We actually had to give three of those beer steins to Dan Amira to get him to pose for this photo.
According to a Siena Research poll, 27 percent of New York City residents have from two to seven drinks a week, and 24 percent have more than that (12 percent have more than 15 drinks in a week, which sounds like a lot but it totally isn't. Or, at least we hope not). 58 percent have drank in the past year. Additionally, it turns out 56 percent of city residents are overweight or obese, which is kind of depressing. Our immediate reaction to this statistic was: Aren't we all supposed to be skinny? Isn't that our thing? "New Yorkers walk so much!"
The next result of the poll is a direct response this question. While 56 percent of us are overweight or obese, only 41 percent of us think we are. "It's one thing to lie to me," said pollster Dr. Don Levy, the shaming audible in his voice. "It's another thing to lie to yourself." Whatever. It's just because we wore horizontal stripes to the bar that one time, that's all.
Honestly, what kind of person records the only video of Blur's Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon performing together live for the first time in nine years and then makes the YouTube clip non-embeddable? Anyway, Damon and Graham played "This Is a Low" at last night's NME Awards in London, and it was totally awesome. [YouTube]
AP - President Barack Obama thanked Stevie Wonder for creating "a style that's uniquely American" as he presented the singer-songwriter the nation's highest award for pop music.
War Games:Ed Helms will star as an obsessive Civil War reenactor who, along with two other reenactors and an African-American professor protesting the reenactments, gets transported back in time to the actual Civil War. Then, they have to find their way back to the present without changing history, splitting America in two, or inventing rock and roll at a high-school dance. Steve Carell will produce. [Variety]
What's the Deal With All the Yelling?:Jerry Seinfeld is returning to NBC as the producer and creator of The Marriage Ref, a non-fiction comedy show in which famous people give advice to real people undergoing marital problems. Yes, this sounds sort of stupid, but Ben Silverman thinks it has potential: "He flew in to sit down with us, and he and Ellen pitched the show. We were laughing the whole time as they went through the concept," says Silverman. Yikes! [Variety]
A Mapplethorpe Picture:Eliza Dushku has secured the necessary life rights and will be producing a Robert Mapplethorpe biopic titled The Perfect Moment; documentary filmmaker Ondi Timoner (DIG!) will make her feature directorial debut on the project. When asked if production on the film would interfere with shooting the second season of Dollhouse, Dushku just kind of chuckled awkwardly. [Variety]
'Duh' Alert:Peter Baynham is writing the Arthur remake for Warner Bros., with (obviously) Russell Brand set to take on the charmingly alcoholic character created by Dudley Moore. One of the film’s producer’s, Larry Brezner, was a producer on the original, which is great because we’re really hoping they stay true to Moore’s pioneering slurring techniques. [Variety]
We'll Always Have the DVDs: Remakes of two awesome, completely unrelated movies are maybe coming down the pike: The Kennedy/Marshall Co. and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way are in negotiations for a new take on The NeverEnding Story, while Neal H. Moritz is in talks for a new Total Recall at Columbia. Moritz is understandably excited about updating Recall with modern effects, although we’re not sure anything could ever look more realistic than this. [HR, HR]
EVENTS
• Shop the Hickey spring trunk show. Mention this listing and receive $100 off your purchase of $500 or more, plus a free gift. 96 Grand St., nr. Greene St. (212-219-0230); 5–8.
SALES STARTING TODAY
• The Intermix warehouse sale is back, featuring racks of designer clothes, shoes, and accessories from labels like Stella McCartney, Chloé, and Elizabeth and James for up to 70 percent off. Through 3/1. Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; Th (11–8), F, S (9–8), Su (10–6).
• The attic sale at vintage boutique Zachary's Smile features most shoes, clothing, and accessories for $5, $10, $25, and $50 every weekend this month. Through 3/1. 303 Mulberry St., nr. Bleecker St. (212-965-8248); Th–S (1–8), Su (1–7).
• Stop by the W29 Showroom for up to 70 percent off clothing and bags from Dagmar, Rodebjer, and Staerk. Through 2/28. 208 W. 29th St., at Seventh Ave. (212-563-0163); Th, F (10–6), S (noon–5).
STARTING TOMORROW
• Find over 70 percent off the YaYa Aflalo and Love YaYa lines; a silk strapless dress is $75 (originally $379), a trench coat is $100 (originally $425), and a printed blouse is $65 (originally $295). Through 3/1. 143 Ludlow St., nr. Stanton St.; F, S, Su (12–8).
More Flags... More Fun... More Value ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Six Flags Over Texas announced today an extraordinary price offer... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 2:00 pm
Tickets Available NOW for Television Special with Performances Scheduled by Faith Hill, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban & More Will Be Broadcast... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 2:00 pm
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rentrak Retail and Home Video Essentials, business units of Rentrak Corporation (Nasdaq: RENT), today announced the Top 10... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 1:55 pm
AP - Def Leppard has become a fixture on the touring circuit over the last few summers, and this year is no different. The classic rock group plans to go out on the road again, this time with Poison and Cheap Trick.
~ MyTemp Installed in San Diego Area Home to Address Common Temperature Control Problems ~ PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Home Comfort Zones, Inc., developer Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 1:50 pm
Matt Groening laughs -- a lot. Sometimes it's a chuckle of uncertainty, but mostly it's a big, rollicking guffaw. It's the sound of a man who still can't quite believe how much fun he gets to have at work -- work that includes "The Simpsons," still going strong after 20 years, "Life in Hell" and "Futurama."
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- mental_floss, America's favorite knowledge magazine, is boldly reminding audiences of the power of print with its upcoming cover... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 1:48 pm
To hear Barack Obama tell it, he owes Stevie Wonder plenty.
(Reuters) Reuters - China on Thursday condemned Christie's auction of two Qing dynasty bronzes looted when Beijing's Summer Palace was razed by invading French and British forces in 1860, saying the sale would hurt the auction house. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 26 Feb 2009 | 11:24 am
(Reuters) Reuters - For inmates at a maximum-security prison in the Philippines, doing time has taken on a fashionable turn since an up-and-coming local designer recruited them to help craft his collection. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 26 Feb 2009 | 10:08 am
When in doubt, remember: Big, bold flavors.
That seems to be the philosophy of the aspiring tastemakers who make it to the prestigious Top Chef finale—though we can't wait for...
