• Unlike everyone else in Los Angeles, Britney Spears actually becomes more sane when behind the wheel of a car, so Daddy Jamie is letting the singer tool around her gated community. While driving, Britney is contemplating plans for her own dance studio. [OK!]
• An Olsen twin slummed it at a Lower East Side dive. Page Six asked its drunken source which Olsen twin it was: "I think it was the fat one." Apparently that's Mary-Kate. [P6]
• Actress Pamela Anderson annulled her fairy tale eight-week Vegas marriage. [BBC]
• Former Saturday Night Live player Jimmy Fallon: Preggers! [TMZ]
• Singer Sheryl Crow a little too overeager about collaborating with Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks does that to people. [Billboard]
• Heather Mills still on about former hubby and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney's hidden piles of money. [Daily Mail]
• Deceased actor Heath Ledger's estate worth somewhere between $145,000 and $60 million. Thanks, TMZ.

Whitty's recollection of one thing Leno said to him in a phone call two years ago (sketchy!):

I have to say, I really think gay people have made a lot of progress. There used to be a time when a straight guy would never go to a gay guy for advice on how to dress or look good, but it's totally different now.

Longer video at Whitless.com.

[via TMZ]

But still, they're killing Batman, dude, the real honest-to-god comic-book Batman, and the Times will write about the character's importance to America, making a sort of cultural obituary, and either Chuck Klosterman or the Freakonomics guys will explain how this is a zeitgeist, and DC might sell a few extra copies before its comics again fade into obscurity.

During the stereotypical undergrad experience that exists only in our imagination because we went to Nerd University, Spring Fling was two solid days of unabashedly jammin’, weed-fueled party time. Sophomore year we would get Ben Harper; junior year we'd get Mos Def; freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years we'd get the Roots. Those times were characteristic of the whole college experience: a beautiful, sheltered period when we were free to spend days in the library following our muse no matter where in our MP3 collection it took us.

Then we went to work at a big-city magazine with a corporate imperative toward hipness, and now we hardly remember what things were like in the days when we could mention that we liked the Red Hot Chili Peppers without getting a dirty look from our boss, who only listens to Swedish electronica. Thus we were greatly disturbed to read that spring fling at Columbia University will not include Mos Def, Ben Harper, or even the two and a half stars of the Black Crowes. Columbia’s spring concert will, instead, feature Brooklyn indie titans Grizzly Bear and the National. Nothing against those bands … it’s just that they’re so cool and critically acclaimed. And if kids as young as 18 are starting to worry about that kind of thing now … then who’s going to come with us to see Pearl Jam at Bonnaroo this summer? —Ben Mathis-Lilley

Spring Concert Revealed: Grizzly Bear and The National [BWOG]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 11:00 pm

Zac Posen Seizes Travel Perks, Smells Mimosas

Zac Posen is back from Down Under where he just launched a collection for Target Australia. So why Target Australia? "It was a fun trip to Australia," Posen said at the after-party for the Cinema Society screening of Flawless last night. “I did the project to get around the world.” When he wrapped up his Target work, he went island hopping. “I went to Java and then to Bali and got back this afternoon at 1:30 from Hong Kong.” In addition to his tan, Posen acquired “boxes and boxes” of “insane” fabric from Indonesia, which could show up in his next collection. “How they dress, you know — not in the cities, but in the countryside or farming — they really mix colors and patterns quite exceptionally, and unusually. It’s very inspiring.”

Posen's own highly anticipated diffusion line launches in the U.S. in a year. He wouldn't reveal its name but said it would be sold at the same chains as his main collection, just in a different section of the store. It will target a younger consumer, include clothes and accessories, and retail at lower prices ($60 to $1,000) than his current line. “It’s still aspirational, but it’s much more accessible,” Posen explained. The diffusion-line launch will coincide with his fragrance launch. How did Posen turn his essence into a perfume? “You work with amazing noses and artists, and they bring their interpretations of it. And I went through every raw ingredient possible. I wanted to learn the process,” he said. “You edit what you like, what you’re drawn to. You know, when you smell 25 variations of mimosa to decide which one you’re drawn to.” Oh, we totally know. We do that every day. —Bennett Marcus and Jada Yuan

See Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Joe Pantoliano, and others at our complete coverage of last night's Flawless screening.

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:52 pm

XM and Sirius: Hooray for Monopolies!

NOTE: Today’s Early Evening News is dedicated to our Daily Intelligencer sistren and their praise-worthy decision to begin appending the Law & Order "chung-chung" to random posts.

The satellite-radio system used to be made up of two separate yet equally important groups — XM and Sirius. Now, thank God, Americans will be able to listen to both out-of-market baseball and out-of-market football on the same gadget. This is their story. [NYT]

The Breeders are hosting a listening “party” for their new album on their Website tonight. It consists of a video taken several days ago at an actual listening party. Was this the plan all along … or did their listening-party planner listen in on the wrong party’s plans? [Breeder’s Digest]

The Smashing Pumpkins are suing former record label Virgin over use of their music in a Pepsi promotion. For Virgin, this news must seem like a Siamese … nightmare. [Pitchfork]

Fox’s Parker Posey vehicle, The Return of Jezebel James, gets yanked from the air owing to low ratings. We guess that's one Parker that won't be posing anymore. [PopWatch]

Defamer is attempting to lure John Hughes out of seclusion by collecting questions from avid fans. Our question: Is "Blaine" actually, in fact, a major appliance? Here's hoping that the John Hughes Challenge works, and that Hughes hasn't disappeared ... without a trace! [Defamer]

Wait, we did that wrong.

