AP - The crew of the Hollywood doomsday movie "2012" expressed sympathy Friday for victims of real-life flooding and earthquakes this week in the Asia-Pacific region. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 2 Oct 2009 | 4:37 am
AP - The crew of the Hollywood doomsday movie "2012" expressed sympathy Friday for victims of real-life flooding and earthquakes this week in the Asia-Pacific region. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 2 Oct 2009 | 4:37 am
AP - It was business as usual for David Letterman and CBS' "Late Show." The band played. The host, dapper as always in a well-tailored suit, recited his monologue; some jokes hit, some missed.
(Reuters) Reuters - The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2009 will be announced on October 8, the Swedish Academy which hands out the 10 million crown ($1.42 million) award said on Friday. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 2 Oct 2009 | 3:48 am
(Reuters) Reuters - Ending a complete lack of suspense, director Michael Bay said Thursday that he will shoot a third "Transformers" film, whose release date has been brought forward by exactly one year to July 1, 2011. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 2 Oct 2009 | 2:34 am
Letterman said that "this whole thing has been quite scary." But he mixed in jokes while outlining what had happened to him, seeming to confuse a laughing audience at Thursday's taping... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 2 Oct 2009 | 2:27 am
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Daniel Dae Kim (ABC's "Lost") and John Slattery (AMC's "Mad Men") will join Matt Damon in "The Adjustment Bureau," a sci-fi romance based on a Philip K.... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 2 Oct 2009 | 2:26 am
Letterman said that "this whole thing has been quite scary." But he mixed in jokes while outlining what had happened to him, seeming to confuse a laughing audience at Thursday's taping... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 2 Oct 2009 | 2:01 am
AP - Michael Jackson's autopsy report was surprising as much for what it didn't contain as for what it did: The singer was in relatively good health for a man his age and no illegal drugs were detected in his system.
After four years of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," Jon Gosselin said he's decided it's not healthy for his children to be on a reality show.
(AP)
AP - Dan Tyminski won two top awards Thursday night at the 20th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, including male vocalist of the year for the fourth time.
All those reports of active open houses—compared to the way it’s been, anyway—this summer? All true, as it turns out, according to Manhattan market reports released today by pretty much everyone who crunches numbers in real estate. But no one’s declaring a full recovery just yet. According to the Prudential Douglas Elliman’s survey, compiled by appraiser Jonathan Miller, transactions rose by 45 percent from 1532 in the previous quarter to 2230. But that’s still 16 percent off compared to the same time last year. Why the relative bustle when summer’s usually the slowest time of the year? (Spring is usually where the action’s at.) “This year the peak level of activity was pushed forward three months to the third quarter as a result of the frozen market conditions last fall beginning with the 9/15/08 market tipping point (Lehman bankruptcy),” Miller writes. “The “spring” market effectively occurred this summer reflecting a release of pent-up demand, improved consumer confidence buoyed by a rising stock market, record low mortgage rates, increased affordability and the first time buyers tax credit.”
Other sort-of good news: Average and median prices are still down, but “the rate of decline was less than the prior quarter,” per Halstead Property’s study. (For the record, they say average prices are at $1,274,563, median prices, $781.000. 2008’s numbers: $1.473 million and $910,000, respectively.) Median for new developments—the most embattled sector—actually crept up 1.8 percent compared to the previous quarter, per Streeteasy. The picture’s even rosier compared to same time last year, average-price-wise: Those went up 23.1 percent. Inventory’s slowly declining, too.
There are caveats galore, however. Like this: It’s taking even longer to unload apartments. That stat is up from 134 days in 2008 to 167, according to Miller. The number of broken contracts rose 7.6 percent—from 132 to 142—this quarter from the previous quarter, too. Sofia Kim, Streeteasy’s director of research, says first-time buyers who don’t have to wrestle for jumbo mortgages have kept the market afloat. But where we’re going, nobody knows: Unemployment is still rising, she points out, and prices are still falling. Writes Miller: “Due to elevated unemployment levels, shadow inventory and tight credit, the Manhattan housing market can best be characterized as “turning the corner” but has not yet found a “bottom”.’
Boom! As if Letterman weren't already beating Conan badly enough lately, on tonight's show he'll announce he was the victim of a $2 million extortion plot threatening to reveal his sexual relationships with several female Late Show staffers — which he's admitted to: "My response to that is, yes I have," he told his audience at today's taping. "Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps." But, he added, "I need to certainly protect my family."
According to a release from his PR, Dave received a package in the mail three weeks ago containing evidence of his affairs and demanding $2 million not to make the information public. So he called the cops, who caught the guy with a fake check (no details have yet been released on the person they have in custody). "This morning, I did something I've never done in my life," Letterman will say on tonight's show. "I had to go downtown and testify before a grand jury." The Times says the DA's office will hold a press conference tomorrow to fill in additional details.
The Daily News spoke with Letterman's poor mother, who said she found out from his wife, Regina Lasko, who he married in March. "I knew he was being blackmailed and that someone was arrested today. So far that's all I know. I'm looking forward to seeing the show tonight to see what he has to say."
Presumably he'll ask himself what the hell he was thinking, then beat The Tonight Show's ratings for the next decade.
Front Page: Sam Raimi's genre label to launch new banner -- Sam Raimi's genre label Ghost House is launching Spooky Pictures as a new banner that will produce thrillers for family audiences.
Forget The Hills. That reality show is so, like, totally last year for Lauren Conrad.
Just today, Ms. Conrad launched a new clothing line for Kohl's department stores. And yesterday,...
J.J. Abrams Spy-Series: After a day of nonstop chaos between the major networks, NBC came out on top and scored J.J.'s superhyped action-packed spy thriller. Even better? Our favorite...
Fame Kills is already dead.
The highly anticipated North American tour featuring pantsless wonder Lady Gaga and rapper turned VMAs pariah Kanye West has been canceled, promoter Live...
Bummer! Live Nation announced tonight that Kanye's Fame Kills tour, with co-headliner Lady Gaga, has been canceled. No official reason was cited, but sometimes-reliable gossip site Media Takeout reported yesterday that Gaga wanted out. We certainly hope Taylor Swift is pleased with herself.
UPDATE: Conan's latest reaction to being banned from flying into Newark: "So Mr. Mayor, I can't tell you how sorry I am that I didn't make that joke 15 years...
Front Page: 'Late Show' host also admits sex with staffers -- By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER
In an uncharacteristically personal revelation for David Letterman, the host took to his "Late Show" stage Thursday to admit that he was the victim of an extortion attempt -- and acknowledge that he has had sexual relations with more than one staff member.
Online media reports named the man in the alleged extortion case as Robert Halderman, a producer for CBS.
In a statement, Eye confirmed that it "was made aware of an ongoing police investigation involving David Letterman and an employee at '48 Hours,' who was subsequently arrested earlier today on charges of attempted grand larceny in the first degree. CBS is cooperating fully with the authorities and the employee has been suspended pending the results of the investigation. Mr. Letterman addressed the issue during the show's broadcast this evening, and we believe his comments speak for themselves."
On the show, Letterman sat down behind his desk and asked his audience whether they wanted to hear a story -- and the crowd enthusiastically cheered, not knowing what they were about to hear.
According to the host first received a package three weeks ago from someone who claimed to have information about alleged sexual relations he has had with female employees of the "Late Show."
"I get to looking through it and there's a letter in the package and it says, 'I know that you do some terrible, terrible things. And I can prove that you do these terrible things.' Sure enough, contained in the package was stuff to prove that I do terrible things," Letterman said on Thursday's edition of CBS' "Late Show."
The host said the alleged extortion suspect claimed he planned to write both a movie screenplay and a book based on what he knew -- that Letterman had engaged in sex with staffers.
"He's going to take all the terrible stuff he knows about my life -- and according to this packet, there seems to be a lot of terrible stuff he knows about -- and he's going to put it into a movie unless I give him some money," he said. "That's a little hinky. I just want to reiterate how terrifying this moment is. Because there's something very insidious about, is he standing down there, is he hiding under the car, am I going to get a tap on the shoulder?"
Letterman said the individual threatened to go public with the allegations unless Letterman paid the person $2 million.
