Morale has always been low here, but it's never been
lower, and the downcline (to quote our Treasury
secretary) is steepening.

The only reason there's been no mass exodus is because
the pay is good, nobody else is hiring, and the
economy is at the abyss.

Many magazines develop into factions. At Portfolio,
the factions are quite lopsided. It's every last
Stevens, and Kyle Pope. (With new managing editor
Jacob Lewis, who came over from The New Yorker,
bewildered and privately neutral, but loyal to Joanne
because that's his job.)

There's nothing new about Joanne's infuriations.
What's troublesome is that Conde Nast allows them go
on and on and on. The only thing predictable about
she wants. She orders up one thing and condemns the
editors for delivering it. She can't explain her story
judgment, and no one knows whether that's because she
has none, or because her mind is so internally
confused that even she doesn't know what she is
thinking from day to day or hour to hour.

Worst of all: outside of finance and advertising, she
knows squat about business, and maybe finance and
advertising too. The result is a mess of a magazine.
What's it supposed to be? If the readers don't know,
and the advertisers don't know, it's because the staff
doesn't know, and if Joanne knows she's not doing a
very good job of explaining it.

It's all too bad because Portfolio could have been so
good. "The Vanity Fair of business magazines" is an
idea that sounded great to most of us who joined up
here. But the opportunity is being pissed away.

Joanne gave a speech a week or so ago in which she
revealed that after she left her first meeting with Si
Newhouse, before she was hired, she was so happy she
could have been hit by a truck. This was interpreted
here as a plea to Si not to throw her in front of that
truck now. (Her kids must have been pleased to hear
that she regards a lunch with Si as the highlight of
her life.)

People tell me that calls for Joanne's head will
ensure her continued tenure, because Si will dig in
his heels.

But Si, you're a smart business person. She's wrecking
your magazine. Talk to the staff, they'll tell you.
You need to do something about it, before it's too
late for everybody.

Science fiction has used this idea for years; the fantasy used to be written up as mystical telepathy, but eventually writers figured we'll actually engineer this ability some day, so now sci-fi telepathy uses implants and nanotechnology. So will real communications, soon enough. As with cell phones, the technology will look clunky at first. For example, this neckband microphone could let people Google by silently forming words in their throats.

Imagine having a conversation and being able to invisibly call up instant research. For all practical purposes, you'd be as smart as the Internet (or as dumb as the Internet, but still). Eventually such devices will get slick and unnoticeable, until a hands-free Internet tool is as essential as a cell phone. We've seen how much an Internet-in-boxes did for the world; imagine what Internet-in-our-brains will do.

Meanwhile, look at the problems of excessive Internet use. They're just the old problems of desk work: sedentary lifestyle and frustration at broken machines. There's nothing inherently bad about being more connected to the world. (There's something inherently annoying, but you can turn off your Facebook feeds easier than you can ignore your family.)

My condition gives me "anger, tension and/or depression." It causes "arguments, lying, poor achievement, social isolation and fatigue." It makes me stupid and forgetful. Twelve hours a day online is unhealthy; that's why I need twenty-four.

So says a civil lawsuit filed Monday in Florida on behalf of the young man seriously injured last year...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 24 Mar 2008 | 11:26 pm

Sara Evans Primed for Hitchin'

After taking a tumble the first time, Sara Evans is ready to get right back on that marital horse.   The country singer is engaged to radio host Jay Barker, Evans' rep, Lori Genes, told...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 24 Mar 2008 | 11:15 pm

‘Mask,’ the Musical, Complete With Horrifying Makeup

Mask: The Musical! The photo accompanying this review is what people who don’t like musicals picture in their head when they think about musicals. [Variety]

Is Clint's Movie Oscar Bait After All?: Rumors fly that Clint Eastwood’s Gran Turino project isn’t a Dirty Harry movie, but in fact a sensitive drama about a man (Eastwood) learning to accept Hmong immigrants. Of course, eventually the man kills them all. [Gold Derby/LAT]

Monks Get Record Deal From Universal: A group of monks got a record deal when Universal execs saw video of their Gregorian chant on YouTube. It's a heartwarming story about a group whose commitment to the ways of the past makes them a curious anachronism as the modern world prospers around them. Plus some monks. Hey-o! [BBC]

Like Peering Inside Michael Keaton’s Brain: This Batman-themed home theater cost $500,000, making it the best non-charitable use of $500,000 in history. Seriously, look at the picture and try NOT to think about how fun it would be to have all your friends over to get baked and watch The Matrix in that bad boy. [Luxist]

Skip Churchill for Churchill: The New Yorker's review of Caryl Churchill's new play Drunk Enough to Say I Love You? devotes a majority of its column inches to discussing how great Top Girls is. Moral of the story: See Top Girls when it opens next month. [NYer]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 11:00 pm

Jamie Dimon, Master of the Risk-Averse

Today the JPMorgan Chase takeover of Bear Stearns for $2 a share entered the realm of the too-good-to-be-true (alongside the takeover of Iraq), as Jamie Dimon increased his bid for the imploding investment bank to $10 a share. Our prediction: The deal is going to go through at this price. It's a shame, really, that the inside game on Wall Street is so rigged that even the worst gamblers are not forced to leave the table with their wallets empty. Individual bankers may complain that they were not responsible for the company’s implosion, but who ever said it was a line worker’s fault that 50,000 people had to be laid off from General Motors? Wall Street, obviously, can’t take a taste of its own bitter medicine.

There’s a nice conspiratorial wrinkle in today’s coverage, in which the New York Times’ Andrew Ross Sorkin suggests JPMorgan was had by the fools at Bear Stearns just as Dimon & Co. thought they were taking them for all they were worth, due to "inadvertently included" contract language that left JPMorgan on the hook for Bear Stearns's liabilities, whether the deal went through or not. Don’t believe it. The powers-that-be — the Fed, JPMorgan, every other CEO on Wall Street — are petrified that this thing could turn really ugly, and it looks like Dimon did the smart thing and anted up another $750 million or so just to stop that from happening.