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have twin beefs with a baby carriage company.
The couple sued buggy maker Silver Cross for trademark infringement in federal court today, claiming the...
The ubiquitous actor is negotiating a nine-picture deal with Marvel Entertainment that would have him playing...
An auctioneer proceeds with the auction of a rat head, a Chinese imperial bronze part of a prized art collection assembled by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge over half a century at the... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 2:53 am
Liu Yang, (R), Beijing's lawyer and head of a Chinese association of lawyers working for the return of Chinese artefacts, poses next to his French representative Renlin Shi (L) in front of the Grand Palais... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 2:53 am
Christie's auctioneer Fran㧯s de Ricqles (C) proceeds with the auction of a rabbit head, a Chinese imperial bronze, part of a prized art collection assembled by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 2:53 am
People attend an auction gathering hundreds of art treasures assembled by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his companion Pierre Berge over half a century at the Grand Palais in Paris. Two looted... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 26 Feb 2009 | 2:53 am
AP - Two cocky Italian teenagers run around their dilapidated Naples neighborhood, melodramatically riffing on "Scarface" lines to each other: "Now it has to be ours, the whole world. Miami, all of it."
Chris Brown was a no-show at the Grammys. Now it looks like his next scheduled appearance might be off, too.
An initial arraignment date was set for March 5 following his arrest...
AP - Two rare bronze sculptures that disappeared from China nearly 150 years ago and which Beijing wants back have been sold for Â28 million ($36 million) at an auction of art works owned by the late designer Yves Saint Laurent.
Has Dancing With the Stars already suffered its first calamity, two weeks before its premiere?
Jewel, who along with hubby Ty Murray is supposed to be competing on the hit ABC series...
Morgan Freeman is still feeling the heat from last summer's rollover car crash.
Freeman's passenger that dark night, Demaris Meyer, has sued the Oscar winner for...
Reuters - Everyone in Italy's clothing industry is begging for state aid, but some of the loudest cries for help are coming from the exclusive haute couture segment known more for sequined extravagance than humble pleas. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 26 Feb 2009 | 12:10 am
Now you see them, now you don't.
The original Girl Next Door, Holly Madison, has amicably parted ways with her Mindfreak beau, Criss Angel, after nearly four months of...
How can you tell that we might just possibly be reaching a bottom and starting the hard slog back to normality? When the howling wolves of doom run out of new things to say. So imagine our delight today to see, in the FT, renowned pessimist and Black Swan author Nassim Taleb tackling the now-tedious subject of Wall Street bonuses. You'll never guess what he thinks!
The whole incentive system was — get this — completely messed up and drove traders to pursue short-term gains in favor of long-term wealth.
Well, thanks, man. There ought to be a sign under that argument like the one at McDonald's: One billion served.
To be fair, Taleb does add his own spicy condiment to the argument, a wacky suggestion that, like Roman soldiers, bankers "accept punishment in the event of failure." Didn't they, uh, kill Roman soldiers who failed in battle? We here at the Downturnaround are not major fans of bankers these days, either, but we think that's a touch extreme. Maybe we just make them flip burgers.
THEY'RE RELENTLESS: Well, at least Hollywood is pretty much out of cartoons to turn 3-D and CGI'd and sh*tty. OH CRAP - forgot about Yogi Bear. (/Film)
MILF ISLAND SPINOFF: TV Land's The Cougar couldn't me more ridiculous if it were an actual wild cougar attempting to date human males. (Seriously OMG! WTF!)
GRAND TIRADE(O): "In those earlier days every friendly clique had a 'Sam the Jew' or 'José the Mexican' - but we didn't think anything of it or have a racist thought," says Clint Eastwood, the new executive producer of Mind of Mencia. (Daily Mail)
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Apparently Padma Lakshmi saw Tom Colicchio's Diet Coke ads and declared to Carl's Jr. "I WILL NOT BE OUT-WHORED" (People)
KID-FED Kevin Federline plans to start his own childrens' clothing line. Their slogan: "Do you have children and also want to be reminded of Kevin Federline's existence slightly more often?" (WWD)
The All Stars of the Paleo Left — along with a capacity crowd of more than 1,000 that included Woody Guthrie’s daughter Nora and even Jerry Stiller and Ann Meara — turned out at Riverside Church for last night’s memorial service for Odetta, the legendary folk and blues singer who died in December just shy of 78. Big in voice, body, and charisma, she was variously dubbed “The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement” and, by no less a fan than Martin Luther King Jr., “The Queen of American Folk Music.” Her admirers and acolytes also included Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.
The evening clocked in at more than four hours of speechifying, sermonizing, and occasional singing (take that, Fidel Castro!), and was by turns moving (the testimony of loss by her niece Jan Ford and a young neighbor boy, Max Perkins), rousing (Sweet Honey in the Rock’s rendition of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”), and risible (Wavy Gravy absurdly brandishing a rubber fish). In an unavoidable burst of political correctness, Peter Yarrow of “Puff, the Magic Dragon” fame even roped his daughter Bethany and the Brooklyn Tech Choir into performing his treacly anthem of victimization, “Don’t Laugh at Me.”
Harry Belafonte, Pete Seeger, and Maya Angelou regaled the largely white audience of a certain age with Odetta stories and testimonials, urgently declaiming phrases like “the instruments of social oppression” and “the struggle for liberation,” as though some fabulous time machine had transported the entire gathering back to the bad old days before Barack Obama was born, when J. Edgar Hoover was collecting dirt on suspected comsymps and the Ku Klux Klan was a force to be reckoned with.
“We were young and black and female and crazy as road lizards,” said the frail-looking, cane-using Dr. Angelou, recalling her early friendship with the Alabama-born Odetta Holmes in the cabarets and coffee houses of mid-century San Francisco. “I think of her as a sister who sang us into freedom, really — because that’s what Odetta did.” The ridiculously handsome Belafonte, also leaning on a cane, celebrated the woman whom President Clinton once presented with the National Medal of Arts. “The loss for me has been so deep that words elude me,” Belafonte said. “Who will fill that space? It is hard to know.”
Itzhak Bishburg used to work in a tattoo shop. He has plenty of them, but they do not influence his style — music does. Soul music. "It's like when you get really into that stuff and you’re learning the history, you’re watching stuff — it’s just a sharp, smart way to dress, and everyone knows you got soul when you’re walking down the street." Watch the Video Look Book to see what labels he likes.
Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, whose family foundation lost around $15.4 million to Bernie Madoff, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the foundation against Peter Madoff, Bernie's brother and the firm's senior managing director, for negligence, breach of duty, and aiding and abetting his brother. Peter couldn't have not known, the plaintiffs allege, and lay out seventeen “obvious, material red flags” that they believe should have alerted anyone to the possibility of fraud. It's pretty convincing — especially, we think, this bit:
BMIS employees were not allowed to enter the 17th floor of the BMIS offices, referred to as "the Cage" wherein the fraudulent BMIS investment advisory services were conducted.
THE CAGE. They might as well have called it the Chamber of Horrors.
It's Adnan against the music.
Britney's Spears' ex-beau Adnan Ghalib voluntarily turned himself in at the Van Nuys, Calif., courthouse this morning to face felony charges for...
Last night's Real Housewives of the O.C. Season 4 Reunion confirmed a few things about the ladies we already sort of knew: One, that Tamara Barney is a psychopath who might actually have rabies (in which case, our bad), and two, that the once kind-of-likable Whoville resident Vicki Gunvalson is actually, conversely, totally deplorable.
Bravo Reunions usually have a big dramatic climax, where two contestants or castmates attack each other. But no reunion spat can compete with the venom that came out of that jealous slut Tamara's mouth. Tamara has always been openly jealous of the boisterous Gretchen, craving her youth and, more telling, her beauty. And while Gretchen can only be handled in small doses, she's for the most part a pretty lovely girl, and most certainly has never grabbed her boyfriend's D on camera. Gretchen's boyfriend, the sweet-natured Kenny Rogers lookalike named Jeff, passed away from cancer back in September of 2008. Gretchen still wears their engagement ring and claims to not be dating anyone else.
While the entire episode was chock full of drama and hilarity (Lynn crying...), the fireworks really went off when Tamara bizarrely accused Gretchen of having a second "boyfriend" who she broke up with right before taping began, going so far as calling Gretch Jeff's "paid nurse". It's hard to describe just how vicious this blow-up was, so if you missed it, check it out here.
So who is this mystery boyfriend named "Jay"? Gretchen maintains Jay her close friend, even though she told Tamara he was a "stalker". The story... well, it doesn't really add up. I decided to learn a little more about this "Jay" character, and after about 4 seconds of light Googling, came across his Myspace page. Ladies and gentlemen, Jay Photoglou:
Mood + profile pic = Lolz. So he's one of those kinda guys.
Ahead, we have a damning picture of the two of them kissing, as well as a live report from one Judy Collins.UPDATE: Damning evidence. Keep reading.
Let's close in on that image, yes?
Can't deny that his hands are Clay Aikening her girls right there. Here he is on a boat:
Is this on Bass Lake? Probably. Finally, the most damning picture of all:
Oh Gretchen... you didn't... did you?
I called Mother Collins at work to get her thoughts on the episode. My mother, it should be noted, is a notorious hater of Tamara, who she prefers to call by her nickname "Courve." And shockingly... she sides with Tammy! "She had a big mouth on her yesterday, and really put that other one in her place."
Wait til she sees these daming photos of Jay Photoglou. She will freak.
Your turn! Who do you hate, who do you side with, and what the hell kinda last name is Photoglou? Discuss.
UPDATE: And there you have it: (Shopped?)
They're whispering lies. Or satire. Or truth. It's all the same thing, you know.
Last month the DABA Girls were all the rage. Laney Crowell, a then-employee of Stylecaster.com, and Megan Petrus, a lawyer, billed themselves on their blog, Dating A Banker Anonymous, as founders of a support group for the woeful significant others of former Wall Street hotshots, now tragically forced to give up nights at Nobu and Tenjune. The Times reported on their service to downtrodden trophy girlfriends everywhere (or at least those in the West Village), and we even defended them ourselves. But it turns out there's not much to defend.
A few weeks ago, NPR suggested that the Times got Punk'd, claiming the site was all part of a ploy for a book deal. They were right — though their main argument was that the site was registered in January, though it claimed to have started in September. In fact, Petrus and Crowell had started blogging on Tumblr in the fall and switched to a swankier format in anticipation of the press that came from the Times story. Either way, the plan worked: The girls are now signed with United Talent and Janklow Nesbit.
Yesterday, Newsweek outed the group as a "full-blown parody." The girls were all friends at the outset, and had exaggerated their stories to the point of ridiculousness, for humor's sake. The Times ran a correction today noting that they were misled into believing that the group was truly aimed to help people instead of the naked attempt at a book deal it actually was.
Crowell (who was fired from her job after all the DABA publicity) told us she "can't figure out what went on there, because we were clear." Though the Times tape-recorded interviews with the girls about how they were a support-type group with 30-some-odd loose members, Crowell alleges: "They made that up." The paper did acknowledge that the website was, to some extent, "tongue-in-cheek." And Crowell says that the whole concept of DABAgirls is "80 percent true, and we exaggerate some parts to make it funnier." "The [Times] needs to understand the definition of satire," she sniped. "It does all come from truth, and you make it funny. All the stories come from people who write to us."
"I don't see what the big deal is, you know?" Crowell said. "It's not that there's no truth in it. Megan and I exist. That's like saying David Sedaris's life never happened. I should have gone to Us Weekly. They would have done a better job reporting." But it's clear the impression that the Times gave, that it was an earnest support group with real members, was more helpful to Crowell and Petrus's ambitions. "It's kind of a bummer that Newsweek felt the need to ruin the joke," Crowell complained to us. "Some stuff is true, and some stuff is just funny." But wait. If the girls were completely honest with the Times, why would Newsweek, by simply stating what was always true, have ruined anything at all?
Not that Crowell is getting too down on herself, anyway. She's got to go meet with her agent, and "with the book deal and the buzz, it's been a really really fun ride so far."
