Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:50 pm

Four Theories on the Origins of the Four-Toed Statue From Lost

Back before this fifth season of Lost got underway, your friendly Vulture editors compiled a list of twenty questions that we would like to see have demanded to be answered over the course of this year. And, as you might expect, near the top of our list was "What's up with that four-toed statue?" Well, although last night's episode didn't exactly answer our question outright, there was a brief reveal of what many believe to be the statue's backside early in the episode that provided one of the biggest ZOMG moments of the season so far. Then again, maybe that was an entirely different statue altogether? Either way, we scoured the Internets and put together a brief rundown of what some of the most influential Lost recap sites had to say about it.

• "The Statue from behind looks very similar to Anubis from Egyptian mythology, as it appears to have Jackal-like ears and head. Anubis was also the gate-keeper of the world of the dead, and he is depicted in Egyptian mythology as having only four toes." [Lostpedia]*

• "From the arms, it looked like a female. It looked like it had a crown of some kind too. If she were accidentally whipped WAY back in time, would they consider her a “god”, and build that statue? Could this be one of the LOST women? Kate, Juliet, Sun? Maybe they’ll build it after that person dies, as a monument." [Magic Lamp]

• "Decoding the visible details demands a Doc Jensen column of its own. But briefly: Looks Egyptian. Skirt, but no shirt — so despite the long hair, I'm thinking male. Those appear to be ankhs in the hands — symbolic of life in general and eternal life, specifically. And on the head, two pointy ears (Cat? Greyhound? Pig? Spock?) and a rectangular headpiece, like a crown or Jughead's beanie. These clues could link to any number of Egyptian deities (Bast, Set, Anubis, and Horus will be popular guesses), though given how the Island's wormhole exits into a different North Africa nation — Tunisia — I'm mulling Ba'al and Moloch, too. In that spirit, I would like to cover my ass and note that...we never actually saw that famous foot, did we? Was this really Four Toed Statue — or some monolithic companion?" [EW]

• "Yeah, I'm still pitching last night's tent for the 4-toed statue ... But hey, at least we got a solid glimpse of the ass side of it. The statue is clearly Egyptian, and it's holding the rounded loop of an Ankh in the right hand. The elf-like ears jive well with many of Egypt's gods, who were often represented as crosses between a man and another animal. I had mentioned Anubis in my review two weeks ago, but the Jackal-God's ears would be taller. Another good guess would be Horus, Egyptian god of the sun (and of war?). There are some good arguments for him being the best candidate, the first being that this episode had a whole lot of 'Horace' in it to begin with. The popular eye of Horus symbol could also be a reference to the glass eye found in the arrow station back in S2. Horus was even half falcon, and falcons have four talons on each claw. But there's also a big argument against Horus: falcons have no ears." [Dark UFO]

*Interesting(ish) side note: This theory appeared on the Lostpedia site earlier this afternoon, but has since been pulled off the site entirely. Is it just us, or do you smell a CONSPIRACY brewing, too?

Read more posts by Mark Graham

Filed Under: ABC, Lost, Pulling The Sweater, TV

Source: Vulture | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:45 pm

Brad Pitt and Nancy Pelosi, Together at Last

That security guard is oddly unimpressed with the wonders before him.

The pair met in Pelosi's office before a press conference touting Pitt's work with his "Make It Right" charity in New Orleans. Look at the two of them together! We know Rush Limbaugh is devoting 75 percent of his show every day to talking about Barack Obama failing and all that, but do the Democrats really have to write the other 25 percent for him?

Brad Pitt, Pelosi Meet in Washington [HuffPo]

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: brad pitt, nancy pelosi, new orleans, photo op

Source: Daily Intel | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:37 pm

What Will the Twist Be on Tonight’s American Idol?

The American Idol producers have promised some sort of "twist" on tonight's wild-card episode — on which eight voted-off contestants (including awful Tatiana) will compete before the judges for a second chance at three spots in the top twelve — but what will it be? Will there be a thirteenth spot? Will they let viewers vote instead of the judges? Will the stage open up during Tatiana's performance, dropping her onto a flaming pit? Seriously, someone tell us so we can watch The Office and 30 Rock instead! [Live Feed/HR]

Read more posts by Lane Brown

Filed Under: american idol, baseless speculation, fox, tv

Source: Vulture | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:35 pm

J.Lo & Marc Anthony Cry Over Idol's Jorge Nuñez

American Idol finalist Jorge Nuñez—the one from Puerto Rico who doesn't annoy the hell out of us (hello, or hopefully goodbye, Tatiana!)—got a surprise text of support from...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:30 pm

Morley Safer Shushed People on the Front Row of Balenciaga

Aw.

This morning at the Balenciaga show in Paris, Morley Safer shushed the guests, which included Salma Hayek and Catherine Deneuve, so he could conduct his interview with Anna Wintour. He's working on a piece on her for 60 Minutes, which will probably air in May. The Times reports his presence at the shows "has created a stir." "It’s only slightly less dangerous than covering wars,” Morley told the paper of his new pastime. “In Milan, it was about the same as covering Vietnam.” [On the Runway/NYT]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: 60 minutes, anna wintour, industry players, morley safer, wintour wonderland

Source: The Cut | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:25 pm

Seinfeld Stars Reunite With Enthusiasm

Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer are preparing to meet their maker. Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and a probably pretty grateful Michael Richards will show up for...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:24 pm

Chris Brown and Rihanna: Details of Exactly What Happened

When we read the details of Chris Brown's attack against Rihanna earlier today, we were completely appalled, and not at all in the normal, hilarious way we are usually appalled. We didn't even want to darken Daily Intel with the ugliness of it — and thankfully, we don't have to! Our brothers over at Vulture have the details, which is good: They've been writing about the Watchmen all week anyway, so they're already in a bleak mood. [Vulture]

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: chris brown, rihanna, sad things

Source: Daily Intel | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:18 pm

DWTS: Nancy and Jewel Are Out; Holly Is In

The question is no longer who will win Dancing With the Stars, but who will survive it? In a DWTS first, not one but two contestants have been sidelined with injuries before the new...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:15 pm

Several Anonymous Canadians Agree: OMG Joshua Jackson Is Awesome!!!!!

Torontoist discovered this amazing advertisement for the upcoming Joshua Jackson film One Week (and no, not all Canadian movies are named after Barenaked Ladies songs, people. Some are Rush songs.) Take a look at the multitude of gushing quotes behind Joshua Jackson-Dean and see if you notice anything a liiiiiiittle unusual about the attributions: Did you catch it? The answer is after the jump (HINT: there isn't actually a newspaper called Puddydutty123): The movie took its press clippings from Youtube!!! That's right -- come see the movie that a group of anonymous strangers left offhand declarations of general excitement about!!! When has a select cross-section of random online commenters EVER been wrong? Personally, I would've been far more convinced by the validity of this ad if they had been honest and thrown in at least one "ur gay josh jakson why u makin a movie thas so gay u gay" or "hey i no lets make one of movie thagts fucminnn retardeddddddd!!!!11!"
Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:13 pm

Thank You: Ghostface Stands Up for Rihanna

What's the phrase — "breaking the cycle"? On the same day that the Game emerged as the latest Chris Brown apologist on rap's margins (don't you guys have some "hustling" to do?) and Brown himself was charged, Ghostface has released three minutes of soothing, R&B-inflected hip-hop dedicated to Rihanna and all "my women out there getting beat up." He also addresses her as a "sexy li'l thing," but we'll give his motivations the benefit of the doubt. [Nah Right]

Read more posts by Nick Catucci

Filed Under: baby steps, chris brown, ghostface, music, rihanna, the game

Source: Vulture | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:10 pm

Will 'Watchmen' live up to the hype?

