Reuters - Swiss authorities will not release film director Roman Polanski into house arrest at his luxury Alpine chalet before Friday, the government said on Tuesday.
Reuters - Peter Jackson certainly is familiar with the challenges of satisfying filmgoers' expectations, having helmed three films derived from J.R.R. Tolkien's immensely popular "Lord of the Rings" novel and a second remake of the iconic film "King Kong." Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 1 Dec 2009 | 3:09 am
It's not an easy thing to transition from reality TV to scripted fare (just ask everyone who ever had higher ambitions than starring on The Hills), but Nicole Richie is ready to make the...
Richie Rich: Nicole Richie is ready to make her return to TV in an untitled sitcom for ABC. The single-camera show is being produced by Sony Pictures TV and, according to Variety, "would feature Richie as a professional woman with complicated family relationships and struggling to figure out what role she'll take as her life and her family evolve." Apparently, it's based on her life, which means someone will have to play the Madden brothers. We'd like to nominate Zack and Cody. [Variety]
Aw Mom: Jane Curtin and Heroes star Sendhil Ramamurthy have joined the cast of NBC's drama pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer. The show focuses on a lawyer (David Tennant) who is beset by panic attacks and teaches his clients how to represent themselves. Ramamurthy will play a friendly young attorney who lives in Rex's shadow until his anxiety takes over his life. Curtin will play Rex's mother who happens to fall in love with her son's shrink (Jeffrey Tambor). Sounds like Thanksgiving at our house! [THR]
Bear With Them: Former Ed star Tom Cavanagh has signed on to play Ranger Smith in Warner Bros.'s live action/CG adaptation of Yogi Bear. Anna Faris, Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake are already on board for the story of a documentarian (Faris) who goes to Jellystone Park to shoot a film. During her trip she falls for Smith. Aykroyd will voice Yogi and Timberlake will voice Boo Boo. Lance Bass will voice their crazy bear friend who wants to fly to space. [Variety]
Blood Brothers: Best know as LJ Burrows on Prison Break, Marshall Allman is set to join the cast of HBO's True Blood as a regular for the third season. Allman will play Tommy Mickens, Sam's long-lost brother who works at an Arkansas tire depot. If he thinks this will get the company off of his tail, he's sadly mistaken. [THR]
Well Done: Fox has ordered 13-episodes of Bob's Burgers, an animated comedy series from Loren Bouchard. The show centers on a guy named Bob who runs a burger joint with his anxious wife and their goofball kids. It's expected to be a part of Fox's Sunday night animation block, though Bouchard says it will be "a little more urban." If that means it'll be anything like The PJs, then sign us up. [THR]
Adam Lambert has been having second thoughts.
After initially writing off his erotically charged appearance at the 2009 American Music Awards as envelope-pushing showmanship, the singer...
The film wasn't nominated in any categories, but Antichrist jokes were flying fast and furious tonight at the Gotham Awards, thanks to presenter Rosie Perez and host Kumail Nanjiani. Nobody brought any real zingers, but we did like Nanjani's three-part bit about the lessons he learned from the movie:
"1. No matter how good the sex is, keep an eye on your child.
2. Do not go camping with your wife when she's down in the dumps cause your kid jumped out the window while having sex.
3. If a self-disembolwing wolf [sic] looks you in the face and says 'Chaos reigns,' get the fuck out of the there. I don't care how long you have the cabin for."
Predictably, a number of one-liners focused on Willem Dafoe's smashed genitals; while declaring Antichrist a "sick-ass" movie, Perez seemed impressed with the notion that it was Dafoe's real member onscreen: "Well, hellooo, Willem Dafoe!" in her words. (Dafoe reportedly used a penis double for his nude scenes.)
So we cornered Dafoe after the ceremony and asked him if he's sick of all the dick jokes yet. And it turns out, he sorta is. "What do you think?" he asked us, probably hypothetically. "I mean, it's fine if that's what they want to focus on. It's a movie that I think is beautiful and was a joy to make. But I can only make it. If people want to make that the thing they want to talk about, it's distressing, but that's their business." Then he smiled his awesome Willem Dafoe smile, politely shook our hand, and walked away to congratulate Kathryn Bigelow on The Hurt Locker's win for Best Feature.
When it comes to opponents in the media, the White House has no foe like Fox News. But it may have found another media punching bag in Politico. The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder has an email currently circulating through the White House that takes the site to task for a recent article by co-founder John Harris entitled "7 stories Barack Obama doesn't want told." The White House's version is "7 narratives politico is fighting in their efforts to get an interview with the President" and, honestly, it's pretty spot-on. Your move Politico. [Atlantic]
In the absence of a definitive accounting of what happened between Tiger Woods, his wife Elin Nordegren and that golf club, there have been statements, denials and speculation on everything from...
So far, promos for the sixth season of Lost have been nothing to get excited about. They feature no new footage and give absolutely no clues of what to expect, which is exactly what producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof want. But it's not what the fans want. The fans want a little taste of something exciting, or, at the very least, something creative. That's what the promo from Spain's Cuatro network provides. There's no new footage here either but wow, it's way more exciting than the boring English-languge version. And it reminds us to update our Lost advent calendar; only 64 days left!
He shows a fascination with science, an all-too deliberate decision-making demeanor, an adherence to logic and some pretty, ahem, prominent ears. They all add up to a quite logical... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 10:02 pm
NEW YORK (Reuters) - "The Hurt Locker," a suspense film about a U.S. Army bomb squad unit that defuses bombs in Iraq, won best feature on Monday at the Gotham awards, the top U.S. East... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 9:39 pm
Why is Conrad Murray still walking around if the Jackson family keeps blaming him for killing Michael? Why isn't he in jail? — KellyT, via the Answer B!tch inbox
People also...
When Pete Doherty is doing what he does best (playing music), he's pretty easy to like. It's all the other times when the ex-Libertine and current Babyshamble gets himself into trouble. Like last weekend when Doherty was removed from the stage at the on3 festival in Munich after singing the first verse of the German national anthem. For those not well-schooled in the history of Germany's national anthem, that's a no-no. The lyrics are taboo because of their association with the Nazis and in an apology today Doherty said he plum didn't know that.
Pete "wanted to celebrate his appearance in Munich by assimilating and integrating with the crowd, something he tries to do wherever he goes," his spokesperson said. "He was unaware of the controversy surrounding the German national anthem and he deeply apologises if he has caused any offence. Peter himself is from Jewish descent and has fought against racism and fascism..."
