AP - Beyonce Knowles has sung about partying like a "naughty girl," but Malaysians can expect her to be on her best behavior for a concert in this Muslim-majority country next month, the event's organizer said Thursday.
AP - Beyonce Knowles has sung about partying like a "naughty girl," but Malaysians can expect her to be on her best behavior for a concert in this Muslim-majority country next month, the event's organizer said Thursday.
(Reuters) Reuters - Harmony Korine is clearly an acquired taste that even few critics have ever really bothered to acquire. Films like "Gummo" and "Julien Donkey-Boy" are uncompromising, in-your-face works that usually make sense only during the scenes in which you are being most completely grossed out. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 23 Sep 2009 | 11:18 pm
She's a 50-year-old plastic fashion icon, and he's a loincloth-wearing prince with a pageboy and a Power Sword.
And now Barbie and He-Man are going to the movies! (But not...
(Reuters) Reuters - "The X Factor," a music talent show on British television, may be coming to the U.S. via Fox and a deal with the show's creator, "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 23 Sep 2009 | 9:34 pm
Reuters - "FlashForward" is all about the future, which looks fairly bright for this ensemble sci-fi drama. The show, bowing Thursday, bears a resemblance in tone and structure to "Lost." Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 23 Sep 2009 | 9:09 pm
AP - Former child star Mackenzie Phillips said Wednesday that she had a decade-long sexual relationship with her father, pop superstar John Phillips, who also taught her how to roll joints and injected her with cocaine.
John Travolta spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday about his desperate efforts to save his teenage son's life after he suffered a seizure at the family's vacation home in the Bahamas in January.
It's almost here! Months after the Grey's Anatomy season finale left us cliffhanging, we finally get to see what happens to poor terminally ill Izzie (Katherine Heigl) and gravely wounded...
Front Page: Blue Sky Studios to produce feature toon -- "Ice Age" helmer Chris Wedge will next direct "Leaf Men," a feature toon that Fox has committed to finance through its Fox Animation label, with Blue Sky Studios producing.
Why, the 20th-anniversary Law & Order reunion, of course!
Castmembers past and present gathered...
Moammar Khadafy's tent in Donald Trump's backyard was dismantled this afternoon. As for how much Trump really knew about who had rented his Bedford property—or whether he was truly duped by the Libyan leader's reps—that remains an open question. In what may be a historic first for the Trumpster, he's turningdown all interview requests for the time being. Savor the moment. [AP, previously]
Review in a Hurry: In a mere two hours, polarizing documentarian Michael Moore attempts to explain the entire U.S. economy in layman's terms and why it's putting the hurt on most of us...
• The week in reviews: Pete Wells of the Times shows little love for Hotel Griffou this week, leaving the Village hotspot starless; TONY's Jay Cheshes has nice things to say about Michael Psilakis' Gus & Gabriel; NY's Patronite & Raisfeld weigh in on Brooklyn's Fort Defiance; RG visits Yerba Buena Perry; and Gael Greene shares thoughts on Jeffrey Chodorow's latest, Ed's Chowder House. • More photos/details about the new MePa venue Abe & Arthur's. [TFB, Eater] • Are those calorie counts that are now posted for all to see (sigh) actually making a difference? Unclear, but the city is now conducting "research." [NYT] • Incoming Tavern on the Green operator Dean Poll says it will take up to four years (and lots of cash, of course) to finish renovations on the space. [NYP] • Nevermind the endless delays and appalling lack of legroom, some airlines are now offering passengers their very own signature cocktails. Yay! [VV] • Do you know a "foodiot"? Probably, although you may be one, too. [NYO] • If Mike Bloomberg asks you to bring over dinner, you can't go wrong with the half chicken with herbs at Quatorze Bis or the Sichuan shrimp from Shun Lee Palace. Whatever you do, do not pick up anything from Blue Smoke. [NYT]
• Ramsay, Ducasse, Puck, et al: A list of the "20 biggest chef empires." [GS] • A peek inside Travertine, which opens in Nolita in early October. And a look inside the revamped Armando's in Brooklyn Heights, opening next week. • A "Juan Valdez" lookalike has been in NYC this week to promote Colombian coffee. Meanwhile, Bloomingdale's is toasting Brazil tonight. [WSJ, Zagat] • A woman who claims she was denied her "dream job" of putting on a bikini to work at Hawaiian Tropic Zone is getting her day in court. Mazel tov. [NYDN]
Were you aware that prior to this afternoon, no studio had ever before announced plans to develop a Barbie movie? Correcting this unbelievable oversight today was Universal, which just announced a deal with Mattel to produce a motion picture based on the world's most famous toy property, something we think would've inspired a film even before Legos, Battleship, or the View-Master. Of course, no plot details have been revealed yet, but if you have any ideas, producer Laurence Mark, who's inexplicably making this thing, would probably appreciate them.
AP - The young Coco Chanel noticed style everywhere, even in the crisp white and basic black of the nuns' habits at the orphanage where she was raised.
Is Rudy Giuliani planning to run for president again in 2012? And is that why President Obama encouraged Gov. Paterson to abandon his gubernatorial bid? (The theory being that if Giuliani becomes New York's governor next year, he'd be better positioned to compete in a presidential election in 2012, and that by pushing Paterson aside, the chances of Rudy taking Albany are greatly diminished.) That's "insanity" and "very silly," and it ain't gonna happen, says Steve Kornacki. [PolitickerNY]
Yes, our speculation earlier this week that even T-Pain had bowed to pressure from Jay-Z to abandon the Auto-Tune was completely baseless: Another track from his new album, Revolver, “Taxman” “Take Your Shirt Off,” is here, and it is thoroughly auto-tuned. And not only that, but at one point T-Pain even goes, “Answer this: Is Auto-Tune really dead?” Now that’s more like it! We agreed with Hova that good rappers shouldn’t be using the software, but we never had a problem with T-Pain doing it. Here, Mr. Teddy-Pinned-Her-Ass-Down gets his big raucous club night on, churning out another aggressive bit of sonic assault that’s sure to have a nation of seventh-graders giggling. The best part is the elegant bridge: “Hey, girl, what it is? / Should I take you back to my crib / and take your mutherfucking shirt off? / Hey, girl, what’s going on? / I know this is your favorite song / so take your mutherfucking shirt off.”