Front Page: WB hopes big buzz translates to big box office -- Can Warners' "Watchmen" -- which will see the widest opening ever for an R-rated pic -- live up to the hype?
Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:09 pm

Robin Williams Cancels Show for Surgery

His publicist says the comedian needs a heart operation.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:09 pm

Robin Williams Needs Heart Surgery, Scraps Tour

Robin Williams is taking a time-out for "a little tune-up." The madcap Oscar winner announced today he is postponing the remaining dates of his one-man show, Weapons of...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:01 pm

Zoë Heller on How The Believers Is Like Moby-Dick

Author Zoë Heller attracted attention when her scathing second novel, What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal, was adapted into a dark, disturbing movie starring Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench. With her new novel, The Believers, a broader work about a family of old West Village lefties that’s already a British bestseller, Heller moves beyond the pure, biting satire of Scandal — which is not to say she can’t still be bitterly funny. She talked to us about her critical reception, life in the Bahamas, and the misguided obsession with "relatability."

So you were a New Yorker for a long time, but you’re currently living in the Bahamas?
My husband’s a writer too, and for a while we’ve been saying, “Hey, we could go live anywhere!” I had exotic plans to live in Morocco, but my husband put his foot down and said we couldn’t live anywhere in the world where they didn’t like Jews. That actually cut out a surprising number of places.

And you’re in a New York hotel right now?
Yes, and listen, I’m now smoking in a nonsmoking bathroom, so if things suddenly start beeping and I get called out, you’ll understand. It adds a certain element of peril to the hotel space. Sorry, you were asking?

One of your characters, the daughter of a William Kunstler–like lawyer and his hardened socialist wife, flirts with Orthodox Judaism. Is that something you’ve considered?
I am an atheist and always have been, so that was by far the greatest challenge — apart from, I guess, writing in the third person.

Do you get frustrated with people asking if this very dysfunctional family was based on your own upbringing?
A bit, partly because you want to say, “No, actually, I really make things up!” There was a review fairly early on in England, a piece of low-grade psychology, which more or less asserted that this was an act of revenge on my mother, and it simply wasn’t true. It’s a sort of “when did you stop beating your wife?” question. It’s become quite difficult to protest without appearing to protest too much.

What did you think of Michiko’s review of The Believers in the Times, basically giving you an A for effort for working on a broader canvas?
It’s funny that she gets referred to by her first name in that same way that — I’m not making a point that these are the same kind of people — it’s like calling Saddam Hussein "Saddam." But Ms. Kakutani, I think she may be right: It is a bit of a messy book. I don’t mean to liken myself to Herman Melville, but you know, Moby-Dick is a messy book.

She and others have complained that the characters — particularly your very bitter matriarch, Audrey — are not sympathetic.
I think it’s a relatively recent phenomenon, this insistence of what they call "relatability" — likable characters, inspiration, books that supply the wind beneath your wings. But I would argue that I am sympathetic to my characters. I'm very fond of all of them.

That’s true, but most of them come off very rude, at least by American standards.
You’re asking about autobiographical elements and that may actually be one of them. I grew up in a loving and close family, but dinner-table conversation was quite sharp. But I really do think my ambition with my next book is to write about good, happy people. I do have something I want to write, but I’m not sure I’ve quite got enough milk of human kindness in there yet.

Read more posts by Boris Kachka

Filed Under: books, chat room, the believers, zoe heller

Source: Vulture | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:00 pm

Hugh Hefner: "I Am in Perfect Health"

Hugh Hefner may be 83 years old, but he's still going strong. I just got off the phone with the Playboy pooh-bah, who assured me that a recent report claiming he's in bad health...

Source: E! Online - Top Stories | 5 Mar 2009 | 10:00 pm

Amanda Lepore’s New Fragrance Costs $950; Lily Allen Regrets Her Tattoo

Amanda Lepore.

FRAGRANCE
• Amanda Lepore's new limited-edition fragrance includes notes of steamed rice, mandarins, and bergamot with a "dash of Cristal." Would you rather spend $950 on that or about twenty bottles of Jenna Jameson's new fragrance? [NYT]

SKIN
• As if skin-whitening pills weren't controversial enough, the copy on the ads for Imdeen's latest reads: "My secret to beautiful skin? I swallow." We vom. [Feministing]

• Lily Allen regrets the "Shhh..." tattoo she got on her index finger recently. She didn't know that Rihanna had it first, and feels foolish for looking like a copycat. [News.Com.Au]

HAIR
• Hairstylist Oscar Blandi charges $550 for a haircut at his Madison Avenue salon, but now he offers classes for half the price so people can learn how to recreate his styles on their own. In this economy, the classes are a huge hit. [NYT]

MAKEUP
• Members Only, the brand that brought us the nostalgic jackets we adore and launched the liquid-denim leggings we despise, is branching out into beauty bags. They are patent leather and kind of tacky. [BellaSugar]

Read more posts by Sharon Clott

Filed Under: amanda lepore, beauty, beauty marks, fragrance, lily allen, makeup, skin

Source: The Cut | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:55 pm

The Top 25 Tina Turner Blingees

Yesterday, we asked you to create your best Tina Turner Blingee. Today, we bring you our 25 Favorite. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER (so please calmmm downnnn): 25. Jbaer980


24. Courtney
23. Jessica
22. SilentSyren
21. Leigh
20. Shannon
19. marywithchildren
18. imattmypants
17. Jessica
16. whitney
15. AdamSH
14. Jo
13. imattmypants
12. Luke
11. Birch
10. Monie


9. Courtney
8. Jessica
7. Jbaer980


6. Patti


5. in a paper boat
4. Sylvia
3. marin8it
2. MeganTheFirst
1. TardySauce

Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:49 pm

Sadly, the Visionary Director of 300 Too Chicken to Tackle the Unfilmable Archie Saga

"It's difficult. Someone was like, 'What comic book movie are you going to do next?' I'm like yeah, I don't think I'm doing another comic book. What am I going to do, Archie and Jughead? What's the follow up?" —Zack Snyder on not following Watchmen with another comic-book adaptation [Suicide Girls]

"(I wrote it to) punish him, to get him back for hurting me (but the song is) about forgiving, not forgetting. It’s hard to imagine that our love is a story with an end. But you know, at least I’m getting some really good songs out of it." —Miley Cyrus in her forthcoming memoir on writing "7 Things" to punish Nick Jonas [Contact Music]

"Don't sleep with anyone in your band, and always be nice to waitresses and tip them. If people are rude to waitresses, see ya later. You can't be in the band no matter how good you are. You will tip and you will say please and you will say thank you." —Neko Case lays down a few ground rules for being in her band [Spinner]

"I have yet to Twitter. Although I sat next to Jimmy Fallon at the Paul Simon concert at the Beacon last week and he twittered the whole thing. And I was a little envious of his twitterability. And I may soon be twittering." —Rosie O'Donnell on Twittering [TV Guide]

"Oddly enough, I'm famous for my last name and my hair. To have a sketch built around these two things, I stand nonplussed about the whole thing." —Art Garfunkel on the episode and his cameo in Flight of the Conchords [TV Guide]

"I think it was for a beer commercial. And it was Miller Ultra Light; it was a test beer. And it didn't test well." —Paul Rudd on when he first got his SAG card [Vanity Fair]

Read more posts by Emma Pearse

Filed Under: Miley Cyrus, Neko Case, Paul Rudd, Quote Machine, Rosie O'Donnell, Watchmen, Zack Snyder

Source: Vulture | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:45 pm

Three Laid Off at Cosmo

We're hearing that Cosmo has laid off a features editor, an accessories editor, and one of three managing editors. Which means there are officially three editors on the market who know how to drive men wild.

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: cosmopolitan, magazines, Mini Media Death Watch

Source: Daily Intel | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:27 pm

Window-shoppers Descend on Armory Art Show

The color of money? The Modern lit its lobby and atrium a soothing cash green for the Armory Art Show after-party last night, calming a crowd of revelers that hadn’t done too much more than window-shop the fair aisles. The biggest Armory fair ever — 220 dealers in two piers at the Hudson — hits at the art world’s lowest point in the last decade. Dealers battled the ennui with optimistic quips and generally good work (especially the modernist Pier 92, dubbed “gorgeous” by Pollock-Krasner Foundation head Charlie Bergman).