As we wait for a full accounting of the perplexing drama that's been playing out around Tiger Woods, one question is being repeated frequently.
What's the story on Woods'...
The first day of Senate debates on the Democrats's $848 billion health care bill provided a nice snapshot of what the rest of the debate is going to look like: sniping, complaining, eye-rolling and stalling. Harry Reid, who was accused of a "stunt" early in the session for making unexpected requests of Republicans, said he was "disappointed" in how the debate started. Then, by the end of the day, nothing was accomplished. Way to go congress! [Politico]
NBC says the couple that crashed a White House state dinner will appear on the "Today" show. The network says Michaele (mih-KEL') and Tareq Salahi (TAH'-rehk sah-LAH'-hee) will be... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 8:19 pm
Reuters - The last in a wave of hundreds of shareholder lawsuits over the 2001 AOL-Time Warner merger was dismissed on Monday by a New York judge who found the claim was filed too late and failed to link investor losses to statements made by AOL's auditor, Ernst & Young. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 30 Nov 2009 | 8:09 pm
General Electric is close to clearing a major hurdle in its path to sell control of entertainment giant NBC Universal to Comcast, according to published reports Monday.
LOS ANGELES - Bess Lomax Hawes, who sang with Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, co-wrote the Kingston Trio hit "M.T.A." and spent a lifetime documenting American folklore in recordings and... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 7:34 pm
Austin Fenner, a former reporter for the New York Post, lost his job at the paper back on November 10th, the same day that Sandra Guzman filed a lawsuit calling the Post's newsroom "a hostile work environment where female employees and employees of color have been subjected to pervasive and systemic discrimination and/or unlawful harassment based on their gender, race, color and/or national origin." Now Fenner has come forward with a lawsuit of his own.
Fenner, who is black, says he was "routinely humiliated," "openly cursed at" and the target of "Jim Crow"-style segregation at the Post. He cites his opposition to the paper's infamous cartoon of cops shooting a chimp as part of the reason for his mistreatment. He also accuses the Post of racially motivated news coverage. A spokesperson for the paper denied the allegations, calling them "totally false" and "completely baseless." This doesn't look good for Rupert and friends.
For those weary of the cuddly Robert De Niro, the gentle uplift of his latest film, "Everybody's Fine," probably isn't going to be tonic for the soul. But midway through the movie, there... Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 7:32 pm
weekend to fans who have stuck with him through the years by presenting a free concert in the intimate setting of Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center. About 130 tickets to Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 7:31 pm
General Electric's expected sale of NBC to Comcast got one step closer to completion today when the toaster company reached a tentative agreement to fork over $5.8 billion for the 20 percent of NBC that Vivendi owns. The deal, which should be finalized this week, values NBC at $29 billion, or about a billion dollars less than what Comcast agreed to pay for it last week. Expect a joke about this on Thursday's 30 Rock. [DealBook/NYT]
• Tom Colicchio says he has a new restaurant planned for 2010. [Eater] • Todd English is creating a "food hall" in the basement of the Plaza. [NYT] • Monkey Bar is getting a bit more democratic. The restaurant now has a phone number commoners can call for reservations. For lunch only, though. [TONY] • Bouley and Allen & Delancey have some health code issues to sort out. [GS] • Anthony Bourdain is no fan of street food, in case you were wondering. [ML] • Fewer bars and clubs are getting permits for all-night NYE parties. [NYP] • Ever want to look inside Ruth Reichl's fridge? Now you can! At last! [Salon]
Reuters - Her new album is entitled "The Fall," but Norah Jones is waiting until spring to embark on a 36-city tour, which kicks off March 5 in Tulsa, Okla.
The White House state dinner crashers, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, are ready to speak: The couple has agreed to sit down with Matt Lauer on the Today show tomorrow. [ChiTrib]
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Her new album is entitled "The Fall," but Norah Jones is waiting until spring to embark on a 36-city tour, which kicks off March 5 in Tulsa, Okla. Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 7:05 pm
Front Page: 'Simple Life' thesp to star in scripted half-hour comedy -- Nicole Richie is plotting a return to primetime, this time as the star of a scripted half-hour comedy.
Front Page: Catalina Saavedra wins breakthrough actor kudo -- "The Hurt Locker" emerged as the big winner at last night's Gotham Independent Film Awards at New York's Cipriani Wall Street.
Front Page: British director in talks for Columbia remake of musical -- Eliza Doolittle has finally found her Svengali.
Maybe the world's most hated party crashers aren't the lying scumbags everyone is making them out to be. According to the Washington Post, the extensive investigation into how the hell Tareq and Michaele Salahi got into last week's White House state dinner has turned up an e-mail exchange between Michaele and the Pentagon's liaison to the White House. People who saw the e-mails say they support the Salahis argument that the couple was in fact invited.
Michele Jones, the woman on the other end of the e-mails, respectfully disagrees.
"I did not state at any time, or imply that I had tickets for ANY portion of the evening's events," she said in a statement. "I specifically stated that they did not have tickets and in fact that I did not have the authority to authorize attendance, admittance or access to any part of the evening's activities. Even though I informed them of this, they still decided to come."
With such wildly different interpretations, it's clear that someone is crazy. But is it Salahi, the Real Housewife of D.C., or Jones, "a decorated career military officer and army trailblazer"? We'll have to wait until the emails become public to find out.
Nick Jonas is striking out on his own. Sort of.
The 17-year-old star is planning to hit the road in January with his alternaband, the Administration, for a month-long...
Obese elf Simon Doonan will apply his trade at the White House this Christmas as the Obamas's official holiday decorator. His plans remain a secret, but we do know there will be a tree and art made by children (always a crowd pleaser). Hopefully Doonan takes some tips from his own home and includes at least one huge statue of a foot. [Caucus/NYT]
Of all the posthumous tributes to Michael Jackson, M, a new cologne created from his DNA, is by far the creepiest. Produced by a company called My DNA Fragrance, which apparently exists to do this exact thing, the cologne was made by lifting DNA from strands of MJ's hair. The strands came from the collection of John Reznikoff, who has boatloads of famous follicles (it just keeps getting creepier!). The company guarantees that "much like the performer himself, this cologne is unique and like no other cologne in the world." M, which runs $60 for a three-ounce bottle, is currently available for pre-order.
