Baumgold gallery next week.


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 8:00 pm

Molly Sims Brings Major ’Tude to Texas?

Photo: Getty Images

Model turned actress Molly Sims went to Austin this weekend for the Texas Film Hall of Fame Inductions. According to the Post, she brought major attitude with her to the after-party at Pangaea:
Sources say the "Las Vegas" star showed up at the Austin Film Festival after-party at Pangaea Austin last weekend and demanded guests be booted to create a VIP section for herself and 20 pals. She then told owner Michael Ault she wanted to be paid for appearing. "When Ault explained it was a benefit for the festival and he was not making any money himself, she proceeded to belittle him," a witness said. "Her group drank six bottles of Dom Perignon, a bottle of Maker's Mark and two bottles of vodka. The tab was $8,000 and had to be comped. The server got only a $100 tip after working overtime."

Oh, Molly, wouldn't just sitting in a corner looking fabulous and bored silly have been enough? You see, some of us around here grew up in Austin, and it's not quite like New York. "Models" and "bottles" don't have the same clout down there. Which actually makes us feel a little homesick.

Gimme More [NYP]


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 8:00 pm

David Paterson: ‘The Only Whores I Know Are Lobbyists’

Patterson

Photo: Getty Images

David Paterson just gave his first public address since Eliot Spitzer's resignation yesterday. He made noises about "getting back to work" and the budget, talked about being black and blind, indicated he wasn't planning any major changes to his predecessors more controversial policies, and became the first human being in government to express sympathy for Spitzer himself. "My heart goes out to Eliot Spitzer, his wife Silda, his daughters," he said. "I know what he's gone through this week. In my heart, I think he's suffered enough." Paterson also displayed a rather awesome sense of humor. "Just so we don't have to go through this whole resignation thing again," one ballsy reporter asked, "have you ever patronized a prostitute?" Patterson thought for a minute. "Only the lobbyists," he said.


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 7:45 pm

A man reads a book at the Paris book fair

A man reads a book at the Paris book fair. Israeli President Shimon Peres inaugurated the annual fair with a condemnation of the Muslim countries and authors boycotting the event which showcases Israeli...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 13 Mar 2008 | 7:34 pm

Shimon Peres inaugurates the Paris Book Fair

Israeli President Shimon Peres(R) inaugurates the Paris yearly book fair on the third of his five-day state visit in France. Peres condemned the Muslim countries and authors boycotting the event which...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 13 Mar 2008 | 7:34 pm

Filmmaker Cindy Stillwell Gets Up Close and Personal With Tractors, Sheep

In all fairness, Cindy Stillwell's A Season on the Move should ideally be seen on the biggest screen possible. This acclaimed experimental documentary look at the American farm (part two of the filmmaker's Western Trilogy) plays off impressionistic visual contrasts: It focuses on wheat cutting and sheep shearing, and the differing seasons in which they occur. It also contrasts the overwhelming stillness of nature with the dramatically mechanized nature of modern farm life. And in thirteen quick minutes, this remarkable work, beautifully shot in color and black-and-white Super 8, manages to place us firmly in its world while creating something mysterious out of seemingly mundane occurrences. Simply put, it's one of the most haunting shorts about farm life we've ever seen. (Part three of Stillwell’s trilogy, High Plains Winter, played the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.) —Bilge Ebiri

A Season on the Move, part two.


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 7:30 pm

Checking In at the Mayflower Hotel

Mayflower

Martin and Mary Hollebeck are planning on having a perfectly innocent weekend. Photo: Getty Images, Janelle Nanos

Looks like D.C. has another infamous hotel. The city appears tickled with its role in the Spitzer scandal: Cameras and secret-service vans have been inexplicably parked outside the entrance to the Mayflower Hotel (the site of the governor's infamous tryst with "Kristen") since the news broke Monday (he's not there now, people). But what's happening inside? For one, there haven't been many requests for the "Spitzer suite," said the petrified concierge, who turned white as a ghost when we asked about "the room." A security guard has been stationed outside room 871, but that hasn't stopped guests from taking a look. "It looks just like any other room," said Mary Hollebeck, in from Michigan for the National Funeral Directors conference. She and her husband, Martin, found out about the scandal after they'd checked in, and said the guests in the hotel have been enjoying the buzz. "Right now I'm sure the hotel probably wants it all just to go away," he said. "But then they'll probably go and raise the rate." So do they find the rooms romantic? "We usually come on business," Mary said, to which Martin interjected, "I want this to be clear: This is my wife." —Janelle Nanos


