George Clooney is fuming after shutterbugs allegedly snuck into his Italian compound and snapped a photo of a topless 13-year-old girl who was a guest at...

Source: E! Online (US) - Top Stories | 14 Aug 2009 | 3:05 pm

Saltz: Duke Riley’s Insane Triumph, a Live Roman Naval Battle in Queens

There were tossed tomatoes aplenty, although the one that smashed me in the shoulder within minutes of the event’s commencement I never saw coming. As I wiped off the runny residue, togas and robes fluttered, dancers dressed as Roman vixens writhed on floating platforms, Black Sabbath’s “War Pig” blasted over loudspeakers, passenger jets roared overhead, and spectators jeered and cheered as leaky boats made of what looked like reeds and junk foundered in shallow water, rammed one another, and fired watermelon cannonballs in every direction.

The spectacle was Duke Riley’s spectacular Those About to Die Salute You, billed as a Naumachia — a live Roman naval battle; the place, a flooded pool on the World’s Fair grounds in Flushing Meadows Corona Park; the scene, a gigantic blowout/fraternity food fight by way of a Roman toga party, Apocalypse Now, the Crusades, and a Happening. By 9:00 p.m., half an hour after the mayhem began, all that remained were sinking ships, floating spears, hundreds of revelers in the basin, and a burning boat firing off sky rockets.

I had witnessed something special, and also glimpsed one of the ways that artists from everywhere are taking matters into their own hands and righting the ship that is the New York art world. After months of preparation and with scores of participants and unending support from the underdog host institution the Queens Museum (who either got every type of permit in the book or violated every city code imaginable), artist Duke Riley pulled off one of the finest performance events in recent memory, his own demented simulacra of a “Naumachia.” What’s a “Naumachia?” In ancient Greek it literally means “naval combat.” Leave it to the Roman emperors, however, to have gotten really gory with it. Mock naval battles were held in flooded basins with real prisoners who were condemned to death. Participants saluted the emperor with the famous, “Morituri te salutant” (“those who are about to die salute you”). Then the doomed died.

Last night in Queens, participants merely got messy and wet. The combatants, outfitted in different colored robes, represented different borough museums. Red was the Queens Museum; yellow, the Bronx Museum; blue, the Brooklyn Museum; and green, El Museo del Barrio. My money was on the fierce-looking Queens team from the start. After a reedy-voiced announcer revved up the crowd and the boats all entered the faux lake, the battle began. Immediately, the folks from the Bronx made a noble effort to capsize the Queens fighters. But then Brooklyn snuck up on their flank and did them in. At that point, the mighty Queens ship initiated a daring mid-lake boarding maneuver, jumping aboard the Brooklyn boat, hauling toga-clad soldiers off the decks. Next, the Queens mariners jumped into the water and overturned the vessel. Out of nowhere, after the appearance of sundry pirate dinghies and one zebra-striped kayaker, a large replica of the Staten Island Ferry oared in and somehow fell apart. Soon, a giant galleon, part Disney and part amusement-park ride, entered the moat, representing El Museo del Barrio. I don’t know what happened then, but somehow Queens got the best of everyone. A weird battleship entered, was set on fire, and began exploding, as the thousands in attendance danced, cheered, and rocked to Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”

Riley’s squirrelly genius, obsession with all things nautical, and his personal acts of public piracy are exactly what the art world needs right now. Last night was a perfect example of an artist taking matters into his own hands while an institution gave him more than enough rope to hang himself. Riley has been building up to this triumph for a while. In 2005, as the art world solemnly gathered at a West Side pier to witness a reenactment of Robert Smithson’s famous Floating Island, all of a sudden, “after months of planning, days of reconnaissance, and hours of alcohol consumption,” Riley and a cohort clamored aboard the island. Of course, they had to almost immediately scamper off as the U.S. Coast Guard chased them (they were captured). Soon after, Riley attracted the attention of the Coast Guard again when his homemade submarine, straight out of Jules Verne, got too close to the Queen Mary 2 in Brooklyn Harbor.

As I walked with the crowds, under the gigantic utopian globe that dominates Flushing Meadows, I knew that the more wild cards like Riley that get into the mix, the less homogenized the art world will be. And we all know nature hates sameness.

Read more posts by Jerry Saltz

Filed Under: art, duke riley, genius, queens museum, those about to die salute you

Source: Vulture | 14 Aug 2009 | 3:00 pm

Scrubs Star Sarah Chalke Is Having a Baby!

One of our favorite TV ladies is pregnant! Sources confirm to E! News that Sarah Chalke is going to have her first baby this winter. The kiddo's father is Chalke's fiancé, Jamie...