If all goes according to Warner Bros.' plans — and we know how flexible those can be — the final Harry Potter movie will debut on July 15, 2011. Other films on the studio's release calendar include an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law set for Christmas Day of this year, a big-screen version of the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern scheduled for December 17, 2010, and the, uh, charmingly titled Robin Williams vehicle A Couple of Dicks, which is due in theaters on January 29, 2010. [Variety]
Times are tough for young designers today, but Moises de la Renta is boldly going where his father Oscar has been for ages by launching a clothing line of his very own. MDLR debuts this season, with many items retailing under $1,000. Style.com reports that Moises has a communications degree and "honed his fashion talent with extensive internships at Phat Farm and, of course, with his father." Pieces include a little black dress, a Swiss-dot hoodie, stretch-leather pants, and a biker jacket with removable sleeves. Singer-D.J. Lissie Trullie (also the inspiration behind Philip Lim's fall 2009 collection) posed for the look book. She met Moises while hanging out at the Beatrice. We don't know Moises, but why does this sound so utterly perfect for him?
Today was a no good, very bad day all around. Condé Nast and WP took pretty heavy hits, and Hearst may lose another major publication within weeks. Here we go …
• Condé Nast is doing worse than anticipated: Ad pages are down by as much as 60 percent at some of the publisher’s titles. A former staffer said, “They should have cut back 20 percent when they cut back five.” [Media Ink/NYP]
• Profits at the Washington Post are down 77 percent. [NYT]
• The San Francisco Chronicle may have only weeks to live. With rapidly declining sales, Hearst may be forced to sell or close the paper. [HuffPo]
• Rumors that Murdoch may try to buy both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times continue to circulate. This would be more of an outrage if newspapers didn’t need that kind of help so desperately. [Variety via HuffPo]
Reuters - The auction of Yves Saint Laurent's monumental art collection ended on Wednesday having broken a string of records, defied the Chinese government and raised more than 370 million euros ($470 million). Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 25 Feb 2009 | 10:29 pm
AP - "Irreplaceable" (Voice, 352 pages, $24.95), by Stephen Lovely: Stephen Lovely must have seen his share of emotional trauma. His new novel, "Irreplaceable," makes the reader feel grief and longing so tangibly that you wonder what the author has gone through himself.
"We moved to San Francisco and Brooklyn and Mission Hill. We jumped from job to job. Put off marriage. Never bought a place. And we never heard the end of it. We were drifters, they said. Layabouts. No respect for work and real estate or the value of a good pair of cufflinks. But now, in the cold glare of a recession, everything looks different: We've got no house to lose, no career to dash, no school-aged children in need of pricey Wii gaming systems. Not recession-proof, exactly, but recession-resistant, at least." [Boston.com]
Cam’ron has always been unhinged, but the recent “I Hate My Job” had us wondering whether dude was suffering from delusions of Obama-hood, being a populist man concerned with blue-collar folks. We shouldn’t have fretted. “I Used to Get It in Ohio” finds Cam patiently detailing his Midwest connects and rapping about hovercrafts, wringing necks, and pissing off state troopers over an ominous, businesslike beat. He even manages an inappropriate comment that connects the complicated legacy of Malcom X, a sexual kink, and power dynamics as they relate to gender and race. Hooray, Killa’s back!
HAIR
• Alice Dellal's half-shaven head inspired stylists at the Issa show in London: Half the models walked the runway in buns lobbed to one side while stylists created the illusion of a half-shaven head with bobby pins and hairspray on the other half. [Beauty Counter/Style.com]
• Terri Seymour stepped out in crimped hair. Is this another sign the eighties are back, or should we just ignore her because it looks kind of weird and she used to date Simon Cowell? [Stylewatch/People]
FRAGRANCE
• Jenna Jameson is launching a scent called Heartbreaker. We don't know about you, but we do not want to smell like her. [NYDN]
NAILS
• Ji Baek's new polishes for Rescue Beauty Lounge are all glitter shades, like Look Rich, Be Cheap, a gold-purple hue. Her goal was to make glitter look grown-up, a task we still find impossible. [Daily Beauty Reporter/Allure]
• Meanwhile, Essie's spring collection is full of expected spring colors — red, pink, rose petal, beige, and neon blue. We're glad neon nails aren't going anywhere. We enjoyed them so much last spring. [Product Girl]
According to the Hardball host himself, it was not prescience over the abysmal performance America was about to see that made him utter — while still miked — "Oh, God" when Bobby Jindal walked on-camera for his Republican response to Obama's speech last night. He'll tell his audience later today:
I was taken aback by that peculiar stagecraft, the walking from somewhere in the back of this narrow hall, this winding staircase looming there, the odd anti-bellum [sic] look of the scene. Was this some mimicking of a president walking along the state floor to the East Room?
Yeah, right, blondie. And that thrill running up your leg during an Obama speech was just because Andrea Mitchell wasn't wearing panty hose under the roundtable. Next time, try something we'll actually believe. Jindal, meanwhile, understandably declined an invitation to go on Hardball.
Us actor and director Clint Eastwood poses after accepting a special award for his storied career from the Cannes film fest Wednesday, saying he was "flattered" while being sure to correct the presenter... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 25 Feb 2009 | 9:43 pm
The finale of Top Chef Season 5 airs tonight; TC fans, now's the time to leave your finale predictions in the comments. Please give us:
1. Prediction for winner
2. One really stupid thing that will happen in this episode.
I'll go first:
1. Stefan learns from last week, makes a very conscious effort to appear to be trying hard, becomes a sympathetic character, and edges Carla.
2. Carla will yell "bam!" while spicing her final dish.
I will point out, for masturbatory purposes, the following line from my Top Chef Season Premiere Recap from November '08:
Early favorites: Stefan seems like the most technically sound, and even after one week, he’s gotta be the odds-on favorite to make it to the finals.
Wow, Dan, you're a genius! Thanks Dan, I try. No really, you're a motherf***ing genius! You should probably have your salary doubled! I agree, Dan. God you're striking! I know, I was just thinking that about you!
Anyway... Predictions in the comments, people -- let's have em: Source: Best Week Ever | 25 Feb 2009 | 9:35 pm
The Biggest Loser, which follows obese contestants as they compete to lose the highest percentage of their body weight, has an inspirational bent, a you-can-do-it, feel-good appeal that's supposed to motivate viewers to also get up off their lazy you-know-whats. So why was last night's episode so depressing?