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:45 pm

Amy Sacco Could Have Told You Eliot Spitzer Was a Lying No-Goodnik

“I always knew Spitzer was a crook, and I hated everyone telling me that he was such a great guy," Amy Sacco told us at the Cinema Society screening of Flawless. “You know why? Because when I met him, his energy was horrible," she added, and then revealed the mysterious key to getting into her exclusive club, Bungalow 8. “That’s how I do my door," Sacco told us. “I can tell someone has energy or not based on the way that I can feel it.” Sacco says that’s also how she decides who she’ll do business with, and even whether she likes a person. And while she says her gut is not 100 percent right, she never liked Spitzer. “He gave me an ill feeling; there was a certain essence of sleaze about him, and there you go.” If only Silda Wall had had Amy's capabilities. —Bennett Marcus

See Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Joe Pantoliano, and others at our complete coverage of last night's Flawless screening.

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:45 pm

The New Black Crowes Song Is Okay, Probably

1. The Black Crowes, "Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution" The Black Crowes were on Leno Friday, and though we haven't seen the performance, we'd give it two and a half stars. [Culture Bully]

2. The Raconteurs, "Top Yourself"
We really appreciate all the effort that Jack White and iTunes put in to making sure this album leaked super-early. It sounds good! [Frequenze Indipendenti]

3. The Walkmen, "Passin' Through"
Leonard Cohen is about to go on his first tour in a zillion years, but this Walkmen cover recorded for Daytrotter sounds more like the original that the man himself will probably be able to manage. [Daytrotter]

4. Paper Route Gangstaz, "Bama Gettin' Money (Diplo Remix)"
The PRGz drop references to Super Fly Snuka and Diplo uses a big sample from "Careless Whisper," and suddenly it's 1984 again, except way more gangsta. [Gorilla vs. Bear]

5. Cakewhole, "Stab You"
We don't speak fluent Australian, but we're pretty sure that lyrics like "so meet my knife, it's also my wife" and "we're cakehole and we'll swallow you mole" don't make sense in any language. On the other hand, they're pretty clear about how much they want to stab you. [Who the Bloody Hell Are They?]
—Ehren Gresehover

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:15 pm

Dakota Fanning Apparently Not Too Young for Obsolescence

Yesterday MTV's Movie Blog raised a question we can honestly say we haven't thought of before: "Who's the Next Dakota Fanning?" And now that we've had time to think it over, we have a thoughtful, well-reasoned response: What? The child —yes, child — is 14. What's next, folks? You know, that baby was really realistic in Knocked Up. Who's the next Baby From Knocked Up ? (The one from Juno, obviously.)

The piece points to the movie Hounddog and its controversial rape scene as the beginning of the end for Fanning, and pits Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin and Sleepwalking's AnnaSophia Robb in a battle for, essentially, America's Next Top Dakota Fanning. So first of all, according to IMDb, Fanning has five movies in postproduction. Second of all, even if the starlet did disappear from the Hollywood scene (again, she's 14, so take "scene" as you will), we're giving credit to Amy Poehler's brilliant and hilarious The Dakota Fanning Show. Maybe the sophisticated little actress watched that and realized she needed a break and, you know, a childhood.

Of course, covering its bases, the article concedes that perhaps Dakota Fanning will actually be the next Dakota Fanning. (Duh, and Mary-Louise Parker has always been Mary-Louise Parker.) But if by "Dakota Fanning," you mean "cute, precocious actress who can convey a range of emotions," well, why not look to her own little sister Elle? Now 9, she's played the 2-year-old Dakota Fanning role in I Am Sam, had parts in Babel, Reservation Road, Dirty Sexy Money, and more, and has some projects of her own in the works. (She was also supposed to appear in My Sister's Keeper with Dakota, but the elder Fanning reportedly dropped out to avoid shaving her head.) Seriously, the girl is everywhere. So if you really must ask, MTV, here's the real question: Who is the next Elle Fanning? —Lori Fradkin

Who's the Next Dakota Fanning? [MTV.com]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:00 pm

Airline Travelers’ Bill of Rights Overturned on Appeal. You Will Stay in Your Seat and Like It, Hear?

We should all just go back to riding around on donkeys, honestly. A New York appellate court has rejected the state's right to penalize airlines for not giving enough fresh air or water to passengers stuck on the tarmac for more than three hours. Also rejected? Mandatory working restrooms and power. Does anyone remember the days when flying was glamorous and flight attendants had stylish lives everyone envied? Did anyone watch Catch Me If You Can with an anthropological curiosity appropriate to studying oh, say, the Mayans? Nowadays most people would rather test out their caskets than sit in the middle seat in coach. Hey, at least you'd have it to yourself — no halitosis-ridden blabbermouth on your left or teensy-bladdered prima donna on your right. Can you tell we're not exactly enamored of air travel? (Once they stopped giving us wings pins, we just lost heart.) There is actually a rationale behind today's decision to kill the passengers' bill of rights, upheld earlier by a federal judge, but it's just sort of silly.

The airlines are federally regulated, and they'd like it to stay that way, worrying that a "patchwork of laws by states and localities would be impractical and harmful to consumer interests," according to the Air Transport Association.

It's not hard to see the potential headache were individual states allowed to make up their own rules about air travel minutiae like flight-attendant fashion or beverage choice ("This is your captain speaking, we're flying over Provo, Utah, please dump your Bloody Marys, ladies and gentlemen — toot sweet.")

In its decision today, the court wrote that “If New York’s view regarding the scope of its regulatory authority carried the day, another state could be free to enact a law prohibiting the service of soda on flights departing from its airports, while another could require allergen-free food options on its outbound flights, unraveling the centralized federal framework for air travel."

