AFP - Thailand declared British former glam rocker Gary Glitter "persona non grata" Wednesday and moved to deport him to Britain, one day after he finished prison time in Vietnam for child sex offences.AFP - Thailand declared British former glam rocker Gary Glitter "persona non grata" Wednesday and moved to deport him to Britain, one day after he finished prison time in Vietnam for child sex offences.
AP - Jessica Simpson is now selling beer. The singer and actress has signed on as spokeswoman for Stampede Light Plus, made by Dallas' Stampede Brewing Co.
AP - LeRoi Moore, the versatile saxophonist whose signature staccato fused jazz and funk overtones onto the eclectic sound of the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday of complications from injuries he suffered in an all-terrain vehicle accident, the band said. He was 46.
 New York Daily News | Henry Winkler unveils bronze Fonz BBC News - Actor Henry Winkler has unveiled a statue of his iconic Happy Days character Arthur "Fonz" Fonzarelli in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Video: First Person: the 'Fonz' in Bronze Aaaay! The Bronze Fonz Unveiled in Milwaukee |
The Dave Matthews Band brass has been silenced.
Saxophonist LeRoi Moore, one of the founding members of the Virginia-based jam band, died Tuesday afternoon at Hollywood Presbyterian...
The environment just got some influential new friends.
Miley Cyrus and Mandy Jiroux posted a new episode of the "Miley and Mandy Show" on Monday night—and for this time...
Nicole Kidman's got the golden touch.
A phone call from the Australian actress helped spur two of her countrymen to victory Monday in the men's 470 class sailing competition at...The alarm bells started ringing last week in the rightmost corners of Republican Nation, when John McCain suggested to The Weekly Standard that the door was still open to the possibility of him naming Tom Ridge as his running mate. Ridge, the former governor of Pennsylvania and ex-head of the Department of Homeland Security, is a supporter of abortion rights — i.e., an enabler of mass-scale fetus slaughter in the eyes of the GOP’s ardent pro-life faction. McCain’s appearance Saturday night at Saddleback Church, where he declared himself a fervent pro-lifer and one who will govern as such, reduced the abortion-apostasy danger level from orange to yellow. But the threatometer began blinking red this morning, when word hit the Web that McCain officials have been calling up key Republican officials and donors, sounding them out about the scale of the fallout from a pro-choice V.P. pick.
The wailing and gnashing from the wing-nut caucus was immediate and hysterical. “If the McCain camp does that, they will have effectively destroyed the Republican Party and put the conservative movement in the bleachers,” ranted Rush Limbaugh, singling out Ridge and Joe Lieberman as running mates who would “ensure [McCain’s] defeat.” Within hours, presto-chango, a “GOP strategist” was telling Time’s Mark Halperin that Ridge had been removed from consideration. Soon enough, two Republican sources of mine confirmed the Halperin scooplet, and said further that the McCainiacs had “got the message” that a pro-choice number two would lead to a full-blown conflagration at the Republican convention two weeks from now in Minneapolis. (Matt Drudge may no longer rule our world, but El Rushbo still gets results!)
The sensible question that arises from all this is just how serious the McCain brain trust has ever really been about ruffling the feathers of the GOP’s Evangelical wing. The argument for a pro-choice running mate isn’t difficult to comprehend, to be sure. That McCain is running neck and neck with Barack Obama owes much to the image he built for himself long ago as a maverick, a guy willing to disregard his party’s dogma when it ran against his conception of what was in the country’s best interests (on immigration, campaign-finance reform, etc.). But that image of McCain is severely out of date; in the weeks ahead, the Republican nominee faces what’s sure to be a vigorous and concerted effort by Obama and the Democratic Party to paint him as a clone of George W. Bush.
What better way, then, to blunt that thrust, to show that McCain remains an independent-minded iconoclast, than to go pro-choice with his V.P. selection? Sure it would incite a blowup at the GOP convention. But that would only illustrate the point that, well, McCain is still McCain — while at the same time he could pacify the pro-life crowd by pointing out that a vice president has no role in shaping the nation’s abortion laws, and that McCain has pledged up and down to appoint “strict constructionist” judges (jurists inclined, that is, to overturn Roe v. Wade) to the Supreme Court regardless of who happens to be occupying the Old Executive Office Building.
The problem with this argument lies in a raft of recent polling data that shows McCain smartly gaining support among the Republican base, and with Evangelicals in particular. (He’s gone from 61 to 68 percent since June, according to Pew.) Whereas a few months ago, when the widespread assumption was that Obama would have perhaps a double-digit lead going into the Democratic Convention, the race today is a dead heat, thus lessening the incentive for McCain to shake things up with any sort of outside-the-box V.P. choice. And with animus towards the hopemonger growing among conservatives, there’s even a chance that McCain, if he refrains from offending the base, might be able to generate a healthy (albeit nowhere near Bush-level) turnout on the rabid, rockribbed right — an unthinkable scenario even a few months ago.
So what the hell’s the deal with all these ostensible pro-choice trial balloons? Well, what if McCain were planning to name a running mate who, despite being pro-life, the religious right has some qualms about? What if that putative V.P., indeed, had lately been criticized by another erstwhile GOP presidential runner — a Baptist minister, no less — for his shifting stances on social issues, stirring up a rearguard action among some Christianists to block him? Isn’t it possible that McCain and his people are engaged in a bit of elaborate gamesmanship designed to make Evangelicals more grateful than they otherwise might be for the selection of that guy?
The heart doth sink and the mind doth reel, but I do believe what we are looking at here is the start of the Romney Rollout.
