Think naked women, body-paint, big boobs, blondes and free booze and you'll get a feel for Hugh Hefner's Annual (and possibly final) Halloween party, which went down at his iconic mansion on Saturday night. Source: FOXNews.com | 29 Oct 2008 | 5:06 pm
Good morning! Today's paper brings a fable for our time. It's about a boy called Keenan Altunis, a 33-year-old banker from Long Island who has been living in London. The last time Kevin visited his mother in New York, he tossed a wadded up $100 bill* at her, since he had no use for it.
"Go buy some scratch tickets, old woman," he barked, and strode off to board his plane. And even though Mrs. Altunis could really have used the money for a blanket or a new hip, she went to the bodega and did exactly that, for she loved her boy so.
"I'll have four of the new tickets, the '$1 million a year for life' tickets," she told the man at the bodega, handing over Keenan's crisp $100.
"You're $20 short, old woman," he said, glaring at her.
"Oh, dear me," she said, and with trembling hands, withdrew the last $20 in her wallet, the $20 she was planning on spending on her monthly allotment of flour. Mrs. Altunis took the tickets home and spread them out on the table. Keenan had told her to scratch them, and so she did, rubbing out the dollar signs one by one. The first one, she lost. The second one, she lost. The third one, she lost. "Great," she said. "Now I'll starve to death for NOTHING." But on the fourth ticket, she got a winning symbol. And another winning symbol! She had won!
Or rather, Kevin had won. Rich, rich Kevin, who is still fully employed living in the most expensive city in the world and is currently on vacation in the Caribbean. Mrs. Altunis kept the ticket under her mattress for days until he could make the trip home to claim it, which he did recently: "Don't get me wrong, no matter how rich anyone is, a million a year is a lot of money," he told the Post when he was here. "But I don't expect this to change my life very much at all."
It's Official:Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau will reteam for superhero ensemble movie The Avengers, as well as two more Iron Man movies. Also, Don Cheadle's replacement of Terrence Howard in the role of Jim Rhodes has officially been finalized, a move that Iron Manfans are decidedly less pleased with. Avengers is set for a 2011 release once the rest of the crew (Captain American, Hulk, Wasp, Giant Man, Hawkeye and Thor) have appeared in movies of their own. We'll go ahead and start the "Shaq for Giant Man" campaign now. His superhero credentials are unmatched, and he is indeed quite the giant. [HR]
Kurosawa Revisited:Mike Nichols is onboard to direct the David Mamet's adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's High and Low for Miramax. In the works for nearly a decade, Mamet's screenplay was commissioned by Martin Scorsese, who will executive-produce, in 1999, but it took producer Scott Rudin two years to secure all the rights. Go ahead, add it to your Netflix queue now so you can tell all your friends how much better the original was. [Variety]
M. Night, You Devil:M. Night Shyamalan will oversee horror flick Devil as the first project in a three-picture deal with Media Rights Capital. The film, a supernatural thriller based on an original story by Shyamalan, will be written by Brain Nelson (30 Days of Night) and directed by John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine). Something tells us the next two pictures in the deal will also be also be supernatural thrillers based on original stories by Shyamalan. Just a hunch. [Variety]
Gilmore Doll:Lauren Graham, better known to you as Lorelai Gilmore, will play Miss Adelaide is the upcoming Broadway revival of Guys and Dolls. She'll star alongside Oliver Platt, playing Nathan Detroit, in her first appearance on Broadway since 2002. Look for Rory's review online. [Playbill]
A Trip Down Memory Place: Following the success (?) of its 90210 revival, the CW is working on bringing back the original show's spinoff, Melrose Place. Details are still murky and the network is looking for a writer to pen the pilot, but we're pretty sure this will be terrible. [HR]
Betting on Drama:Vince Vaughn has signed on to star in Sunny and 68, described as "a drama with comedic overtones." The script was written with Vaughn in mind to play the main character, a down-on-his-luck poker pro who receives guidance on how to get his life back on track from his dying mother, estranged daughter, and the girl's caretaker. The movie will mark Vaughn's first foray into drama since he broke up with Jennifer Aniston. [HR]
EVENTS
• Meet Alexander Wang at Barneys at his spring 2009 trunk show. Barneys New York, 660 Madison Ave., nr. 61st St., seventh fl. (212-826-8900, ext. 2648); 2–4.
• The shoe designers behind the Shane&Shawn label are throwing a Social Networking Shoe Party tonight at their downtown store. Sip drinks, shoot pool, and meet new people while enjoying 20 percent off everything in the store and 50 percent off certain sale merchandise. To join the party, RSVP to chelsey@shaneandshawn.com. 238 Mulberry St., nr. Prince St. (212-965-1633); 6–9.
SALES ENDING TODAY
• Peter Som's ladylike clothes for Bill Blass are 70 to 90 percent off. Many of the pants, skirts, sweaters, tops, and dresses range from $100 to $300, and there is also a $30 rack. Through 10/29. 550 Seventh Ave., nr. 39th St., twelfth fl.; Tues.–Wed. (10–5).
STARTING TOMORROW
• Elizabeth Charles celebrates Halloween with 30 percent off anything black or orange; a Karen Walker checked orange tunic was $489 but is now $342. Through 11/2. 639 1/2 Hudson St., nr. Horatio St. (212-243-3201); Thurs.–Sat. (noon–7:30), Sun. (noon–6:30).
ENDING TOMORROW
• Kooba's lush leather handbags, in a wide range of colors and styles, are 50 to 80 percent off. Through 10/30. 141 W. 36th St., nr. Broadway; 10–8, closed from 2–3.