We're pretty sure soda and allergen-free food options couldn't bring down the airline industry or the constitution. Regardless, can't we all find some common ground on water and bathrooms? Even Federalists have to pee. —Maggie Shnayerson

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:00 pm

Proctor & Gamble to Buy Out Fekkai; DIY Breast-Milk Soap

HAIR • Proctor & Gamble will buy out Frédéric Fekkai & Co., the luxury hair-care product line, in an effort to boost luxury in their products repertoire. [WWD]

MAKEUP
• Fergie remixed her song “Glamourous” for M.A.C. It's called “Viva Glamourous” and available for legal download starting today. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the fight against AIDS. [Cosmetic News]

• Crazy Rumors released twelve new beverage-inspired lip balms for soothing chapped lips. The Coffee Lover’s Collection includes amaretto and Irish cream, while the Brew Tea Balms include spiced chai and plum apricot. Sounds delicious. [Spoiled Pretty]

SKIN
• Hey breast-feeders, did you know you can make soap out of that breast milk? Start by freezing at least six cups. Oh, and "be aware of biohazards." [Beauty Brains]

• Leighton Meester of Gossip Girl uses Freeze 24/7, which looks like a portable USB port but actually zaps away lines for glowing skin. [Daily Obsession]

NAILS
• FYI: Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a bad odor that's also an embalming fluid. It's found in most nail polishes that help prevent chipping and harden nails. So don’t take a huge whiff when you polish, because that’s really bad for you. [BellaSugar]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:55 pm

Heatherette: Fashion Is Like a Frolicking Unicorn

In between digging up our best glitter eye shadow and glossiest lip goo in preparation for tonight's launch party for the Heatherette M.A.C makeup line, we did a little research so we'd be ready with any makeup questions and comments. And then we stumbled across an awesomely amazing video on the M.A.C Website. It captures Heatherette designers Traver Rains and Richie Rich gliding past the camera in slow motion with a ray of light reflecting off their sparkling hats. Rich says, "Fashion is like a disco ball, it's like magic, it's like a unicorn running through the forest." Then Heatherette model Amanda Lepore pops up to say she spends 45 minutes a day on her makeup, but "it's natural to me." And then, just as we were quickly writing about this phantasmagorical video so that we might share with you what we had seen, the video was taken down! Poof — just like that, gone, as if it had never existed. Was it a dream? A hallucination? No! We know what we saw, and we know tonight is going to be more special than a minotaur covered in glitter and puffy paint.

Site of the Missing Heatherette Video [M.A.C Cosmetics]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:30 pm

Hillary Clinton Needs a Better Comeback for That Greenspan Line

Hillary Clinton's idea of creating a federal "emergency group" of advisers like Robert Rubin and Alan Greenspan, who would deal with the mortgage crisis, was barely out of her mouth before everyone started jumping down her throat: Why Rubin? They wanted to know asked. Didn't he spend the past year advising Citigroup into the ground? And why, of all people, Greenspan? Isn't he the one who created the credit bubble that led us into this mess in the first place? But wait, we said to ourselves. Hold up. This is Hillary Clinton. Surely she will have a line of argument prepared to defend this controversial plan. Surely she will say something to deftly deflect the criticism. Because Hillary is nothing if not prepared, right?

Remember all that time we spent complaining that she was "too rehearsed"?

Well. Apparently that's not the case anymore, because when the Philadelphia Daily News asked Clinton yesterday why she would pick Greenspan to do this job, she said she didn't know. It was like, she just knew his name and that he had something to do with the economy and thought that, you know, it sounded kind of presidential.

"He has a calming influence still to this day on Wall Street — don't ask me why because I never understand what he's saying — but nevertheless people respond to that Delphic oracle approach. I think it would be wise to include him. And recently he's come out, and very smartly so, that we have to deal with housing and maybe we need to have some kind of buyout mechanism for mortgages. So he's moved on his understanding and depth of the problem — but you know you could pick three others. You just have to have some demonstrable involvement of presidential leadership."

Oh, cool, we can pick three others? How about Angelo Mozilo, Chuck Prince, and Stan O'Neal? They all know a little something about high-risk mortgages. Crikey, lady.

Clinton's "Delphic oracle" Alan Greenspan [Attytood]

UPDATE: This post has been corrected from the previous version, which incorrectly stated that Clinton suggested Rick Rubin for her economic emergency group. While many have pinned their hopes on the bearded music producer save the recording industry, Clinton understands that expecting him to handle the mortgage crisis as well would be asking a little too much.

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:15 pm

Commenter Confirms: Aretha Franklin's Son Not a Great Rapper

Yesterday we speculated that Kecalf Cunningham, Aretha Franklin's Christian-rapping son, may be even worse than most Christian rappers and rapping sons. We asked our readers to write in with some of his rhymes, vowing to record and post our own Christian raps if they didn't. It was a threat so terrifying that one commenter actually did check in to drop three pieces of Kecalf Cunningham science. So how were they?

•"Devil can get to steppin' / I'm fillin' in all the cracks he stepped in."

Not bad, actually.

•"We trying to raise the riggedy roof from the basement."

Roof-raising reference a bit dated; also, confirms our suspicion that the 37-year-old would spice his flow with Sugar Hill Gang–style rappity bappities.

•"I'm not tryin to make ya'll dance / I want you to sit there and advance."

That's bad rapping and bad marketing. What is this, the Footloose town?

So, looks like our shit-talking based on assumptions and stereotypes turned out to be justified. Thanks to user "loveisdope" for the tip, and don't think this means those Vulture rhymes aren't still comin' at y'all! —Ben Mathis-Lilley

Earlier: Just How Bad of a Rapper Is Aretha Franklin's Son?

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:15 pm

Test-drive: Loeffler Randall for Target

Contrary to popular belief, we do not have closets of borrowed accessories waiting to be worn out for a night or two. No Loubs for that special dinner. And that MJ bag? Forget it. And though we've been begging for a wardrobe allowance, the powers that be just haven't coughed it up. So we do what any self-respecting (and broke) fashion eds do: We hit up Target's GO lines.

Alas, oftentimes when we open the boxes, we're totally let down. The little photos on Target's Website aren't always representative of what you get, and we sometimes end up with something that doesn't look like it cost $30. Or worse yet, we find ourselves in possession of pants that won't get past our hips though they swear they're a size 6. And with our boobs, we're not even sure we want to try Jovovich-Hawk. So with fingers crossed we ordered a Loeffler Randall cream tote and black patent cinch flats. The reader reviews said the bag smelled funky, so we weren't sure what we'd end up with.

