Our own Jim Cramer will be on The Daily Show tonight to either confront or be amusingly berated by Jon Stewart, with whom he's been carrying on a classic basic-cable tiff for a patience-testing 48 hours. We want to believe this will result in some sort of knock-down, drag-out awesomeness, but we suspect that fisticuffs (from Stewart, anyhow — Cramer getting worked up is practically a given) will be set aside in favor of Stewart's semi-sarcastic "Explain it to me — no, really, I just want to understand" brand of interviewing. Though it would be exceptional were Stewart to deliver an actual "fuck you" to Cramer's face, as opposed to just screaming it at the clip reels. [Clusterstock]
The couture collection Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccoli created for Valentino — their first for the house — left critics underwhelmed. They wished the duo had injected more of their personalities and a forward-thinking design philosophy into the venerable label. However, we wondered if that were even an option, since Alessandra Facchinetti was unceremoniously let go as top designer for the house, after her spring 2009 collection, for doing just that. Vava was openly displeased with what he saw as a lack of respect for his archives and felt sure Chiuri and Piccoli would pay his past work proper due. Well we hope at least Vava's happy, because they presented another heavily archival collection yesterday, and the reviews of the ready-to-wear line are even worse than those of the couture line.
Hilary Alexander of the Telegraph said the venue the collection was presented in was more interesting than the clothes, which she calls "too much of a blast from the past." New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn thought Chiuri and Piccoli's clothes were more "simplified" this time around. "The clothes, while perfectly nice, were without surprise, wit or newness," Horyn writes. The International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes agreed, writing that the show "never sent out a shiver of emotion or excitement." And in perhaps the ultimate blow to the label, Menkes fondly recalls the Valentino collection Facchinetti designed a year ago, which "sent a waft of modernity through the house."
Though at the couture show Valentino sat front row, smiling and clapping with tears in his eyes so pleased was he with his new successors, he was not at the ready-to-wear show last night. Instead he was here in New York at a screening of his documentary, Valentino: The Last Emperor. Next week his promo tour continues when he goes on the Martha Stewart Show. We're glad he's finally fully enjoying his retirement. He seemed so stressed when Facchinetti was on board. Perhaps now that he's loosening up he didn't feel the need to attend the show. We hope his burgeoning film career allows Chiuri and Piccoli a little more breathing room, too.
Imagine that you were one of American Idol's top thirteen finalists — all of them young, still relatively new to appearing on live TV, and completely terrified — stepping out onto the stage of the Kodak Theatre last night for the first time ever. Ryan Seacrest calls your name, the lights go up, and you think to yourself, "I hope I've picked the right song!" The band kicks in, you open your mouth to sing, and then — holy shit! It's a barn-sized image of your face on a humongous, upside-down flat-screen television sticking out of the floor!
Did Idol producers just think this season's contestants looked too comfortable performing in front of 25 million people? We can't think of any other possible reason for this hilarious innovation — the screen looked awful on television, since Fox's cameras couldn't seem to find a good viewing angle, and nobody in the Kodak Theatre (besides the singers and judges) could even see it.
But while nerves definitely factored into most of last night's performances, there were no clear train wrecks or onstage freak-outs, despite producers' best efforts (it was Michael Jackson night, even!). Everybody sang well enough, and the night was marred by only occasional pitchiness, so we'd imagine it'll be the two most boring contestants eliminated tonight — Jorge Nuñez (who did "Never Can Say Goodbye") and Jasmine Murray ("I'll Be There").
Depending on how you heard it, Adam Lambert's performance of "Black or White" (see below) either cured the world of hatred or set back race relations by decades (the judges loved it). And you know who honestly sang pretty great last night, even though he got his first-ever half-negative feedback from Simon? Scott MacIntyre, who presumably was the contestant least distracted by the giant TV at the bottom of the stage.
Here's Adam Lambert, who Simon said was in "a totally different league" than the other finalists. We'll certainly agree with that much.
After its old one was hired away by Tribeca, the Sundance Film Festival has named a new director: John Cooper, who's been in charge of programming the fest for the past eighteen years. Robert Redford called the pick "a natural choice," even though it took him three weeks to make it and Variety says Cooper faced stiff competition in fellow programmer Trevor Groth. [NYT, Variety]
On first glance, we thought Winehouse had taken a quick beach vacay. Turns out its model Eva Herzigova, whose latest career seems to be human bones xylophone.
Michael Jackson tickets went on sale in London this morning, and crashed Ticketmaster's servers. Proving that the demand to see a reanimated child-loving angel ghost unicorn is still very much alive.
Rihanna was spotted out partying in West Hollywood last night, leaving at around 4 am in a pair of sunglasses. No word if the sunglasses were worn after accidentally walking into an unescapably abusive relationship.