• Past-season stock at the Lewis Cho sample sale is marked up to 80 percent off. A rayon-jersey shift dress is now $50 from $209, and a wool-jersey belted dress is now $50 from $230. Through 10/30. 225 W. 36th St., nr. Seventh Ave., Ste. 701 (212-629-9329); 11–8.
• The prices may not be bargain-basement, but staples from Hickey Freeman and Bobby Jones are up to 75 percent off; suits that started at $1,395 are now from $680. Through 10/30. 317 W. 33rd St., nr. Eighth Ave. (718-747-1656); Sun. (9–6); Mon.–Wed. (9–6:30); Thurs. (9–5).
AP - Busted for what police said was a rock of cocaine on the driver's seat of his car, William Balfour could have been spending the past few months behind bars for a parole violation.
AP - Busted for what police said was a rock of cocaine on the driver's seat of his car, William Balfour could have been spending the past few months behind bars for a parole violation.
SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- OmniaLuo, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: OLOU; "OmniaLuo" or the "Company"), a China-based company Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsEnter | 29 Oct 2008 | 12:00 pm
CULVER CITY, Calif., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Eric Berger, senior vice president, digital networks, will take over the reins of Crackle, Sony Pictures Entertainment's online... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsEnter | 29 Oct 2008 | 10:00 am
Here's some Stark reality for you.
The rejuvenated Robert Downey Jr. has inked an extensive deal with Marvel Studios that will have him not only suiting up for two more Iron Man...
Cloris Leachman was kicked off of Dancing with the Stars tonight—to the surprise of, oh, let's see, carry the one and you have...no one.
She took the news like a champ,...
If you haven't yet seen the last five minutes of House's latest episode, "Joy," turn back now, because there is a discussion ahead of a major (and...
It was only fitting that "Milk," the film about Harvey Milk's life and death, premiere Tuesday night in the Castro. Milk, San Francisco's first openly gay leader who was slain 30 years... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsEnter | 29 Oct 2008 | 4:23 am
Reuters - "This is a train wreck," says a character in John Patrick Shanley's "Romantic Poetry," an astoundingly misjudged attempt at a new musical. And unless the Pulitzer-winning playwright of "Doubt" wants most of Manhattan Theater Club's audience silently nodding their heads in agreement, he would do well to cut the line. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 29 Oct 2008 | 4:09 am
Reuters - Fashion designer Tom Ford is getting the cast in place for his long-awaited move into features. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 29 Oct 2008 | 4:04 am
Another celeb had to go Tuesday on Dancing With the Stars. No, really. Someone absolutely had to go.
Find out if Julianne has reason to kick her recovery up a notch, whether Brooke and...
After an emotional roller coaster, we are left shattered, broken and…relieved.
No, we're not still talking about last week's Celebrity Rehab—though, trust us,...
Front Page: Gavin O'Connor to direct Universal drama -- Universal Pictures is acquiring "Sunny and 68," a spec script drama that Vince Vaughn will star in and Gavin O'Connor will direct.
Front Page: Despite strong ratings, network takes hit -- These should be happy times for CBS Corp: The Eye's flagship broadcast network is off to a surprisingly strong start this fall, and pay cabler Showtime continues to impress with its original series.
First Beverly Hills, 90210 and now Melrose Place.
Yup, the CW is looking to resurrect the 1990s prime-time soap.
While it's early in the game, a rep for the network...
Who is that going for Ben Stiller's jugular? And why is Josh Brolin talking about Tom Cruise? And what exactly is James Franco not embarassed about?
The answers to all the...
Julianne Hough is taking some of that dancer's poise into the operating room with her.
"I'm not worried. I'm feeling good," she blogged Tuesday on Fancast about the...
From left, 3.1 phillip lim dress, Martin Margiela wedges, Alexander Wang tank, Proenza Schouler wedges, and Theory trench coat. Photo: Courtesy of Barneys.com
Some good news just dropped into our in-box: Barneys is having a sale, marking up to 70 percent off men's, women's, shoes, and home goods at their online store. Now there's nothing we like more than a good deal, so we know a good sale when we see one. And this? It gets our bargain blood running. It's like we don’t even have to wait for the warehouse sale! We spent some hefty time on the site today (working, not shopping, seriously) and found five of the best deals. Check out our top picks after the jump.
3. Combo Tank by Alexander Wang (was $350, now $229).
This silk blouse from Alexander Wang goes from summer to winter seamlessly.
4. Peep-Toe Pumps by Proenza Schouler(were $725, now $290).
We remember these from the runway, and with more than $400 off the original price, you can't go wrong.
5. Myria Trench by Theory (was $375, now $229).
A classic trench that will last a long time at an affordable price. Plus, the little bit of spandex helps it lie nicely on your frame.
Mark your calendars! On Monday, November 3, Steve Guttenberg himself will be headlining the Hudson Union Society’s birthday party. Don’t ask us why — just know that this might be your chance, ladies, to join that exclusive club of 600 who’ve gotten at the Goot. If nothing else, maybe you'll score an intimate elevator ride with the legend. The event is free and open to the public. Register here!
If you're anything like us, you've already adjusted to the economic downturn by incorporating shoe leather into your diet and canceling your electricity. But how might the credit crisis affect well-to-do sitcom characters, particularly 30 Rock's boss, Jack Donaghy? "He might have to quit one of the seven or eight private clubs that he belongs to," Alec Baldwin told us at last night's Sundance Institute Gala at the Roseland Ballroom. "The one he goes to the least." Baldwin says he wouldn't be surprised to see current events become the basis for a few of the show's upcoming plotlines: "We want to do some episodes where GE is going to sell NBC Universal to Google or Yahoo, whoever’s got the money. And then we’ll find out, of course, that it’s the equivalent of being owned by Sheinhardt Wigs. They might sell it to Carvel Ice Cream or Mars candy."