Couric’s annual salary is more than the entire annual budgets of NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered combined, according to the Columbia Journalism Review. "Couric’s salary comes to an estimated $15 million a year; NPR spends $6 million a year on its morning show and $5 million on its afternoon one." Wow. That's way more guilt-inducing than their annual pledge drives. [CJR]
Don't know if you've noticed, but there's this little coffee klatch going on over at the U.N., and sidewalk protesters and delegates alike are letting the world press know of their various issues with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who in just the last few months has riled the planet by claiming victory during a questionable election, putting down democratic protests with undue force, jailing the children of dissident Imams, possibly killing journalists, calling the Holocaust a "trick of the Jews," and being just an all-around unpleasant guy. Well, add shopkeepers and mannequin manufacturers to the list of the aggrieved. Today, the state police — who often enforce Sharia law at the end of a nightstick, warned store owners through the government's press organ, the IRNA, that "Using unusual mannequins exposing the body curves and with the heads without Hijabs (Muslim veil) are prohibited to be used in the shops." Just to be clear, that means that uncovered or extra-sexy plastic women with painted-on eyes are considered a threat to the public morals of Tehran's increasingly popular shopping districts. Draconian, sure — but at least there are some things Iranians won't have to worry about.
UPDATE: Francis pleaded guilty this afternoon to two counts of filing false tax returns and one count of bribing Nevada jail workers to bring him food.
He must pay $249,705 in...
Get ready for two new singles from two—like it or not, Britney haters—pop icons: One whose recording career hasn't exactly been showing signs of life lately and the other whose,...
Modern Family, a new comedy premiering tonight on ABC, follows three branches of an extended family: the standard household — mom, dad, three kids; the gay couple; and the grandpa with the much younger wife. That the show’s so funny is kind of surprising, especially given that it’s preceded by Courteney Cox's lame Cougar Town and followed by the tepid witch-dramedy Eastwick. Emily Nussbaum namedModern Family one of her favorite shows of the fall season (and big-upped it again today on her blog, Surf). Here are five specific reasons to set your DVR.
1. Ty Burrell as Phil. Television’s first grup? The hoodie-wearing dad spouts lines like “I’m hip, that’s my thing” and “LOL, laugh out loud, OMG, oh, my God, WTF, why the face?” and attempts to learn the songs and dances from High School Musical. Burrell hilariously nails the “cool dad” in a family that thinks he’s decidedly uncool.
2. Ed O’Neill! Given as much as he’s had to work with, the sitcom king is at his finest as the grumpy Jay Pritchett: He’s married to a fiery Latina (see item No. 3), played by the spunky Sofia Vergara, who gets hit on by men much younger than her husband (who gets mistaken for a mall walker). And he has to play father to his wife’s son, a geeky Romeo-in-training. O’Neill adds a wizened comic sensibility to the mix.
3. Hilarous — but harmless! — stereotypes. A Spanish Lothario, a hot-blooded Hispanic mother, a flamboyant gay, a neurotic gay, a frazzled mom, a too-cool dad, a grumpy old man — all funny rather than offensive. When sitcoms verge on bitter (think Bob Saget’s horrible Surviving Suburbia), their characters become one-dimensional, but Modern Family’s typecasting works because of the show’s good-natured, openhearted vibe. And each character has enough charm and distinction to break free of the clichés.
4. The gays. The show features a committed gay couple who adopt a baby (from Vietnam), a first, we believe, for network TV. The great thing about the pair (played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet) is how endearingly normal they are. Stonestreet’s senstive character has body issues and acts like more of a mother hen, while Ferguson is the more uptight of the two. Yay for gay people without lisps or female roommates on mainstream TV!
5. The capper. The show ends on a laugh-out-loud rendition of “The Circle of Life” featuring an Asian baby instead of a cartoon lion. You’ll have to watch to truly get this one.
If you're like us, you follow entertainment like some people watch sports. Which means, of course, you don't really have time to watch sports.
So with that in mind, we set out...
Is that Pee-wee Herman I just saw on Jay Leno? Why?
—Vira, via the Answer B!tch inbox
Yes, that is the same little man with the cute bow tie and even more adorable rap...
In an interview with Der Speigel today, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein denies a recent report claiming he sent out a memo instructing employees at the much-maligned bank to avoid making big, splashy purchases that might draw negative attention to the firm, but he says he agrees with the general idea anyway: "I didn't send that message then, but it almost doesn't matter," he says.
"We are in the public spotlight. And, in any event, I think it is bad form to be ostentatious."
Right. Well, he does now. TARP thing aside, this is a lesson Lloyd had to learn the hard way. He wasn't always so restrained. As a recent Time magazine profile of the CEO put it, back in the day he "often dressed inappropriately or ostentatiously." But he quickly learned that you don't get the big corner office at the world's most frighteningly conformist bank when you show up to work wearing rhinestone suspenders and chaps. So that's the lesson here, troops. There's nothing wrong with a little flair, just restrict it to the underoos.
The two sons of Lionel Pincus, who grew up millionaires on a tony stretch of Park Avenue and have never been obligated to work in their lives, are trying to sell a spectacular Pierre penthouse under the feet of Princess Firyal of Jordan, for whom their father purchased the place. The princess — who dated their father until he became mentally incapacitated in 2006, and still tends to him — is busy trying to stop the sale and has been lavishly decorating the space. Although a settlement had been reached last year so that the princess could get the penthouse — a trust of $85 million, $15 million in cash (with $10 million more once Pincus actually dies) — the brothers now want to sell the apartment and give the proceeds to charity. The house is currently listed at $35 million.
Let's be clear, though. According to the boys and the princess, this isn't about the cash involved. Listen to what their friends and lawyers have to say:
• "Do they wish Dad had never met this nice-looking woman who showed him things he had never experienced?" a princess pal asked. "Sure, greedy little sons of a bitch." (This is a bit harsh, as the boys' mother — Pincus's longtime wife — died of cancer over a decade ago.)
• Money, in fact, is nothing to the princess, who simply said: "We, like many in our circle in New York, chose to live our life in our way and style."
• "They think she's a menace," said the sons' attorney. "That's what the whole thing is about. It's not about preserving money. Above all, they want their father to be left alone."
