 New York Times | 'Mad Men' gets renewed for a fourth season on AMC New York Daily News The 1960s-set drama, up for 16 Emmys, received an early pickup Tuesday as a show of support from the network, said AMC president and general manager Charlie Collier. "We always saw the potential for 'Mad Men,' and believed in and supported the series," ... Actress puts the "Mad Men" in their place 'Mad Men' recap: The High Life 'Mad Men' renewed for fourth season by AMC |
 BBC News | Singer Rimes to divorce husband BBC News LeAnn Rimes has announced on her website that she and her husband are getting a divorce. In a message to fans, the 26-year-old country singer wrote that she and Deane Sheremet had "agreed to move forward with dissolving our marriage". ... LeAnn Rimes announces divorce on Web site LeAnn Rimes and hubby heading for splitsville LeAnn Rimes announces her divorce on her Web site |
How much do the Duggars get for their reality show? For me, the show is like an accident—you just have to look.
—Nicole_Tafoya, via Twitter
An "accident"?...
 Straits Times | Disney-Marvel benefits come with time lag, risks Reuters LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) $4 billion bet on Marvel Entertainment's (MVL.N) superheroes is at best going to take some time to pay off and at worst may have increased some risks for the entertainment ... Be patient: Analysts weigh in on Disney-Marvel Stan Lee sees Disney-Marvel as a super deal Will Marvel Boost Disney's Future? |
Well, who saw this one coming? Besides everybody?
LeAnn Rimes has finally confirmed that she's done being Mrs. Dean Sheremet, announcing via her website that she and her hubby of...
Considering the Elvis Presley sightings continue to this day, it's not surprising that people are already seeing the resurrection of Michael Jackson.
But here's hoping the...
There's at least one person out there who thinks politico Tom DeLay has an actual chance of going far in Dancing With the Stars.
"Some people who you think are going to do...
Chelsea Handler occasionally gets under Hollywood's skin, which is incredible because that's some really tightly pulled skin.
But she compares some...
Oh heck yes! Gossip Girl isn't quite back on our TVs yet—we have to wait for Sept. 14 for that happy occasion—but to tide us over, the CW has kindly delivered five fabulous sneak...
• Is Drew Nieporent thinking about taking over Café des Artistes? "It's a great space and I'm always interested in great spaces," he says cryptically. [BN]
• A guide to some of your food options at the US Open. [Gothamist]
• Yesterday, the city unveiled its new anti-obesity campaign against sugary soft drinks and the like; today, the beverage industry fired back. [NYP]
• As part of the deal giving him control of Tavern on the Green, Dean Poll also settled a dispute with the city over $100K in unpaid fees. Convenient! [NYP]
• Some tips and tricks to ordering off a menu, courtesy of Frank Bruni. [GS]
• A roundup of recent restaurant closings around town. [Eater]
• Turning your gross black tar rooftop into a sustainable garden full of tasty fruits and veggies is all the rage, in case you haven't heard. [MSNBC]
Eliot Spitzer is denying a report in today's New York Post that he's planning to return to politics and run for elected office. But he does have a new job and it's related to politics, so perhaps that accounts for the confusion? As of today, he's an adjunct political science professor at the City College of New York, where he'll be paid $98.43 an hour to teach a three-hour law and public-policy class once a week. [LoHud.com via NYM]
On the eve of Michael Jackson's long-awaited burial, there are still pieces of his life scattered all over the place.
With his estate presumably looking to consolidate, movers from...
How the mediocre indie-rock band known as Panther convinced Gus Van Sant to co-direct (with someone named Cari Coleman) the video for its undazzling song "Birds That Move" (clearly, this is not a tune about taxidermied birds), we don't know, but it sure paid off: With little more than a small float, some face paint, a goat, and a small team of amateur synchronized swimmers, the clip manages to seem both super-cute and totally frightening. And that's leaving aside the creepiness of the singer's half-beard.
Panther: Birds That Move [Pitchfork]
Read more posts by Nick Catucci
Filed Under: gus van sant, movies, music, music video, panther, right-click
"Brands are dead!" famed futurist and marketing consultant Faith Popcorn declared when we ran into her this weekend at the Watermill "Last Song of Summer" benefit concert in Bridgehampton. Popcorn predicts consumers will turn away from big names and back to generics from companies they trust. "Take a walk down Madison Avenue from 60th to 80th street," she said. "All the luxury stores, like Prada, Gucci, and Hermès, are empty. What do they do for us except overcharge us?" But some will endure, she said, like the Faith Popcorn brand. "My brand is the future because it is not just a brand," she said. "It is just about being right for 35 years."
See more quips and predictions from Watermill in our Party Lines Slideshow
Read more posts by Catherine Coreno
Filed Under: cool hunters, faith popcorn, futurists, party lines
AP - John Fogerty, "The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again" (Fortunate Son/Verve Forecast)
The New York Post noticed that Rafael Nadal will be the only top-seeded tennis player in the U.S. Open not to have a day and night court look. However, they did notice that his shorts, which happen to be black, are sheer and "slightly see-through." Heavens. Could this be fact? We turned to party reporter extraordinaire Mike Vilensky, who attended Nike's preview of the Open uniforms they created for Nadal and his competitors. At first he said, "I probably would have noticed that, so I'm going to go with wishful thinking on the part of the Post. But maybe in the right light?"
But then Mike, reporter extraordinaire don't you forget, dug a little deeper, noticing in the photo we posted with his report last week, "If you stare at his left thigh, you see it go up past his shorts!" He further clarifies, "If you follow his body past his knee, you can continue to see his thigh muscles through the shorts in that photo we ran." Why, he's exactly right! And as Nike explains in the press materials about Rafa's ensemble, "Nike Dri-FIT Mesh is incorporated in strategic places for breathability to keep Nadal cool." The area below the waist would qualify as a strategic place, would it not?