But here's where we get all service-y: The bag rocks. We won't lie — it totally smells weird. It's made from polyurethane and your seatmates on the train will be well aware of that fact. But it's cute, roomy, and not pricey. In fact, it looks moderately expensive, and the gold lining kind of made our day. We just need to figure out how to de-scent it and we'll be rocking it tomorrow. And the flats? Very Loeffler Randall (though on the narrow side, so order up a half size if you've got wide feet). Ladies, we can proudly say that we scored this time. And now we wait for Botkier… —Amina Akhtar

Related: This Just In: Botkier for Target

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:00 pm

Recap: ‘The Hills’ Returns, Earth Resumes Its Rotation

…And we're back! After interminable months of waiting, we are reunited with our darling Lauren Conrad as she's set off for Paris, leaving behind a fragile "relationship" with boy toy Brody for a few days across the pond. But before we can find out what happens next to the impossibly silly, skinny girls of The Hills, we must first deal with MTV's especially hype-y preshow. Lauren, Audrina, and Whitney walk onto the MTV stage to introduce the actual premiere; this is the most we'll see of poor Audrina, who gets NO face time this episode. "Thanks for partying with us!" she yells. As usual, she looks confused. Is that my old friend Sean Kingston? she thinks. Why no, no, it's not, it's freaking Mariah Carey, here to co-host The Hills party. Awesome! Inexplicable, but awesome! Mariah says she's a big Hills fan, which is funny, because we saw a TMZ video in which she says she's never seen the show. Whatever, The Hills are not about details.

On to the actual show. First, in Paris:

We're in the thick of Lauren and Whitney's French adventure, which is "about to change everything." We didn't realize that this trip is only one week. That is a short amount of time to "change everything," and also a short amount of time to be carrying the shitload of luggage these two are toting. But there are lots of French things to look at: ­­bridges, bicycles, the Eiffel Tower­­!

As the girls are ostensibly in town to cover the Crillion Ball for Teen Vogue, they immediately find out they're supposed to pick up shoes from Colette for a photo shoot and then get their own ball gowns from Alberta Ferretti. Lauren pronounces Givenchy "Give-in-She," and we laugh and laugh. Don't you want to work in fashion, L.C.? Their driver, who is so very français, corrects her. He might be snarling; difficult to tell. Of course, Lauren decides they HAVE to get the ball gowns first (which are, admittedly, very pretty), and by the time they get to Colette, it's closed. Aha! Lauren always messes stuff like this up; we wonder why they don't just fire her…?

Lauren gets a phone call from Audrina, conveniently timed mid-shoot to tell her that Brody, in the course of two days, has gotten himself a new girlfriend. See, Lauren really did lose the guy by going to Paris … FOR ONE WEEK. God, these kids move fast. Fast on the rebound, the girls go to a bar to meet some rock guys from a band called­­ lamely­­ Rock n' Roll. Not surprisingly, they're all pretty lame, especially Mathias, who has clearly been hired to have eye-sex with Lauren. The girls decide to meet the band at a very "fancy" club, but Lauren has nothing but pencil skirts packed! Tragedy! So, in a move WE'RE SURE was of her own accord, she hems her Ferretti ball gown into a cocktail dress and wears it to the club. It looks kind of cute.

The next day is the ball, and while Lauren's getting ready, she realizes her dress has a huge orange stain on it. But it's not from the club — it's actually from her curling iron. That's right: She didn't screw up the massively expensive gown by trying to hem it, or by wearing it to la discothèque. No, she messed it up by hanging it up right next to her trusty Conair, and the gown got burned. HILARITY. Our heroine is near tears, but by making sidekick Whitney (yep, she's still around) call the dress store for her, Lauren is able to get a new Ferretti dress just in time for the ball. She leaves early and goes riding around with Mathias on his Vespa in the drizzling rain. Très romantique! It's light out when he brings her back to the hotel, which could be the result of either a very late night or very poor editing.

So, how did Paris change everything? "After witnessing all the couture," Whitney decides she wants out of Teen Vogue. And Lauren maybe broke a nail or something? Unclear.

Meanwhile, in Colorado:

Heidi's been hiding out from Spencer at her parents' house in Crested Butte and skiing with her mom, who is a very bad actress. Mom would love to see Heidi "starting fresh" and dumping Spencer's manipulative ass, and Heidi purses her INSANELY PLUMPED-UP lips in contemplation. Heidi needs to stop with the plastic surgery, stat. She resembles this doll once had; its hard head was too creepy to look at and so it was best used as a weapon (apologies to our younger sister). Spencer's very sad in his dirty apartment in L.A., and after his evil twin, Stephanie, counsels him to give Heidi space, Spencer decides to drive to Colorado to get her back. Smart move, McDoucherton. Spencer and Heidi have a dramatic reunion: She doesn't really say anything and he just looks mean, as always. Then they fight about breaking up in front of her parents. We are embarrassed for everyone involved in this situation, except for Spencer and Heidi. And her parents. Spencer wants Heidi back, Heidi wants her space, and Spencer calls her "delusional." Spencer ends up going home, sans Heidi. And they all live happily ever after.

And now, our Unequivocal Hills Reality Index, wherein we evaluate the most real and staged moments of the show.

As Real As Lauren Is Awkward
• Eduourdo, the weirdo ball escort. "Do you surf?" he asks Lauren. Ha-ha. Ha. That guy is totally genuine.
• Mariah Carey's story about burning her hair off with a curling iron. Well, duh. That probably shouldn't count, but needed mentioning.
• Whitney's getting nauseous after she and Lauren can't pick up the shoes. "I feel pukey!" she says, making gagging noises. This is the most un-robotlike we¹ve ever seen Whitney act.

More Fake Than Audrina's Boobs
• Audrina's phone call to Lauren, which was definitely read from a script. But she can't really read, which is what makes it tragic.
• Spencer's "surprise" visit. If it were a surprise, why were there cameras outside, waiting for him to arrive? Heidi's dad's delivery of, "What the heck are you doing here?" should win him a Razzie.
• Lauren's dress just happens to get burned? We swear we saw an MTV PA sneaking out of that room, hysterically laughing.
—Emma Rosenblum

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 8:45 pm

Is HBO on Its Way Back?