In other words, the deal is going to go through, one way or the other. If it doesn't, the market craters, and Dimon is stepping in to make sure Bear Stearn's shareholders don't send the company into bankruptcy in a fit of pique. Good on him for it. As we spelled out in this week’s New York cover story, the man is risk-averse. So think of it this way: At the same time he’s saving his own skin, he might even be saving yours. —Duff McDonald

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 11:00 pm

How to Be a Scandalite: Don't Follow Ashley Dupré's Example

Just like a brand-new car, Ashley Alexandra Dupré's earning potential has been steadily decreasing since Eliot Spitzer rolled her off the lot and into the spotlight two weeks ago today. Market analysts (seriously, market analysts!) are now scolding the governor's hooker for not taking full financial advantage of her fifteen minutes of fame. Sales of her song on MySpace have dropped off, as has traffic to her page and a $1 million offer from Hustler is on shaky ground, with everyone and their mom unlikely to pay to see something they've seen everywhere for weeks. Georgi Vodka wants her to be their next "butt girl," which we're hoping neither party takes too literally. Becoming a scandalite takes work, sister. Chiding Dupré in Ad Age for not being more responsible with the celebrity she earned as a prostitute, a totally unironic Nat Ives writes, "Unless she does some serious repackaging, it isn't clear just which brands will be interested." He told her! Can Dupré salvage some of her marketability if she gets with the scandalite program? If she follows the examples of all those who have gone before her down the hallowed hall of notoriety, maybe. The pros, after the jump.

Gennifer Flowers. Turned her twelve-year affair with Bill Clinton into a defamation lawsuit, a memoir, a Penthouse shoot, and a lounge bar. Last year, she auctioned off her answering-machine tapes of conversations with Clinton for $5 million.

Monica Lewinsky. Started an online handbag business, appeared on several reality shows, went back to school to get a degree in psychology.

Jessica Hahn. The Massapequa, New York, native appeared in Playboy and on Married With Children and the Howard Stern Show after claiming television evangelist Jim Bakker and a friend had drugged and raped her. She now lives in Beverly Hills.

Judith Nathan. Landed herself a wedding day at Gracie Mansion and a seat at the (hypothetical) Cabinet meetings of "America's Mayor." —Maggie Shnayerson

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 10:45 pm

Rick and Pam Officially Over

It takes two to tango but only one to stop the music.  After each estranged spouse filed annulment papers, Pamela Anderson's marriage to Paris Hilton ex Rick Salomon was officially...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 24 Mar 2008 | 10:40 pm

Stars Slim Down With Horse Pills and the ‘Idiot’ Diet

News flash! When celebrities tell magazines they became walking spaghetti strands by doing yoga and walking their dogs, they're lying. According to a really long and revelatory article in the Daily News, they slim down by overexercising, starving themselves, smoking cigarettes, and taking drugs like Adderall and prescription horse pills, which suppress appetite.

Fasting stars sometimes even go to restaurants and don't eat. Like Paris Hilton, who went to Nobu and consumed only water and Red Bull during the entire meal. Then there's Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross, who went out to eat with her husband and sipped fruit juice while he ate fish. If we may, don't these ladies know they're taking up valuable real estate at restaurants where people who actually want to eat the food wait eons to get reservations?

And then there are the scary tales of people on the cusp of collapse at the gym because they refuse to nosh. Celebrity trainer David Kirsch recalls training a client for the Oscars who ate only two boiled eggs a day. Some stars supposedly go on the "IV diet" where they check into a hospital and have nutrients dribbled into their system so they can avoid the calories. One "supermodel trainer" recalled a client who lived off Diet Coke, peanuts, and cigarettes only. "When we tried to work out, we had to stop every five minutes. It was awful," he said.

Finally, there's the infamous Master Cleanse, in which one consumes only "lemonade" made from maple syrup, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper:

Beyoncé admitted following this regimen for two weeks to drop 20 pounds for the film "Dreamgirls." Jared Leto used it to shed about 30 pounds he gained to play Mark Chapman in the new film "Chapter 27."

Gunnar Peterson calls this the "You're an idiot" diet.

"I had a client who did it and I thought he was ill," says Peterson.

"His skin was gray and his eyes had terrible dark circles under them. He was shuffling when he walked, and this was after only 10 days!"

Gosh this stuff never gets old, does it? And for the record, we did not call Beyoncé and Jared idiots. Gunnar Peterson did.

Hollywood's dirty diet secrets [NYDN]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 10:37 pm

In Which We Quiz Moby About Being a Stealth Slut, Having a Crush on Hayden Christiansen

Some time ago, we found ourselves marveling at "Page Six" item about Moby's relationship with Natalie Portman. Natalie Portman and Moby? we wondered aloud, or you know, on the blog. And she wasn't the only pretty lady that Moby had defiled with his small pale paws. Come to think of it, we knew of many other New York women whose hearts and beds he had crawled into. How was it possible, we wondered, that this short uncute electronica musician had become a storied playboy? Was his very nerdiness appealing? Happily, writer Lawrence Ferber ran into him recently and asked about it directly: Why do nerds such as himself, you know, get a lot of hot chicks?

Moby thought about it. "Maybe because they feel sorry for us?" he said. "It's like really killing two birds with one stone. By hooking up with a nerd you get laid, and you're also doing something altruistic."

[Not really buying it] So, it's almost philanthropy?
It is. Yes. Like altruistic philanthropy, so you can wake up in the morning and feel like you've done a good deed.

You're bisexual. Does the nerd thing work on men?
This is something that makes me sad, for the most part men never hit on me. One of the few times a man has hit on me, it was the single strangest pickup line I ever heard. I was in Milwaukee, I had finished a concert and was walking to my tour bus and this nice man came up to me and invited me to come home with him. I told him I was very flattered but had to get on my bus, and his follow-up line was that he used to date Jeffrey Dahmer. As if that was supposed to convince me to not get on my bus and go home with him. To seal the deal he's like, "I used to date a serial killer."

Years ago, you said that Eddie Furlong was one of your boy crushes…
I haven't seen a photo of Eddie in a long time so maybe now he's morbidly obese and that would compromise my crush enthusiasm. Certainly back in the day he was gorgeous. Current boy crushes … the thing is all my boy crushes have always been really clichéd. The Orlando Bloom–Johnny Depp realm of things. I saw a picture of Hayden Christensen on the cover of Esquire and he's looking pretty saucy.

But he's Canadian.
I love Canadians.

And there, we had our answer. It's not just that women are drawn to nerdiness. It's that he's opened up the playing field.