Crazy Danny:Danny DeVito will head back to the tiny director’s chair on Crazy Eddie, being written by 21’s Peter Steinfeld. The movie charts the story of Brooklyn’s Eddie Antar, who built a discount-electronics-store empire on the backs of commercials promising “"In-sa-a-a-a-a-ane!" prices before being charged with stock fraud, fleeing to Israel, and finally serving a six-year prison term that ended in 1999. In other news, when’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia coming back?! [Variety]
On Your Marks: Following the floppish American Buffalo and the mercury-poisoning-ish Speed-the-Plow revivals comes a new David Mamet Broadway production: While no cast or theater details have been decided, Mamet's Race will begin previews November 10 for a December 10 opening. Details are sparse, but according to producer Jeffrey Richards "The title is self-explanatory.” Ah, of course — a play tackling the ever-contentious discussion of the role of footraces in America. [Variety]
So, So Wacky:Jeff Goldblum has joined the cast of The Baster, the Jennifer Aniston–Jason Bateman comedy based on a Jeffrey Eugenides short story. Goldblum will play Bateman’s wacky business partner and friend, whose idea of working out is — get this — walking slowly on the treadmill while eating a candy bar. [HR]
X-rated: Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has found his first post–28 Weeks Later project: MGM’s remake of Roger Corman’s 1963 movie X: The Man With the X-ray Eyes. The plot revolves around a scientist, near a breakthrough in X-ray-vision technology when his funding is cut off, who tests the goods on himself and gains barely controllable new powers. Then he probably goes to a girl’s locker room, and after that, we’re not really sure what else could happen. [HR]
TV's Don: Sonic Youth has collaborated with Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones on “Nearly Ninety,” a musical piece for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company celebration of Cunningham’s 90th birthday. Along with mixed-media sound composer Takehisa Kosugi, the band and Jones will perform the piece at BAM on April 16, before it takes off on a short international tour. We’re assuming this is just Jones’s roundabout way of getting Thurston Moore to finally commit to fronting the Zeppelin reunion. [Billboard]
History:Chariots of the Gods, Erich von Daniken's 1968 bestseller, has been purchased by Paradox Entertainment, who will use it as source material for a sci-fi movie. According to the book, various civilizations throughout history were visited by aliens, welcomed as gods, who gifted humans with technology and religion; also, apparently, superior human intelligence was brought about via alien mating. Awesome. [Variety]
STARTING TODAY
• Adam Lippes's bright, flirty, fun women’s clothing and accessories are 60 to 80 percent off at the ADAM spring warehouse sample sale. Through 3/15. 75 Ninth Ave., nr. 15th St.; W–Su (10–7).
• Brooklyn-based jewelry line Jules Smith is relaunching its website this month, and that means a special sale for nymag.com readers. Type in the code "NYMAG20" for 20 percent off all purchases. Through 3/25. Online only: JulesSmithDesigns.com.
STARTING TOMORROW
• Save on cashmere at the White + Warren spring 2009 sample sale. Cashmere cardigans and pullovers are $85 (originally $220), cashmere travel wraps are $125 (originally $275), and cotton cardigans and novelty sweaters are $50 (originally $165). Through 3/14. 80 W. 40th St., nr. Sixth Ave., third fl. (212-298-3295); Th (12–7), F (8–7), S (9–3).
ENDING TOMORROW
• Men's clothes by Gilded Age are 40 to 75 percent off retail prices at the brand's first sample sale. 11 E. 4th St., nr. Broadway (212-228-7747); Th, F (10–7), S (10–5).
• Find serious discounts on the men's clothes by Carlos Campos — leather bombers are $185 (originally $950), overcoats are $100 to $200 (originally $1,100), and button-up shirts are $60 (originally $195). 248 W. 35th St., nr. Seventh Ave., ninth fl. (212-244-2377); W, Th (10–7).
• Believe it or not, Jennifer Aniston shared her undying love for ex-husband Brad Pitt yet again.
• OK!'s latest cover should be fined for teasing us...
AP - NBC's Tom Brokaw never claimed he was retiring when he left "Nightly News" after the 2004 election. He's almost as visible on TV as he was before. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 11 Mar 2009 | 1:14 pm
AP - NBC's Tom Brokaw never claimed he was retiring when he left "Nightly News" after the 2004 election. He's almost as visible on TV as he was before. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 11 Mar 2009 | 1:14 pm
NBC's Tom Brokaw never claimed he was retiring when he left "Nightly News" after the 2004 election. He's almost as visible on TV as he was before. Brokaw has signed on for a USA network... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 1:13 pm
LOS ANGELES, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Rob Souriall has joined Davie Brown Entertainment (Los Angeles) as senior vice president for music and gaming. He joins Davie Brown from... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 1:00 pm
A UNIQUE CHILDREN'S SALON DEBUTS IN WEST HARTFORD'S BLUE BACK SQUARE NEW YORK, March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Six Flags, Inc., the world's... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 1:00 pm
The Value of the First Phase of the Project is More Than 150 Million Dollars Ofer Bloch, President & CEO: "This agreement, implemented during a global financial crisis, indicates... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 1:00 pm
DALLAS, March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Belo Corp. (NYSE: BLC), one of the nation's largest pure-play, publicly-traded television companies, announced today several... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 12:30 pm
Simon Cowell may not recognize "American Idol" alumna Mandisa the next time he sees her. The woman about whom the acerbic judge once said, "We're going to have to get a bigger stage," has lost 75 pounds. Her new album, "Freedom," is due out later this month.
LOS ANGELES - Jada Pinkett Smith is adding another title to her resume: schoolmaster. The actress-producer and her husband, Will Smith, opened the New Village Leadership Academy in... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 12:18 pm
Version Update for iPhone & iPod touch Applications Coming Soon LOS ANGELES, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix(R)... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 12:15 pm
Jada Pinkett Smith is adding another title to her resume: schoolmaster. The actress-producer and her husband, Will Smith, opened the New Village Leadership Academy in Calabasas, Calif.,... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 12:08 pm
Annual Event Celebrates Art from Videogames LOS ANGELES, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and the Entertainment... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 11 Mar 2009 | 12:00 pm
Reuters - Nine paintings of a 19th century ruler of Egypt and his family were stolen from a museum palace near Cairo, Egypt's culture ministry said. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 11 Mar 2009 | 11:49 am
On the same day singer Chris Brown was arraigned for allegedly beating his pop star girlfriend Rihanna, he made an appeal to fans on his Myspace page: Vote for me for the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. That's right. No apology, no concern for his battered girlfriend. He's worried about the next awards show.