A funny feeling has come over us. We can't be sure, but we think — just maybe — it's called suddenly caring about sports. He is life-changing, that Spaniard.
Read more posts by Amy Odell and Mike Vilensky
Filed Under: a rare post on sports, hot men, rafael nadal, tennis, thigh muscles, us open
The disgraced former governor will have a "Second Coming," just not the one the Post envisioned this morning. He's been reincarnated as a professor: Starting today, he's teaching a three-hour law and public-policy class at the City College of New York. There are jokes to be made about Eliot Spitzer amid all those college-age co-eds, but we'll let the Post make them. We can't wait for that headline. [LoHud.com]
Read more posts by Chris Rovzar
Filed Under: city college, client 9, eliot spitzer
There's no denying that it's been a tough couple of weeks for reality shows here in the States. However, as horrible as each of those individual circumstances were, the fact of the matter is that no one actually died while filming any of those shows. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for a reality-television program in Pakistan, where a contestant and father of four drowned while trying to compete a swimming challenge in a murky lake. [Mediaite]
Read more posts by Mark Graham
Filed Under: reality television, terrible things, tv
Offensive WWF “9/11″ Print Spot is a Rejected Spec Ad [Mediaite]
Read more posts by Chris Rovzar
Filed Under: ads, september 11, world wildlife fund
Last night Rachel Zoe dressed up in a Bally caftan (what else?) to party for her birthday... which is today! Happy birthday, Rachel! She Tweeted last night she "had the perfect evening with a party for my 28th bday." According to Wikipedia, Zoe turns 38 today. But that's why Twitter is a real bitch: It doesn't let you fix typos. [rzrachelzoe/Twitter]
Read more posts by Amy Odell
Filed Under: rachel zoe, the twilight zoe
"Chapter One. He was as tough and romantic as the city he loved. Beneath his black-rimmed glasses was the coiled sexual power of a jungle cat." Woody Allen fans will instantly recognize this string of words as the opening monologue of Manhattan, a film that celebrated its 30th birthday back in April. Now, we're not saying the trailer for NYU student and aspiring film director Ricky D'Ambrose's project Brooklyn is on the same planet (let alone in the same solar system) as Allen's seminal film about the sexual foibles of neurotic television writer Issac Davis, but we'll certainly admit that this two-and-a-half-minute preview does have its moments. Like the opening scene of Manhattan, the beginning of this trailer is also scored to Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"; however, instead of fireworks exploding over Central Park, this film has fireworks exploding over what appears to be Prospect Park. And we'll gladly admit that the line "I could go to bed with the entire staff of N+1 if I wanted to!" gave us our second-heartiest chuckle of the day (ranking behind only the genius of Norm MacDonald). We're not entirely sure if there's a whole feature in the works, or if this is simply a trailer, but either way we'd love to see more.
Would You Rather See Woody Allen's Manhattan Adapted by NYU Students or Muppets? [Flavorwire]
Read more posts by Mark Graham
Filed Under: brooklyn, homages, ricky d’ambrose, woody allen
It's almost Fashion Week! New York shows start officially on the 10th, which means you have a little over a week to finalize your plan of attack. And we're here to help you figure everything out with our incredibly comprehensive Fashion Week schedule. We've logged more than 250 events occurring in the eight-day time span, from presentations to runway shows to parties, so you can check this handy schedule and strategize accordingly. Are you going to stalk out try to spot Anna Wintour as she makes her way to the Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera shows? Or are you planning to split your time between Milk Studios, Exit Art, and the New York Armory? And don't worry if you're not going to be in New York — use our timetable to pick which shows you want to view on NYmag.com first, since we work around-the-clock to put most of the shows online the same day the collections hit the runways. So take some time to click around and prepare. Like with fashion, you can find such pleasure in the details.
New York Fashion Week: Spring 2010 Collections
Read more posts by Sharon Clott
Filed Under: fashion week preview spring 2010
Will Rumer Willis engage in some same-sex smooching on 90210? It would totally make sense considering she's making her debut on the upcoming season playing a lesbian student at West Beverly...
• NBC plans to deliver its programming to gas stations. So if you don't tune into Jay Leno voluntarily, you may be forced to do so while you pump gas. [MC]
• Mad Men has been renewed for a fourth season, not surprisingly. [NYT]
• Freedom Communications, the company that publishes the Orange County Register, among other newspapers, has filed for bankruptcy protection [E&P]
• Magazines are having trouble selling copies on newsstands, so now they're going to focus on getting you to sign up for subscriptions. [NYT]
• Don't be surprised when you see Tony Bourdain whip out his Chase Visa card to pay for meals on his Travel Channel show. It's now part of his job. [AdAge]
• The show goes on for Plum TV, the "resort and luxury lifestyle TV network." The company just raised another $5 million from investors. [PC]
• Rachel Maddow says she had swine flu! But she went to the doctor, got "the special swine flu drugs," and is all better now, thankfully. [HP]
• The worst appears to be over for the TV ad market, although "there is little agreement on the strength, timing and distribution of any recovery." [NYT]
• Related: U.S. ad spending fell 15.4 percent during the first half of 2009, according to new data released today by Nielsen. [THR]
• It seems some comic book nerds aren't happy Disney's buying Marvel. [NYP]
• Phil Anschutz's Clarity Media Group is paying around $25 million to acquire the citizen journalism website NowPublic. [PaidContent]
• The nude photo of a plus-size model in the September issue of Glamour was such a success, the magazine is doing it again in November. [P6]
Although stars Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming were reportedly let go from their contracts, "modest construction work" will begin again tomorrow on Broadway's Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark, following last month's stoppage. Production sources say the problems in raising the show's $35 million budget have not yet been resolved, though, so Michael Riedel should be able to squeeze at least another half dozen columns out of this thing. [ArtsBeat/NYT]
Read more posts by Lane Brown
Sarah Jessica Parker wore an understated white dress on the set of Sex and the City 2, filming in New York today.