The rekindled "bromance" between Hills stars Brody Jenner and Spencer Pratt took a turn for the worse following the show's season premiere party at Paradise Cove in Malibu Monday...
Victoria Beckham has had it up to here with tabloids trying to get the skinny on her figure.
The glamorous Brit is reportedly gearing up to sue the U.K. magazine Now over an article that...
• Jon Voight and Roseanne Barr are worse than Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump. J.Vo responded to R.Bo's angry blog post by calling her "sick of the mind." Either settle this...
The new 90210 is happening right now in 90036.
As I type this, cast and crew from the CW's updated 90210 are shooting scenes a couple of miles or so outside of Beverly Hills at Los...
The real Coco Chanel.Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
They should have called it "freely uninspired" since, after three looong hours of dull, awful, embarrassing dialogue and bad acting, you'll feel that you may never get inspired by anything again.
And about that dialogue and bad acting:
One part is about the younger Chanel at the turn of the century, and everyone has thick accents. And then, every 20 minutes or so, there's an abrupt cut to 1954, where Shirley Chanel has no accent whatsoever.In fact, the two Chanels seem to have no resemblance to one another other than they both like a well-cut suit.
The supporting actors are no help either:
The first part quickly jumps to Chanel and her lovers (played by Oliver Sitruk and Sagamore Stevenin), who are all as wooden as a dressmakers' dummies.
Hm. Maybe Lifetime wanted to practice butchering before the taping of the next season of Project Runway got under way. But did they have to choose Chanel?
'COCO' PUFF [NYP]
Why are most stars Democrats? You would think as high wage earners, they would be Republicans.
—Dawn
Remember: Top-paid actors are also members of a massive...
Photo: Getty Images
It was also a farce. Federer, killing time and cashing a check, played along gamely, losing points on purpose to keep the match close before the ultimate swatting-away of Sampras in the final set. Sampras worked hard enough, but his best years were a decade ago; at one point, Sampras swung and whiffed on an easy volley. The crowd groaned, Sampras scowled, and Federer, to his credit, resisted a giggle. The display did no favors to either’s legacy. But that wasn’t the point, at least not for Federer; it was a payday, yes, but it was also a way to turn himself from robotic tennis machine into a global superstar. The process was well in motion; he was setting up endorsement deals in Dubai, making Time’s list of the 100 most influential people, and getting photographed by Annie Leibovitz. But New York was the real prize. Making a major splash here could turn him from a notoriously bland Sampras-type into something closer to the marketing behemoth that is his friend Tiger. But you couldn’t help but wonder: For all the tangential benefits of goofing around with Anna Wintour and Pete Sampras, didn’t this guy have an actual tennis career to be working on? He was two major titles behind Sampras’s record of fourteen; this couldn’t be the right way to go about breaking that, could it?
And here we are, five months later, and it has all backfired. While Federer was playing in exhibitions, noted rival Rafael Nadal was planning his ambush, one that culminated in the epic Wimbledon final last month. Since that night at MSG, Nadal has usurped Federer in every possible fashion. He beat Federer in the French Open for the third straight year, won that Wimbledon, took over his No. 1 world ranking, and, for good measure, won a gold medal in Beijing. Meanwhile, Federer was looking more mortal than ever. Not only was Nadal beating him on a non-clay court (finally): Federer lost to James-freaking-Blake in the Olympics.
Theoretically speaking, if there were ever a time to remind the world that he’s Roger Federer, dammit, this would be it; Wimbledon has the tradition, but the U.S. Open is where stars are made. But, in the strange world of professional athletics, Federer might be too old to recover. He turned 27 last week, which seems young until you realize that Nadal, who finally vanquished his perpetual conqueror, is five years younger and clearly hungrier. And age certainly matters in tennis. Bjorn Borg won his last Grand Slam at 24 (and made an ill-advised comeback thirteen years later); John McEnroe’s came at 25. Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras are the exceptions, and they had styles more based in guile and volleys than Federer’s power; in baseball, they would say that Federer has “old player skills.” (Think Ryan Howard; when they reach a certain age, they tend to decline rapidly.) Federer has never been challenged like this in his career, and it’s an open question as to whether he has the desire, or moxie, to rebound in time.
Federer thought he would come into next week’s U.S. Open as the conquering hero, the superstar with all the glamour he supposedly lacked. That was the point of the Sampras exhibition and Anna Wintour friendship. Now? He has lost his top ranking, his theoretical “best player of all time” title, and, if you haven’t noticed, it’s not him who’s on the cover of the fashion magazines (and this one): It’s Nadal.
Dara Torres "on" a Charles Nolan runway. She belongs
there!Photo-illustration: Getty Images
Nolan, who is creative director for the Kate Hill brand and designs his own signature collection, singled out Dara Torres, “the gorgeous blond 41-year-old swimmer.” When I saw a ‘Today’ piece on her a few months ago just after she qualified for the team, I thought how much fun it would be to have her in the show. She competed in three events and won silver in all three.”
This quote is a tad vague ,and we do wish WWD had elaborated more. But could it mean … he's going to put Torres on the runway?! Because that would be ridiculously amazing. How many women can you think of who break world swimming records in the eighties, take a break from their career to have kids, and then make history as the first woman over 40 to swim in the Olympics in 2008? (Okay, so we're being specific, but come on!) All the while flaunting guns bigger than Madonna's and better abs than most men? Inspiration overload! Charles, this is a go. Just do it.
Designers Take Cues From Olympics Stars [WWD]
Photo: Getty Images
And we ought to be getting a real debate on our energy future from our major Presidential candidates. Instead, sadly, they're treating us to a political silly season, with one candidate calling for opening up the nation's strategic oil reserves and the other for giving the federal gasoline tax the summer off. For shame — the best that can be said about those ideas is that they're pandering. Far worse, they're distractions from the deadly serious business of creating a new national energy policy.