Not that art didn’t sell — it definitely did. But what’s selling, at the Armory and other fairs, is mostly multiples, the limited editions that cost less than one-of-a-kinds. Hank Willis Thomas, a star of the Rubell Collection show of Black art in Miami, had one of the sensations of the Armory with his artificially aged eighties photo of Michael Jackson from Ebony magazine called Time Can Be a Villain or a Friend. At prices of $22,000 and $8,000 (by size), two had sold and more were on reserve by early evening, according to Katie Rashid, director of Jack Shainman Gallery. Artist Christine Hill was doing a brisk business in $50-and-under remedies sold from a faux "apothecary" at the front of the fair.

Artist Angel Orensanz, who runs an art foundation with spaces in New York, Paris, and Madrid, said he bought a Joel Shapiro multiple from Knoedler for about $25,000. "It's philosophical, melancholy." Said Whitewall magazine publisher Michael Klug: "Some people are feeling a little sad, but they’re nicer to each other."

Missing, by and large, from the booths: erotic art, political art (save for ubiquitous Obama portraits in various mediums, like breakfast cereal), and all but a smattering of Chinese contemporary art. (David Zwirner was showing Yan Pei Ming’s $100,000 portrait of Bernie Madoff, but no takers.) Work was mostly abstract or conceptual. Cool pieces to see are Indian artist T.V. Santhosh’s Prayer Room, made of fiberglass bones, scrolling LED screens, and steel, at the Guild, Olafur Eliasson's wall of colors at Reykjavik’s Gallery i8, Tony Matelli’s portrait in sausage and mutton at Leo Koenig, Mel Bochner at Marc Selwyn, and Forum Gallery’s show of Depression-era WPA artists.

Michael Stipe signed autographs, and artist Maurizio Cattelan, collector Jose Mugrabi, James Frey, John Waters, John McEnroe, Lou Reed, and Kim Cattrall (posing for photos by Deitch Projects), showed up for the VIP preview. But the dealers were more focused on MoMA head Glenn Lowry, making the rounds and stopping at Edward Tyler Nahem’s booth to look at his $2.6 million Calder sculpture and the glorious, wall-eating $5.8 million Sam Francis. Said Nahem: "The dust hasn’t settled yet," in the economy or art world — but at least there were crowds.

Related: ‘Creepy’ Bernie Madoff Watercolor Fails to Sell at Armory Show [Daily Intel]

Read more posts by Alexandra Peers

Filed Under: armory art show, armory show, art, news reel, the armory show

Source: Vulture | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:25 pm

Jacko Comeback a Thriller, or Really Bad?

The King of Pop announces a new series of shows at London news conference.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:24 pm

Fellow Cornellians Ann Coulter and Keith Olbermann Get in Awesome College Catfight

Such a pity, they'd make such a lovely couple.

The thing about Ann Coulter is, she'll make you laugh even as what she's saying appalls you. Her column yesterday was an excellent example. She attacked liberal MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann over his habit of playing "gotcha!" clips when politicians (usually Republicans) misspeak, arguing that the point is only to make Olbermann himself look smart. Then she goes into uncharted territory: Coulter, a graduate of Cornell, attacks Olbermann, a fellow graduate, for bragging about his education. See, Ann went to the College of Arts and Sciences, the part of the university that is part of the Ivy League. Keith went to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which is technically a state school. It's a dichotomy that Cornellians the world around are keenly aware of, but rarely use against one another.

If you've ever watched any three nights of his show, you know that Olbermann went to Cornell. But he always forgets to mention that he went to the school that offers classes in milking and bovine management. Indeed, Keith is constantly lying about his nonexistent "Ivy League" education, boasting to Playboy magazine, for example: "My Ivy League education taught me how to cut corners, skim books and take an idea and write 15 pages on it, and also how to work all day at the Cornell radio station and never actually go to class." Except Keith didn't go to the Ivy League Cornell; he went to the Old MacDonald Cornell. The real Cornell, the School of Arts and Sciences (average SAT: 1,325; acceptance rate: 1 in 6 applicants), is the only Ivy League school at Cornell and the only one that grants a Bachelor of Arts degree. Keith went to an affiliated state college at Cornell, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (average SAT: about that of pulling guards at the University of South Carolina; acceptance rate: 1 of every 1.01 applicants). Olbermann's incessant lying about having an "Ivy League education" when he went to the non-Ivy League ag school at Cornell would be like a graduate of the Yale locksmithing school boasting about being a "Yale man."

For some reason this feels like it crosses a line. Not like calling John Edwards a "faggot" or accusing the September 11 widows of "enjoying their husbands' deaths," but a line nonetheless. (She did make us laugh with her lines: "Most people who majored in 'communications' at an ag school don't act like Marshall Scholars" and "'Communications' is a major, along with 'recreation science,' most commonly associated with linemen at USC. But at least the linemen can throw a football, which Keith cannot because his mother decided he was not physically robust enough to play outdoors as a child.") Olbermann, of course, was quick to respond. He told TVNewser:

Poor Annie has completely lost it. Cornell diplomas don't make any reference to individual college or major. They're Cornell diplomas. Mine looks exactly like hers, only if she was an out-of-stater she probably paid 8-10 times what I did for mine. And the premise of the University is that anybody can take almost any course. Nearly half of mine were in "her" Arts College. And this is the first time since I went there in 1975 that I've ever seen a Cornellian rag on all the other colleges. It's a long way to go just to rationalize Limbaugh not knowing the Constitution from the Declaration of Independence.

Hmmm. We have to say, this one victory goes to Ann. Keith's response definitely wasn't as funny, and he kind of lost us at "poor Annie."

OLBERMANN'S PLASTIC IVY [AnnCoulter.com]
Olbermann/Coulter Take Cornell Debate To Andy Bernard-Like Level [TVNewser/Mediabistro]

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: ann coulter, cornell, in other news, ivy league, keith olbermann, snobs

Source: Daily Intel | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:20 pm

GUESS THE NY POST HEADLINE: A-Rod Hip Surgery Edition

Yankees third baseman / unliked human Alex Rodriguez will undergo hip surgery and miss about 10 weeks of action. This begs the question -- what super-judgmental, puntastic headline will the New York Post run tomorrow to honor this momentous occasion? Here are some guesses to get the ball rolling - feel free to leave your own in the comments: A-BODY INJURY: Rodriguez To Miss 10 Weeks WHAT HIS HIP? HIP TO BE REPAIRED MY COUSIN HURTY A-ROD COMMITS (TO) HIP PERJURY ABANDON HIP MAD-DONE-AH FOR TEN WEEKS RODRIGOUCH! A-ROD TO REQUIRE CAST MADE OUT OF PLASTER-ISKS INJURED INJURED HIP-OH! A-ROD TOOK STEROIDS AND NOW IS HAVING SURGERY ON HIS HIP AND WILL MISS TEN WEEKS
Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:20 pm

Video: Gareth Pugh’s Fall 2009 Collection

Gareth Pugh presented his fall 2009 collection on video, rather than on a catwalk, in Paris yesterday. Editors and critics sat on three rows of benches to watch a screen hovering above a bed of dry ice. The film by Ruth Hogben features a lone model squatting and preening in Pugh's voluminous copper nylon bubble jacket worn over thigh-high boots, which are increasingly looking like the must-have shoe of fall 2009. It's intense. Click through for a preview of the film and a slideshow of the complete collection.

See a slideshow of Gareth Pugh's fall 2009 collection.

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: clothing porn, designers, fall 2009, fashion shows, gareth pugh, paris fashion week

Source: The Cut | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:20 pm

And Now It’s Time For BWE’s Favorite Game: WHAT THE F*CK AM I LOOKING AT?