Sure, John From Cincinnati sucked. Sure, after we went crazy for the pilot of In Treatment, we never watched another episode, like everyone else except for those crazy fans the Times dug up. Sure, the only good shows left on HBO are Big Love and Flight of the Conchords, and we can't even agree about Flight of the Conchords. Sure, the network just dumped Carolyn Strauss, the programming exec most responsible for HBO's biggest hits. But is it possible that HBO, rather than being on its last legs, might actually be at the beginning of a revival? We think so!

For whatever reason, since the departure of Strauss, the network has made a couple of canny moves and watched as its next big series has passed its first real test in the marketplace. Most importantly, though, the network has announced the series that we think just might save it: Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl.

We know that the book, based on Tracy Quan's Salon.com dispatches, only sort of followed through on its promise. It was neither as sexy nor as revelatory as we hoped, and sacrificed a keen sociological eye for soapy plot. On TV, though, we'd much rather have the soapy plot, and that's why we're glad that Darren Star is signed on to produce. We think this show is perfectly aligned at the nexus of money, sex, vice, and power, and is therefore perhaps the platonic ideal of an HBO show.

Meanwhile, since Strauss's departure, the channel has also green-lit such smart ideas as a new show from the Mr. Show guys and a remake of the awesome-sounding British series Suburban Shootout. Meanwhile, John Adams is getting the best ratings for any HBO mini-series in years. And even as the network (and everyone) mourns the death of Anthony Minghella, the pilot he shot for HBO's potentially fantastic The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency has garnered great ratings in its BBC premiere.

HBO has suffered mightily as its best shows shut down and other cable networks — Showtime, FX, even SciFi — began airing the kinds of daring series that used to be HBO's sole domain. Here's hoping the smart people at the pay network get back on track, because when HBO's good, there's never been anyone better…even way back in 1983.

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 8:45 pm

A Biggie Biopic Grows in Brooklyn

Bedford-Stuyvesant: The Kodachrome Building — you know, that crazy new condo building on Spencer Street with the Mondrian-like color blocks? It's going rental. [Brownstoner]
Clinton Hill: Notorious, the biopic of the late, Brooklyn-raised rapper Notorious B.I.G, has taken over the neighborhood. [Clinton Hill]
Carroll Gardens: Someone's been found dead in an apartment on Carroll Street! Was it murder? [ Gowanus Lounge]

Norwood: Anna Rogovin, 91, an old-timer in this part of the Bronx, is doing well and chatting up a storm from her hospital bed after being hit by a truck and having both legs amputated. You go, girl! [West Bronx Blog]
Prospect Heights: Here and elsewhere in Brooklyn, Obama graffiti murals are popping up. The audacity of … spray paint? [Gothamist]
Turtle Bay: Were these roomies whose crib was crushed by the big crane robbed of $30,000 or $80,000 worth of electronics and jewelry? We'll say this: Cost of not being home during the crash? Priceless. [Gothamist]
Williamsburg: Some property owners oppose plans to cap building heights around Grand Street to four floors, saying they should go as high as seven. [NYP via Curbed]

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 8:30 pm

Artist Lady Pink Redefines ‘Statuesque’

Lady Pink is perhaps best known for painting New York’s subways pink in the early eighties. Her lush new works, in which women are buildings (or even whole universes), make us wonder: If this country were to vote in its first woman president, would it also consider a redo on Lady Liberty — and let Lady Pink loose? Imagine! A hefty collection of Lady Pink's paintings on canvas and wood are on view at Ad Hoc Gallery in East Williamsburg through April 20, alongside similarly street-fierce works by Tokyo artist Aiko. The show will pull any waning feminist into line. —Emma Pearse

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 8:00 pm

Yankees’ New Monument Park Hints at Another Retired Number

When we first saw the photo of the new Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park last week, we were bummed to learn that it has been moved from its quirky current home in left–center field to a charmless spot underneath the restaurant, in the center-field batter’s eye. But after seeing the photo again on Curbed today, we noticed something much more uplifting: To the right of the number 42 — which was added to park last season to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut — there’s another plaque! Might we presume it's for another retired number the Yankees are expecting to add by 2009? It likely won’t be Paul O’Neill’s number 21, which the Yankees issued to Morgan Ensberg this spring after having kept the digits out of circulation for the past six seasons. And though Joe Torre’s number 6 will surely be retired eventually, it won’t be this season, since he’ll be managing the Dodgers. So since we’re sure nothing in this photo was left to chance, we’ll take this to be confirmation that Bernie Williams’s number 51 will be retired this summer. The Yankees have hinted in recent months that they would do something for Williams, though new boss Hank Steinbrenner has kept any details quiet, saying only, “Obviously, Bernie is special to us.” We just hope Bernie finds out without needing a magnifying glass. —Joe DeLessio

Image Gallery — Yankees Premium Offerings [New York Yankees]
Glam Slam: Yankees Show Off New Stadium's Bling [Curbed]

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:45 pm

Men's-Only J.Crew to Open in Tribeca

Not content to rule just the gingham-dress and mix-and-match-bikini realm, J.Crew is invading Tribeca. Specifically, the old Liquor Store space. What, you were hoping a bar would open there? Ha, no. “We loved the space,” J.Crew's CEO Millard Drexler told DNR. “It has a lot of soul. We were looking and we found this very cool spot.” And? This won't be any old J.Crew. They're keeping the bar intact because it's a "fun thing," and the joint will be a special men's-only store.

We’re going to have fun communicating the kind of men’s clothes that we’re designing and selling.” It will carry a “highly edited” assortment of “the best-of-the-best” of the J. Crew men’s collection, including “all our special goods and more novelty items,” Drexler said. That will include the company’s Collector’s Items, its upscale, limited-edition pieces, as well as items on its “Always List,” must-haves that every man should own. For spring, the list includes broken-in T’s, cotton/cashmere cardigans, madras ties and lightweight chinos.

