Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 4 Sep 2008 | 2:00 am

Guillermo Del Toro booked thru 2017

Front Page: 'Hobbit' director eyes 'Frankenstein,' 'Jekyll' -- Many top film directors have no idea what their next movie is. But Guillermo del Toro is now booked through 2017. And maybe beyond. The Mexican-born animator who voiced Snoopy's howls and sighs and was...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 4 Sep 2008 | 12:37 am

DNA IDs Daughter for David Spade

It turns out that David Spade did, in fact, produce an heir. A baby girl born last week to former Playboy Playmate Jillian Grace is the 45-year-old funnyman's biological daughter, a...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 4 Sep 2008 | 12:09 am

Britney's License Trial Not Going Away

Whether or not it's because she's a celebrity, Britney Spears still has to face the music at some point. A judge has rejected her camp's motion to dismiss a year-old...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:52 pm

Simon Doonan: Lack of Diversity on the Runways Is a Bigger Problem Than Thin Models

The CFDA will erect booths in the tents during Fashion Week to provide information on eating disorders, but Barneys' Simon Doonan thinks diversity on the runway is a more pressing issue. "Eating is personal," Doonan said at the Artistry of Fashion Award benefit luncheon in the Rainbow Room this afternoon. "A much bigger issue is why they're not using more African-American girls." Doonan added that he never tells people to look to the fashion industry to find healthy role models. "It's always been extreme, even going back to the ancient Egyptians. In the Renaissance they wore corsets made of wooden slats." He continued, "At the moment fashion is very thin-orexic. The archetypes are extremely thin, but that will change. It's like that stupid walk they used to do where they would walk like that" — Doonan demonstrated by stomping his feet — "but eventually they stopped walking like that. It had to work its way through."

The ever-punctual Doonan also hopes designers will heed Diane Von Furstenberg's plea to start their shows on time this season. (He's especially impassioned after getting locked out of his house one season when a show ran late and his partner, Jonathan Adler, had already locked the doors and hit the hay; Doonan threw pebbles at the windows and shrieked to get in.) "Eight-hour productions of The Ring with animals and costumes start on time. People start heart operations on time," said Doonan. "So a few frocks on a few girls? Get it together."

Related: Step Right Up for Your Free Eating-Disorder Brochure at Fashion Week
Diane Von Furstenberg: Get Thee to the Tents on Time!

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:35 pm

Vince Vaughn's Vegas Night

John Mayer wasn't Jennifer Aniston's only ex-boyfriend partying it up on Labor Day weekend. While Mayer was reportedly spotted carousing with a mystery blonde in Miami, Vince...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:30 pm

Gore Presidential Campaign Manager to Lieberman: ‘Payback’s a Bitch’

Last night at the CNN Grill, shortly after Lieberman addressed the RNC, we ran into Donna Brazile, Al Gore's presidential campaign manager, and asked her what she thought. "I was not impressed with his speech," she said. "I'm disappointed. I was the one who went to Al Gore and said 'Joe Lieberman.'" Does she feel betrayed? She paused and sighed, and said she wanted to save her thoughts for her Washington Post Roll Call column. "I've got to have it in my own words, because you don't know the history. It's personal. But you know what, dog?" she added, cryptically. "What goes around comes around. Payback's a bitch."
Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:23 pm

St. Paul Report: Tom Brokaw’s Alternative to the Murse

Last night we spotted Tom Brokaw at the CNN Grill at the RNC with what we thought was a fairly odd choice for a respected, well-dressed television reporter and a gentleman of a certain age: a small, fire-red Patagonia backpack. Was it as shocking a fashion choice as Rachel Maddow's skater shoes? No. As endearing? Yes. So we asked Brokaw what was up with his carrying the same accessory as a 14-year-old Wisconsin schoolgirl. "I've been carrying a backpack since, I don't know, 1968," he said, looking a little surprised that we'd asked. "It's just easier" — than a briefcase, or a Sherpa, we assume — "I have my notebook in there, all of my pens," he went on. "I stopped carrying a purse long before it was okay for men to carry them again." Ha! Hello, NBC! This is a man who's hip enough to reference the resurgence of murses. Just give him the permanent Meet the Press gig, already! Then sit back and watch his brave nods to Juno and Jamie Lynn Spears when he grills Sarah Palin.
Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:15 pm

Popular Blogger Moonlights As Hip-hop Artist

1. Kanye West, "The Stalker Song (Never Lettin' Go)"
This unreleased Kanye song sounds more like one of his blog posts with a beat behind it, but it's funny enough for a free download. [Pretty Much Amazing]

2. EPMD, "Run It (Duke Dumont Remix)"
The rap legends release their first single in about a decade. Not bad! [Docking Station]

3. The Kooks, "Kids" (MGMT cover)
The Kooks show up at an Australian radio station to cover our favorite unpronounceably monikered synth poppers. [Hyperbole]

4. Spoon, "Writing to You in Reverse"
A high-quality bootleg from the Pitchfork Music Festival catches this debut of a new track from Spoon, which is surprisingly intelligible considering its title. [You Ain't No Picasso]

5. Cat Power, "Space Oddity" (David Bowie cover)
The only odd thing about Cat Power covering Bowie is that it's on a car commercial and not on yet another of her amazing covers records. [Gorilla vs. Bear]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:10 pm

Debbie Phelps Signs With Chico’s

It's official: Debbie Phelps inked an endorsement deal with Chico's. Soon after she wore Chico's to the Beijing Olympics to cheer on her son Michael, the company created a "Debbie Phelps" section on their Website to showcase the items she brought with her. But now, she'll earn in the low six figures over the next year for appearing in Chico's catalogues and wearing Chico's for public appearances, including on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Michael's management team is now managing Debbie, so who knows what other deals might arise for her — could a Wheaties box be in her future?

Meanwhile, this deal couldn't come at a better time for Chico's, which just announced that its second-quarter profits dropped 83 percent. The drop was probably a result of the company trying to market to a younger customer base. But with Phelps on the ticket, Chico's can refocus on its core baby-boomer customers. Chico's president Michele Cloutier told The Wall Street Journal there's been an increase in sales of items in the Debbie Phelps collection.

Olympic Mom Fits Bill for Chico's [WSJ]
Related: Michael Phelps’s Mom in Talks to Collaborate With Chico’s

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:10 pm

Peggy Noonan on McCain’s Campaign After Palin Pick: ‘It’s Over’

While offscreen at an outdoor MSNBC studio, conservative Republican pundits Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy trashed John McCain's choice to select Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. Murphy, who contributes to Time and MSNBC, called it "cynical" and "gimmicky," adding, "It's not going to work." Noonan went further, saying, "It's over." She went on, unaware that her mike was still on:

"The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about narratives. Every time the Republicans do that, because that's not where they live and that's not what they're good at, they blow it."