Dexter is "ridiculous!"
This just in from Michelle in Toronto, who is only about the (oh, let's see, carry the one and we've got) gazillionth fan to email today about...
While the original was pretty much a love poem to Robert Downey Jr., the first promotional poster for next summer's highly anticipated Iron Man 2 suggests that...
Reuters - Fox Searchlight's sudden decision to toss "Crazy Heart" into the heat of December and therefore the Oscar competition casts a brighter spotlight -- and greater scrutiny -- on what is a modest, rather conventional depiction of an aging and alcoholic country musician on a lengthy downward spiral. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment Reviews | 30 Nov 2009 | 5:54 pm
The verdict: On R. Kelly's last official release, 2007's Double Up, the physical act of love was expertly compared to such hilarious activities as visiting a zoo, playing a guitar, indulging a sweet tooth, and exploring outer space. If you were worried about his ability to match the comedy on subsequent albums, well, you were right to. Even so, his new Untitled — which leaked over the long weekend — is still pretty awesome. Immediate standouts include "Exit," an earworm in which he attempts to lure a pair of ladies out of a club; "Be My #2," a full-on disco tribute to a backup girlfriends; and "Text Me," a horny slow jam sung to a special lady Kellz would like to get to know better via SMS. Also notable is "Echo," a much-anticipated yodeling-enhanced number likening lovemaking to mountain-climbing — which is still good, even if it doesn't quite make it to outer space.
(Reuters) Reuters - Emmy award-winning actor Kelsey Grammer will make his Broadway musical debut in April playing the gay owner of a transvestite club in the revival of "La Cage aux Folles," publicists said on Monday. Source: Yahoo! News: Entertainment News | 30 Nov 2009 | 4:49 pm
Did you leave the city for Thanksgiving? Here's what you missed on the live music scene: harmonizing from Guster; knob-twiddling from Fuck Buttons, Audion, and Zero 7; Long Island-style arena-rock from Brand New, Thrice, Glassjaw, and Manchester Orchestra; and sweaty loft rock from Growing. Don't worry, though — it's all captured for posterity in our regular concert slide show, Out on the Weekend.
Front Page: Splitting last novel into two films means expensive talks -- The two-week $481million worldwide gross of "New Moon" creates a high-class challenge for Summit toppers.
Over at Jezebel, Vulture contributor Lindsay Robertson breaks the news that Lorne Michaels and Seth Meyers have added famed "alternative" comedienne Jessi Klein (Best Week Ever, The Showbiz Show with David Spade) as a member of the show's writing staff. Even better? We're pretty sure she doesn't even have any famous people in her family! [Jezebel]
Last year, farmers in Louisiana who produce alligator skins used for luxury handbags and watches and things plucked over half a million gator eggs from the wild to harvest. However, this year most farmers collected no eggs. Demand for the goods, which routinely cost upwards of five figures, has flagged somewhat. For example, sales of watches — a key component of the gator-farming business — are down 25 percent. But farmers don't think that adds up to such a quick and utter washout of the business.
Hermès, which began breeding their own crocodiles on farms in Australia this year to keep up with demand for croc goods, became the “largest player in the exotic tannery business” a couple of years ago, according to the Times. In the nineties, they began buying tanneries.
One farmer posits that Hermès is hoarding the skins, driving up prices for other fashion houses (Hermès denies a monopoly of the business). Now some gator farmers are being forced to experiment with other livelihoods, such as opening roadside zoos with turtles and snakes found in the surrounding wilderness. It's less bloody, but also a far less lucrative and glamorous occupation.
Because there are no more pressing matters of political import to attend to, the House Homeland Security Committee now plans to hold a hearing later this week into how Tareq and Michaele Salahi slipped by security to attend last Tuesday's state dinner, and some lawmakers are calling for criminal charges to be filed against the fameseeking couple. But what does fellow fameseeker and etiquette guru LuAnn de Lesseps make of Salahis? "I think the people that would go that far in order to be a celebrity really lack integrity and class," she tells Daily Intel. "I think they get nothing out of it. I mean, I think that they make themselves look bad. They're setting a really bad example of behavior." And you were thinking that marrying an elderly count in order to adopt a noble title was in poor taste! [NYM/Daily Intel]
Front Page: Production on pics expected to begin next summer -- Peter Jackson is predicting production of "The Hobbit" films will start in the middle of next summer, a few months later than expected.
In this week's issue of New York, Amos Barshad interviews breakout YouTube phenomenon and Community star Donald Glover. Chris Willman spends some time with Bob Dylan's new Christmas album, Christmas in the Heart. Kera Bolonik sits down with Ha Jin. David Edelstein reviewsUp in the Air and Brothers. Logan Hill walks you through a collection of photographer Harry Benson's best celebrity shots. Dan Kois talksFela! and Scott Brown discusses Kenneth Lonergan's latest. And Rebecca Milzoff chats with Judith Jameson, currently in her last full year as artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Katie Holmes's makeup looked natural and clean at the Dizzy Feet Foundation's inaugural fund-raiser in Hollywood last night. But her hair looked just the opposite, tied back in a messy ponytail with wispy pieces hanging out.
Do you have to do your hair every time you go out? Or is it okay to keep it messy like Katie did?
We've been noticing a lot of furry men lately. Like real men, not just Brad Pitt and David Beckham and their magical mustaches. Why the extra fuzz? Just to prove that they can. "Men grow facial hair now with a bit of irony," says Allan Peterkin, author of One Thousand Beards. "It's rebellious but playful at the same time. They're saying: 'I'm no corporate slave. I can get away with this in a way my grandfather couldn't." Do men look better with or without facial hair? [Independent UK]
Front Page: Vidgamer hopes ‘Prince of Persia’ can turn things around -- Ubisoft is the latest vidgamemaker to prove that publishers are just as dependent on high-profile franchises as Hollywood.
This Saturday, Sonia Rykiel's lingerie collection for H&M hits 1,500 H&M stores. (For the first time in H&M's designer-collaboration history, you can also find the collection in stand-alone Sonia Rykiel boutiques.) A runway show of the line will take place in Paris tomorrow, and stream live online here beginning at 5 p.m. EST. It's shaping up to be the Victoria's Secret fashion show of Europe. The elaborate Alice in Wonderland–inspired concept involves 2.5-meter-high rabbits, a 25- to 30-meter-high replica of the Eiffel Tower, and plenty of balloons and other shenanigans. Whereas Victoria's Secret models get wings, the models in Rykiel's H&M show will be carted out on floats in a nexus of two of life's greatest pleasures, parades and fashion shows.