One thing Baldwin obviously isn't sweating is an Obama administration — as Donaghy, 30 Rock's resident arch-conservative (and Mitt Romney supporter), "he’ll have plenty to complain about," he told us. "It will be really fun, making fun of Obama."
Mike D'Antoni's Knicks, like Q-Tip, are hoping for a comeback after a decade or so of inactivity. Photo: Getty Images
When the Knicks take the court tomorrow night for their season opener, they’d like you to forget the franchise's last regime or two ever happened. And since a winning season before 2010 isn’t too likely, they’ll instead do so by unveiling a new version of their nineties-era team song, “Go NY Go,” to be performed live by rapper Q-Tip. In a way, it’s a perfect match: Q-Tip last released a solo album in 1999, approximately the same time the Knicks were last relevant, and with a new album out next week, the long-dormant rapper is poised for a comeback — no easy task in the fickle world of rap music.
Plus, you likely think of them in much the same way: You may have been a fan at some point — perhaps you have fond memories of “Vivrant Thing”/Larry Johnson’s four-point play — but you hadn’t thought much about them for a while. Then they reunited with A Tribe Called Quest/replaced Isiah Thomas, and you decided to give them another chance. We also like the idea of a team tailoring its musical entertainment to the good times they’d like to recall, even if, let’s be honest, Q-Tip probably wasn’t their first choice. At least that would explain the mystery of why the Islanders, who haven’t won a playoff series since 1993, had Seven Mary Three perform at their Opening Night this year.
Pedestrians pass an AMC movie theater in Times Square in New York City, in 2005. A US man was sentenced to 21 months in prison for illegally recording two movies with a camcorder in a Washington, DC movie... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 28 Oct 2008 | 10:57 pm
AP - For better and for worse, "RocknRolla" is a pretty typical Guy Ritchie movie: intentionally convoluted plotting, eccentric underworld characters, hyperstylized editing and, of course, a killer soundtrack.
Every now and then we like to check in on what the men are(n't?) reading. So we were flipping through our Mogue the other day and stopped at this ad. James Bond Daniel Craig shills watches. And it's sexy. We flipped on and stopped again when we saw Roger Federer smiling back at us. He was shilling watches also, and it, too, was thrilling, but in a friendlier, less severe sort of way. When we turned to another random hottie in a Bedat & Co. ad, it occurred to us that men's watch ads have a true knack for sex appeal. See for yourselves in the slideshow, Tom Brady included.
This Sunday's episode of The Simpsons is the annual awesome-ness that is "Treehouse of Horrors," and a preview has hit the Web today: the highly anticipated segment where the show gets the Mad Men treatment, with a silhouetted Homer starring in his own version of the AMC show's distinctive intro. It's great, but what we'd really like to see is Don Draper selling Duff to housewives. Click to watch.
Michelle Obama went on the Tonight Show last night. Jay Leno commented on her bright-yellow outfit, "What is it, about $60-grand? $60, $70,000 that outfit?" Michelle replied, "Actually, this is a J.Crew ensemble. You can get some good stuff online." A slight upgrade from H&M but still affordable. And festive! [Jezebel]
At a fund-raiser for the Sundance Institute last night, notorious crabby comedian Chevy Chase was bragging about being a better skier than Robert Redford. But when questioned further, Chase admitted he'd never shared a slope with Redford. "I assume [I'm better]. I’m a lot younger, and I’ve done a lot of racing," said Chase, forgetting what happens when one assumes. Get more trash talk from Joe Pantoliano, Christine Lahti, and others by clicking through our Party Lines Slideshow.
For the past few months there's been a lot of gossip about Alex Rodriguez and Madonna. Did he have a part in the dissolution of their marriage? Is he moving to be closer to her on the Upper West Side? Is she really his "fucking soul mate, dude"? Physically it made sense — A-Rod's penchant for muscular blondes is well-known, and Madonna's lust for muscular Latin dudes is not undocumented (Carlos Leon, anyone?). But something's been gnawing at us: What on earth do they talk about? Madonna may not be the best actress or director, but she's smart as a whip and she notoriously doesn't suffer fools gladly. A-Rod, on the other hand, is a giant orange-colored dildo with 553 home runs.
So, in order to try and fully understand, Daily Intel's Chris and Jessica attempted the near impossible: channeling the two cultural icons. Below is a conversation between the two of them, as we imagine it.
[Late at night. Madonna and Alex are in the kitchen of her Upper West Side duplex. Neither of them seem quite sure what to do there — it's been a long time since either has had to cook. Still, this room is far away from the children's rooms, and they can finally talk in peace. Problem is, neither seems to know what to say.]
A-Rod: So, um, I've been meditating on the Sefirot about what to do in this situation. Madonna: What "situation?" We don't have a bleeding "situation."