Source: E! Online (US) - Top Stories | 14 Aug 2009 | 3:00 pm

WATCH: Blaustein Movie Review: 'District 9'

Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:57 pm

Unintentional Comedy at Obama’s Montana Town Hall

“I like to get my news from the cable networks because I don’t like the spin from those other places,” proud NRA member Randy just told President Obama, who couldn't help but laugh.

Read more posts by Dan Amira

Filed Under: health carnage, president obama, seriously dude do you have any idea what you just said

Source: Daily Intel | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:56 pm

Big Mac Attack [Research Studies]

It's not bad enough that eating fatty foods will turn you into a fat ass. According to a group of British researchers who conducted a study with lab rats assigned to high and low-fat diets, eating fast food can lead to memory loss and impaired brain function, too. That certainly explains a lot, doesn't it? [NYDN]

Source: Cityfile.com - Dailyfile | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:45 pm

Mini Baby Boom: What's in the Water at E!?

There must be something in the water. Or more specifically, something in the taps here at E! Two of our network reality-TV stars, Kendra Wilkinson and Kourtney Kardashian—both so...

Source: E! Online (US) - Top Stories | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:40 pm

Self Editor Continues to Make a Poor Case for Slimming Kelly Clarkson

Self editor Lucy Danziger went on the Today show and Good Morning America this morning to defend Photoshopping Kelly Clarkson for the September cover. Here you see a photo of Clarkson from May, and the cover, which was also shot in May. Clarkson has obviously shed a few pounds. Danziger is still unable to explain how doing this fits with Self's message to women, which is "You can be happy, healthy, fit, and your best self at any size." She says this photo captures Kelly at her "personal best," whatever that means. Danziger also said:

“A snapshot is different than a cover. A cover is a poster. And the thing about a poster is you want it to capture the essence of you at your best. So we’re saying to women, ‘Look, everyone can love who they are from the inside out and want to achieve their goals.’”

And if you're Kelly Clarkson, clearly one of those goals would be weight loss, which she can achieve through digital photo manipulation? Well, no. That's not a goal of Clarkson's, who has said she's happy with her body just the way it is. That is Self's goal. "The one thing we say at Self is, be your personal best," Danziger continued. "No one can make you feel bad. Only you can feel bad inside yourself. Kelly feels great about who she is."

Danziger fails to make a compelling case for herself, but Kelly Clarkson has largely been left out of the conversation. Kelly's people have only said, "We love the cover." That is not a great example for the kids. Either she's happy the way she is, or she desperately wants to be twenty pounds lighter. If she's truly happy with herself, why can't she come out and say she has no desire to look the way she does on the cover? Which is what Kate Winslet did when she appeared with fake noodle thighs on the cover of GQ a while back. The more Kelly hides, the more awkward she makes all of this for herself.

Self Editor Says Photoshopped Covers Capture "Essence Of You At Your Best" [Jezebel]
Earlier: Self Editor: Photoshopping Is Like Deleting Bad Vacation Photos

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: cover girls, gq, kate winslet, kelly clarkson, lucy danziger, photoshopped, self

Source: The Cut | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:35 pm

Levi Johnston Will Bare His Alaskan Pipeline for the Right Amount of Money

Andy Cohen, otherwise known as Beelzebub of Real Housewives Reunion fame, has his own show now, and last night he had Levi "Sex of Skates" Johnston on, via Skype, for a chat about his gay-icon status in the wake of his appearance on Kathy Griffin and, well, his being totally hot. Though Andy does get Johnston to say he's down with the gays in front of all of his friends in Wasilla, and to admit that he would pose nude if the money was right ("It’s gotta be right for that," he says), Howie's gay fantasia crumbles when Levi announces that he's about to go sheep-hunting. "You're going to kill ... those fluffy ... " Andy stammers, shortly before signing off.

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: andy cohen, i will tell you this andy cohen if intel chris wasn't at the beach he would cut you for saying that levi was your boyfriend so watch it bitch, levi johnston, real housewives, sex on skates

Source: Daily Intel | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:32 pm

Jerry Seinfeld to Yuk Up Jay Leno's Night

He's got the killer performers, a troupe of funny folks and a start date. What's Jay Leno missing for his new nighttime talker? Oh, right! Actual people to talk...

