It’s Official: Piers Morgan Has Landed Larry King’s CNN Gig

This would obviously be more fun if it were surprising: Piers Morgan, after negotiating a deal to remain on NBC with America's Got Talent, has been hired by CNN to take over the network's flagging 9 p.m. hour after current chat host Larry King departs. [Wrap]

Earlier: What You Need to Know About Piers Morgan

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: cable news news, cable news, cnn, larry king, media, nbc, piers morgan

Read 150 of the Best Magazine Articles of All Time

The website Cool Tools has assembled a (subjective) list of the finest magazine articles ever, from 1816 to the present. May your commute never be without a stimulating printout again. (Edward Jay Epstien's 1982 article "Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?" is a great place to start.)
[Cool Tools]

Read more posts by Edith Zimmerman

Filed Under: books, clickables, magazines

Anti-Defamation League Might Want to Think About Revising Its Mission Statement

The Anti-Defamation League has decided that, despite its stated purpose of fighting for religious equality, it just doesn't think the Muslims should build their mosque and community center two blocks from ground zero. In a tortured statement, the League says that, though "freedom of religion [is] a cornerstone of the American democracy," and though "proponents of the Islamic Center may have every right to build at this site, and may even have chosen the site to send a positive message about Islam," and though "the bigotry some have expressed in attacking them is unfair, and wrong," it does not support the mosque because "building an Islamic Center in the shadow of the World Trade Center will cause some victims more pain."

Not that the feelings of 9/11 families are inconsequential, but is this the Anti-Defamation League, or the Anti-Emotional-Distress League? According to its 1913 mission statement:

"The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens."

But mostly Jews.

Anti-Defamation League Comes Out Against Ground Zero Mosque [TPM DC]

Read more posts by Dan Amira

Filed Under: ground zero mosque, anti-defamation league

Joan Wasser Knows a Good Story About a ‘Midget Choreographer’ and Some Fake Quaaludes

Name: Joan As Police Woman
Age: "I hit Freedom Forty on July 26"
Neighborhood: Industrial Paradise Greenpoint
Occupation: Entertainer, singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, violinist, positive attitudinalist. She'll be performing at the free Celebrate Brooklyn show next Thursday, August 5, at the Prospect Park Bandshell, with Holly Miranda and Metric.

Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Can't do it in one — James Baldwin, Emma Goldman, and Ol' Dirty Bastard.

What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
Bereket.

In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
If on tour, search for the filthiest and/or most sacred part of the city, then hit the stage and emote like it's potentially my last show ever; if at home, stare at the sky, talk to as many strangers as possible and dream up dreams to make into reality.

What was your first job in New York?
To survive.

What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
A great Afro.

Do you give money to panhandlers?
Yes, but not to every panhandler. Having a deep interest in what is moving about the human voice, both spoken and sung, if the asker has something that compels me I will probably give money. Honestly, I have heard some of the best singing from folks on the street who are down on their luck. Pain is clearly not comfortable, but can and does produce ravishing and wildly beautiful art.

What's your drink?
Wasser.

How often do you prepare your own meals?
Half the time.

What's your favorite medication?
Telling dirty jokes.

What's hanging above your sofa?
I am so tempted to write "my ex-wife," but truthfully it's a blue-bulb-lit wire star from a forties traveling circus and a mirrored portrait of Stevie Wonder, seventies-beaded-cornrow era.

How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
$100.

When's bedtime?
5 a.m.

Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
There is nothing at all wrong with either, and anyone who tethers themselves to anything that is gone is setting themselves up for pain. There is a magnificence in the old Times Square that can't be beat. My friend has a great story about the olden days — a midget choreographer, who worked for Bowie at one point, was on the strip there between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.

Someone is saying "Quaaludes, Quaaludes," so he asks him, "Would you please give me a few of those, sir?" Unfortunately, the reported Quaalude salesman gave him aspirin instead. This choreographer, who went by the glorious name of "Gui Comme Toi," says "These are not Quaaludes."

So enraged was he to be questioned on the validity of his product that the salesmen punched him under the jaw, which lifted him up and through a plate-glass window of one of the many tiny shops that filled Times Square at that time (as well as joints like Hubert Hunky's freak show/flea circus).

Because our nation has been corporatized, Times Square now resembles Tokyo — which is an amazing thing in itself.

What do you think of Donald Trump?
I am thinking of that crazy peach-colored swirl he's got at the front of his hairdo and how much THAT must cost to get done, if anything.

What stylist is genius enough to make THAT up?