A-Rod: I just mean that you're going through this thing with your divorce. And I just went through my divorce. And it's like it's doubly hard, because we're soul mates. Because my soul is intertwined with yours, it's like I have been through two divorces, and you have, too. So really it's like we've been through four divorces altogether. So really it's quadruply hard. Madonna: I don't know why you have to make such a big deal about it. It's so dull. Everyone radically changes their identity every few years. That's what people do. A-Rod: That might just be you, Esther. Madonna: Why do you keep calling me that, you arse? A-Rod: Because that's your Kabbalah name. I'm trying to take this stuff very seriously. Madonna: Cor, you're dim. You don't need to talk about it all the time — you just need to be photographed going in and out of Kabbalah centers, and wearing tracksuits. A-Rod: Oh. Madonna: So why'd you come over, anyway? A-Rod: To be with you? Madonna: [Swears under her breath.] Do you mean to fuck? If that's what you mean, we might jolly get on with it. A-Rod: Not necessarily to fuck. I mean, I love it when you talk dirty, mami, but I just wanted to be with you. We don't have to have sex. Madonna: Rubbish. What else would we do? A-Rod: We could talk? Madonna: [Very long pause. Walks to refrigerator, pulls a bottle of Stoli out of the freezer and takes a long pull from it. Puts it back, without offering A-Rod any. He watches in delight.] What would we talk about? A-Rod: What are your hopes, what are your dreams? Madonna: [Exasperated.] I'm MADONNA. A-Rod: Well, what were you like when you were younger? Like when you lived in Miami? Madonna: God, you always try to steer the conversation back to when I was a lesbian. A-Rod: Fine. Let's talk about something else. What about Guy Oseary? Madonna: What about him? A-Rod: Well, he's my manager too now. But I'm tired of being bossed around by my own management. He made me look like a greedy asshole during the World Series last year. What's the trick to getting him to behave? Madonna: Pretending to be a lesbian. A-Rod: Um, okay. Madonna: Seriously, I could call Ingrid Caseres for you. It worked for me. A-Rod: No, thanks. Madonna: Britney Spears? A-Rod: Is she still fat? Madonna: Crikey, I don't know. I suppose so. Everyone's fat these days. Have you seen those Olsen twins? Plump as Christmas hams. That's why I don't eat or drink the water in America. A-Rod: You have self-control. That's one of the reasons I love you and you're my fucking soul mate. Madonna: [Brightens up.] I'm on a new diet of only fish oil! A-Rod: I've been meaning to ask you, how do you get the muscles on your legs so defined that you actually have dents in your thighs? Madonna: I leg-press 350. A-Rod: Holy frijole.
[There's another pause. Out of boredom, they commence with fantastic sex. Scene.]
• Even though Estée Lauder's profits rose almost one percent in the third quarter, they aren't getting too excited. The company cut the projected annual outlook and now projects a 33-cent loss per share. [Reuters via Jezebel]
FRAGRANCE
• Here's a peek at Bond No. 9's holiday offerings. The Swarovski-crystal-encrusted scent can be yours for only $3,500. Can you say holiday bargain? [Blogdorf Goodman]
• Moschino new Glamour scent includes tangerine blossoms, artemisia, and sea-salt aromas. Model Mariacarla Boscono stars in the campaign, using a strand of her hair to create a handlebar mustache. How Steampunk! [Fragrantica]
HAIR
• We're glad to see Halle Berry embracing her natural, curly fro. [BellaSugar]
• According to a beauty-school survey, 55 percent of women say they know how permanent hair color works. Now you know. [Mischo Beauty]
Obama nailing it down in Pennsylvania today. Photo: Getty Images
Every day (or close to it) until November 4, a series of writers and thinkers will discuss the election over instant messenger for nymag.com. Today, The New York Times Magazine's Matt Bai and FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver discuss the viability of McCain's Pennsylvania-based strategy, the voters assuming we're still stuck in the 2000/2004 universe, and Silver's defense of his model should the election turn to McCain.
M.B.: Good to meet you — I like the site. What's new in the polling this week? What's surprising you?
N.S.: Well, the weird thing is the divergence of the state and national polling. Some of the national trackers have tightened a bit. But Obama couldn't be doing much better in the state polls. Maybe McCain has a huge cache of votes in Idaho or something that the pollsters are missing.
M.B.: Yeah, I don't know how to explain that. But it's the states that really matter, right? I mean, that McCain is spending all this time in Pennsylvania — it sort of points to how restrictive the map has become for him.
N.S.: Yeah, Obama appears to have leads of at least seven to eight points in all the Kerry states, plus Iowa, New Mexico, Virginia, and Colorado. And my guess is that the McCain folks are looking at those numbers and freaking out and seeing Pennsylvania as some kind of shortcut. But it seems to me more like a detour that makes their path even longer.
M.B.: Well, I suppose the calculation there is that he has to take a big state out of the Kerry column in order to win. And there's no obvious candidate. They must think that Pennsylvania gives them the best shot because, as Carville famously put it, the state is basically two big cities with Alabama in between. But man, those cities are big, and Obama's probably going to do better in the rural counties than either Gore or Kerry, I would think.
N.S.: Well, McCain's camp seems to have this notion that they'll lose Philadelphia, tie Pittsburgh, and win the Pennsyltucky part of the state. But they're going to lose Philadelphia by too large a margin to make up for it elsewhere in the state. What's really costing them, I think, is that Obama is liable to do quite well in the Philly suburbs, which was more of a swing region before. SurveyUSA has Obama winning the entire southeast region of the state — city and suburbs — by about two to one. And that's more than 40 percent of Pennsylvania's population.
M.B.: Which will be the trend in a lot of states, I imagine. Contrary to much of the conventional wisdom of the Karl Rove–MoveOn years, our elections are still largely decided by swing voters, mostly in suburbs and exurbs, and this year they are swinging strongly Democratic. Even so, there was a piece in the Post today cautioning journalists against being so predictive. How concerned are you that your own predictions could collapse?