• "He is a very generous man, as evidenced by the $2 to $3 million weddings he paid for," the princess said, alluding to the two sons' lavish nuptial ceremonies.
• "They didn't have a problem with Firyal until they found out she was ripping off their dad," the sons' lawyer said.
• "Oh," muttered a princess pal upon hearing this obvious allusion to the Astor trial. "Choreographed like Nijinsky, my friend."
David Patrick Columbia, the social diarist, puts it best in the Observer story. "We play this middle-class card that we only play when it's convenient, and say she's a money grubber. That's what everybody's after! The sons, the lawyers, the PR people, everybody." Truer words were never said.
Ever since it became socially unacceptable to leave the house without carrying a cell phone on your person, screenwriters and directors who work in the horror and thriller genres have been forced to innovate. Gone are the days when a maniacal serial killer could count on terrorizing an entire sorority house full of barely dressed coeds without the involvement of pesky police officers by simply taking a pair of hedge clippers to the phone wires outside the house; the advent of wireless technology ruined that effective plot device. Unfortunately, though, today's screenwriters have proved themselves to be wildly lazy when it comes to their protagonists' usage of cellular phones in an attempt to get the authorities on the scene: Nowadays, every time nervous teens grab an iPhone and attempt to dial 911 while being chased by a knife-wielding psycho, they mysteriously find themselves in a "No Service" zone. Thankfully, world-class pop-culture mastermind Rich Four Four has been paying attention to this annoying trend and, as a means of trying to shame Hollywood into being more inventive, has compiled this super-cut compilation of the usage of the "No Service" device (along with other overused cell clichés) in 66 films produced since the year 2000. Bravo!
• Condé Nast editors and publishers may be forced to cut their budgets by as much as 25% now that the consultants reviewing operations are completing their tour of duty. Not surprisingly, "significant layoffs" are expected. [NYO] • More trouble for Harvey: The Weinstein Co. says it plans to cut 35 additional positions at the film company over the next month or so. [THR] • A new bidder for beleaguered BusinessWeek appears to have emerged in ex-BMG chief Strauss Zelnick and former WSJ publisher Gordon Crovitz. [BW] • WSJ, the glossy owned by the Wall Street Journal, is expanding [WWD] • The CW is planning a reality show about what it's like to be a Virgin flight attendant in search of "good times, great parties, adventure and love." [Wrap] • Mark Consuelos (or Mr. Kelly Ripa) has been given the boot by Oprah. [NYP] • The Observer is moving from the Flatiron district to a Jared Kushner-owned building in Midtown: "If I'm paying rent, I'd rather pay it to myself." [NYO] • Eight out of ten Americans say they would oppose any plan to spend tax dollars to bail out failing newspapers. You're shocked by that, we're sure. [E&P]
In next week's magazine, New York's Justin Davidson reviews the Met's new, booed Tosca, which "challenges anyone to tolerate it," he writes. "I hope the Met's Peter Gelb is already trying to figure out how soon he can scrap this staging. An opera as sturdy as Tosca should be able to shrug off even sets as ugly as Richard Peduzzi's, but Bondy's direction plumbs deep enough to do some serious damage." [NYM]
MAKEUP
• Taylor Momsen: "I love makeup. I love drama and I love self expression and extremes, so makeup is a great way to show that." With all the eyeliner she wears, we never would have guessed. [StyleWatch/People]
• Makeup artist Wendy Rowe was inspired by the mustard and butterscotch colors of trench coats for the look at the Burberry show yesterday. "We didn’t really want one thing to stand out," she said. "This feels like what I would do on a normal day, almost like diet makeup!" [Beauty Counter/Style.com]
• Chris Benz chose the name Chris & Tell for the opaque peach lipstick he created for Lancôme's Pout-A-Porter series. [All Lacquered Up]
HAIR
• Guido Palau is the hairstylist who dyed Agyness Deyn's blonde hair to dark black. [Modelinia]
• Rihanna added a blonde front bang a few weeks ago, but yesterday she debuted a completely new look with blonde highlights all over her head. [StyleList]
There are shocking revelations in Capitalism: A Love Story. From judges who send hundreds of kids to jail just to make some extra cash to companies that profit from the deaths of their employees via “dead peasant” insurance policies, the film is more surprising than you might expect. But its first jolt is a strange one: Wallace Shawn, of all people, explains economic theory while shopping. Below, we sample Shawn’s notices — some of the worst of his career, and for a documentary. (David Edelstein, reviewing the movie over on his blog, the Projectionist, writes, “Perhaps Moore means to invoke Shawn’s bracing My Dinner With Andre, but that was a true drama, a dialogue of opposites. This is Shawn telling Moore what he wants to hear.”)
“Some of those [talking] heads are baffling (the actor and author Wallace Shawn, enlisted to explain free enterprise).” —Manohla Dargis [NYT]
“[A] downright baffling shopping trip with a bemused Wallace Shawn.” —Ella Taylor [VV]
“While it’s always great to see him, Wallace Shawn should not be the opening salvo on the dangers of free enterprise.” —Joe Neumaier [NYDN]
“[W]hy exactly does he wheel out Wallace Shawn to explain the capitalist system? Shawn, the co-star of My Dinner With Andre and many Woody Allen films, as well as a Disney channel series, is a playwright and the son of a former editor of The New Yorker — in other words, a member of the elite.” —Lou Lumenick [NYP]
“What the hell is Wallace Shawn doing here?” —David Fear [TONY]
The First Lady is in New York (don't freak out, don't freak out) for the U.N. General Assembly, and she's wearing a cute red cap-sleeve jacket and matching skirt by Michael Kors. The color is the hue du jour, judging by all the gowns that swanned down the carpet at the Emmys. See the full look in the Michelle Obama Look Book.