AP - If the "American Idol" judges have their way, it won't be curtains for Adam Lambert anytime soon. The 26-year-old theater actor from Los Angeles seamlessly impressed the panel and eclipsed his 12 co-finalists with an energized rendition of the tune "Black or White" during Tuesday's Michael Jackson-themed performance show.
AP - In a time of cost-cutting in the publishing industry, wallets opened wide for a long-awaited second novel. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 11 Mar 2009 | 3:51 am
Reuters - Early in the fourth show of Fleetwood Mac's Unleashed tour at Auburn Hills, Mich., on Sunday, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham referenced the group's "fairly complex and convoluted emotional history," drawing a laugh from the crowd and even some knowing smiles from his bandmates. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 11 Mar 2009 | 3:28 am
Sean "Diddy" Combs feels that he was merely giving Chris Brown shelter from the storm.
While being careful to note that he does "not think it's right for anybody to hit...
HBO is so unlike TV it can't even limit its drama to the screen.
The pay-cable network was busy Tuesday defending the depiction of a traditional Mormon temple ceremony in an upcoming...
The father of Chris Brown's manager, Tina Davis, calls the latest round of speculation that his daughter...
Jon Stewart and CNBC host Jim Cramer (who is also a columnist for this magazine) have been locked in a total knock-down, drag-out fight these past few days. Not like, a real fight, but a talking fight, because obviously these men are both nerds and they prefer to hit one another with words. In case you've missed it — and you'd be forgiven if you had, since when it comes to white people in fights there are certainly sexier ones going on right now — we've recapped for you after the jump.
Round One: Jon Stewart used some choice footage of Cramer making some regrettable statements about Bear Stearns in his massive takedown of CNBC last week.
Cramer then defended himself in an article on MainStreet.com, in which he makes reference to "the urban legend that I recommended Bear Stearns the week before it collapsed."
Round Two: The Daily Show responded with an even more savage reaming, one that included a clip of Cramer indeed talking up Bear Stearns a week before the collapse and another from TheStreet.com in which Cramer literally says, "I am asking the people watching this video to buy Bear Stearns," just seven weeks before its collapse. "F**k you!" Jon Stewart yells to Clip Cramer at the end.
Then Cramer went on the Today show and defended himself again by saying that you could probably pull clips of Warren Buffett looking like an idiot from this year. He added that he was really threatened by being made fun of by a comedian.
Hmmm. We are actually fond of Cramer, because he really seems like he has feelings. And this was probably a bad call, because he's just going to get them hurt again. We shudder to think what The Daily Show has planned for him tonight. Perhaps they'll have dug deep into Cramer's past and unearthed those pictures of him naked and duct-taped to the flagpole at Springfield Township High?
And lastly, another aggrieved party has entered the fray, a man by the name of Don Harrold. Long before The Daily Show ever saw fit to lampoon CNBC, Harrold, a hard-talking Louisianian and a salesman for a day-trading system that relies on stock charts, absolutely murdered Cramer with some nicely
executed, if amateurish, videos on YouTube. Now, he feels like The Daily Show ripped him off.
But don't be sad, Don. Maybe it's just because Jon Stewart's in loooooove with you.
What's the only thing on Earth that could possibly make the prospect of a new Chris Brown album less appealing right now? Perhaps a duet about "overcoming difficult challenges as a couple" with his alleged victim, Rihanna? Sadly, one will soon exist. TMZ has just confirmed this morning's reports that the pair is in an L.A. studio together, working on a track for Brown's upcoming record. In case you didn't think this story could be more awful, though, read this:
The whole thing came together when they decided to reconcile shortly after the attack. Sources tell us music producer Polow Da Don convinced both Chris and Rihanna to get in the studio and record a love song stat, stressing that timing was important because the heightened emotions would translate powerfully into the music.
What is killing patient X?
Will the other doctors be able to save their sick friend Izzie?
Who is Bailey's awesome new hairdresser, and how can I get an appointment with...
Why should Taylor Swift consider a career in forensics? Who's the bigger chick magnet: Lost's Sawyer or a bunch of nervous, sweaty people in smocks? Did The L Word go out in style? And why...
The state emblem of former Soviet Union decorates boxes of Bolshoi theatre in Moscow, in 2005. The reopening of Russia's famed Bolshoi Theatre may have to be pushed back again, this time to 2013, the reconstruction... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Mar 2009 | 11:11 pm
Next month Julien's will auction off Michael Jackson's stuff, including a vast collection of his clothes dating from the eighties onward. They're fun to look at because they're practically all covered entirely in crystals or highly reflective beading, and shiny clothes are almost always more amusing than their matte counterparts. But they also amuse because of the questions they beg. How well were they cleaned? Do they smell? Who would want to find out? And, most important, who would want to blow hundreds or thousands to answer these questions? See a selection of the items hitting the auction block in the slideshow. You can view all 264 pages of catalog No. 5 here.