Pieces in the line range from $12 for thongs to $30 for bras and $114.50 for "Hollywood homewear" items, which include chiffon kimonos, black velour pajamas, and a one-sleeve dress that can double as eveningwear.
H&M has released new images of the collection and behind-the-scenes video of the model fittings and show preparations. Enjoy the panty-fest in the slideshow!
Front Page: Studio looks to LaGravenese for another wizard franchise -- Warner Bros. has gone back to the cauldron to stir up another coming-of-age wizard franchise, "Beautiful Creatures."
When it came out last week that Greenwich, Connecticut didn't have enough money to pay for its annual display of holiday decorations, you might have assumed that within hours, some billionaire hedge funder would step up and cover the five-figure tab, right? No such luck! [Dealbreaker]
Scottish historian Niall Ferguson opens up his old feud with his econo-enemy Paul Krugman by taking a few potshots at the economist in his Newsweek cover story this week (example: Federal debt hitting 91 percent of the GDP? "Nothing to worry about, retort deficit-loving economists like Paul Krugman"). So far, it seems Krugman hasn't taken the bait and hit back on his blog. Or maybe he is just giving up, since, according to Krugman's column today, while the pair may differ on policy, they agree on one crucial point: Things are still very, very bad.
Krugman: "Historically, financial crises have typically been followed not just by severe recessions but by anemic recoveries; it’s usually years before unemployment declines to anything like normal levels. And all indications are that the aftermath of the latest financial crisis is following the usual script. The Federal Reserve, for example, expects unemployment, currently 10.2 percent, to stay above 8 percent — a number that would have been considered disastrous not long ago — until sometime in 2012. And the damage from sustained high unemployment will last much longer. The long-term unemployed can lose their skills, and even when the economy recovers they tend to have difficulty finding a job, because they’re regarded as poor risks by potential employers. Meanwhile, students who graduate into a poor labor market start their careers at a huge disadvantage — and pay a price in lower earnings for their whole working lives."
Ferguson: "History strongly supports the proposition that major financial crises are followed by major fiscal crises. 'On average,' write Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff in their new book, This Time Is Different, 'government debt rises by 86 percent during the three years following a banking crisis.' In the wake of these debt explosions, one of two things can happen: either a default, usually when the debt is in a foreign currency, or a bout of high inflation that catches the creditors out. The history of all the great European empires is replete with such episodes. Indeed, serial default and high inflation have tended to be the surest symptoms of imperial decline."
We declare a truce, then, with the winner being nobody. Thanks for ruining Christmas, Grinches.
AP - Broadway shows are finally back in New Orleans for the first time since Hurricane Katrina four years ago, and at least one — "The Color Purple" — is giving something back to the recovering city.
If you were worried you'd miss out on the great bargains available this "Cyber Monday," the day when e-tailers use every gimmick in the book to get consumers to begin their holiday shopping on the Web, rest easy: It seems "Cyber Monday" is now "Cyber Week." [Crain's]
PLASTIC SURGERY
• Cindy Crawford, 43, on plastic surgery: "I haven't done Botox for ten years ... Because people have such expectations of what they are going to find when they see me, that brings added pressure to fight the aging process. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think I'm holding together pretty good." [Daily Mail UK]
• Plastic surgery is on the rise in Venezuela for an unlikely reason — the recession! People are reportedly spending more money on themselves to remain happy and positive during the financial crisis. [StyleList]
NAILS
• Lady Gaga's manicurist Kimmie Kyees painted the China Glaze shade Liquid Leather on the singer's fingers for the opening scene of the Bad Romance video, and covered nails with gold screens found at Jo-Ann Fabrics. She also used Alpine Snow Matte by O.P.I. [BellaSugar]
FRAGRANCE
• Patrick Dempsey stars alongside his wife for the campaign of his second fragrance for Avon, Patrick Dempsey 2. His wife is how he got the scent deal in the first place — she is Avon's creative color director. [StyleWatch/People]
HAIR
• Lily Allen is a big fan of wigs. Over the weekend, she wore a platinum-blonde hairpiece with asymmetrical bangs and black streaks. [Beauty Counter/Style.com]
MAKEUP
• For the next two weeks, Estée Lauder makeup artists are offering free "put your best face in cyberspace" makeovers at stores across America, which means they are doing makeovers — and taking pictures on-site — specifically so you can pretty up your Facebook or Match.com photos. The events kicked off in New York last week. Would you go? [Independent UK]
I recently declined the privileged opportunity to spend $1000 on Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert tickets, but ended up spending slightly less money to watch HBO’s 4-hour “highlights” broadcast of the event last night. Granted, it wasn’t quite the same as actually being there, but on the plus side, I didn’t spend one thousand dollars, so, you know, six of one, half a dozen the other. (Ooops, for a second I thought I was writing for GrandpaIdioms.com – my bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
I had mixed reactions to the concert. On one hand, the star-studded Madison Square Garden event represented everything self-congratulatory and lame about the concept of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with billionaire sixtysomething rockers inviting other billionaire sixtysomething rockers onstage to sing a song together then everyone onstage taking turns hugging one another in every possible permutation. I’m sure part of my discomfort stemmed from my sometimes-irrational, overly-conceptual hatred of the Rock and Roll Hall just on principle, but a lot of it also stemmed from billionaire rockers coming out to hug other billionaire rockers. They literally spent the entire night congratulating themselves; it couldn’t have been more the literal definition of self-congratulatory.
On the other hand, though, my conceptual aversion to the event (as well as the sadness of seeing several legendary artists struggle through their own compositions) wasn’t strong enough to wipe away my ongoing curiosity about the concert. It was the most star-studded frickin’ thing I’ve ever seen, with A-list guest stars pouring out with such impossible frequency, I couldn’t not watch the entire thing. Whine as I may about an event with $500+ tickets that more closely resembled a literal circlejerk than anything rock n’ roll related (though I supposed a circlejerk would actually be pretty rock n’ roll, depending on the context), I found the event fascinating. Sometimes for intentional reasons, sometimes for unintentional reasons, but still, undeniably fascinating.