It's official. The richest man in Russia, Mikhail Prokhorov, has taken control of the New Jersey Nets. The 44-year-old oligarch, who is worth $9.5 billion according to Forbes, signed a $200 million deal today with real estate developer/Nets owner Bruce Ratner that will make him the principal owner of the team, as well as a major investor in the Nets' long-delayed new home in Brooklyn. This makes Prokhorov the first foreign owner of an NBA team who isn't Canadian, and the "the only NBA owner who can dunk," according to Prokhorov. And the tri-state area now has its very own Mark Cuban, clearly. [NYT]
As the sun gets lower in the sky, one question is surely troubling General Qaddafi's already-troubled mind: Where will he lay his bejeweled head tonight? So far, his first, second, and third choices of tent-pitching venues (Englewood Cliffs, Central Park, and Donald Trump's backyard) have all fallen through. But before he resigns himself to a night spent curled up at the Port Authority, he might want to try Coney Island. "Since Coney Island needs attention and needs development and since we’re circus-friendly, I for one would welcome him here," Dick D. Zigun, the unofficial mayor of Coney Island and founder of Coney Island USA, tells the Times. “Politics aside, it would bring tourists to Coney Island and that’s what we need.”
Indeed, $100,000 worth of drainage and other improvements were put in to make the site on 21st Street viable for a tent, and the Libyan leader could take advantage of those repairs to make himself and his guests comfortable. Moreover, Coney Island has been struggling to keep up its razzle-dazzle image while plans for the rebuilding of abandoned amusement sites seem perennially caught up in conflicts between city officials and developers.
Needless to say, Qaddafi has got "razzle dazzle" in spades. Dude knows how to party. Seriously. It's actually kind of a wonder folks in the West even noticed the presence of a convicted terrorist at his recent "40th anniversary of my coup" party, what with the fireworks, musical and dance performances, and air show from "aerobatic planes." And: Have you seen the man's hat collection? It is major. What do you think he needs the tent for?
The new West Village outpost of trend-dispensing menswear boutique Odin opens today at 750 Greenwich Street. The 650-square-foot spot (which formerly housed Oliver Spencer) is decked out in what has become a familiar old-timey haberdasher style, with stacks of weathered trunks, dark wood detailing, an apothecary bar, and antique display cases (see also: the J.Crew Men's shops, the new Tommy Hilfiger flagship, rag & bone). The current stock includes Odin favorites like Florsheim by Duckie Brown shoes, Shipley & Halmos, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Richard Chai, as well as new merchandise like top hats and bowlers by Engineered Garments. Swing by the shop’s fragrance bar late next month to test out the new Odin scents: Nomad (juniper berries and cedar leaves), Owari (grapefruit leaves, green bergamot, mandarin), and Century (silver birch, cypress, forest mint).
Odin, 750 Greenwich St., at 11th St. (212-420-8446).
When we caught up with event planner Malik So Chic, he was sporting a vintage kimono, Shu Uemera eyelashes, and some lovely patent-leather oxfords — but those glasses? Those are a secret. They're not as expensive as you'd think, he says. His style influences run from ALT to Pee-wee Herman, and he throws in a little Grace Jones for good measure. Watch to learn how he pulls it all off.
After winning Audience and Grand Jury awards at Sundance and its lauded premiere in Toronto last week, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire is now considered an Oscar lock — for one, maybe two acting award nominations but not Best Picture. The argument against its BP chances goes something like, “It’s a low-budget film with no Oscar vets (Eastwood, Jolie) and has an unknown teenage star (Gabby Sidibe), some distracting celebrity cameos (Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz), and a sexual-abuse plot so bleak that wide audiences will stay away.” A pretty convincing argument — but after the movie picked up the People's Choice award at Toronto last weekend, that logic was busted. Here are the reasons Precious must be taken seriously in the Best Picture race — not as an underdog, but as a lock for a nomination, and as a legit front-runner.
1. Slumdog Millionaire brought risk-taking back.
Oscar season is always cluttered with dull biopics (like the one for Charles Darwin, Creation, which was met with a shrug at Toronto) and message movies that often pick up acting awards but rarely Best Picture. Last year’s Toronto People's Choice winner, Slumdog Millionaire, reminded us that stylistically ambitious, risky filmmaking could take statues. Variety and Hollywood Reporter have called Precious “an urban nightmare with a surfeit of soul” and “a disturbing, overwhelming story,” respectively. Roger Ebert won’t stop raving — or predicting it’s “all but certain” to be one of the ten best-pic nominees.
2. Backlash against the new nomination system could favor the film.
The ten-nominee Best Picture system was largely seen as a ploy to bring in more blockbusters and glitz after the apparently abhorrent success of indies over the last decade. Who knows what will happen when the vote is split up: When voters rank films from one to ten, it could certainly favor the middlebrow — but it’s hard to imagine a plurality of voters slotting Precious at the bottom of the list in the same way voters might be inclined to vote down an overhyped studio picture out of resentment over the new system. In any case, it will certainly help to have a passionate voting block — and Precious seems to be earning that quickly.
3. Oprah loves it.
Alongside Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey has promised to use every tentacle of her media empire to hype the film. She isn’t exactly going to blot out coverage of buddies like George Clooney, but don’t underestimate her: The woman just helped elect a president. It’s highly unlikely this film earns buckets of money — but Perry and Winfrey might help remove the box-office-viability concern.
4. Other contenders are faltering.
The Best Picture field is looking less crowded every day. A few major movies (like Green Zone) have already been bumped out of the awards season. Many of this year’s early films from major directors (including Funny People, Public Enemies, The Soloist, Away We Go, Cheri, and Taking Woodstock) have underwhelmed. Then at Toronto, Precious picked up speed while several other Oscar-bait films (The Road, The Informant!) debuted solidly but failed to knock out critics or audiences. A Serious Man, Up in the Air, and A Single Man screened big — but none has the momentum of Precious.
We trust that, like any self-respecting woman, you're no longer sporting the pathetic stunted eyelashes you had to go out and buy, but have been using Latisse to grow lashes that are "longer, thicker and darker." And as shocking as it might be that Latisse manufacturer Allergan, in its noble quest to save us from the shame of small eyelashes, would mislead its customers, the FDA recently sent out a letter warning the company that it's been minimizing some of the risks associated with use of the product.
Yes, it turns out that there are some bizarre things that can happen when you apply the patented—and totally affordable!—ophthalmic solution. According to the FDA, they include eyelash growth in areas besides the lash area (hairy cheeks, perhaps?) and inflammation of the cornea, and there's even the potential for light-colored eyes to turn brown. That's not all: In one trial, some users experienced eye redness, itchy eyes, and hyper-pigmentation of the skin in areas where the product was applied. One would think such potentially horrifying outcomes would cause an eyelash backlash. Not so much. In the first half of 2009 alone, the product raked in $25.4 million. And sales for all of 2009 are expected to top $60 million.