N.S.: From sort of a marketing point of view, it might be more optimal if I were hedging my bets a little more. I mean, it's not like we have Obama with a larger lead than anyone else does — about seven points ahead nationally, which is right where Pollster.com and RealClearPolitics and the CNN poll of polls all peg the race. But we're the ones who are bold/stupid enough to try and quantify how difficult it is to overcome a seven-point disadvantage this late in the campaign. And it's not like the intangibles/x-factors are uniformly favorable to McCain by any means either. Maybe the race factor makes this more complicated, but on the other hand, Obama supporters seem to be more enthusiastic, they have a much better ground game, they have a heavy advantage in advertising, and they've already banked some big totals in the early voting. And McCain seems unable to drive a message.
M.B.: All true. But that kind of prediction IS bold and stupid. What will you do if McCain wins?
N.S.: I'll say I got unlucky and the twenty-to-one long shot came in?
But really, if there's a problem with my model, it's the old garbage-in, garbage-out problem. Polls are not terrifically accurate instruments, and if they're all missing in the same direction — and they've done so before (e.g. New Hampshire) — there's no amount of massaging that my model can do to make up for that.
M.B.: You could always start a hedge fund …actually, I think history is in your favor here. I've been talking a lot to college students lately, and I realized that they've never even been aware of an American election that wasn't decided by an impossibly tiny margin. That's been their whole life experience, in 2000 and 2004. In reality, though, that's exceedingly rare in our elections. Most cycles break pretty definitively weeks before the vote. This one feels more conventional that way, more like 1988 or 1992.
N.S.: That's really the entire point of divergence in this election, I think: between the people who assume that we're still stuck in the 2000/2004 universe, and the people who assume that the country has changed a little bit. And you see that reflected not only among the pundits, but also between the two campaigns.
M.B.: Good point. I really don't think we're in that universe now, and in fact I think that universe was a strange detour from political normalcy. But you know what they say about fighting the last battle: If it's a problem among generals, it's an epidemic among strategists and pundits.
N.S.: What's weird is that if you went back and tried to construct a Republican who could win in this environment, he'd probably look an awful lot like the 2000 version of John McCain. But they made a decision early on, obviously, to move in somewhat the opposite direction.
M.B.: Well, that'll be where the histories focus. It has to be. The narrative of the McCain campaign is really pretty simple. He had to make a decision about what kind of candidate he wanted to be. And he seems to have decided that he'd do or say what he had to, within reason, to get the job, and then he could be the president he envisioned being. He's not the first politician to make that concession; George Bush the First did the same thing. The problem is that, especially in this new environment where authenticity and transparency are so important, how you decide to get there really matters.
N.S.: And certainly, it's hard to go through all the counterfactuals and consider what might have happened if X and Y had gone down differently … if Paulson had decided to bail out Lehman Brothers, if McCain gotten along with Mitt Romney a little better. (And of course, McCain might still win.) But the fundamental dynamic of this election is that the Republican brand is doing exceptionally poorly right now, which means that you need to win moderates to get the math to work out, and they never seemed to grasp that.
M.B.: So, since we're both baseball fans, before we go, tell me this … to whom would you give better odds now: McCain or the Rays?
N.S.: I think the Rays have much better odds than McCain.
For a complete and regularly updated guide to presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain — from First Love to Most Embarrassing Gaffe — read the 2008 Electopedia.
Front Page: Goode also co-stars in Ford's debut drama -- Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Matthew Goode will topline indie drama "A Single Man," Tom Ford's directorial debut.
Russell Brand’s controversy baiting has fallen short Stateside, but the dude still knows how to piss off his countrymates. Lawmakers in the British parliament, apparently unconcerned about combating centuries of English fuddy-duddy-ness, have actually taken the time out to file a motion condemning a series of prank phone calls made by the comedian. The offending calls went out to 78-year-old actor Andrew Sachs, who played a waiter on Fawlty Towers, during a segment on BBC Radio; along with comedian Jonathan Ross, Brand discussed sleeping with Sachs's granddaughter and how Sachs might be motivated to hang himself now. Sounds sort of funny, maybe — but okay, yeah, the line was crossed, and the BBC is funded by taxpayers, which puts this whole mess within the domain of the government. Still, is this the kind of thing Prime Minister Gordon Brown needs to be releasing statements over? Aren’t there more pressing issues? We assume their economy is tanking as well, yes?
Like a deer caught in headlights. Photo: Courtesy of MTV
This week's episode opens with Audrina at work. Her friend Chiara tells her they're going to get to go to the studio with Brandy. Brandy?!? Okay, "Sittin' Up in My Room" is an awesome song, and we really, really liked it our freshman year of high school. But really, MTV couldn't find a more contemporary musician to feature on its hit show? They should have at least had Sean Kingston revisit and sweep Audrina off her feet. Anyway, we learn that Audrina is going to forget Justin Bobby for good. Or … not.
First, let's cover the more boring parts of the episode: Stephanie's absurd need to have her boyfriend "defend" her from Brody. She and Lauren chat in a fabric store about how Steph and Cameron had the boyfriend-girlfriend "talk." Lauren invites her to hang out with the gang later that night, and Stephanie agrees. Cameron will "give [her] protection" from Brody. Why anyone would willingly spend time with people who hate her is beyond us. Brody tells Lauren that he's going to warn Cameron about Stephanie's craziness; he specifically plans on saying, "Listen, homie, why don't I pull you outside and tell you some things about your little girlfriend." Brody, we know that Brandy is the special guest and all, but we think the word "homie" went out of style back when Moesha was on-air. At Crown Bar, the situation gets awkward, as Cameron feels like he has to defend his lady friend Steph (though we must say, Stephanie and her clown makeup are not looking so ladylike tonight). Brody gets there, and in the end, nothing happens. Shocking, we know. Heidi and Spencer show up later on for a hot second to make Stephanie feel bad about herself.