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 7:15 pm

No Conspiracy Theories for Idol's David Hernandez

David Hernandez, American Idol Seaon 7Song selection, not exotic dance moves, or a "conspiracy" doomed David Hernandez's "American Idol" run, the ousted contestant said Thursday. Hernandez, who became the subject...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 13 Mar 2008 | 7:12 pm

Crystal Whiffs in Yankee Debut

Billy CrystalIt's one, two, three strikes and Billy Crystal is out of the old ballgame. The funnyman got a standing ovation from the crowd, which included Robin Williams, and his temporary teammates...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 13 Mar 2008 | 7:05 pm

David Archuleta's Father Is Taking Stage Parenting to a Whole New Archu-Level

Photo: Getty Images

Yesterday, we wondered how American Idol front-runner David Archuleta got to be such a strong contender. And now we know — he has a crazy overbearing stage dad! Allegedly! Entertainment Tonight is reporting that Archuleta's less-than-perfect performance of "We Can Work It Out" on Tuesday's episode may have been the result of an argument with his father on Monday. Purportedly unimpressed with the subpar quality of his son's singing, Jeff Archuleta "yelled at David during a recording session … and even brought him to tears."

According to blog L.A. Rag Mag, this isn't the first time Jeff's lost his temper. Citing a "reliable source," they say he harassed several other contestants when David was competing on Star Search in 2003, and was eventually banned from the set after making intimidating phone calls to some poor 12-year-old girl (she eventually beat David on the show).

Sure, you can probably argue with his methods, but there's no denying that the guy gets results. Through some magic (and alleged!) combination of shouting, shaming, and forced ambition, he's managed to create the greatest American Idol contestant in the show's seven-year history. When was the last time we truly saw a stage parent of this caliber? Murry Wilson? Joseph Jackson? It's almost sad to think about all those movies and TV shows ruined by less-talented children whose parents hadn't been nearly so vigilant and/or domineering. Jeff Archuleta, Vulture salutes you!

David Archuleta's So-Called 'Stage Dad'? [ET]
David Archuleta's Overbearing Stage Dad Revealed [L.A. Rag Mag]

Earlier: Idolbot: Is David Archuleta the Greatest ‘American Idol’ Contestant of All Time?


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 6:45 pm

Rami From ‘Project Runway’ to Sell at Intermix

One hot dress, and its talented creator.Photos: Courtesy of Rami Kashou (left) and Getty Images

Project Runway winner Christian Siriano might have America swooning over his whole "fierce" thing (and inexplicably so, in our book — our gay posse got over that word long ago), but Rami Kashou's doing just fine since his line will be sold at Intermix this spring. He tells Jewcy:
I just shipped out the Spring/Summer 2008 collection, which you can find in NY at the store Intermix. I’ll also be selling a design on the Home Shopping Network. And in mid-March, I’m flying back to the East Coast to attend an event for Seeds of Peace, which aims to improve relations and encourage peace in the Middle East.

Wow. Now remember how our very own Fug Girls said he should win because he's the most marketable? Yeah, the proof is Intermix's coveted pudding. Check out his Spring/Summer '08 collection on his website, or just hit the meatpacking district when the weather gets warm, because Rami's is the kind of stuff that drips off the party girls. Which we can fully get behind, so long as they don't touch their toes when they dance.

Update: We’ve just spoken with Rami’s publicist — apparently there’s a mistake in the original interview, his Spring/Summer line will be selling at Big Drop, not Intermix. With all the excitement, we can’t blame him for the mix-up. And who cares? Just as long as we can buy his stuff somewhere.

Q&A With Project Runway’s First Palestinian [Jewcy]
Related: Setting the Odds on the ‘Project Runway’ Winner


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 6:30 pm

As We Win One Hooker, We Lose Another

Andriea

Photo: Getty Images

In the excitement surrounding the unveiling of Kristen, the Jersey-grown hooker who (accidentally) brought Eliot Spitzer down, we almost missed the fact that last night, the city lost another famous prostitute. Andreia Schwartz, the "millionaire" madam who was arrested last year for running a brothel on West 58th Street where call girls got paid between $700 and $1,500 an hour (how quaint!), was quietly deported back to her native Brazil after twenty months in prison and, the Post tells us, serving as a source for the federal authorities who were probing Spitzer. Schwartz's biggest client was Time Warner CFO Wayne Pace, who she said paid her about $200,000 and helped her buy the apartment out of which she ran her business. He denied it and got off with only a terrible reputation, but now we're wondering … who were clients one through eight?