Jiminy Cricket! God bless hot mikes. The McCain fans over at Fox News have gotta be bummed they resurrected that trend. You can hear the dialogue in the above video. What's especially telling about this is not that Republicans are grumbling privately about the risky move of choosing the relatively unknown (and slightly baggage-heavy) Palin. It's that they're doing it while publicly voicing support for the choice. Murphy basically echoes what he said in an even-handed post about Palin last week on Time.com's Swampland blog.

But Noonan was outlining why the "Hail Mary" move on McCain's part just might work. "Most Hail Mary passes don't work," she wrote. "But when they do they're a thing of beauty and a joy forever." Noonan later concluded, "[Palin] is a real and present danger to the American left, and to the Obama candidacy." If anything, excuse us, that now sounds like political bullshit.

UPDATE: After the jump, Noonan addresses this snafu in her Thursday column.

According to Noonan:

I must plead some confusion. In our off-air conversation, I got on the subject of the leaders of the Republican party assuming, now, that whatever the base of the Republican party thinks is what America thinks. I made the case that this is no longer true, that party leaders seem to me stuck in the assumptions of 1988 and 1994, the assumptions that reigned when they were young and coming up. "The first lesson they learned is the one they remember," I said to Todd -- and I'm pretty certain that is a direct quote. But, I argued, that's over, those assumptions are yesterday, the party can no longer assume that its base is utterly in line with the thinking of the American people. And when I said, "It's over!" -- and I said it more than once -- that is what I was referring to.

Noonan adds that she doesn't, in fact, think McCain's campaign is "over." She also apologized for using the word "bullshit," which is too bad, because that was the best part of the whole tape.

Peggy Noonan, Mike Murphy Caught On Tape Disparaging Palin Choice: "It's Over," "Political Bullshit," "Gimmicky" [HuffPo]
Earlier: Jesse Jackson Apologizes for Badmouthing Barack Obama Before We Even Know What He Said

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:00 pm

Mazar and the Palins' Teen Mom Common Bond

Debi Mazar definitely doesn't want to see Sarah Palin as our next vice president, but that doesn't mean the Entourage star doesn't support her in some way. Mazar knows all...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:00 pm

Keanu Shutterbug Goes Through Looking Glass

More jibber-jabber(wocky) from the paparazzo suing Keanu Reeves. In response to the actor's motion to dismiss a negligence lawsuit against him, brought by a shutterbug who claims he...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:57 pm

Sarah Palin to the Rescue?

Sarah Palin might just be what the Republicans need. To boost their TV ratings. John McCain's surprising vice presidential pick was due to be the star attraction at tonight's...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:55 pm

St. Paul Report: What Drunk Republicans Do When They’re Certain There Aren’t Reporters There (Oops)

What do Republicans sing at the piano bar of an old Polish dance hall in Minneapolis? On Saturday, two days before the start of the RNC, locals had introduced us to Nye's Polonaise Room, which was rightly named the best bar in America by Esquire in 2006 and features the amazing accordion stylings of Ruth Adams and the World's Most Dangerous Polka Band. But when we returned to the bar late last night, it was overrun with rumpled suits swaying by the piano bar. The crowd, who seemed to hail mostly from Virginia, launched into Frank Sinatra's oeuvre and "Danny Boy" and "Waltzing Mathilda" and one fantastic rendition of "There's Nothin' Like a Dame" from South Pacific — pretty much like New York gays, though with a lot more winking and on-the-knee serenading being thrown in our direction. Then a man who seemed to be the leader — or lead drinker — of the group stumbled up to the bar and grabbed the mike. "Are we sure there's no press in the room?" Ummm. "Are we absolutely positively sure there's no press in the room?" We had the sudden urge to run to the car, grab our tape recorder, and hide it in our pocket. "Okay, then!" he said, and signaled for the pianist to start.

This is what he sang.

God bless free enterprise!
System divine!
Stand beside her,
And guide her,
Just as long as the profits are mine.

Corporations, may they flourish,
Good old Wall Street, may it grow!
God bless free enterprise!
The status quo!
God bless free enterprise!
The status quo!

It brought down the house.

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:54 pm

Gross: Landlord Hid Cameras in College Students’ Bedrooms

Earlier this week a couple of female Hofstra University students decided, upon moving into their new Franklin Square apartment, that they would get their smoke detectors checked out. You know, to make sure they worked. That they were mature and responsible enough to do this is something we find, frankly, staggering, as we're personally in the habit of totally ignoring the smoke detector until it goes off, usually when we're microwaving something we shouldn't, thereby forcing us to smack it off the wall with a broom, making a mockery of everything taught to us by Smokey the Bear. But what these students found was even more surprising: a couple of teeny-tiny spy cameras that, they later found, transmitted a live feed of images from their bedrooms directly to their creepy landlord's computer. The landlord, 44-year-old financial adviser Michael Muratore, was promptly arrested for illegal surveillance, whereupon he tried to convince the police that he hadn't installed said cameras because he was a total perv but "to make sure there was no damage being done to the apartments." Well of course. Sure. We can see his point; checking for damages is something you would totally need live feeds for. From the bedroom, which is where all damage happens. Because you'd want to be able to watch the destruction in real time and know who did it. Because you'd want to be able to properly punish them. Because they're a bad, bad, girl. No. What? Anyway, that is really gross, and you know what? We think we'll pay a little closer attention to our smoke detectors from now on.

Hidden cameras found in bedrooms; landlord arrested [Newsday]

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:45 pm

Paris: "Benji Is My Best Friend"

Paris Hilton may be in search of a new BFF on her latest MTV reality series, but the most famous heiress in the world confides to E! News that she's actually already found...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:42 pm

Afternoon Fix: Britney Spears Officially Doing Something at VMAs

• MTV finally gave in and announced that B. Spears will be opening the VMAs this year. Of course, there are still no details on what she'll do, but hopefully she'll put that sparkle...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:40 pm

Meet the New Girl: Iris Strubegger

We love a good comeback story, and Iris Strubegger has a great one. In 2002 the Austrian model walked for Calvin Klein and became the face of Armani, but after less than two years in the business, Strubegger quit modeling to finish high school. Now 25, Strubegger's hiatus hasn't seemed to slow down her modeling career at all. Her mile-high cheekbones have recently been shot by Mario Testino for V, Steven Meisel for Italian Vogue, and Craig McDean for Pollini's fall ad campaign. So all you hungry, 14-year-old models, take note: Hitting the books and the runways is possible.

Model Profile: Iris Strubegger
See more pretty girls and boys in our extensive Model Manual.

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:30 pm

The Boss to Reprise Role As Dream-Sequence Guy in New Judd Apatow Movie?