Historically, women who sexily bat their eyelashes have seemed to possess extraordinary, almost superhuman, flirting capabilities. (It's no coincidence that Brooke Shields and Cindy Crawford are spokeswomen for Latisse.) But in recent years, some celebs—like Lindsay Lohan, Tyra Banks, and Eva Longoria—have taken this to heart and gone a little overkill with the falsies.
So now there's Latisse, which could make you look great. But could also leave you with multi-colored eyes and a hairy face, too. And while that might seem like a serious trade-off for you, it isn't posing much of a quandary for some devoted users:
"I don't care if my eyes bleed," one fan recently posted on Twitter. "I use it and love it!"
That's the spirit! Of course, the only downside is that if you use Latisse and end up blind as a result, your lashes may end up looking fantastic. But you're going to have to take someone else's word for it, clearly.
London Fashion Week brought out some big-name guests this season, from Anna Wintour at Marios Schwab to Mary-Kate Olsen, Emma Watson, and a slew of red-carpet regulars at Burberry. We wish we could have been there, not only to see the VIPs, but to see the clothes up close, too. Alas, we're stuck here, in New York, behind a desk and under fluorescent lights that make our vision fuzzy. But no need to suffer! Just click on our "view full screen" option in each of our runway and details galleries to see the clothes and accessories zoomed in and extra large. You'll feel so close you may as well be sitting in section A1. Now it's up to you to throw a cape on your cube-mate and pretend he is André Leon Talley.
New York businessman and prominent Democratic fund-raiser Hassan Nemazee likes pretty things and fast cars, and he is not about to let the accusation that he has defrauded banks of $292 million cramp his style. According to the WSJ's Law Blog, Nemazee arrived in court to plead not guilty to the scheme "looking dapper in a dark suit." Good for him. As John Gotti once proved, just because you've been accused of doing terrible things doesn't mean you have to look terrible. We wish more accused criminals would take such pride in their personal appearances. We're looking at you, Dreier.
Olivia Palermo revealed this week that she's a jewelry designer now. The The City star collaborated with Roberta Freymann to design two necklace styles that will be sold in Freymann's Upper East Side store. The socialite also said they are working on an "exclusive retail deal, probably in [Henri Bendel]." Another celebrity turned designer? Shocking. Though her frenemy Whitney probably feels good that she did it first. [StyleWatch/People]
A hilarious Springfield, Massachusetts, postal worker faces fines and a possible five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty yesterday to stealing 3,012 Netflix DVDs from the mail he was supposed to be sorting. Myles Weathers was arrested last year after Netflix became suspicious at the high number of missing movies being reported by customers in the area. He was caught on surveillance camera removing DVDs from red envelopes and putting them in his backpack. Here's the funny thing, though: The prosecuting attorney says that because all 3,012 DVDs (valued at $36,471) were recovered, Weathers should only have to pay a restitution of $2,032 — which works out to a cheaper cost-per-movie than any monthly plan currently offered by Netflix. So we would totally endorse this if it weren't for the possible jail time and we didn't suspect that at least half of Weathers's stolen DVDs were copies of Crash.
Following a state legislature leadership meeting, Assembly Speaker for Life Sheldon Silver told reporters that "Right now I support [Paterson] for governor, yes.” Democratic conference leader John Sampson expressed similar levels of qualified loyalty: "We’re behind him 150% until otherwise known." [Daily Politics/NYDN]
Tinsley Mortimer has returned to NYC after a brief jaunt across the pond to hit up London Fashion Week. (She's now "living between New York and Knightsbridge," she explained to WWD earlier this week.) She rushed back to NYC yesterday, though, so she could make an appearance at the annual New Yorkers for Children gala at Cipriani 42nd Street last night.
And yet, as one reader points out, her German prince still hasn't been seen by her side on either side of the Atlantic: "Is it a sign of trouble?" (Or a sign she's hoping to work things out with her ex?) We have no idea, although Style.com reports that the Tinz was armed with glow sticks (remember those?) at last night's fête, so clearly she isn't putting the past behind her entirely. [Vanity Fair, Style.com, previously]
Update: A reader says that both Tinsley and Topper attended the New Yorkers for Children gala last night. Tinz came solo, but Topper was accompanied by Vogue's Valerie Boster. Awkward!
Front Page: Despite solid 'Basterds,' studio continues to downsize -- The pinkslips keep coming at the Weinstein Co., with another 35 slots due to be cut in the next month, leaving the staff size at around 90.
A close friend and former staffer to Ted Kennedy who has the Kennedy family's backing is expected to be announced to succeed the fallen liberal lion in the Senate tomorrow. Paul Kirk has said he would keep Kennedy's staff. The Massachusetts state legislature voted yesterday to allow Governor Deval Patrick to appoint an interim senator until the special election in January. Kirk, a former DNC chair, has indicated he would try to vote the way his predecessor would have. [Major Garrett/Twitter, Boston Herald]
One day, some promising sociologist or anthropologist will pen a much-needed dissertation explaining and addressing all that is wrong with the corporate psychology of Abercrombie & Fitch. Until then, all we can do is count its many crimes against humanity — refusing to hire or laying off overweight or disabled workers, casual racism, LFO, suing Beyoncé for using the word "fierce." Today, though, comes word that the frat-boy brand of choice's own internal ineptitude has actually forwarded the cause of human rights. Back in 2005, the beautiful, physically perfect employees of an A&F store in Minnesota's Mall of America expelled an autistic 14-year-old girl and her sister for the sin of going into a dressing room together. Shocking, but hardly surprising given the brand's track record. The state's Department of Human Rights levied A&F with a $115,264 fine and forced employees to undergo sensitivity training. Naturally, the company planned to appeal, but somehow their legal team didn't understand the state's legal process and are now compelled to meet the requirements of the ruling without any further recourse. It's a fitting path to justice for a corporation that acts like it preferred keg stands to studying when working toward its J.D.