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 10:15 pm

Madonna Delivers a Sugar Rush

1. Madonna, "Candy Store"
If your sweet tooth isn't satisfied by all the Easter candy, this new leak from Madonna's new record should hit the spot. [Pretty Much Amazing]

2. Snoop Dogg, "My Medicine"
On Snoop's improbable country collaboration with Everlast, he tells some lucky honky-tonk angel, "They say you can't buy me love, but you damn sure can buy me bud," making this one of the most authentic country songs to come out this year. [Culture Bully]

3. The B-52s, "Funplex (Peaches Pleasure Seeker remix)"
We wonder what the B-52s would've been like if foul-mouthed Peaches had been along for their whole career ("Fuck Shack"? "Cock Lobster"?), but on this track from their new record, she mostly just makes them sound about 30 years younger. [Beeb Blog]

4. Midnight Movies, "Souvenirs (Nick Zinner remix)"
Yeah Yeah Yeah's guitarist takes a crack at this Midnight Movies song for their upcoming EP of covers and remixes. Like most souvenirs, it's somewhat cheap and falls apart pretty quickly. [Mixtape Maestro]

5. Silver Jews, "What Is Not But Could Be If"
A new Johnny Cash record definitely is not coming out, but it could be if squint your ears really hard while listening to this brand-new track from the Silver Jews. [Pop Tarts Suck Toasted]
—Ehren Gresehover

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 10:00 pm

Tinsley Mortimer Saves Kids' Smiles With Lip Gloss

MAKEUP
• Tinsley Mortimer is collaborating with Dior Beauty to launch an ultragloss called Tinsley Pink, hitting Saks Fifth Avenue in May ($24.50). We knew our makeup bag and the world were missing something! Proceeds from this limited-edition sparkly bubblegum shade go to Operation Smile. [Blogdorf Goodman]

• Makeup artist Darac launches a collection this month complete with makeup brushes, compacts, and creams — the first collection in the artist’s 30-year-career. Get it on QVC and at Bergdorf Goodman. [WWD]

• You don't have to blow your savings on good quality makeup brushes. Ecotools's are made primarily of bamboo and synthetic bristles and are great for applying bronzer. Find them at drugstores for just $7 a pop. [15 Minute Beauty Fanatic]

NAILS
• Deborah Lippman has done the nails of Sarah Jessica Parker and Mariah Carey. She suggests cleaning up feet for sandal season by walking around the house in loofah-soled flip flops. We wonder if, when she was doing Mariah's toes, she had the nerve to tell her to stand up, walk around, and loofah her feet herself. [Nordstrom From the Floor]

• It’s spring, which means pastels are unavoidable. Favorite nail shades include L’Oreal’s Trust Fund Baby (pink) and Duri’s Pistachio (green). [BellaSugar]

FRAGRANCE
• Brazilian designer Isabela Capeto's fragrance is now available at Henri Bendel. The packaging alone — a red girl with button head — is reason enough for a sniff. [Style.com]

HAIR
• Don’t be a flake! Rid that scalp of dandruff with one of these at-home remedies. It's as simple as a green-tea soak. [Style Bell]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 9:49 pm

J.K. Rowling

Author J.K. Rowling signs copies of her book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" during the final stop on the "J.K. Rowling Open Book Tour" held at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2007. Rowling is...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 24 Mar 2008 | 9:18 pm

Blasphemy! Blake Lewis Doesn't Like David Archuleta

Add beat-boxing American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis to the list of minor speed bumps David Archuleta will roll over on his way to unstoppable televised glory. Lewis, who claims he never even watched American Idol before this season, thinks Archuleta is "boring" — a claim that so upset Archuleta's fan base that the comments at Rickey.org have been overwhelmed with posts slamming Lewis. Plus, there are a whole bunch of super-creepy comments from self-proclaimed cougars who can't stop thinking of — and voting for — David Archuleta. Heads up, Lewis — this is a guy who survived not even knowing who the Beatles are. That which doesn't kill him just makes him stronger.

Blake Lewis Thinks David Archuleta is Boring [Rickey.org via Idolator]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 9:15 pm

What Sarkozy's Ex-Wife Wore to Her New York Wedding

French president Nicolas Sarkozy's ex-wife, Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz, wed Richard Attias in the Rainbow Room yesterday. No pictures of the fête have emerged yet, though we're all waiting with bated breath. After all, Donatella Versace designed the wedding-party outfits, which, though it's kind of a dis to France to go with an Italian, sound pretty darn glamorous. According to a Versace rep, the new Mrs. Attias wore a long, simple one-shouldered "pale blush cady dress with asymmetric draping detail at the waist." Fancy!

We're glad she didn't go the Real Housewives of Orange County route and wear the big, fluffy dress to go with the big white decorations. Ciganer-Albéniz acknowledged that she's already done that and so opted for something chic that tells her guests, "I know this is like watching an Oscars rerun, so I'll make it more bearable by being a bit more casual about it." We approve.

Jackie Kennedy, Wallis Simpson, and Camilla Parker Bowles also went the understated yet fashionable route for their second or third wedding gowns. See pictures after the jump.

Left: That's Wallis Simpson at her wedding to Prince Edward. Lisa Armstrong of the Times writes she probably wore the ice-blue Mainbocher because it "suited her skinny frame and highlighted how dumpy her sister-in-law, the new Queen Elizabeth, was."

Center: For Jackie Kennedy's first wedding she donned 50 yards of ivory taffeta. But the second time round (pictured), she wore a smart, demure Valentino gown.

Right: Camilla Parker Bowles wore Anna Valentine when she married Prince Charles. Armstrong was less than thrilled by her gown choice for her third nuptials. "The pale colours surprised many," she writes. "Why not go all out for scarlet?" Maybe because royals are known for being conservative?

How to get dressed for a third wedding [Times UK]
Related: Yeah, It's True: The French Are Way Better at Sex Scandals Than We Are [Daily Intel]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 9:14 pm

Justice Dept. Approves XM-Sirius Merger

Justice Department Approves XM-Sirius Satellite Radio Deal
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 9:07 pm

Toxic Wind Blows From Gowanus

Bedford-Stuyvesant: Many of the streets in this mostly black hood are named for slaveholders (Jefferson Avenue, anyone?) or slave traders, and councilman Al Vann wants to change that. [Brooklyn Ron]
Chelsea: The Barnes & Noble on Sixth Avenue will close next Monday, and as of right now, chaos is reigning. Books are 50 percent off, shelves are empty, and employees are running around half-crazed. Who'll be the next tenant? Maybe a bank mall? [Racked]
Gowanus: Cleanup has begun at the contaminated Public Place site between Smith Street and Gowanus Canal, but locals fret the job will spew toxic dust into the air. [Gowanus Lounge]