The host, under advisement of his attorney, met with the man on three different occasions. According to Letterman, the suspect even made it clear he knew what he was doing was illegal.
Letterman told his audience that he then contacted the Manhattan District Attorney's Special Prosecution Bureau.
"I had to tell them how I was disturbed by this I was worried for myself, I was worried for my family, I felt menaced by this, and I had to tell them all of the creepy things that I have done that were going to be exposed," he said.
At that point in the story, the audience laughed nervously. "Now why is that funny?" Letterman asked.
The meeting with the D.A. led to a sting operation, in which Letterman met with the individual and handed the person a fake $2 million check. That person was arrested on Thursday.
"This morning, I did something I've never done in my life," Letterman said. "I had to go downtown and testify before a grand jury."
As part of the testimony, Letterman admitted that he had engaged in sexual relationships with staff members.
"My response to that is, yes I have. Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps it would," Letterman said. "Especially for the women. But that's a decision for them to make if they want to come public and talk about the relationships.
Letterman called the series of events "a very bizarre experience."
"I feel like I need to protect these people -- I need to certainly protect my family," he said.
Letterman added that he wouldn't have much more to say about the topic.
"I'm motivated by nothing but guilt. If you know anything about me, I am just a towering mass of Lutheran, Midwestern guilt," he said.
This is not the first time Letterman has been the victim of an extortion attempt. Police revealed a plot in 2005 to kidnap Letterman's baby son, Harry, for a $5 million ransom. House painter Kelly Frank was later charged with the crime.
Letterman has been married to Regina Lasko, the mother of his child, since March. The two have dated since 1986.
Revelation came on what should have been a day of celebration for Letterman, as ratings from week one of the new TV season gave the host his first outright latenight victory in four years.
Letterman's news may also have an impact on the latenight ratings race as interest in the extortion case perhaps fuels tune-in. It's been an eventful week in the latenight sphere, as "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien was rushed to the hospital last Friday after hitting his head onstage.
Bravo revealed today that it's giving Christian Siriano his own reality show which will feature the season 4 winner of Project Runway as "he sets up a new shop and markets his clothing line." Last night, however, Siriano was at Juliet, Todd English's new supper club in Chelsea, where he attended Moskova Affair, a party to celebrate the launch of Stoli's newest flavor of vodka, Gala Applik. As Jessica Szohr, Chace Crawford, Kelly Bensimon, and Richie Rich took in a performance by The Vau de Vire Society, an "acrobatic and aerial avant cabaret troupe," nightlife reporter Douglas Marshall took a moment to chat with the designer/realty TV personality (pictured here with his boyfriend, Brad Walsh) about New York's nightlife scene and how many gays it takes to make a venue too gay.
Q: So we're at Juliet, a club that hasn't officially opened yet. Have you been to any new spots recently? Would you say you're a big New York nightlife person?
CS: I like to go wherever there's a free cocktail! I'm more about new, fun places which are special and more downtown and small. And I like to do things that are artistic. I like the atmosphere here. What they're showcasing is very different.
Q: Would you hold a fashion show here?
CS: No, I probably wouldn't. But I could have my Halloween party here. That would be really good, right?
Q: That would be awesome. Do you know what you're going to be for Halloween yet?
CS: I do! But it's a secret. I'm going to be a Disney character and I am going to be a girl. But that's all I'm going to say.
Q: So there are a handful of hot spots this fall. Have you been to the Ballroom at Jane Hotel?
CS: No, what's that? [Pointing to a woman nearby] Look at her legs! Look at those! Those are not normal!
Q: Have you been to the Boom Boom Room yet?
CS: No! What is it?
Q: It's the new lounge at the top of the Standard Hotel.
CS: Ohhhhhh! Yes, we were there! But before it opened. For the Alan Cumming thing.
Q: Did you like it?
CS: It was fun. But it was way too crowded and there were a lot of gays.
Q: Do you not like that? Would you prefer there to be more gays or less gays?
CS: I just like... normal! I like it when there are a few gays, a few trannies, and few models. It's all about the mix!
Front Page: 'Ice Age' helmer to adapt game as feature -- Twentieth Century Fox has paired up with Electronic Arts to turn the publisher's popular "Spore" game into an animated creature feature, with "Ice Age's" Chris Wedge attached to helm.
Yesterday, we wrote at length about some of the major issues we have with The Jay Leno Show, NBC's recent cost-savings initiative that's masquerading itself as a talk-variety show. Normally, we wouldn't consider piling on the clearly struggling Leno on consecutive days, but then again, there's a story in today's Los Angeles Times written by Meg James that fans the anti-Leno flames considerably. While it's been well-known for months that rival networks were going to be reticent to grant their stars permission to appear alongside the Chin in his move to prime time, James ups the ante a notch or two by labeling ABC and CBS's stance on the matter an out-and-out "boycott."
We certainly understand the rationale behind NBC competitors' hesitancy to allow their big stars to appear on Leno's show, the thought process of which goes a little something like this: If big stars from CBS or ABC appear on the program, that could conceivably work to propel Leno's ratings to victory over their own network's programming in the 10 p.m. slot (in the process, possibly sinking some of the shows these stars would've been promoting). However, we think there's another group of people that should be EVEN MORE concerned about the interests of these television stars than the network suits. Namely, the agents of actors who actually appear on the show!
Take Julia Louis-Dreyfus, for example. She appeared on Leno's show on Tuesday night in an effort to promote both her CBS show, The New Adventures of Old Christine, as well as her guest stint on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, making her the first (and so far, only) actor to break this boycott. As has become commonplace on Leno's awful new show, Louis-Dreyfus was pushed by the Chin to do something humiliating as means of "earning her plug." In her case, she was forced to endure five seconds of a scary tarantula crawling on her arm in order for Jay to show a five-second clip (literally!) from her CBS program. But because Louis-Dreyfus is a good corporate soldier, she also volunteered to wear a homemade New Adventures of Old Christine crown and to have a "Watch CBS" logo appear on her ass. Which leads us to ask, what kind of self-respecting agent of one of the biggest stars on television would allow their client to go through the ringer like this when there are plenty of other outlets to get the word out about her new projects? Ari Gold would never stand for shenanigans like this, that much is certain.
In case you don't believe us, here's the all-around-embarrassing clip:
So while the reasons that rival networks would want to boycott Leno make total sense to us, we would argue that stars of just about every ilk — and that includes NBC stars, too — should be strongly cautioned by their management teams about the blows to their reputation that they will have to endure when they decide to do an appearance alongside the Chin.
A retired prosecutor whose comments in a 2008 HBO documentary threatened to derail a 31-year-old sex case against film director Roman Polanski now says he lied.
Under an old contract, the Bank of America CEO is set to receive $53 million in pension benefits from the TARP-supported institution. That seems fair. [Fortune]
From left, Rick Owens, Bruno Pieters, and Balmain.
Paris Fashion Week is in full swing! Rick Owens gave us what we know and love of his signature style (sculptural jackets and dresses, delicious shoes and accessories) with a twist (giant bushes, possibly strategically placed). Bruno Pieters showed short frocks and jumpers with hoods in a palette of beige, white, and gray. And Balmain went jungle chic. See that and more in our latest slideshows from Paris.
Elle's Kate Lanphear accents a black suit with a pair of Christian Louboutin’s Studded Pigalles while attending the Balenciaga spring 2010 show today in Paris.
Do you love the sharp stud accents, or are they getting tired?
Fashion Wire Daily - While it might seem like a difficult task to reinvent that fashion staple of heavy metal music fans, the t-shirt, if anyone has the right credentials for the task it's Rob Halford, lead singer of legendary metal band Judas Priest.
Neil Diamond today announced that he'll release A Cherry Cherry Christmas on October 13 — making him now the third artist, after Bob Dylan and David Archuleta, to schedule a Christmas album for that date. Also, the second Jewish one. [AP]
Photographer Daniel D'Ottavia just had the pleasure of shooting Chad White in a fabulous penthouse apartment in New York. They're not published; just a personal project of Daniel's, something to round out his portfolio. It's a stunning look at interior design, with the way the lines of Chad's physique at once complement and create tension within the lines of the space. For a closer look at this interior design, this art, this pensiveness, this angst, those briefs, see the slideshow.