Kinky Link to Brazil's Bombshell[NYP]
Earlier: Eliot Spitzer's 'Kristen' Somehow Much More Adorable Than Anticipated


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 6:30 pm

First Look at H&M's Marimekko Collection

Images courtesy of H&M

Here’s a very early look at what to expect from H&M's tribute to Marimekko, which hits stores April 10. A brief summary: colors, colors, and more colors. Since it’s not a designer collaboration like Karl Lagerfeld or Roberto Cavalli, the price point is lower than you might expect. A one-piece swimsuit is $34.90, an apron dress is $49.90. The 50 piece collection also includes menswear: Bermuda shorts are $39.90, short-sleeved shirts are $29.90. On the whole, the collection packs enough vivid patterns and punchy colors to make dressing for even the stickiest New York afternoon feel a little more like preparing for a tropical vacation.

Check out the rest of the women's collection after the jump.

Images courtesy of H&M

Images courtesy of H&M

Kendall Herbst


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 6:10 pm

Scientists: Shame on You, Hollywood!

Chimps in wacky outfits lead viewers to think they're not endangered.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 13 Mar 2008 | 6:07 pm

Meet the New Girl: Diana Farkhullina

Phone home...Photo: Imaxtree

If you mixed Skye Strake, Tanya D., and Taryn Davidson together, you’d get the Model Manual’s latest addition: Diana Farkhullina. A Russian blonde born in 1992, Farkhullina walked top runways this season including as a Calvin Klein exclusive and an opening and closing spot at Chloé. Here’s to another alien baby turned fashion star. — Kendall Herbst



Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 6:00 pm

Fat Joe Is Realistic About His Chances

Fat JoePhoto: Getty Images

"I don't think no one would believe a 60-pound guy could beat up Fat Joe." Fat Joe on the rumors that he was beaten up by Papoose [MTV]

"It's Lost Boys on steroids. And I keep using that terminology because it's really kind of factual." Corey Feldman on Lost Boys: The Tribe and the meaning of "factual" [MTV]

"It's a crazy drama-fest every single day. One time all of the main actors had to pose for a photo shoot – the cover of Vanity Fair. You should have seen the jockeying for position … the egos … it was unreal. Teri had to be in the middle. Nicolette wouldn't be to Marcia's left. Eva wanted taller heels. It was a nightmare." Michael Schur on his best off-camera Office story [Kansas City Star]

"Right after I got the gig, a friend of a friend e-mailed me and said, you know, 'Congratulations, I'm so happy for you, and also I just wanted to impart to you how great a responsibility this is.'" John Cho on not disappointing a legion of nerds in the Star Trek movie [AP via CNN]

''I call him Davey or Davo. He comes around to our place after school.'' —14-year-old Ivan, of Tiny Masters of Today, on David Bowie [EW]

"I listened to more Amy Grant last year than anything else. I got the box set. So good. You don't even know. So good." John Darnielle [Pitchfork]


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 6:00 pm

Spitzer Implosion Clears Way for Governor Bloomberg

Bloomberg

Photo: Getty Images

Bloomberg ’08 proved to be a false start. But with the self-immolation of Eliot Spitzer, Bloomberg ’10 makes almost too much sense. Our term-limited mayor will, of course, be looking for a job come January 2009. He laid some serious groundwork for a presidential bid, enough that by the beginning of this year, his supporters were saying he could launch a campaign “at the drop of a hat.” It wasn’t just annoying ballot-access issues that ultimately turned him off, or the prospect of an Obama-McCain race leaving little room for a reform Republican. Bloomberg doesn’t like to enter a contest unless he can be pretty to sure win.

That likely won’t be a problem if Bloomberg aims for the governorship. The state GOP owes him big-time for putting money and personal appearances into protecting its slim State Senate majority. And the Republicans ain’t exactly picking from a roster of all-star alternatives when it comes to fielding statewide candidates. The gubernatorial nomination would be Bloomberg’s for the asking.

Meanwhile, before this week Bloomberg had already opened a nearly twenty-point lead over Spitzer in recent general election polls. And while David Paterson is as likable as Spitzer is arrogant, the replacement governor is going to have two strikes against him heading into 2010. He’s almost certainly going to face a primary challenge from Andrew Cuomo. And Paterson has no fortune of his own, as Spitzer would have, to throw against Bloomberg’s billions.