I’ve listed my favorite and least favorite parts of the event after the jump — feel free to leave your own in the comments:
High Points:
– A reunited Simon & Garfunkel singing “The Boxer” (and two other standards) was a sight to behold — not only seeing them side-by-side without a palpable “James Lipton pretending to enjoy Will Ferrell make fun of him” tension, but also because both of them still sounded amazing, and the songs, obviously, are beyond timeless.
– Lou Reed popped out to sing “Sweet Jane” with Metallica, and while like most herion-addled walking corpses, Reed doesn’t quite sound like he used to, I love the song, and Reed gets a free “Keith Richards” pass on anything for continuing to be alive. Well done.
– By far the funniest portion of the evening was the Bono / Mick Jagger duet, which quickly devolved to the two of them screaming into each others’ mouths, because they’re Bono and Mick Jagger and haven’t been aware of the concept of “ridiculous” for two and three decades, respectively. Also, my Dad referred Bono as “Bow-know” (like “Sonny Bono”), and my Mom made fun of him for an hour. Truly a weekend to give thanks.
Low Points:
– I couldn’t get over the haphazard order of the special guests. Mick Jagger walked onstage when there were still two damn hours left in the event. I kept thinking to myself, “Who could possibly come AFTER Mick Jagger? Maybe Paul McCartney? Obama? J.D. Salinger? John Lennon?” Turns out, the answer waaaaas………. Billy Joel. Wow, how’d they get HIM to agree to guest-star in a rock n’ roll event in New York City?! It’s like when Top Chef holds Elimination Challenges in one of Tom Colicchio’s Craft restaurants. They could’ve really brought the house down with a far more surprising Billy Joel non-appearance.
– Ozzy Osbourne…man. I’ve seen him in concert three times, and worshiped Black Sabbath and his solo albums all through high school, but he’s definitely become Ozzed. The name thing is just an amazing coincidence.
– Bruce Springsteen’s singing was, honestly, a liiiiittle too much, even by “Boss concert in which you have the ability to see closeups of his face” standards. I know he’s always a little too much, and I know he’s usually a little more than that, but last night, he was even more than that. Does that make sense? Watch the closeup shots of him from last night, and, well, it still won’t make sense, but you will have watched it.
– They chose the Black-Eyed Peas to fulfill the show’s under-50 requirement? Really? Couldn’t they have at least gone with the requisite Green Day or John Mayer appearance?
– Overall, though, the most disappointing aspect of the show — which I take some of the blame for, after not buying those tickets — was just how overwhelmingly square the crowd was. I suppose it’s always tough to tell on tv, but the crowd was barely moving and often seated, any time a singer would hold the mic out to them they’d barely respond, and a surprising number of songs were greeted with a just-above-golf-clap level of volume. James Brown performing on Jerry Lee Lewis’ shoulders in front of the Beastie Boys couldn’t have whipped that crowd into a frenzy.
Thoughts on the HBO Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert broadcast? How much, if any, did you watch? Favorite / least favorite parts? Comment away.
The Salahis are encroaching on the Countess's sense of class.
When we heard the spectacular tale of Michaele and Tareq Salahi, who crashed last week's State Department dinner without so much as a fake press pass, we wondered which expert we could turn to that would have just the right perspective. It had to be someone who lived in a world of cocktail dresses and high-profile parties. But it also had to be someone who understood the allure of trashy reality television (the Salahis are aspiring cast members of Bravo's upcoming The Real Housewives of D.C.). And yet it had to be someone who would be willing to give copious notes on the level of class in other people. Gosh, this was a hard one.
Just kidding! Paging Countess LuAnn de Lesseps!
When we got LuAnn on the phone, she was only too happy to chat. After all, she did write the book on this particular type of social grace: Class With the Countess (out in paperback next April!). "This story is everything I love," she cackled. "Talking about how bad people behave!" Here's what she had to say:
What do you think of all this?
I think the people that would go that far in order to be a celebrity really lack integrity and class.
Were you surprised by it?
I was surprised — I mean, I was surprised that they got in. That's the most unbelievable thing: that they were able to get through. I do believe that Bravo really didn't know.
Really.
Yeah, I believe that production didn't know. I believe these people said that they were invited, they kind of made them believe that, and then they got in!
So Bravo was filming them in anticipation of this event.
Yeah, they basically got ready with them and followed them to the White House. And then I think after that, after they got through security, they weren't able to follow them, of course.
Have you ever crashed a party?
You know, I think when you're 16 or you're at college, that everyone has crashed a party at least once in their lives. In this situation, or any situation, as an adult, you don't party-crash. So I think it's totally unacceptable.
Is there any example of a time where it would be okay to crash a party?
Well, I think it's better to be invited.
But what about if you knew the love of your life was in a party and you could meet him?
No. I think that looks terrible.
What do they get out of this? Anything good?
I think they get nothing out of it. I mean, I think that they make themselves look bad. They're setting a really bad example of behavior. It's not acceptable behavior. You just don't crash parties. It's one thing if you crash Paris Hilton's party, but to crash the White House is another!
If you don't know someone who comes up to you for a picture, as a famous person, do you automatically pose with them even though you don't know them? Like Joe Biden and Rahm Emanuel did?
People with good graces are nice, and want to please people and make them happy. That's a part of being graceful. I think that they were being gracious to the guests, having no idea that they weren't invited. I don't think that Biden did anything wrong. Why would he be ungracious and not take a picture with them? He's not going to check their I.D. He thought security did!
If you were to try to teach a lesson from this, what would it be?
That money and power can't buy you class.
Is this something a Real Housewife should do?
No. I mean, in New York, we're the real deal, we actually get invited into parties. We're trying to keep party crashers out of our parties.
So you don't think any of the Real Housewives of New York would crash a party?
No. Well, maybe Alex and Simon. [Laughs] That's mean.
So is there class variation between the different casts of Real Housewives? Maybe this is a thing a D.C. Real Housewife should do?
I think that all the shows are different, and all different classes. [Laughs] Absolutely, but no one should crash a party. I don't think it's acceptable for Atlanta or O.C. or any of those girls. I think this boils down to integrity and dignity and doing the right thing. That's what manners are all about in my mind.
Do you think Bravo will work with them after this?
I don't know. I know I wouldn’t like to work with them.