What do you hate most about living in New York?
Not enough time in the day to hate. Need the day extended to 33 hours so I can squeeze in a couple of minutes of good hating time.

Who is your mortal enemy?
My shadow.

When's the last time you drove a car?
Today. I own one. And my other car is a bicycle.

How has the Wall Street crash affected you?
If it's affected me I don't know about it and don't care.

Times, Post, or Daily News?
Times, but I generally stay away from the news.

Where do you go to be alone?
My crib.

What makes someone a New Yorker?
If they feel it.

Read more posts by Vanita Salisbury

Filed Under: 21 questions, joan as police woman, joan wasser

So You Think You Can Dance eliminates Billy Bell and Jose Ruiz - Reality TV World

E! Online (blog)

So You Think You Can Dance eliminates Billy Bell and Jose Ruiz Reality TV World By Reality TV World staff, 07/30/2010 So You Think You Can Dance eliminated Billy Bell and Jose Ruiz and determined its Top 4 seventh-season finalists during last night's live broadcast of the Fox reality dance competition. ... 'SYTYCD' b-boy Jose Ruiz talks injury, critiques, and his crush on all-star LaurenEntertainment Weekly "So You Think You Can Dance" Results Show Reveals Final 4CBS News 'So You Think You Can Dance' Recap: Jose And Billy Fly AwayMTV.com E! Online (blog) -FOXNews (blog) -TV Fanatic all 94 news articles »

'Jersey Shore' Fans Weigh In On Miami Move - MTV.com

msnbc.com

'Jersey Shore' Fans Weigh In On Miami Move MTV.com PHILADELPHIA — On Thursday, at the Blockley in University City hundreds of college students converged to celebrate their two favorite things, drinking and the "Jersey Shore." Co-owner and manager Nick Mucyccka said he decided to host ... Angelina Pivarnick Says She Felt Bullied on the 'Jersey Shore'OK! Magazine Jersey Shore Is Back! But Is the Magic Gone?People Magazine 'Jersey Shore' star Sammi (Sweetheart) Giancola flaunts bikini body after ...New York Daily News PopEater -Hollywood.com -CBS News all 1,164 news articles »

Will Conan Do the Emmys?

The ball's in your court, Coco: NBC Universal TV chief Jeff Gaspin just told Vulture that he would have "no issues" with Conan O'Brien appearing as a presenter on next month's prime-time Emmy awards. "As long as he's not hosting, I'm fine," Gaspin said. So will the TV Academy ask O'Brien to appear? If asked, will Conan serve? We've e-mailed O'Brien's reps and the Academy and will let you know if they have any response.

Read more posts by Joe Adalian

Filed Under: tca, conan o'brien, emmys, nbc, tca press tour 2010

Sarajevo becomes biggest regional film market

Whose Celebrity Spawn Is Releasing a Porno?

NBC Press Tour Scoop: Rob Lowe Promoted to Parks and Recreation Regular & 30 Rock Is Doin' It Live!

Judge Barring Overdose Evidence in Anna Nicole Smith Case

The defendants are accused of illegally providing Smith with opiates and sedatives. 

30 Rock to Do a Live Episode

A few minutes ago at TCA, NBC announced that 30 Rock will air a live episode in October. They'll perform separate versions for viewers on both coasts, giving Tracy Morgan two chances to deliver lines exactly as written. In other Peacock news, Rob Lowe will join Parks and Recreation as a full-time cast member (he had previously only signed on for six episodes). And NBC has decided to debut a few shows early this fall, with Parenthood now premiering September 14, Outlaw on September 15, and The Apprentice on September 16.

Read more posts by Joe Adalian and Lane Brown

Filed Under: tca, 30 rock, tca press tour 2010, tv

Jimmy Fallon Accused of Sexual Discrimination by a Dude

Paul Tarascio, a former stage manager for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, has filed a sexual-discrimination complaint claiming he was demoted and eventually fired because Fallon allegedly "just prefers to take direction from a woman." Tarascio, a veteran of Late Night who worked for Conan O'Brien for fourteen years, insists that his female replacement is less qualified and that he was let go as a result of "fabricated performance issues." [NYDN]

Read more posts by Matthew Perpetua

Filed Under: jimmy fallon, late night with jimmy fallon

"Dinner for Schmucks": Make a date with a lovable loser - Washington Post

Globe and Mail

"Dinner for Schmucks": Make a date with a lovable loser Washington Post "Dinner for Schmucks" has already raised hackles in the Yiddish-speaking community for the breathtakingly offensive epithet in its title (and it's not "dinner"). But it turns out that this comedy of humiliation, starring Paul Rudd and ... 'Dinner For Schmucks': Idiot Patrol, By Kurt LoderMTV.com The PhilmGuy Reviews: 'Dinner for Schmucks'OK! Magazine Dinner for Schmucks: movie reviewChristian Science Monitor Vancouver Sun -TV.com -Seattle Post Intelligencer all 898 news articles »