Judd Apatow's script for Funny People — a dramatic, semi-autobiographical flick starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen as stand-up comedians — is making the rounds, and our friends at the Playlist have helpfully brought to our attention something interesting. In the screenplay, there's a dream sequence in which Bruce Springsteen pops up to give Sandler's character some advice. As they point out, the film hasn't started shooting yet, so it's not clear if Bruce is signed up. But we've got a hunch he'll be game considering he's already done pretty much this exact same thing before, playing a divine, Telecaster-stroking wise man in High Fidelity. He was pretty great at it, too — supportive but totally honest. Which means we are now officially that much more excited for Funny People.

Will Bruce Springsteen Appear In Judd Apatow's 'Funny People'? [Playlist]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:30 pm

Jennifer Lopez's Stomach Flutter = Babies

Jennifer Lopez is on October's Elle looking the most glam we've seen her since the kiddies. But as with any fabulous fashion cover, our favorite part is the crazy stuff celebrities say....

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:27 pm

Liberty Media splits stake in DirecTV

Front Page: Liberty Entertainment nabs 50% of division -- John Malone is big-game hunting again.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:24 pm

Ross Douthat and Tyler Cowen on Lieberman, Palin, and Outlawing Abortion

Every day until November 4, a series of writers and thinkers will discuss the election over instant messenger for nymag.com. For today’s conversation, we bring together Ross Douthat, a senior editor at The Atlantic and author, with Reihan Salam, of Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream, and Tyler Cowen, a professor of economics at George Mason University who blogs at MarginalRevolution.com. His latest book is Discover Your Inner Economist: Use Incentives to Fall in Love, Survive Your Next Meeting, and Motivate Your Dentist. Cowen will return tomorrow.

T.C: I'd like to start by announcing that my positive or negative remarks about political figures should not be construed as support or lack thereof!

R.D.: I'd like to start by expressing my long-running admiration, which has extended into this campaign season, for your ability to blog about contemporary affairs while keeping an impressively cool head!

T.C: I watched some of the convention last night — my wife turned it on — and I thought it came across as moribund. Bush smirked and Thompson and Lieberman looked like uninspired ghouls, frankly. People can say what they will about Palin, but one reason Republicans are embracing her is simply because of the quality of the competition.

R.D.: Well, I aspire to your level of cool-headedness, but I haven't blogged much in the past couple of days because I'm having a difficult time keeping my cool — and separating my cultural instincts from my political analysis. But the convention last night — which I, too, watched on TV, though I'm here in St. Paul — did have a cooling effect on my increasingly rabid partisanship, by virtue of being just as moribund as you suggested.

It should have been remarkable, stunning even, to watch the '00 Democratic nominee for vice-president endorse the GOP nominee … but all I could feel, watching Lieberman, was nostalgia for Zell Miller's '04 barn burner. Not because I admired all of the sentiments he expressed, mind you, but because first and foremost an event like this needs some entertainment value, and that was sadly absent last night.

T.C: I think Lieberman simply has to be assuming that a Democratic Party which offers him low status needs significant reform.

Now, Palin: The critics are completely correct to suggest that McCain has been a poor decision-maker and that we should not be excited about the Republican ticket. But the point remains that the attacks on his running mate have reached a level of ugliness I never had expected. It is interesting to speculate about some of the motivations. Many points about competence and experience are well taken, but that doesn't account for the tone, severity, or nature of many of the attacks.

R.D.: I think several things are going on with Palin. I think the argument that the media tends toward sexism can be overstated, but there's definitely a touch of sexism in the Palin coverage — as I think there was with Hillary. (Though I also think that it's a mistake for the GOP to complain about it, as it was a mistake for Hillary to do so.)

T.C: Fertility is always a controversial issue. And here's a family that just seems to be bursting with it, comfortable with it, and rejecting many of the mores and norms of liberal democratic America. Suddenly that family has been elevated to very high status. And the attacks start.

R.D.: I also think there's an insider bias to the press — the notion that someone they've never even heard of could be nominated for the vice-presidency is inherently offensive to a culture where the host of Meet the Press is treated to near–state funeral.

Palin crosses the mommy wars with the culture wars like no politician before her…

T.C: There is also the notion that the Kennedy School of Government does not and never will rule America and that America can revoke an electoral victory for the Democrats "at will." Sarah Palin is a populist of the right, and that scares a lot of people. I differ from her myself on many fundamental views, but I will confess that I am enjoying seeing her upend so many presuppositions of her critics.

I tell you, I watched a big chunk of that debate she had when she ran for governor of Alaska a few years ago. She crushed her opponent. If she can survive the next few days, she will prove a very formidable opponent for the Democrats. They are torn between realizing that and not wanting to admit it, by painting her as a lightweight. She isn't.

Everyone is harping on the experience issue. The biggest question is how good a decision-maker you are and how "meta-rational" you are, namely having the ability to recognize your own imperfections. I don't know how she does on those counts, but those are the more honest questions, not whether she can name or understand all the different factions in Afghanistan. No one can.

R.D.: Like you, I think that the experience qua experience argument is overblown. It's clearly a political problem for the McCain camp, since it contradicts their "experience first" message, but their attempts to cast her as having foreign-policy experience (Alaska national guard, etc.) are just laughable.

T.C: Yes, they need to stop with that Alaska line. It is just inviting press questions which cannot really be answered.

R.D.: Their emphasis should be along that she has the record of a good decision-maker (which she does in some cases, less so in others, so far as I can tell), and that she'll apply those abilities to international affairs the way she's applied them to Alaska politics. And then she just has to run circles around Joe Biden, which I suspect she's capable of…

T.C: Biden is very stiff and often lacks a sense of the audience. In her gubernatorial debate I was amazed how often she knew when to restate the question in terms she was familiar with or wanted to answer. She had a remarkable sense of when to use positive or negative words and at which times. I was very impressed by her debating skills.

R.D.: I wonder what you think of her libertarian credentials? It's hard to get an exact read on where she's stood on a lot of issues, but her candidacy has been greeted with more interest from online libertarians than you'd expect from an evangelical pro-lifer, I think…

T.C: I doubt if she is very libertarian. I think of her as a populist with libertarian tendencies but really not a libertarian. I'm sure you heard about her trying to censor books at the local public library. Again, there is a lot here I am not comfortable with. I wonder about her attachment to moderation, most of all. For me that is a bigger question than experience per se. But she is also a breath of fresh air in a party which is falling apart.

I think Obama genuinely has the virtue of moderation, and I find that reassuring. I don't see that McCain does. Biden I couldn't say.