We won't say what this reminds us of exactly, since we haven't seen the store yet — but let's say it's not quite the first of its kind in the neighborhood. There just might be a little turf war come May or June when the new Crew opens its doors.

If you're having trouble imaging the bar-as-retail thing, we peeked inside yesterday. Concrete imagery after the jump.

—Amina Akhtar

J. Crew’s Men’s Store A “Gallery” For Brand

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:25 pm

How Fanboys (Sort Of) Saved ‘Fanboys’ From Harvey Weinstein

It's a situation eerily similar to the way the Rebellion achieved galactic victory by discovering that the Empire’s muffler ports had not been properly secured against proton torpedoes (stupid contractors). Star Wars–philes upset that Harvey Weinstein had reshot portions of the upcoming Star Wars–phile comedy Fanboys got the production giant to promise to release an unaltered version. Well, on DVD, anyway.

How did the fanboys (sort of) save Fanboys? By declaring an Internet-organized boycott of the Weinstein Company's Superhero Movie this weekend. Although that seems on the face of things the least threatening boycott ever — given the potentially meager audiences for Superhero Movie in the first place — it makes a certain kind of sense.

Fanboys is about four Star Wars fans who scheme to sneak onto George Lucas’s property in order to sneak a look at The Phantom Menace; one of the gang has cancer, lending the whole affair a last-waltz feel (at least before Weinstein Co. interceded). Superhero Movie is an assembly-line, crotch-humor-based spoof of Spider-Man/X-Men/etc. that therefore counts the comic-book/fantasy/Star Wars geek population as a target audience. So, if an Internet boycott were ever to work, it would be this one.

It’s odd, though, to think that the whole fracas is about putting a plot thread about cancer back into Fanboys in order to make it the shaded dramedy it was apparently intended to be. Put another way, America’s sci-fi geeks are striking for the cause of emotional subtlety and artistic integrity… and if they get what they want, they’ll see Superhero Movie. But such is the nature of compromise, we suppose, and lo, such is the nature of [blogger gets hit in nuts by generic, non-trademark-infringing supervillain]. —Ben Mathis-Lilley

Fans press Weinstein on 'Fanboys' [HR]

Note: "On the other hand, Harvey optioned Wolf Boy, so he's okay in our book!"

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:15 pm

George Michael

British singer George Michael, seen here in 2007, will tour the United States for the first time in 17 years from June, according to a schedule announced on his website.
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:14 pm

Injured singer's future uncertain

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:11 pm

Woody Allen

Film director Woody Allen plays a clarinet with his New Orleans Jazz Band at Liceu Theatre in Barcelona in January 2008. Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band will appear for the first time at the Montreal...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:11 pm

The megatelescope at the Cerro Paranal observatory

The megatelescope at the Cerro Paranal observatory, 1,000 km (620 miles) north of Santiago. Key scenes from "Quantum of Solace" are being shot at Cerro Paranal, the 2,600-metre (8,450-feet) -high mountain...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:06 pm

Playwright Itamar Moses May Have the World's Largest Private Collection of Dinosaur Art

Name: Itamar Moses
Age: 30
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Occupation: Playwright, The Four of Us, about two writers, one of whom becomes wildly successful and is totally Jonathan Safran Foer and one of whom may be Itamar. It's opening tonight at the Manhattan Theatre Club.

Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Does Batman count? "Gotham" is basically New York, right? If so, then Batman. If not, then Jennifer Connolly. I saw her in my neighborhood once, and it changed my life.

What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
That's tough. But the chef's special rolls at Yamato Sushi on Seventh Avenue in Brooklyn are incredible.

In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I write for a few hours first thing in the morning, before I shower even, wearing clothes from the previous day, so that I can get as much done as possible before my brain turns on and stops me, by filling with doubt, brooding about the past, or coming up with ideas for things I can do with the rest of my day; I spend the rest of my day doing those things.

Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
What's a "salary"?

What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
Just in the last two weeks I saw Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Come Back Little Sheba, and Rock 'n' Roll. This was a fluke. I lucked into a string of free tickets.

Do you give money to panhandlers?
Sometimes. Mainly the ones around where I live because of the strange way in which I feel that I "know" them.

What's your drink?
Jameson. Rocks. Is that the right answer?

How often do you prepare your own meals?
Shamefully rarely, given how great the kitchen is in the house where I live. More often when I travel, to rehearse a play out of town, for some reason. Maybe because the food is worse everywhere else.

What's your favorite medication?
This is a really weird question that says more about your magazine than my answer could possibly say about me. But when I had all four wisdom teeth removed, I was on Vicodin for a few days. That's a feeling I've been trying to recapture ever since. And when I get a cold I get excited to take Sudafed because it's basically speed. Then I lie still, feeling my heart beating in my lips.

What's hanging above your sofa?
There are actually three sofas in my living room. One of my housemates is, among other things, a freelance paleontological illustrator, which means he draws dinosaurs, so over two of the sofas are enormous framed pencil drawings of dinosaurs. Over the third sofa are three paintings he did of a park in New Haven, Connecticut. Above which are several more framed drawings of dinosaurs. They're actually everywhere. I am not joking. I'd be willing to bet that my house contains the largest private collection of dinosaur art in the world. For what possible reason would anyone have more?

How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
I never spend more than $50, but you'd have to look at my hair to determine if that really answers your question.

When's bedtime?
This is a good barometer of my psychological health. If things are good, then like 11:30 maybe. If things are not so good, then, pointlessly, 2 a.m., as though I'm waiting for something else to happen that day that will earn me my sleep, and it never does.

Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
I moved to New York in 1999, so I don't think I'm qualified to judge. I avoid the new Times Square whenever possible, but I think I might have avoided the old one, too, if for different reasons.

What do you think of Donald Trump?
I like him. He has a sense of humor about himself. I mean, right? He does, right? I'm not projecting that, am I? Because otherwise he's just insane.