Chelsea Clinton's $3m not quite royal wedding - The Guardian

CBC.ca

Chelsea Clinton's $3m not quite royal wedding The Guardian The entrance to the town of Rhinebeck, a tiny rural idyll about 100 miles north of New York, is marked by a sign reading "Mulch for Sale". The local paper, the Hudson Valley News, is packed with such reports as an account of the chicken barbecue held ... Bill Clinton talks to fans in Rhinebeck, NYUSA Today Bill Clinton arrives in Rhinebeck looking fit for his daughter, Chelsea's, weddingNew York Daily News Bill Clinton emerges on Chelsea's NY wedding eveThe Associated Press ABC News -FOXNews -CBS News all 3,475 news articles »

Britney Spears Can't Commit...to a Hairstylist?!

A Vulture Guide to Telling Apart the Wills of Rubicon and Glee

This Sunday before Mad Men, AMC will officially launch its third original series, Rubicon, which follows the adventures of Will Travers, a brilliant think-tank intelligence analyst whose bosses might be up to no good. Some viewers may have already noticed, though, that Travers bears more than a passing resemblance to another popular TV Will — Glee's Mr. Schue, who shares his exact bone structure, hairstyle, and penchant for breaking into song (just kidding about that last one, we think). How to tell them apart? After the jump, our handy guide.

	Will Schuester (Glee)	Will Travers (Rubicon)
Portrayed by	Matthew Morrison	James Badge Dale
Where you can see him	Tuesdays on Fox (season two premieres on September 21).	Sundays on AMC (the two-hour premiere is this Sunday at 8 p.m., but after that it'll be on at 9).
Job	Spanish teacher and glee-club director at William McKinley High School.	Intelligence analyst at think tank the American Policy Institute.
Hair	Curly, slightly unmanageable, and with a widow's peak.	Curly, slightly unmanageable, and with a widow's peak.
Chin Dimple	Yes.	No.
Attire	Vests and ties.	So many sweaters!
Talents	Singing, dancing, and ability to rap poorly without feeling shame.	Code cracking, crossword solving, and frowning.
Marital Status	Divorced.	Widowed.
Smitten, wide-eyed coworker	Emma Pillsbury, the school's guidance counselor.	Maggie Young, his assistant.
Nemesis	Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, who'll stop at nothing to sabotage the glee club.	His mysterious bosses, who'll stop at nothing to manipulate world events and kill people by planting secret messages in crossword puzzles.

Read more posts by Lane Brown

Filed Under: gleebicon, glee, james badge dale, matthew morrison, rubicon

Lady Gaga Wore a Straitjacket to the Houston Airport

Well, not a literal straitjacket, but it sure does look like some sort of fashion derivative. After she fell down in the London airport in her cape and crazy shoes, you might think she'd choose something a little less restrictive of walking and moving like a human being. But no — all those people standing behind her in security will just have to wait. [Grazia UK]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: disco straitjacket, disco heaven, divas, just pants, lady gaga

Who's the Harshest Reality TV Judge?

With a few empty chairs next to Randy Jackson, producers have reportedly turned to Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith’s Stephen Tyler to dish out their critiques. 

Chenbot Leaves the Early Show for Sara Gilbert? Totally Computes

Backstage Scoop From So You Think You Can Dance's First-Ever Double Elimination

TNT Just Renewing Shows All Over the Place

Specifically, The Closer (coming back for a seventh season), Leverage (back for a fourth), and newbie Rizzoli and Isles, which has made it out of its first season. Angie Harmon is so back. [TV by the Numbers]

Read more posts by Amos Barshad

Filed Under: renewals, leverage, rizzoli and isles, the closer, tnt, tv

Women rise to the top in "Mad Men"

'Idol': Implosion or genius?