Onward to more interesting developments! Audrina goes on a post-Cabo date with Cory (whose Australian accent has morphed from "cute" to "grating") and he calls her out on her "romantic getaway" with Justin Bobby. Audrina remains silent and fingers her large, silver earring. Audrina then hangs with Brandy in the studio, and, we have to say, Brandy's looking good, newsboy cap and all. While Brandy croons, Audrina goes outside to speak to Justin Bobby, who somehow thinks that showing up at Audrina's workplace is a good strategy to win her back. And guess what? It is.
Justin is wearing a penislike skullcap and has a suspiciously sparkly helmet hanging from his motorcycle. He spews some classic nonsense. "We had something special. To be in a relationship, you kind of have to be, like, together. We're like a Catch-22. I will pretty much always be there for you." With this, he wins back poor Audrina's heart. What did it for her? The fact that he will "pretty much" be there for her? Or that weirdly long chain hanging down near his butt? Regardless, Audrina is successfully wooed. She quickly dumps Cory, even after he gives her a stuffed koala bear (that's the best you could do, Cory?). "I need to go back to Justin," she tells him.
We end with some sad music and a close-up on a random fire. It makes no sense, but we're happy to know that J.B. will be sticking around for a while longer.
Next week: Audrina moves out! Then our DVR cuts out. Damn.
And now, our Unequivocal Hills Reality Index:
As Real As Lauren Is Marginal
• Brody's hatred of Stephanie. We don't know where it comes from. Maybe she kicked him in the head as a kid; maybe he's secretly in love with her. But it's certainly real.
• Brandy's comeback. Oh, yeah, it's on.
• Lo's cute boyfriend. So real that he refuses to be featured on this "reality" TV show.
As Fake As Stephanie's Feelings for Cameron
• The forced gathering at Crown Bar. Poor Cameron, subject to the whims of evil MTV producers.
• The hype surrounding Brandy's comeback. Sorry, we just made that up.
• Justin's "idea" to come see Audrina at work. Yeah, right. He'd definitely be texting her at 2 a.m. if left to his own devices.
Today the Christian Science Monitor announced that after 100 years of continuous publication, it would cease its print operations and go online only in April. The seven-time Pulitzer Prize–winning publication made the move in order to keep its eight foreign bureaus open and still lower costs. It's being heralded as a "new model" for journalism, as the publication's circulation has been on a steady decline since 1970, but its influence has remained outsize.
The paper is owned by the Church of Christ, Scientist, whose ideology when it comes to human health and well-being is famously faith-based and optimistic (okay, that's an understatement). Which is why we guess it shouldn't be a surprise that the Website for the Monitor still bears an upbeat ad boasting an offer for "32 Issues, RISK FREE." Mmmm. What if you get seduced by the insightful writing and unique international reporting, and you want to continue subscribing? Withdrawal symptoms are a risk, you know!
1. B.B. King, Bono, and the Edge, "When Love Comes to Town"
"The day before love came to town" was about twenty years ago, but at this event honoring King, it still sounds pretty good. [Scatter o' Light]
2. Built to Spill, "Paper Planes" (M.I.A. cover)
Built to Spill must deal with notoriously strict Italian firearm and cash-register laws, yet still manage to nail a surprisingly faithful version of M.I.A.'s recent hit. [Stereogram]
3. Jason Forrest, "New Dark Ages"
Berlin-based producer Jason Forrest mixes Polvo's 1994 Celebrate the New Dark Age EP into a single, lurching track. The song succeeds against long odds, but maybe that's because Forrest has the experience of seeing what the "new dark ages" are really like. [Pitchfork]
4. Ben Sollee feat. Jim James, "Only a Song"
On this track from a tour-only EP, Sollee (along with fellow Louisvillian and My Morning Jacket front man Jim James) gives us a song that "won't change the world," but whose small-scale message might be a nice change from the election bombast. [Fuel Friends]
5. Hearts Revolution, "Ultraviolence"
This new shouty un-dance track is typical of what you can hear in just about any milk bar in Williamsburg these days. [Pitchfork]
Front Page: Fall Classic is a hit, if not a homerun -- The World Series hasn't been a ratings juggernaut for Fox, but it's still a big enough event to make a difference in the weekly ratings.
Denmark's Queen Margrethe, pictured in February 2008, has designed the scenery and costumes for a new Christmas ballet for children based on the Russian tale "The Snow Girl", the ballet school's director... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 28 Oct 2008 | 9:23 pm
Continuing a tradition from 2000 and 2004, Slate's staff and contributors have come forward to reveal who they're voting for this election, and the results do nothing to dispel the notion that the elite bicoastal media is pulling for Barack Obama. Out of 57 employees who volunteered their preference, 55 are voting for Obama. The two employees who will now be whispered about around the office watercooler: deputy managing editor and copy chief Rachael Larimore, who's voting for John McCain, and editor at large Jack Shafer, who's voting for Bob Barr, a "fraud" and a "chowderhead's chowderhead." Go figure. [Slate]
AP - Broadway theaters are usually dark on Monday nights, but this week all that energy just transported itself a few blocks over to New York's City Center, where some of the brightest talents in musical theater turned out to support their own.