What do you hate most about living in New York?
The knowledge that, because it is impossible to conquer New York, you either have to die here or leave defeated. You cannot leave in triumph. Or, I mean, maybe you can, if you reach some kind of "emotional maturity," but good luck with that, everybody.

Who is your mortal enemy?
And give them a heads-up? Please. They will never see me coming.

When's the last time you drove a car?
When I went to see my parents in California over the holidays. I love driving. There. I hate it here.

Who should be the next president?
Probably someone who could never get elected, like Joseph Biden. Have you ever seen that guy yelling at generals about torture? I want a president who is as apoplectically outraged as I am about the last eight years. Though I also understand why that's maybe not constructive.

Times, Post, or Daily News?
Times. Except when I'm waiting for my food late at night in the 24-hour diner on my corner, and the Post and the News are lying around. Then I like to look at the covers and see how they came up with headlines to make exactly the same story mean opposite things. Incidentally, they don't seem to have senses of humor about themselves.

Where do you go to be alone?
I'm alone pretty much all day, usually asking myself, "Where do I go not to be alone?"

What makes someone a New Yorker?
I guess being here with no return ticket, so to speak. Departure not anywhere on the calendar. I mean, the same thing that makes someone anything: committing to it. That, or having been born here. Then you're a New Yorker no matter where you go.

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:00 pm

Danny Boon

French actor Danny Boon is seen in 2007. A French comedy debunking stereotypes about the country's bleak north is breaking box office records, becoming the second biggest all-time hit in cinemas, Pathe...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 25 Mar 2008 | 6:53 pm

‘Scrubs’ Moving to ABC?

E! Online's Watch With Kristin blog is reporting that Scrubs will move to ABC for the 2008–2009 season. The show's future has been in doubt for some time at NBC, and producers were looking for another home on the likelihood that the network wouldn't renew it. But more episodes are filming now, says Kristin, and "word around town is that ABC is inches away from closing the deal."

So first How I Met Your Mother turns into Scrubs, and now the actual Scrubs is getting another year. We guess we don't hate the show or anything — any program that ensures the continued employment of John C. McGinley can't be all bad — but seriously, if this winds up being the final nail in Cavemen's coffin, we're gonna be pissed. And if Steve McPherson really wanted to stick it to his rival, Ben Silverman, shouldn't he steal a show that Silverman actually likes?

Source: Definitely ABC for Scrubs [E!]

Earlier: ‘How I Met Your Mother’: Does It Feel Braffy in Here?

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 6:30 pm

Katie Couric Goes There With Larry King

MEDIA
• Fox is refusing to pay a $91,000 FCC-imposed fine for a 2003 broadcast of Married by America that featured footage of strippers at bachelor and bachelorette parties. Has the FCC never seen The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll? Or, you know, TV? [Bloomberg]
• Katie Couric snaps an unsuspecting Larry King's suspenders. [WWD]

FINANCE
• The Federal Reserve's PDAs with Wall Street are making some people uncomfortable. [Business Week]
• JPMorgan Chase made a whopping $1.36 billion on Visa's IPO. "It's hard to raise that kind of cash in today's market," an analyst said. [CNN]
• More than 20,000 more layoffs are expected in New York financial sectors — not including at Bear Stearns. [DealBook/NYT]

LAW
• The Justice Department approved the Sirus-XM satellite-radio merger. That means Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, Judith Regan, and the Rolling Stones will now be mixing and mingling with Oprah. [NYO]
• Did the JPMorgan lawyers screw up the Bear Stearns deal? [WSJ]
• Milberg LLP's co-founder Melvyn Weiss faces 33 months in prison and a $10 million fine after pleading guilty to a kickback scheme. [Fortune]

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 6:28 pm

Vaclav Havel

Former Czech President Vaclav Havel, seen here in 2007, will premier his new play on May 22 at Archa theatre in Prague, local media reported Tuesday.
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 25 Mar 2008 | 6:15 pm

Magazines Take a Walk on the Wild Side

During hectic Fashion Weeks, the shows turn into zoos, with editors clawing their way to seats and publicists grunting at the top of their lungs. Turns out so do the pages of current high-fashion glossies. Wearing Comme des Garçons and Dries Van Noten, Guinevere Van Seenus accessorizes with a monkey in April’s French Vogue. In March’s Italian Vogue, Bruce Weber captures Natalia Vodianova in Chanel couture sweetly cuddling a lamb. Most daring of all, Behati Prinsloo visits her native continent, Africa, to face off with a gazelle, in nothing less than a Dolce & Gabbana dress and Dean Harris jewelry. So, ladies, cancel your dog walkers, don your finest couture, and hit the streets. —Kendall Herbst

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 6:15 pm

Antonio Negret

Director Antonio Negret attends the premiere of "Towards Darkness" in 2007. The horrors of Colombia's kidnapping epidemic are the subject of a new film by Negret, who has tragic first-hand experience of...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 25 Mar 2008 | 6:09 pm

Panic at the Disco's Secret Influences

From the Beatles to Alice in Wonderland to Fellini, the cultural inspirations that make up the band's sound and vision The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band In case the marching band costumes in the video for "Nine in the Afternoon" didn't give it away, the sounds on Panic's second disc draw heavily on the harmonies, horns and psychedelic narrative concepts that are staples on Sgt. Pepper. "In the past couple of years we were listening to stuff that was a little bit different than what we were on the first record, and the Beatles would be an example of that," drummer Spencer Smith explained to...