Put your thinking caps on, throw your legs over the armrest, and get ready for another round of... WHAT THE FUCK AM I LOOKING AT? Stare long and hard at the above photo. The sensuous lips puckering ever so slightly as so say "Hello World. I am here. Love me." The delicate fingers grazing the surface, dainty and elegant, old world, classic. The chin hairs. Ok, people. WTF AM I LOOKING AT? Answer ahead. IF YOU GUESSED: Michael Jackson's Mouth and Fingers... THEN YOU'RE RIGHT! Mr. Jackson was in London today, announcing plans for a summer concert series at the O2 arena entitled "This Is It", scrapping the original title "Child Peenapalooza": To announce the news, Michael wore a jacket traditionally used in Malaysia to bury the bodies of stillborns. After the announcment, Michael had only one more thing to say to the masses: See you in July, England's wealthiest!
Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:16 pm

Chris Brown Faces Two Felony Charges, Four-Plus Years in Jail

Nearly a month after Chris Brown was placed under arrest and booked on charges of assaulting Rihanna in the early-morning hours after a pre-Grammy party hosted by Clive Davis, the Los Angeles County district attorney finally got around to charging him for his actions that night. TMZ reports that Brown has been charged with felony assault and making criminal threats, which could put him in the pokey for up to four years and eight months if he gets convicted (or if the case ever makes it to trial). This is a slight reversal from what TMZ stated last month, when they posted an item claiming that the charges Brown was booked on were "kinda weak" and that he might only face a maximum of six months behind bars. While we still haven't heard Chris Brown's side of the story (and we may never), People got their hands on the police report that contains the harrowing details of what Rihanna went through that evening.

According to the police report, Rihanna claims that she read a three-page (!) text message from another woman on Brown's phone and confronted him about it while they were driving in his rented Lamborghini. It was at that point that he pushed her into the passenger-side window and, we quote, began to "punch her in the face with his right hand while steering the vehicle with his left hand." While doing so, he then threatened to kill her and, at one point, somehow managed to put her into a headlock. This guy's even more of a creep than the Bachelor!

Then again, that's just our opinion; it appears that Rihanna might feel differently. Tabloid reports had Brown and Rihanna reuniting at one of Diddy's places in South Florida last weekend.

Chris Brown Charged with Two Felonies [TMZ]
Chris Brown Punched Rihanna, Threatened To Kill Her [People]

Read more posts by Mark Graham

Filed Under: Chris Brown, Jurisprudence, Rihanna

Source: Vulture | 5 Mar 2009 | 9:00 pm

‘Creepy’ Bernie Madoff Watercolor Fails to Sell at Armory Show

No one wanted to buy Chinese artist Yan Pei-Ming's watercolor portrait of Bernie Madoff at yesterday's Armory Show, which was on sale for $100,000. To add insult to Pei-Ming's injury, Bloomberg News today deemed it "creepy." And then they went one step further:

The 7-foot-wide black-and-white watercolor appeared to repel visitors right out of David Zwirner’s stand.

Holy crap! Are they saying it actually possessed magical powers of evil? Because if so, we think we may know a buyer. And his name is Sylar.

Smirking Madoff Portrait for $100,000 Finds No Buyers at Armory [Bloomberg]

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: art, bernard madoff, bernie madoff, made-off

Source: Daily Intel | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:48 pm

Armani Billboards Rejected Because of a Man’s Butt

Parker Gregory (back left), Rianne ten Haken, and Kerry Degman (on his back) in the new A|X campaign.

The new Armani|Exchange advertisement has all the key elements of a successful campaign — cleavage, sex on the beach, a Jeep, and model Parker Gregory's naked behind. Too bad you'll never see it plastered on billboards in the meatpacking district. The Van Wagner company rejected the ad, calling it "too racy." That's just preposterous. Sure we spotted the glutes before the cleavage, but this bare-bottomed dude is getting dressed, so he's promoting fashion. We're pretty sure if Armani cropped out the butt, the nearly exposed breasts would be fine with Van Wagner, which proves there is a double standard in fashion advertising. Objectifying men is not nearly as prevalent as it needs to be, so thanks to Armani for making a solid effort to bolster that trend. As for taking away our man candy? Now that's just a butthead move.

We Hear ... [NYP]
Male Model Parker Gregory Too Meaty for NY's Meatpacking District [Towleroad]

Read more posts by Sharon Clott

Filed Under: armani, armani exchange, billboards, fashion advertising, mantasies

Source: The Cut | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:40 pm

'Seinfeld' cast set for 'Curb' reunion

Front Page: Sitcom stars to appear on HBO comedy -- "Seinfeld" isn't coming back, but its stars will be together again this fall on HBO. The network says that Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards will appear in several episodes of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:38 pm