Oh the disdain is visible on their faces! Photo: Melissa Hom
We don't understand why the Olsens bother doing things that garner publicity. Because when they do, their fans crawl out from manhole covers with heightened interest in them. And then the Olsens are expected to feed that interest by talking to the media and even interacting with those fans in person. Shudder. So while we are enormously grateful for their new book, Influence, because it truly is a good read, we don't understand why they put themselves through the sheer visibility of it all. Before Influence they never talked to reporters at events, though they had no qualms about posing for photos. They barely talked to magazines who did cover stories of them. And now they have to go on Oprah, where the conversation is limited to breakfast (never eating disorders! Oprah tried). They held a party for the book at Barneys last night but didn't want reporters to cover it. This afternoon they signed books at Barnes & Noble. And they did everything they could to ensure extremely limited interaction with their fans, including handing out a list of rules to anyone who wanted a book signed, which Racked got ahold of.
1) Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen will be with us for a limited time. They will only be signing copies of their book, Influence. They will not be speaking, reading or taking questions.
2) Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen will NOT sign any memorabilia or product other than Influence. There is a limit of one book per person, and your one book must be purchased here.
3) You will be directed to pay for your book upon entering the store and will be given a receipt for your purchase. Please keep your receipt. You will receive your book at the signing table.
4) Along with your receipt, you will be given a B&N wristband, and then directed to the event space on the 4th floor. You must have a receipt and a wristband to access the 4th floor.
5) Anyone approaching the signing table must have paid for the book and be wearing a B&N wristband. One person, one wristband, one book.
6) You will collect your signed book at the signing table. If you have paid for any additional copies, a staff member will provide you with those before you exit the space.
7) There is no photography allowed. You must put away your camera or cell phone before approaching the signing table. The authors will not pose for photos.
8) If you leave, or the authors leave, before you are able to collect a signed book, you may present your receipt to a cashier for either an unsigned book or a refund. (Refunds only issued within 14 days of receipt.)
9) There will be no extra signed copies available after the authors leave the store. They will not be able to sign for anyone who is not on line. No pre-orders.
The most wonderful press release just landed in our in-box: "Calvin Klein Underwear announced today that High School Musical 3: Senior Year star Zac Efron was photographed shirtless, with his Calvin Klein Underwear clearly visible, on the beach in Hawaii with HSM 3 co-star Vanessa Hudgens." Dear God, Zachary, pull up your pants! What will people think?!
Front Page: CW, CBS exploring possibility of remake -- With a new version of "90210" posting decent numbers for the CW, it was probably only a matter of time before the net dusted off "Melrose Place."
Lise Sarfati's Aza & Alexandra #2, Moscou (1992). Photo: Courtesy of Yossi Milo Gallery
Lise Sarfati mingles high art with documentary in her new show at Yossi Milo Gallery, which brings us images from the front lines of post-Soviet Russia. The takeaways: The décor is grim-chic — lots of mottled pink walls and pilling bedspreads — and metrosexuality is alive and well. Through December 6.
Dina Lohan's awkward dancing scene on Living Lohan seems to have made an impression on someone. Between fielding questions about LiLo and Samantha at Animal Fair's Eighth Annual Halloween Pet Costume Party last night, our favorite stage mom, in the worst accidental-on-purpose slip we've seen maybe ever, hinted that she may soon appear on a certain dance show. "I'm not allowed to say," Lohan, who once claimed she was a Rockette, said when we asked if she had any plans to do something with her own, um, talent. "But I will say that I am a fan of Dancing With the Stars." We pressed on, asking if that was a hint, but got no response other than an evil, knowing laugh. Ali, standing shyly by her mom's side, said she thought her mom could hold her own next to Cloris Leachman et al. "I mean, I've seen her dance on the show and everything, and me and my brother were really surprised she did it," she said. "I think she'd do really good."
Kate Moss's Christmas collection for Topshop launches today. Technically it went up for sale hours ago so if you want to buy certain pieces, prepare for battle. Shoppers in London lined up at 7:45 this morning, and fifteen minutes after the store opened at nine, the sales floor had to be restocked. One of the most popular items was the Tiger minidress, which Moss wore to the Vivienne Westwood show. According to the Fashion Spot, that sold out within twenty minutes of going up online and girls were seen fighting over it in the stores.
Fine, Kate. You win. But we just have one question: What about the Jews, Kate? What, no Hanukkah line? See more from the Christmas collection in the slideshow.
The cast and characters for Judd Apatow's next film have been revealed, oh yes. A brief rundown: Adam Sandler as a terminally ill comic, Seth Rogen as an aspiring comic, Jonah Hill as a rising-star comic, and Jason Schwartzman as a newly successful sitcom star. The plot: the "story of two people connecting with each other — an aspiring young comedian and a dying middle aged comedian who now has the power of hindsight." Sounds hilarious. [/Film]
Front Page: Former Lifetime exec named senior VP -- Former Lifetime programming exec Maria Grasso has joined the Oprah Winfrey Network as senior VP of programming.
Front Page: 'Quarantine' duo to direct thriller -- M. Night Shyamalan and Media Rights Capital have formalized the first project in their three-picture deal to hatch fright films.