INSIDE STORY: Why Oksana Started Recording Mel Gibson's Rants - People Magazine

msnbc.com

INSIDE STORY: Why Oksana Started Recording Mel Gibson's Rants People Magazine It was first full day of Lent, and the perfect day for Mel Gibson to gather the people closest to him, including his then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, in a tree planting ceremony to honor his then-2-month-old daughter Lucia at one of ... Fear drove Grigorieva to tape Gibson rantsmsnbc.com Mel Gibson's Apology Email to Oksana Grigorieva SurfacesThe Daily Blabber from iVillage Mel's Alleged Email to Oksana: “How's Your Tooth?”OK! Magazine New York Daily News -USA Today -Radar Online all 456 news articles »

North Korea Has Some Work to Do on Handling Its Setbacks in a Healthy Manner

When the North Korean soccer team returned home from a disastrous performance in the World Cup earlier this month, it was not greeted with a "Hey, you did the best that a malnourished group of soccer players who trained in a country with no grass ever could. We're proud of you for trying." Instead, they were subjected to a public shaming in front of hundreds of people.

[Radio Free Asia] says each player was individually called out for his failings during the World Cup. Each then was forced to criticize his head coach, Kim Jong Hun. Rumors abound that Kim has been forced out of the Worker's Party, North Korea's ruling group, and into labor at a construction site.

That may sound psychotic, and it is, but at least this year the players and coaches were not sent to a prison camp. A mere public hazing is practically enlightened in comparison.

North Korean soccer team forced into six-hour long public inquisition after losing at World Cup [NYDN]
North Korean football team shamed in six-hour public inquiry over World Cup [Telegraph UK]

Read more posts by Dan Amira

Filed Under: dear leader, kim jong il, north korea

Ellen's Departure Doesn't Surprise 'American Idol' Experts - MTV.com

CBC.ca

Ellen's Departure Doesn't Surprise 'American Idol' Experts MTV.com Ellen DeGeneres was the first to admit that her first, and as it turns out, last, season on "American Idol" was not smooth sailing. In the statement announcing her departure from the show, the daytime talk queen and veteran comedienne ... 'American Idol': Kara is reportedly outLos Angeles Times Who will be judged fit to be the 'Idol' judges?The Associated Press 'American Idol': Here's an idea: Cancel it.Entertainment Weekly CBS News -AFP -TIME all 2,136 news articles »

The Star Market: As He Tries to Move Past High School Musical, Do Zac Efron’s Baby-Faced Good Looks Help or Hurt Him?

From the moment he backed out of a Footloose remake, the 22-year-old High School Musical lunchbox mainstay Zac Efron has made it clear that he has no intention of falling into the aging teen-idol trap, one which rarely ends with anything but a VH1 reality series 30 years later. And this week was full of news showing how serious he is about that: First came our story that he was negotiating to star in an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's novel The Lucky One, in which he would play a former Marine, and was also attached a Tarantino-esque action-thriller, Die in a Gun Fight. They won’t be airing on the Disney Channel! Then, he proudly admitted to spending a long evening at a Manhattan strip club: Print that, Teen Beat! And today is the opening of his “adult” drama Charlie St. Cloud, Efron’s latest attempt to show the world that he’s not just a pretty face, he’s a pretty face who can act. But does Hollywood (and audiences) have the inclination to rethink a man who made his fame dancing with basketballs? And in a young world now obsessed with Team Jacob and Team Edward, does anyone want to be on Team Zac anymore? We found out by subjecting him to the Star Market.

STOCK HISTORY: Though he’d dabbled in television on Firefly, ER, and Summerland (and received some acclaim playing an autistic youth in the 2003 Lifetime movie Miracle Run), Efron became the target of 73 percent of the nation’s tween-girl screams after 2006’s High School Musical aired on the Disney Channel in 2006. More than 225 million people worldwide saw the first entry in the squeaky-clean throwback franchise, he became a mainstay on the celebrity-magazine circuit for dating his co-star, Vanessa Hudgens (“aw, just like the movie!), and the next two HSMs got great ratings and grosses, respectively.

But after three HSMs, Efron thought he needed to stay far away from anything that combined dancing and smiling. He pulled out of Footloose, and did the body-switching 17 Again — a high-school comedy, yes, but one not quite as candy-coated. But later that year came his first real stab at being taken seriously: Me and Orson Welles. It seemed like the perfect formula: take a smaller role with an acclaimed director, Richard Linklater, and prove that he was willing to shuck off his tween appeal and keep it low key. It wasn’t a showy role; his co-star, Christian McKay, who played Welles, got all of the critical acclaim, and the movie only managed a limited release and was largely ignored, grossing only $1.2 million. But he did get credit for showing that he was willing to pay his dues. Now comes Charlie St. Cloud, a wider release backed by Universal’s marketing muscle, and all of it is geared around him: reviews for the movie — a drama about a 23-year-old still haunted by the death of his younger brother — have been poor (scoring a 25 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), but it’s not like the High School Musicals were winning Peabodys. The lingering question is whether his loyal female audience is still there, or whether they’re now busy writing Twilight fan fiction. Things seem reassuring: While overall tracking has been fair to poor, it's been scoring very well with women under 25 and tween girls.