How does this outfit compare with the ones from the first movie?
Read more posts by Amina Akhtar
Filed Under: look of the day, sarah jessica parker, sex and the city 2
As any schelf-respecting Julian Schnabel scholar knows, the artist maintains that the color of West Village condo building Palazzo Chupi is not merely pink but Pompeii red. His daughter Lola, who schelebrated her 28th birthday last night with a show of her own artwork at the Melet Mercantile in Montauk, is similarly schpecific when it comes to the red tones. "The show is about color, which can be hard to describe," she explained to the Times. "Like for the invitation, I was trying to explain the mauve I wanted. In the end I said it should be the color of a dead prostitute’s lips." [MixMaster/NYT]
Read more posts by Jessica Pressler
Filed Under: are you listening crayola? lola schnabel, julian schnabel, life in the schnab lane, schnabels, schnabulosity: what it is and how to get it, schtella, stella schnabel, the schabulous life
So far, the names of only 44 of the 45 songs featured in next week's The Beatles: Rock Band have been announced (see the list here), and, according to an MTV Games rep, the final track will be "a surprise." Which epic Beatles jam could possibly be worthy of such a reveal? We bet it's the song suite that closes side 2 of Abbey Road, but we hope it's "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)." [Kotaku]
Read more posts by Lane Brown
Filed Under: music, rock band, the beatles, the beatles: rock band, video games
We really hoped we'd live to see the day come when Diana Taylor, the patient, soft-spoken woman who serves as New York City's de facto first lady, would find herself embroiled in messy, embarrassing scandal. It looks like that day has arrived, unfortunately. The New York Post reports that Taylor wore the same dress and the same hat to the Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton two years in a row. Could it be true?
There's no doubt, according to the Post. And her attempts to cover up the truth totally failed:
Same lingerie-pink dress. Same wide-brim blue flower hat. Same boyfriend. Same event.
With a quick change of accessories—Taylor swapped last summer's black shoes, gold cuff and pearls for bow-front heels with aqua beading and turquoise studs and cuff—the Big Apple's first girlfriend attempted an update. And failed.
Maybe she was acting out of solidarity with the average New Yorker, someone who can't necessarily afford to buy a new outfit every time she goes out? Maybe she was looking to counter Mayor Bloomberg's recent statements which have suggested he's out of touch with ordinary New Yorkers? Okay, fine, she was attending a horse show in the Hamptons, which doesn't exactly scream "I'm one of you." Still. Given her boyfriend's fashion sense, we're inclined to think she's entitled to a pass just this once.
REPEAT OFFENDER [NYP]
Wallace Shawn, 65, has long supplemented his prodigious acting career with writing — plays, mainly, but he has delved into political commentary as well. He has contributed to The Nation, and in 2004 he published a one-time-only, politics-heavy ’zine called Final Edition, with pieces by Noam Chomsky and Jonathan Schell. With a new book, Essays, out today from Haymarket Books, Shawn gets personal. Prior to his reading tonight at 7:30 at the Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle — and in advance of the new season of Gossip Girl, to which he returns — Vulture talked politics, sex, and toy dinosaurs with the playwright-actor.
The essays in the book deal largely with Bush-era politics. Have you always been so political?
In my early 20s, I studied history and politics, and I really thought that perhaps I would devote my life to that. I certainly didn’t expect that I would ever be the voice of a dinosaur in a cartoon. [He voiced Rex the Green Dinosaur in Toy Story.] I thought I would be more like an international civil servant working at the U.N.
So how does one transition from that to playing a toy dinosaur?
I grew up. I began to think the United States had some problems that really required the help of artistic people to solve. And I gave myself permission to be a writer instead of a civil servant. From being a writer of plays, it was not that surprising that somebody thought of giving me a job as an actor. After I played one part, others came along. And then I became the voice of a dinosaur. It’s all rather logical.
You seem like a pretty serious guy. But you’re really known for your comedic, character-driven roles. Is that something you seek out?
In the old days, I used to be offered parts in serious movies. I couldn’t cope with those movies, and I usually turned those parts down. I found them too nauseating because they too directly expressed values that I found sickening. So people stopped asking me.
Do you consider yourself funny?
For some reason, people find me funny. It’s quite hard to define why a thought is funny. It’s even harder to define why a person would be funny. It’s a word that I can’t define at all. But whether I know quite what it is or not, I seem to be it.
In the book, you’re pretty critical of Bush and his cohorts. How are you feeling these days?
This is a much more complicated time than Bush, because Bush and the people with him were completely alien figures to me. Obama is someone with whom I could communicate and yet, for me, what is happening in our country is still quite horrifying.
How so?
There’s still a system in place that is oppressing the poor of the world and doing terrible things.
You say Obama is someone you could communicate with. What would you talk to him about?
There are a hundred things. I could be terribly eloquent, and he could burst into tears and say, “Everything that you think is just exactly what I think now because you were so eloquent and you were able in ten minutes to sum up every issue of our time.” But how much would he be able to do? There’s a question of who’s running things. It isn’t him.
Any new plays in the works?
I have just come back from England, where they did quite a lot of my plays at the Royal Court, including my new play, which I was writing over the course of the last dozen years or so, called Grasses of a Thousand Colors. It has just also been published here. Andre Gregory directed it, and I was in it, along with Miranda Richardson and Jennifer Tilly and Emily McDonald. We all hope that we will do it in New York.
What’s it about?
The character that I play is a scientist and businessman. I would say it’s semi-mythological and it has quite a bit to do with animals.
Dinosaurs?
No, there are no dinosaurs involved.