You’re obviously not the only person who’s ever wondered how long to wait before calling someone back, afraid they’ll think you’re overanxious because you called them way too soon and also mailed them a time-lapsed photo collage of your next eighty years of marriage together (am I right fellas?? High five.)
But I’ll bet you didn’t know just how far back the “Awkward Phone Call Wait” goes…
One good thing about summer ending and fall beginning, according to the blog EVGrieve: If you're not too into guys wearing pink shirts (or draping pink sweaters over their shoulders, as the mayor is wont to do now and then), you can look forward to seeing a lot less of that on the streets of the city from now on. At least not until next May. [EVGrieve]
Sarah Palin made her first overseas speech in Hong Kong earlier today, addressing an audience of financial types at the CLSA Investors' Forum as part her effort to become a Serious Person. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that her 90-minute speech — during which she blamed government for the financial crisis, discussed U.S-Sino trade relations, and, of course, warned of "death panels" — elicited strong, opposing reactions from those in attendance. “The speech was wide-ranging, very balanced, and she beat all expectations,” said a member of LGT Capital Partners. "She was brilliant," a European delegate declared. Even one New Yorker who'd helped campaign for Barack Obama had words of praise for Palin. "She was articulate and she held her own," he said. "I give her credit. They’ve tried to categorize her as not being bright. She’s bright.” Of course, not everyone was quite as smitten.
“Boring, I have to say," is how one attendee put it. An Asian delegate complained, "It was almost more of a speech promoting investment in Alaska ... And she criticised Obama a lot but offered no solutions." And then there were two American delegates who walked out early, claiming that "it was awful, we couldn't stand it any longer." Unfortunately, it may be difficult to gauge Palin's speech for yourselves, since it was closed to the media after Palin "indicated that she would have to adjust her speech if reporters were present."
Over at the Projectionist, New York’s David Edelstein reviews Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story, out today: “It’s sprawling, scattershot, sniggery, and, in one instance, exploitative. It’s brazenly one-sided. But Moore calls questions that no one else in the mainstream corporate media goes near.” [The Projectionist]
EVENTS
• Craving a Fashion's Night Out flashback? Head to Bleecker Street between Hudson and Seventh Ave. for the Lucky Boutique Crawl. Stores will offer discounts, cocktails, and snacks, as well as a gift bag from Lucky magazine. Stylists from the Antonio Prieto Salon are providing complimentary blowouts at Cynthia Rowley. 376 Bleecker St., nr. Perry St. (212-242-3803); 6–9.
• Handbag designer Lindsey Hufnagel of Horse + Nail is launching a Lower East Side pop-up shop tonight to showcase her Western-inspired bags. Drinks will be served. Through 9/29. 186 Orchard St., nr. Houston St.; 7–midnight.
• Celebrate the unveiling of Self Salon's recently renovated space in Williamsburg. The festivities include cocktails, hors d'oeuvre, and mini-makeovers for fall. RSVP to afurger@afpublicrelations.com. 147 Grand St., nr. Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-599-1449); 6–8:30.
• Meet designer Cookie Johnson at Bloomingdale's as she launches her new denim collection, CJ Jeans, designed for curvy women. Cocktails will be served. 1000 Third Ave., at 59th St. (212-705-2000); 6 p.m.
• King of Shaves is offering free shaves and gifts to celebrate the launch of its new ecofriendly Azor razor. The company's master barber will also be shaving New York City firefighters and donating proceeds to the Friends of Firefighters Organization. The Shwagon, Flatiron Area Pedestrian Sidewalk, 23rd St., at Broadway; Th–F (10–6).
Dara Ettinger is hosting a trunk show at Bloomingdale's, showcasing her nature-inspired bib necklaces, earrings, cocktail rings, and statement pieces. Through 9/27. 1000 Third Ave., nr. 59th St. (212-705-2000); 11–6.
Janie Wood of Brit denim brand MiH will make an appearance at Saks and help shoppers find the proper fit. 611 Fifth Ave., at 50th St., fifth fl. (212-753-4000); 5–7.
SALES STARTING TOMORROW
• Chocheng is hosting a sample sale, featuring up to 70 percent off the spring collection and select pre-fall coats, suits, and blazers. Through 9/26. 51 E. 63rd St., nr. Park Ave. (212-967-5044); Th–F (11–7), S (11–5).
• Lingerie from Vera Wang, Elle MacPherson, Le Mystere, and more is up to 80 percent off at the Only Hearts sample sale. Check out more items at the Columbus Avenue Street Fair on Sunday. Through 9/27. 386 Columbus Ave., nr. 73rd St. (212-724-5608); Th (11–7:30), F (11–8), S (1–6:30), Su (11–6).
• Steven Dann is hosting a designer sale, offering 75 percent off shoes and bags from Givenchy, Zanotti, Valentino, Casadei, Tory Burch, and more. Through 10/4. 220 Lafayette St., nr. Spring St.; 11–8.
ENDING TOMORROW
• Browse well-preserved fall merchandise from Gucci, Theory, Prada, DVF, and more at the Housing Works preview sales. Highlights include a Gucci monogram tote for $150, a Derek Lam tiered red dress for $250, and a Kate Spade red leather handbag for $60. Various dates and locations.
• Domenico Vacca is hosting a sample sale. Select cashmere pieces are $99 (originally $490), silk cocktail dresses and gowns are $99 to $299, and men's button-down shirts are $140 (originally $540). 14 E. 60th St., nr. Madison Ave., Ste. 900 (212-920-1211); T–Th (10–6).
ONGOING
• Handbags and accessories are up to 60 percent off at the Hermès sale. Through 9/27. Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 W. 18th St., nr. Sixth Ave. (212-463-0200); W (9–6), Th (9–8), F–S (9–6), Su (1–5).
Itching for more Pee-wee Herman after last night's comeback appearance on The Jay Leno Show? Well then, we have some good news to share with you other card-carrying members of Team Herman out there: He just joined Twitter. And he's already made an "I know you are, but what am I?" joke! [Pee-wee Herman/Twitter]
Name: Dick Wolf Age: 62 Occupation: Producer, genius behind the Law & Order franchise, the original flavor of which begins its twentieth season (!) on NBC this Friday, September 25, at 8 p.m., Daily Intel Hero for Life. Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead?
