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Looks like there’s going to be a little more elbow room while applying that SPF 1,000 sunscreen on the beach this year. The foreclosure epidemic that's been terrorizing the rest of the country has finally spread to the Hamptons. According to the Post, in the first three months of this year, banks launched preliminary foreclosure actions against a record 120 borrowers in East Hampton and Southampton. Twenty percent of those “delinquent borrowers” (which sounds wonderfully gangster, by the way) live in homes that are worth more than $1 million. The group is mostly made up of finance types and lawyers who overextended themselves on second homes and investment properties.
Corcoran broker Susan Breitenbach says she’s been getting calls from Bear Stearns employees desperate to shed their East End homes after the company's recent collapse. One East End broker said the area was bracing for fallout from impending Wall Street layoffs. “That wave hasn't even hit yet,” he said. Before you start feeling too bad for the second-home-less, remember that they do have a whole other residence to retreat to where they can hide in shame. In the meantime, we have a spot open on our 40-person Fire Island share, if you're interested. And if you're a top. —Noelle Hancock
Life’s A Beach [NYP]
Courtesy of Warner Bros., 20th Century Fofx
"Their estimate is utterly laughable," one executive (presumably from 20th Century Fox) told Nikki Finke yesterday. Even more laughable, though, is that Ashton Kutcher's What Happens in Vegas… made an undisputed $20 million, meaning that if Warner did lie about its numbers, it was only to claim hollow victory over the movie Manohla Dargis hails as "crudely manufactured, with its graceless setups, unstable lensing and ghastly lighting." Still, we can totally see where they're coming from. A disastrous $20 million opening for a $160 million, PG-rated movie with no apparent family-targeted competition is bad enough — but to lose to Kelso? God, that would be embarrassing.
WHAT A DISASTER! 'Speed Racer' $20M Weekend Half What Warner Bros Hoped; Rival Studios Accuse WB Of Inflating #s [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
Earlier: Will ‘Speed Racer’ Fail With Flying Colors?
Forget ‘Speed Racer’: The Sport of the Future Is TypeRacing
Photo: Getty Images
Star Jones ex Al Reynolds danced with a "pretty big girl" at Home, while Sean Combs sat in the corner reading a book. Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller are asking for donations to an L.A. charity in lieu of gifts at their wedding. Robin Williams is out of rehab. Sarah Jessica Parker's perfume line will be available on the Home Shopping Network, though the actress won't be appearing on the network to hawk the scents herself. Leonardo DiCaprio and his mom rode bikes to an art showroom on 57th and Madison. Lindsay Lohan got hysterical and had to be consoled by Lauren Conrad after she got into a fight with girlfriend Sam Ronson at a club in West Hollywood. Real-estate magnate Earle Mack recently endowed a law school at this alma mater, Drexel University. Mischa Barton declared that "it's important to be healthy, have energy and be sober."
Photo: Getty Images
International expansion has proved a challenge for many American luxury brands, which must confront a patchwork of foreign regulations that they fear will hamper their business. Sometimes they are required to take on local business partners and give up some control, tricky terrain for retailers whose brand image is the core of their business.…Since Istithmar emerged as the victor in a bidding war last summer, Barneys has been more aggressive in its pursuit of hot designer exclusives and regained some of the irreverent, experimental attitude that once made the store seem so hip.
Socol brought Barneys out of bankruptcy in the nineties, helping it recover from a $100 million debt and return to profitability. His strategy included landing exclusive deals with hot up-and-coming labels like Proenza Schouler while bringing in designers like James Perse and Rag & Bone. Other Barneys exclusives — ones perhaps more indicative of the experimental attitude — include Kate Moss's line for Topshop (which never seemed that popular) and selling Rogan's Target line this weekend, which befuddled some retail analysts.
If expanding internationally has been a challenge for "many American luxury brands," we can only imagine how hard it might be to maintain Barneys' delicate balance of awesomeness abroad. Socol is largely responsible for the store we know and love; it will be interesting to see if it can maintain its cachet in his absence (though we think it can). At least Simon Doonan doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
The Chief of Barneys Is Expected to Resign [NYT]
From left, a detail of Sat'aar Darweesh's Childhood; Christopher Brownfield in Baghdad with an artist requesting anonymity.Photo: Courtesy of Christopher Brownfield
Photo: Getty Images
Whether or not you like the current administration, you have to admit we've gone through some rough times with George Bush. Which is why we always thought it would be awesome for Jenna to get married at the White House. The whole country would have gotten in on the excitement: the flowers! The dress! The cake in the shape of the Washington Monument! The puking by cousin Chad in the Rose Garden! Honestly, we would die to get married on the South Lawn, and only two people in America have had the chance to do so for the last eight years. Throw us a bone, Jenna! Babs isn't even engaged, so you were our only hope for the last decade. All weekend we were thinking: You robbed us, J-dawg.