BWE.tv Sits Down with Television’s Judge Karen

When it comes to daytime Judge shows, perhaps no show is more entertaining than the courtroom of Judge Karen, daytime television's sassiest Your Honor. A few weeks ago, we told you about our obsession with Karen, who according to her own show introduction, has "flair to spare." This is not an overstatement: From her red robe to red gavel to lightning fast sense of humor to no nonsense attitude, Karen has quickly become what is commonly referred to as "life inspiration". Well, good fortune shined down upon us recently, as we had a chance to chat with Judge Karen over the phone while she gardened in the luxurious Miami sunshine. But before we get to the interview, it should be noted that Ms. Karen will be making her soap opera debut as a Process Server on CBS’s The Young and the Restless, airing on March 16th, 2009 (check local listings). Check out this behind the scenes look as Her Honor is shown the ropes to "hamming it upon daytime TV": And now, join us, as BWE.tv Interviews The Reigning Lady of Daytime Television, Judge Karen, where Judge Karen Mills-Francis talks about judging people, Miami, The Amazing Race, her view on The View, and the craziest cases she's ever seen in her courtroom. BWE: Hi Judge Karen! It’s such a pleasure to chat with you. How are you doing? Judge Karen: I’m great! I am working in my garden today. It’s a pretty day today no clouds in the sky. BWE: Oh I’m so jealous. I’m basically wearing an Uggs Dress in New York today. I should tell you in advance that my Mother in Miami Beach is your biggest fan. She’s the one who got me turned on to your show. Judge Karen: Oh my God, really? BWE: Yes – she tells everyone about it. So America wants to know, Your Honor: How does someone get their own Judge show? Judge Karen: I used to be a criminal defense attorney in Miami. I had a criminal division as a Judge here. You really get to see a little bit of everything. When Judge David got his show, I saw him in the parking lot. And I thought “My God, every judge on TV is from Miami! How come no one has contacted me?” Trust us and click ahead to keep reading. BWE: Rightly so. Judge Karen: Then about a couple of weeks later I got a call from Sony Pictures saying that they wanted to interview me, they were interviewing 7 or 8 other judges. I came up to NY for an interview and here we are. You know, five of the television Judge shows have judges just from Miami. Maybe it’s the weather… it could be the orange juice. Also the fact that it is such a diverse city… We’ve seen some of everything in Miami. BWE: Do you think it is because Miami is such a corrupt city? Judge Karen: No that usually happens in Chicago, what are you thinking? Actually, if you ever watched America’s Most Wanted, you will notice that every fugitive that is on the run ends up in FL. You always hear “He’s believed to be somewhere in the state of FL.” BWE: You have a point. I think it’s because there are a lot of orange groves to hide out in. Judge Karen: Right and this is a good place too if you are homeless. BWE: Yes! You can’t beat Miami weather if you’re homeless. I always say, even in New York, you always know it's springtime when the homeless come out. They’re like sunshine and flowers. So, I watch your show every day, and I think the main question that’s on my mind is WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE? Judge Karen: Isn’t it a scary, scary proposition? Some of the things that people will say on TV knowing that it is going to be shown to millions of viewers! We had a case where a guy was a bed wetter. He wets the bed and he is in his 40’s. His wife said it on TV and the women that keep throwing good money after bad money after good money to these men. There’s so many of them! That was the biggest awakening to me. I was surprised at the number of women out there that are just foolish, grown women. BWE: That seems like a running theme on your show. It’s always women suing ex boyfriends or lovers for money. Why do you think women are so easily manipulated? Judge Karen: I think we outnumber men 3-1, and so there is so few to choose between. I think that some women think a half a man is better than no man. My mother has a friend, every boyfriend she has is missing some part of his body. He either has one eye, or one leg, or nine fingers. She used to say it’s better than no man at all. BWE: As long he’s got his whole heart. And wallet. Judge Karen: You never see a man suing a woman for that, that’s very rare. Men are supposed to be the ones footing the bill, but its always the other way around. It’s kind of sad actually. BWE: It is sad. One of the saddest cases was the Mother who had to sue her son for arranging her own funeral behind her back. She gives him $10,000, and the his wife convinces him it would be a good idea to go and plan her funeral without her knowing. You said it was a CSI case in the making. Judge Karen: That was a really sad case and he showed absolutely no emotion. I never did really figure him out. He’s her only child and she said she had been a good mother. I just couldn’t imagine that his marriage was enough to create a breach with his mom. BWE: No, and I am sure his wife was the one driving the stake in there. Judge Karen: Exactly. BWE: What was the craziest case you’ve ever seen? Judge Karen: No… The craziest case, oh God, there are just so many crazy cases. Did you see the case with the blind man? A blind man was suing his wife because she took the TV. She took it because he used to listen to pornography on TV. BWE: Listen, you have to take it wherever you can get it. Judge Karen: But how can you really listen to pornography, but that’s what he did. BWE: It’s better than calling the 976 numbers. It’s a little cheaper. You know he saved her some money in the end, when you think of it. Judge Karen: You know they are all kind of crazy to me in one way or another. There was also a case where a woman sued her mother for credit card identity theft. A woman sued her mother, claiming she had been getting credit in her name since this plaintiff was 12 years old. And the mother was denying it. Then the father broke down and said it was basically true, and she had done it to several members of the family. BWE: That’s a shame. We knew someone who got a credit card offer in the mail for his dog. But he didn’t take advantage of it. Which makes me to think, maybe I should get some dogs, because my own credit really has some problems. Do you have a lot of animals? Judge Karen: Oh my god, a lot of them, 5 cats, 3 dogs. BWE: What else does Judge Karen do to relax? Judge Karen: I love to garden and travel. I was thinking last night that I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world that I need to go because I have seen every place. I’ve been to Hong Kong, Africa, Europe, all of the Caribbean two or three times,. I love to travel I love to meet people. I take Spanish lessons because I want to be bilingual by age 50. Right now I am working on a book. BWE: When is it going to be released because I would like to pre-order it? Judge Karen: We have not gotten that far yet. We are just getting a proposal together, but it’s called Stay in Your Lane! BWE: (audible !!!) That is my favorite catch phrase of yours! Your publicist sent me a Judge Karen mug that says “Stay In Your Lane” on it, and it’s the talk of the office. Judge Karen: What? I didn’t get that mug! They told me I would get it first! What’s it look like? BWE: Well, it’s red, it says Judge Karen on it, and in the back it says “Stay in your lane!” Judge Karen: That’s my line, “Stay in your lane.” BWE: How do you come up with lines? Every episode you say something that on itself could be it’s own book title. Judge Karen: You know I don’t know… just living. Nothing about our show is scripted, it’s just me. Nobody tells me what to do, what to say. I grew up with a close family, and you know Grandma and Grandpa give you great things to say in life. Some of the things I cant repeat on TV. BWE: Do you watch a lot of TV? Judge Karen: I am an outdoors person, but I watch a lot of court TV, which is now TruTV. Not reality but actuality. BWE: Have you heard of The Amazing Race? Judge Karen: A friend of mine wants me to do the show. BWE: Judge Karen, you gotta go on!! You would be GREAT on The Amazing Race. You just need to find a friend to go on with. (loud coughing) You know what other show you should be on? I wish I was your manager, because I swear to you I would be making calls all day long. Why are you not on The View? Judge Karen: A couple people have said that to me! They don’t think my name is big enough. My show has only been on one season. BWE: I mean they would be so blessed to get you. You are a million times smarter than anyone they have on there right now. It hasn’t really been the same since Rosie left. At least Rosie brought some life to the show. Judge Karen: What about Star Jones? BWE: Star really gave the show a name. Without her, I don’t think it would still be on the air today. Judge Karen-What do they talk about on The View nowadays? BWE: Everything. If they aren’t talking about menopause, which is like half the time, then it’s top new stories, gadgets. You would be fantastic on it. Judge Karen: I would love to talk about menopause I was thinking about that last night. It took me a year to figure out that is what was going on with me. That would be something else. You know I enjoyed the inauguration though. BWE: Tell me everything. Judge Karen: I get to Washington and I have to pick up my tickets for this BET Honors thing and I see Anita Baker walking down aisle. She says, “Judge Karen, I love you!” And I am thinking Anita Baker knows Judge Karen? And then that turned out to be my weekend. Everyone I met -- Samuel L Jackson, Denzel, Latifah -- all knew me. BWE: A lot of people watch your show! Judge Karen: I have been on the air for 5 months. It’s amazing the people that know me. I can’t go out of my house. Half the time I wear a wig and glasses, and then once a lady stopped me and said “Judge Karen, is that you under that wig?” I think I need to do something controversial to end up in tabloids. Judge Karen Listen, why don’t we get together a team and make a proposal to be on The Amazing Race. BWE: You have just described my greatest dream. Judge Karen: My boyfriend doesn’t have that kind of spirit he practical. My best friend is crazy. Do they take celebs? BWE: Actually, yes! There’s a pretty well known writer and actor on it this season. Judge Karen: I’m gonna talk to the publicist about this I would love to do it but I need to lose a little weight. Don’t you have to climb 110 steps sometimes or something to find the next clue? BWE: Well, yes, but sometimes the skinny people are very weak. I think you should for sure apply. Judge Karen: Now you just put a new thought in my head. I am going to call my publicist. What could I do for you if I get amazing race? BWE: Next time I am in Miami, lets get some bagels and then head over to Loehmanns. Judge Karen: Sounds like a plan. Thank you, honey. BWE: Thank you Judge Karen! Check your local listings to see Judge Karen, and make sure to tune in to her soap opera debut on March 16!
Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:26 pm

Olivier Theyskens Refuses to Be Fired From Nina Ricci

Olivier Theyskens just presented what we hear was a stunning fall collection for Nina Ricci in Paris. Rumors have been circulating for months of design differences between Theyskens and Mario Grauso, the head of Puig Fashion Group, which owns Ricci. Rumor had it Theyskens was out at the house, but his show turned up on the Paris schedule, revealing no unrest on the surface. The show went on today and the rumors haven't died down — the word going around Paris is that Grauso actually fired Theyskens, whose contract isn't up until October, but that Theyskens won't leave. And according to reviews of the collection trickling in from showgoers, Ricci designed with a fighting spirit, sending out a gorgeous, romance-infused, hard-rock-inspired collection. Theyskens has the chance to present one more collection for Ricci before his contract runs out. But if the reviews pour in positively and this collection sells better than his last, will Grauso change his mind? Will Theyskens say "no more drama" and strike out on his own? This is better than The Hills and The City combined!

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: designers, fall 2009, industry players, mario grauso, nina ricci, olivier theyskens, paris fashion week, puig, ricci watch

Source: The Cut | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:20 pm

High School Offers Skateboarding Class

In response to a student’s petition, the East Side Community High School on 12th Street in the East Village is now offering skateboarding classes. This is made somewhat less insane by the fact that the school’s playground already featured ramps that were a destination for local skaters on afternoons and weekends. But still, for anyone who experienced the “skaters vs. the Man” dynamic that has permeated most American high schools for the last twenty-odd years, this is a bit of an Obama moment. [VOA News]

Read more posts by Ben Mathis-Lilley

Filed Under: east village, kids these days, neighborhood news, skateboarding

Source: Daily Intel | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:15 pm

Watchmen Backlash — Against the Book!

What does one write about the Watchmen movie after everyone else has already weighed in and said it's too faithful to the original comic? How about that the original comic wasn't that great to begin with? That's what Slate and the Washington Post did today!

"Watchmen wasn't unfilmable," writes the Washington Post's Philip Kennicott, "it was unreadable." Kennicott takes issue, mostly, with Alan Moore's dialogue:

Despite the intellectual name-dropping, the quotes from Nietzsche, Blake and Juvenal ("Who watches the watchmen?"), the level of Moore's writing rarely rises above B-movie fare. It is silly and dated, the faded gibberish of an old-fashioned noire stylist (the kind who now works for newspapers). And it is filled with clichés.