Babe Ruth. Most home runs and most strikeouts. You can't hit if you don't swing.
What's the best meal you've eaten in New York? Lutece, 1976.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
One of my daughters had a really good answer when asked the same question when she was 6: "He talks on the phone and yells at people" — same deal now except I don't yell as much.
What's the last thing you saw on Broadway? Hair.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
Depends on the panhandler.
What's your drink?
Vodka.
How often do you prepare your own meals?
Breakfast every day.
In my ongoing effort to become that douchebag who tells you how much worse every movie is than some random indie movie he once saw, I went to see the extremely-limited-released Patton Oswalt movie Big Fan last night, and can honestly say it was one of the most unique and weirdly uncompromising films I’ve ever seen, and I can’t recommend it enough.
I went with four other people — two of them far bigger film nerds than myself — and all five of us enjoyed it immensely, talking about it nonstop on the cab ride home and earning us a development deal for a new show called “Movie Cab.” It’s a spin-off of the Queen Latifah movie “Taxi”, though, it has nothing to do with us discussing movies.
The movie — written and directed by Onion alumnus and The Wrestler screenwriter Robert Siegel — stars Oswalt as an obsessed New York Giants fan whose entire daily existence comprises of rehearsing rants to unleash on a talk radio show in between weekly meetups to watch the Giants on tv with his lone similarly obsessed friend. Michael “New Yorkiest guy who ever New Yorked” Rapaport ironically co-stars as a rival obsessed Eagles fan, turning the film into an oddly accurate approximation of Sundays at my apartment when I lived with one Philly dude and one Jersey dude.
I’m a huge fan of Patton Oswalt’s standup and an obsessive football fan myself, and yet, neither aspect factored into my enjoyment of the movie; it can barely be classified as a comedy to begin with, despite several laugh-out-loud moments, and the sports aspect of the film couldn’t be further from anything on Hollywood’s long list of cliche-ridden stories of triumph and/or Dennis Quaid. Oswalt’s performance is also far more convincing than even my “fanboy ready to give him the benefit of the doubt” self was expecting, and the movie’s overall arc was so deliberately low-stakes, I just couldn’t imagine another movie attempting it without adding something obligatorily “bigger”.
And for added “If you don’t live in New York, then I say ha ha to you” points, Robert Siegel actually attended the showing for an informal Q&A afterward, and spoke with genuine unpretentious enthusiasm about making the film for $300,000, sticking with Patton Oswalt in the lead role despite temptations to cast a bigger name, cutting a superfluous love story plot, and even graciously deflected one woman’s question, “Who was that main actor? He reminded me of the Mall Cop guy.”
Hopefully that question will become the movie’s new tagline.
To see a list of cities showing Big Fan, go here. Also, if you don’t live in New York, you should move here, it’s cool.
And if you want to hear more about the movie from its creator instead of some rambly, attractive blogger, check out Robert Siegel’s interview on The Sound of Young America.
When blogger and delightful floormate Rich Juzwiak isn’t slaving away over his brilliant VH1 Reality Show Recaps, he apparently sits at home fuming angry about the lack of suitable cell phones and/or providers in your run-of-the-mill sh*tty horror and suspense movie script. Just how many movies feature “No Bars or Less”? Enough that he was able to pull together nearly 5 minutes worth of examples.
Service or not service, I’m still adding Wrong Turn 2: Dead End to my Netflix queue. Because that’s what being an American is about. Also, breaking the neck of a cell phone is scarier than it sounds.
We only watched once, but we’re pretty sure “What Lies Beneath” was left out. I haven’t been able to TTYL with Harr-Ford while driving over bridges ever since…
We really can't imagine why, but Bernie Madoff's old assistant, Eleanor Squillari, has decided to auction off a portrait of Madoff that the fraudster gave her as a gift back in the late '80s. (Squillari mentioned the photo in the June issue of Vanity Fair: "Once, he gave me a picture of him taken by Karsh, the famous Canadian photographer, saying, 'Here, hang this over your bed.'") It's estimated to sell for between $3,000-$5,000. But hurry up! Bidding ends tomorrow. [Artnet via Dealbreaker]
A new documentary on the economic crisis by British director Michael Winterbottom, seen here in February 2009, points the finger squarely at free-market economist Milton Friedman for the global meltdown... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 23 Sep 2009 | 12:04 pm
Tonight, NBC debuts its latest in a long history of exciting medical dramas — only now, with more ladies! — called Mercy (”Like ER, But With a Lot More Ms, Cs and Ys.”) The show was born from the mind of Liz Heldens, who has already won your heart as the creator of Friday Night Lights. Mercy chronicles the daily lives of those hospital employees you actually see and talk to and manage to deal with: The nurses.
The star of the show, Nurse Veronica Flanagan Callahan (played by Taylor Schilling in her most Irish, multi-named role ever) has just returned to Mercy Hospital following a tour in Iraq. And wouldn’t you know it? Turns out she’s smarter than most of the doctors. Ain’t it always that way?
Together with fellow nurses Sonia “Spicy Hispanic” Jimenez (Jaime Lee Kirchner from FX’s Rescue Me), and Chloe Payne “In Everyone’s Ass (Probably)” (Gossip Girl’sMichelle Trachtenberg), they manage the daily aspects of such an often traumatic job with the finer points of their own personal lives. In other words, they’ll each probably sleep with one of the doctors at some point and maybe even each other (also known as “The 4th Season Switcheroo”). And don’t even front, you know you love that.
Watch the premiere of “Mercy“, tonight at 8 PM ET, only on NBC!
John Travolta said Wednesday he tried desperately to save the life of his seizure-prone son as he testified against two people accused of trying to blackmail him with private information about the rescue effort. Source: FOXNews.com | 23 Sep 2009 | 11:52 am
Dancing With The Stars veteran and vodka heiress Karina Smirnoff is the latest celeb to appear naked and strategically covered for PETA’s ongoing “Nudity for Brief Online Fame” exchange program, aka, the only likable thing that PETA still does:
(*Will this joke ever get old? What? It’s… already buried next to the corpse of Jessica Tandy? I see. Moving on…)
I’ve hesitated writing about Fox’s Glee, because the show has brought me so much unadulterated joy that opening this forum up to the “it sucks” masses seemed like the last thing to do. The characters, the music, the dance sequences, the hot teacher, and most importantly — THE INDIAN PRINCIPAL (best character on the show, for real) — have turned Glee into the most hotly anticipated hour of comedy of 2009. (No offense, TLC’s I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant.)