It's been quite a ride for Jesus Luz, the Brazilian model most famous for serving as Madonna's arm candy since the two met in Rio last December (and bonded over their shared enthusiasm for Kabbalah, apparently). A year ago Luz was making $500 a day as a model. These days—and like several other people better known for their connections/last names, not their musical abilities)—Luz collects a tidy sum to spin at clubs around town, and his modeling career has been given a big boost as well:
The months since have been a study in ascension. Mr. Luz signed with Ford Models in New York, escorted Madonna to the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Ball in the spring and appeared on the runway for Dolce & Gabbana in Milan.
He enrolled at a D.J. school in Manhattan and in no time has landed high-profile gigs. For the 90-minute set he was spinning Nov. 12, only his second professional D.J. outing in the city, he was being paid around $15,000, said Matthew Isaacs, a promoter who had booked him, at a lower cost, to spin two nights later at Hiro in the meatpacking district.
Mr. Luz is hot, and he is enjoying it.
"I love the energy of the crowd," he said, stepping away from the D.J. stand to pose for photos with admiring female fans. "It's good to have two careers going on, modeling and D.J.ing. I feel good."
Thankfully, the Times answers the one burning question that has remained unanswered up until now, one that still confounds his friends, apparently: How do you even pronounce his name?
Before Mr. Luz, muscular and curly haired with piercing blue eyes, returned to the laptop and mixing board, he explained the proper way to say his first and last names: "Zhay-ZOOSE. Loose."
Carla Bruni isn't known for her high-to-low fashion sensibilities like Michelle Obama is, but last week the 41-year-old First Lady of France wore a jacket from Stella McCartney's GapKids collection on TV to do a duet with Harry Connick Jr. A children's piece, the jacket naturally looks shrunken on any adult — especially Carla, who's of model height. On her, it looks to us like a piece we'd try on and debate purchasing in front of a dressing-room mirror for 25 minutes before fleeing the store in sweaty frustration. [HuffPo]
It might not be snowing yet, but Saks Fifth Avenue's new holiday windows have enough fake snow to last you all season. The retailer's new holiday book, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Flake, inspired the displays, which feature glittery flakes that drizzle down each pane and fake snowdust gathered in piles at the bottom. There are also video monitors that show tweets tagged with #holidaywindows, which is a result of the retailer's new partnership with Microsoft. See these, and the new Lord & Taylor displays, in our Holiday Windows slideshow.
America: You may not have realized it, but buried in the health-care bill being debated in the Senate is an utterly nefarious tax. It's a 5 percent tariff on elective cosmetic surgery deemed medically unnecessary, such as tummy tucks, eyelid lifts, Botox, and breast lifts like the one 41-year-old "Jennifer" got after her breasts became saggy post-pregnancy, an operation that didn't just uplift her boobs, according to the Times, but uplifted her spirits:
“I’m single,” she said. “But now I’m not going to be.”
A lot of people think this tax — the so-called "Bo-tax," as it has been disparagingly referred to in the media — won't affect them. That it's a rich-people's problem. This, plastic surgeons say, is erroneous.
The 7,000-member American Society of Plastic Surgeons said its internal surveys showed that 60 percent of members’ patients earn less than $90,000 a year.
That's right. Just a little over half of people getting nonessential plastic surgery in the United States make under triple the median wage. But never mind getting your head around that. The point is that the sagging boobs whose lifting may become more costly through this piece of legislation belong not just to the anonymous wealthy.
“A lot of people think of this as a tax on rich Republican housewives; rich, nonworking Republican housewives,” Dr. Phil Haeck, the group’s president-elect, told the paper. “And that’s not the case.”
No. These sagging boobs are people's boobs. They are Jennifer's boobs, and your mother's boobs and your grandmother's boobs, and they could be, God forbid, your daughter's boobs. But don't worry: The plastic surgeons who plan to make a buck off exploiting people's insecurities are fighting for them! Because they care, and because they are unable, or unwilling, to fight for themselves:
Dr. Teitelbaum said some patients might be embarrassed to admit to having had cosmetic surgery. “They don’t want to come out and march on Capitol Hill,” he said. “You’re not going to have a million-man Botox march.”
Or a million-women, rather, since it is females whom the tax will most affect, according to Terry O’Neill, the compassionate president of the National Organization for Women, who makes the point: How will women support themselves if they are not able to rely on their physical attributes?
“They have to find work,” Ms. O’Neill said. “And they are going for Botox or going for eye work, because the fact is we live in a society that punishes women for getting older.”
So this is the question, America. Do we want to live in a society that charges people who can afford it a relatively small sum for indulging in personal vanity? Or do we want one that does its best to keep the status quo, and encourages people to continue to buy into unrealistic standards of beauty by keeping plastic surgery relatively inexpensive for the few who can afford it? Think on THAT. And please, write to your representative.
Just in time for the holidays, our tireless editor Wendy Goodman finds inspiration while browsing at Prada, the Rug Company, and the new Gagosian Gallery store, and discovers how artists nest during the Design Trust for Public Space's evening benefit.
The Crillon Ball took place in Paris on Saturday. The annual event, dreamed up by a PR bigwig nineteen years ago — because why not? — provides an opportunity for teenage girls closely related to or associated with famous people to do some fancy pageant walking on the arm of a fantastically named male escort on a world stage. Most important, each gal wears couture and enough diamonds to put Lil' John to shame.
The 25 debutantes at this year's ball included ladies with names like Lady Kitty Spencer, the 18-year-old niece of Princess Diana, who was escorted by Richard Dennen. Forest Whitaker's 17-year-old daughter Autumn Whitaker also attended, escorted by William Bellingham. Personal-style blogger Jane Aldridge, the 17-year-old author of Sea of Shoes, also attended, wearing Chanel Haute Couture, escorted by none other than Cambridge University student Octavian Donnelly, whose parents clearly named him with this very day in mind.
Vogue recommended Aldrige for the event this year. And why shouldn't she enjoy the honor? She's designed two capsule collections of shoes for Urban Outfitters, has made a cameo on The City, and owns plenty of fabulous items of apparel. And she hasn't dropped out of school to bask in the glory of it all — she's finishing up her senior year of high school with wonderfully convenient home schooling. But just because she's fabulous enough to walk arm-in-arm with Mr. Octavian Donnelly doesn't mean we plebes can't relate. Just have a look at her Twitter page: She uses "fuck" freely.