That's right: Bloomberg has hijacked the Straight Talk Express. Good thing no one is talking about him as a V.P. pick anymore.
A little vintage Gemma for you.Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Demarchelier
Gemma Ward to officially retire from the runway? [Sassybella]
E! Online - The rekindled "bromance" between Hills stars Brody Jenner and Spencer Pratt took a turn for the worse following the show's season premiere party at Paradise Cove in Malibu Monday night.
Not an actual still from the film.Photo-illustration: Everett Bogue; Photos: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Beta adopts 'Clown and the Fuhrer' [Variety]
Earlier: Which Will Germans Find More Offensive: ‘Valkyrie’ or ‘Inglorious Bastards’?
Photo: Sophie Donelson
The cornucopia of fine-dining options at JetBlue's soon-to-open JFK terminal isn't for everyone — some of us are fine subsisting on $8 trail mix from the Grove and a pouch of Terra Blue chips, thank you. But the affable David Rockwell and architecture super-firm Gensler recently gave a hard-hat tour that proved $743 million can buy a little something exciting for everyone. Starting October 1, JFK's landmark Terminal 5 (originally designed by Eero Saarinen) will no longer stand abandoned beside the AirTrain — it will be alive with JetBlue passengers. Among the highlights:
• Playgroundlike springy rubber floors specially designed for post-security bare feet.
• A marketplace (ahem, retail and concessions) with grandstand-style seating and JetBlue-sanctioned buskers (Rockwell cites Union Square as his inspiration).
• Four words: Ron Jon Surf Shop.
• Twice the number of required toilets, including an extra-large WC labeled "Family Bathroom," which may deter awkward foot-tapping incidents.
• A handy time-warp passage. As soon as the last speck of asbestos is wiped clean from Saarinen's 1962 terminal, passengers can be dropped curbside to reenact their own TWA-era farewells, and then proceed through the restored "flight tubes" to the new terminal.
To prevent a total meltdown on October 1 (à la London Heathrow's Terminal 5 debacle), the airline is staging a mock opening day on Saturday. More than 1,000 frequent flyers, plus crew, family, and friends, will show up, be handed empty suitcases and script, and embark upon a simulated journey — sans planes. Let's hope no one else ever has to wait around for a flight to nowhere.
High Five for T5 [JetBlue]
E! Online - The Dave Matthews Band brass has been silenced.
Yes, your lady lumps can travel.Photo: istockphoto
SKIN
• Beiersdorf, the German brand that makes the Nivea brand, dismissed a Rutgers University study that claimed moisturizing creams can increase the risk of cancer calling it "clinically irrelevant." Well, of course, they did. They're in the moisturizer-making business! [Cosmetic News]
MAKEUP
• U.S. women spend $7 billion on makeup a year, which comes out to roughly $100 per woman per month. That's a slightly scary number, but what's scarier is passing the obsession down to the under-10 generation. We hear Hannah Montana lip gloss is already all the rage. [Reuters via Jezebel]
• If you can't help but spend that much on makeup (we all have our vices), might as well put $10 toward this Sonia Kashuk blending sponge. Only the beauty industry could concoct a $10 sponge. [Hooked on Beauty]
FRAGRANCE
• Allure made a list of best unisex scents, which are nice because you have to buy only one bottle for you and your man. We can't say Om by Gap would top our list of favorite unisex scents, but we'll definitely second their love for 2 by Comme des Garçons. [Daily Beauty Reporter/Allure]
Remember the above video from this summer, in which police officer Patrick Pogan body-slammed a biker during a Critical Mass ride through Times Square? Well, Pogan was briefly suspended and the matter is under investigation by the district attorney's office. But some civil-rights advocates who have been agitating for more NYPD oversight have seized upon the incident. They're calling on David Paterson to consider the idea of a permanent special prosecutor to examine police misconduct. A spokeswoman for Paterson said he is indeed considering picking an independent official to look into the bicycle incident, and is considering making it a permanent role.
According to the Villager, Paterson has always been sensitive to police-abuse issues — he was arrested in 1999 (while he was a state senator), alongside NAACP president Kweise Mfume and a group of other protesters, for blocking the entrance to NYPD headquarters in protest of the shooting of Amadou Diallo. The last time a special prosecutor's office was created was in 1972, under Nelson Rockefeller. Its goal was to investigate police corruption, but it was disbanded by Mario Cuomo in 1990. Opponents of the idea say that District Attorney Robert Morgenthau — who has prosecuted over 200 cop-related crimes since 1975 — and the NYPD's own Internal Affairs department are more than enough to take care of the problem.
Cyclist slam renews calls for special prosecutor [Villager]
Bogue: I'm glad they're so concerned about the state of our country.
Kois: It'll be their country soon enough!Photo: AP
In a visit to their future home, the White House, yesterday, the Jonas Brothers were busy: signing the wall of that former swimming pool where celebrities sign their names, attending a meeting on diabetes, meeting Dick Cheney's (presumably weeping) granddaughters. They also demurred from endorsing any presidential candidate … for now.
Surely aware that any endorsement would result in a landslide victory for the candidate in question — as tween girls lock their mothers in the basement and take their places at America's polling stations — the brothers are content to wait until a few weeks before the election, by which time their endorsement will surely be worth a Cabinet position at least. But be careful, candidates: A Jonas appointment as secretary of Defense just means the Jonases will finally have the standing army they've long coveted, and soon you'll be out of a job.