PAST EARNINGS:

Hairspray (2007) $100,000
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) $3,000,000
17 Again (2009): $1,000,000 (all reported)
Charlie St. Cloud (2010): $2 million
The Lucky One (2011): $2.7 (estimated)

PEERS: His biggest rival is Twilight’s Robert Pattinson — another good-looking young actor with a slobbering fan base. However, Pattinson is considered more valuable right now, even if his non-Twilight romantic drama, Remember Me, tanked: At least he has a current franchise. Efron is considered about equal with Taylor Lautner; even though Lautner's muscles have him tapped for the action movies that Efron isn't considered for, Lautner's physique is topped with an equally smooth-cheeked face. To some extent, Channing Tatum (who is a few years older) has succeeded in breaking out of his pretty-boy image, giving him an edge, even though financially his films have ranged from the successful (Dear John) to the disastrous (Fighting). Efron is considered on par with Josh Duhamel and Chris Pine, while slightly more valuable than Tom Hardy.

MARKET VALUE: Efron's fan base still seems to be there, as per the tracking. While this tearjerker feels like a good fit for him (girls love to say "awwww!" at a sensitive young damaged brooder), Efron is deliberately shirking the traditional route of the pretty boy, trying to build a career with the best chance of longevity. He turned down what some estimate as $10 million for Footloose, and recently formed his own manly monikered production company, Ninjas Runnin’ Wild Productions, and is actively developing new projects that will require him to show the grittier genre side necessary to build up a male fan base: His roster includes Art of the Steal, based on a Wired article about a master thief; Einstein Theory, a time-travel story; Fire, based on Brian Michael Bendis’s graphic novel about a young CIA recruit; and a remake of the Swedish drugs-and-gangsters thriller Snabba Cash. He hasn't given up on women — The Lucky One could be his Notebook, allowing his growing-up fans to unashamedly follow him into their 20s — but he does seem intent on being welcomed into the world of badass movies, and that's a much trickier fit.

WHAT HOLLYWOOD THINKS: Efron seems to have impressed many with his willingness to pass on Footloose — it shows he understands he can’t keep doing variations on High School Musical, no matter the payday. “You don't lengthen your career by doing these musical numbers,” says one agent. “He has to find men, guys … Efron's team are attempting to make movies that age with and grow beyond his audience, and that's smart.” And yet while Efron's approach is laudatory in theory, whether it's realistic is something else. “It's difficult: He may be too high profile, too 'pretty,'" says the manager. "I don't think men like to go to movies to see someone painfully better looking than they are. He's not the rugged leading man kind of guy. He's pretty and unscarred.” Another agent says The Lucky One may be a good small first step to winning over men; they'll be forced to see him by their girlfriends and wives. But whether a Nicholas Sparks movie will do a lot to imbue men's long-term loyalty to Efron is something else.

THE ANALYSIS: Efron seems to be taking the right steps toward the kind of career he wants. But is it humanly possible with … that face? Can you picture that face sneering? Winking, maybe. Possibly a faint smirk. But sneering? And what about being bloodied in a gritty action film? His face is so Ken doll-ish that it would seem like spattered gore wouldn't stick to it. And if it did, cartoon bluebirds might come and lick it off. It's a huge obstacle for him, and it informs and clouds every move he makes, since his clean-cut, innocent, young handsome looks feel jarring when paired with anything dark.

History could be a guide here: Among actors who’ve successfully gone from young hunks to real movie stars, Efron doesn’t quite have the intensity of Tom Cruise or the slightly unhinged quality of Leonardo DiCaprio. Instead, he recalls the young Rob Lowe, whose early films played off his easygoing self-confidence and showed a lot of promise. But he probably doesn’t want Lowe’s career, which was derailed by a sex scandal — albeit the kind of scandal that today would start careers, not end them — and only began to be resurrected when the actor displayed his comic potential in films like Wayne’s World and Austin Powers. A more recent comparison would be Jared Leto, who has the same teen-hypnotizing puppy-dog eyes; Leto rejected any attempts to turn him into a heartthrob, most notably having himself be pummeled in Fight Club. It worked: He's no heartthrob. But he's also unnerving and not particularly in demand these days.