Source: E! Online (US) - Top Stories | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:31 pm

It's Good to Be King (Again) [Billionaires]

Blackstone's Stephen Schwarzman Tops Best-Paid Chiefs [Bloomberg]
Steve Schwarzman [Twitter]

Source: Cityfile.com - Dailyfile | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:30 pm

Figuring out the magic of Woodstock

What is it about Woodstock? There were several other gatherings during the late-'60s and early-'70s festival frenzy, but no other festival has maintained a viable name for four decades. And no other festival is still so present in the public and media consciousness.
Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:27 pm

It Might Get Loud Director Davis Guggenheim on Why He’s No Guitar Hero

For his first long-form return to the documentary format since the Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth, Davis Guggenheim cranked his amp and convened a real-life guitar hero summit. It Might Get Loud brings together Jimmy Page, Jack White, and the Edge, letting the ax men tell stories of their bands, songs, and upbringings. Vulture met up with Guggenheim at the Beverly Hills Hotel to talk about his doc, Guitar Hero, and the mystery of music.

You filmed this over the course of more than a year. What was the editing process like?
What’s great is that over the last ten years, Michael Moore and Errol Morris completely shattered the formula [for making documentaries], and now you can do almost anything. This movie started with sit-down interviews in hotel rooms and studios, and I’d come home with eight hours of audio on these guys, and cut that down. So before I even rolled a frame of film, I had a really strong sense of where the movie was going to go.

Did you ever feel like you were chasing an element of creative expression that couldn’t be explained?
That’s something I sometimes struggled with. Often people write about music in incredibly interesting and evocative ways. At the same time, the most interesting things about good bands are often the things that you can feel, but are unspoken — the vibrations that are almost indescribable. That was the challenge of the movie — how to describe the contribution of these guys.

The film interweaves three discrete biographical stories around some shared jam sessions. How much of the latter was planned out?
It was two days of talking and playing music. I didn’t give them any questions or preparation. The only thing I said was that there are three or four seminal songs that keep coming up, and if you want to talk about that stuff, great. And I insisted that they not meet each other beforehand. I didn’t know whether they would talk the whole time, or get along. I was hoping they’d play music, but I didn’t want to ask them.

Each of the three guitarists in the film has a certain mythology about them. Was it hard to penetrate the mystique?
Well, I don’t want to describe or judge them, but they clearly are personas, and part of it is a healthy, mysterious game that rock stars have — you don’t want to take your date out and have the night of your life falling in love to see a guy or girl who looks like you, you want someone to tell you a story and put on a personality. I think there’s a little tension in the movie because we’re trying to break through that a little bit. Each one of them has some desire to tell their real story, but their discipline is to still keep up the mystique.

What are your feelings on the Guitar Hero?
There’s a battle in my household over video games. We win some and lose some, but the battle I will never lose is whether Guitar Hero is in the house or not. Not that I think it’s a bad game, but if my son is going to spend 100 hours holding something that looks like a guitar, he’d better spend those 100 hours learning how to play guitar. I’ve played it, it’s a fun game, but I don’t like it for my son. Guitar comes from obsession — the need to try to say something, and get it just right. A video game that takes all that energy, sucks your individual creativity into this video space, and makes it a competition, I think is kind of sad.

Read more posts by Brent Simon

Filed Under: chat room, davis guggenheim, it might get loud, jack white, jimmy page, movies, the edge

Source: Vulture | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:15 pm

Stars add marquee value to Broadway

Front Page: Paydays and box office can defy expectations -- Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick were worth every zero in the historic $100,000-a-week paycheck that each earned for returning to "The Producers" in 2003.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:10 pm

Out of Africa

Today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrapped up her sometimes fun, sometimes grueling seven-nation tour of Africa. And what a journey it was. From boogying down to moments of rage to questioning the legitimacy of former president Bush's electoral victory, we've already shared some of its highlights. But a lot of other less amusing, less controversial, and overall less interesting things happened as well! Herewith, some of the overlooked moments of Hillary's enchanting transcontinental travels.

Read more posts by Dan Amira

Filed Under: africa, hillary clinton, secretary of awesome, slideshow

Source: Daily Intel | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:01 pm

Love Plucks Cover Stars From Relative Obscurity

This isn't a cover, just an ad for the new issue.

The second issue of Love is dedicated to kids, most of them under the age of 21. It will have two covers: Coco Sumner, musician and daughter of Sting and Trudie Tyler, and Alex Hartley, a bass player Love editor Katie Grand "found on the Internet." You have to love (har) that Grand chose two relative unknowns for the cover instead of Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, or Taylor Momsen, who all appear inside the magazine. We hope she gave all of them pants to wear. [Memo Pad/WWD]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: alex hartley, coco sumner, katie grand, love, love is in the air, sting, trudie tyler

Source: The Cut | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:00 pm

Ghostbusters on YouTube: Don’t Cross the Streams

The streams! Get it? Like, as in, web video streams? Oh, you think that was a lame joke that doesn't even really make sense? Well, that's just fine, you're probably right. Anyway, just thought we'd pass along the fact that Ghostbusters is currently playing for free on YouTube as part of the film's 25th-anniversary celebration. [Macworld]