This, apparently, is the cover of their new album, Sculpted Beef.
Beyond the member named “Tits” (a male or female, we’re not sure; maybe if we knew the first name was “Man” ... ), the makeup of White Shit doesn’t much interest us. But their song “Jim Morrison” — which you can download here — is utterly transfixing. One minute into the two-and-a-half-minute track — a model of thrumming, elemental punk, once you get past all the feedback — the narrator intones the story of his troubled former neighbor, starting with an I.D. (“The Jim Morrison I knew never wrote poetry, and, to the best of my knowledge, never owned a pair of leather pants”) and landing on bit of existential musing (“On quiet nights, when I’m enjoying a glass of Merlot, I often wonder if Jim is dying a slow, poignant death, alone in his bathtub, with drink in hand”). If you think we’ve given it all away, you do not know the magic of this song. But if it sounds like too much of a bummer, just go ahead and watch the Chali 2na video embedded below.
Cops may have sunk their teeth into the starlets of The Vampire Diaries, but they couldn't turn them into cold, hard criminals.
Nina Dobrev, Sara Canning, Candice Accola, Kayla...
Sweats are having a moment. We first spotted the sweatpants trend picking up on the spring 2010 New York runways, and now Rafael Nadal and Kobe Bryant star in Nike's new Nike Sportswear look book expressing solid machismo in the gym-friendly fabric. The tennis player and basketballer are among seven athletes in the new campaign shot by David Sims and styled by Karl Templer, and the products drop in stores today. And while we're skeptical of embracing a trend that is typically seen on lazy college students who can hardly get dressed enough to walk two minutes across the quad, the way Nadal and Bryant wear the comfy cloth might just change our minds. Nadal is even wearing two sweatshirts. He must be hot in there! Yes, of course he is. Sweaty, sweaty hot.
Bethenny Frankel minus the Housewives? Christian Siriano without the designers? Fabio Viviani and no quickfire challenge?
These are topsy-turvy times, folks, but as strange as these...
After chess references, weed smoking, their love of obscure kung-fu movies, and awesome rap music, the thing Wu-Tang Clan is best known for is dysfunction. The creative differences, which came to a head on 8 Diagrams, have been well elucidated, but the repeatedly reported money disputes with RZA — which at one point supposedly forced poor Cappadona to take a job driving a gypsy cab in Baltimore — have never been fully explained. Until this week: RZA, fed up with the latest lawsuit, this one from Ghostface, charging that RZA owes him $158,000 in back royalties, is pleading innocent over at AllHipHop.com, and breaking down why all his buddies seem to hate him every once in a while.
RZA's often been blamed for out-and-out withholding funds from group members, but he explains here that the issue is with the default royalty split: As a producer, he’s legally entitled to 50 percent of any given song, while the rappers on the track split the other 50 percent among themselves. Seeing as there are seven other official WTC members (R.I.P., ODB), you can understand how some unpleasantness might arise. But, as RZA bluntly puts it: "I have a legal contract with Wu-Tang Productions, matter of fact all of us do. We all signed that. We signed that years ago … Ghost made a deal with someone who thought they should get more from him than what they’ve got.”
While we're glad someone finally explained what the infighting's been about all these years, we're a bit bummed to hear RZA bitter ("What's so bad is [other producers] using my sound getting 50 percent and here I am the inventor of the sound getting scrutinized"). We know we shouldn't worry too much, though. No matter how much they fight, they always seem to patch it back up, for some reason.
Just look at that face. Does it even remotely resemble the Matt Damon we so often hear about? The fun-loving prankster who pals around with the likes of Brad Pitt and George Clooney? We think not....
Jil Sander's line for Uniqlo, +J, landed in stores today. Doors opened at the Soho flagship at 546 Broadway this morning at 10 a.m., and by 3 p.m. 75 eager shoppers were still waiting in line outside. Security guards kept the crowd moving briskly, letting in up to fifteen at a time. Once inside, the +J line was curtained off with floor-to-ceiling white sheets. People seemed to be buying in bulk, and smaller sizes were scarce, especially the wool jackets, collared shirts, and stretch cashmere items, which the sales team says have been the best sellers.
MEN
• Most wool trousers
• Most wool outerwear
• Stretch cashmere items
That sounds like everything! But the store expects to restock tonight, so if you didn't camp out for the items today, you'll probably still be able to pick something up by this weekend.
The bedroom community to the north has been ravaged by the financial crisis, according to news reports. Unemployed and scandalized hedge-fund managers have been forced to rent their homes and sell their jets. Rodents are scuttering about the streets, and a feeling of hopelessness pervades. Basically, it is like Detroit up there, but with fancier houses and lots more white people. And now, it seems, officials in Greenwich have taken the shocking measure of releasing 2,000 weevils into the city in order to stop an invasive weed from covering any more of the town. The weed is an plant called mile-a-minute vine, and it is known for smothering shrubs, trees, and hedges. Weevils are bugs — disgusting, creepy, tiny bugs.
“We had this big release ceremony,” said Karen Dixon, director of Greenwich Audubon. “It was hilarious. I didn’t know what I thought would happen. A parade? I guess I don’t know what I thought 2,000 insects would look like, but basically they were in a Tupperware container.
”Dixon said she also saw many holes in leaves and adult weevils mating. “They were very cozy,” she said. “They were with each other in the Biblical sense.”
Hilarious? And what, we're making jokes, here? What is wrong with these people? Has relative poverty made them insane? Is Karen going to be laughing when these creatures having multiplied are crawling around on her face and in her cereal and shit? No. She'll be SCREAMING. They should quarantine the whole place if you ask us. Just shut it down.
Hey, remember those awesome Blur–reunion-show videos? And remember reading about those Blur festival appearances? And then remember not hearing anything else? Well, according to Graham Coxon in an interview with NME, that’s because the Blur reunion is already over. But we're not convinced! Coxon also mentions how much he loves watching Alex James play bass — and he says, "We're in touch and we say 'Wotcha' and all that." They say "wotcha"! Expect a U.S. tour announcement any minute. [NME]
The Havana skyline at dusk is reflected on the window panes of a building. The New York Philharmonic said Thursday it was indefinitely postponing concerts planned in the Cuban capital Havana because of... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 1 Oct 2009 | 4:13 pm
For months it's looked like Crocs would succumb to the economic downturn, returning to the depths of ugliness from whence they came, where no living being would have to look at a new pair for the rest of time. In July experts in these matters predicted the company would crumble as soon as last month. But you may have noticed that today is October 1, and Earth has yet to receive word of the company's demise. That's because the shoe brand has just secured up to $30 million in revolving loans. Who would facilitate such a fashion crime? PNC Financial Services Group Inc., that's who.
Though shares of Crocs used to go for around $70 in 2007 and dipped to $6.65 yesterday, the company may even turn a profit in 2010 thanks to this new credit arrangement, according to experts. Also, they've been trying to stop bleeding money by reducing inventory and debt and increasing profitability and probably other glittery financial generalities like that. But! Can they really make a financial turnaround if they don't win back the Jews? Hmmm?
With runway regulars Raquel Zimmermann, Coco Rocha, and Catherine McNeil missing in action, Milan proved to be a battleground for the new class. After a breakout fall 2009 season, Russian model Jac opened for Bottega Veneta and Pucci, closed Gianfranco Ferré, and did both at Etro. Alla Kostromicheva was the first face at the Rami Fernandez and Maida Gregori Boina–cast Jil Sander show. Meanwhile, Kansas native Lindsay Wixson opened Prada, which instantly elevated her rookie status to rising star. And the Dutch ingénue Nimue Smit opened and closed for Salvatore Ferragamo. Not bad for the newbies, eh? But this Milan Fashion Week was all about the return of Abbey Lee. After skipping the fall 2009 season owing to a knee injury, the Aussie tore up the runways, from opening D&G to having the first and last looks at Fendi and Versace. It's safe to say she's back! See all the openers and closers from Milan in our slideshow.
As soon as I heard the idea, I said, "That's going to be fun." I knew it would be fun.
How long was it in the works before you announced it?
Oh, months and months.
How did you manage to keep it under wraps for so long?