The abbreviated show (apparently the presidential address was more important than the final weigh-in!) found the various couple teams merging into two larger teams, and many contestants were switched from their usual trainer to the other. Buff female trainer Jillian’s tough love verges on comedy. "I don't care if you're going to faint, do another rep," is a common phrase. Bob is yoga-loving, nurturing, and incorporates mental exercises into his regimens. Contestants gets very attached to their trainers (they work out for over four hours a day), but when the new teams were announced last night, the outrage and hysterics were completely over-the-top. Helen, a 47-year-old engineer, couldn't stop crying about losing Bob. Mandi and Aubrey, overweight friends from Idaho, were so scared to leave Jillian that they, too, were crying. And Sione, a 27-year-old landscaper, refused to take off his hood for the entirety of the episode, so upset was he to be without Bob. "When Jillian pushes me, I'm just not going to try," he said. Oh, stop.
The implication became clear over the hour: If something small can so easily derail these people, how will they be able to maintain their lower weights without Jillian or Bob? The episode ended without an elimination; that will come tonight. But our hopes have forever taken a hit, and our motivation to get off the couch ourselves remains at exactly zero. That punning title doesn’t seem so playful, after all.
Apparently Chanel makes a Segway. As in the preferred mode of transportation of mall security guards. Chanel's comes complete with the classic 2.55 handbag and matching black quilted-leather mud flaps and handlebars. Top speed is twelve miles per hour. It's available by special order and the price hasn't been listed, but as a reference point, know that the Chanel bicycle is $12K. But just imagine how amazing you'd look riding to work on it! If that's not worth many thousands of dollars, we don't know what is.
An auctioneer proceeds with the auction of a rat head, one of two Chinese imperial bronzes part of a prized art collection assembled by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge over half a century... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 25 Feb 2009 | 9:24 pm
When it was revealed that Michel Gondry was hired to direct Seth Rogen in The Green Hornet, it definitely seemed like an odd pairing, but according to an MTV interview with Rogen, the Apatow protégé went out of his way to recruit the filmmaker, to the point of sending him a copy of the script without Sony's permission. Though he wanted Gondry for his unique vision and enthusiasm for the source material — the director had previously tried to make a Hornet movie in the late nineties — Rogen insists that the film will drop the low-budget quirks of the director's recent material. In fact, upon reading the script, Gondry shot a fight scene on his own dime to prove that he could present a believable action sequence not involving construction paper, sparkles, or papier-mâché dummies. "[I said] 'You have to convince them they're not gonna show up on set one day and everything is gonna be made out of cardboard,'" Rogen says. "And he said, 'I can definitely do that.'"
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released five veteran players this afternoon -- among them running back Warrick Dunn and linebacker Derrick Brooks -- and someone over at ESPN.com was not gonna let this opportunity pass without slipping in a reference to everyone's favorite 90s-line-dance-craze country duo:
For the briefest of seconds, I was hoping Brooks & Dunn peed on the Alamo and got themselves banned from the city of Tampa and ESPN was covering this for some reason (or whatever the Tampa Alamo equivalent is... Busch Gardens?) I'm also a bit disappointed they couldn't cram an "Boot Scootin' Boogie" reference into the headline, but I'm not picky.
Brooks seems to be taking the news rather well, but Dunn seems awfully pouty in his typical "I look like Eric Stoltz in a Chuck Norris Halloween Costume" kind of way:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which in the fall announced a temporary freeze on acquisitions that led its own editor-in-chief, Becky Saletan, to jump ship, and many others to speculate the venerable firm was headed for the crapper, just announced that it's managed to hold on to Philip Roth. On the 50th anniversary of his first book, Goodbye, Columbus (also published by Houghton), he's busily working on not one, but two novels for Harcourt.
His 30th book, The Humbling, set for later this year, is described (surprise, surprise) as "a shattering account of an aging stage actor who has lost his way and into whose bereft life bursts a counterplot of unusual erotic desire." There's a twist, we're told, that could potentially offend a whole new group of readers. We're more excited for the next one, called Nemesis, in which he'll return to historical fiction. The novel, about "a wartime polio epidemic in the summer of 1944 and the effect it has on a closely-knit, family-oriented Newark community and its children," will be published in 2010. The late Roth is a machine. Who does he think he is, Joyce Carol Oates?
Earlier this week, Roberto Cavalli announced the cancellation of his Just Cavalli show, scheduled for Thursday in Milan. The line's producer, Itierre, filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, and Cavalli didn't feel it was a good time for a runway spectacular. But he will show a fall 2009 Just Cavalli collection tomorrow on models in a private presentation in his showroom for select editors. Roberto will also make a statement on the future of the line. Our breath: bated. [FWD]
"Watchmen is a kind of thrilling thought experiment. What would people who dress up in costumes to fight crime actually be like? Well, they'd probably be fetishists who lived on the fringes of society. They'd all be a bunch of freaking lunatics."—Billy Crudup on The Watchmen [CNN.com]
"I don't know if I would call it a comeback. It's more of a continuation of the greatness she always had. [In one song] she's incorporated into major illusions. She'll do dissection, where she's sawed in half, and transposition, where she's in one place and ends up in another place. She's doing all the classic elements of magic. There are three giant [circus] rings with unbelievable things hanging in the air and flying around." —Ed Alonzo, master illusionist and collaborator on Britney's upcoming Circus tour [People]
"What a strange, surreal experience it is. A tremendous honour to be nominated — but then you trek across the planet, you squeeze into your tux, you squeeze into a stretch limo, you squeeze through the security tent on to the jam-packed, chaotic red carpet, and then you sit through a very long show (which turns out this year to be far less tacky and schmaltzy than usual). At one, weird moment, some strange force suddenly convinces you that you're about to win, while you affect to look benign and generous for the camera that's suddenly in your face; then you don't win, and you spend the rest of the night trying to be grown-up and sporting. You even try to enjoy yourself." —Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky director, on his Oscar experience [Guardian UK]
"It is like a Greek tragedy. The characters do not understand the whole picture, but the audience knows the outcome, knows the repercussions, knows that nuclear strength is still something that dominates our lives. They know what happened to Oppenheimer, too, about the relationships, the betrayals. But Oppenheimer doesn't know these things. It is very important for me not to show him displaying regret or vulnerability based on later knowledge. He is opening a door to the unknown. That's fundamental." —Baritone Gerald Finley on playing J. Robert Oppenheimer in the opera Doctor Atomic [Guardian UK]
"You can't allow other people to put a price on what you do, otherwise you don't consider what you do to have any value at all and that's nonsense. If I put a value on my music and no one's prepared to pay that, then more fool me, but the idea that the value is created by the consumer is an idiot plan, it can't work." —Robert Smith on Radiohead's no-charge innovation for In Rainbows [Music Radar via Pitchfork]
Ladies and gentleman, a very classy Blingee Wednesday today... one where we honor noneotherthan Queen Elizabeth II, seen today at a statue unveiling of the Queen Mum. The Queen was looking as dazzling as ever, and we thought why not honor this lovely, cheery woman with a series of animated Blingees?