Read more posts by Mark Graham

Filed Under: awesome, ghostbusters, youtube

Source: Vulture | 14 Aug 2009 | 2:00 pm

Rachel McAdams explains time travel to Jon Stewart - Entertainment Weekly

CBC.ca

Rachel McAdams explains time travel to Jon Stewart Entertainment Weekly On last night's Daily Show, Rachel McAdams — there to promote The Time Traveler's Wife (read EW's review) — could not stop “giving away” the movie. The best part was when Stewart backed up: “But, obviously, that's not the plot,” as it ... REFILE-'Time Traveler' looks to cash in on popular bookReuters Film Review: The Time Traveler's WifeTeenHollywood.com 'The Time Traveler's Wife'Los Angeles Times New York Times -Toronto Star -Chicago Tribune all 836 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 14 Aug 2009 | 1:52 pm

Thirty of John Currin’s Controversial Women

John Currin: Playboy or satirist? Letch or latter-day Ruben? His paintings of nude women have been both reviled and — especially since his 2003 mid-career survey at the Whitney — revered. Fifteen years of his drawings, from the late eighties up to that famous show, are hanging in clusters at Andrea Rosen Gallery through next Friday. These watercolors, sketches, and charcoal works — many studies for paintings, but all of them stand-alone accomplishments — show all manner of women in the throes of provocation and nudity: the brassy seductress; the slim-hipped, sultry bohemian; the stealthily pretty mother (bulging breast stuffed in her baby’s mouth); the flirty Tomboy; and so on. See 30 of them in our slideshow.

Read more posts by Emma Pearse

Filed Under: andrea rosen gallery, art, art candy, galleries, john currin, slideshow

Source: Vulture | 14 Aug 2009 | 1:45 pm

Breaking: Steve Schwarzman Is Rich

“I don’t feel like a wealthy person," Steve Schwarzman told The New Yorker last year. He should now: The Blackstone chief executive's $702 million compensation made him the highest-paid executive in the U.S. last year, according to a report from an independent research firm. [Bloomberg]

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: stephen schwarzman, steve schwarzman, white men with money

Source: Daily Intel | 14 Aug 2009 | 1:31 pm

This Weekend’s Events and Sales: Christian Siriano Hypes His Makeup Line; 75 Percent Off Sergio Rossi Shoes

EVENTS
TOMORROW
• Project Runway winner Christian Siriano unveils his limited-edition, Egyptian-inspired makeup collection for Victoria's Secret, Christian Siriano for VS Makeup. Siriano will sign autographs while a team of makeup artists offers makeovers and consultations. Victoria's Secret Herald Square, 1328 Broadway, at 34th St.; noon–3.

• JCPenney is hosting an NBA block party to celebrate the launch of JOE Joseph Abboud, a new menswear collection. Special guests include Chris Duhon, Jordan Hill, and Toney Douglas of the New York Knicks; Randy Foye of the Washington Wizards; Terrence Williams of the New Jersey Nets; and NBA legends Walt "Clyde" Frazier, John Starks, and Allan Houston. The event will take place outdoors, rain or shine. Manhattan Mall, 901 Sixth Ave., at 33rd St. (212-295-6120); noon–3.

SUNDAY
• Taking Back Sunday is performing at Macy's Herald Square for the launch of D*Coded, a new skate and surf brand. 151 W. 34th St., at Broadway, seventh fl. (212-695-4400); 2 p.m.

SALES
STARTING TOMORROW
• Select sunglasses and optical frames are up to 75 percent off at Morgenthal Frederics. Through 8/30. 399 W. Broadway, at Spring St. (212-966-0099); M–F (11–8), S (11–7), Su (noon–6).

ENDING TOMORROW
• Deborah Marquit's couture lingerie collection is 20 percent off. Prices start at $15. 158 W. 15th St., nr. Seventh Ave. (212-478-3092); T–S (noon–7).

• Accessories and spring and summer apparel by labels like Rachel Comey, A.P.C., Isabel Marant, Gary Graham, and more are up to 40 percent off at Jumelle. 148 Bedford Ave., nr. N. 9th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-388-9525); M (1–7:30), T–S (noon–7:30), Su (noon–7).

ENDING SUNDAY
• Womenswear, menswear, and accessories are up to 80 percent off at the Cynthia Rowley sample sale. 376 Bleecker St., nr. Perry St. (212-242-3803); Th (11:30–9), F (10–9), S (11–9), Su (11–8).

The spring/summer 2009 collection of bags and scarves is 40 percent off at Ananas. The Coco leather clutch is $58 (originally $98), and the Vanessa leather messenger bag is $318 (originally $530). 248 Elizabeth St., nr. Prince St. (212-925-2502); daily (11:30–7:30).