But this morning we got up and saw all the pictures of Jenna and her new husband, Henry Hager, at the Crawford Ranch. Sure, the lake in the above photo is man-made, and yeah, it was 80 degrees down there over the weekend. But you can tell by the smile on her face that she wouldn't have had it any other way. So, fine. Congratulations, Jenna — you look lovely. And if you see Meghan McCain, let her know the pressure is on.
Photo: Getty Images
But wait! Two days before Thurman filed suit on Friday, Lancôme sued her on Wednesday because she had threatened to sue. (Kinda like dumping someone before he dumps you, we guess. Or something.) Lancôme asked a state judge to say Thurman was wrong in claiming her face was used on Canadian billboards and Asian Websites later than her contract allowed. Lancôme's lawyer says his suit will take priority in court because it was filed first. And then he stuck his tongue out and put his thumbs in his ears and made wiggly hand antlers.
Uma Thurman sues Lancôme in advertising dispute [AP/Yahoo]
Uma Thurman Sues Lancôme [WWD]
R. Kelly's Jury Selection in Child Porno Case WLTX.com - CHICAGO (AP) -- Jury selection is to continue today in R. Kelly's child pornography case in Chicago. The first session to pick a jury was held Friday morning. R. Kelly Jury Selection Begins...Finally R. Kelly trial: The key players |
STARTING TODAY
• The Patti Rose sample sale features designers like Christian Lacroix, Blumarine, Roberto Cavalli, Pucci, and more up to 75 percent off. Patti’s sales happen once a month, and they're hit-and-miss. Through 5/14. New York Genealogical Society Building, 122-126 E. 58th St., nr. Lexington Ave., ground fl. (917-533-8251); Mon. (4–7); Tues. (9–7); Wed. (9–6).
ENDING TODAY
• Underground NYC’s sale features women’s ready-to-wear from Missoni and Cynthia Steffe. Find up to 80 percent off all contemporary collections. Through 5/12. 440 Broadway, nr. Grand St.; noon–7.
• Take an extra 40 percent off already-reduced items at Bloomingdales.com, which includes shoes, handbags, and apparel. This floral clutch from Rafe New York originally retailed for $245 but is now just $88. Through 5/12.
ENDING TOMORROW
• Scoop up shoes from Butter, Tibi, Something Bleu, and Nancy Geist for below wholesale prices at this cash-only sale. Shoes that were $250 to $600 are now $100 to $140. Through 5/13. 307 Seventh Ave., nr. 27th St., Ste. 2307 (212-366-1822); Thurs., Fri., Mon., Tues. (10–7).
ONLINE
• Cotton tees, tanks, and scarves by DaftBird are an extra 15 percent off at the online boutique SwayAndCake.com. Just enter “peoplestylewatch” at checkout for the discount. Through 5/21.
Photo: Getty Images
Stoltz Goes to Battle: Eric Stoltz will star opposite Esai Morales in Sci Fi's Caprica, the Battlestar Galactica prequel. Stoltz will play Daniel Graystone, a rich engineer who, after a family disaster, uses his "technological wizardry to forever change the future of Caprica." Stoltz has been busy lately, now that he's pretty sure he can't get replaced by Michael J. Fox. [HR]
Portman Skips Brontë: Natalie Portman has left Wuthering Heights owing to scheduling conflicts (possibly an inability to learn semaphore?). Portman was one of the driving forces behind Heights, which makes her departure a little weird, like if Bush had resigned the night before we invaded Iraq. [Variety]
902102 Goes Legit: Shame on you for ever doubting it, but the CW has just given a firm series order for 902102. Not only that, but Jennie Garth will bring back Kelly Taylor as a … guidance counselor? You've come a long way from "I choose me," baby. [Reuters, Variety]
Witchblade Slicing Into Theaters: Remember Witchblade? Top Cow's comic franchise about the chick with the magic gauntlet? It was made into a show on TNT? Fans think it got canceled 'cause Yancy Butler loved drinkin'? Well, you better get excited, 'cause this puppy's coming to the big screen through a deal with Platinum Studios! Everybody crack open the bubbly! Sorry, not you, Yancy. [Variety]
MGM Gets Wet: MGM has picked up Hot Tub Time Machine, a self-explanatory comedy spec from Josh Heald. "We're always looking for ways to stand out from the rest of the pack in today's crowded marketplace, and what better way than to combine hot tub debauchery and the complications of time travel," said MGM's executive VP of production Cale Boyter, who should immediately be promoted to VP of Ridiculous Ways to Stand Out In the Marketplace. [HR]
Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein is about to get
a small return on the bank's WTC investment.Photo: Patrick McMullan
And that's exactly what seems to be happening right now. Because of egregious Port Authority delays in the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site, the city and state stand to lose $321 million that investment bank Goldman Sachs was ready to pay in rent and sales tax for the land under the $2.4 billion tower it is building nearby. The Daily News' I-Team uncovered this loophole while perusing the SEC Website. Turns out that according to the deal signed by Mayor Bloomberg and former governor George Pataki, if certain progress is not made by the end of 2009, the money set aside by GS would revert back to the bank. City and state officials say that won't happen, but since no buildings are anywhere near complete on the site, the News argues there's no way that taxpayers won't lose the money.