Did you catch last week's Times story about the four houses with McCain signs on one Park Slope block? It unleashed a torrent of comments from closet McCain supporters — or at least closet Obama non-supporters — on Brooklynian.com. "I think there are more of us out there than you think," writes one, "we just know to keep our opinions to ourselves … Y'all can be pretty intolerant of dissenting viewpoints." Ooh. Snap, snap, snap. We love secret voices of dissent in the Slope. [Brooklynian]
Natalie Portman, seen her in September 2008, is to star in "Love and Other Impossible Pursuits," a romantic comedy adapted from a successful novel of the same name, the trade publication Variety reported... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 28 Oct 2008 | 8:11 pm
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen just signed copies of their new book, Influence, at Barnes & Noble. And look who greeted them outside — none other than PETA2 supporters in their Hairy-Kate and Trashley Halloween masks! (Incidentally, PETA2 is PETA's baby sister.) Leave it to the Olsens to make it feel like Fashion Week year-round. Our hearts and souls are warmed.
The new Fortune profile of NBC wunderkind (and Vulture hero) Ben Silverman contains several exciting revelations. First, despite all speculation to the contrary, Silverman is purportedly in negotiations to remain at NBC with the full confidence of Jeff Zucker ("I can't imagine doing this with somebody else," says the NBCU CEO) — yay! Second, according to Tina Fey, he's partially the basis for Will Arnett's evil Devin Banks character on 30 Rock. Third, Richard Siklos, the profile's author, reprints the partial text of an e-mail he received from Silverman. How is it? Awesome.
"With david cameron head of tory party and billy and katie joel on way to join rupert and wendy murdoch and liz murdoch and matthew freud for my birthday weekend in greece. Had amazing meetings in china with head of intel asia who we are going to help market, head of china sovereign bank who wants to do weather channel type deals with us, kerry stokes who is our Australian partner and owns channel 7 in oz, michael phelps and his agent to book him on saturday night live while managing our promos marketing and creative via phone and email. This is how business gets done in 21st century. Human relationships and digital communication."
We can barely understand a word of it, but if anything this awesome ever popped up in our in-box, we would JUST DIE.
Last night Lauren Conrad went on Letterman to promote The Hills. And it wasn't boring! "Was it Heidi you're having the problems with?" Dave asks. "Yeah," Lauren replies. "It's been years, so throughout the show we've had problems with everyone." And then Dave says what we never realized we always knew: "Maybe you're the problem." Yes! He then tries to explain his logic to her, saying how for a long time he thought everyone was an idiot and then it occurred to him maybe he's the idiot, which turned out to be true. "Does that make me an idiot, then?" Conrad says. We'll let you all answer that in your heads.
In an age when many people become celebrities through looks or connections, Jennifer Hudson's rise to fame came the old-fashioned way: through talent, hard work and a close-knit family -- a family that has now been hit with tragedy.
Reuters - Thai Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana sashayed along a red carpet on Tuesday before launching her new clothes collection and kick-starting Russian Fashion Week with the snip of a ribbon.
Thirty-four years after he first put on the schoolboy uniform,
Angus Young and his blue-collar bandmates return with their best
album since "Back in Black"
AC/DC singer Brian Johnson perches on the
edge of a sofa in a New York hotel room with a blank look on his
face, mumbling to himself in a grainy whisper, his head and
shoulders drooping with exhaustion. There is nothing wrong with
him. Johnson, a robust man who is built like a bear and who talks
in a booming growl, is doing his imitation of AC/DC guitarist Angus
Young on tour, backstage just...
Britain's media watchdog said Tuesday it would probe offensive comments left on the telephone answering machine of a famous comedy actor by two top BBC presenters. Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 28 Oct 2008 | 5:50 pm
According the Chicago Sun Times, the tension between 'The View' hosts Joy Behar and Elizabeth Hasselbeck has become so thick that the two women refuse to speak to one another off camera. That is of course unless they are screaming at one another. Source: FOXNews.com | 28 Oct 2008 | 5:04 pm
Paris Hilton is reportedly preparing to go into space, but is afraid she might get caught in a time warp, Reuters is reporting. Source: FOXNews.com | 28 Oct 2008 | 2:39 pm
Sadly for Kate Hudson, the men dressed in police uniforms who arrived at her pre-Halloween party around 1 a.m. Sunday morning were real LAPD officers. Source: FOXNews.com | 28 Oct 2008 | 1:51 pm
Twenty-one installments and 46 years after his first dashing introduction, peopleBritish peopleare starting to disclose their previously private, some would say unpatriotic, belief that James Bond sucks. Source: FOXNews.com | 28 Oct 2008 | 1:47 pm
A Hollywood who's-who turned out for an annual fundraiser for Paul Newman's children's camp that doubled as a tribute to the late actor. Source: FOXNews.com | 28 Oct 2008 | 1:20 pm
Her father will now have long-term control over her assets, estate and business affairs and her mental health will be closely monitored by a team of experts. Source: FOXNews.com | 28 Oct 2008 | 12:39 pm
Here's some Stark reality for you.
The rejuvenated Robert Downey Jr. has inked an extensive deal with Marvel Studios that will have him not only suiting up for two more Iron Man...
Cloris Leachman was kicked off of Dancing with the Stars tonight—to the surprise of, oh, let's see, carry the one and you have...no one.
She took the news like a champ,...
After an emotional roller coaster, we are left shattered, broken and…relieved.
No, we're not still talking about last week's Celebrity Rehab—though, trust us,...
First Beverly Hills, 90210 and now Melrose Place.
Yup, the CW is looking to resurrect the 1990s prime-time soap.
While it's early in the game, a rep for the network...
Who is that going for Ben Stiller's jugular? And why is Josh Brolin talking about Tom Cruise? And what exactly is James Franco not embarassed about?
The answers to all the...
Julianne Hough is taking some of that dancer's poise into the operating room with her.
"I'm not worried. I'm feeling good," she blogged Tuesday on Fancast about the...