Squeaky-clean Mike to replace Client 9; not-a-Wasp, built-his-business-from-scratch Bloomberg to face a man who happens to be black and blind; the guy who kept New York City humming without being an asshole like Rudy now heading to Albany to clean up after the “fucking steamroller.” Yes, skipping the Iowa State Fair suddenly makes a whole lot more sense. —Peter Keating


Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 13 Mar 2008 | 5:45 pm

Rachel Bilson Designs Line for DKNY

Rachel Bilson and her bangs. Photo: Getty Images

Celebrities designing their own clothing lines has become about as rare as a Pomeranian at Westminster. But a celebrity designing for a big label, like DKNY? That's more like a Pomeranian with a broken leg competing at Westminster, and today Rachel Bilson is that gimpy Pomeranian. WWD reports that the 26-year-old actress asked the folks at DKNY Jeans if she could design a line for the label and they said yes:
For DKNY Jeans, the partnership gave the Liz Claiborne Inc.-owned brand a chance to address a more fashion-forward customer. The company will produce and distribute Bilson's junior sportswear line, which will be called Edie Rose for DKNY Jeans. The collection will hit stores in September.

..."Our customer has a real emotional connection with Rachel and she's always on the best-dressed lists, so it seemed like such a win-win for us," said Kevin Monogue, president of DKNY Jeans.

If Bilson moves clothes out of the stores like she moved posts out of the bloggers when she got her bangs, DKNY's going to have a "real emotional connection" (see: sweet, sweet cash) with her too. How Bilson enables the brand to address a "more fashion-forward" customer is a bit of a mystery to us. Yes, she almost always looks good, but is she really "fashion forward"? Marion Cotillard's fish dress at the Oscars was fashion forward. But Bilson, well, she dresses exactly like we'd want our best friend's cool older sister to were we still, you know, 16. Cute, at times hot, and now she has bangs. And she doesn't rock anything too crazy and edgy to scare us away. Come to think of it, maybe this pairing is a match made in heaven? See what we mean after the jump.

Left, Bilson at the Jumper premiere in New York on February 11. The bracelet is pure tack, but the dress is more than acceptable. Right, Bilson at TRL on February 12. Our art teacher wore that top in ninth-grade ceramics. Photo: Getty Images

Left, Bilson at the Dubai International Film Festival on December 13, 2007, wearing a nurse's scrubs made into a dress. Right, Bilson at the Art of Elysium's tenth-anniversary gala in L.A. on January 12. Plain, elegant, inoffensive.Photo:

Left, Bilson at the Jumper premiere in Japan on February 26 wearing tie-dye. Right, Bilson at Spike TV's fifth annual Video Game Awards, on December 7, 2007. We would have had no idea how to dress for "video-game awards," but Bilson nailed it. We think.Photo: Getty Images

Catching Celebrity Wave: DKNY Jeans to Do Rachel Bilson Line [WWD]
Related: Young Hollywood Copies Anna Wintour


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 5:45 pm

Carnie's War: Tummy Stapling A Bust

Even after weight loss surgery, some remain at risk of packing on the pounds.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 13 Mar 2008 | 5:27 pm

Lindsay Lohan, Fur Schizophrenic

Fake or faux, Linds?Photo: Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan was spotted yesterday arriving in New York wearing a “No Fur” pin (as well as some really unflattering high-tops, but that’s another issue). We scoffed immediately — Lohan doesn’t have fashion principles! Hasn’t this girl attempted every fashion trend, big furs included? Why yes, yes she has. Let's examine Lindsay's sordid history with fur (and PETA), shall we?

As recently as this past January, Lohan was caught in fur leaving Da Silvano, and PETA wasn’t pleased (shocker). She made their Worst Dressed list this year for doing magazine shoots donning fur and leather. She's got a history of this stuff, too: LiLo was also scheduled to top the PETA naughty list in 2006, but escaped damnation after promising PETA VP Dan Matthews she was trying to rid her closet of fur. Of course, she then went back to wearing fur as soon as PETA looked away.

Flash forward to March 2008, and Lindsay's playing Little Miss Anti-Fur again. Perhaps in reaction to the latest PETA snub? Or maybe she heard about Natalie Portman’s vegan shoe line? Could it be that the constant affirming of how pulled-together her post-jail life is might be hollow? Whatever the reason, it doesn't seem to be genuine. Oh, for shame, Linds: You're such a plastic. —Kendall Herbst


Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 5:20 pm

Alejandro Amenabar

Seven years after making acclaimed horror film "The Others" with Nicole Kidman, Oscar-winning Spanish Director Alejandro Amenabar, seen here in 2005, is to start shooting his second English-language movie,...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 13 Mar 2008 | 5:16 pm

‘American Idol’: David Hernandez Stripped of His Place in the Competition

Courtesy of Fox


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 5:15 pm

No Castle for Queen? Aretha May Lose Digs

Aretha Franklin's $700,000 Detroit mansion has slipped into foreclosure.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 13 Mar 2008 | 5:06 pm

It's Official: ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ to Be Two Movies

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

The L.A. Times had the scoop last night, and a Warner Bros. press release confirms it this morning: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be split into two films. Part one, which we imagine will be called Harry Potter and His Friends Shouting in Tents, will come out in November 2010; part two, Harry Potter and All the Exciting Parts, will come out in May 2011. Steve Kloves will write both, and David Yates will direct both. We're just as excited about this as we were back in January, as are the commenters over at the Leaky Cauldron — 628 so far!