You can't blame Goldman Sachs for eyeing that cash right now. It's a tough economic time for banks, after all. It's certainly not the moment to be throwing away money on projects that show no signs of coming to fruition, ever.
Port Authority's inability to rebuild quickly at WTC site will cost taxpayers [NYDN]
Never say Neverland.
The seemingly perpetually indebted Michael Jackson narrowly escaped a foreclosure auction on his Neverland Ranch Sunday after the real estate investment firm Colony... eFluxMedia | Budding Romance? John Mayer and Jen Aniston Closely Followed eFluxMedia - By Jane Ivory The comings and goings and especially the stayings-together of Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer are fascinating to many, and the latest bit of gossip is sure to entertain: the supposed lovebirds spent the weekend romantically in Miami . Jennifer Aniston steps in the pool with beau Jennifer Aniston And John Mayer Get Cozy In Miami |
 Entertainmentwise | Miley Cyrus: 'We're All Changing' People Magazine - By Nicholas White The two weeks since her Vanity Fair photo controversy have certainly been tough ones for Miley Cyrus - but they've also helped her evolve. Miley Cyrus' Playboy offer Hefner Invites Cyrus To Pose For Playboy |
But the tagline fizzled, despite a $30 million budget for the first two months of advertising. Although Citigroup executives maintain it tested well with customers, many employees, from senior bankers to security guards, were uninspired. The tagline also sounded like the "Git-R-Done" riff from the blue-collar comedian Larry the Cable Guy.
You might be a troubled CEO if...
[NYT]
 OverTheLimit.info | 'Law & Order' star collared New York Daily News - "LAW & ORDER" actor Dennis Farina was arrested at the Los Angeles airport yesterday for carrying a loaded gun in his luggage. Actor Dennis Farina booked in weapons case “Law & Order” Actor Arrested With Gun in Luggage at Airport |
Idol watchers have been trained to think about aesthetic concepts like arrangement and song choice, and, by the time the judges weigh in, we have already been sorting out our thoughts.
OK, sure, Idol viewers do think about arrangement and song choice, but they also pay attention to (and make catty judgements about) contestants' personalities, clumsiness or gracefulness on stage and physical appearance, not to mention how Simon Cowell eviscerates them or how Paula Abdul screws things up (as when she rcently reviewed a song that was not performed).
In the following clip of Archuleta, for instance, watching the contestant shout Neil Diamond's song in Neil Diamond's face is at least as interesting as the singer's on-stage performance:
[Times]
But this clip kind of takes some of the luster off the guy again for me. Why can't he just say "it's totally wrong" to berate your 11-year-old daughter that way and then leave it at that? He talks about how terrible the divorce and custody fight was, how terrible it was that the tape leaked, how all these other smart people he knows lose their tempers with their kids, and how the media made things so much worse. And then he said a key lesson in the whole thing is to be nicer to his daughter on voicemail.
In the end, the best man won. She just happened to be a woman.
Parvati Shallow, the former boxer from Los Angeles whose flirty ways landed her with a less than coveted sixth-place finish...
Forget the humidity. Things appear to getting downright hot between John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston.
According to eyewitnesses, the new couple couldn't seem to keep their hands off...
Could Britney Spears be heading back home to Louisiana?
Yes, we hear exclusively that the popstress has promised her little sister that she'd return home to Kentwood, La.,...
We don't know if it actually takes a village to raise a celebrity child, but it does seem to take an army of nannies, mannies, bodyguards and drivers to get the job done.
So on the...
We're starting to understand how people addicted to crack have trouble kicking the habit. Here's our drug: Every time we see a crazy picture of Amy Winehouse, we just can't keep from...
Judging by his personality, we suspected Simon Cowell was hatched in an alligator nest. But now that we see that his mom is obviously a sweetheart, it's clear Simon honed his reptilian chops...
The summer box office season has seen its first crash.
The $100 million-ish Speed Racer opened this weekend with an estimated $20.2 million, and, according to one box office expert, will...| World : News Archives | Business | Entertainment | Sports | Technology | Science | Marketplace Audio |
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