Jonas Brothers drop in on White House press corps [CNN]
If September's 798-page Vogue is too heavy to open, or it somehow ate your new Christie Brinkley–graced issue of New York, or you've been devoid of all media while off filming a reality show, get one thing straight: It's fall fashion time. And though that means painfully cold weather is on the way, we're excited to usher in the new season for one big reason: shoes! In our latest Shop-A-Matic, we bring you 160 pairs to covet, from women's flats, pumps, and boots to casual and dressy styles for men. In keeping with these economic times, 64 pairs are under $200. Here are a few of our favorites:
Clockwise from top left, Acne boot, Old Navy flats, Aldo dress shoes, Marni rubber pumps, Alice + Olivia for Payless booties, Balenciaga pumps.
Your New Staple Flat: Bauble Flat by Old Navy
Price: $25
Why we like it: The little baubles are a cute addition, dressing up plain patent flats so they can take you from work to the weekend.
The Shoe for Compulsively Dressy Men: Hurren by Aldo
Price: $130
Why we like it: This is a classic men's dress shoe at a good price. Simple styles like this look like they cost much more than they really do.
Rubber Come-Hither Pumps: Raspberry Rubber Mary-Jane Heel by Marni
Price: $435
Why we like it: Only Marni could convince us to like rubber shoes. When you wear these, just don't forget to use another rubber (hint hint, nudge nudge).
Peep-Toe Booties: Red Rivington Ankle Boot by Alice + Olivia for Payless
Price: $48
Why we like it: It's a hot fire-engine-red peep-toe bootie that costs less than $50. Diffusion lines are so brilliant sometimes.
Our Dream Booties: Satine Bootie by Balenciaga
Price: $1,095
Why we like it: You can't get any more S&M than this Latex and leather spike-heeled shoe. But, you know, in a good way.
The Jams of Summer 2008 [NYT]
The girl really wants a hat, okay?Photo: Melissa Hom
What's the story behind the bird skull?
I really wanted to make a bird skull for a friend of mine who I thought really needed a skull around his neck. But I didn’t want to do just a skull because I think they’re kind of cheesy. So I was like, "He needs a bird’s skull, like a raven or a crow." And I cast a few of them in metal and they were huge. And the smaller ones didn’t have the look I wanted. So I just decided to get a big skull and carve a smaller version of it from wax.
And your cuff has been shot in editorials a lot…
It’s supposed to be an eagle claw, and it actually was just in a Gap advertisement. My friend Julia [Restoin-Roitfeld] was in a Gap ad, and she wears them every day. And in fact, three of the girls in the Gap ad are wearing my jewelry [Julia, Lily Donaldson, Georgina Chapman]. You can’t see it on everyone.
From left, the eagle claw; our favorite new skull.Photo: Courtesy of Pamela Love
What other jewelry designers do you love?
Elsa Perretti, obviously. I love what Derrick from Black Sheep and Prodigal Son has done — that stuff is unreal. I really love Digby and Iona.
How would you describe your personal style?
A mixture of high and low, like masculine-feminine, old and new.
What's the first designer item you ever bought?
My mom bought it for me. It was a Betsey Johnson full-length floral bodysuit with a chiffon skirt. And I have pictures of me wearing it, somewhere. It was black, full length, long sleeves, floral.
What trend do you love right now?
Hats. I love hats so much, because my hair is so hard to manage. I've been talking about these Sonia Rykiel hats that were on the runway in every interview in the hopes that someone will read it and send me the hat!
Pamela hard at work.Photo: Melissa Hom
Who are your favorite designers?
Ann Demeulemeester. I love Alexander Wang. Sonia Rykiel. Marc Jacobs is so great and classic. I love seventies Yves Saint Laurent for going out and dressing up. I love my friend Frank Tell. He’s doing the most amazing stuff.
What are you lusting after right now?
Hats by Sonia Rykiel! One pair of denim shorts by Alexander Wang that they sold out of, the long, baggy, crazy ripped-up ones.
What's something every woman needs?
A signature necklace, whatever necklace that you love, love, love or whatever ring that you never take off. A really amazing and wearable pair of heels, wedges, or pumps. And a really good pair of boots.
Brooklyn Heights: The gorgeous corner brownstone where Cher lived in the movie Moonstruck was finally sold, for $4 million. A family with young kids will live there, according to a nice old-lady neighbor who once was given a cup of coffee by Cher herself. [NYDN]
Chelsea: On Thursday, the Hotel Chelsea will honor Storme DeLarverie, a drag king who is a longtime resident and the only female member of the famous Jewel Box review. [Living With Legends]
Murray Hill: How often do graffiti artists specializing in phallic imagery quote Saint Teresa of Ávila? Also, how often are we truly reminded that, yes, death is a killer? Thanks, street artists, for always surprising us. [Newyorkshitty]
Park Slope: Not only has Manhattan lost many of its hipsters and several key celebrities, apparently now it has also lost jazz. Dude, take the hipsters (not the scruffles, though!) and celebrities, but don't take the jazz! [Utne Reader]
Upper East Side: A hot-dog cart exploded here yesterday (yes, they can apparently explode). And the worst part is, it caught a nearby Ralph Lauren store on fire! At last, proof that the neighborhood is physically allergic to low-end dining. [NYP]
Williamsburg: That Gene Kaufman–designed condo-hotel in Williamsburg is having a lot more bureaucratic trouble than expected in construction. Guys, it's only seven stories! [Gowanus Lounge]
Adria Sartore’s Flora 9 (2006–2007).Courtesy of Eleven Rivington
Back in February, when The Counterfeiters debuted in the States, this foreign-language Oscar winner from Austria struck us as “arresting, and all the more visceral for being based on a horrific true story.” The story is that of real-life counterfeiter Adolf Burger, a Jewish criminal used by the Nazis to mint fake money. This DVD release goes deeper into Burger's astonishing experience (did he collaborate or undermine the project that kept him alive?) with a Q&A and show-and-tell of his historical artifacts.