After a week in which U2 took over not only his theater but also the entire street that he works on, David Letterman got back to the business of being funny on The Late Show last night. Of course, it didn't hurt matters much that his first guest was the eternally louche (his word, not ours) Russell Brand, who made an appearance to plug the long-awaited U.S. release of his U.K.-best-selling book, My Booky Wook. While we would've liked to have heard Russell's take on the recent crank-calling fiasco that ultimately cost him his job at the BBC, we’re of the mind-set that it never really matters WHAT Brand decides to discuss — as long as he’s discussing something, it's bound to be classic. Take, for example, his riff last night on smuggling drugs onto an airplane and subsequently getting kicked off; not only did it elicit genuine laughter from Dave (quite the accomplishment in and of itself), but also from us. Enjoy!
Also, just for the record, we recognize that Brand is a bit of a divisive dervish, in that some people don’t really appreciate his manic streak. However, we’ve long admired the energy and anything-can-happen vibe that he brings to his live performances, and that's the main reason he’s a close second behind Ricky Gervais for the guy we think deserves a shot at hosting a big awards show. That is all.
Another niche mag with a high-end audience folded today, while Internet pioneer AOL e-mailed layoffs to 700 staffers. But, somewhat strangely, the Media Is Dying Twitterer got a job!
• Travel + Leisure Golf magazine has folded. Fittingly, its final issue, on stands now, featured "the 18 essential experiences of the fully realized golf life." [Folio]
• The man behind the informative, spastically updated Media Is Dying Twitter got hired, somewhat ironically, for a freelance essay in Business Week. "In chronicling the media's contractions through Twitter, I've described these efforts as akin to watching Titanic and The Perfect Storm as if they were one movie," he writes. His advice? "Media, get into our daily routines … the new game is … a call for utility, freedom, and the user experience." (By the way, for optimists, the Media Is Hirin' exists now, too.) [Business Week]
• The San Francisco Chronicle and its key union have reached a (tentative) agreement on contract concessions after Hearst, owner of the Chronicle, threatened to sell or close the 144-year-old newspaper. Major staff reductions are expected. Other concessions include decreased vacation time, decreased sick leave, and expansion of the work week. [San Francisco Chronicle]
• In AOL's ongoing effort to lay off 700 staffers, many were let know today via e-mail. So presumably, that excruciating "You've got mail!" message was the bearer of bad news, adding insult to injury (but, really, this is sad). [Business Insider]
The New York Times has an interesting video on photo retouching in fashion magazines and advertisements. They talk to retouchers, who show how dramatically they can alter an image. Skin tones are changed, freckles are removed, bodies are slimmed, two people are combined to make one — nothing you didn't already know occurs, but always fascinating to see. France is attempting to enact laws that require magazines to disclose the extent to which images are altered. In the meantime, photo retouchers continue down the path of well paid self-loathing. [NYT]
No need to send broken glass to Ben Silverman's office this year! EW's Michael Ausiello reports that NBC and DirecTV — who shared the show this season — are close to a deal to renew Friday Night Lights for two whole seasons. (You can continue sending hair to ABC, however.) [Ausiello Files/EW]
• Nothing like an orange Lindsay Lohan in an awkward pretzel pose to make us want to buy some spray tan. That's right, it's a spray-tan party this weekend!
• New...
MAKEUP
• In keeping with the Grecian theme, Viktor & Rolf makeup artists painted models' faces white to resemble marble busts. [WWD]
• The packaging for Urban Decay's new Pocket Rocket lip gloss depicts a clothed man, who, when shaken, strips down to his manties. [Racked]
HAIR
• The Givenchy show in Paris was delayed because braiding the models' hair took longer than anticipated. Guests were told to come back half an hour after the originally planned start time. [FWD]
FRAGRANCE
• Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio launches her debut fragrance, Oro, this month. She says the "elegant floral oriental" scent is made for strong women. If the ad starring Rubio is anything to go by, these strong women wear lamé dresses that barely conceal a boob or a butt cheek. [Now Smell This]
PLASTIC SURGERY
• Blind item: "Which top model’s plastic surgeon is in big trouble? He accidentally spilled acid on her chest while they were having sex in his office." [NYDN]
Word of Paul Rudd and Jason Segel double-teaming a couple of Rush classics for their bromance flick I Love You, Man has been out since the movie was shooting this summer. Now, thanks to the Playlist, we finally have the goods. The duo's take on “Limelight” — apparently performed during the wedding scene, and notably absent of Segel’s mid-solo “Sorry if I dripped my mojo on the ladies in the front row” line — is a faithful adaptation, and just as endearingly goofy as you could hope. Rudd and Segel trade off the first few verses before coming together to harmonize.
HAPPY PURIM: Here's a list of the 40 Hottest Jewish Celebrities. I'm slightly offended that Harvey Fierstein placed third - I'll try to think of a counterexample and get back to you. (Scandalist)
ROLE MODEL: Nickelodeon will not withdraw Chris Brown's Kids Choice Award nominations for Favorite Male Singer and Favorite Song. Personally, I think this completely cheapens everything that those giant neon slime-covered surf board trophies represent. (Us Weekly)
SERIOUSLY I'M A GANGSTA: Rapper Coolio was arrested in Los Angeles for crack possession, but the police quickly lost interest. (Holy Taco)
GYLL PILL: Here's Jake Gyllenhaal shirtless on the set of the new Prince of Persia movie, laaaaaadiess! And also, mooooost duuuuuuuudes. (Kotaku)
PEOPLE WITH ANIMALS LIVE LONGER: Old people reviewing Animal Collective? What's next, young people reviewing Lenny Kravitz? BOOM! (Stereogum)
WILLED INTO EXISTENCE: And today's one page that sums up the entire existence of the internet - Thomas The Tank Engine Rap Remixes. (urlesque)
At the opening of the Jane Fonda show 33 Variations last night, we spied Colin Hanks in a skinny tie. Was he a walking example of a questionable trend story that ties go slim in a recession? “I think skinny ties look fantabulous, whatever is going on in the economy,” Hanks told us. “And, yes, fantabulous,” he asserted. “I said it.” View our Party Lines slideshow for more hip lingo from the kids.