It's really too bad Dubai is imploding. Where else in the world does this $3.2 million iPhone—made with "271 grams of 22-karat gold and 136 flawless diamonds"—stand a chance of finding a buyer? Guess there's always Moscow! [NYDN]
At first glance this looks like a deleted scene from Pan’s Labyrinth, but it’s actually a promo for Season 6 of Lost over in Spain. This is way cooler than anything ABC has given us so far, but it also FINALLY proves my theory I’ve had since season 1: The whole show was just God and the Devil playing chess with old Party of Five action figures because they… wait for it… LOST the regular pieces (note: my mind is blown!). Also God is playing Radiohead on his iPod. It all makes complete sense now:
As Steven Tyler preps a solo record, Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Brad
Whitford and longtime A&R rep John Kalodner speak out
The current issue of Rolling
Stone (dated December 10, 2009)
has an in-depth report about Aerosmith's recent implosion and their
plan to replace Steven Tyler with a new singer. Here's more from
the interviews RS conducted for the story with guitarist
Joe Perry, drummer Joey Kramer, guitarist Brad Whitford and the
band's former A&R rep John Kalodner, who helped mastermind
their late-1980s comeback. Kalodner even shared an idea for how the
band can carry on: "I was talking to Marty Frederiksen the...
Mississippi congressman Bennie Thompson has called Tareq and Michaele Salahi, the infamous State Dinner party crashers, to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee on Thursday. However, the Salahis are under no obligation to accept, and since they're definitely not being paid the half a million they desire and nobody watches C-SPAN, it's unclear what they'll decide. Still, this seems like another good opportunity to impress the producers of The Real Housewives of D.C.. You haven't really seen an overturned table until you've seen an overturned congressional-hearing table.
His run on The City may have been brief, but his boldface name endures. Cityfile reports that the remarkably tan Freddie Fackelmayer was spotted — like a real celebrity! — shopping with his girlfriend at Kmart on Sunday. Now Whitney Port knows what she's missing. [Cityfile]
A visitor looks at a display of various French ecclesiastical thirteenth century stained glass windows during the press preview of the new Medieval and Renaissance Galleries at the Victoria and Albert... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 1:09 pm
The juicy details just keep rolling in on Tigergate (I call it that because Richard Nixon once had a scandal at the Watergate Hotel, and Tiger Woods’ name is Tiger), and if they continue getting juicier and juicier, we’ll soon be watching a literal 90s Gushers commercial.
First, Rachel Uchitel, Tiger’s alleged mistress, has hired harassment attorney Gloria Allred. Has Tiger also been sleeping with Gloria Allred? We cannot confirm or deny at this juncture, but if we had to wildly speculate to maintain interest in the story, we’d say they had several threesomes.
TMZ, who’s been all over this story like stink on a stinky newspaper article about the Tiger Woods crash that’s also on top of Tiger Woods now reports that an eyewitness reported that Tiger was driving without shoes, which is illegal in Florida. Where were his shoes? Was he f***ing them, then his wife got pissed and kicked him out? Again, at this point, everything is just speculation, but we speculate “definitely.”
But Radar Online has come up huge with the breakthrough, EXCLUSIVE story of the day that’s gonna turn this whole story on its head, like Tiger Woods was after he crashed:
Tiger told his wife that SHE RUINED THANKSGIVING!!!!
Is Elin Nordegren secretly a Grinchlike character, who sabotages holidays by stealing all the presents in a big sack and also she’s green and furry and her heart is too small? Or did Tiger insist on f***ing the turkey and Elin was like “You shouldn’t do that” and he was like “YOU RUINED THANKSGIVING I’M OUT OF HERE!”
If we were forced to speculate, and again, we cannot confirm these rumors at this point, we would have to guess that of course that’s what happened. Both things that I made up happened, I mean. Also all the above stuff.
More updates to come. And hopefully some pictures of him doing those shoes.
AP - "Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession" (Little, Brown and Co., 308 pages, $24.99), by Julie Powell: From the title to the last page, former blogger Julie Powell's startling second memoir, "Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession," is smart and compelling but frequently coy: Does she mean cleaving together? Or faithful to the point of clinging? Or separating naturally? Or splitting open as with, say, a cleaver?
As much as we all enjoy deservedly ripping on PETA, I can honestly say, with tremendous and brave conviction, that I am AGAINST killing animals and wearing their skulls as necklaces. Yeah that’s right, I’m against it. I don’t care what people think about my bold stand, cause I am NOT backing down.
Here’s some more pics of Look At My Controversyness I’m Wearing Skulls Lady:
Um, obviously, if you haven’t seen last night’s episode yet, blur your vision and scroll downwards. Thank yewwww.
The Amazing Race just got a lot less “tune-innier” last night, as our favorite team in possibly the history of the series were given that all too familiar gentle “pat on the back or was that a shove to the airport?” by hot be-leathered host Phil Keoghan. That team being… The Harlem Globetrotters. Flight Time and Big Easy. Two of the nicest and most hilarious players to ever grace the game. Sadly, Big Easy missed the mark last night when he had to unscramble the letters R-F-Z-A-N, to reveal FRANZ, as in Franz Kafka, who was no doubt rolling over and over and over in his M.C. Escher grave during last night’s challenge. After “working together” with Dan, who left him in the dust once he himself unscrambled the word, Big Easy instead chose to take a 4 hour penalty rather than simply filling out the form 24 different times, the exact amount of combinations F _ _ _ _ could yield. (Factorial math, don’t fail me now.) After that famous Luggage Lock challenge weeks back, it’s clear that Big Easy’s brain is not as jacked up as his body, or, as it is more commonly known, “exactly.”
Now while it is clear that the Gay Brothers Sam and Dan are this seasons “Worst People Ever,” you can’t really blame them for the Globetrotters’ downfall. Sure, Dan is a f*ckface from space who, even without his “deceptions,” is unbearably annoying and rude. But franzly, Big Easy would not have gotten that clue with or without Dan’s “plan.” Working together when there are only 4 teams in the race is equally as stupid. Big Easy could only have benefited from that: Even getting the letter F was a bonus he would not have gotten otherwise.
Having said that (Larry David, are you out there?), my Mother’s exact quote when the Brothers headed towards the Czech Freezatorium was “I hope they freeze their d*cks off.” Needless to say, they are not making any friends in older Jewish mothers living in Miami.
So, who are we rooting for in next week’s finale? Looks like we have no choice but to place our bets on the blond virgins Megan and Cheyne (They are virgins, right? We kind of assumed.) Them, or Brian and Ericka. Really, ANYONE BUT THE BROTHERS.