"I'm ready for my Sports Illustrated cover!"Photo: Getty Images
Lopez … was overheard saying after the segment that she "couldn't understand why everyone is talking about that swimmer," according to a GMA source. "She couldn't come up with (eight-time gold-medal winner Michael) Phelps's name, and then she yammered on about how she was the one training for a triathlon just six months after giving birth, and how that was the big story right now, not 'the swimmer.'"
We know, we know. It's almost too easy. But, in her defense, there was a time when she could move large sectors of the American public to jump out of their seats, scream and weep. Don't pretend you don't remember Anaconda and El Cantante — like Phelps's last victory, those memories will be forever scalded onto your brain.
Phelps, schmelps! J.Lo’s also in training [MSNBC]
Earlier: Where Were You When Michael Phelps Won His Eighth Gold Medal?
This is how likely we are to snap and murder Lane.Courtesy of Dexter's Psycho Therapy
Often, as the fierce rush for posts catches up with us and we're being pressured on all sides to "be funnier" or "use fewer exclamation points," we consider making a career change into something more relaxing, like serial killing. But we wonder: Do we have what it takes to ritualistically slaughter another human being? Thankfully, the publicity team behind the Dexter season-two DVD can answer that question, with Dexter's Psycho Therapy, an online Rorschach test that measures the user's "killer instinct." This scientific test — which will surely cripple the psychiatric industry as it is adopted by police departments nationwide — is only four questions long but is 100 percent accurate, pegging our natural "killer instinct" at 40 percent ("You're very good at hiding your deadly instincts"). It's remarkably hard to game the system, by the way — to get the above result, we had to type "FUCK FUCK BLOOD DEAD BABIES FUCK" in every box.
Dexter's Psycho Therapy [Official site]
"We will never be friends. And I will never quite lose this vacant stare in my eyes."Photo courtesy of MTV
We open at People’s Revolution, where Lauren and Whitney are talking and, um, staring at jeans. Lauren tells Whitney that they’re throwing a birthday party for Audrina (providing the requisite "party scene" later on in the show, obviously), and also that she has a date. A date! Whitney’s face contorts. Lauren explains that back in the day she went to this kid’s prom with him. “Oh my gosh,” says Whitney. “Such a small world.” From now on, we’re counting how many times Whitney says “Oh my gosh” per episode.
We've landed at Bolthouse, where Heidi and her work "friend," Kimberly, are chatting on a couch. Heidi says her sister is coming to visit, but she’s not excited, because her McDoucherton boyfriend just moved back in and she hasn’t told him yet. We’re sad we didn’t get to see the actual move-in, when Spencer just took his stuff out of the closet and from under the bed … since they NEVER ACTUALLY BROKE UP. Whatever, we’re over it. Does Heidi have a Birkin? She does! My god, Hermès is going down the tubes.
L.C. goes on her date with the funnily named Doug, who looks a little like Ryan Reynolds, complete with too-close-together eyes. He’s a total idiot, but so is she, so it kind of works. “What have you been doing for the last four years of your life?” he asks her. HILARIOUS. Lauren hasn’t been up to anything special, Doug, we swear. Just normal becoming a reality-TV superstar/starring in a sex tape/not really in college/starting a fashion line/becoming a millionaire stuff. Before they even get their drinks, he asks her if they can go out again, and we smell a Hills hanger-on! Lauren invites him to Audrina's birthday party, and he's in. Yay.
Cut to Audrina's fiesta: Doug walks in wearing a sleeveless Lakers jersey. Ew: Never trust a guy in tank top. L.C. doesn't pay too much attention to him for the rest of the party, so there you go. Then Audrina’s punk friends roll in: There’s a guy with a huge mohawk and a guy with an earring that takes up his entire ear. Lo is turned off by the freak parade, of course, and Lauren tells her to “be the charming and friendly Lo that I know and love.” Wait, who’s that? Lo responds by going upstairs to be antisocial and play with the dog. But wait — JUSTIN BOBBY HAS ARRIVED. We are SO happy to see him. He’s wearing a leather jacket with writing on it, and he immediately tries to throw Audrina in the pool. That guy really knows how to make us laugh out loud.
Back from commercial, Heidi's sister — who now has a whole new set of horrible hair extensions, thanks to her big sis — is leaving town. She suggests moving out to L.A., as she doesn’t have anything going on in Colorado (good work with your daughters, Montag parents) — Spencer looks pissed, and now we have another plotline for the season.
And here’s that climatic talk, worthy of this episode's title. Lo has to confront Audrina; she says Audrina’s not making an effort, and Audrina says Lo is mean and that she and Lauren gang up on her. Audrina’s priceless, heartbreaking line: “I have friends that treat me good and I feel included and you don’t do that.” Awwwwwww. She has friends that treat her good! Even though she wears shirts that say "Hyper Crush Sex." Then she says, “We’ll never be friends.” Lo seems taken aback by this display of confidence and ends it with, “I’m going to leave you to your place.” She is such a snot.
Next week: The return of Stephanie Pratt! We can’t wait. We hope she and Holly become Hills-star-sister friends and conquer the world together.
And now, time for our Unequivocal Hills Reality Index!
As Real As Lauren Is Awkward:
• Sadly, Heidi’s Birkin.