The Internet is abuzz with the latest Miley Cyrus affront; it seems all the adorable tween did was go to Hollywood's Millions of Milkshakes (where she has a shake named after...
As American Idol contestants drop like flies in the coming weeks, they'll be buzzing off to sound of former champ Carrie Underwood.
The four-time Grammy winner has recorded a cover...
On last night's episode of the Tonight Show, Jay Leno announced that he will be making a special trip to Detroit during the month of April, where he's set to put on a free performance for upwards of 20,000 unemployed autoworkers. And, believe it or not, we don't even have a condescending chin-related joke to make out of this kind of heartwarming news. Nicely played, Leno, nicely played. [DetNews]
We've all noticed by now that fur is all over the runways: big shaggy jackets, lush collars and shawls, gauntlets, and even fur boots and bags. But now as sleeves, too? At several shows for fall, arms alone have been covered in thick, shaggy fur. At Aquilano e Rimondi, fur arms gave the classic tweed coat an animalistic makeover, and the huge, fluffy shoulders of fur at Dolce & Gabbana added immense bulk to an otherwise ladylike silhouette. The overall look is more gorilla than chic, and we, for one, would rather our extremities not resemble King Kong. Click ahead to see these and more furry arms.
Jay Leno is doing his part to score some free publicity off an ongoing news trend "stimulate" America's auto industry by performing a free show exclusively for unemployed workers in Detroit:
On the March 9th edition of The Tonight Show, host Jay Leno announced his plan for "stimulating" America with what he does best - telling jokes. The comedian will appear in Detroit at the Palace of Auburn Hills on April 7, 2009 for a night of free entertainment with Detroit's unemployed workers...
I won't lie, honey -- I haven't been able to sleep since the plant laid me off. I been there twenty-nine years, but with the way the industry's goin', I just... I just don't know where to turn from here? Maybe this comedy show will stimulate us like a stimulus package but with comedy.
You guys seen this stock market lately? It's goin' down faster than a rival skater at a Tonya Harding convention! You know it's in trouble when even Monica Lewinsky thinks it SUCKS!
Wow. I am way angrier than I was a minute ago. Source: Best Week Ever | 10 Mar 2009 | 9:30 pm
Bernie Madoff will plead guilty on Thursday to eleven criminal charges, his lawyer Ira Lee Sorkin said today in federal court. If the judge accepts the plea, Madoff could begin serving a life sentence starting that day.
“The information which the government filed contains 11 counts: securities fraud, investment advisory fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, false statements, perjury, false filings to the S.E.C and theft from an employee benefit plan,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Litt. "There is no plea agreement." (Meaning Madoff has to plead guilty to all 11 counts.)
“I gather it is the expectation that he will plead guilty?” the judge asked Sorkin.
"That’s a reasonable expectation," Sorkin replied.
White House social secretary Desirée Rogers has spent most of the first weeks of her job inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but was lured to New York for the School of American Ballet's winter ball by her friend Pamela Joyner, who chaired the event. "I would say right now, you know, most of my time has been spent at events at the White House, so I haven't been out much," Rogers told us at the Lincoln Center gala last night. Settling into her new post with the Obama administration has not been easy for the Chicagoan. "Just getting settled, moving, doing 26 events in 5 weeks, and getting my staff together" is how she described the days following the January 20 inauguration. "It really has been a ball, though," she added. Rogers says she declines most of the many invitations she receives for herself for now, focusing instead on White House events. She receives hundreds of invitations for the Obamas each week. She answers every one, eventually. "If it goes through the White House mail, it takes about three weeks before it gets done," Rogers explained.
Rogers and her deputy, Ebs Burnough, who accompanied her to the SAB gala, both agreed on what out of all of the insanity has been the high point of their experience so far. "The most exciting thing was watching the governors in a conga line with Earth, Wind & Fire at the Governors' Ball we did, less than a month ago," Rogers said. "Yeah, the conga line," Burnough agreed. Rogers declined to specify how wild and crazy Governor Paterson was at the ball. "He was dancing," she told us. We bet he was. Rogers said she also enjoyed coming up to New York for Fashion Week, and told us she'd like to bring a bit of it back with her to Washington. "I met a great musician that we're going to have to the White House, and I also found out about a great foundation that we're going to have work with us on something we're doing for children this summer." Rogers wouldn't tell us which musician she was talking about, but our money is on Eric Lewis, the dazzling pianist who played during Donna Karan's show — where Rogers sat alongside her new bestie Anna Wintour, in the first row.