R.D.: I would say that Obama has the virtue of caution, rather than moderation — I think his political choices, in Chicago and now on the national stage, have been shaped by play-it-safe instincts. In Chicago, playing it safe meant being pretty far left; on the national stage, it means being a centrist. I sympathize with the conservative suspicion that he's something of a radical in his heart of hearts — no intelligent person could attend Jeremiah Wright's church without having some instincts in that direction — but I'm hopeful that his innate caution will be a brake on those tendencies.

As someone who thinks the GOP needs to be shaken up, I've been pulling for all the outsiders in Republican politics this year; I wanted Mike Huckabee AND Ron Paul to succeed, contradictory as that sounds. And I'm sure that shaped my desire to see Palin on the ticket. But it's one thing to root for a shake-up artist in the primary; it's another to root for one who might ascend, upon John McCain's death, to the presidency.

T.C: McCain I think sees everything as a moral issue, and that worries me. I worry very much that he would attack Iran … If I can press you for a moment, why stay being a Republican, given the mess over there? Why not just be an independent? The Democratic convention, I should add, depressed me quite a bit. Unlike day one for the Republicans, I thought it was a "good show." But if you look at the kinds of appeals in Hillary's speech, well … I can only turn over the mike to your colleague Andrew Sullivan on that one.

R.D.: I suppose I generally think of myself as a conservative much more than as a Republican … but when you write a book about what a specific party should do, as Reihan and I just did, you tend to find yourself identifying more with that party than usual. I think I'm at the phase of my life where I'm young and naïve enough to think that I can have an influence on national politics. I think the GOP is a more plausible vehicle for my ideas than the Democrats, and so I'm doing my damndest to influence them. Come back to me in twenty years, and I'll probably be older, wiser, and self-identifying as a conservative independent.

T.C: I do think you can have influence, but not through parties per se. I view the voters as the fundamental problem, and the parties are forced by competitive pressures to respond. The argument for you staying a Republican is simply that the party right now doesn't have many other good thinkers. That will mean more attention for your ideas. I'm not suggesting you view it so cynically, but still it is true.

R.D.: Well, you flatter me! But yeah, I'm sure there's a subconscious pull, when you're a young writer interested in politics, to a party's that in trouble, and therefore receptive to your (sometimes harebrained) notions…

If Roe vs. Wade weren't on the books, too, I think I would be much more likely to swing back and forth between the parties. But returning abortion law to the democratic process (I don't have any illusions that pro-lifers can accomplish more than that in the short run) is such an overriding priority for me that it tends to keep me tethered to the GOP.

T.C: I also think, though, cynically, that the GOP knows that "delivering" on the abortion issue would spell their doom and thus they won't ever do it.

R.D.: I don't agree, actually. It depends what you mean by "deliver." Will the national GOP push for a nationwide abortion ban in my lifetime? Doubtful. Could a Supreme Court with conservative appointees overturn Roe and Casey? Sure. It would have in 1992, if Anthony Kennedy hadn't changed his mind. And I'm pretty persuaded that both Alito and Roberts, if it came to it, would vote to overturn Roe.

T.C: I agree on Alito and Roe, but running referenda on abortion and the like would very badly hurt the national profile of the Republicans. Maybe it's hard for the party to step back from the tipping point, but I think they prefer the status quo to reform in the direction you outline.

R.D.: Well, we'll see what kind of judges a McCain-Palin administration appoints!

T.C: I believe so … I'll just add one thing: This election will have more interesting sociology than probably either of us had expected. Let's hope that America as a nation comes out of it okay. Your final words?

R.D.: Just that it's been a pleasure chatting with you, and I look forward to hearing what you think about tonight's speech. I've got my fingers crossed!

Earlier: Defending Sarah Palin: Ross Douthat and Jonah Goldberg on McCain's V.P. Pick as Culture-War Hand Grenade

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:10 pm

Celebs Come Out for GOP, Too

Big names in St. Paul include Jon Voight, Gretchen Wilson and the Beach Boys.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:04 pm

Leaked: New Metallica Album Better Than Their Last Three, at Least

Metallica, Death Magnetic

Official Release Date: September 12

The Verdict: The spin on Metallica's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, which leaked last night, is that it's a return to form (as a recording exercise, producer Rick Rubin had the band imagine they were rewriting 1986's Master of Puppets). We're not sure we'd go that far, but it's definitely better than St. Anger, at least. "The Day That Never Comes" and "The Judas Kiss" are monstrous, and Kirk Hammett's ridiculous fretwork proves the five-year break between albums hasn't slowed his fleet fingers. Also, James Hetfield is still having nightmares: "Sleep and dream of this / death angels kiss," he instructs on "Cyanide." You can commence air-punching now.

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 10:00 pm

NBC tops final week of summer

Front Page: 'Talent,' 'Deal' help net maintain ratings glory -- NBC logged a narrow primetime demo victory in the final week of the summer season, staying on top in the first frame following its coverage of the Summer Olympics.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:56 pm

Rachel Maddow: ‘It’s Hilarious That ‘Page Six’ Just Runs Stuff That They Make Up’

Fiery but polite Rachel Maddow has just fired the latest salvo in the war between "Page Six" and MSNBC. After the tabloid gossip column suggested that she may need to straighten up her sense of style yesterday, the new cable host was asked about the feud in an online Q&A on TVNewser. Blogger Ron Mwangaguhunga asked: "There was a lighthearted Page Six story this week about MSNBC making you wear fancy clothes. Question: Is it intimidating to now be on Page Six's radar?" Maddow replied:

I think it's hilarious that Page Six just runs stuff that they make up. What a great job that must be! Not intimidated — thanks for the question, Ron.

Ooooh, slice. We can't wait until the writers of the gossip column come up with a response. If her politics, co-workers, and clothes have already been pilloried, we already know what's next … her hair. And that's going to get "Page Six" in trouble — you do NOT talk to a lesbian about her short haircut. It's like talking to a black lady about her weave: dangerous.

Live Chat With Rachel Maddow [TVNewser/Mediabistro]

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:55 pm

Christina Aguilera Sells $50K Worth of Fragrance at Macy’s

FRAGRANCE
• Christina Aguilera stopped by Macy's yesterday to promote her Inspire fragrance. She inspired $50,000 in sales of the perfume at the Herald Square location over Labor Day weekend alone. Damn. [WWD]

• Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers fragrances are taking over the Bloomingdale's windows on 59th Street. [Racked]

MAKEUP
• Hard Candy is not shutting down, as many beauty blogs speculated last week after their products went on sale up to 75 percent off. They're just "repositioning" and adding more options to their color collection. [WWD]

• Maybelline is doing a limited-edition calendar for 2009; the behind-the-scenes video for the project features Adriana Lima, Julia Stegner, and Anna Wang bathing in tub full of beauty products. [V via Robert Greene]

• Gisele Bündchen is new face of Max Factor, taking over Carmen Electra's three-year stint. [Off the Rack/People]