• Lo’s disdain for Audrina’s lifestyle. Can you imagine Lo and the mohawk guy even having a conversation? She’d never stoop so low.
• Audrina’s grammar. Even an MTV writer wouldn’t have her say that her friends treat her "good."
As Fake As Heidi’s Face:
• Heidi’s hair, first thing in the morning. We know a blowout when we see one, missy.
• Doug. He was crafted from various celebrity body parts, in a lab, to be Lauren’s new “love interest.”
• Holly’s visit/surprise revelation that she’ll be moving to L.A./hair.
Photo: muxtape.com
Muxtape [Official site]
Pandora [Official site]
Giant of Internet Radio Nears Its 'Last Stand' [WP via Idolator]
Sale items from Ideeli's site.Photo: Courtesy of Ideeli.com
GILT GROUPE
Launched: November 2007
What to expect: Luxury for less, but done right.
What it is: What started a little less than a year ago by founders Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson has grown into a team of more than 65 people. Their fifteen buyers hone in on all different markets, covering men's, women's, children's, and home décor to bring you sample sales of designer items up to 70 percent off. This week brings Nina Ricci, Escada, and Rag & Bone men's clothes. And coming up, they're doing a sale with Philip Crangi. Prices are still high, but at least you're not paying retail. And the stock is eye-catching, not designer rejects or the dregs of last season.
How to sign up: Click here for your invite.
The perk: They partnered with the CFDA in January 2008, which means their sample sales come straight from the designer's no-sale racks. No middle men. No questionable merchandise.
HAUTELOOK
Launched: December 2007
What to expect: The Filene's of the Internet.
What it is: Selection on this site, founded by Adam Bernhard, is hit-or-miss. But, like the brick-and-mortar Filene's, you can score good bargains if you're lucky and you go at the right time. On Wednesday, they're launching a Mike & Chris sale, which guarantees at least a few good items. Plus, in the past, they've featured Smashbox and Stila.
How to sign up: Click here for your invite. Your sign-up code is NYMAG.
The perk: Sign up today, and get a $10 credit toward your first purchase. And we say save it for early fall — that's when they're launching men's.
IDEELI
Launched: December 2007
What to expect: Itemized shopping.
What it is: There's always something different with this site, so don't go there looking for a specific designer. Whereas with Gilt you set your alarm, Ideeli is more where to go if you're looking for a general item, be it a Celine patent clutch for $450 (originally $990), Fendi scarf for $120 (originally $250), or an Adam metal cap-sleeved dress for $98 (originally $275). And with 25 events per month ranging from women's accessories, handbags, jewelry, home, beauty, gifts, and entertainment, there's reason to keep this bookmarked in your browser. That, and they'll e-mail you nonstop.
How to sign up: Click here for your invite.
The perk: Sign up through nymag.com and you'll get an automatic $25 credit in your account. Cha-ching.
RUE LA LA
Launched: May 2008
What to expect: The newbie who's just getting her feet wet.
What it is: They call each sale a "boutique," each of which lasts two days and features up to 75 percent off retail prices of current-season merchandise. We're still getting used to this one and are a little skeptical about the provenance of some of the items, but it's interesting nonetheless. Basically, wait it out. They'll have a bunch of weird sales, but then you'll find a major score.
How to sign up: Click here for your invite.
The perk: They're growing. Plus, in the future they're adding beauty.
EDITOR'S CLOSET
Launched: November 2007
What to expect: Something to dabble in.
What it is: Their stock is all over the place. In the past they've featured Lalique, Sonia Rykiel, Betsey Johnson, and Diesel at prices reduced up 75 percent off retail. This week they feature Lucy Sykes for your little tykes.
How to sign up: Click here for your invite. Your referral code is NewYorkMag@editorscloset.com.
The perk: This week, they're having a 75 percent off sale of worn-once dresses (either on runway or red carpet) by Alberta Ferretti. Type in "AFerrettiNYMag" at checkout and get an extra $30 off your purchase.
The mayor realizes he really needs to get a bigger couch.Photo: Courtesy of Showtime
Even farther across town, Doug, the “sad, tall, angry baby man,” (as he’s so perfectly described by his Mexican charges) finally gets his long-anticipated reunion with “my Hope,” the curly haired Mexican refugee he met on the beach, at the scene of her arrest for illegal entry to the U.S.
Back home, Shane and Silas are having related experiences: Silas is learning that MILF love is not all it’s cracked up to be; Shane has associated himself with two pierced schoolgirls who are exploring their sexuality with the help of one of those position-of-the-day Internet columns.
So went an episode centered on love and (literal) headaches: When a grubby adolescent Mexican stowaway comes crawling through the maternity-store trapdoor, Nancy seizes up in pain. As the migraines recur, Mayor Esteban offers relief. “Do you trust me?” he asks. Enter the shaman with bowls of freshly brewed ayawaska, the Amazon plant that, explains the mayor, is a rocket ship to peyote’s bicycle. Sweating, vomiting in a metal vase, as the shaman chants “no more hiding,” Nancy has an epiphany: “I’m a fucking liar.” At episode’s end, she and Andy sit, looking out to the early-morning ocean, sharing their faults. Nancy: “I negotiate things that should not be up for debate; I tell myself I’m not doing harm when I am.” Andy: “I was a bad coyote, and why don’t I have a girlfriend?”
And out of the ocean comes the trapdoor refugee, wearing a tattered Quinceañera frock and clutching a glittery bag. Is she a symbol of Nancy’s grim past? We’re not sure, but we’re grateful for a more reflective Nancy.