Read more posts by Rachel Wolff
Filed Under: books, chat room, movies, theater, tv, wallace shawn
Gmail is down! It's all anyone is talking about on Twitter! The people who kept their Yahoo accounts (Rovzar) are totally gloating, which is annoying, and there is a hashtag for it, which is even more annoying, and worst of all is that probably — let's face it — the good people in Mountain View are wreaking all kinds of havoc with your personal information right now, reading your dirty Gchats, forwarding e-mails in which you call someone a bitch to said bitch, and chortling over the diary you keep on Google Docs. The good news is, the weather is outstanding. Maybe it's a good time to go outside? Or maybe just watch this video again.
Update: It's back.
Read more posts by Jessica Pressler
Filed Under: everything is amazing and nobody's happy, fails, gmailfail, google, great fails
From the "About" section of PatersonForNY.com, the governor's 2010 reelection Website (emphasis ours):
"Some say it is the governor's ability to rise above politics and partisanship — and his talent for bringing together people of opposing viewpoints and party affiliations — that is his truly groundbreaking achievement in Albany. Under his leadership, the state government has moved with atypical speed to address critical issues including the budget, property taxes and health care. How has he changed the culture of Albany? Some say it's the governor's force of will, some say he has a spine of steel, but being willing to negotiate belies the governor's steely reserve."
First of all, who says that? His dog, Cheerio? And second of all, he can "rise above," "break ground," "move with atypical speed," and has a "spine of steel"? Is someone trying to say that David Paterson is Superman? Because, sorry, but that's just not the superhero we think of when we imagine our cuddle gov. We'd probably go with Danger Mouse. No, no, wait: Darkwing Duck!
Governor David A. Paterson [PatersonForNY.com]
Read more posts by Chris Rovzar
Filed Under: cuddle muddle, david paterson, oh albany!, politics
It seems all one needs to launch a fashion line these days is to be in the public eye in some capacity. Not design experience, not a heralded sense of style, not any sort of presence in the apparel industry. So it follows that if actors, singers, the spouses of people who are famous for acting and singing, and Harvard University can have their own clothing lines, with no formal design training, mind you, news anchors may as well too. Today WWD reports Today Show weatherman Al Roker is in talks with Weatherproof coat makers to launch, for fall 2010, a line of apparel tentatively called Weatherman, the Al Roker Collection. It would include rain jackets, footwear, and cold-weather accessories. This afternoon we were also invited to see the Rox Minneapolis jewelry line during Fashion Week on September 11, which is designed by Fox 9 Minneapolis anchor Robyne Robinson. Apparently her jewelry will also be worn by models in season six Project Runway contestant Ra'mon Lawrence's Fashion Week show. Is this the new version of journalistic freelancing? If anyone wants to license the Cut a line of sequined pants inspired by tags, you know where to find us.
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS [WWD]
Read more posts by Amy Odell
Filed Under: al roker, jewelry, make it stop, new york fashion week, project runway, ramon lawrence, robyne robinson, rox minneapolis, spring 2010, today show
Before this post says anything, let’s just acknowledge some facts:
Christopher “Kid” Reid is 45 years old. Partner Christopher “Play” Martin is 47.
Christopher “Kid” Reid used to have a head like an eraser. Him and partner “Play” used to make classic comedies such as House Party, House Party 2, House Party 3, and Class Act. Then they went their own way. Kid got married, got serious, and hung his hair hat up for life. Play married Lisa from Coming to America, because “she always gets the good ones”, and had a son with her. They then promptly divorced, once their “Who could Americans forget about quicker?” competition got too heated.
And today? Kid is a man who looks gentle and is making local commercials for suit stores:
The video is aight, clearly missing hints of this man.
But what of Play, America?
WHAT OF PLAY?
Kim Zolciak of The Real Housewives of Atlanta has done her part in getting people to vote no for Prop 8. Her “part” meaning, of course, taking her top off, holding two bags of chemicals in her hands, and then running her photo through Photoshop’s “cataracts” filter, and posing for the viral NOH8 Campaign.
Say what you will about Kim, but if this photo does anything, it will certainly convince any man riding the sexuality fence of d-dos that indeed giant plastic B’s and V’s are not their scene. So, in that way, she really is helping gays. Way to go Kim. We underestimated you and your rere beweavéd ways.
FRAGRANCE
• Megan Fox is reportedly taking over Beyoncé's fragrance campaign for Armani, as well as the fashion campaign. This allegedly happened after a bidding war over the actress between Armani and Versace. [Derek Blasberg/Twitter via Fashionologie]
HAIR
• Daphne Guinness on her skunk-stripe hair: "There's no way I can get rid of it unless I shave my head and dye it black." [Fashionologie]
• Kristin Ess, a hairstylist at Warren-Tricomi Salon in Los Angeles who does Lauren Conrad's extensions, revealed that the real length of LC's hair is only to her collarbone. [BellaSugar]
• Bob haircuts are considered a fetish for certain people who associate the look with prostitutes. [Jezebel]
MAKEUP
• Copper eye shadow can make your eyes look tired if applied improperly. Dust on cream shadow and keep it light to pull off this look. [Beauty Snob]
• Beauty.com partnered with Zero + Maria Cornejo to create a special makeup bag filled with products that customers can get when they spend $100 or more. [Beauty Blogging Junkie]
SKIN
• In the documentary Youth Knows No Pain, Allure editor-in-chief Linda Wells says it's okay that women use anti-aging beauty creams even if the products don't really work, because doing so can make women feel better about themselves. [Jezebel]
Read more posts by Sharon Clott
Filed Under: armani, beauty, beauty marks, fragrance, hair, lauren conrad, makeup, megan fox, versace, zero + maria cornejo
New AIG CEO Bob Benmosche knows that his comments to employees indicating that he was going to shove his foot so far up Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's rear end he'd be spitting up pieces of Ferragamo for a week didn't look so good in the harsh light of day. That people are saying he sounds like a mobster, a goon, a bully, when he was just trying to do his job. But look, there's not really anything Bob can do about it. You can't turn shit into Shinola, as Bob's ma used to say. So go ahead, think whatever you want about Bob. Bob can handle it.