PLASTIC SURGERY
• Tennis star Lindsay Davenport injects Juvéderm™ dermal filler into her face to reduce wrinkles. [Beauty Interviews]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:50 pm

Reporter Dealt Blow in Heath Ledger Suit

Reporter: Photo agency secretly filmed Ledger doing drugs in her hotel room.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:47 pm

Weinstein Co. hires David Glasser

Front Page: Executive named president, int'l distribution -- The Weinstein Co. has filled a key spot on its exec roster by hiring Yari Film Group vet David Glasser as prexy of international distribution.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:35 pm

GOP convention's enthusiasm gap

Front Page: Palin speech aims to give RNC 'shot in the arm' -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gave the Republican National Convention something that it needed on Wednesday night: a shot in the arm.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:30 pm

‘90210’ Blow Job Not As Bad As We Expected

So, obviously, like the target-demo nostalgists that we are, we turned into last night's two-hour series premiere of the rebooted 90210. How was it? Awefulsome! When the CW announced a week ago that it wouldn't be sending critics advance screeners, the prevailing assumption was that this meant the show was terrible. Even so, we held out hope — maybe it would be terrible in the same way as the original! And it sort of was!

We knew the updated 90210 was reimagining the first show's characters as current-day teenagers (the new Brandon Walsh is played, hilariously, by Tristan Wilds from The Wire), but we didn't know they'd be able to capture the original's tone quite so well. Despite its much-discussed blow-job scene (skip ahead to 4:40 in the above video) — which Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth have called "not 90210" and thought would make Aaron Spelling spin in his grave — it was still pretty much the same corny, mostly sexless, inane-subplot-crammed Beverly Hills, 90210 that we were too dumb to be critical about when we were 13; basically a slightly grittier Saved by the Bell. We have no idea what current teenagers, weaned on Gossip Girl and actual blow jobs, might have thought. But we sort of enjoyed it, even if we'll probably never watch it again and totally expect it to be canceled any minute.

Earlier: Will We Hate the New ‘90210’ As Much As Jennie and Shannen Do?

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:30 pm

Is Schnabel’s Palazzo Chupi in Crisis? Schay It Isn’t Scho!

West Village: The big, pink Palazzo Chupi on West 11th Street (owned by Julian Schnabel, our favorite schnuggable artist), is in crisis, according to Curbed. Even after price cuts, the remaining units haven't sold, doormen are reportedly giving tours to random passersby out of boredom, and now, he'll have to contend with an imitator. Wow. Soon he'll be forced to sell units to random bloggers in exchange for a handful of change and a few crumpled ATM receipts. Hint. [Curbed]
Crown Heights: This is where longtime club dude Tracy Westmoreland says he wants to reopen his legendary dive bar, Siberia, which closed last year on West 40th Street after hosting journos and celebs like Anthony Bourdain and Jimmy Fallon. [NYO, Grub Street]
East Village: A non–Stuy Town resident and her two huge, ferocious dogs are terrorizing the legitimate Stuy Town residents and their legit, cute, small, harmless dogs. And that is terrifying and infuriating. [StuyTown Report]

Dumbo: Despite moving here from Park Slope, the Khalil Gibran Arab–themed public school has just 30 more students than last year, with many parents yanking their kids out of the school because of conflicts with the principal. Uh, can we audit classes there with the kids? We want to learn Arabic (but hear it's really hard!). [NYP]
Park Slope: Oh God, first it's a rash of car break-ins in Dumbo, now it's serial windshield-wiper thieves here. What's next, Obama bumper-sticker grifters in Fort Greene? [Gowanus Lounge]
South Bronx: The old Yankee Stadium will not be imploded but rather demolished in phases starting next year, with demo crew already submitting bids on the $27 mil wrecking contract. The famous bat-shaped smokestack where people meet will be spared and likely moved to a spot nearby. [NYP via Curbed]
Sunnyside Gardens: In other news of ferocious urban critters, "A hungry, brazen, and resourceful squirrel has broken into at least 2 kitchens by eating/ripping through window screens to get at food sitting on kitchen counters (even sealed food) within the last week." And a commenter: "This happened to me earlier this summer at Celtic Park, and I'm on the seventh floor!" Flying squirrels, too?!? [Let's Meet up in Queens via Queens Crap]

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:15 pm

First Images of Jonathan Saunders for Target!

Behold! All the pretty colors of Jonathan Saunders's collection for Target. It hits stores October 5, but you can also scoop it up early (yay!) in one of the Bullseye Bodega pop-up shops opening around the city next week. The collection was inspired by the works of Gustav Klimt, Jackson Pollock, and Rothko. Pieces range from $14.99 to $59.99 and will be in stores through November 1.

See a slideshow of the collection.

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 9:04 pm

‘Spider-Man the Musical’ Is Going to Be Great, Says Random Blogger

So, some blogger, who's friends with some guy named Glen, who's working on the Julie Taymor–helmed, U2-scored Spider-Man musical, got Glen to give her a sneak preview of the show. Like you, she was skeptical. No more — now she's making Tony predictions. Said blogger posted about it on her LiveJournal, but it's since been taken down, which we guess makes everything she said probably true, right? Publishers Weekly's the Beat blog blurbed the relevant parts, below:

It's fairly well-documented that Julie Taymor is a genius, but I was dubious when I first heard about this project. It’s Peter Parker plus Arachne (you know, from the myths about spiders) and it’s Green Goblin and Mary Jane and a greek chorus of geeks (geek chorus, snort snort) and, of course, J.J. Jameson. Glen was kind enough to show us all of the set design sketches and they are amazing — stylish and graphic with forced perspective and vertigo-inducing angles. Lots of LED stuff, also. We also got to see test footage from the swinging and flying and a short video of the team figuring out how to shoot webs. As Glen said, obviously there are going to be a lot of wires in this show. If it bothers you to see them, this is not the show for you.

We also got to hear some music from the workshop they did recently and, you know, it rocks. It’s undeniably U2 in the very best way. There’s a beautiful duet between Peter and MJ that I’m sure we’ll all see at the 2010 Tonys.

Wow! This sounds so good that not even Josh Bednarsky could screw it up!

First word on Spider-Man musical [Beat/PW]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 8:45 pm

Obama to appear on 'O'Reilly Factor'

Front Page: Presidential nominee debuts on right-wing show -- After many invitations, Bill O'Reilly is finally getting the chance to interview Barack Obama. The Democratic presidential nominee is set to appear on "The O'Reilly Factor" for the first time on Thursday at 8 p.m.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Sep 2008 | 8:45 pm

Music Review: Haddon reinvents himself again (AP)

AP - Deitrick Haddon, "Revealed" (Zomba)
Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 3 Sep 2008 | 8:31 pm

Moby Loves Woody Allen, Fears His Own Bathroom

Name: Moby
Job: "Bald Musician," blogger, stealth slut extraordinaire
Age: 42
Neighborhood: Lower East Side

Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
A toss-up between Jacob Riis and Woody Allen. Or Marcel Duchamp. Can I pick all three? Okay, all three.