After the jump, we've provided you with a handful of photos... but feel free to scour the "web" for your own pics of Queen Elizabeth. Then, head over to Blingee.com, make her shine, and post a link to the result in the comments. Tomorrow, we'll post our favorites.
Get to work!
We gave male model Cole Mohr a video camera to document his Fashion Week adventures. In this installment, we meet some of his male-model friends. "It's not easy, we have to get up at like, eleven o'clock and, like, you know, go get our makeup done — it's a really hard life, you know," one says. "And then you have to go to parties because people invite you and you have to drink alcohol," another adds. Watch them work the runway with an equally heavy dose of sass, in the video.
Now that Spider-Man, the X-Men, and Iron Man are established box-office hits, and Thor and Captain America movies are in the pipeline, the Comics Reporter's Tom Spurgeon has made a compelling case that the next Marvel Comics superhero to make it to the big screen ought to be the relatively obscure Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme. Spurgeon obliquely suggests casting Johnny Depp, and that sounds like a great idea to us, not that we think Marvel would actually pay for him. [Comics Reporter]
The 'Run It' singer, who allegedly beat up his girlfriend Rihanna earlier this month, has reportedly been advised the classes will help him when he appears in court on suspicion of making criminal threats next month.
A source said: "Chris doesn't actually have to go by law, but he believes it will make him look better to the public, and he wants to try to get in a few classes before his court date on March 5."
Chris - who recently released a statement saying he was "sorry and saddened over what transpired" - is believed to have attended his first class in California on Monday (23.02.09).
It has also been claimed 21-year-old Rihanna has a bad temper and the pair had several heated arguments before the incident in Chris' car on February 7.
The source added to the New York Daily News newspaper: "Rihanna is temperamental, too. They're both too hot-headed for their own good.
"It didn't help that Rihanna grabbed the keys out of his rented Lamborghini and threw them down the street. She knew it would really infuriate Chris, and it worked."
Rihanna was allegedly left with bruises and cuts to her mouth, forehead and cheeks after Chris, 19, attacked her.
It is believed the Barbados-born beauty will be required to appear at her estranged lover's court trial, forcing the pair to see each other for the first time since Chris was arrested.
The source explained: "Rihanna will be there, she has to testify. If Chris is convicted, it would be his first offence. He won't go to prison. " Source Source: Lepaparazzi - Celebrity News and Gossip Blog | 25 Feb 2009 | 7:39 pm
The musical trio are big fans of the 80s British singer - who caused an upset by winning Best Act Ever at last year's MTV Europe Music Awards after becoming a YouTube sensation - and regularly cover his most famous hit.
Kevin said: "A big one for us that we sing all the time is Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up'.
"Have you ever seen him, by the way? His voice does not match his body!"
The band - which also features Nick and Joe - also revealed they are desperate to win a Grammy Award and dream of touring with 'Purple Rain' singer Prince.
Kevin added: "I think to perform with Prince would be incredible. I think that would be one of the best things of all time."
Meanwhile, the Jonas Brothers are looking forward to attending the Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles next month.
The stars - who won Favourite Music Group last year - are hoping to pick up the accolade again and are also keen to get into the spirit of the ceremony by being covered in slime.
Kevin said: "We were almost slimed just by getting hugged by Jack Black when we were on the stage last year. Maybe it's our year. We'll have to see."
Each year, buckets of green goo are poured on the 'chosen ones' - the viewer's favourite celebrities.
The group - who will perform at the event on March 28 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion - are participating in a contest called Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Jonas Jam Sweepstakes.
Two lucky fans will accompany the Jonas Brothers to the ceremony in a limo, win $1,000 and get a four-day trip to Los Angeles.
Well, the 2008 Academy Awards are behind us and bloggers are alreadyspeculating about which of 2009's films might be nominated for Oscars. Following Hugh Jackman's revelatory performance on Sunday night, though, we can't seem to muster much excitement for the actual awards — we just want to know which movies Jackman will deign to include in his sure-to-be-incredible opening number next year. We envision our fantasy montage after the jump.
Up
The lights go down. We hear a drumroll. Jackman descends from the ceiling of the Kodak Theatre dangling from a bouquet of colorful balloons and singing an Aria about Pixar's latest masterpiece — hopefully one about how it's nominated for Best Picture instead of about how the Academy always shafts animated movies.
The Road Jackman lands gracefully onstage and, following a ten-minute standing ovation, he breaks into a calypso number about the film adaptation of history's most depressing book. Coughing into a handkerchief to the rhythm of the steel drums, Jackman pushes a shopping cart — which looks to be filled with blankets and canned food — around the stage. Then, a one-legged cannibal jumps out of the cart and plays a trumpet solo.
Public Enemies A D.J. booth rises from the stage and Jackman breaks into a rap song about Michael Mann's Great Depression–set crime drama. Predictably, his flow is impeccable. Flanked by a crew of trench-coated back-up dancers, Jackman makes his booty clap.
Lincoln Next, he does a double backflip into the air, landing on the railing of one of the Kodak's seat boxes. Sitting in it is successful bearded hip-hop star Joaquin Phoenix — by next February, everyone will have finally come around to his musical genius — who is wearing a top hat. Jackman does a tap dance, singing a tune that playfully derides the long running time of Spielberg's Abraham Lincoln biopic. Then, he spoils the film's ending by mock-assassinating Joaquin.
The Lovely Bones For the big finale, Jackman spouts angel wings and flutters back to the stage, where he leads a 100-person gospel choir through an inspirational song about how he almost made it through all of The Lovely Bones without crying. Also, remember when director Peter Jackson fired Ryan Gosling from the film because he was "too fat"? Good sport that he is, Gosling comes out in a fat suit and sings the song's low notes, while Jackman shoots himself out of a cannon. After applauding wildly for the better part of an hour, the evening's nominees carry Jackman from the theater on their shoulders, not bothering to collect their awards.