"You can characterize me as a goon, or you can characterize me as somebody who is attempting to deal with a complex issue of a very demoralized employee force and said those things to them in confidence to reassure them that they no longer have to be afraid that they are going to be attacked again," Benmosche told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.
What can you do? Some people are delicate flowers who can't abide strong language, even when strong language is most definitely called for. Bob has done some soul-searching, and he understands that now.
"If there is anybody critical of Bob, it is Bob," he said, referring to himself in the third person. "And Bob has to recognize that when he is having private meetings, that occasionally somebody is going to want to tape it and allow the press to get things I said in private, and that's unfortunate. I have to be aware of that."
So look, Bob is sorry. Next time he makes a threat against an elected official, he will not do so without frisking everyone in the room first.
AIG CEO regrets sharp criticism of Cuomo [Reuters]
Read more posts by Jessica Pressler
Filed Under: aggravating insurance giants, aig, love this guy, robert benmosche, white men with deep mediterranean tans
Now that the Academy has upped the number of Best Picture nominees to ten and scrapped the old balloting system, why not really make things interesting? A commenter on a post over at Dave Poland's Hot Blog has a pretty terrific idea (via Kristopher Tapley): "They need to treat the nominees as a top 10 list and not 'nominees.' Then, structure the broadcast around the top 10 like American Idol, and gradually count down the vote tabs from #10 to #1 throughout the program to create suspense." You'd watch that. [In Contention, Hot Blog]
Read more posts by Lane Brown
Filed Under: blogs, kudos, oscars
In April of this year, we proclaimed that the following months would be the Summer of Lourdes because she would be spending them here in New York with her mother, while her brothers David and Rocco spend much of their time in London with their dad, Guy Ritchie. Of course, that was before it turned out that the little limelight stealer, Mercy James, would be joining her family after all. And then every headline was suddenly: "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!" But it turns out Lourdes had the last laugh: She, not Mercy or David or Rocco, landed a coveted cameo in Madonna's most recent video, "Celebration." At three minutes and fourteen seconds in, you can see the limber Lourdes do a little dance and back bend. Sure, her mom's boyfriend, Jesus Luz, also got a few seconds onscreen, but she doesn't have to worry about him. Of all the children in her mom's life, that one is bound to stick around the shortest.
Read more posts by Chris Rovzar
Filed Under: jesus luz, lourdes, madonna, music videos, the most important preteen in america, video
And now the much-anticipated first trailer for next month's excitingly titled, downloadable Grand Theft Auto IV expansion pack, "The Ballad of Gay Tony." Disappointingly, the star of the game is actually the not-gay, drug-dealing Luis Fernando Lopez, bodyguard of the nightclub-owning title character (Tony is the guy in the suit and tinted glasses). Still, this looks pretty great, and there appears to be plenty of disco dancing, which should certainly help break up the usual driving, shooting, and helicoptering. Hey, we're sold.
Read more posts by Lane Brown
Filed Under: grand theft auto, grand theft auto iv, gta iv, trailer mix, video games
"More than one out of five people around you right now is wearing dirty underwear, one in three didn't shower today and most are professed nose-pickers." At least that's what a poll of AOL users uncovered, according to the Daily News, which generously advanced the story by reaching out to a microbiologist at NYU to weigh in on the potential dangers of nose-picking. And it turns out you're in the clear! "It's okay as long as you wash your hands," he reports. [NYDN]
Look at what Marc Jacobs started with his Louis Vuitton bunny ears! Madonna wore the Vuitton ears to the Met Gala; the Olsens wore lace versions by Maison Michel this week at the Opening Ceremony party in Japan; and now Lady Gaga is on the cover of September's NEO2 wearing another set of lace ears by Maison Michel. This trend is not to be taken lightly, for it signifies we are readying for a fall season in which the trendiest trends were previously most seen in strip clubs and other pornographic media. Thigh-high boots, bunny ears, lace panels, the increasingly ubiquitous pantslessness. Though our friends at Daily Intel argued the Olsens' rabbit ears were a "regression," what if they were exactly the opposite: their way of looking grown up? Like having cleavage without actually having the girls on display? To be sure, there are ways to wear thigh-highs, and even bunny ears, without looking like you work in the adult-film industry. Hopefully, the greater part of the city will keep this major potential pitfall in mind when getting dressed this winter. All we can say is, when in doubt, just make sure you have actual bottoms on.
Earlier: Mary-Kate and Ashley’s Regression Is Disturbing Us
Read more posts by Amy Odell
Filed Under: lady gaga, louis vuitton, madonna, maison michel, neo2, the fall of the skank, trends
It would be difficult to name to me a movie more personally despised, personally shunned, than the cinematic classic known as The Wizard of Oz. Sure, the stunts and costumes were out of this world or 1939, also known as “The Year When Abusing Dwarf Actors Was Perfectly Acceptable”. (Reality check: It took us years to be able to purchase Dunkie Donie holes without shivers shooting up the spine. Now we do so with aplomb, as they are delicious.)
The Wizard of Oz is the cinematic equivalent of hot liquid acid LSD barf flashback Napalm morning smell tiny peopled monsterfaced nightmare explosion happening all up in your face at the dentist’s office. In other words: It is our worst nightmare come to life, and just happens to be on film. (After Follow That Bird, of course.)
But why all this recycled Oz hatred? Well, folks, they’ve really done it this time. They are re-releasing The Wizard of Oz in HIGH-DEFINITION for one night only in September, to celebrate the movie’s 70th Anniversary. That’s right: High. Definition. This movie is the second to last thing we’d ever want to see in HD after this. For God’s sake: A MUNCHKIN HUNG HANGED HIMSELF DURING THE F**KING FILMING:
(*Yes, turns out it was some sort of Emu. But still… AN EMU HANGED HIMSELF DURING THE FILM. If the Emus can’t handle the heat, why should we?)