Harlem: Claudia Schiffer put on a dark bobbed wig for a twenties-era photo shoot for Lagerfeld, here in "New York's rejuvenated district." [China Daily via Uptown Flavor]
Midtown East: Check out these terrifying close-up pics of the damage the huge crane did to nearby apartments. Plus, overall crane accidents were up from '06 to '07. [A Medium Format via Curbed]
Upper East Side: This blogger's out to name and shame the bar Most Likely to Let Couples Come In With Strollers and Poopy-Smelling Babies. [78thand2nd]
Willets Point: A Queens council member says he won't back the mayor's big redo here because the borough's not getting enough low-income housing. [NYDN]

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 9:00 pm

Porn-Rockers Erocktica Celebrate Easter

Some bands are best seen live because of a certain presence or chemistry. One would assume that Erocktica, a “porn-rock” group, is best seen live because of the visual nature of their inspiration. And indeed, there was Erocktica front woman Pink Snow on display at Don Hills' “Porn Rock Easter Ball” last night. Snow, guitar lodged between silicone deposits, took the stage wearing a latex nun’s habit and yowling about Catholic-school life; she was backed by a metal band, bikinied dancers, and a gyrating Easter Bunny. The Bunny coupled with a nymphet. The group of photographers — who snapped away as a spectator, male, was stripped naked — included, for no obvious reason, competitive eaters Crazy Legs Conti (a friend of Grub Street, he is ranked No. 11 worldwide) and Nasty Nate Biller (No. 46). “By the time you’re 30,” Nasty Nate told us, “your competitive-eating career is done. It’s a lot like modeling.” —Sarah Maslin Nir

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 8:30 pm

Aziz Ansari and Friends Are Even Funnier Than They Look

Aziz Ansari’s crew look kinda like they jumped out of the ugly tree and hit every branch just for laughs, and we wouldn’t put it past them: They do dumb like few other funny-looking guys. The reluctant art-school students we forced to watch this season’s first episode soon succumbed to skits about a YouTube star who cut off his penis only to be shown up by a guy who makes weird faces, and a gay-porn ghost haunting a man with a mouthful of toothpaste. Episode three airs tonight; one and two are online.

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 8:25 pm

The McCain Girls Have Arrived, and They Have Umbrellas

From the first vigorous chorus to the epic conclusion, in which small John McCains fall diagonally from the sky like suited sleet, you can only wonder: What the hell is going on here? Whose idea was it to do a video called "It's Raining McCain," set to the tune of "It's Raining Men," and who are the women performing this song and dance in front of a blue screen? Are the McCain Girls — Phyllis, Janice, and Jen (as we're calling them in the absence of actual information) — sincere McCain fans, teachers at a local junior school, perhaps, who were slipped pot brownies and tricked into performing by the mean AV-club kids? Or, worse, was this video done at a home and then meanly leaked to You Tube by a pimply orderly? And above all: Is it bad? Or is it brilliant? That we leave up to you, dear reader. Click above to watch.

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 8:15 pm

Artist Jordan Eagles’ Work Is Bloody Gorgeous

Jordan Eagles should offer his decorative services to Dexter, Showtime's gentlemanly murderer who slices and dices with the meticulousness of, well, an artist who works in blood. Eagles preserves blood (we won’t ask from whence it comes) with resin and presents it on Plexiglas in delicious forms such as moonlike circles and handsome splatters. Several new, stunning works are on show at Chelsea’s Merge Gallery through May 3. (We recommend visiting near closing time when the fading light does magical things to his sanguine medium.) —Emma Pearse

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 8:00 pm

Fab Four Sue Over Bootleg

The Beatles have come together to block distribution of an early bootleg. Lawyers for the Fab Four's London-based company, Apple Records, filed a lawsuit last week against Fuego Entertainment...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 24 Mar 2008 | 7:52 pm

Fred Thompson Quietly Goes Back to Acting Like a Politician

This election has been going on for so long and has taken us in so many directions that we almost forgot Fred Thompson, the Tennessee senator best known as Arthur Branch on Law & Order, was ever in the race, despite the fact that he just dropped out in January. Now, Us Weekly reports he may be done with politics for good: Fred has signed with the William Morris agency, and he plans on going back to acting. We can hardly say we blame him: Who wouldn't give up on American politics, after being beaten by Ron Paul? With a little luck, the next time we'll see Fred running for office, it'll be to wrest the title of district attorney back from that twitchy Jack McCoy. That part could use a little more gravitas.

After Failed Presidential Run, Thompson to Return to Acting [Us Weekly]
Related: The Actor [NYM]

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 7:30 pm

Brooklyn Museum Previews Louis Vuitton Store

The Brooklyn Museum has finally confirmed it will host a pop-up Louis Vuitton shop to coincide with its Takashi Murakami exhibit starting next month. They've also put select items online to whet your appetite until the exhibit kicks off on April 4, like the super-adorable cushions and T-shirt above. But the real stars of the store will be the "monogramouflage" Vuitton handbags, which will sport a new monogram pattern created by Murakami. Images of the collection haven't been released, but we're kind of hoping the flower products online are a sneak preview. They could very well pop up in some form on the new Vuitton goods. Then again Marc Jacobs and Murakami could throw customers a curveball and cover the new bags in funny pink anime faces. We can't wait!

Brooklyn confirms Vuitton/Murakami shop, exclusives [NewYorkology via Racked]
Related: Superflatbush [NYM]
Louis Vuitton Going to Brooklyn: Hoax?

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 7:20 pm

Gibson Guitars vs. Guitar Hero

Last Friday, the guitarsmiths at Gibson expanded their legal campaign against video-game retailers to include Activision, Harmonix, MTV Networks, and Electronic Arts. All these companies were or are involved in the development or distribution of the video games Guitar Hero and/or Rock Band. The premise behind Gibson's lawsuits, apparently, is that in 1999 the company filed a patent related to “the use of technology to simulate a musical performance,” and therefore any and all music-simulation devices are patent infringements.