What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
The assorted Korean pancakes with spicy kimchee at Franchia, on Park Avenue at 34th Street.

In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I make music in my studio and answer online Q&As.

Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
When I first moved back here (I was born on 148th Street, but grew up in Connecticut), I was making $10,000 a year and paying $150 a month in rent. That was only twenty years ago. I honestly don't know if it would be possible to live in Manhattan (or even Brooklyn at this point) on $35,000 a year.

What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
A drunk tourist yelling at his girlfriend.

Do you give money to panhandlers?
Yes.

What's your drink?
Cheap beer from the deli.

How often do you prepare your own meals?
At least once a day. But wait, does microwaving an Amy's burrito count as preparing a meal? I hope so.

What's your favorite medication?
Xanax for long flights.

What's hanging above your sofa?
A picture of Woody Allen.

How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
Sadly, you're asking the wrong person.

When's bedtime?
Usually around 3 or 4 a.m.

Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
Old Times Square. Old Times Square was amazing, even if every time you went there you took your life in your hands. New Times Square is an impressive spectacle, but it's lost its soul.

What do you think of Donald Trump?
I don't know why he never smiles. Seems like one of the points of having a trillion dollars is to be happy and smile on occasion.

What do you hate most about living in New York?
The fact that interesting people can no longer afford to live in Manhattan.

Who is your mortal enemy?
That stupid cockroach in my bathroom who terrifies me when I go to pee in the middle of the night.

When's the last time you drove a car?
It was in the nineties but I don't exactly remember when.

Who should be the next president?
Barack Obama.

Times, Post, or Daily News?
None of the above. Although I do love the Metro section of the Times. It makes NYC seem like a little town.

Where do you go to be alone?
My roof. Although sometimes my neighbor's dog climbs under the fence and hangs out with me. But that's okay, he's nice.

What makes someone a New Yorker?
The tendency to unintentionally confuse tourists with directions.

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Sep 2008 | 8:25 pm

Gibson Square

A novel about the Prophet Mohammed and his child bride, which has already caused controversy in the United States and Serbia, will be released in Britain next month, its publisher Gibson Square said Wednesday...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Sep 2008 | 8:11 pm

Nastia Liukin to Sit Front Row at Fashion Week, Design Clothes

Nastia Liukin will sit front row at Peter Som's show during Fashion Week. The Olympic gymnast told WWD Maria Sharapova invited her, which we all know makes her officially cool. Sharapova's a friend of Anna Wintour, so perhaps she'll introduce the Vogue editor to the gymnast. If they don't have time to get chummy at Som's show, there's always the Isaac Mizrahi or Cole Haan shows, which Liukin is also attending (we imagine she'll sit front row at those, too, but Liukin hasn't stated so explicitly). Maybe La Wintour and Liukin will become besties and the gymnast will appear in Vogue! (Do excuse our imaginations for running wild.)

Liukin's foray into fashion doesn't stop at Fashion Week. The five foot three athlete is working with Vanilla Star jeans on launching Nastia Liukin Gold jeans and tops for holiday sales. She is also in talks to design a line of activewear for GK, the company that makes her leotards, which she designs with her mom.

Liukin also said she'd "love to do some acting and modeling, but not as my career." We have a hunch she's a tad short for the runway, but she's already scheduled to appear on Gossip Girl. We can't wait for that episode.

Gold Medalist Liukin Jumps Into Apparel [WWD]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 8:05 pm

Artist Kehinde Wiley Plays Rock-Paper-Scissors

Kehinde Wiley approaches men on the streets of Harlem, Lagos, and Dakar, and paints them into grand, opulently framed works that you’d expect to see on a wall in a Wes Anderson movie. See more statuesque young men on view at the Studio Museum in Harlem through October 26.
Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 8:00 pm

Are We Approaching a Nicolas Cage Tipping Point?

With the recent news that Nicolas Cage will start filming Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of Kick-Ass this fall, America’s strangest movie star steps up his assault on the endurance of the moviegoing public. Once a critical darling (can you even remember Moonstruck at this point?) and an Oscar winner (or even Leaving Las Vegas?), then a three-for-them-one-for-me A-lister who managed to squeeze in the occasional Adaptation amid the Bruckheimer noise-fests, Cage has lately become the least selective topliner this side of Brendan Fraser, with an output as prolific (Lord of War, Next, Ghost Rider, National Treasure 2) as his performances are increasingly lazy and bizarre. As Cage prepares to excrete his latest instantly disposable action vehicle, Bangkok Dangerous, on Friday, the question becomes this: How much more abuse are we going to take?

Pretty much all you need to know about Bangkok Dangerous can be seen in this priceless clip (which is most certainly not safe for the squeamish). Meanwhile, there's the trailer for the March 2009 prophecy thriller Knowing, which suggests that Cage feels that one Da Vinci Code knockoff franchise isn’t enough for him. And that’s before we even get into his John Carpenter prison-riot movie, or his currently filming Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, a Werner Herzog–helmed remake/sequel/something-or-other to Abel Ferrara’s cult non-classic and easily the title to beat for Batshit Craziest Flick of the Decade.

So could 2009 be the year we finally wash our hands of action hero Nicolas Cage? Not only would an unbroken series of flops be an appropriate punishment for such a consistent stream of mediocrity, but a fall from the A-list could push Cage back to the quirky, offbeat projects that made us like him in the first place. Still, one should never underestimate a career that could survive The Wicker Man, so our bet is Nicolas Cage will continue lending his inexplicable bankability to crappy action thrillers for years to come.

Earlier: Nicolas Cage to ‘Kick’ McLovin’s ‘Ass’

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 7:15 pm

Macy's to debut exclusive deal with Tommy Hilfiger (AP)

AP - Macy's stores across the country are renovating their Tommy Hilfiger shops and expanding how much of the designer's sportswear they carry. But fans of the brand soon won't be seeing those items at other department stores.

Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 3 Sep 2008 | 6:37 pm

Jeff Bridges’s Acting in ‘Big Lebowski’ Was Not Aided by Performance Enhancers

"I wanted to have a clear head." —Jeff Bridges on why he stopped smoking pot to play Jeffrey Lebowski [WENN via Starpulse]

"As soon as I can sit down next to him, pick up a controller and stare at an HD screen, I will beat the shit out of him. I will definitely kick Bow Wow's ass. His name will be 'Lil Puppy.' It won't even 'Lil Bow Wow.' It'll be 'Lil Meow' after I'm done with him." —The Game calls out Bow Wow before their upcoming $100K Madden NFL 09 face-off [MTV]

"I feel like I've had such a connection with my audience. This album, I felt like, was definitely the type of one that was more intimate. So what better way to get up close and personal than to make it all women?" —Usher on his upcoming "One Night Stand" tour, which will be for ladies only [AP via Yahoo]

"I don't think I would want to see a movie of the series if I was a fan, anyway. And I don't really see a need for it if you can get the three seasons on DVD." —Michael Cera doesn't understand why people keep talking about an Arrested Development film [National Post]

"We were doin' that in '97 with Buffy. I love all the people on Heroes, I know all the actors, but I think it's overrated. I personally don't get it." — David Boreanaz doesn't get Heroes [EW]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 6:30 pm

Vivienne Westwood to Release an Album!

Hey, if musicians can make clothing lines, there's no reason designers can't make CDs: Vivienne Westwood will release a compilation album, Catwalk Breakdown, on September 15. British Vogue reports Westwood conceptualized, curated, and art-directed the album, giving us all a reason to go to an actual physical store where CDs are sold and buy the album, plastic case, cellophane wrapping, and all. The album includes sixteen of Westwood's favorite songs, like "Last Night Was Made for Love," by Billy Fury, and Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers. Westwood told British Vogue:

"My clothes always tell a story. It may refer to the past, but it's always projected into this heroic future. And I choose the music accordingly … Sometimes the music can just be sexy, it can let you relax, look at the clothes, put people into a fantastic mood. Then it might just have to swing back and lift you up to the final triumph of the fashion show."

"These are some of the pieces that I've relied on over all these years — my classics. They've never failed me."

It's like music therapy! When Fashion Week ends, we might need a little of that to ease our mourning. We can only listen to "Why Do All Good Things Come to an End?," by Nelly Furtado, so many times.

The Westwood Beat [British Vogue]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 6:25 pm

Anne Hathaway

US actress Anne Hathaway poses during the photocall of the movie "Rachel Getting Married" directed by US Jonathan Demme at the 65th Venice International Film Festival. Jurors at the Venice film festival...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Sep 2008 | 6:23 pm

Music Review: Giant Sand's new album is compelling (AP)

AP - Giant Sand, "proVISIONS" (YepRoc)
Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 3 Sep 2008 | 6:03 pm

Akon Heads to Trial for Alleged Fan-Toss

The singer is charged with tossing a teen fan off stage at a show last summer.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 5:51 pm

New Marciano Boutique Offers Free Coffee, Good Girlie Fun

While many of us fled the city for the three-day weekend on Friday, Guess opened its first New York Marciano boutique in Soho. The glitzy runway-inspired label offers teeny cocktail dresses, slinky tops, leather handbags, and towering heels in a sprawling, two-story space on Broadway that reminds us of Cher's house from Clueless (and we mean that in a good way). Animal-print accents, custom-made furniture, and glittering chandeliers accent the store's pristine white interior — and we appreciated the bar and drink cart serving free cappuccino and soft drinks to shoppers on the first floor. A collage of mirror pieces on the rear wall reflects mannequins modeling short, tight dresses, and a projector above the staircase loops recent runway shows on a giant screen. Fitting rooms include plush leather ottomans and ample, inviting seating for restless boyfriends. Upstairs, an entire room is devoted to the high-heeled footwear collection — the largest selection of all the Marciano stores — displaying slingbacks, boots, and pumps in leather brights and metallics.

See more of the store in a slideshow.

Marciano, 514 Broadway, nr. Spring St.; 212-925-0817.

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 5:47 pm

‘Watchmen’ Trial Scheduled for January, Might Not Screw Up Movie’s Release Date

Good news, for once, in the realm of release dates for things we're excited about: A Los Angeles judge yesterday set a January 6, 2009, trial date for the squabble between Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox over the rights to the Watchmen movie. (For those busy obsessing over things other than comic-book movie adaptations, Fox is suing Warner Bros. to block the Zack Snyder–directed film, claiming they still own the movie rights to the original novel owing to a 1994 turnaround blah blah blah.) This means both sides will likely have time to work out a deal (probably involving a huge lump-sum payment to Fox) before Watchmen's planned release on March 6. We haven't been this invested in a legal proceeding since our last speeding ticket.

Watchmen Court Trial Set for January [/Film]
Earlier: Who Sues the Watchmen? That’d Be Fox

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 5:45 pm

Music Review: New Kids on the Block reunite on CD (AP)

AP - New Kids on the Block, "The Block" (Interscope)

Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 3 Sep 2008 | 5:35 pm

The Hollywood Sign in Hollywood, California

The Hollywood Sign in Hollywood, California. The oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi announced on Wednesday it would pump more than one billion dollars into film production in tandem with Hollywood and other...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Sep 2008 | 5:14 pm

‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’ Trailer: Kevin Smith Makes a Porny Apatow Movie

Tagline: These are the exact circumstances people find themselves in right before they start having sex for money.

Translation: Or writing another Clerks sequel, we'd imagine.

The Verdict: This new "red-band" trailer for Zack and Miri Make a Porno — the Kevin Smith movie about roommates Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks who, well, you know — wastes no time taking advantage of its expanded freedom of speech. (Zingers abound, but our favorite: "Why the fuck aren't we watching that right now?") The Office's Craig Robinson, playing the producer in charge of the "titty auditions," and Traci Lords, as the aptly named porn star Bubbles, make for a decent-seeming background cast, rounded out by Smith regulars like Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson. But the main arc will be, obviously, in true Aptovian fashion, that of a smoking hot babe falling for a lovable schlub. Only with more porn jokes.

Zack and Miri NSFW Red Band Movie Trailer and Banned Poster [/Film]

Source: Vulture -- Entertainment, Music, Culture, Theater, Movies, Art -- New York Magazine Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 5:00 pm

Michael Phelps Explains His Style and Beauty Routine

Yesterday Michael Phelps received his $1 million bonus from Speedo for winning eight gold medals. But rather than blow it on models, bottles, and $300 jeans, he's using it to create the Michael Phelps Foundation "dedicated to growing the sport of swimming globally and encouraging active lifestyles." Aw, that's sweet. WWD was on hand to interview Phelps. Joe Gromak, CEO of the Warnaco Group Inc., which owns Speedo, helped Phelps answer hard-hitting questions about his style. And guess what? He's a jeans-and-T-shirt kind of guy!

WWD: What do you wear when you are out of the pool?
M.P.: Jeans, polos, button-downs, nothing too fancy.
J.G.: He likes Calvin Klein Jeans and Underwear, I hear [which Warnaco makes].
M.P.: Yeah, I wear Diesel, Seven, D&G, Lacoste — that’s pretty much it.