It wasn't up to me. I don't know. It actually was surprising, because it's a lot of people on these crews. You would think somebody would say something, but I guess nobody ... Or there's the possibility that no one cares. We have to consider that.
You were on Curb Your Enthusiasm before on the episode where Larry made his debut in The Producers, and he didn't go over so well. If you had to pick one role in a famous Broadway show that he'd excel at, what would it be?
Um, Pearlie. I could see him in the Ben Vereen role in Pearlie. You know, he's very light on his feet, that kind of soulful but old-school–show-business know-how. Everything that Ben Vereen has, Larry has in a different way.
Larry is known for irritating people. What bothers you about him?
Watching him order in a restaurant. A little too much thought goes into it. Speed it up, get it out. Just get the fish! You know you're going to get the fish!
What current annoyance of yours would you turn into a Seinfeld episode?
Oh my goodness. It's an open fire hydrant of annoyance. Right now I've really had it with the Corona ads. Lying on the beach, throwing the cell phones in the water, and the idiot girl lying next to him, bubbling up with skin cancer. I'm tired of it. You know, the fantasy that the beach is this great destination that we all want to get to with a beer. It's like, fifteen minutes ... "What am I doing here? Let's get out of here." It's time for a new ad for the Corona people. It's time for a new idea. But they won't. They're going to stick with that beach thing forever.
What about living in New York annoys you these days?
People not being happy with my phone because it's not as cool as their phone, or they have some feature that I don't have and they're always showing me, "Oh, my phone can do this" and "my phone can do that."
Your friends are not happy with your phone?
I just have a Razr, an old Motorola Razr. I don't have a BlackBerry or an iPhone. My friends are very cranky about it: "What are you still using that for?" I see you've got a pad and a pen, by the way. How lame is that? [Laughs] With a spiral at the top!
While several high-profile actors and directors have rallied around Roman Polanski, not everyone in Hollywood believes he should be freed and forgiven.
You know you're having a strange day when you end up sitting next to Spencer Pratt on national TV. Let me explain; I attended a taping of The View this morning because I'm writing a profile of Sherri Shepherd for the magazine. A few minutes before the show started, it was announced that the guest host today (replacing Elisabeth Hasselbeck, on maternity leave) would be none other than Heidi Montag, one half of Speidi, whose misadventures I chronicle weekly in my recaps of The Hills. That's funny, I thought to myself, knowing I was attending a show with probable YouTube moments. And then the announcer continued, “And put a hand together for her husband, Spencer Pratt!” Spencie jogged out to applause and plopped down in the empty seat to my right. Eeeek! He and Heidi exchanged meaningful glances, and he made a kissy noise directed at her, which she smiled at. Cute? Whoopi started in on the self-generated rumors about how Heidi wants to have kids and Spencer doesn’t, and the camera cut to Spencer, in a scarf and crystal necklace, to explain his side. I tried unsuccessfully to lean out of the shot, but alas, I was caught. See the video here (scroll to "Hot Topics: Kids for Heidi and Spencer?"). I’m to his right, looking very embarrassed.
So here are some facts about Spencie that you probably don’t want to know, but I will tell you anyway: That necklace he’s wearing is made of crystals, and he wears it to protect himself from evil. He has a 200-pound crystal from Peru in his house, which he had excavated and flown in specially. He’s very proud of it. He laughs very loudly at anything that’s semi-funny.
Those first two tidbits I learned during a break, when he had a conversation with the show’s producer. I didn’t actually speak to Spencer (I know, I know ... but what would I have said? Do you read the mean things I write about you? I’m a big fan?), but I did become intimately acquainted with his ripped-up sweater and the patented “woot woot” that he broke out whenever Heidi said something. In all, it was somewhat disappointing — if anything, he seemed super-encouraging of his wife, who said some not-so-bright things about evolution, her own privacy, and reality TV. But it was fun to get a real, live close-up of his infamous facial hair and beady blue eyes, and I’m glad I have this evidence of our very weird chance encounter. Otherwise, who would believe me?
Fashion Wire Daily - At the latest women's ready-to-wear collection from Balenciaga, unveiled Thursday, Oct. 1, in Paris, the mood was futuristic, though with clothes that somehow seem pulled out of the earth.
For the 26th consecutive week, the Black Eyed Peas find themselves perched atop Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Despite its title containing a grammatical miscue, "I Gotta Feeling" has been No. 1 for fourteen consecutive weeks, which means it's tied with Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" for the longest run atop the pop charts this decade. And now that Oprah Winfrey has commissioned an Oprah-specific remix of the song, you can expect your mom to be singing it at the dinner table for the foreseeable future. [Reuters]
MAKEUP
• Sarah Palin's agents are reportedly trying to score the politician a beauty deal by capitalizing on her "lipstick on a pit bull" catchphrase when pitching companies. [Page Six/NYP]
• Blue lashes are as popular as black lashes. "Lashes have become as flirty and fashionable as hairstyles," says Estée Lauder senior vice-president Anne Carullo. [NYT]
HAIR
• The look at Balmain was natural. “I just wanted the girls to be their gorgeous selves,” hairstylist Sam McKnight said, who simply spritzed hair with water and ran his fingers through it. [WWD]
• Redken's creative consultant Guido Palau was the hairstylist backstage at the Nina Ricci show, where he said the look was "the more Elizabeth Taylor–looking it is, the better!" [Girls in the Beauty Department/Glamour]
• Rachel Zoe is "addicted" to powdering her hair because the process soaks up dirt without having to shampoo. [Bellasugar]
Even though Obama's popularity has been sliding significantly, Shepard Fairey, designer of the viral blue-and-red Manifest Hope poster, thinks it's the perfect time to release a slick and comprehensive anthology of celebratory Obama-related artworks: Art for Obama, which he co-edited with Evolutionary Media Group founder Jennifer Gross, comes out October 2. In addition to getting a look at the imagery, we spoke with Fairey about Obama's approval ratings, how political art reaches beyond politics, and his thoughts on the artistic deification of our leader.
Tell us about the idea behind Art for Obama.
People undervalue the potential impact of art: It's different from what a slogan or a normal political logo can do. It has more of a depth, more of a connection. Even someone who doesn't dig Obama might be able to find some value in the art itself. For example, I'm inspired by historical art from the Soviet Union in the late teens through the early twenties — I don't identify with the politics, but the aesthetic is incredibly powerful. The inspiration from these works could apply to any number of new things, to other political issues.
How did you choose the works for this book? There's a lot of Obama art out there.
We were looking for works being presented as artwork, not just augmentation for the campaign. The other question was: Is it good art? Many had clever messages that were rendered very poorly, so we excluded them. Not all of the works are my personal taste, but it was really important to include the range of artistic diversity there.
Obama's approval ratings are much lower than they were months ago. Is this really the right time for this book?
Obama's drop in popularity is symptomatic of a psychological flaw in the American populace in general: the tendency to blame whoever's at the control, whether the situation they're in control of was created or was inherited by them. So this is the best time to release it — not in terms of sales, but rather this idea of art being a component of grassroots action, art being inspiring to people. It's a really good thing for people to be reminded of, no matter how popular Obama is.
We love that 'Marie Claire' appears to have purchased illegal drugs for this shoot.
It's not just bloggers and CEOs of major financial firms who smoke pot to wind down from their high-stress jobs. The latest issue of Marie Claire suggests that the wacky tobacky is now in vogue among some of the most uptight, high-strung people in New York: parents of small children. As Rachel Murphy, a 36-year-old "entertainment industry publicist" and mother of a toddler, tells the magazine:
"I'm sorry, but I have a stressful job, I have a baby. I need to unwind somehow, and I don't really like to drink," she grumbles. So, while hanging out with married friends, most of whom are also parents, Murphy will occasionally join in when one pulls out a baggie and starts prepping a bowl.