Source: Rolling Stone: Features | 25 Mar 2008 | 5:56 pm

Medical-Examiner Report Shows Male Blood in Linda Stein's House, According to Defense

We know drama, so here's some about the crazy made-for-TV Linda Stein murder case. A new report was issued by the medical examiner's office showing that blood belonging to a male was found in Stein's bathroom sink, along with that of her assistant, Natavia Lowery, who is being held without bail on charges that she bludgeoned her boss to death with a bat in October. Phew! The report was released to the public by Lowery's defense team — the district attorney's office is characterizing the new evidence as a "tiny speck of blood," according to ABC News. Bottom line? Not enough evidence yet to suggest a mystery man was involved in Stein's death or to exonerate Lowery, but it's certainly enough to make the Law & Order sound! Play to your heart's content and be warned that we may start appending the audio to just about anything we please. —Maggie Shnayerson

Related: Death of a Broker [NYM]

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 5:50 pm

Heidi Klum to Wear Christian Siriano on German TV

Last week we learned Project Runway winner Christian Siriano fit Heidi Klum for some outfits. We figured she did it just so she could be a goody-two-shoes hostess and say she supports her winners. In the past she's been fitted for — and not worn — Project Runway winners' designs (cough, cough Jay McCarroll). So we did a little digging to find out if this was a setup for another fit and ditch. Klum's rep assured us it's not. So where will Klum don these outfits of whimsy? The faraway magical land of Germany, of course! She'll be all Christianed out while hosting Germany's Next Top Model. "She took some pants and dresses from the collection he brought with him and ordered some additional looks," a rep explained. We wonder if they're planning on doing any challenges over there inspired by Christian's final collection with pirate or bird themes. It's times like these we really wished we understood German. — Bennett Marcus

Related: Christian Siriano Dresses Heidi Klum, Dates a Brooklynite

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 5:50 pm

Online Miss Bimbo Game Promotes Anorexia, Angers Brits

Miss Bimbo is an online game that allows girls ages 9 to 16 to compete to become top "bimbo." We're not joking. Members register for free on the site and are given a simulated "bimbo" to care for. The London Times reports:

Players keep a constant watch on the weight, wardrobe, wealth and happiness of their character to create “the coolest, richest and most famous bimbo in the world”. Competing against other children they earn “bimbo dollars” to buy plastic surgery, diet pills, facelifts, lingerie and fashionable nightclub outfits.

So in case there was any doubt, Paris Hilton & Co. have in fact infiltrated the under-12 age bracket, proving that putting them on the covers of teen magazines was probably a bad idea. Shocking, we know. Founded by Nicholas Jacquart, Miss Bimbo began in France where it's racked up 1.2 million players. Jacquart recently moved to London and established a company that pimps the site in the U.K., where he's attracted 200,000 members, upsetting people left and right. “This is as lethal as pro-anorexia Websites. A lot of children will get caught up with the extremely damaging and appalling messages,” said a doctor who treats girls ages 8 to 18 with eating disorders.

Since it's free and we're well past the impressionable age of 16, we registered on Miss Bimbo to assess its awfulness. First, the site's hella slow and they forgot to translate some bits from French to English. Also, though registration requires a parent's e-mail, our "parents" got no confirmation while the Cut did.

When we logged in for the first time, our cartoon Barbie-esque bimbo appeared in a bra and panties. We're told we have to feed her to keep her alive. We're also told our target weight is 127 (we start at 127.6) and our first "goal" is to "change [our] drab hairstyle to become a popular blonde with cool pigtails." Our happiness is at 99 percent, but as Wall Street is proving these days, what's up must come down. We'll keep playing and let you know if anything pops up (or down).

Miss Bimbo website promotes extreme diets and surgery to 9-year-olds [Times UK]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 25 Mar 2008 | 5:05 pm

Hillary Clinton's Phantom Snipers Have Excellent Aim, Threaten to Assassinate Her Campaign All the Way From the Balkans

In one of the more awkward backpedals performed to date in this campaign, Hillary Clinton has been forced to admit she fudged somewhat when she said she remembered landing "under sniper fire" during a 1996 Bosnia trip. Well, that's perfectly understandable — sniper fire is so easily misinterpreted after all. "I have written about this and described in many different settings, and I did misspeak the other day,” Clinton told a Pittsburgh radio station yesterday, explaining with an overly hearty chuckle that it had "been a very long campaign. Occasionally, I am a human being like everyone else." The rest of the time she is, what, an automaton? Then to underline the point that she is not at all prone to irresponsible hyperbole, she said, "Last week, for the first time in twelve years or so, I misspoke." Hmm! To which time in particular might she be referring, last week's remarks in Washington, D.C., or the first time she mentioned the phantom snipers at a February 29 speech in Waco, Texas? It's so difficult to keep track of these things. When will candidates learn that the cover-up is nearly always more damaging than the scandal that prompted it? —Maggie Shnayerson

Source: Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine | 25 Mar 2008 | 4:50 pm

Long-running soap facing big challenges

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 4:19 pm

Man Charged With Stalking Tyra Banks Ordered to Stay Away

A man charged with stalking Tyra Banks has been ordered to stay away from the talk-show host or face going to jail.
Source: FOXNews.com | 25 Mar 2008 | 3:42 pm

Lucas: New 'Indy' Ain't No 'Star Wars'

George Lucas says the new "Indiana Jones" may not live up to fans' expectations.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 3:38 pm

Tyra Banks is Latest Star to be Stalked

Delusional perpetrators are not your run-of-the-mill stalkers.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 3:06 pm

Big man on campus: Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling has retired Harry Potter, but the fictional boy wizard lives in on college classes across the country where the children's books are embraced as literary and academic texts.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 3:03 pm

Renee Zellweger dishes in true colors

Things for Rene Zellweger are looking all rosy. Zellweger, star of the upcoming Leatherheads, exposed her true colors and dished a bit about the prom, her hair and George Clooney.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 2:45 pm

Britney's on TV, But Dad's Still in Charge

Judge: James Spears' conservatorship over his daughter's affairs is to continue.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 2:31 pm

Diddy Doesn't Dillydally With Suit

Sean Combs settled a lawsuit filed by a man who said the rapper punched him.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 2:13 pm

Denise Richards wants original name back

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 1:47 pm

Hulk Hogan Slammed Over Son's Crash

Hogan is being sued by the family of the man his son injured in a car crash.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 1:39 pm

Britney goes for laughs in flirty 'Mother' role

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 1:11 pm

Pamela Anderson's latest marriage annulled

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 12:09 pm