Photo: Jesse Harris
Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
I just read the biography of John Jacob Astor and would have to put him at the top of the list. First of all, the guy lived to be older than 85, which in the 1700s was amazing — and he was the first true Manhattan real-estate developer. Not to mention his wealth by comparison easily dwarfed that of today’s billionaires. The man had his own railroad car that could take him anywhere as well … he would have had a Global Express today for sure.
What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
High end it would be Jean-Georges, who I think understands how people want to eat better than anyone today. Or, much less fancy, Peter Luger's steak for two: rare, slab bacon, tomatoes/onions, and bottle of Bordeaux.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job? I would say I am like a firefighter — walking around looking for small fires before they become raging infernos, and hopefully putting them out.
Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
Today, probably not. But when you are young and move here it’s worth it to do whatever it takes to just be present. If you are not in the mix, you stand no chance. I know so many people who overcame everything to succeed.
What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
It has been ages, but maybe Phantom of the Opera. I don’t have the patience usually to sit still that long.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
There are a few that I have seen for over a decade and instead of money, I feed them whatever they want.
What's your drink?
Margarita on the rocks with salt. Or super ice-cold beer, no glass.
How often do you prepare your own meals?
Maybe once a month now. I am never home.
What's your favorite medication?
None.
What's hanging above your sofa?
Nothing.
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
In my case, I shave my head myself, so even a dollar is too much — and I never have to wait.
When's bedtime?
2 a.m. I would say in the twenty years living in NYC that I maybe have gone to sleep before midnight only 5 percent of those nights.
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
The new. I don’t mind the evolution, and I don’t believe in crying about change.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
You can’t debate the guy is a fierce competitor who is obsessed with winning and has proven in many instances that he can win big. I understand that he works as hard today as he did when he was a young guy, which is admirable given his wealth and ability to coast. Are his lobbies my style? Not quite.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
Parking tickets and high taxes.
Who is your mortal enemy?
Boredom.
When's the last time you drove a car?
Today.
Who should be the next president?
Bloomberg. The career politicians have had their chance, so let's put a guy in place that is 100 percent self-made and can cut through the mess.
Times, Post, or Daily News?
Post, and maybe after, the Times, but always NYP.
Where do you go to be alone?
I can conceptually be alone just about anywhere by blocking out everything. But generally just at home, or sometimes on the roof of my office in the morning when the sun rises.
What makes someone a New Yorker?
Attitude and energy, and a desire to be great at what you do.
King, Favre share a meaningful look.Photo: Getty Images
I think I don't want to hear what great fans the Jets have. Not for a long time. That crowd Saturday night was a disgrace. At least half the stadium was empty for Favre's debut in a Jets' uniform. I expressed my amazement to a few fellow scribes Saturday night — emphasizing that N.Y. traded for an all-time-great quarterback, not a broken-down one — and they gave varying reasons for the poor turnout. Like it's the middle of vacation month for New Yorkers, and it's a preseason game. Horsefeathers. If you really love your team, and you have season tickets, you should have been at that game unless you were in Tibet. Ridiculous.
You see, because Jets fans didn’t fill the Meadowlands to watch a completely meaningless game — on a Saturday night, no less — they’re clearly terrible fans. Forget the fact that pretty much every Jets fan in the tri-state area purchased a No. 4 jersey within about twenty minutes of Favre's trade from Green Bay. Or the fact that thousands of them showed up to watch his first practice, which would generally be enough insignificant August football action for the average fan. Also, ignore the fact that driving to Giants Stadium nowadays, even for a preseason game, is apparently a day-long affair, especially when you could just go to a bar, watch Favre throw all six of his passes, then give Michael Phelps the undivided attention that he demands. Sure, you may have thought that pretty much the only aspect of the whole “Brett Favre is a Jet” story that isn’t up for debate is that their fans love the guy. But no, King’s obviously right here: Clearly Jets fans just don’t care much for this Favre fellow. Horsefeathers.
Why Jets fans should be ashamed of themselves [SI via Kissing Suzy Kolber]
Photo: Getty Images
"Apparently they only make cop and cougar shows here, along with some fine comedy programming. I am just trying to be the best cultural attaché to the city that I can be." —Colin Hanks on acting in New York [NYP]
"It is the work of cash-hounds, and I urge people NOT to buy it. I am not signed to Warner, and no royalties from this DVD will come to me. Please spend your money elsewhere." —Morrissey on his new concert DVD [Guardian]
"To go from 5-feet-5 to 6-feet-1 was awesome. It was amazing for someone short like me to suddenly be looking down at all of my peers — so I kept all the shoes." —Anna Faris on The House Bunny [NYDN]
"I think for the guys who made [Pineapple Express], we're like Tony Bennett to these kids. We're that square— we're so square it's hip again. It's very odd." —Huey Lewis doesn't remember his own song titles [Billboard]
Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, and Kanye West.Photo: Getty Images
Though big magazines like Vanity Fair and GQ are throwing parties at both the Democratic and Republican conventions (they can't leave one out or they'll seem biased, which would clearly result in mayhem), the Republican National Convention isn't expecting nearly the star wattage the Dems are. Imagine that. So we can't draw the same Fashion Week comparisons for GOP. For example, the Beach Boys are opening the RNC, and Kid Rock might attend. Either way, we can't wait to see what everyone wears to both. And learn about the issues.
The Parties' Parties [WWD]
AP - GZA, "Pro Tools" (Babygrande)
Photo: Joan Marcus
So, is it more nerve-wracking to do a sex scene onstage than it is on Weeds?
Actually, it’s less. When you do it on camera, there’s only four or five people around, but it’s so intimate because you’re not projecting any emotion, it’s just right there, so it’s a little weird — a little close. Plus then it’s on tape, so it makes it onto the Internet, and it’s frozen in time. Onstage, all that awkwardness just doesn’t exist.