THE BOTTOM LINE: What made him a star — his looks — complicates his desire to stay one. While he's making good, careful moves, it remains to be seen whether he can overcome this "disability." He may want to stick with romantic roles: Women will always be there for him, while targeting men may be a futile endeavor. At least until he gets a scar or a bad haircut or something.

BUY/SELL/HOLD: Hold.

Read more posts by Bilge Ebiri and Claude Brodesser-Akner

Filed Under: the star market, charlie st. cloud, movies, the industry, zac efron

Hear a Surprisingly Enjoyable Katy Perry–Phil Collins Mash-Up, ‘Invisible Gurls’

Genesis and Perry make strangely nice music together. Click through to listen.
[Best Roof Talk Ever via Best Week Ever]

Read more posts by Edith Zimmerman

Filed Under: music, clickables, genesis, katy perry, phil collins

YouTube Now Offering Five Extra Minutes Per Video for You to Show Off Your Cat

Popular video-streaming website YouTube has announced that it's raising its per-video time limit from ten to fifteen minutes. Amateur auteurs of the world, your canvas has just been expanded! [AP]

Read more posts by Amos Barshad

Filed Under: youtube, internet

The Most Depressing Android Phone App

I was looking through the book of Android phone apps yesterday…

…and came across an app called “Useless Facts,” a free app with over 9,000 “fun facts” supposedly designed for frivolous entertainment, which offers this as their one example fact:

Oh. That’s not very fun. It’s actually the opposite of fun.

That’s their example to make me want to download the app? Is the app actually full of amusing facts, and they just chose a poor representative example, or even worse, is this example actually the least depressing fact from the app? Are the other 8,999 all various calculations of the 9/11 death toll? USELESS N’ FUN!!!!

I guess my real question is, is there a way I can download this app but have it count as just downloading it to objectively see how perverse it is, without actually counting it as me downloading the app? Crap. Guess the example worked.

Local Woman Skeptical of Goldman Sachs’s Attempts to Make Neighborhood Awesome

Goldman Sachs recently moved into new headquarters on West Street. It's a swell building, but there's basically nowhere around there to even get a decent sandwich, especially since the Applebee's and Chevy's nearby are going to close. So, they're working with some retailers to bring places into the neighborhood, they explained at a community-board meeting this week. They've got Conrad slated to take over the crappy Embassy Suites hotel next door, and they're bringing in Danny Meyer to open a Shake Shack, a Blue Smoke, and another, "fancier" restaurant in their building. On the surface, this is good news for the area: Not only will these places breathe life to the neighborhood, they will provide jobs for many ordinary New Yorkers. Still, community-board member Linde Belfer is skeptical. She's heard about these guys — the kind who will stroke your hair with one hand while stealing your wallet with the other. Sure, their plan looks good on paper, she tells the Times cautiously, but what are they really after?

“They feel that they are creating a commercial hub, a retail hub,” Ms. Belfer said of Goldman Sachs. “If we as a residential neighborhood can benefit from it, that’s wonderful,” she said. But, she added, “if all they’re going to do did increase the cost of everything, then it’s not so wonderful.”

Looks like someone's got her thinking cap on. If only ACA had had Linde Belfer when they were deciding whether or not to buy into Abacus.

For Goldman Sachs, Remaking a Hub in Battery Park City [City Room/NYT]

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: the goldman sachs pile-on, business, goldman sachs, lloyd blankfein, lloyd of our lives

Carnie Wilson Suing Game Show Network for Big Bucks

Carnie Wilson opened up her life to a reality TV show, "Unstapled," earlier this year, and now she wants more money for what she says is a breach of contract.

Cooper-Hewitt’s Awards Lunch With Michelle Obama and Tim Gunn

For this edition of Design Hunting, I traveled to Washington, D.C., for the Cooper-Hewitt's National Design Awards luncheon; Michelle Obama was the honorary patron. The festivities included a cocktail party, a Teen Design Fair breakfast (featuring guest speaker Tim Gunn), and the luncheon itself, at which the First Lady delivered an impassioned speech. What a thrill! I also got a peek at photographer Priscilla Rattazzi's delightful new book, Luna & Lola, and did some rubbernecking outside a Paul Smith window display. Click ahead to share in my latest design discoveries.

Read more posts by Wendy Goodman

Filed Under: design hunting, alexander tibbets, cooper-hewitt national design awards, luna & lola, michelle obama, paul smith, priscilla ratazzi, renwick gallery, slideshow, teen design awards, tim gunn, wendy goodman

Swedish Policeman Dances to the Knife on Duty

The blond officer of the law protected a group of onlookers by dancing around to "Girls' Night Out" (by fellow Swedes the Knife), distracting potential criminals with his swagger.