This hasn't been a very good year for Ira Rennert, the shadowy tycoon who built a fortune by scooping up steel, magnesium, coal, and lead companies around the world. Rennert reportedly lost $100-$200 million by investing his money with Bernie Madoff (although considering the new installment of the Forbes 400 lists his net worth at $4 billion, it's not like he's going to have to start panhandling anytime soon). Today, however, there's a bit of good news for Rennert: According to Zillow.com, Rennert's ridiculously massive house in the Hamptons once again takes top honors for being the largest home in the U.S. Don't believe it? A few photos of Rennert's 66,395-square-foot, 29-bed, 39-bath Italianate mansion are below.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Woody Allen tells fans how to tell which of his movies are worth their time just from their titles. He explains: "I never title a movie until it's finished because if I look at the film and it's no good I don't like to give it an aggressive title, I give it what I call one of my hiding titles — the kind of title that is low-key and promises nothing, so people are less disappointed by it. But if I feel the film is good, I give it an aggressive, confident title and then hope for the best." To see if this pattern holds up, we’ve gone through his oeuvre and done our best to determine which titles are low-key and which are aggressive.
Our conclusion: It holds up, for the most part. Woody may have been the only person who loved the aggressively titled The Purple Rose of Cairo. But he probably agreed with everyone else (except Quentin Tarantino) that the tentatively titled Anything Else, Another Woman, Melinda and Melinda, Celebrity, and Hollywood Ending were among the worst films of his career.
Aggressive titles:
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) Deconstructing Harry (1997) The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001) The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966) A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982) Sleeper (1973) Bananas (1971) Bullets Over Broadway (1994) Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) Mighty Aphrodite (1995) Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) Small Time Crooks (2000) Manhattan (1979) Annie Hall (1977) Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) Zelig (1983) Broadway Danny Rose (1984) Husbands and Wives (1992) Take the Money and Run (1969) Cassandra's Dream (2007)
Relatively low-key titles: Shadows and Fog (1991) Alice (1990) Match Point (2005) Sweet and Lowdown (1999) Radio Days (1987) Scoop (2006) September (1987) Stardust Memories (1980) Love and Death (1975) Everyone Says I Love You (1996) Interiors (1978) Another Woman (1988) Hollywood Ending (2002) Melinda and Melinda (2004) Anything Else (2003) Celebrity (1998) Whatever Works (2008)
From far left: Crystal Renn, Amy Lemons, Ashley Graham, Kate Dillon, Anansa Sims, and Jennie Runk. Bottom Center: Lizzie Miller.
After the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the photo of plus-size model Lizzie Miller that Glamour ran in its September issue, the magazine showcases more plus-size models in the November issue. (Scarlett Johansson appears on the November cover, wearing no pants.) Perhaps because efforts like these are often written off as tokenizing publicity stunts, Glamour makes a pledge in the accompanying article (about what size models should be) to include more realistic-looking women in their pages moving forward.
They also pledge:
Enthusiastic support for any designer who manufactures chic clothes we can photograph on full-bodied models. Isn’t it time for changes like these? Reality, after all, is everywhere. On Twitter, Demi Moore tweets matter-of-factly about her body: “I still have excess skin & stretch marks!” And then, “Comes with having a few kids 4 some of us!” Scott Schuman, a.k.a. the Sartorialist, has attracted a cult following by photographing real people with great style — and quirks.
Demi Moore is one of the most real 46-year-old women out there. And Scott Schuman's the Sartorialist blog is just full of normal-size magazine editors. Positively stocked with the realest of real people on the streets today. With standards like these, change is certainly on the horizon.
Now, you might say we're projecting here when we wonder whether Times managing editor Jill Abramson hates Manhattan, but we're only connecting the dots laid out to us by Abramson herself. In her latest column about her yellow Lab puppy, Scout, we see the city though the young dog's eyes. Scout, being used to the suburbs where Abramson lives most of the time, doesn't like it one bit. The "street noise rattled her," she had "a very hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep," she "was confused about what was outside and what was inside," and "older dogs spurned her." Eventually, in her column, Abramson came to a revelation:
By the last day of her more recent visit, I realized that Scout’s being a bit out of sorts in Manhattan may have had a lot to do with my being tense. I was consumed with guilt, certain that she was much happier in the country than in the city and not able to get the same level of exercise in the city, even though I was taking her on long walks and allowing her to run. I was projecting unhappiness more than she was exhibiting it.
"Where was the grass that should have been under her paws?" Abramson wonders. Oh, Jill. Don't you really mean where is the grass that should be under your paws? It's okay. We know that if we ran the New York Times, we'd probably hate this damn place, too.
The science world is all atwitter with the long-awaited public debut of Ardi, a human ancestor that, 4.4 million years ago, lived mostly in trees but also enjoyed walking upright down on the ground sometimes. Ardi represents "a major breakthrough in the study of human origins," shedding light on our evolution from straight-up, poop-throwing monkeys to the occasionally intelligent beings we are today. [WP]
We know you guys have opinions about this Arena Homme + cover of Ed Westwick, because you have sent it to us about 634 times. Our first reaction was to gasp. Our second reaction was to tilt our head to try to figure out, exactly, what we were looking at. Is he leaning backward? Is he sucking in his gut? Is he pressing his arm hard against his side so it looks like he has muscles? And why did they retouch parts, but not his forehead wrinkles?
Our third reaction was that despite all those oddities, he really is a handsome gentleman.
Ken Feinberg, the Obama administration’s special master on compensation, is expected to formally approve a $10.5 million pay package for AIG CEO Robert Benmosche. How will Bob celebrate this coup with friends, we wonder? Will they be like, "Congrats Bob! You'll have to let us buy you a drink! Oh, wait, that's our money you're getting paid with ... never mind, you buy us a drink. Which would really be like us buying us both a drink ... whatever. Cheers!" Awkward. [Bloomberg]
Front Page: Comcast discussing possible 51% stake -- Change is probably coming to NBC Universal. But how and when it does is still anyone's guess because there are so many moving parts.
Fashion Wire Daily - After a Milan season characterized by an obsession with sexual frivolity, the opening day of the Paris season included the runway show Rue du Mail, a French brand that does sexy, but with a brainy attitude.
Rachel is gone.Glee is without its “star.” We kick things off with Finn and Quinn singing the show’s banner song, “Don’t Stop Believin’.” You know, for a giant football player who fake-impregnated the captain of the cheerleading team, Finn is kind of an awkward dork jock. And aww, we love it.
Speaking of cheerleading, the captain of Glee’s Queerleading team (try the veal!), Kurt, is unpleased. And when asks the following — “Can we please talk about the giant elephant in the room?” — it sounds suspiciously similar to “Can we please talk about the vagina elephant in the room?” Pretty much the same thing, though slightly larger and more terrifying. But instead of Quinn’s pregnancy, he’s referring to the absence of Glee star Rachel. This episode sets out to answer that very vagina elephant question posed.
Yes, Mr. Schue’s wife is still keeping up the fake pregnancy, minus the morning sickness, but plus the many slices of pie. Get that Norbit fat suit drycleaned, Fox Network, because looks like Mrs. Schue will be packing on the non-embryo-related pounds in upcoming episodes. At the diner, ‘Teach runs into an old student who is still a senior, despite his age of 22, in order to continue singing with the rival high school’s Glee club. A plan, dear readers, is hatched.
Guidance Counselor Bambi convinces Finn that Glee Club is where the college scholarship money is at, which means getting Rachel back is essential to his (and his ghost child’s) livelihood. Meanwhile, across town (school), Rachel is absolutely miserable in the school play Cabaret. When not being harassed by the school newspaper editor (played by My So-Called Life’s Brian Krakow, almost), she’s being berated by Mr. Ryerson, the play’s director who is angling for the lead himself.
We’ll take this time to point out that Mr. Ryerson is played by the hilarious Stephen Tobolowsky, who you probably remember from Groundhog Day… where he played…Ned Ryerson. If my Lost theories hold true — and they almost never nearly do — this means that Glee’s Mr. Ryerson will most likely get punched in the face by a supporting character in an upcoming episode. #pointlessconspiracies
Guidance Counselor Emma Pillsbury dated Andrew Cunanan in high school, and may have played a role in the death of Versace. Discuss.
Mr. Schue contacts former classmate and first crush April Rhodes (played by Kelly Ripa Impersonator Kristin Chenoweth), who never graduated and, by default, is still eligible to join Glee Club. So, armed buffalo wings and a mission, Mr. Schue heads over to April’s cushy pad to pitch his… plan. The house, it turns out, is not hers, but thankfully that box of wine is. April agrees to ditch the sauce, sober up, and give Glee a try. Hold on… do you guys think they cast Cheno because she can also sing? Kudos, casting directors, you have done it again.