As we informed you last week, NBC made the somewhat puzzling decision to renew Heroes for a fourth season. While we were still scratching our heads trying to figure out why, James Hibberd put together a compelling list of reasons why NBC should pull a Lost and give the show a definitive end date. Not the least of which is that it will be really hard to buy Hayden Panettiere as a cheerleader ten years from now. [Live Feed/THR]
If you or your children are watching American Idol tonight, and want to throw some love to Anoop Desai, be aware: 1-866-IDOLS-13 will not give you a vote for Anoop, but rather an earful of the kind of sexy talk that will set you back $4.95 a minute.
Now that American Idol has added a 13th contestant to the mix, they're going to need a 13th toll free number to allow viewers to dial in and vote. The only problem is... a PORN COMPANY has purchased the 866 phone number that ends in with a 13.
According to TMZ, Anoop Dawg will have his own very special voting number tonight. But you know, when you think about it, it makes sense that Anoop's voting line would be something porny. The man is pure Indian sex!
Ahead, we bring you Anoop's last performance, and ask you this: Who are you rooting for tonight? Blindie? Big gums? Ant face? The gay from Mars? Dead wife? Oil rigger with the vacuum nose? Retard dancer? Hot Indian? Cute guy? Lil Rounds? Let us know.
Havana on Tuesday debuted a baseball video game which includes famous Cuban-born defectors long expunged from official memory, such as Orlando Hernandez, seen here in 2008, after they abandoned the Communist... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Mar 2009 | 8:55 pm
Nothing warms our hearts these days like fashion houses expanding. Especially when that expansion aims to clothe those creatures that some might argue are born clothed. Despite speculation about his company being in danger after a subdued, pared down fall 2009 collection, Roberto Cavalli is launching a line of petwear. Take in the rhinestone-studded tops and leopard dog coats (Oh, the irony! A leopard dog!). For while rich people are shopping in secret, wearing their diamonds in faux shame among only their peers, Roberto Cavalli is sending dogs the message to act opposite. To sparkle! To beg the world to look at them! The collection hits Roberto Cavalli boutiques at the end of the month. The press release boasts:
The collection consists of stylish pieces such as jersey or printed fleece t-shirts and velour tracksuits, as well as classic garments such as polo-shirts, sweaters and puffer jackets. Key pieces in the collection consist of a satin-trimmed bathrobe, silk printed shorts and some shearling jackets. There are also some essential accessories: the quilted dog carrier bag with patent finish and satin lining, a patent leather passport wallet, and patent collars and leashes with the “Paws” print on the reverse side. Special edition items such as bowls, beds and jewels are in the works.
Emphasis ours. It is so annoying when you get to the airport only to discover the pug has left his passport behind. No more excuses, canines. Now don't embarrass us further by sullying the patent.
The phone-sex problem has been resolved! According to Fox TV president Peter Ligouri, fans voting for twelve of tonight's thirteen American Idol contestants will use the usual sequential phone numbers, while those voting for the other person will use a completely different, noncontiguous number. [Ryan Seacrest]
Grammy-winning rapper Coolio was charged Tuesday with possession of cocaine and a smoking device, and battery against an airport screener who allegedly found the illegal drugs in his luggage, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's office.
Fashion Wire Daily - At Valentino in Paris on Tuesday, March 10, the house's creative directors, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli sent out lavish "ladies-who-lunch" fashion despite the recessionary winds.
A gay friend of mine had the extreme pleasure of seeing Watchmen. Here is his review:
I’m no Blaine Edwards or Antoine Merriwether, but if I were, I would tell you this movie deserves two snaps in a Z-formation because, let me tell you, this movie is raining men. I’m talking Matthew Goode in a Rubbermaid mansuit with built-in abs just poppin' out everywhere. I’m talking Patrick Wilson in a made-for-Showtime sex scene. I’m talking Billy Crudup’s digital manmeat flopping All. Over. The. Place. This would help explain why the theater was 90 percent gays, nerds, and gay nerds.
There are so many menzs in this movie that you might just wanna wait for Blu-Ray where you can take full advantage of the slow motion, zoom and popup features — and gurl, I’ve never seen a movie that makes me want to use my popup more than this one. Did I mention Billy Crudup walks through most of the film naked? Entirely naked with a big blue glowing P'ness?!!! I personally would like to thank the person who took the time to generously animate my dreams. And they were quite generous. As a matter of fact, there’s one scene where he’s walking up and down the stairs and…. I should stop.
The action sequences are ridiculously fantastic. Someone dies in every scene. As a result of seeing this movie, I can now say I’ve seen a little boy get his face chewed off, a girl get eaten by dogs, a pregnant lady get shot at point-blank range, a man get splashed in the face with hot deep-fryer oil, one dude get his arms sawed off and a dwarf — well, honestly I don’t know what they did to the little guy but it wasn’t cute.
All this, however, does not save the film from its nearly 3-hour run time. I have a feeling that if it was reasonable-movie length, I’d be glowing. Fans of the graphic novel and lovers of peen will cherish every second of every frame, but by the end of the second hour I was like B.I.G.: Ready to Die, y’all. Source: Best Week Ever | 10 Mar 2009 | 8:05 pm
The most striking accessories on the runway in Paris for Karl Lagerfeld's namesake collection were giant helmets, some of which came covered in mink. After their surprising showing in last month's magazines, helmets are shaping up to be the hot new accessory for fall, maybe spring, which will make all those outdoor activities we're looking forward to (and actually really do for real), like skateboarding, rock climbing, and cycling, safe and chic. So brace yourself for the era of the "It" helmet.