In fact, the only way we could imagine anyone sitting through The Wizard of Oz in High Def is if they were def high. Like medical marijuana laced with Kool Aid high. Then, and ONLY then, should you set a tiny, curly-shoed foot into the theater.
Otherwise, stay home, lock your doors, and just rock yourselves back and forth for a couple of hours. Same effect, and you save yourselves 10 dollars. Who’s with me? (Say all of you.)
In celebration of Vermont’s legal gay marriage and to raise awareness of marriage equality nationwide, Ben & Jerry’s is ceremoniously renaming its flavor “Chubby Hubby” to “Hubby Hubby” (which, ironically, sounds considerably less gay):
I applaud the move, but wouldn’t it be a lot more effective if Ben & Jerry’s just pulled all their ice cream from the shelves in any state with a same-sex marriage ban? That’d instantly cause riots and throw this issue right back on the political frontburner (is that a term? It is now). I’m sure the politically-ambivalent Ben & Jerry’s lovers outnumber the strong gay-marriage-opposers in a number of states; hopefully this name change is just Step Two of Ben & Jerrys’ master plan (Step One was getting us fatasses addicted).
At least they went about it tastefully, instead of changing “Chunky Monkey” to…any number of things.
In his new, boringly titled book, The Governor, Rod Blagojevich compares himself to Shakespearean protagonists, historical figures, and Icarus. Based on reports, the supposed tell-all seems to spend most of its time offering up excuses and spreading the blame for Blago's downfall on people other than Blago — mostly state politicians who, for some unknowable reason, were hell-bent on stopping him from helping the good people of Illinois. [Chicago Tribune]
Read more posts by Dan Amira
Filed Under: ballsy crimes, rod blagojevich, the governor
A few months ago, during one of many pathetic stretches of New York state government this year, we lamented the fact that the nearby Connecticut legislature was able to somehow function with such bipartisan efficiency. Now we know how they do it: by playing solitaire and reading espn.com instead of getting all worked up about the budget debate going on in front of them.
[Hartford Courant via Drudge]
Read more posts by Dan Amira
Filed Under: connecticut, oh albany!, other states, photo op, solitaire
In this truly amazing footage, Miley Cyrus and her best friend, Mandy Jiroux, clean out Miley's closet. “I love, love, love to go shopping!” the 16-year-old Cyrus told Us Weekly. “I have a great walk-in closet at home. My closet is the best closet you've ever seen! It's huge, and it's filled to the brim because I love clothes.” And filled to the brim it most certainly is. Camerawoman Mandy sits on the floor of the closet, which could very well be bigger than our apartment, while Miley throws tank top after tank top into a giant pile on the floor. When she adds a handful of clutch purses still bearing their tags, she says, “Maybe I’ll give it to someone for Christmas. I’m cheap.” But when she gets to the tank top she wore when meeting Johnny Depp for the first time, she chucks it at Mandy. “You can have that. I've worn it a lot,” she says. We wonder: Is Miley Cyrus's BFF a salaried position?
VIDEO: Look Inside Miley Cyrus' Huge Closet! [Us Weekly]
Read more posts by Amy Odell
Filed Under: johnny depp, mandy jiroux, miley cyrus, this will scare you, video
Vanity Fair's "New Establishment" list, an "annual ranking of the top 100 Information Age powers," appears on the web this time around, not in the actual magazine as in previous years. [Update: An abbreviated version appears in the October issue; the full list is online.] And while there are a few surprises to be had—Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, who's been reviled in the press in recent weeks, takes the top spot—it once again gives Vanity Fair editor /part-time restaurateur Graydon Carter an opportunity to do what he does so well: insure that his close, personal friends get their moment in the sun!
Take, for example, Tom Freston, who was ousted as CEO of Viacom three years ago. (Has it been that long? Time flies, doesn't it?) Freston has yet to score another big media job since Viacom honcho Sumner Redstone kicked him to the curb—not that he needs a job what with the golden parachute he received—and yet he still manages to come in at No. 57 on the list. What has Freston been up to recently to justify his inclusion? When he hasn't been consulting on the doomed cable network that Oprah has been launching since the beginning of the century—or relaxing with his wife Kathy, who coincidentally made Vanity Fair's "International Best-Dressed List" last month—he's been traveling the world and writing up his impressions for Vanity Fair.
And while the most newsworthy thing that Carter's good pal, Ron Perelman, has done over the past year has been to open the Blue Parrot, "a taco-and-margarita joint in East Hampton, he still clocks in at No. 33 on the list.
Not that there aren't some useful nuggets of info along the way. Vanity Fair was kind enough to mention in Perelman's entry that he recently took possession of his new yacht, the C2. We were wondering about that boat! In January, we reported that the billionaire financier had put his old boat, the Ultima III, up for sale for $67 million. At the time, we naively assumed this was due to some cost-cutting on Perelman's part. But a "source close to Perelman" quickly made it clear that he was simply upgrading to a larger ship. And that it is!
Whereas the Ultima III was a modest 190 feet, the C2 (which is pronounced C-Square) is a far more impressive 257-feet-long vessel. Perelman has been using it a good deal this summer. Back in May, it was anchored off Antibes during the Cannes Film Festival. In early August, it was spotted off the coast of Sicily.
Come December, you'll find Graydon, himself, standing on the deck. Because if this winter vacation is anything like years past, after Carter has jetted down to St. Barth's aboard Perelman's Gulfstream, he'll spend New Year's Eve aboard Perelman's yacht for his annual New Year's party, which turns into a birthday party when the clock strikes midnight. (Perelman was born on New Year's Day.) Well worth an entry on the list of 100, wouldn't you agree?