The most epic recap in BWE.tv history continues ahead.
It is at this moment we would like to mention who Ms. Rhodes seems to be based off of. Noneotherthan television legend Jerry Blank, played by Amy Sedaris. Forget the plot being nearly the same thing (drug addict returns to high school to complete degree), but even Cheno’s voice is straight out of the Blank School of Suggestive Inflection. For God’s Sake, they even look alike (kinda). Given our adoration of S.w.C., we’ll let this one slide, but just want some sort of cookie or prize for calling this one. (Have it mailed over.) #pointlessconspiraciespart2
Now, the highlight of the show. Ms. Rhodes is wheeled into the room on a gurney and introduced to the rest of the club, who is shocked by her age and emotionless forehead. To prove her worth, she has the pianist “Tinkles” cue up Cabaret’s “Maybe This Time”, which she duets with Rachel. It was here that the Earth physically shook, as gay men and their lady hags jumped off of their couches to cheer on a scene that could only be appreciated by this oft-forgotten group of Americans. This scene was almost too good for TV, and looked like something directed by Chicago’s Rob Marshall. We bring you the song in its entirety:
The performance blows away the club, but they’re still not convinced that Ms. Rhodes is age-appropriate. So Mr. Schue tells her to, in other words, kiss their ass. And you know what that means… HALL & OATES MONTAGE!
Never Forget.
Where the hell did they find this guy, on the real?
That seals it: Cheno is in! And meanwhile, across town, Rachel is still being berated by Ryerson. “I know what I don’t want… and it is all… of… this.” She takes her stress out by “rehearsing” (her marriage vows) with Finn in the music room. They make plans to go bowling, which is code for “awkward bowling.” Rachel meets her cougar nemesis, and marches her and her “Hit Me Baby One More Time” wardrobe out of the room.
Oh no. Kurt is drunk off of Cheno’s Chablis. He looks a hot mess.
Kurt the 11-Year-Old Milkmaid then barfs and forces Bambi to go “full Silkwood“, a reference I had to look up to understad, because I was busy being 2 years old when the movie came out. Emma then does her thing, i.e. Getting all moral, on Mr. Schuester, re: Having a wino in Glee. You try getting her giant eyes out of your head. Not so easy, is it?
Rachel cries in the bathroom and then is a bitch to Ms. Rhodes. She doesn’t even have any Nyquil, rendering her totally useless. “That Finn Hudson is one cutie pie I gotsma eye on.” — Jerrystin Blankowich.
Awkward bowling time! There’s some talk of putting fingers in holes, which is completely appropriate, and while Rachel might be a stage powerhouse, she’s horrendous at flinging heavy balls down a slippery lane. Mr. Schuester and April also happen to be bowling at the same time (Where do these people even live? The set of 1998’s Pleasantville?), which is really just an excuse to get them to sing a Heart duet… “Alone”:
Finn and Rachel are now eating pizza. Finn, who is becoming dorkier and therefore more adorable each passing episode, uses his masculine charms to lure Rach back to Glee. “I appreciate you.” — First time she has ever heard that, surely. She bowls a strike, and uses the perfect rom-com opportunity to kiss Finn. It is claw your face off awkward.
Thankfully, Finn Hellraiser Boxes the sitch to get Rachel back into the club. They hug, 80s music is played, and for a moment I fear I’m in the Back to the Future DeLorean hurtling back to 1985, when entertainment meant something.
Glee finds out Quinn is preggers through the mouth of the glorious and obviously very fertile Puck, who blames Finn’s sperm for the “problem.” Rachel over hears the news, and delivers such a zetz to Finn’s face that we refuse to believe it was staged. For God’s Sake, she quits again.
Yay, Sue Sylvester sighting!
April shows up for the big recital wasted. She makes out with Puck (bitch), honks Kurts nose (hilalalarious), and blames Will for believing her “sobering up” line, uttered while she was drunk. They are all in cowboy gear, so you know this performance will be the perfect amount of enjoyment and groan. (Groanjoyment? Grown Crawford? You figure it out.)
The sing Carrie Underwood’s “Last Name”, and dare I say it was the linedancing that stole the show away from Cheno. Between Kurt and Puck and Artie there was just too much to focus on. But it is fairly clear that this Glee club would certainly make it to at least the 5th round of America’s Best Dance Crew.
Will tells April it’s not going to work. Because of, you know, the “drink.” They kiss on the cheek and she leaves. Rachel, wearing her upcoming Captain Merrill Stubing Halloween costume, announces once and for all that she’s quit the play and wants back in. Sure, she doesn’t “know” the “choreography” for the next number (lies, Glee, lies: she knew it all too well) but she’ll give it a go!
The final number for tonight’s episode — and my favorite one to date — is Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” Because I have no life (see above 1500 word recap), this song was downloaded to my Ipod days ago and listened to a caterpillar handful of times. Something I will cease to do in the future because it seems to take away from the fresh joy of hearing the performances for the first time. Not to mention that Finn’s Farinelli opening note still makes my skin crawl. That aside…
IT’S STILL AMAZING.
If you don’t watch Glee, and made it to the end of this recap, what the hell is wrong with you? Get in on this show before the next thing you know it’s the 3rd season of The Wire and you just don’t have the time to catch up on it and it wins Emmys and sh*t and the water cooler becomes a cold and lonely place as does your life. All of the episodes are available on Hulu.
And if you do watch the show, duh, how much did you love everything about “The Rhodes Not Taken?” Tell us about it in the designated comments section, won’t you?
Reality TV stars artfully bare their souls on camera and in the tabloids, and even better, they do it all without a script. But a TV show is only the first step to building a brand, and now countless pseudo-celebs are milking their 15 minutes and peddling products that you couldn't possibly live without. (Or so they say!) We compiled the most promising items from the brightest minds in faux-showbiz. With these ladies' designs in your style arsenal, your look will never be the same.
Whitney Port, The City The doe-eyed Los Angeles transplant debuted her Whitney Eve line at Fashion Week a couple of weeks ago. The inspiration? "Kind of Alice in Wonderland goes to a cocktail party... Very fantasy-driven but also fun and flirty, having a good time," she says. Well, sure! Who wouldn't have a good time sporting the crotch-baring hemlines featured in her show? (And who couldn't use a pink satin body suit?) Unfortunately, despite Whitney's very chic sensibilities, it's unclear where you can actually buy any of her clothes. But don't give up up hope. Whitney's probably on the phone with Sakes this very instant.
Ramona Singer, The Real Housewives of New York City The loopy housewife recently debuted a line of jewelry—which features art deco designs and stones set in, interestingly, sterling silver—on the Home Shopping Network. But that's not all she's up to! She also has her True Faith jewelry collection and Tru Renewal skincare line. (Ramona explained that the reason why one brand has an "e" and the other doesn't is because one of the names was already taken.) The former features Catholic-themed jewelry and, naturally, military medals. As far as her skincare line goes, Ramona swears by the power of green algae, which she says makes her skin "radiant" and gives her a "more youthful appearance." Of course, if you've ever watched the Real Housewives in HD, you may have your doubts about that.
Lauren Conrad, The Hills LC's clothing line, the Lauren Conrad Collection, wasn't exactly a big hit when it debuted. (It was discontinued earlier this year.) But that didn't keep The Hills star down for long. She's since launched a lower-priced line for Kohl's called LC Lauren Conrad. Sure, you can get skinny jeans, cardigans, striped tees, and blouses just about anywhere, but how many other brands have LC's initials on the label? Didn't think so.
Kelly Bensimon, The Real Housewives of New York City Kelly describes herself as a "mother-author-equestrian," but now that she's introduced the Kelly Collection of cuffs, earrings, rings, and necklaces, she can tack "-jewelry designer" to the end of that. So what's the line all about? She's "taking Pocahontas out of the kayak and putting her in the disco," she explains. To embrace your inner Sacagawea—and, really, who isn't dying to do that?—you can head to an Intermix near you or to Kitson in Los Angeles.