STARTING MONDAY
• Women's shoes and handbags are up to 75 percent off at the Sergio Rossi sample sale. Through 8/20. 160 Varick St., nr. Vandam St., second fl.; M–Th (10–6).

Read more posts by Lauren Murrow

Filed Under: fashion calendar, sales, shopping

Source: The Cut | 14 Aug 2009 | 1:30 pm

JAMIE COXX: Oscar Winner Flashes Trophy

Jamie Foxx: Oscar-winning Actor. Successful Rapper. Hilarious Comedian. Man with Giant Dong:

MediaTakeOut is reporting that the above photo is of Jamie Foxx, naked, standing in his untidy bathroom.  And while the face looks… nothing… like Jamie Foxx, the body and the “d” sure do (don’t ask how I know, just go with it.)   Check out the bod comparison courtesy of ONTD (Link NSFW) after the jump…

What say you, peen viewing audience?

Source: Best Week Ever | 14 Aug 2009 | 1:15 pm

We're All Human [Perverts]

The guy who was seen masturbating on the subway last Friday—and who was arrested on public lewdness charges yesterday thanks to the woman who had the sense to snap pics of him with her cell phone—has a very long rap sheet, it turns out. But that might be because he's not very good at making up excuses. His explanation for the little subway incident last week: "That's me in the pictures, my private parts fell out... I looked down and it was out, it just popped out. I was trying to put it back." [NYDN]

Source: Cityfile.com - Dailyfile | 14 Aug 2009 | 1:08 pm

Cops called to Gosselin home

When Kate Gosselin appeared on Monday's "Today" show, she told host Meredith Vieira that she still loves her soon-to-be ex, "the Jon I knew." However, the stars of TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus 8" seem to have lost that loving feeling.
Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 1:07 pm

A peace sign is seen as the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock music festival approaches August 13, 2009 in Woodstock, NY

A peace sign is seen as the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock music festival approaches August 13, 2009 in Woodstock, New York. As Woodstock 40th anniversary nostalgia went into overdrive Friday, the Wall...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 14 Aug 2009 | 1:02 pm

Meet Jazmin, MTV’s, Like, Brunette Lauren Conrad Replacement

Apparently Lauren Conrad is so crucial to MTV that the network needs to bring on two reality stars to make up for her retirement. Kristen Cavallari already signed on for The Hills, and on August 18 House of Jazmin premieres. The show follows Jazmin, a 20-year-old aspiring fashion designer with a collection called something only a person named Jazmin, and possibly Lindsay Lohan, could come up with: Li Cari. She tells W her collection is "sophisticated and chic":

It's, like, really versatile. There are pieces that you could see on a 14-year-old girl or a 50-year-old woman. And I really try to create timeless pieces that you don't look back and say, 'What was I thinking when I wore that?' You know, stuff that you can pass down to your children.

And her inspiration?

I think my biggest influence and inspiration would be Coco Chanel because just, like, the cuts and the fabrics and everything are so, like, my personal style. And so it's so, like, exciting to see all of her work and how she started with hats, and when I was young I started designing, like, sketches of perfume bottles. I was just attracted to design in general and so then as I got a little bit older it, like, went, like, all the way toward fashion.

Maybe "Li" is an abbreviation for "Like" much in the way her name might be an abbreviation for "Jasmine." And now, behold the trailer for House of Jazmin.

In the House [Editor's Blog/W via Fashionista]
House of Jazmin [MTV]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: house of jazmin, jazmin, lauren conrad spawn, mtv, reality television, television, video

Source: The Cut | 14 Aug 2009 | 12:55 pm

‘My Private Parts Fell Out’

Kevin Bishop, who was caught on camera flashing a woman on an uptown 3 train last night, offered police an alternate explanation of why he was fondling himself in public: "My private parts fell out," he said, according to court documents. "I looked down and it was out, it just popped out. I was trying to put it back." Yes. It's official: "My junk is too damn big and fun-lovin' to stay inside my pants" has officially displaced "I have a wide stance" as the world's worst-ever excuse for sexual misconduct. [NYDN]

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: explanations, i fell on this hamster is how it ended up inside me, lame excuses, larry craig, mta, pervs, sad things, subway pervs, the subway, things that are sad but also pretty funny

Source: Daily Intel | 14 Aug 2009 | 12:47 pm

Cole feels 'remarkable' with new kidney

While she does not know who donated the kidney that potentially saved her life, Natalie Cole is on the mend and "really doing well," the Grammy-winning singer said at Thursday's Harold Pump Foundation Gala in Beverly Hills to honor Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Bill Russell.
Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 12:29 pm

Tinsley Mortimer: 'America's Answer to Princess Di' [Socialites]

Perhaps you've been wondering where Tinsley Mortimer has been the last couple of months? The New York socialite has been spending a good deal of her time in Europe now that she's a soon-to-be divorcée and the new man in her life, Prince Casimir Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (or "Cassie), lives in London. So how are things going with the 33-year-old "man-about-town" who is descended from German royals, even though he looks more like a Greek shipping heir, or maybe the spoiled son of a Eastern European tyrant? And what happened with her ex, Topper Mortimer? Luckily, the Tinz sat down with London's Evening Standard and shared a few details.