The New Establishment 2009 [Vanity Fair]
Abeking & Rasmussen Super Yacht C2 [Super Yacht Blogger]
C2 Specs [Super Yacht Times]
In a bold, unexpected move that surely threatens the careers of every AMC executive and likely the entire network, Mad Men has been officially renewed for a fourth season.
My reaction? The same as Pete and Trudy Campbells’:
EVENTS
• Scope out fall hats and have a cocktail at the opening of the new Hats by Selima shop in Henri Bendel. RSVP to Virginie@selimadesign.com. 712 Fifth Ave., at 56th St. (212-247-1100); 6–8.
• Stock up on accessories and support breast-cancer research at the Hog Pit's jewelry trunk show, featuring discounted designs from Elizabeth Warner's Maasai collection, as well as silver, gold, and gemstone pieces from Laura Mady. Part of the proceeds will go to the Breast Center at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Hog Pit, 37 W. 26th St., nr. Sixth Ave. (212-604-0092); 12:30–8.
SALES
ONGOING
• Catbird is hosting an end-of-summer sale, offering select jewelry and accessories for 40 percent off. Items range from $30 bracelets to a $600 necklace, as well as one-of-a-kind samples, Ethiopian cotton scarves, letterpress cards, journals, and home accents. Through 9/15. 219 Bedford Ave., nr. N. 5th St. (718-599-3457); daily (noon–8).
Read more posts by Lauren Murrow
Filed Under: Fashion Calendar, sales, shopping
We've already resigned ourselves to the fact that we'll be old and gray by the time Dr. Dre gets around to releasing the long-delayed Detox. With that in mind, we're pretty happy to hear something new from Dre, even if by "new" we mean a never-before-heard outtake from The Chronic called "Poor Young Dave." For maximum aural awesomeness, listen to it while wearing your Dr. Dre headphones! [XXL]
Read more posts by Mark Graham
Filed Under: delays, detox, dr. dre, long-delayed musical opuses by reclusive crazy people, music, the future
Not that you were worried, but AMC today gave Mad Men an early pickup for a fourth season next year. Look how excited Don and Betty are! [HR]
Read more posts by Lane Brown
Now that the weather is no longer stifling, the thought of slipping on something more substantive than a flimsy sandal is suddenly appealing rather than sweat-inducing. New shoes can be an easy yet inexpensive way to update your wardrobe. With that in mind, our latest Shop-a-Matic features 150 of fall’s best footwear for both ladies and gents. From of-the-moment over-the-knee boots to refined lace-ups, find 74 budget-conscious, on-trend choices for less than $200. Looking for ankle boots? There are 23 options to choose from. Guys looking for something relaxed but a little more refined than sneakers can check out our 15 casual men's picks. The full selection is here, and our top five picks are below.
Bleach Skimmer by Deena & Ozzy
Price: $28
Why We Like It: An eighties-inspired bleached effect is a graphic and refreshing alternative to solid-hued skimmers.
Boat Chukka by Band of Outsiders for Sperry Topsider
Price: $229
Why We Like It: The classic chukka shape is reimagined in a warm wool flannel, perfect for keeping feet toasty in colder months.
Studded Boot by Where
Price: $269
Why We Like It: With a folded-over leg accented with a row of pyramid studs, the wedge boot takes on the biker trend with a result that is both tough and sleek.
Formal Leather Brogue by Topman
Price: $90
Why We Like It: Brogues are the shoe of the season and this well-priced version is a polished way to finish any outfit.
Fawson by Aldo
Price: $90
Why We Like It: Classic pumps are updated in light gray suede that goes from the office to post-work cocktails.
Read more posts by Diana Tsui
Filed Under: retail therapy, shoe porn, shop-a-matic
Bernie Madoff's Montauk home goes up for sale this week. A spectacularly lavish retreat it is not. According to the AP, it's "cottage-size by superrich standards" and full of "faded furnishings," an impression echoed by the Times, which describes it as "less grandiose than one might expect given the scope of Mr. Madoff's $60 billion scheme."
That doesn't mean it's going to sell for a song, however. The U.S. Marshals Service is planning to ask $8.75 million for the home and reportedly won't consider any bids under $7 million. And the buyer won't get to take possession of the contents of the house either. The government is planning to auction off such gems as Bernie's exercise bike and Ruth Madoff's old shoes at a later date.
Of course, even $8 million could turn out to be the deal of the century if, as some locals suspect, Bernie buried some of his riches in the home. Given that federal agents have been combing the house for months now, if there is any treasure there, the buyer is probably going to have to uproot the house to find it. Then again, considering how unimpressed the reporters were who got to take a tour of the house, the buyer may very well want to rip down the house and start fresh anyway. A spiritual cleansing of the property? That wouldn't be such a bad idea either.
Madoff's Long Island beach getaway put up for sale [AP]
Madoff's Beach House Up for Sale [NYT]
Previously: Bernie's Buried Treasure [Cityfile]
Following the hugely successful reboot of the Batman franchise, Fox has announced that it will attempt to also reboot the Fantastic Four franchise, and by “franchise,” they mean “two films that were the equivalent of swallowing a balloon and calling it a meal”:
20th Century Fox is the latest studio to start the process of overhauling one of its big Marvel Entertainment franchises, “Fantastic Four,” which has already hatched two films. The studio has hired Akiva Goldsman to oversee the re-boot as producer.
Here are a few suggestions off the top of my head about how to improve the beleaguered Fantastic Four film franchise:
– Mr. Fantastic learns martial arts from Liam Neeson in a mountain retreat.
– Human Torch is played by Christian Bale; Dr. Doom is played by Heath Ledger.
– Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman are all in the movie, playing characters named “Fantastic Gordon,” “Alfred Four,” and “Fantastic Four Morgan Freeman Guy,” respectively.
– The Thing confronts his childhood fear of bats and becomes a hero called “Bat Man.”