The best part about Glee? Other than Jane Lynch and the Indie Prince-pal? DUH: The musical numbers. Most of the stars of the show were plucked directly from Broadway, meaning that the voices and dance numbers are above and beyond spectacular. Take this version of “Take a Bow”, which is the epitome of embarrassing cheesiness that theater hags like myself can fully embrace. And what with the absence of American Idol on the airwaves, Glee is really all we’ve got.
Here is a preview from tonight’s episode, featuring the so far not really seen Kurt (Chris Colfer) singing Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”. We love Kurt, but we kinda wish he would just gay it up a little bit. He’s really not gay enough for our likings…
Feel free to “Glee” Fan Girl (or Boy!) up the comments section. Favorite moments, characters, things you hope to see happen and what did you dream about last night?
Actress Mackenzie Phillips claims she had a long-term incestuous relationship with her father, musician John Phillips of the 60s group the Mamas and the Papas Source: FOXNews.com | 23 Sep 2009 | 10:53 am
Sometimes drug raids get boring. You know what’s not boring? Wii Bowling. Can I honestly say that if I were a Narc, I’d never play Wii Bowling at the home of an arrested suspect after a raid? No I cannot. In fact, I’d probably only ever do that, without the policing part.
Incredible Joy Alert at 0:16!
As Chief Wiggum would say, “That’s nice work, boys.”
An employee from the Frida Kahlo museum shows a book of letters, paintings, sketchs and more from the famous Mexican artist which was recently published, claiming that the material printed is not actually... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 23 Sep 2009 | 10:12 am
Reuters - Milan took over the baton for the next leg of the fashion season on Wednesday, kicking off eight days of catwalk shows and presentations, despite a last-minute shuffling of slots that threw organizers into a fluster. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 23 Sep 2009 | 10:04 am
Fashion Wire Daily - Burberry returned home to London Tuesday night, Sept. 22, staging the slickest runway show in memory in a local college, as the house unveiled its giant new Thames-side headquarters.
Executive Producer of the UN: We just ain’t bringin’ in the 18-49 demographics like we used to, we gotta spice things up. Any suggestions? I’m thinkin’ either some of that edgy rapping music, or we get Bill Clinton and Matt Damon to make out. Who’s on board?
These photos might look like candid pics taken from on recent “Pulp Fiction: Live!” vacation, but in fact, these are stills from the Fashion East Spring/Summer 2010 Menswear Presentation during London Fashion Week. Yes, fellas, get the cornstarch out, because next Spring will be all about basting your balls in your own gland gravy (sweat, we think). Just make sure to wear this on your person when flying, so as not to confuse the security personnel.
Recently unsealed affidavits and search warrants claim Smith's psychiatrist and next-door neighbor and internist requested such "alarming" amounts and combinations of drugs that a pharmacist refused to fill the prescriptions. Source: FOXNews.com | 23 Sep 2009 | 9:22 am
Front Page: CBS dominates night with crime drama franchise -- It all came together in a big way for "NCIS" on Tuesday as the original topped 20 million viewers and its Los Angeles-set spinoff had a big bow of its own for CBS, which cruised to victory with some of its best premiere-week numbers in years.
Fashion Wire Daily - One of the half-dozen most eagerly awaited shows in London Fashion Week is that of Jonathan Saunders, whose artily elegant clothes are among the most contemporary available from a U.K. designer.
AP - "The Year of the Flood" (Doubleday, 448 pages, $26), by Margaret Atwood: There is gallows humor, and then there is Margaret Atwood. The masterful Canadian writer is emerging as literature's queen of the apocalypse. And the dark visions Atwood again summons in "The Year of the Flood" prove quite illuminating.
She's a 50-year-old plastic fashion icon, and he's a loincloth-wearing prince with a pageboy and a Power Sword.
And now Barbie and He-Man are going to the movies! (But not...
It's almost here! Months after the Grey's Anatomy season finale left us cliffhanging, we finally get to see what happens to poor terminally ill Izzie (Katherine Heigl) and gravely wounded...
Review in a Hurry: In a mere two hours, polarizing documentarian Michael Moore attempts to explain the entire U.S. economy in layman's terms and why it's putting the hurt on most of us...
UPDATE: Francis pleaded guilty this afternoon to two counts of filing false tax returns and one count of bribing Nevada jail workers to bring him food.
He must pay $249,705 in...
Get ready for two new singles from two—like it or not, Britney haters—pop icons: One whose recording career hasn't exactly been showing signs of life lately and the other whose,...
If you're like us, you follow entertainment like some people watch sports. Which means, of course, you don't really have time to watch sports.
So with that in mind, we set out...
Is that Pee-wee Herman I just saw on Jay Leno? Why?
—Vira, via the Answer B!tch inbox
Yes, that is the same little man with the cute bow tie and even more adorable rap...
We trust that, like any self-respecting woman, you're no longer sporting the pathetic stunted eyelashes you had to go out and buy, but have been using Latisse to grow lashes that are "longer, thicker and darker." And as shocking as it might be that Latisse manufacturer Allergan, in its noble quest to save us from the shame of small eyelashes, would mislead its customers, the FDA recently sent out a letter warning the company that it's been minimizing some of the risks associated with use of the product.
In my ongoing effort to become that douchebag who tells you how much worse every movie is than some random indie movie he once saw, I went to see the extremely-limited-released Patton Oswalt movie Big Fan last night, and can honestly say it was one of the most unique and weirdly uncompromising films I’ve ever seen, and I can’t recommend it enough.
And for added “If you don’t live in New York, then I say ha ha to you” points, Robert Siegel actually attended the showing for an informal Q&A afterward, and spoke with genuine unpretentious enthusiasm about making the film for $300,000, sticking with Patton Oswalt in the lead role despite temptations to cast a bigger name, cutting a superfluous love story plot, and even graciously deflected one woman’s question, “Who was that main actor? He reminded me of the Mall Cop guy.”
OF ALL TIME.*