Now, obviously we’re not entertainment lawyers — we signed away the rights to Asian-market Blu-ray distribution of this post in exchange for a roast-beef sandwich — but this case, legally speaking, is dumb. It's as dumb as someone claiming he patented the concept of air guitar. We think this case should be thrown out of court immediately, on the grounds of dumbness. Maybe the judge should then impose a punitive order that the two sides collaborate to produce a game called Jurisprudence Legend played with controllers shaped like the scales of justice, as well as sequels including Bailiff Champion (in which two bailiffs compete to be the best bailiff), Jury Duty ("12 Angry Men … One Awesome Game!"), and Court Reporter (an old CD-ROM of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing in a new box). —Ben Mathis-Lilley

Gibson sues over "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" [Reuters]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 7:15 pm

Marilyn Manson's Seal of Approval

Marilyn Manson's private parts are officially being kept under cover. A Los Angeles judge has approved a motion filed by the shock rocker last week to keep sealed all financial and business...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 24 Mar 2008 | 7:06 pm

‘Flight Explorer’ Gathers Venerable Kid-Friendly Comics

Kazu Kibuishi's beloved anthology of hot new comics artists, Flight, has always carried a whiff of kiddie adventure story. This collection of all-ages comics from the first four volumes of Flight brings that tendency to the fore. From daring astronaut mice to secret monster friends to talking dogs, Flight Explorer is a great introduction to the world of graphic novels from some of the most vivid visual storytellers around.

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 7:00 pm

French ‘Playboy’ Turns Us On … to Fashion

There we were drinking pomegranate mimosas, lazily flipping through French Playboy on Easter Sunday (hey, no judging here), as the Cut is wont to do, when it hit us: French Playboy is the new French Vogue. Allow us to explain.

Sure, the Gallic mag shares some of the same spread-eagle poses as its U.S. counterpart, and in that respect, it's not reading material for the modest-minded. But instead of page upon page of blonde triplets, the French Playboy has fashion! We're talking Q&As with Viktor & Rolf and Gaspard Yurkievich, and a profile on Lacoste. Plus, the cover girl? A decidedly unbusty Lou Doillon, denim designer and daughter of Jane Birkin, who just happens to be an all-around fashion muse. And did we mention a topless Heidi Klum? It was art, and it was good. Maybe it was just Easter, but we started to see Bunnies hopping into Carine's territory.

Instead of just bare-assed babes, Le Playboy has actual fashion credits, with a huge chunk going to Vivienne Westwood's red label. We even spied some Lagerfeld jeans and Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry. Let's not forget that the Kaiser himself shot Vahina Giocante in the October 2007 issue. And, sure, there was some interview with Paul Sevigny, but we were still drooling over the photos — for the clothes, people, the clothes. This version of Playboy has plenty of 'em. Turns out we really do read it for the articles. —Amina Akhtar

Related: Chivalry Not Yet Dead [Hot Bisexual Model]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 6:50 pm

Fabulist Hillary Clinton Gives Margaret Seltzer a Run for Her Money

When the National Archives released more than 11,000 pages of Hillary Clinton's daily schedule during her First Lady days last week, the press was pissy because much of it was heavily redacted, and boring to boot. "She received a gift basket sometime between 3:45 and 4:35 p.m., if all went according to schedule," the Washington Post sniped about the schedule that Newsday described as "bland, sanitized." Several days later, though, they've refocused (perhaps recalling that in a post-Spitzer-scandal age, Monica's sloppy sub-desk blow jobs are just sad and gross). As it turns out, Hillary may have a gift for embellishment! By which we mean flat-out invention of the whole-cloth variety.

The New York Times nailed her to the wall this morning on her March claims that she'd "helped to bring peace to Northern Ireland" in 1995 and had brokered some kind of inspiring women's gathering where Catholics and Protestants fell into one another's arms or something. Actually, she was given a teapot at a Belfast café, but the other one works a little better.

On a 1996 trip to Bosnia, Clinton told reporters, the C-130 (ooh, military lingo!) in which she was riding was greeted by sniper fire at the airport and had to perform evasive maneuvers (more militaryspeak for good measure in case anyone didn't get the point!). "We just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base," Clinton said, which is an odd way of saying, "We just greeted small children on a rope line and there were bluebirds singing sweetly in the background." Daily Kos has the incriminating video of her only arrival at an airport during that trip.

Hillary's Campaign-Ending Lie [Daily Kos]

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 6:45 pm

Knoxville Goes Solo

Johnny Knoxville is officially a single Jackass. The 37-year-old stunt star's divorce from Melanie Lynn Clapp was finalized on March 20, according to court documents obtained by E! News. (View...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 24 Mar 2008 | 6:40 pm

Vote ‘No’ on Gene Simmons's Campaign for Slutmaster General

This billboard can be found in a parking lot on the corner of Lafayette and Great Jones streets. Is it not one of the low moments in Western civilization? We think so. And we would like to urge all Vulture readers — all decent people everywhere, really — to text in their “No” votes early and often, building a humiliating consensus that Gene Simmons did not sleep with 4,800 women. In this way, the folks at A&E promoting Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels will be shamed into taking the billboard down, so that it may be replaced by something more tasteful, like a Calvin Klein ad showing an inexplicably moistened young woman riding a pony with no pants on. —Ben Mathis-Lilley

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 6:30 pm

George Returns, But Not to 'Sex' It Up

George Michael is doing his first U.S. tour in 17 years, and it may be his last.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 6:28 pm

Is Feisty Eve the Next Face of Cartier?

Eve's PR machine must be in overdrive these days. According to the New York Post, she (or one of her friends) had a rumble at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood and allegedly pushed a girl down the stairs. Now Fashionista's reporting that she's the new face of Cartier's next Love Charity bracelet. Sales of the limited-edition Love bangles go to a good cause, and Julianne Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker, Eva Mendes, and Rachel Weisz have all loaned their faces to sell them.

Maybe Cartier stole a hip-hop cue from Marc Jacobs, who had rapper Pharrell guest-design a line of jewelry for Louis Vuitton. Or maybe they want to tap into the "bad girl" market like Stefano Pilati, who has reportedly employed Naomi Campbell to follow up fellow troublemaker Kate Moss in the next Yves Saint Laurent campaign. Either way, Eve's campaign opens Cartier up to a new audience, and in a troubled economy, it's probably in the nick of time.

Ready to Rumble [NYP]
Eve for Cartier [Fashionista]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 6:18 pm

Sex Diaries: The Office Don Juan With a Taste for Casual Encounters

Once a week, Daily Intel takes a peek at what your friends and neighbors are doing behind doors left slightly ajar. Today, the Office Don Juan With a Taste for Casual Encounters: male, 33, Upper East Side, single, straight, program coordinator.