First of all, don't be fooled by the £1,705 Christian Dior dress she wore for the Evening Standard photo shoot. Getting adjusted to the London social scene has not been easy.

When she turned up with the prince to the Cartier Polo match a few weeks ago, "None of the assembled army of photographers had a clue who she was." It must have been the the plastic surgery. Because when one of the photographers asked her name and she told them who she was, "suddenly there was this wall of photographers."

The only problem with this is that Tinsley didn't realize in advance that she'd be mobbed, so didn't have a chance to prepare as she might have liked: "If I'd known there was going to be so much interest, I think I might have dressed differently for the polo."

No matter. The important thing is that she and her new man are "super-happy," she's thrilled to be spending so much time in London, and she has lots of exciting new projects in the works. Exciting indeed! Her ambition, we're told, "is to follow in the footsteps of Tamara Mellon, Tory Burch and Diane von Furstenberg," and "convert a social presence into a business empire." To that end, she recently lined up financing from a rich investor in Virginia to start her own clothing line. What will this collection be called? You'll have to guess. All we'll say is that it begins with a "T" and ends with a "Y" and it's breathtakingly original. 

As for Topper, Tinz reports that she did as much as she could to save the marriage, but the split was unavoidable:  

Topper was always really funny, and goofy, and confident. I always like confident men,' she says. 'Unfortunately, as we got older, we became stuck being the teenagers we were when we first met, and we never really matured together. I love Topper and we still try our best. I wanted our relationship to work out, but he's more like my brother.

Oh, dear. But let's not focus on the negative. Tinsley isn't! She's "trying to put her marriage behind her," and who wouldn't given she has a real, live prince under her thumb, one who spends his vacations at a 800-year-old castle on the Rhine, and comes from a family easily deceived by appearances. (Says the prince about their recent trip home: "My parents very much enjoyed her company and found her to be a decent girl with great values.")

And let's be honest. If she'd stayed with Topper, she would have never gotten a British paper to call her "America's answer to Princess Diana," would she? 

So there's a happy ending here, right? Not quite. It seems the prince's shadowy business dealings take him all over the world. Including some places that girls like Tinsley rarely go, as the prince explains:    

"I am now spending a lot of time in Baghdad for business as we are buying up land opportunities there. I am not sure Baghdad is really Tinsley's sort of town."

No, Baghdad is not exactly Tinsley territory. (At least not until they open up a Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton store there.) Here's hoping she takes a risk and makes the trip anyway. Given the U.S. has vowed to do whatever it takes to help rebuild the war-torn country, it's only right that we share with them one of our most precious assets.

When Tinsley Mortimer came to town [London Evening Standard]

Source: Cityfile.com - Dailyfile | 14 Aug 2009 | 12:26 pm

Leave It to Out to Shoot Lady Gaga Right

Lady Gaga appears on the cover of the newest issue of Out. The editorial inside, shot by Ellen von Unwerth, is beyond-words amazing, out of this world, spectacular, stunning, jaw-dropping — we could go on. The goth homage to our favorite pop star includes a skeleton, vampire teeth, smeared lipstick, a mummy costume, and some of the fiercest shoes we have ever seen. And for once, not a disco ball in sight! And we didn't even miss it! That's how amazing these images are. See a selection in the slideshow and enjoy our ode to Gaga in rhyming verse.

The Lady Is a Vamp [Out]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: best things ever, ellen von unwerth, lady gaga, out, slideshow

Source: The Cut | 14 Aug 2009 | 12:15 pm

Hair Is Important to Matt Doyle

Name: Matt Doyle
Age: 22
Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen
Occupation: Eric's boyfriend from Gossip Girl is also an accomplished theater actor — he'll be in Bye Bye Birdie in the fall — and singer-songwriter. He makes his solo concert debut at Joe’s Pub on August 17.

Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
John Lennon. He was pretty incredible.