Woody Allen has already signed on Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, and Freida Pinto for his next film, and even though the movie doesn't have a title or an official plot outline yet, that hasn't stopped us from creating this handy chart of which characters are going to end up sleeping together in this movie.
The chart is very simple: An colored arrow from one character to another with represents a sexual encounter between those two people (e.g., #1 is Watts and Brolin going at it). Click the picture below for a larger version. Enjoy! And Spoiler Alert probably!
Last night Michelle Obama wore a plum, sleeveless Narciso Rodriguez dress to watch her husband try to get the American people and certain congressmen to stop freaking out already. You may notice something about Michelle's garb stands out from that of the crowd: Her arms are bare. Why, upon our — skin below the neck in the middle of the chambers? In February?! This surely is cause to freak out. Or at least, overanalyze.
The New York Times' Caucus blog notes Michelle always wears sleeveless dresses, and why shouldn't she, since she has great arms, toned after years of rigorous personal-training sessions. "Already, a debate is brewing about just what the First Arms signify," trumpets the Caucus, which then pontificates:
[T]hose bare arms seem like a reminder of everything about her we can’t see.
In two years, she has shown us a great deal of herself, more than most of us would share, and yet right now, we actually don’t know that much about her. What does she think of the White House, and what does she do all day? Does her husband consult her on any of the difficult decisions he faces? Is the “Mom-in-chief” really, totally confident that her children are going to come through this just fine? In a few years, will she still look as confident as she did last night, or will she reach for cover? And is she comfortable as she looks in those skimpy tops, or is she actually freezing?
We love obsessing over MObama just as much as the next blogger, but ... First Arms? Really? The lady likes sleeveless dresses. What is she supposed to wear? A burka? It's not like she's running around with cleavage that could balance a coffee cup like Aubrey O'Day, or glitter panties that can reflect satellite signals like Lady Gaga. Can we just accept that she goes sleeveless because this style is her most flattering? The Caucus wants to know what she does all day. We're pretty sure it's not analyze what message her bare arms will send to the world about her role in society. Lady Gaga, however, is a different story.
Reuters - Italy's young fashion designers kicked off the Milan womenswear shows on Wednesday, betting on novelty and fresh ideas to win over a fragile industry in a tough economic climate. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 25 Feb 2009 | 7:11 pm
A male model at the Man fashion show in London this week proves what we've known all along: Pants are expendable. Also? Keep your neck warm.
Ahead, catch a glimpse of the audience reaction...
IT'S A HIT!Also hot for the new season?
Homeless people wearing footie pajamas. Source: Best Week Ever | 25 Feb 2009 | 6:54 pm
Well, the inevitable has finally happened: Nadya Suleman, best know for squeezing 8 human bodies out of her snatch in the course of a single 24 hour day, has been offered no less than $1 MILLION DOLLARS to have sex with a man (who, one assumes, does not have a baby for a penis) on camera. Yes, $1 million to star in a porn! Why, that could buy diapers for, like, 2 months! And 17 boob jobs.
Sadly, it doesn't look like Octomom is going for the deal (because, after all, Angelina never starred in a porn, especially not one entitled Gonorrhea in 60 Seconds), which is a shame... because you know the title would have been genius.
Here are 8 Possible Titles for the Octomom Porn:8. MMMMMMMMILF
7. The World's Biggest Vagina: The World's Biggest Vagina (Echo)
6. 8 Is Never Enough (Penis)
5. Eight Men In
4. Nadya Su-layin' Men: The Gangbang
3. 8 Mile (Vagina)
2. To Infinivadge And Beyond
1. Cocktomom
Honorable Mentions: The Changeling: The Porn; F**king a Really Pregnant Woman: The Movie; Eight Lays a Week
Take 2.4 seconds and a millimeter of brainpower and post your own Octomom porn titles in the comments. Source: Best Week Ever | 25 Feb 2009 | 6:38 pm
As we continue to decompress from the glamour and glitz of last week, we're left wondering what ever did happen with the ticket scammery going on with the shows. As it turns out, while everyone else in the tents was busy preening and BlackBerrying, one savvy publicist from BPCM was fighting crime. Well, sort of: The publicist, who wishes to remain anonymous, tipped us off to two of the shady dealers who were selling "tickets" to the shows. (Silly scammers: They're called invites and they’re non-negotiable. That's your first mistake.)
To recap: There was the midwestern mom and her tween daughter who said they paid $12,000 for an all-inclusive Fashion Week package courtesy of Fashion Ledge, an online "magazine" whose landing page is like a mock-up for a pretend magazine (and is WELL worth checking out) — all airbrushed boobs and sad cover lines like, “Rocawear boots” and “How to shave your man for Valentine’s.” Shudder. According to the BPCM publicist who had to deal with them when they showed up at Erin Fetherston, the Midwesterners' spiel was something like, "We're not on the list and we're not supposed to say our real names, but we're with Fashion Ledge." Yeah, that's what you think, tourists. The publicist, realizing the two had been duped, took pity on them and let them sit at the show. The next day at Tadashi Shoji (another BPCM client), a different victim was stopped at the door — she claimed her invitation originally belonged to one “Yvette Coleman,” who happens to be listed as the fashion-and-beauty editor of Fashion Ledge. Coleman, with her husband, also runs a casting agency called Silver Poses.
So what gives? The BPCM flack contacted Fashion Ledge; the publication claimed "rogue agents" had used the magazine's name without permission. Carl Kalonzo, a full-time web developer at Financial Week who runs Fashion Ledge on the side, said the site doesn’t sell tickets and that he’s meeting with 7th on Sixth parent company IMG to get to the bottom of it. He isn’t ruling out his own people (“we’re a small company, but you never know”). Interestingly, Kalonzo claims that Yvette Coleman is no longer associated with Fashion Ledge — she moved on because the site is ultimately insolvent. Kalonzo also says that Coleman's company, Silver Poses, is not associated with Fashion Ledge, but the voice mail for Silver Poses also tells callers that they're reached Silver Poses AND Fashion Ledge. As for Fashion Ledge's New York Fashion Week coverage, the site just lists eight shows, all of which are from spring 2009. "This whole thing has hurt us for this Fashion Week, but you'll definitely start to see our coverage," Kalonzo assures us. "Starting tomorrow." Or not. As of right now, there's no fall 2009 content.