Kennicott credits the movie's actors (even Malin Ackerman!) for doing "what they can" with their "cardboard characters," but finds Moore's "incoherent story line" too much to bear: "The only watch that matters in Watchmen," he says, "is the one on your wrist. It's telling you life is too short for this movie."

Slate's Grady Hendrix, meanwhile, brands the Moore's book "a failure" because it inspired not a flood of complicated, layered graphic novels with "decentralized narratives" about the lives of ordinary people, but a bunch of comics in which superheroes are killed off, seemingly for little more than a sales boost.

Watchmen's failure wasn't that it failed to influence other comics but that the book's most meaningless and shallow aspects were mistakenly hailed as its virtues and then widely imitated. [...]

[Watchmen's] novelty helped bring about the avalanche of grim-'n'-gritty comic books that followed in its wake. DC comics, the home of Watchmen, would go on to have Batgirl crippled and sexually humiliated by the Joker in Alan Moore's The Killing Joke (a comic that the author himself regrets having written), and DC later staged an event called "A Death in the Family" where the fate of Batman's ward, Robin, was placed in the hands of readers who could call a 900 number to vote on the Boy Wonder's fate. Predictably, they voted for him to be beaten half to death with a crowbar and then blown up.

Who could possibly have expected that Zack Snyder's movie would spark such a hatefest against a book that's still nearly universally considered a masterpiece? We just thought the slow-motion fight scenes were shitty!

Blight 'Watchmen' [WP]
Watchmen Failed [Slate]

Read more posts by Lane Brown

Filed Under: alan moore, comics, movies, watchmen, zack snyder

Source: Vulture | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:15 pm

'Hunting Eichmann' a fantastic true spy story (AP)

AP - "Hunting Eichmann: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 400 pages, $26), by Neal Bascomb:

Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:07 pm

Bruce Willis sues 'Joan' producers

Front Page: Actor seeks $8.7 million in damages -- Bruce Willis has filed a countersuit against the producers of "Three Stories About Joan," alleging they falsely claimed they had full financing to produce the project.
Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:05 pm

Are Fashion Directors Necessary?

Barneys fashion director Julie Gilhart.

The fashion director is a threatened species in These Times. Michael Fink lost his job as fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue in January. LaVelle Olexa recently lost her job as fashion director of Lord & Taylor. Julie Gilhart, fashion director of Barneys, is safe, but, according to the New York Times, should be scared. The position of fashion director is increasingly viewed as expendable as retailers lose boatloads of cash and slash staff. What do fashion directors do, exactly? They decide which trends, products, and designers a retailer store should promote, and how. They might put a bunch of pink men's shirts in a window with a banner that reads "Think Pink." They discover and promote new talent, conceive ad campaigns and floor displays. They tell buyers what to order. They create a store's image.

But in this economy, image isn't nearly as important as not losing any more money, God help us. (Saks lost $99 million in the fourth quarter.) Retailers are more interested in commercial items that will sell than, say, having the latest Balenciaga no one can afford in the middle of the store. But also, with shows like Project Runway and blogs like this one that anyone can comment on, anyone can be a fashion director in their own right. We don't need real fashion directors to tell us what to wear. The all-powerful Internet and reality TV will guide us! And let's not forget fashion's living, breathing stimulus package, Michelle Obama, who can shut down J.Crew's website merely by wearing a pair of the store's gloves.

Since fashion directors operate under a diminished role, they busy themselves these days with things like making store appearances, talking to reporters, and making Internet videos, serving more as the face of their respective retail establishments than as merchandise influencers. It's only a matter of time before one of them lands a reality-TV show, which Julie Gilhart should definitely be trying to do right now. It would keep her job safe and be genius, obviously. Bravo, we'll take a commission on that idea via PayPal. Thanks.

What the Fashion Seers Didn’t See Coming [NYT]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: barneys, industry players, julie gilhart, lavelle olexa, lord and taylor, michael fink, Recession Store-ies, saks

Source: The Cut | 5 Mar 2009 | 8:00 pm

LOST RECAP: Bizarre Love Octagon

The following is a Recap of Lost Season 5 Episode 8 entitled "LaFleur", originally airing March 4, 2009. If you haven't seen the episode yet, then don't read on, there's a bunch of spoilers, including some huge ones about Life On Mars thrown in for good measure. Sawyer was just your average everyday conman... Son of a bitch! Until he got stuck in the 1970s... Dharma Initiative? We must be in the damn 70s! Look at it this way - at least your hair's back in style! He's findin' out, sometimes even the best liar in the world... What's your name, maggot? Uhmm... uhhhh... [looks over at Guy LaFleur Poster] LaFleur! James LaFleur. Can't lie...TO HIS HEART... I love you, Sawyer. SCRAAAAAATTTTTTCHHHHH!!!!! I.......uhhhhhmmmmmmm.....derrrrrrrr.... der der derrrrrrr... I love you too! In fact, I totally forgot what Kate's face looked like. Did it have freckles on it? I can't remember if I used to call her "Freckles" all the time or "Regularface". Oh well, let's continue to make salads and f*ck. But there was just one...KATE-ttle...problem... I'm back, Sawyer! SCRAAAAAATTTTTTCHHHHH!!!!! Sonnnnooooofaaaaabitch... Josh Holloway... Of all the time-warping islands, she had to walk into mine! Evangeline Lilly... Our old bearcage! Come on in, what're you so afraid of? Elizabeth Mitchell... Wow, no guy has ever withstood my stinkface for more than a month, let alone three years! And Dane Cook... [Reaches into fish tank, gets bitten by piranha, then is on fire] BETTER KATE THAN NEVER I never stopped loving you, Sawyer. Son of a b--[EXPLOSION] Tell Your Heart to Get LOST - March 18 Onto the real Recap... AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWKWARD Last night's episode wasn't particularly enthralling, but it set up a monumental subplot for the remainder of the series; the Sawyer/Juliet three-year hookup, much to the chagrin of my fellow Lost-watching buddies (chagrin means "swearing at a tv," right?) was like an alley-oop for next episode's slam dunk (am I sounding like a political brochure written for children and trying to be hip? That's my intention.) Juliet succumbs to a long-standing attraction to Sawyer as indicated by about two-dozen conspicuous "loving glance" shots in prior episodes, and forgoes her chance to return to 1970s America to get rich with her future knowledge as a female Biff Tannen. Juliet and her shirted, shaven companion James LaFleur spend their three years together as Dharma employees, Juliet as a mechanic and Sawyer as head of security (former ex-con...wink!!), living together blissfully and doing their best not to spoil the ending of Empire Strikes Back for their co-workers. Their boss is ex-Locke-ghost-vision and former Ben Linus employer Horace, who opens the episode whipping dynamite around in a drunken stupor and ultimately reveals that he's questioning if his pregnant wife has truly gotten over her former love. Horace's line "Is three years really enough?" resonates with Sawyer deeply, and provides a nice, awkward segue into Kate's eventual arrival on the island at the end of the episode. Also, the actor who played Jimmy Barrett on Mad Men was also working for Dharma, presumably as an insult comedian. I WAS ROOTING FOR DINOSAURS Directly following Locke's disappearance into the well, Sawyer, Juliet, Miles, Faraday, and Jin were briefly transported to an ancient time period featuring this statue: Lostpedia points out that the statue "appears to be holding an ankh, which is the Egyptian symbol for eternal life seen later on Paul's necklace," Paul being the deceased husband of Amy, who kept his ankh necklace after his death, which Horace ends up discovering three years later, thus igniting his drinking binge. In a show full of patterns, we can pretty much assume that Juliet is the next to befall this fate -- next week's episode might as well have just shown the scene where Juliet runs around drunkenly whipping dynamite at people. THE RECORD FINALLY STOPPED SKIPPING -- AW CRAP, IT'S ON "WILD HONEY PIE" The brief dinosaur-free "ancient" period quickly gives way to the Flash to End All Flashes, knocking the islanders to the ground but ending their headaches and nosebleeds. This later prompts the most patronizing exchange in Lost history, in which Jin asks Faraday "No more flash?" and Faraday responds "No more flash. Here is shiny nickel for you Jin! You play it good now!" Also, if Lost has one more dialogue exchange of "Where are we? The question is WHEN are we! LOLOLOLROFL" I'm going to shoot the nearest bearded person to me. In the midst of Sawyer's elaborate "LaFleur" lie, the Dharma camp is approached by Others leader Alpert, who is so furious that the Dharma/Others truce has been breached that he storms into the Dharma barracks and sits down on a bench. Sawyer tells Alpert that he knows about the bomb and about his encounter with Locke and easily convinces Alpert that he's not an actual Dharma member, and retains the truce by conceding Paul's corpse to The Others. I realize none of this recap is in any order whatsoever -- it's up to you to figure out if I just wrote crap as I randomly thought of it, or if I'm intentionally emulating the time jumping in Lost. HINT: It's the first thing. LOSTDS AND ENDS -- Sawyer without glasses? Not Dharma material. Sawyer WITH glasses? Immediately President of the Universe. -- BEST LINE OF THE EP: "That looks like some kind of sonic fence!" - perhaps the first truly funny line the producers have thrown Juliet's way? -- Sawyer telling Juliet "you're gonna do great" before Amy's baby delivery came off sounding so angry, like he was being sarcastic. I was hoping when he handed the flower to her at the end, he was gonna yell "I grabbed this flower for you, dammit!!" -- A friend of mine pointed out a probable voiceover mistake in the preview of the next episode, in which the ABC announcer declared "Loyal ties will be tested...", which was probably intended to be "loyalties" and just read incorrectly. I hope the next episode is also an "extra ordinary" adventure. -- Daniel seeing baby Charlotte? I don't know... It's funny whenever a show with time warping islands and ghosts and Jesuses and smoke monsters and Juliet's neckline can still sometimes make me shout out "I'm not really buying that........." That's all for me -- leave your episode thoughts, theories, observations, favorite parts, predictions, and Sawyer/Juliet analysis in the comments, if you please.
Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 7:30 pm