[Flavorwire]

Read more posts by Edith Zimmerman

Filed Under: music, clickables, sweden, the knife, video

Slate Group Kills the Big Money

The Big Money, Slate's business-news website that launched in September of 2008 at the height of the financial crisis, is being put to rest by its parent company. "This has been a difficult decision, in part because so many aspects of the project have worked as we hoped," wrote Jacob Weisberg and John Alderman in a memo to staff today. "Jim Ledbetter and his team have done a first-rate job on the magazine itself, cultivating a talented crew of young writers, coming up with terrific features like Recessionary Road and The Facebook 50, and responding with speed and style to business news." Top staffers will stay on at the Slate Group, which has seen revenue growth this year over 2009. [Romenesko]

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: media metamorphoses, jacob weisberg, media, slate, the big money, the slate group

New Shots of Greasy Gisele Get Poor Review

Gisele's new campaign for Brazilian label Colcci is out, and she has the same wet look she did in the label's last runway show. Normally, Gisele and body grease are a stellar combination, but the style feels off here. But maybe it's just that Gisele's skin looks blue and she's making a duck face? However these came about, Made in Brazil seems to think some blame should fall on photographer Gui Paganini, and wonders why David Simms didn't shoot the ads as he has in the past. From Made in Brazil:

Most of the spring ad campaigns in Brazil haven't been unveiled yet, but this one sure is a strong contestant for lack of concept and beauty artist on crack (who in their right mind would throw a bucket of baby oil on Gisele's head?). When even Gisele looks uninteresting in a picture, you know there is a massive problem with it.

Photo: Courtesy of Colcci

Actor Reynaod Gianecchini appears in the campaign with Gisele, but didn't have to endure the same oil dousing, which looks to have served him well. You know, just because you have a sheet of bubble paper doesn't mean you have to pop all the bubbles, and just because you have Gisele to model doesn't mean you have to make her skin shiny.

Gisele And Gianecchini For Colcci [Made in Brazil]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: grease gone wrong, advertising, colcci, gisele, model tracker, models, reynaod gianecchini

Good Luck Getting to Rhinebeck This Weekend If You’re a Normal Person

If you were thinking of heading up to Rhinebeck this weekend — not to try to crash the Most Important Wedding in the World, of course, but merely to take a gander at the heifers in the town's annual cow-judging contest or bend yourself into strange positions at the Omega Institute, good luck getting up there. Chelsea Clinton and Mark Mezvinsky have reportedly only invited 400 guests to their wedding, but the town is locked down like they're expecting something akin to the Siege of Leningrad.

You can't drive to the area, as roads around the wedding will be closed down. You can't fly, as airspace above the wedding has been closed by the FAA. And apparently, you can't even take the humble bus: The local ShortLine bus company has suspended service to the area this Saturday, according to their website.

ShortLine will not be servicing its Rhinebeck, NY pick-up/drop-off location on Sat, July 31 due to the Clinton wedding. Buses will be operating as far as Hyde Park.

After that, you're on your own, sucker. Whether this is out of respect for the wedding party or because they can't be bothered with traffic is unclear, as ShortLine has not returned a call for comment. At the moment, there are a still few seats available on Amtrak trains, but be warned: You might be forced to share space with an agitated Ron Burkle.

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: the most important wedding in the world, bill clinton, chelsea clinton, hillary clinton, jenna bush, rhinebeck, weddings

Is Jennifer Lopez A New 'American Idol' Judge?

Review: 'Cats & Dogs' sequel better than 1st - San Francisco Chronicle

Washington Post

Review: 'Cats & Dogs' sequel better than 1st San Francisco Chronicle Family action comedy. Directed by Brad Peyton. With the voices of Bette Midler, Nick Nolte, James Marsden and Christina Applegate. (PG. 82 minutes. At Bay Area theaters.) James Marsden voices Diggs and Christina Applegate is Catherine. ... How science measures up cats and dogsmsnbc.com 'Cats And Dogs 2' Needs A Little Help From Beyoncé, Fall Out BoyMTV.com Family filmgoer: 'Cats & Dogs,' 'Ramona and Beezus' reviewsWashington Post Seattle Post Intelligencer -Los Angeles Times -USA Today all 873 news articles »

Get (fist) pumped for 'Jersey Shore' with our glossary

Columbia Is the Most-Named University in the Times Wedding Pages

How can someone not have done this before? A new anonymously created website has compiled the 3,981 most-recent wedding announcements from the Times and turned them into a searchable database. Now, when strategizing your own wedding, you can research whether marrying a dentist or a veterinarian will better boost your chances of getting a coveted "Sunday Styles" slot. (It's dentist, obv.) There's some exciting news on there! For example, phrases like "met online," "online dating," "Facebook," and "JDate" are common enough to have lifted, somewhat, the stigma of having met your mate through a website. Unfortunately, the fact that 26 percent of announcements have the word "cum laude" in them indicates that the stigma of average intelligence is still firmly in place.