DAY ONE
2:15 a.m.: Awakened in the middle of the night by my Craigette — a Craigslist casual encounter from a few months ago that worked out. We’ve been seeing each other fairly frequently since meeting. It’s starting to get pretty serious, which is as nice as it is unexpected. Her bad dream woke me up.
2:25 a.m.: Consoling Craigette leads to quiet, intense sex.
8:30 a.m. :Alarm clock goes off — I wake to radio chatter about high-class prostitutes.
8:39 a.m.: Alarm clock goes off — I wake to radio chatter about high-class prostitutes.
9:45 a.m.: Taking the train downtown for work. Incredibly crowded. As a man’s crotch sways in my face, and I contemplate whether I would ever be able to go down on a man.
10:05 a.m.: See an e-mail from a former co-worker. I slept with this woman some time back, immediately after she filed for her divorce. She’s coming to New York and wants to know if she needs to make “an appointment.” Not sure what I think about this trip, as I have done nothing to encourage her since our encounter.
11:13 a.m: In a meeting with several colleagues when I realize the woman across the table from me, a woman that I’ve never really contemplated sexually, has a very sheer shirt on. I stare at the outline of her bra. Consider asking if she wants to get a drink after work.
2:23 a.m.: Former co-worker writes again, asking about an appointment. I put her off by asking why she’s coming to New York and where’s she’s staying.
9:25 p.m.: Out with some people from work after a successful event. Craigette sends me a text message asking me to come over.
9:35 p.m.: Craigette calls. I tell her that I’ll give her a call when I get back to the neighborhood, but that it might be late.
2:12 a.m.: I call Craigette, but she doesn’t answer.

DAY TWO
9:30 a.m.: Finally wake up. Incredibly hung-over and incredibly horny. When I’m this stricken by the cocktail flu, it hurts my head to masturbate.
9:45 a.m.: Give in to the urge and masturbate, headache be damned.
2:34 p.m.: I receive an e-mail from Craigette asking me to come over when I’m done with work. Her roommate is out of town, a rare treat. I accept.
4:45 p.m.: While presenting at a fairly large meeting at work, I’m overwhelmed by the number of pretty women in the room. I crash and burn — I am absolutely incoherent. The only thing I can think of is the movie Colors when Robert Duvall tells Sean Penn the allegory of the bull running down the hill and fucking one of the cows. “Why don’t we walk down there and fuck them all.”
5:20 p.m.: Bump into a lovely Turkish co-worker in the hall and I tell her about my flame-out in the meeting. She comes back to my office to discuss our current lives. We sustained a yearlong flirtation before finally spending the night together about a year ago. Since then we haven’t seen much of each other in private. During this conversation our old flirtation surfaces as I tell her about Craigette and the fact that she’s a “squirter.” This clearly excites my friend, and before I know what’s happening, I ask my co-worker if she would like to have a threesome with me and Craigette.
5:34 p.m.: I e-mail the Turkish co-worker one word: “seriously.”
5:41 p.m.: She responds: “Give me some time to think about it.”
5:53 p.m.: The Turkish girl writes back again: “No, I cannot do it. Don’t ask me again.”
8:35 p.m.: My co-workers arrive at my apartment after a reception. We drink several bottles of wine over the course of a few hours.
11:15 p.m.: Craigette calls to ask where I am. I tell her that I’m just on my way to her apartment.
11:25 p.m.: I arrive to face a fairly angry Craigette. I try to make it up to her, but I pass out before anything really gets going.

DAY THREE
7:50 a.m.: Wake up next to Craigette. She’s no longer angry, and we roll pleasantly around in the bed. After a few minutes of kissing and rolling around, I slide down and perform oral sex on her.
8:30 a.m.: After dozing on and off, we have aggressive, noisy sex.
11:10 a.m.: I’m home and going over these experiences — the Turkish woman and Craigette are swirling through my mind. I masturbate.
10:25 p.m.: Meet an old friend from my hometown at a bar. We talk about how 30 minutes into the meal on a recent bad date, she brought up the fact that she’s got IBS — irritable bowel syndrome.
3 a.m. (I think): Stumble out of the bar with nothing gained but some glowering, defiant stares given in return for my drunken leers.

DAY FOUR
10:20 a.m.: Wake up late for a meeting in Brooklyn. No time to masturbate despite the desire.
6 p.m.: Surprise that nothing has happened at all to warrant inclusion in this diary.
11:30 p.m.: Go to bed, masturbate while thinking about a 22-year-old Korean-American cocktail waitress I picked up in K-town last year. She spent the weekend with me and we went out on a few dates after our dirty weekend, but there wasn’t really anything in common.

DAY FIVE
8:30 a.m.: Wake up. Masturbate. Think about my ex-girlfriend of five years and how great her mouth was. Haven’t talked to her since November, and we’ve been broken up for well over a year, so it’s strange that she pops into my mind.
10:20 a.m.: An e-mail arrives from my former co-worker, the one that’s paying a visit to the city soon. She wants to know if it matters where she stays. I break down and say, "Of course not." I immediately start thinking of last-minute excuses I can deploy to keep from meeting her.
1:10 p.m.: Craigette texts with a request to meet her at Clandestino at 8 p.m. I immediately agree.
8 p.m.: Meet Craigette at the bar. She’s obviously been there for quite some time and is already quite drunk. She gives me a greedy kiss as soon as I sit down next to her, biting my lower lip. Kind of hurts, but …
8:44 p.m.: Craigette slaps me when I admit that I’ve never seen Serpico. She tells me that I can knock her around whenever I feel like she needs it.
10:35 p.m.: Back at my place after spending too much money on too many drinks at the bar. We wrestle each other out of our clothes and fall onto the bed. I am holding Craigette’s hands behind her back while I spank her. After a few minutes of this, I pull her up on her knees, tighten a belt around her neck, and enter her from behind, increasing and decreasing the tension on the belt.
11:05 p.m.: Lying in a very wet bed — she really does gush sometimes — but it’s worth it. Fall asleep perfectly tipsy and exercised.

DAY SIX
8 a.m.: Craigette wakes me up by massaging my cock. Once I’m awake, she goes down on me. She squeezes my balls almost too tightly when I come.
8:35 a.m.: I get out of the shower to find Craigette gone and a note — “see you tonight?” We’re spending quite a bit of time together. I text Craigette a “yes.”
12:08 p.m.: Bump into my co-worker that wore the sheer shirt in the meeting from the other day. She looks radiant. I ask her to go to lunch tomorrow, all the while thinking about her red hair and perfect ass.
7:13 p.m.: Craigette texts and asks to come over. I, of course, agree.
7:34 p.m.: She shows up in a short skirt, a little sweater, and very high heels. We chat for a few minutes and then order some food. While I’m on the phone and watching her, she takes off her sweater and lies down on my bed. After I place the order, I strip down and get in bed with her. We have fairly aggressive sex with her skirt pushed up to her waist.
7:50 p.m.: Still kind of winded from our workout when the delivery guy rings the bell. I learn that my buzzer is no longer working, so I throw on clothes and run down four flights of steps.
10:15 p.m.: After rolling around in bed, eating Thai food, and watching The Wire, we fall asleep.