The Kaiser collaborated with luxury French helmet-maker (so those exist) Les Ateliers Ruby, and Apple Computer, on the helmets. They come complete with full carbon-fiber shells, ultra-soft nappa-lambskin linings, and an iPod hookup so you can pipe music to the earpieces. As France's official road-safety advocate, the helmets are a natural step of Karl's design evolution. At first these made us think of snowboarding helmets. But they are actually intended for scooter users. Luxist reports:
Apparently the haute helmets are Lagerfeld's comment on the recessed economy. "Now everyone is on scooters, even chic women, so we had to do the helmet," he explained. No word yet on when the helmets might be made available for sale or what their price would be.
And with that, Anna Wintour whizzed out of the building on her Chanel Segway. One or two egg-throwing PETA members may have been harmed, but Anna's fur accessories — bob-concealing helmet included — remained yolk free.
GQ says Mad Men creator Matt Weiner's son Arlo is the most stylish 8-year-old in the nation because, in short, he asked for a top hat when he was 3 and knows what an ascot is. The magazine has a slideshow of some of his best outfits, like the one at left. "I have a lot of black outfits these days, so I needed the red ascot to add some color ... I’ve worn this to school about 12 times," he says. No mention of how he survives the playground or avoids dirt. [GQ]
Have Rihanna and Chris Brown just completely forgotten they’re supposed to be embroiled in a bitter court case over whether of not said Brown beat up the lovely singer?
Well, I’ll answer that for you shall I? Yes they blinking well have as they decide to release a duet together to prove they are very much still ‘in love’ - crikey, watch out Sonny and Cher!
According to sources in the US, the reconciled couple are heading into the studio to record a duet for Brown’s new album - well I suppose that might be the only way Brown ever shifts his records from now on…
The couple’s show of unity comes just weeks after Brown allegedly assaulted Rihanna in a Lamborghini he’d rented, leaving her bloody and bruised. In the weeks that have passed, he’s since been charged with assault and making criminal threats and faces over four years in jail if found guilty.
However, despite what the police, press and, well everybody is saying, the pair seem to be completely oblivious to their impending trial and decided to try and cash in on the headlines as much as they can, by recording a bloody record!
Meanwhile, Brown reportedly refused to leave LA after his hearing last week to spend the weekend with Rihanna - and the couple remain “very much in love”, according to pals. Source Source: Lepaparazzi - Celebrity News and Gossip Blog | 10 Mar 2009 | 7:08 pm
The 16-year-old singer has tachycardia - meaning her heart rate which exceeds the range of a normal resting rate - and admits she worries about the complaint when she performs live.
She says in her new autobiography 'Miles to Go': "The type of tachycardia I have isn't dangerous. It won't hurt me, but it does bother me. There is never a time onstage when I'm not thinking about my heart."
The type of tachycardia I have isn't dangerous. It won't hurt me, but it does bother me. There is never a time onstage when I'm not thinking about my heart. Health problems aren't the only subject Miley has spoken about in her tell-all tome.
An entire chapter is dedicated to 'Prince Charming', the nickname she uses to refer to her first love.
However, Miley is keen to play down reports she is talking about ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas, a member of The Jonas Brothers.
The 'Hannah Montana' star said: "I didn't necessarily talk about 'dating a Jonas'. I talked about dating and who I really feel my first love is, and everyone wants to put a name with the code.
"But really I wouldn't use a code if I thought it was obvious. So no-one really knows who he is."
The '7 Things I Hate About You' singer wrote her autobiography to tell her story to her fans.
She concluded: "I want to be the one who finally got to say my opinion. It's really important for the fans to feel that they're like you more than just someone they can look up to and someone they feel like they can be friends with." Source Source: Lepaparazzi - Celebrity News and Gossip Blog | 10 Mar 2009 | 7:07 pm
Members of Georgia's Eurovision 2009 song contest entry, pop group "Stephane and 3G (L-R) Tako Gachechiladze, Stephane Mgebrishvili, Nini Badurashvili, and Kristi Imedadze posing in february 2009.The Eurovision... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Mar 2009 | 6:36 pm
Last season Anya Kazakova opened for Calvin Klein, and her career shows no sign of slowing. Opening for Calvin is no small feat, let alone in a model's debut season. But this Russian is no one-trick pony. Known for her alienlike beauty, the 18-year-old racked up bookings this season for Donna Karan in New York, Christopher Kane in London, Jil Sander in Milan, and Nina Ricci in Paris. David Sims also shot Kazakova for Balenciaga's spring print ads. The rest of fashion's elite is already lining up for a piece.
Fashion Wire Daily - If anyone doubted that a masculine moment is marching through women's fashion, any remaining skepticism would have vanished after seeing the unveiling of the Chanel fall 2009 collection inspired by the most legendary dandy of all time, Beau Brummell.
T.G.I. Friday's has temporarily put aside their "spinning plates and Guy Fieri for some reason" ad campaign and is currently running this commercial for its new $9.99 menu that randomly included an interesting stab at topicality:
This didn't strike me as a huge deal, just unexpectedly political for a tv commercial about a chain restaurant's new menu, but then the ad started getting weirdly specific:
Seems a little out of place for a Friday's ad, right? I figured it was a joke, but then they started getting belligerent:
Easy there, Friday's... thought the steak does sound delicious...