TV actors usually drop into flashy cameos in, like, Hairspray when they come to Broadway. How did you know you were ready to carry a whole show?
Broadway’s been like a goal of mine since I was six, so it’s definitely something I was thinking about and wanting to do. I’m excited that Melchior gets to be at the forefront of telling this story. I have a minimum six–months contract, but hopefully I’ll go longer…
Are you aware of the groupies that seem to follow playing Melchior?
Absolutely not! I mean, Weeds has a little cult following. It’s not the most popular show. To come into something and know how much they liked Groff, it’s a hard thing to know you have big shoes to fill. But they’ve been kind so far.
We interviewed Jonathan Groff last week. You both seem like really wholesome guys.
Did you see Passing Strange? It talks in that about how, for someone who’s an artist, your art is more your reality. I was sort of touched by that. I just did this movie, Seventeen Again, and I play this bully. I was the one growing up who got beaten up, so it was cool for once in my life to be the bully. Or to be Silas and smoke pot every week — I don’t smoke pot, so it’s fun to pretend in a sense.
Did Mary-Louise give you any Broadway advice?
She’s known I do theater since we’ve known each other, but I was actually texting her the whole time I was auditioning. She was doing Dead Man’s Cell Phone right before we went back to season four, so I was talking to her the whole time, like, “Okay what does this mean, what does that mean?” She was kind of the calming voice in the back of my head. And they just said she’s doing Hedda, right? So we’ll get to do theater at the same time!
Do you find people expect you to be a guy who can give them weed in real life?
Totally, I was in L.A. like five months ago and someone yelled from across the way, “Hey, where the weed at?!” That’s the best recognition I’ve gotten. But the number one question I’m asked is, “So do you guys smoke real weed?” And I’m always like, “Really?!” We live in L.A., but it’s not like we have medical marijuana cards.
So you’re not much of a rebel in real life?
I am such a goody-two-shoes. I would rather sit at home with my girlfriend and play frickin’ Wii.
—Rebecca Milzoff
LAW
• Manhattan lawyer Roy Den Hollander, who describes himself as an anti-feminist, is suing Columbia University for offering women's–studies courses. He feels the classes are discriminatory toward men. [City Room/NYT]
• Big Law libraries are shrinking — in fact, Milbank's Manhattan library space was cut from 10,000 to 3,200 square feet last year. But that doesn't mean this is the death knell for the law libraries — it's just the start of a more technologically advanced phase. [Law.com]
• A former senior attorney for the New York Fire Department has been suspended from practicing law for five years for not following the regulations of the state's mental hygiene laws. [Law.com]
FINANCE
• Lehman Brothers is mulling putting its money–management division up for sale in an effort to keep the bank afloat. It would be the latest Wall Street firm forced to sell off high-end assets. [NYT]
• Ronald Insana, who was one of CNBC's most prominent anchors for more than a decade, got into the hedge–fund game in 2006. He just threw in the towel. The problem? Running a hedge fund is harder than commentating on how to run one. [DealBook/NYT]
• Activist investor William Ackman, who owns 8.8 percent of Long Drug Stores' shares, isn't happy about the buyout deal that CVS cut with his pharmacy chain, so he's bringing in Blackstone to help him try to get more money out of the deal. [NYP]
MEDIA
• It's official: Sports Illustrated is doing "the picture." Michael Phelps will appear on next week's cover wearing nothing but his eight Olympic gold medals. [NYDN]
• Did The Wall Street Journal rip off the Boston Globe's photo blog? [Media Nation]
• Bloggers operating from the Democratic and Republican conventions can pay $100 to access Google's "Big Tent" facility, which includes Internet access, workspaces, couches for naps, massages, food — and a kiosk where anyone can post videos on YouTube. [WSJ]
REAL ESTATE
• More than 100,000 New York City apartments built since 1991 may violate disability laws. [NYT]
• Large real–estate investment sales are nearly at a standstill, while commercial leasing is crawling at a snail's pace. "I could sell anthrax more easily," one dealmaker said. [NYP]
• Meanwhile, the city's wealthy population has no problem dropping $45 million for residential properties. [NYP]
Go, Kim, go!Photo: Getty Images
While in college, Glass tried out for Bravo's reality TV show America's Next Top Model, which is hosted by actress/model Tyra Banks. In fact, she tried out five times. And even though she stands 6-foot-2, Glass says she has a shoe fetish and loves heels. "Now only if they made more in my size!" she jokes.
Funny how NBC's sports people think ANTM is on Bravo instead of the CW, eh? Those networks are worlds apart! And doesn't NBC own Bravo? Way to know your own networks there, guys. The announcer went on to note that Glass didn't get cast because she's too grounded for reality TV, but certainly has what it takes to rule the runway. (If anyone can spot catwalk potential, it's sports announcers.) He added, "She says she'll go back" for another audition. Think Tyra Banks will be interested in her now that she's an Olympian? We'd say casting an Olympic athlete would send an enormously positive message to the young women Tyra wants to look up to her. But just when we think we've got Tyra figured out, she throws us a big fat curveball, so who knows what will happen. But we're sure in Glass's court (zing!).
Athletes > Kim Glass > Bio [NBC Olympics]
| World : News Archives | Business | Entertainment | Sports | Technology | Science | Marketplace Audio |
| India : News | Business | Entertainment | Sports | Telugu | |
| Blogs : Humor pages | Norkay's Blog | Kids Stories | Indian Recipes | Database Tech Blog |
| Sundries : World Video Clips | Songs Clips | Indian Video Clips | |