Robin Williams needs heart surgery

Front Page: Comedian postpones 'Self-Destruction' shows -- The Broadway run of Robin Williams solo show "Weapons of Self-Destruction" has been postponed because the ailing performer must undergo heart surgery.
Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 5 Mar 2009 | 7:27 pm

Fancy a Shag: Fall’s Fur Trends

Dolce & Gabbana.

Perhaps Carine Roitfeld sparked a revolution with her Mongolian-lamb fur coat. All shaggy and rock-and-roll, it caused a bit of a sensation. Gone are the days of a little trim mink and perfectly pretty fox stole. This season, designers sent out messy furs, oodles of lamb, and shearling like you wouldn't believe. PETA, we suggest you avert your eyes. (But we daresay, with fur like this, faux will work just as well as the real deal.) From Giles Deacon's Cousin Itt–like skirt to Mongolian-lamb fur at Ralph Lauren, fall is going to be a bit hairy.

Read more posts by Amina Akhtar

Filed Under: 3.1 phillip lim, aquilano e rimondi, bottega veneta, brioni, burberry, carlos miele, cushnie et ochs, dennis basso, derek lam, Dolce Gabbana, fall 2009, fashion shows, fendi, fur, giles deacon, graeme black, gucci, house of holland, j mendel, john richmond, julien macdonald, marios schwab, marni, matthew williamson, Maurizio Pecoraro, michael kors, pamella roland, paul smith, phillip lim, preen, pucci, ralph lauren, salvatore ferragamo, shaggy furs, slideshow, thakoon, Three's A Trend, trends

Source: The Cut | 5 Mar 2009 | 7:15 pm

'The rest of the story': Paul Harvey's impact

Every day for decades, it was an essential part of the day for millions of listeners. A voice would boom out over the radio airwaves, announcing, "Hello, Americans, this is Paul Harvey! Stand by for news!"
Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 5 Mar 2009 | 6:46 pm

Porn or literature? Nazi monster explains himself (AP)

AP - "The Kindly Ones" (Harper Collins, 992 pages, $29.95), by Jonathan Littell: The narrator of Jonathan Littell's "The Kindly Ones" is a devil who wants a little empathy.

Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 5 Mar 2009 | 6:46 pm

Meet the New Girl: Giedre Dukauskaite

Dukauskaite (New York Models) at Badgley Mischka.

When Giedre Dukuaskaite debuted in the spring 2007 season, she was poised to hit it big with her classic Eastern European beauty. But the Lithuanian flew under the radar for many seasons. That was until Mario Testino photographed her for D&G's pre-fall campaign last year, which sparked a booking frenzy. Now, Dukauskaite is one of the faces of Prada, on the spring cover of 10, and can be seen working with Paolo Roversi for this month's Italian Vogue. So all you struggling models, take note: Your big break just might be around the corner.

Model Profile: Giedre Dukauskaite

For a comprehensive guide to all of your model needs, check out our Model Manual.

Read more posts by James Lim

Filed Under: Giedre Dukauskaite, Model Tracker, models

Source: The Cut | 5 Mar 2009 | 6:30 pm

CAPTION THIS: Katie Holmes’ Beady Hair

In her next movie, Katie Holmes plays that annoying bead-haired girl on your dorm floor with seven DMB posters and a bunch of jangly shit hanging from her entryway but who you'd still hook up with but will continue hating as long as that continues to not happen: Also, is she doing her impression of Drew Barrymore's face? Cause she's got it down-pat.
Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 6:15 pm

Bio celebrates FDR labor secretary Perkins (AP)

AP - "The Woman Behind the New Deal" (Doubleday, 398 pages, $35), by Kirstin Downey: Reading the biography of FDR's labor secretary, Frances Perkins, brings to mind the old saying about how Ginger Rogers had to do everything Fred Astaire did, except backward and in high heels.

Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 5 Mar 2009 | 5:26 pm

Spring Break Swimsuit Guide: The Best Suits for Apple Shapes

As an apple shaped gal, your focus should be on swimsuits that will minimize your wider mid-section

Source: FOXNews.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 5:25 pm

Eminem Promises A Double 'Relapse' In 2009

Eminem's "Relapse" is due May 19; a follow-up, "Relapse 2" will also drop in 2009.

Source: Billboard.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 5:20 pm

'Reality' or Actuality? Is 'The Bachelor' Fake?

Show's host says he was as "shocked and upset" as everyone else.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 5 Mar 2009 | 5:11 pm

Musicians prepare to perform at the Northern Cupola Hall of Berlin's "Neues Museum" at the Museum Island in Berlin

Musicians prepare to perform at the Northern Cupola Hall of Berlin's "Neues Museum" at the Museum Island in Berlin. British star architect David Chipperfield unveiled Berlin's New Museum Thursday after...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 5 Mar 2009 | 5:05 pm

British architect David Chipperfield

British architect David Chipperfield poses in front of the stairs at Berlin's "Neues Museum" at the Museum Island in Berlin. Chipperfield unveiled Berlin's New Museum Thursday after a more than decade-long...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 5 Mar 2009 | 5:05 pm

'Idol, 'Lost' top Wednesday ratings

Front Page: 'Top Model' bows 12th edition to solid numbers -- Fox's "American Idol" rolled to victory in demos on Wednesday, chomping up its rather lackluster competition in the night's opening hour. ABC's "Lost" remained solid, as did CW's "America's Next Top Model," which opened its 12th edition.
Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 5 Mar 2009 | 4:56 pm

Soulja Boy Climbs Hot 100

Soulja Boy logs another leap on the Billboard Hot 100 this week with “Kiss Me Thru The Phone,” which jumps from No. 9 to No. 4 and earns the week’s biggest airplay gainer title.