What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
I cooked my first turkey dinner this past Thanksgiving. I went all out and even brined the bird. It was a mess. Salty turkey water went everywhere. I don’t have a kitchen … I have a kitchenette. It was hard work, but so worth it. The turkey was incredible in the end. I had never cooked anything like that in my apartment. I probably won’t ever do it again. I don’t think my mini-oven is built for it.

In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I play.

Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
I’m in theater. Been there, done that.

What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
I just saw Hair for the third time the other day. It’s an incredible production with some of the best young performers on Broadway right now. Go see it. Let them fondle you. It’s okay.

Do you give money to panhandlers?
Sometimes.

What's your drink?
Ginger ale.

How often do you prepare your own meals?
I try to put something together for myself at least once a day. Not always successfully.

What's your favorite medication?
Zyrtec. I have terrible seasonal allergies. I can go from being completely fine one second to just dripping in snot and tears the next.

What's hanging above your sofa?
My father is an art director and has been a huge inspiration in my life. He shot incredible images of the city with a photographer named Georg Fischer. I’ve got two of those photographs above my couch. I feel really lucky to have them there.

How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
Hair is important … that’s all I’m gonna say.

When's bedtime?
2 or 3 a.m.

Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
Well, I never quite knew the old Times Square … so I’ll have to go with the new one. However, I gotta say, this lawn-chair thing was a really stupid idea.

What do you think of Donald Trump?
He’s not really on my mind that much.

What do you hate most about living in New York?
Paying too much for too little. Also … air conditioners dripping on your head when you’re walking down the street. Really hate that.

Who is your mortal enemy?
I’m probably my own worst enemy. I can be a little neurotic sometimes. Not really a fan of Bill O'Reilly, either.

When's the last time you drove a car?
I drove up to my parents' house in Connecticut not too long ago. I felt really cool because it was a BMW. Then I realized I wasn’t fooling anyone because there was a massive Zipcar logo on the side of it.

How has the Wall Street crash affected you?
Even less people are going to see theater.

Times, Post, or Daily News?
New York Times. The headlines in the Post always freak me out a bit.

Where do you go to be alone?
My couch. Although, lately I’m discovering an afternoon walk with my dog to the park is nice.

What makes someone a New Yorker?
When you master the art and sport of swiftly walking down a New York sidewalk without bumping shoulders with anyone.

Read more posts by Vanita Salisbury

Filed Under: 21 questions, gossip girl, matt doyle, the greatest show of our time

Source: Daily Intel | 14 Aug 2009 | 12:10 pm

SOMETHING’S COMING: The MTV VMA’s Incite Local Gang War

Open your calendar up, check out your plans for September 13, rip that page right on out and set it on fire. (If you keep your calendar on your phone, just set your whole phone on fire.) That’s because on 9/13 at 9 PM, the MTV Video Music Awards are set to air, with a slew of amazing musical performances including Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Green Day, Pink and a personal favorite, Muse.

Check out this promo for the VMAs, which harkens us back to our younger, lonelier days as a musical buff, featuring Cobra Starship, Leighton Meister and West Side Story. And somewhere, a pair of Gap Khakis is crying at your local goodwill.

Cobra Starship – MTV Shows

Source: Best Week Ever | 14 Aug 2009 | 12:04 pm

Miyazaki still loves hand-drawn animation - msnbc.com

guardian.co.uk

Miyazaki still loves hand-drawn animation msnbc.com Matt Sayles / AP LOS ANGELES - Computer animation may have taken control of the big-screen cartoon world, yet two of the world's animation masters remain committed to the hand-drawn form. Japan's Hayao Miyazaki — whose 2002 fantasy “Spirited Away” won ... Review: PonyoCanada.com Your favorite Miyazaki filmSan Francisco Chronicle Walt Disney PicturesNew York Times Reuters -Houston Chronicle -USA Today all 509 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 14 Aug 2009 | 11:52 am

Family Guy Banned Abortion Episode No Different From Rest Of Family Guy

I’m tired of complaining about Family Guy, and tired of reading about other people complaining about Family Guy, so I’ll keep this introduction short — here are two clips from the staged reading of the Family Guy “abortion” episode that was just too controversial to air.

Abortion! Controversy! Jokes kind of!

It gets no different, after the jump:

Source: Best Week Ever | 14 Aug 2009 | 11:50 am

Michelle Obama Is Back to the Waist Belt

On Wednesday night Michelle Obama hosted the Medal of Freedom awards ceremony in the White House with the president, wearing the same red sheath dress and matching waist belt she wore on the trip home from Moscow last month. On Wednesday she repeated another outfit from her London trip, sans waist belt. Turns out she really is glued to those things. See the full look in the Michelle Obama Look Book.