DAY SEVEN
8:30 a.m.: Wake up, reset the alarm and spoon Craigette.
9 a.m.: Wake up late, jump out of bed, and leave her to sleep while I go to work.
Noon: My lunch date arrives, and we go to a small Brazilian place on Eighth Avenue. It’s a lot of fun, but she’s sending out absolutely no sexual energy. Alas, I won’t be getting myself into trouble with her.
7:45 p.m.: Meet Craigette at my corner bar for drinks.

Totals: Four acts of intercourse; two acts of oral sex; four acts of masturbation; one act of showing up two hours late to a very angry Craigette; two morning wake-ups to Spitzer-prostitute talk-radio discussion; one set of avoided e-mails from former fling.

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 6:00 pm

Kate Beckinsale's Publicist Wishes She Would Stop Talking About Sushi and Vaginas

"I have to say, sushi freaks me out more than almost anything. At least a vagina would be warm. [laughs] My publicist has literally turned a funny color and is going to go have a lie-down. He's throwing up now, as well. I find a lot of things kind of funny and I often say what's on my mind, and then get nine texts from all my friends going, 'What's the matter with you?'" —We don't think anything's wrong with you, Kate Beckinsale! [AOL]

"I did not know about this until five minutes ago. Someone says to me, 'How do you feel about Buffy's new relationship? She's with a woman.' And I'm like, 'She's with Willow?'" —Sarah Michelle Gellar, who isn't reading the Buffy comics, indulges in a little slash fiction [VH1]

"When I got home from work after doing the kissing scene, she ran up to me and licked my face because she wanted to taste Zac Efron’s spit." —Leslie Mann on her daughter's response to her sharing a scene with Efron in 17 Again [Just Jared]

"The truth is actors are flaky, unreliable and mostly unstable people, and they need to be mollycoddled at all times." —Simon Pegg on why actors are driven everywhere [NYT]

"Take a look at the hair in Season One. There are about 32 errors. I think at one point there was way too many chemicals involved." —Ryan Seacrest on past grooming sins [LAT]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 5:45 pm

Jimmy Cayne Gets His Body Guarded

FINANCE
• After a bear of a week last week, Wall Street heads back to work today. [CNN]
• Bear Stearns chairman Jimmy Cayne is walking around the firm's Madison Avenue offices with an armed bodyguard. [NYP]
• It's a much-bemoaned fact that there aren't a lot of women in the upper echelon of business, but in the sector of foundation and endowment management, women have taken the top position at 20 percent of the country's largest organizations. [DealBook/NYT]

MEDIA
• Bob Schieffer will continue to Face the Nation a little longer; he's postponing his retirement from CBS. [NYT]
• The Associated Press continues to beef up its entertainment coverage, adding 21 new employees worldwide to report on celebrity happenings. [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
• HBO turns Bob Morris's former New York Times "Sunday Styles" column "Age of Dissonance" into a comedy series, while Plum Sykes is adapting her novel Debutante Divorce for the channel. [WWD]

LAW
• A cat owner is charged with animal cruelty for not treating his pet's swollen and bleeding paw, among its other ailments. [Law.com]
• The Society of Professional Investigators, a group made up of lawyers and genealogists who help track down missing witnesses, lost heirs, delinquent debtors, and people who jump bail, recently had its monthly meeting. [NYT]
• Are the United States' immigration policies hindering New York's ability to compete on a global scale? [NYT]

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 5:15 pm

Alleged Tyra Stalker Back on Streets

Guests aren't the only ones getting surprises on The Tyra Banks Show. The host is, too. A Georgia man accused of stalking the supermodel chat-show host was arrested last Tuesday after paying...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 24 Mar 2008 | 5:03 pm

How to Jet Set Like Donatella Versace

Donatella Versace breezed into town last week to launch her men's collection at Barneys. The Times, lucky ducks, got some face time with the fabulous Italian at her "grand suite" in the Waldorf-Astoria, which housed her mountain of bright-purple luggage. See, Versace used to travel with bright-pink luggage, but that shade, Donatella says, "became tired … like black did." (We're assuming she only means luggage because we spied her in a little black dress at the party.)

With roughly a dozen purple cases in tow — one bag each for dresses, shoes and accessories — she can think of nothing grander than traveling with it. “All these people, they have a designer handbag, and I think: ‘So what? You have Eastpak luggage.’ Why should it get stolen? If it’s subtle, it’s not going to get stolen.”

So Donatella is judging your luxury handbags! If you want to travel in style, ditch that Eastpak for a set made from Italian leather. And don't forget to have your assistants pack you at least two outfits per day, one for daytime and "something fantastic" for evening. Also, don't use the word "beige." Donatella calls it "blond."

Just a Few Favorite Indulgences [NYT]
Related:Donatella ‘Startles’ Herself in the Mirror

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 5:00 pm

‘Gossip Girl’ to Get Even More Fabulous

Finally. TV Guide's Michael Ausiello is hearing "from an extremely reliable source" that when the new season of the Greatest Show Ever restarts on April 21, a gay male character will be revealed. Now, these sorts of rumors happen often and are usually not much more than wishful thinking, but we're inclined to believe this one, since we've always thought that a show as campy and awesome as Gossip Girl should not be without a Gossip Gay. But TV Guide says the gay character is an existing character, which means that we're probably not going to get a Ricky Vasquez type swishing onto the Upper East Side, but an awkward "I think I might be gay" plotline. So: Who could it be? Like you, we immediately thought of Chuck, who we have always suspected only slept with Blair so that he could be one degree of sexaration from Nate, and who we know for a fact wears an electric-blue suit and matching sneakers in the April 21 episode. Plus, he was gay in the books. But something about that didn't feel right. So we turned to Eric. After all, his reasons for being depressed have never been revealed, his highlights are rather flamboyant, and we're pretty sure he's been in more than one scene at Barneys. But then! A dark-horse candidate emerged in our minds: the Captain. All the signs are there: Repression. Mania. Skinny, sexless wife. Impressive biceps. Plus, he is called the Captain. We cued our DVRs and studied Nate's father's hair whorl. Aha! Counterclockwise!