Kim Kardashian, Keeping Up with the Kardashians When you think if Kim, you probably think of her reality TV show on E!. (The first thing your boyfriend thinks of, on the other hand, is probably her sex tape from a few years ago.) But did you know that Kim is also the "founder and chief stylist" of ShoeDazzle.com, the "world's premier shoe society?" She is! So what's this "shoe society" all about and how do you become a member of this exclusive club? It's pretty simple, actually. You give Kim your credit card number and she'll bill you $39 a month. And then Kim's staff of "style experts" will pick out a fabulous new pair of shoes to send you each month. So, basically, it's just like Proactiv. Except it won't do much to clear up your acne.
Tori Spelling, Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood If you've been looking to buy a necklace, ring, or bracelet from the spoiled daughter of a Hollywood producer who appeared on a tacky TV show in the early '90s and has since gone on to star in her own reality TV show, well, we're happy to report that your search is over. Just turn your TV to HSN in the middle of the night and you may get lucky and find Tori Spelling pitching her cleverly named Tory Spelling Collection. We're so glad Donna Martin graduated from prime time to the even classier world of late-night product sales!
Lisa Wu Hartwell, The Real Housewives of Atlanta It's a little unclear if Hartwell actually has a clothing line called Closet Freak. Because while she's been talking it up in interviews recently, tracking it down in stores is damn near impossible. Hartwell says her pieces—which include a body-hugging fuschia dress and one-piece, flare-leg floral jumper—were all designed to be "classical" and "elegant." Although if you're the star of a reality show, her collection is probably not for you. Hartwell says one reason she created the line is because "these days a lot of women overexpose themselves to get attention."
The density of celebrities in New York and the fact that pretty much everyone walks everywhere means the chances of a civilian-celebrity encounter are dangerously high. Sometimes, these encounters can be exhilarating or heartwarming. Almost always, they are awkward. Today, reader Ashley Taylor, who recently moved here from Los Angeles, shared with us a her story of an accidental Brush With Greatness.
DAILY INTEL CELEBRITY INTERACTION REPORT Neighborhood: Upper West Side Venue: Equinox, Columbus Circle Date: September, 2009 Time: 7:50 p.m.
Notes: Last night as I was leaving Equinox I ran into Katie, my membership adviser and therefore one of my first friends in New York. I was absolutely enthralled with her story about trying to find a new apartment on the Upper West Side, plus I was so hungry that I was anticipating my post-workout salad in a way that may have been borderline inappropriate. I barely even noticed when a guy dressed in what I will describe as ghetto bling rolled out grinning and said "Hi, hey ladies, hey!" to us. I barely gave him a raised-eyebrow head nod before pressing Katie for details on her new digs. Instead she laughed at me and asked if I knew who it was that just said hi to us. I looked at the departing entourage and shook my head no.
Reuters - Pared-down designs, fewer styles and a muted palette of white, beige and black displayed a sense of modesty at Paris fashion week Thursday as a new generation of designers cut their teeth on tighter budgets. Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 1 Oct 2009 | 12:53 pm
When Mayor Bloomberg first brought up the idea of banning smoking at parks and public beaches a couple of weeks ago, he said the issue would require further study, especially since it would be a tricky law to enforce, at least in the absence of an extra 5,000 or so cops assigned to smoke patrol. Well, Bloomberg seems to have concluded His study and figured out how to make it work. Because he now says he's going to move ahead with the plan. Enjoy that last cigarette in Central Park while you still can, smokers. [NYDN, previously]
Us Weekly is reporting (and has confirmed) that Padma Lakshmi is with child. It's a particularly welcome development for Lakshmi, who suffers from endometriosis and has had difficulty conceiving over the years. Although when her publicist asks that the media respect the Top Chef host's privacy, it probably doesn't have all that much to do with her medical condition, which she's never been shy about discussing:
As a result of her condition, this pregnancy has been referred to by her physician as nothing short of a medical miracle, and due to its delicate nature, we ask/implore the press to respect Ms. Lakshmi's privacy at this time.
So what does it have to do with? The fact no one knows who the father is. Some have speculated it's a man named Manu Nathan, since she's been seen with him at various events around town recently, although that theory is a little less likely considering Nathan is her cousin, according to Lakshmi's rep. Other possibilities? If we had to guess, we'd go with Teddy Forstmann, her on-again off-again boyfriend over the past couple of years. Sure, he's three decades older than she is. But if you're going to have a baby in an economy like this, it isn't such a bad idea to make sure the child's dad is a billionaire, is it?
Oscar-nominated US actor Josh Brolin, seen here in February 2009, is to star in a thriller set amongst the deadly world of Mexico's drug cartels, entertainment industry press reported Thursday. Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 1 Oct 2009 | 12:11 pm
The internet is having a minor aneurysm today after hearing the news that Teen Choice Award Nominee and future Colombia University Graduate James Franco will be appearing on General Hospital beginning November 20th. Not some big budget movie adaptation of the long-running soap… James is going to be on the actual show. The one people usually watch once The People’s Court is over. It’s not just a stunt cameo, either. He will be appearing on and off for two whole months. He’ll probably know the craft services guy by his first name. They’ll probably watch football together on the weekends.
Sure, this seems like an odd choice for Franco. Most people who have appeared in one of the biggest movies of all time (you know, The Wicker Man) can sleep easy knowing that they’ll never have to resort to appearing on a soap opera. Perhaps car commercials, celebrity weight loss shows, or even the hilarious new Kelsey Grammer sitcom Hank. But not a soap opera.
I, for one, applaud James. He’s going to be a shoe-in to steal Susan Lucci’s Daytime Emmy. In fact, I hear he will be playing TWO roles on General Hospital. One is a hotshot young doctor, and the other is his diamond thief evil twin brother, pictured below:
Australian Environment minister Peter Garrett, former singer of the rock band Midnight Oil delivers a speech in June 2009. Former UN chief Kofi Annan on Thursday launched a "musical petition" involving... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 1 Oct 2009 | 11:52 am
Former UN chief Kofi Annan, pictured here in September 2009, on Thursday launched a "musical petition" involving some 60 world celebrities in the name of climate change ahead of a key Copenhagen summit... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 1 Oct 2009 | 11:52 am
Yesterday afternoon, Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis announced that he plans to "retire" at the end of the year. And despite the fact he's facing ongoing probes by Congress, the SEC, and the attorneys general in New York and Connecticut over BofA's acquisition of Merrill Lynch, he's spent months dealing with withering criticism by Wall Street analysts and shareholders, and he's leaving the bank without a successor in place, Lewis is still maintaining that he—and he alone, without any pressure on him whatsoever!—arrived at the decision to retire. Per the farewell letter he sent out yesterday:
Some will suggest that I am leaving under pressure or because of questions regarding the Merrill deal. I will simply say that this was my decision, and mine alone. Most important to me is this: I will leave knowing that almost anywhere I go in this country, I'll be able to walk into a Bank of America banking center and receive a warm greeting.
Well, that's encouraging, isn't it? At the end of the day, Lewis can take comfort in the fact that if he steps foot into a Bank of America branch somewhere, the tellers will probably not pelt him with quarters. Sounds like he'll be leaving with his reputation intact, after all!
Pole dancing has transcended the domain of strippers and go-go girls to become a bona fide competitive sport now with $10,000 in prize money. Source: FOXNews.com | 1 Oct 2009 | 11:06 am
Another one of NYC's great restaurants has gone down. After more than 30 years in business, Chanterelle owners Karen and David Waltuckreport that they no longer have plans to reopen the Tribeca landmark following a round of recent renovations. [Diner's Journal/NYT, Photo:Flickr]
If you live in LA and are over the age of 25, do we have some groundbreaking event news. Like — “fly across the country and miss work style” kind of event news. On Monday, October 5, at the Cinespace in Hollywood, shlockophiles will gather together to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of one of the Top… 30 Greatest Movies of Our Time: Troop Beverly Hills, that fabulous cult movie starring Shelley Long, Craig T. Nelson, and let’s not forget… Tori Spelling.
Well, to celebrate the movies 20th Anniversary (kill me), a group of SCIENTIFIC GENIUSES in Los Angeles has put together a very special event… Troop Beverly Hills: The Experience.