Now that's just totally uncalled for, Friday's. Source: Best Week Ever | 10 Mar 2009 | 5:40 pm
Some of the world's most famous celebrities, including Michael Phelps and the Olsen Twins, have lost lucrative deals in the wake of personal controversy
AP - Practical chic was the name of the game Tuesday at Chanel, which delivered classic suits embellished with snap-on cuffs and collars that can be removed to dress the looks down.
Frida Khalo's "The Two Fridas". In a world first, the Pompidou modern art museum in Paris on Tuesday announced a major year-long show on women in art, including Frida Khalo, in the 20th and 21st century... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Mar 2009 | 4:16 pm
After all the anticipation and hubbub, the weekend is coming to an end and the box office results are here: "Watchmen" (No. 1) grossed $55.7 million during its first frame, according to early estimates from Media by Numbers.
Bono performs during the 51st Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Irish rock megastars U2 have announced the dates of a tour of Europe, the United States and Canada,... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 10 Mar 2009 | 3:46 pm
Old 97's frontman Rhett Miller is planning a June 9 release for his fourth solo album, a self-titled affair on Shout! Factory that he recorded during January and February in Dallas.
Devendra Banhart, the Orb, Chemical Bros., Murder City Devils and Etienne de Crecy have been added to the lineup of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.
Pete Yorn has tapped Bright Eyes/Saddle Creek principle Mike Mogis and Grammy Award-winner Rick Rubin to help usher him back into active duty with the June 23 release of "Back and Fourth," his first album since 2006's "Nightcrawler."
Fashion Wire Daily - Paris enjoyed another bona fide fashion moment Monday, March 9, courtesy of the maison of Yves Saint Laurent, with a super sophisticated mannish fall 2009 collection.
Pop star Chris Brown has been charged with two felonies -- including assault -- in the Rihanna beating case. If convicted, Brown could face more than four years behind bars.
It's a good time to be British singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield. The U.S. has embraced her music, she's getting married and major designers want to dress her. Add to that: She's gorgeous. And nice. So nice that you feel a little sad to see her leave when the interview is over.
• Believe it or not, Jennifer Aniston shared her undying love for ex-husband Brad Pitt yet again.
• OK!'s latest cover should be fined for teasing us...
Sean "Diddy" Combs feels that he was merely giving Chris Brown shelter from the storm.
While being careful to note that he does "not think it's right for anybody to hit...
HBO is so unlike TV it can't even limit its drama to the screen.
The pay-cable network was busy Tuesday defending the depiction of a traditional Mormon temple ceremony in an upcoming...
What is killing patient X?
Will the other doctors be able to save their sick friend Izzie?
Who is Bailey's awesome new hairdresser, and how can I get an appointment with...
Why should Taylor Swift consider a career in forensics? Who's the bigger chick magnet: Lost's Sawyer or a bunch of nervous, sweaty people in smocks? Did The L Word go out in style? And why...
• Nothing like an orange Lindsay Lohan in an awkward pretzel pose to make us want to buy some spray tan. That's right, it's a spray-tan party this weekend!
• New...
The Internet is abuzz with the latest Miley Cyrus affront; it seems all the adorable tween did was go to Hollywood's Millions of Milkshakes (where she has a shake named after...
As American Idol contestants drop like flies in the coming weeks, they'll be buzzing off to sound of former champ Carrie Underwood.
The four-time Grammy winner has recorded a cover...
Jay Leno is doing his part to 
If you or your children are watching American Idol tonight, and want to throw some love to Anoop Desai, be aware: 1-866-IDOLS-13 will not give you a vote for Anoop, but rather an earful of the kind of sexy talk that will set you back $4.95 a minute.
Now that American Idol has added a 13th contestant to the mix, they're going to need a 13th toll free number to allow viewers to dial in and vote. The only problem is... a PORN COMPANY has purchased the 866 phone number that ends in with a 13.
A gay friend of mine had the extreme pleasure of seeing Watchmen. Here is his review:
I’m no Blaine Edwards or Antoine Merriwether, but if I were, I would tell you this movie deserves two snaps in a Z-formation because, let me tell you, this movie is raining men. I’m talking Matthew Goode in a Rubbermaid mansuit with built-in abs just poppin' out everywhere. I’m talking Patrick Wilson in a made-for-Showtime sex scene. I’m talking Billy Crudup’s digital manmeat flopping All. Over. The. Place. This would help explain why the theater was 90 percent gays, nerds, and gay nerds.
There are so many menzs in this movie that you might just wanna wait for Blu-Ray where you can take full advantage of the slow motion, zoom and popup features — and gurl, I’ve never seen a movie that makes me want to use my popup more than this one. Did I mention Billy Crudup walks through most of the film naked? Entirely naked with a big blue glowing P'ness?!!! I personally would like to thank the person who took the time to generously animate my dreams. And they were quite generous. As a matter of fact, there’s one scene where he’s walking up and down the stairs and…. I should stop.
The action sequences are ridiculously fantastic. Someone dies in every scene. As a result of seeing this movie, I can now say I’ve seen a little boy get his face chewed off, a girl get eaten by dogs, a pregnant lady get shot at point-blank range, a man get splashed in the face with hot deep-fryer oil, one dude get his arms sawed off and a dwarf — well, honestly I don’t know what they did to the little guy but it wasn’t cute.
All this, however, does not save the film from its nearly 3-hour run time. I have a feeling that if it was reasonable-movie length, I’d be glowing. Fans of the graphic novel and lovers of peen will cherish every second of every frame, but by the end of the second hour I was like B.I.G.: Ready to Die, y’all.