Source: Billboard.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 4:50 pm

CONVERSATIONS WITH PRINCE CHARLES: Slumdog Billionaire

"Absolyootely, my good man! Feel free to grazy your fingers against the forehead of the Prince of huh-Wales. It is simply a plezhuh to meet youuuhaaahzwell." "Oh. Oh my! Camilluh! Millie dahling! Did you happen to nyotice that uhl of these fine people have red dots on their head? Oh, how absolyutely wonduhful! What a spot on prank!" "Hahaha! You! You there, young girl! Do you have a spot? Let me see there!" "There's another one! Oh, how absolutely marvelous! I can't breathe! Camillah, pat me on the back will you? I feel the sin water coming on in the eyes." "Oh. Oh dear. I think I broke it." "I broke mine!" "I broke mine." "(whispered) Camilla, I'm afraid throughout my fits of lahftah I failed to notice that these people were brown." THE END. Above, Prince Charles is greeted as he visits the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Neadsen Temple) to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi. And congrats to Prince Charles for being named The World's Best Dressed Man! He has been looking good these days...
Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 4:37 pm

Chris Brown charged with 2 felonies

Front Page: Singer expected to appear in court on Thursday -- Chris Brown has been charged with two felonies, including assault likely to cause bodily injury and making criminal threats, according to court documents.
Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 5 Mar 2009 | 4:27 pm

Ashley Cole arrested

Ashley Cole was arrested over an alleged confrontation with police in the early hours of this morning.

The Chelsea footballer reportedly swore at officers as he left Collection nightclub at 2am.

After three hours in custody, Ashley, 27, was apparently fined £80 and sent home.

‘A man was arrested in Brompton Road, South Kensington, on suspicion of
being drunk and disorderly,’ says a Scotland Yard spokesman.

‘He was taken to a central London police station where he
was later issued with a fixed penalty notice for being drunk and
disorderly and released at 5.37am.'

Ashley's wife Cheryl Cole, 25, is currently climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with nine other celebrities in aid of the BBC's Comic Relief.

Source
Source: Lepaparazzi - Celebrity News and Gossip Blog | 5 Mar 2009 | 4:12 pm

Lindsay Lohan At War With Holmes

Lindsay Lohan is feuding with Katie Holmes.

The 'Mean Girls' star was expecting to appear on the cover of the April edition of America's Glamour magazine and was left fuming when the coveted front page was given to Katie.

A source said: "Lindsay did a Madonna-themed photo shoot and was totally under the impression it would be the cover.

"Her Marilyn Monroe shoot for New York Magazine made her relevant when she did it, she thought the same would happen this time. Only she wasn't on the cover, Katie was, and she's mad at her now."

Lindsay, 22, donned a vintage wedding dress, white gloves and jewellery to recreate the '4 Minutes' star's performance of 'Like A Virgin' at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards as part of the magazine's American Icons: Seven Decades of Rule Breakers, Risk Takers and Style Makers photo shoot.

Despite her gripe, magazine sources insist they never planned to put her on the cover.

An insider said: "If that was Lindsay's impression, it was a mistake. She was always going to be inside the magazine."

Other stars taking part in the Icon shoot included Emma Roberts as Audrey Hepburn, Alicia Keys as Michelle Obama and Hayden Panettiere as aviator Amelia Earhart.

If that was Lindsay's impression, it was a mistake. She was always going to be inside the magazine.
Katie is not the first celebrity Lindsay has waged war against.

She is rumoured to have scrawled obscene graffiti about 'Lost In Translation' star Scarlett Johansson on a New York nightclub bathroom wall.

She was also engaged in a war of words with 'Lizzy Maguire' star Hilary Duff after they dated singer Aaron Carter at the same time in 2004, though they later patched up their differences.

Her appearance in US sitcom 'Ugly Betty' was shortened to four episodes from six amid rumours she had argued with its main star America Ferrera.

Source
Source: Lepaparazzi - Celebrity News and Gossip Blog | 5 Mar 2009 | 4:10 pm

Rihanna Dress Being Studied

Rihanna's blood-soaked dress is among the evidence being investigated by police for their case against Chris Brown.

The 21-year-old singer's $11,000 Gucci garment has been handed over to the Los Angeles District Attorney's office following Brown's alleged attack on Rihanna on February 8.

A source said: "The police took Rihanna's dress into evidence because it had bloodstains on it."

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has refused to comment on the claims.

Rihanna is believed to have requested an emergency protection order just hours after the alleged assault, to prevent Brown from contacting her. The order expired after five days.

Santa Monica-based criminal defence attorney Alec Rose said: "It is standard practice for police to ask the domestic violence victim at the scene of the attack whether they would like an emergency protective order keeping the attacker away."

The police took Rihanna's dress into evidence because it had bloodstains on it.

Brown was charged with making criminal threats and released on $50,000 bail following the incident and is due to attend an arraignment in Los Angeles today (05.03.09).

Rihanna reportedly told police he beat her and choked her until she was unconscious.

It has previously been reported Chris' rented Lamborghini - were the altercation took place - had traces of blood in it when it was impounded by police.

Meanwhile, reports claim Chris' attorney are conducting talks with the District Attorney which could see him enter a plea bargain in a bid to avoid going to prison.

The case was handed to the District Attorney yesterday (04.03.09), and Brown's' lawyer Mark Geragos has been discussing the matter with prosecutors since Monday (02.03.09).

It has been suggested his legal team want to strike a deal which would see him remain free if he pleads guilty to a misdemeanour, although it is unknown whether prosecutors are willing to compromise.

Rihanna did not file charges against Brown and the pair are believed to have married in secret at rapper P. Diddy's Miami mansion.

A source said: "Rihanna never had any intention of ending it with Chris. It's partly because she cares about him a lot. But another big part is that she can't bear the thought of him with another girl."

Source
Source: Lepaparazzi - Celebrity News and Gossip Blog | 5 Mar 2009 | 4:07 pm

People Never Thought America Would Elect A Blue President…

...but this tampered Subway poster in the West 4th Street of Manhattan proves, YES WE CAN:
Source: Best Week Ever | 5 Mar 2009 | 4:00 pm

The Beatles Finally Go Digital With September 'Rock Band'

The Beatles will finally go digital on Sept. 9 with the release of the Fab Four edition of the popular "Rock Band" video game.

Source: Billboard.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 3:59 pm

WATCH: Kimmel: 'Octo-Mom' Battles Babies

Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 5 Mar 2009 | 3:29 pm

Love Bug: Ex-Giant Tracks Cheating Lover With Spy Devices

When Michael Strahan suspected his girlfriend Nicole Murphy of cheating, he put a tracking device in her car, then went ballistic when she found it

Source: FOXNews.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 3:22 pm

Michael Jackson May Play 25 London Shows

AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke revealed that Michael Jackson is set to perform 20 to 25 shows at London's O2 Arena and that the singer is "very focused." Leiweke was speaking during his keynote Q&A session at the Billboard Music & Money Symposium at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.

Source: Billboard.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 3:15 pm

'American Idol' Top 13 Finalists Selected

After a wild card round Thursday, the judges picked the remaining four finalists: Jasmine Murray, Megan Corkrey, Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai.

Source: FOXNews.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 3:10 pm

'Power of Pitt' Drains Congressional Offices of Female Emplo

First of all, no, Brad Pitt is not short. Yes, he's handsome enough to stand out in any crowd. And, sorry, Angie wasn't with him.

Source: FOXNews.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 2:56 pm

Chris Brown Charged With Two Felony Counts in Alleged Assaul

If convicted, Brown could face up to eight months in jail or four years probation

Source: FOXNews.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 2:16 pm

Rue du Mail: Dancing and Cabaret Are Not Dea (Fashion Wire Daily)

Fashion Wire Daily - If anyone in Paris is a designer's designer it is surely Martine Sitbon, whose staged her fall 2009 collection of her brand Rue du Mail on Wednesday, March 4,the opening day of the eight-day French season.

Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 5 Mar 2009 | 2:16 pm

Big day about to dawn for 'Watchmen'

Comic book fans have been waiting for years for a film to be made of "Watchmen," the famed graphic novel about a group of misfit crimefighters. Now that the film is set for release Friday, the cast of the adaptation is confident the movie will meet fans' high expectations.
Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 5 Mar 2009 | 2:00 pm

'Close Enough' Counts on 'American Idol'

They say close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, but this year it'll also get you pretty far on 'American Idol'

Source: FOXNews.com | 5 Mar 2009 | 1:07 pm

PHOTOS: Check Please? Tip, Maybe

If you're planning on serving some of these stars, don't always expect a tip.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 5 Mar 2009 | 12:50 pm