That's right, Joe — if you wanted him to say Calvin Klein on his own, you could have cut him another $1 million deal. No one would be opposed to a topless Michael Phelps Calvin Klein jeans billboard, after all.

WWD also asked the question that's been plaguing us since gold medal No. 3: How does he deal with all that skin- and hair-damaging chlorine exposure?!

M.P.: I use Kiehl’s lotion. I don’t have much hair to wash, so I’m not picky about shampoo.

You know that's an honest answer because he's not even endorsing that brand! Phelps added he's been too busy to finalize new endorsement deals but currently endorses Visa, Omega, PowerBar, Hilton, Rosetta Stone, and AT&T — all things he uses. Which means there's a serious void in his fashion and beauty endorsement repertoire. So hop to it, industries! And someone please get him on the front row of Fashion Week. Lacoste, we're looking at you.

Q&A: Michael Phelps [WWD]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 4:45 pm

Facts about Macy's Inc., Tommy Hilfiger Group (AP)

AP - Facts about Macy's Inc. and Tommy Hilfiger Group as they prepare to launch an exclusive alliance covering men's and women's sportswear.
Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 3 Sep 2008 | 4:26 pm

Annette Dasch

German Soprano Annette Dasch is seen during a rehearsal of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opera Don Giovanni in July 2008. Dasch is to sing the role of Elsa in the Bayreuth Festival's new production of "Lohengrin"...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Sep 2008 | 4:26 pm

The upper part of marble funerary stele (L) and a photographic reconstruction of the stele

The upper part of marble funerary stele (L) and a photographic reconstruction of the stele, which was found in the early 1960s, are displayed at the Athen's Archeological museum. Two ancient artefacts...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Sep 2008 | 4:25 pm

Visitors at the Athens Archeological museum admire a bronze krater

Visitors at the Athens Archeological museum admire a bronze krater dated to the 5th and 4th century BC. Two ancient artefacts illegally removed from Greece decades ago went on display in Athens on Wednesday...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Sep 2008 | 4:25 pm

Beyonce's sister dares to be different

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 4:20 pm

Palin Provides Real Northern Exposure

Don't believe what you see. Few Alaskans wrestle bears, travel by small plane.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 4:06 pm

Lifetime taps new programming chief

Front Page: JoAnn Alfano replaces Susanne Daniels -- Moving to fill the void left by Susanne Daniels’ departure last month, Lifetime has hired longtime NBC development exec JoAnn Alfano as head of programming.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Sep 2008 | 3:34 pm

Calvin Klein’s Volume Reaches $5.4 Billion; Get Cheap Tickets to Obama Fund-raiser

• Calvin Klein has nearly doubled its volume to $5.4 billion. It's expected to double again in the next five years, thanks to international retail expansion. [WWD]

• Here's a look at early sketches of Isaac Mizrahi's debut Liz Claiborne collection, showcasing lots of bright color and a "sporty attitude." [WWD]

• If you can't afford a $10,000 ticket to Anna Wintour and Sarah Jessica Parker's Runway to Change fund-raiser for Barack Obama, know that $250 tickets are now available. Flypaper has details on how to buy. [Fly Paper/Bluefly]

• Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa: "I never thought of filling anybody’s shoes … Calvin did what he did. Am I Calvin? Absolutely not. Am I respecting the label? Yes. Am I doing what I am supposed to do? I think I am. Am I respecting myself? Yes. Am I having fun? Yes. Do I like being here? I love being here." [WWD]

• Moschino's enchanted-forest-themed meatpacking-district flagship opened yesterday. [WWD]

• Rumors are circling that Hedi Slimane might have been signed to Art + Commerce, the well-known artist agency, as photographer. [Fashionologie]

• Christian Siriano designed a dress for British R&B star Estelle Swaray to wear on her current tour. [Inside Bay Area]

• Anna Wintour has worn the same marbled turquoise Oscar de la Renta resort '09 dress three times since May. Eh, she does this kind of thing all the time. [NYO]

• Agyness Deyn was spotted buying a handmade owl frock by New York Couture at the Dressing Room Boutique & Bar on the Lower East Side. [NYP]

• Cameron Diaz was spotted trying on Stella McCartney at Intermix with her rather disinterested boyfriend, Paul Sculfor. [NYP]

Source: The Cut - New York Magazine's Fashion Blog | 3 Sep 2008 | 3:30 pm

Slipknot ahead of the Game

Front Page: 'Gone' edges out 'LAX' for top spot on charts -- After declaring the Game’s “LAX” (Geffen) the week’s top-seller, Nielsen SoundScan went back to its data, recalculated the numbers and awarded the gold to Slipknot’s “All Hope Is Gone” (Roadrunner).

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Sep 2008 | 3:15 pm

'Rachel' lifts Venice at midpoint

Front Page: Star Anne Hathaway adds glitz to festival -- Jonathan Demme’s dysfunctional family drama "Rachel Getting Married" lifted the Venice Film Festival out of its midpoint slumber, as the Lido heads toward what is expected to be a more satisfying final stretch.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Sep 2008 | 3:12 pm

Toronto film fest could offer surprises

A mere film festival cannot compete with the Academy Awards' grip on the public imagination, but the 33rd Toronto International Film Festival (which begins Thursday) comes pretty close -- in part because it has become the first important bellwether for the onslaught of Oscar hopefuls.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 3:07 pm

Ne-Yo Scores $700K, Wins R. Kelly Feud?

Judge orders concert promoter to pay Ne-Yo for nixing him from R. Kelly's tour.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 2:50 pm

Voice of Movie Trailers, Don LaFontaine Dies

LaFontaine, Hollywood's top voiceover artist, voiced more than 5,000 trailers.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 2:48 pm

David Spade Is the Father of Playboy Playmate's Baby

The former 'Saturday Night Live' star is the father of a baby girl born to Playboy Playmate Jillian Grace, People reported.
Source: FOXNews.com | 3 Sep 2008 | 2:16 pm

Britney Spears to Open MTV Video Music Awards

Despite her train-wreck performance at the MTV Video Music Awards last year, the network confirms Spears will kick off the show once again.
Source: FOXNews.com | 3 Sep 2008 | 1:48 pm

New phenomenon?

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 1:14 pm

Letterman wants to go out on his own terms

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 12:33 pm

'90210' debuts: The best surprise is no surprise (AP)

AP - There weren't a lot of surprises on the premiere of "90210."

Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:43 am

Judge Nixes Claims in Heath Ledger Drug Video Lawsuit

A judge in Los Angeles says a lawsuit filed by a celebrity reporter over a video that purportedly shows Heath Ledger doing drugs fails to adequately state legal claims.
Source: FOXNews.com | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:41 am

Letterman Wants to Stay Beyond 2010

"Late Night" star doesn't understand why NBC is getting rid of rival Leno.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Sep 2008 | 11:37 am