Meanwhile, another Craigslist seller grouped shows into package deals — such as one that got the buyer into Cynthia Steffe (9 a.m.), Badgley Mischka (10 a.m.), and Matthew Williamson (11 a.m.) — for as much as $350 per person. The vendor, a jack-of-all-trades named Jordan Manley, emailed interested parties saying, “I do not sell tickets. I accompany people to the shows.” He then laid out the deal (show first, payment later) and promised to walk each buyer into the shows, “I often if not always get my clients backstage, photo ops with designers, models, and celebrities, and more.” When he’s not peddling chichi trade shows, Manley is president of Manley Media, LLC, a publishing venture with no media properties; head of JMM Fine Art, a fine-arts consulting firm; and proprietor of Manley Tours, where he “plans trips and outings dealing mostly with art and fashion,” including leading tours to Mexico City and apparently to Fashion Week, too. Turns out that shady gig just isn't enough these days.
AFP - A row with China over a stunning pair of ancient bronzes headlined Wednesday's finale of the once-in-a-lifetime sale of Yves Saint Laurent's art collection, which has so far netted 307 million euros (386 million dollars).
The Today Show Fourth Hour has gradually deteriorated from a ridiculous but harmless daily waste of time into some sort of crazy, haphazard postmodern art project more disturbing than even the creepiest Twin Peaks episodes.
In the following video, Kathy Lee and Hoda pretend to entertain some babies by towering over the camera and "goo-gooing" directly into our homes and brains. The baby footage is separate, obviously, as evidenced by the fact that they're not screaming their teeny terrified lungs out.
Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy returns with "Still Dangerous: Live at the Tower Theater Philadelphia 1977," a long-lost classic concert recording, on March 3.
Kanye West made the rounds at London Fashion Week like he's a high-powered editor. Seriously, this guy is going to everything — it's out of control. Anyway, after Vivienne Westwood's show he ran over to the designer to tell her he's a big fan, but Westwood had to ask a friend who he was. "I think he's famous in America," the friend said. More like a fashion crossover deity. [NYDN]
Fans have come to glimpse the miracle. They have come to witness the revolution. They have come for "Watchmen" -- the allegedly unfilmable superhero movie, the long-awaited adaptation of the comic book that changed the face of comic books forever.
Taylor Swift's "Fearless" claims a 10th non-consecutive week atop The Billboard 200 despite a 32% drop in sales from last week, a feat unmatched by any album since Santana's "Supernatural" collected 12 weeks at No. 1 in 1999 and 2000.
Reuters - A shortened London Fashion Week held onto its title as the capital of creativity but struggled to hang onto the catwalk models under pressure from its rivals. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 25 Feb 2009 | 2:47 pm
Reuters - Fashion fans and French admirals in uniform rubbed shoulders this week at an unlikely joint exhibition in Paris celebrating the influence of sailors on the world of style. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 25 Feb 2009 | 1:29 pm
When in doubt, remember: Big, bold flavors.
That seems to be the philosophy of the aspiring tastemakers who make it to the prestigious Top Chef finale—though we can't wait for...
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have twin beefs with a baby carriage company.
The couple sued buggy maker Silver Cross for trademark infringement in federal court today, claiming the...
Chris Brown was a no-show at the Grammys. Now it looks like his next scheduled appearance might be off, too.
An initial arraignment date was set for March 5 following his arrest...
Has Dancing With the Stars already suffered its first calamity, two weeks before its premiere?
Jewel, who along with hubby Ty Murray is supposed to be competing on the hit ABC series...
Morgan Freeman is still feeling the heat from last summer's rollover car crash.
Freeman's passenger that dark night, Demaris Meyer, has sued the Oscar winner for...
Now you see them, now you don't.
The original Girl Next Door, Holly Madison, has amicably parted ways with her Mindfreak beau, Criss Angel, after nearly four months of...
It's Adnan against the music.
Britney's Spears' ex-beau Adnan Ghalib voluntarily turned himself in at the Van Nuys, Calif., courthouse this morning to face felony charges for...
Last night's Real Housewives of the O.C. Season 4 Reunion confirmed a few things about the ladies we already sort of knew: One, that Tamara Barney is a psychopath who might actually have rabies (in which case, our bad), and two, that the once kind-of-likable Whoville resident Vicki Gunvalson is actually, conversely, totally deplorable.
Bravo Reunions usually have a big dramatic climax, where two contestants or castmates attack each other. But no reunion spat can compete with the venom that came out of that jealous slut Tamara's mouth. Tamara has always been openly jealous of the boisterous Gretchen, craving her youth and, more telling, her beauty. And while Gretchen can only be handled in small doses, she's for the most part a pretty lovely girl, and most certainly has never grabbed her boyfriend's D on camera. Gretchen's boyfriend, the sweet-natured Kenny Rogers lookalike named Jeff, passed away from cancer back in September of 2008. Gretchen still wears their engagement ring and claims to not be dating anyone else.
While the entire episode was chock full of drama and hilarity (Lynn crying...), the fireworks really went off when Tamara bizarrely accused Gretchen of having a second "boyfriend" who she broke up with right before taping began, going so far as calling Gretch Jeff's "paid nurse". It's hard to describe just how vicious this blow-up was, so if you missed it, 
Mood + profile pic = Lolz. So he's one of those kinda guys.
Ahead, we have a damning picture of the two of them kissing, as well as a live report from one Judy Collins.
UPDATE: Damning evidence. Keep reading.
The finale of Top Chef Season 5 airs tonight; TC fans, now's the time to leave your finale predictions in the comments. Please give us:
1. Prediction for winner
2. One really stupid thing that will happen in this episode.
I'll go first:
1. Stefan learns from last week, makes a very conscious effort to appear to be trying hard, becomes a sympathetic character, and edges Carla.
2. Carla will yell "bam!" while spicing her final dish.
I will point out, for masturbatory purposes, the following line from my 
Well, the inevitable has finally happened: Nadya Suleman, best know for squeezing 8 human bodies out of her snatch in the course of a single 24 hour day, has been offered no less than $1 MILLION DOLLARS to have sex with a man (who, one assumes, does not have a baby for a penis) on camera. 