– Christopher Nolan scripts and directs the movie.
– The movie is The Dark Knight.
Other suggestions on how to improve the Fantastic Four movies? Other than “doing anything?” Leave ‘em in the comments!
As a huge Next Generation fan and dude who perpetually sits in front of the internet looking at sh*t, I can honestly say that no series of videos has provided me more joy over the past year than these Star Trek mash-ups. I made a vow to keep linking them until the day I die or the day I stop giggling stupidly at them, and since neither has happened yet, here’s the latest batch.
The newest one, “Apologies, Mr. Worf” may have the most moving ending of any of the vids so far, and possibly of anything ever made (fine, aside from Life on Mars):
Two more recent awesome-minute-wasting Next Generation mashups, after the jump:
This Is Idiotic:
Worf’s Anniversary:
Andy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker grabbing coffee in the West Village ... Kate Hudson leaving her apartment building ... Ethan Hawke walking downtown with wife Ryan and their daughter Clementine ... Andre Agassi leaving his hotel ... Whitney Port walking in SoHo ... actor Paul Wesley arriving at WPIX's studios in Midtown ... Mischa Barton arriving at her hotel in a cab, and later eating lunch outside in the Village with a friend ... Michelle Williams walking to a coffee shop with daughter Matilda ... Rumer Willis leaving her hotel ... and Ed Westwick going to dinner with Jessica Szohr at Lure Fishbar in SoHo.
Everything written in the above headline is true.
Indeed, once at the peak of his craft, Coolio the mighty has fallen. And how. He was booked to perform at a Deli Zone in Longmont, Colorado. And believe it or not… it seems COOLIO OUTDID HIMSELF WITH SHOWMANSHIP.
A reviewer for the Colorado Daily puts together a Pulitzer-worthy piece documenting Coolio’s deli-side antics. Some highlights:
“Fantastic Voyage”, began with Coolio pretending as if he was driving a car and ended with him pretending he was crashing one. It was at least entertaining, while the rest of the set left a lot to be desired.
By left a lot to be desired, do you mean left nothing to be desired? Because watching Coolio fake-crash an invisi-car is the only thing I’ve ever desired. (I lead a very sad life.) It continues, geniously:
Highlights: Coolio’s stage banter. He called the audience “alcoholic [four-syllable expletives]” during a strange Michael Jackson tribute. He pretended to get shot at before “Gangsta’s Paradise” — and left between the verses. He had a strange bit where he asked the audience for tacos, Hennessy and gas money. He rapped that there “ain’t no party like a Longmont part ’cause a Longmont party don’t stop”. Well put, sir.
The following is intended without a bit of sarcasm, but Dear Coolio: Can you please schedule a performance at the BellyDeli on 46th and Broadway ASAP on the real? This show… it needs a road to be taken on, good sir.
And just in case we didn’t get the point the first time, the author makes quite sure that what we’re reading about actually happened:
Reminded me of: Nothing I’ve ever experienced. Hearing that Coolio was playing at a Deli Zone in Longmont was shocking. Coolio selling out a Deli Zone, telling the audience they are alcoholics, and pretending to be shot at during “Gangsta’s Paradise” was unbelievable.
That’s is some f**kin’ Mummenschanz sh*t right thurr.
Ahead, video of Coolio teaching the masses how to make salad. Seriously.
Official Description for this photo: A veterinary physiotherapist works with a dog on the water walker at the new purpose built Links Vet Animal Hospital and Lothian Canine Rehabilitation Centre on September 1, 2009 in Haddington, Scotland. The vet group has opened the state of the art centre, Scotland’s first fully vet staffed animal hospital and rehabilitation centre in the one complex.
My description: Look attda doggie inhislittle swimmy vest OHHHH YOU SWIMMIN THERE DOGGGY? YESSSYOUARE!
AFP - London's famously dishevelled mayor, Boris Johnson, will grace the cover of fashion bible Elle next month in what many will see as a surprising partnership to mark 25 years of London Fashion Week.
That sperm bank that allows its clients to search for donors based on how much they resemble various celebrities is setting up shop in NYC. The California-based company says it will be "fully operational within two months at a Park Ave. space." It also says it will be looking for new donors, so if you're male, reasonably healthy, and bear a passing resemblance to anyone famous who has ever lived, you probably qualify. If the NYC location is anything like the one in LA, the standards won't be all that high. In addition to Ian Ziering, Corey Haim and Lou Ferrigno, the sperm bank says it has a Jon Gosselin lookalike, too. [NYDN, previously]
The East Coast/West Coast time difference has meant that we haven’t really gotten around to caring about The Daytime Emmys until today (and to be honest, we still don’t really care about them.)
That being said, as we scanned through the photos, we couldn’t help but notice this:
Whut. Rachael Ray won a Daytime Emmy Award? Was there some sort of Human Carbon Monoxide Detector trophy we were not aware of? Or are they just faxing out trophies to anyone associated with Oprah? This is a national tragedy.
On the bright side, there were people who walked away with trophies who we were genuinely psyched about. Click ahead to see our 3 favorite winners.
1. Cash Cab’s Ben Bailey. Easily the most underrated gameshow on television. It’s like Taxicab Confessions minus the public sex but with a lot more trivia, i.e. MUCH BETTER!
2. Sesame Street’s Kevin Clash. Puppeteering and voicing Elmo will be a lot more difficult with an Emmy to carry around the set all day long. But truly, the guy got his b’s cut off for his craft… doesn’t that deserve an award?
3. The Tyra Banks Show Tyra Banks. The most hard-working girl in show biz finally gets a little golden love. Because face it, without Tyra who would we be left with? Rachael Ray and paternity tests, that’s who. And that’s a world I don’t want my children growing up in. So congrats, Tyty! The world would never be the same without you.
AP - Fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander was sentenced Monday to 59 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting aspiring models he lured to Los Angeles.
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