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: michelle obama, mobama watch

Source: The Cut | 14 Aug 2009 | 11:40 am

Add Guns, Drugs To the Madoff Saga [Fraudsters]

As if it wasn't bad enough that Bernie Madoff investors were handing over their money to a con artist to manage, it seems they were also putting their trust in a drug-addicted gun freak, too. When Bernie Madoff's right-hand man Frank DiPascali pleaded guilty earlier this week to charges he helped engineer the $65 billion scheme and he agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, the deal also guaranteed DiPascali that the feds wouldn't come after him for the "use of controlled substances prior to 1992" and "for possessing illegal firearms up until last Friday." Between this news and the revelation that Bernie had a 20-year affair that no one knew about, the made-for-TV Madoff movie is getting spicier by the day, isn't it? [NYP, WSJ]

Source: Cityfile.com - Dailyfile | 14 Aug 2009 | 11:30 am

The Scene: 'Traveler's' big moment

For most people life can be boiled down to a few major decisions and a list of truly memorable events.
Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 11:26 am

In-Your-Face Omarosa Turns to God

Omarosa, villain of Donald Trump's "Apprentice," enrolls in seminary school.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 11:23 am

'Mad Men' returns, fit for runway, retail (AP)

AP - Is it any surprise AMC's "Mad Men" has sparked a hunger for 1960s sheaths and suits, with fans across the country creating sleek avatars of themselves from MadMenYourself.com?

Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 14 Aug 2009 | 11:07 am

Lady Gaga Hops On The “Vampires Giving Oral” Bandwagon

Oh dearie me! Lady Gaga is naked on the cover of Out Magazine and her lipstick is slightly smeared, possibly from oral intercourse! I am so shocked by the shocking nature of this shocking photograph that I look like this shocked gremlin right now.

Source: Best Week Ever | 14 Aug 2009 | 11:00 am

'Apprentice' Star Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth Entering Semi

She is scheduled to begin her studies at United Theological Seminary in Dayton on Monday
Source: FOXNews.com | 14 Aug 2009 | 10:38 am

WATCH: Remembering Woodstock 40 Years Later

Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 10:35 am

Random Endorsement: The Doug Benson I Love Movies Podcast

If anyone’s in need of some additional morning-commute iPod material (you New Yawkers know what I’m talkin’ bout!!!! EHHHHH!!!!!! Fogeddaboutit!!! That’s a thing we all say!!!) it’s definitely worth your time to check out Doug Benson’s “I Love Movies” Podcast, a free weekly 45-or-so minute conversation about movies and random nerdy movie games involving two good comedy-type-people guests each week.

It’s been an ongoing thing for a couple years now, but I’m mentioning it now because this week’s episode features Patton Oswalt and Adam Carolla, so if you want to pick a week to start listening and briefly taking a break from trying to keep up with the cuh-razzy world of music (I’ve been behind all summer and it’s glorious), it’s this week. Check out the podcast at iTunes or just watch the spam-looking embed below, and your workday will be wasted in no time:

And for the record, no, I’m not mentioning this because of Benson’s ties to BWE — that would imply that anyone at VH1 gave a crap what we wrote about, or knew we existed; we’re paid out of a Cayman Islands slush fund, plus we’re not a reality show, so, you know, just download the thing and enjoy.

Source: Best Week Ever | 14 Aug 2009 | 10:23 am

Sources: Murray Gave Jackson Propofol, Left

Sources claim Dr. Conrad Murray drugged Jackson, left him to make phone calls.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 9:52 am

WATCH: Kenny Chesney Was 'Out Last Night'

Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 9:34 am

CAPTION THIS: Kanye-God Is Not Impressed By The Madonna’s Dancings

Eternally desperate for fresh gimmicks, Madonna embarks on her “Giant Omnipotent Kanye Head Visible The Whole Time” Tour:

Source: Best Week Ever | 14 Aug 2009 | 9:19 am

Rock and Roll Love: Groupies Then and Now

From "Almost Famous" to "Rock of Love," women still want to be with the band.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 8:52 am

Jessica Simpson's Partying Sank Romo Relationship

Source says Jessica's love of adult beverages finally too much for embarrassed Cowboy quarterback
Source: FOXNews.com | 14 Aug 2009 | 8:48 am

'Reality Hell': A Reality TV Hater's Dream Come True?

E!'s "Reality Hell" turns the tables on those seeking fame through reality TV.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 7:55 am

WATCH: Getting to Know Kenny Chesney

Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 7:50 am

Review: 'District 9' a brash, inventive debut

Why do UFOs always land in the USA, wondered someone in "Monsters vs. Aliens"? Good question.
Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 6:43 am

Gibson CEO: Les Paul was 'a visionary'

Les Paul never stopped tinkering, said Henry Juszkiewicz.
Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 14 Aug 2009 | 6:35 am