Earlier: ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ to Be Two Movies?

'Deathly Hallows' films are scheduled to be released in November 2010 and May 2011 [LAT]
Warner Bros. Plans Two-Part Film Adaptation of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” to Be Directed by David Yates [PR]


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 4:30 pm

CONFIRMED: Trent Reznor Now a Millionaire

Courtesy of Nasty Little Man

While Radiohead stays quiet about how much they made from the record-company-less sales of In Rainbows last October, Vulture buddy Trent Reznor is a bit more forthcoming with the data on Ghosts I-V, his new instrumental album, which he self-released on Nine Inch Nails' Website on March 2. In a press release from his publicist, Reznor says:
Nine Inch Nails' 36-track instrumental opus Ghosts I-IV, released March 2 via NIN.com, has amassed a first week total of 781,917 transactions (including free and paid downloads as well as orders for physical product), resulting in a take of $1,619,420 USD.

Wow! We're not sure if that $1.6 million includes the cost of hosting and delivering the MP3s, or the manufacturing and shipping of physical copies of the album (we bet all are relatively cheap anyway), but even if it doesn't, this is obviously an impressive haul. Given that an artist like Trent would probably never make that kind of money on an album released through a label these days (especially not a double album of synthesizer instrumentals), this sort of makes record companies look a little silly (if, in fact, any still exist). Just imagine how much he'd have made if he actually sang on a few songs!

Earlier: Trent Reznor Pulls a Radiohead, Sort of


Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 13 Mar 2008 | 4:00 pm

Jailed 'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Goes Free

Joe Francis said he's innocent and will go back to making videos today.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 13 Mar 2008 | 2:56 pm

Born into a poor family, Costel Busuioc had to turn down an offer to study at the Vienna Opera in Austria

Costel Busuioc, a bricklayer dubbed "Romania's Pavarotti", has secured a record contract with Sony after winning a Spanish television music competition for immigrants modelled after "Pop Idol" and "Star...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 13 Mar 2008 | 2:50 pm

Aretha Could Lose Home to Tax Collectors

Singer Aretha Franklin may lose her Detroit mansion over $445 in taxes and late fees.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 2:31 pm

Would You Take Advice From Spencer Pratt?

The "Hills" villain & beau of Heidi Montag is getting a magazine advice column.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 13 Mar 2008 | 2:28 pm

Study: PG Movies With Least Profanity Make Most Money

A new study by The Nielsen Co. found that the PG-rated movies with the least profanity made the most money at the U.S. box office.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 1:41 pm

Harry Connick Jr. Forced to Play Old Song List in China

Singer-pianist Harry Connick Jr. is the latest Western performer to bump up against China's cultural restrictions.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 1:38 pm

Final Harry Potter Book to Be Made Into Two Movies: Report

Harry Potter was the center of seven novels, but he'll star in eight films. The final book in the wildly successful series will be made into two films, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 1:35 pm

No Verdict in John Ritter Wrongful-Death Trial

The jury in the John Ritter wrongful-death lawsuit deliberated over five hours Thursday and retired for the night without reaching a verdict on claims against two of the actor's physicians.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 1:28 pm

FOX 411: Neverland Not Saved

Despite proclamations from Michael Jackson's camp, Neverland Ranch is still in foreclosure.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 12:42 pm

Sentencing in Slaying of Actress Adrienne Shelly

A construction worker who admitted strangling an actress and then hanging her body to make it look like a suicide was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 11:27 am

Top Pop Station Plays Alleged Sptizer Call Girl's Single

She's not exactly Andrea True, and 'What We Want' is no 'More More More,' but Ashley Dupre’s MySpace recording could turn out to be a hit.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 10:49 am

Joe Francis Says He Was a 'Rock Star' in Prison

Eleven months behind bars didn't take the entrepreneur out of “Girls Gone Wild” founder Joe Francis, who said he plans to continue with his bust-baring empire.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 10:37 am

Billy Crystal Strikes Out in New Career as a Yankee

The comedian, actor and Oscar presenter struck out in his new career as a baseball player Thursday -- and promptly struck out as the New York Yankees' new leadoff man.
Source: FOXNews.com | 13 Mar 2008 | 10:20 am