Today, let’s look back on the Harlem Globetrotters finest moments. Plus, tell us what you thought of last night’s episode… ahead.
While looking through the basement of my parents’ house this Thanksgiving weekend, I came across a possession from my childhood that I had completely forgotten about, but which instantly made me proud to have once been a human existing in the early 90s –
This red and blue Steve Urkel backpack:
It was like opening a time capsule I had left myself from a Saturday night in 1993. The backpack was even filled with Topps baseball cards from the early 90s, but not, as I briefly hoped, with deconstructed pieces of Urkel-bot.
Still, the backpack’s meaningful, catchphrasey inscription hearkens back to a simpler time, and dare I say, the golden age of television and arguably human culture as a whole…
Manga fans visit a memorial in Tokyo for Japanese cartoonist Yoshito Usui, whose cheeky schoolboy character Shin-chan delighted millions. Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 10:24 am
French maestro Georges Pretre, seen here in 2008, is to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic's legendary New Year's Concert on January 1, the orchestra announced Monday. Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 10:10 am
Mexican novelist and poet Jose Emilio Pacheco, seen here in 2004, was awarded Monday the Cervantes prize for 2009, the top literary prize in the Spanish-speaking world. Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 10:10 am
The above photo of Hello Kitty Gumball nails at the Tokyo Nail Expo 2009 still proves one thing: People in Japan still have a lot of trouble wiping themselves. But when they do wipe, it is seriously so adorable you guysss.
More fun nail photos below, but believe me when me and my nausea say: You will feel sick look at them.
Yes, it’s true. I spent this weekend with the ‘rents (YM Magazine circa 1995, I know you’re out there), doing some light outlet shopping, and… reading Twilight. But lots of other things happened this weekend too! Here’s our post-T-Day round-up. Let us know how your Thanksgivings went in the comments.
Tiger Woods was involved in a car accident, in which he sustained injuries after his girlfriend WIFE (who can keep them straight?) broke the back window of his SUV to save him. Oh, wait now, the wife actually also broke his face. And now he’s not talking to police. Ah, Tiger, when will you learn? The prettiest, WASPiest ones are always the ones that will break your face with a golfclub! We look forward to the Caddysmack NY Post headline.
Rumors have been swirling that Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoonbroke up.Those rumors were quickly deniedwhen the Earth held a gun up to its head and claimed to no longer have a reason to spin. (Ed. Note: It’s been four long days since I’ve written a joke. And I’ve been reading Twilight. It’s going to take me a few hours to warm up, please be patient.)
David Hasselhoff has been taken to an involuntary psych ward. Doctor’s say he’s doing better, but are finding his habit of following up their diagnoses by hitting a buzzer with a red X attached just slightly annoying.
Meanwhile, his ex-wife Pamela Bachwas busted for DUI. Which means somewhere, their sweet daughter is probably eating a hamburger on the floor, swiggin’ rum from a triple-x jar, just havin’ a little “her” time. (No, but really, poor girl.)
As far as Twilight goes, I’m almost finished. Will obviously bring you my thoughts on it sometime tomorrow. Because there are many. Also, I found the above pic by Googling “Twilight Thanksgiving,” meaning the internet has finally done it and produced an answer for everything.
Belgian-born Audrey Hepburn during the filming of the 1961 movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's". A collection of dresses and other wardrobe treasures worn by the film star and style icon is on show in Paris... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am
US film director Michael Moore speaks about his latest movie "Capitalism: A Love Story" at the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Filmmaker Michael Moore has urged President Barack Obama not to expand the war in Afghanistan,... Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 30 Nov 2009 | 6:02 am
It's not an easy thing to transition from reality TV to scripted fare (just ask everyone who ever had higher ambitions than starring on The Hills), but Nicole Richie is ready to make the...
Adam Lambert has been having second thoughts.
After initially writing off his erotically charged appearance at the 2009 American Music Awards as envelope-pushing showmanship, the singer...
In the absence of a definitive accounting of what happened between Tiger Woods, his wife Elin Nordegren and that golf club, there have been statements, denials and speculation on everything from...
Why is Conrad Murray still walking around if the Jackson family keeps blaming him for killing Michael? Why isn't he in jail? — KellyT, via the Answer B!tch inbox
People also...
As we wait for a full accounting of the perplexing drama that's been playing out around Tiger Woods, one question is being repeated frequently.
What's the story on Woods'...
Nick Jonas is striking out on his own. Sort of.
The 17-year-old star is planning to hit the road in January with his alternaband, the Administration, for a month-long...
Dexter is "ridiculous!"
This just in from Michelle in Toronto, who is only about the (oh, let's see, carry the one and we've got) gazillionth fan to email today about...
I recently declined the privileged opportunity to 
Hall just on principle, but a lot of it also stemmed from billionaire rockers coming out to hug other billionaire rockers. They literally spent the entire night congratulating themselves; it couldn’t have been more the literal definition of self-congratulatory.
High Points:
– Bruce Springsteen’s singing was, honestly, a liiiiittle too much, even by “Boss concert in which you have the ability to see closeups of his face” standards. I know he’s always a little too much, and I know he’s usually a little more than that, but last night, he was even more than that. Does that make sense? Watch the closeup shots of him from last night, and, well, it still won’t make sense, but you will have watched it.
It's been quite a ride for Jesus Luz, the Brazilian model most famous for serving as Madonna's arm candy since the two met in Rio last December (and bonded over their shared enthusiasm for Kabbalah, apparently). A year ago Luz was making $500 a day as a model. These days—and like 
The juicy details just keep rolling in on Tigergate (I call it that because Richard Nixon once had a scandal at the Watergate Hotel, and Tiger Woods’ name is Tiger), and if they continue getting juicier and juicier, we’ll soon be watching a literal 90s 
Now while it is clear that the Gay Brothers Sam and Dan are this seasons “Worst People Ever,” you can’t really blame them for the Globetrotters’ downfall. Sure, Dan is a f*ckface from space who, even without his “deceptions,” is unbearably annoying and rude. But franzly, Big Easy would not have gotten that clue with or without Dan’s “plan.” Working together when there are only 4 teams in the race is equally as stupid. Big Easy could only have benefited from that: Even getting the letter F was a bonus he would not have gotten otherwise.
Yes, it’s true. I spent this weekend with the ‘rents (YM Magazine circa 1995, I know you’re out there), doing some 