Gossip Girl's Big Gay Twist [TV Guide]
All posts regarding Intel's borderline-disturbing obsession with Gossip Girl

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 24 Mar 2008 | 4:45 pm

Insider's Guide to MTV's Hit 'The Hills'

What to know if you're not up to speed with MTV's hit reality show.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 4:34 pm

Longtime Beatles friend Aspinall dies

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 4:29 pm

Francis Bacon's 'Triptych' on display at at Christie's auction house in London

Francis Bacon's 'Triptych' on display at at Christie's auction house in London. The British-artist's "Triptych, 1976," is tipped to fetch a record 70 million dollars when it goes under the hammer in New...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 24 Mar 2008 | 4:05 pm

Salvador Dali's 'Lobster telephone' is one of the Spanish artists' most famous art works

Salvador Dali's 'Lobster telephone' is one of the Spanish artists' most famous art works. Istanbul's Sakip Sabanci Museum will host a huge exhibition of 270 works by the late surrealist later this year...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 24 Mar 2008 | 3:59 pm

Dolly Parton invests in herself

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 3:24 pm

Naomi Campbell for YSL? Linda Hunt As Simon Doonan?

• So long, Kate Moss? Rumor has it Yves Saint Laurent head designer Stefano Pilati has chosen Naomi Campbell as the next bad-girl model for his fall campaign, which she already shot in Paris (or so the story goes). [WWD]

• Simon Doonan hopes an actress like Linda Hunt will play him in the new BBC sitcom series based on his memoir, Nasty: My Family and Other Glamorous Varmints. [NYP]

• The hardest thing for shoe retailers to sell is a "black kitten heel" as women try to look edgy with footwear like Louis Vuitton's record-setting seven-inch spiked platforms. [Times UK]

• The Chanel mobile art exhibit might look like a haute spaceship in the middle of downtown Hong Kong, but the art inside is pretty special: All works had to be based on the quilted Chanel bag Coco designed in 1955. [IHT]

• Former Valentino and Armani model Camille Alves is launching a line of leather handbags called Muxo. They're everything she wished she had when she was a jet-setting model. [WWD]

• Kate Moss bought a black cab in London and is driving her friends to the pubs. [Daily Mail]

• The invitation to fashion designer Juliette Longuet's party at Blue and Cream boasted "many models, socialites, and working girls" would be in attendance. "Page Six" notes "working girls" really means hookers, but the designer probably meant girls with jobs. We hope. [NYP]

• Hilary Alexander dresses a mother of the bride for her daughter's big day. [Telegraph]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 3:12 pm

'Potter' Author Had 'Suicidal Thoughts'

J.K. Rowling said she contemplated suicide before her "Harry Potter" success.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 2:54 pm

Nuts! 'Jericho' has been canceled

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 2:50 pm

Harry Potter author: I considered suicide

Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has revealed she thought of killing herself while penniless and suffering from depression as a single mother, according to a report in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 2:36 pm

Denise Richards Removes the Sheen From Her Name

The 37-year-old actress, whose bitter divorce from Charlie Sheen was finalized in 2006, won a judgment Friday to legally change her surname back to Richards.
Source: FOXNews.com | 24 Mar 2008 | 2:31 pm

‘The Hills’ Returns Tonight, and Fashion PR Is a New Star

It's Monday, the economy is still blowing, and Dick Cheney's playing "diplomat" over in the Middle East, but there's good news, too: New episodes of The Hills start tonight, and it sounds like there's some actual reality to be spoken for! According to a review of the new episodes in the New York Times, we're in for another couch-gripping season where things turn out differently than expected. Heidi "emerges as a kind of feminist hero," realizing that Spencer isn't, like, so awesome, and Whitney, sick of being an assistant at Teen Vogue, lands an interview with Kelly Cutrone, the tough broad behind fashion PR firm People's Revolution:

By showing one short job interview Whitney has with the owner of a fashion-publicity company called People’s Revolution, “The Hills” captures the delusional self-seriousness of the fashion business better than any episode of “Project Runway.” “You’ll give up your life,” the owner tells her. Of course Whitney, Lauren and Heidi already have, and America has shown its gratitude.

Hell yes, we have. We are, after all, writing about this stuff well before 10 a.m.

Career Climbing, With Claws Bared [NYT]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 2:07 pm

Sales: Free People, Steve Madden, and Tracy Reese

STARTING TODAY
• The boho-inspired spring collection from Free People is up to 60 percent off. Find tees, dresses, and jackets for $10 to $35. Through 3/26. Clothing Line, 261 W. 36th St., nr. Seventh Ave., second fl.; 3/24 (12–6), 3/25 (10–7), 3/26 (10–6).

• Tusk is hosting a semi-annual clearance sale. Find colorful business-card holders, travel accessories, and other leather goods for men and women at 50 to 70 percent off. Through 3/29. 242 W. 26th St, nr. Seventh Ave. (212-242-8485); Mon.–Sat. (11–7), Sun. (closed).

ENDING TODAY
• Spring shoe styles for men and women from Steve Madden are 25 percent off online. Try the Sirprise flat sandals in bright blue for $68 (originally $90) or a pair of espadrille wedges for $98 (originally $130). Just type SMeaster25 at checkout.

STARTING TOMORROW
• Bright jewel tones are mighty trendy this season, so stock up at the Reem Acra trunk show. Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., at 57th St., fourth fl. (212-753-7300); 10–8.

ONGOING
• Banana Republic’s spring sale offers up to 40 percent off in-store and online prices. The silk paisley shirtdress is a Shop-A-Matic favorite and just $69 (was $98). Ballet flats are now $50 (were $78). Shop online or at any Banana Republic store.

• CoCo & Delilah's stock of Corey Lynn Calter, Lewis Cho, and Plenty by Tracy Reese tops and dresses are 25 to 75 percent off. Through 3/31; 115 St. Marks Pl., nr. First Ave. (212-254-8741); Mon.–Fri. (1–8); Sat. and Sun. (noon–8).

For more deals, check out our Sales & Bargains calendar.

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 24 Mar 2008 | 1:27 pm

'Whos' in First at Box Office Again

"Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who" hauled in another $25M over the weekend.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 24 Mar 2008 | 12:33 pm