Coming to LA Monday October 5th, 8pm at Cinespace in Hollywood! Troop Beverly Hills: The Experience. A sing-a-long, dance-a-long, quote-a-long, and if we’re lucky, Shelley Long!
Come celebrate the 20th anniversary of Troop Beverly Hills. Be an honorary Wilderness Girl for one night only (for now)! Earn patches, boo Velda Plendor, dance “The Freddie”, and of course sing Kumbaya.
THEY NEED TO BRING THIS SH&T TO NEW YORK, STAT. I’ll co-chair. We can do this, East Coast. Neffler, we must do this. If you live in LA and decide to go, please report back.
In related news, while researching this fine, mind-blowing post, we noticed a glaring error on Troop’s IMDB page. To wit:
Really, 3,152 people? Really? Pretty sure that page is supposed to look like this:
Days after learning that TLC would continue with a new version of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" that didn't include him as a major factor, Jon Gosselin has demanded through his lawyers that the show cease production immediately or face potential criminal charges.
Actors posing as Rabbit, Winnie-the-Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger pose on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. British children's literature favourite Winnie-the-Pooh is back in a new adventure with his trusty... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 1 Oct 2009 | 10:24 am
On July 24, 2009, Cityfile published an article entitled "Jim Dolan To Kill Christmas In July?" which contained speculation on the fate of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes. Click here for an important update on this article.
We try our best to stay out of the Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin (and co.) drama, because, let’s face it, there’s something extremely icky about the whole thing. (Two words: Ed Hardy.) But the recent drama has been especially interesting, as it involves the future of their claim to fame, Jon & Kate Plus 8. Earlier this week, TLC — one of our favorite television destinations — announced an all new show roughly 180 lbs lighter, called Kate Plus 8. Realizing his meal ticket may be spontaneously combusting before his bloodshot eyes, Jon is trying desperately to get the show canned, going so far as to involve his lawyers (quelle horreur!). The children, meanwhile, are clearly mentally preparing themselves for years of deep, intrusive therapy.
This particular update, however, was too good to pass up. Now TLC has made their official statement, and it seems to back up what we’ve all known all along: Jon Gosselin is King Douche. The statement reads:
We are aware of Jon Gosselin’s recent statements, and remain deeply disappointed at his continued erratic behavior. He and the family were shooting as recently as last Friday, without incident, and his latest comments are grossly inaccurate, without merit and are clearly opportunistic. Despite Jon Gosselin’s repeated self destructive and unprofessional actions, he remains under an exclusive contract with TLC. Direct filming of the children has been currently suspended, pending further conversations between both parents.
We kinda hope they let the Cake Boss loose on this ass. Cake Boss don’t play, you guys. (Because Cake Neanderthals were born without an ounce of humor in their monkey bodies.)
Also, check out this highly professional sign Jon whipped up for the TLC folks, ordering them to stop filming:
If you misspell “penalty”, does it actually count?
Oscar-winning Japanese animator and film director Hayao Miyazaki walks past a advertising board for his animated movie "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" at a theater in Tokyo in 2008. In a rare win for heritage... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 1 Oct 2009 | 10:19 am
The circumstances that led me to this page are inconsequential. What is consequential, though, is that it is awesome:
And the biggest highlight of the page (like a diamond on top of a pile of other diamonds), is this individual, who I will be voting for president this November, even though an election isn’t occurring:
The only real way to get an everlasting honor in Hollywood these days is to have your likeness enshrined in wax at Madame Tussauds. Unfortunately for Nick Jonas, whoever crafted the new Birthday Candle Jonas Brothers unveiled yesterday made him look like the “Before” person in a Pepto-Bismol commercial:
Hey Madam, why not also make him picking his nose and sweating profusely? At this rate, Wax Nick Jonas will never lose that wax purity ring.
Tom Cruise’s“Black or White” (or is it Dirty Diana?) music video tribute is gonna be sexy, y’all. And with 88% more boob!
And, by the looks of it, Katie Holmes is quite impressed! Only 3 more years in the contract, KK, you can definitely do it.
(Tom Cruise seen in Boston, filming his upcoming action comedy Wichita with Cameron Diaz, so you know this movie will be highly entertaining and not at all in the least bit eye-gougeringly annoying.)
Like all zombie movies, "Zombieland" has hundreds of zombies doing awful things, such as attacking and eating humans, but you could argue it's not a zombie movie.
Forget The Hills. That reality show is so, like, totally last year for Lauren Conrad.
Just today, Ms. Conrad launched a new clothing line for Kohl's department stores. And yesterday,...
J.J. Abrams Spy-Series: After a day of nonstop chaos between the major networks, NBC came out on top and scored J.J.'s superhyped action-packed spy thriller. Even better? Our favorite...
Fame Kills is already dead.
The highly anticipated North American tour featuring pantsless wonder Lady Gaga and rapper turned VMAs pariah Kanye West has been canceled, promoter Live...
UPDATE: Conan's latest reaction to being banned from flying into Newark: "So Mr. Mayor, I can't tell you how sorry I am that I didn't make that joke 15 years...
Bravo 
Cops may have sunk their teeth into the starlets of The Vampire Diaries, but they couldn't turn them into cold, hard criminals.
Nina Dobrev, Sara Canning, Candice Accola, Kayla...
Bethenny Frankel minus the Housewives? Christian Siriano without the designers? Fabio Viviani and no quickfire challenge?
These are topsy-turvy times, folks, but as strange as these...
Just look at that face. Does it even remotely resemble the Matt Damon we so often hear about? The fun-loving prankster who pals around with the likes of Brad Pitt and George Clooney? We think not....
• We're sad to report that noted fish addict Jeremy Piven relapsed Tuesday night. The Entourage actor gave in to a "lovely piece of...
Rachel is gone. Glee is without its “star.” We kick things off with Finn and Quinn singing the show’s banner song, “Don’t Stop Believin’.” You know, for a giant football player who fake-impregnated the captain of the cheerleading team, Finn is kind of an awkward dork jock. And aww, we love it. 
Guidance Counselor Bambi convinces Finn that Glee Club is where the college scholarship money is at, which means getting Rachel back is essential to his (and his ghost child’s) livelihood. Meanwhile, across town (school), Rachel is absolutely miserable in the school play Cabaret. When not being harassed by the school newspaper editor (played by My So-Called Life’s Brian Krakow, almost), she’s being berated by Mr. Ryerson, the play’s director who is angling for the lead himself. 
It is at this moment we would like to mention who Ms. Rhodes seems to be based off of. Noneotherthan television legend Jerry Blank, played by Amy Sedaris. Forget the plot being nearly the same thing (drug addict returns to high school to complete degree), but even Cheno’s voice is straight out of the 
Will tells April it’s not going to work. Because of, you know, the “drink.” They kiss on the cheek and she leaves. Rachel, wearing her upcoming Captain Merrill Stubing Halloween costume, announces once and for all that she’s quit the play and wants back in. Sure, she doesn’t “know” the “choreography” for the next number (lies, Glee, lies: she knew it all too well) but she’ll give it a go!
Us Weekly is 
The internet is having a minor aneurysm today after hearing 
Yesterday afternoon, Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis announced that he plans to "retire" at the end of the year. And despite the fact he's facing ongoing probes by Congress, the SEC, and the attorneys general in New York and Connecticut over BofA's acquisition of Merrill Lynch, he's spent months dealing with withering criticism by Wall Street analysts and shareholders, and he's leaving the bank without a successor in place, Lewis is still maintaining that he—and he alone, without any pressure on him whatsoever!—arrived at the decision to retire. Per the farewell letter he sent out yesterday:
If you live in LA and are over the age of 25, do we have some groundbreaking event news. Like — “fly across the country and miss work style” kind of event news. On Monday, 
We try our best to stay out of the Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin (and co.) drama, because, let’s face it, there’s something extremely icky about the whole thing. (Two words: Ed Hardy.) But the recent drama has been especially interesting, as it involves the future of their claim to fame, Jon & Kate Plus 8. Earlier this week, TLC — one of our favorite television destinations — announced an all new show roughly 180 lbs lighter, called 