In fact, as you might have guessed, Ivy League schools are mentioned a whopping 2,345 times (though thankfully many of those are overlaps). For you snobby spouse-hunters, here's a breakdown of some of the top schools mentioned:

1) Columbia (615)
2) Harvard (466)
3) Yale (278)
4) Princeton (273)
5) Brown (226)
6) Cornell (206)
7) Duke (157)
8) Stanford (147)
9) Northwestern (99)
10) University of Pennsylvania (88)

This could seriously replace U.S. News & World Report's collegiate list as the Most Important Meaningless College Ranking! (Actually, take this list with a grain of salt: Many of the Columbia listings are in reference to its hospitals, and MIT can't be quantified because searches also pick up the word "commit.")

Unfortunately, it's impossible to search for specifically gay nuptials, even if you try searching "(right)" and "(left)," which are distinctions always included in same-sex listings with photos. Likewise, you can't search for "stories that reveal unflattering personal details." And most important — and somebody really has to do this someday — there's no way to filter for "attractive."

Wedding Credential [Official site]

Read more posts by Chris Rovzar

Filed Under: weddings, college, media, new york times, styles section, sunday styles

Jersey Shore Top Ten Catchphrase Countdown: Nobody’s Ugly After 2 A.M.

The first season of Jersey Shore was, by all accounts, one of the best single seasons in the long and not-so-illustrious history of reality television. Everything about the show — the wildly charismatic cast, the trashtastic locations, the instantly iconic catchphrases — embodied the very concept of catching lightning in a bottle. So when MTV decided to move the cast down to Miami Beach for the show’s second season, the question on everyone’s minds was simple: Would they be able to recreate the magic of that first, gloriously trashy summer in Sleazeside Heights?

Well, after watching the first episode of the show on MTV last night, the answer is … maybe? It’s tough to tell, seeing as how most of the episode was filled expositiory slog; we had to wait until the show’s 34th minute to see all of the roommates reunited. Also, we were a bit disappointed that the cast members didn’t get around to discussing their newfound fame and how it’s changed their lives. Remember, as recently as December, nobody in America knew who any of these people were, yet now, even the President is begrudgingly being forced to acknowledge their existence!

Fortunately, Snooki, The Situation, Ron Ron and the gang delivered us some lines worth remembering. Won’t you join us as we count down the Top Ten Catchphrases from the second season of Jersey Shore?

10. “I’m gonna have a good time. Gonna get creepy.” — Ron Ron
Did he ever! After pounding an untold number of pitchers worth of Ron Ron Juice, the loveable meathead made it his mission to cop a feel from just about every girl in South Beach. Also, we feel like the combination of Ronnie’s roid rage and alcohol abuse will make for some very interesting television this season.

9. “I’m putting Vaseline on my face, I’m putting my hair up, I’m taking my earrings out and I’m beating the crap out of [Angelina].” — J-Woww
Hopefully, not literally. Because, ew! We already saw plenty of that during the second season premiere of Flavor Of Love!

8. “McCain would never put a 10% tax on tanning, because he’s pale and he would probably want to be tan. Obama doesn’t have that problem, obviously.” — Snooki
Yes, finally the cast of the Jersey Shore starts talking politics! We wonder what kinds of thoughts they have on Arizona’s immigration reform laws?

7. “His name is Ronnie, but you’ll probably can call him Sloppy Joe.” — The Situation
Exhibit A: This.

6. “Obviously, he like fucks his sister for a living.” — Snooki
The Snooki and J-Woww road trip reminded us a lot of Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie’s show, The Simple Life. In a good way! We sort of wish that these two would’ve paired up with the Dream Team (The Situation and DJ Pauly D, natch) and taken a few more days driving down to Miami together. Alas, they did not. Maybe next season?

5. “You’re not supposed to be here, Angelina. You’re a white rat and you’re f*ckin’ pale and nasty … I am tan! I like being tan, bitch!” — Snooki
Hell hath no fury like three guidettes scorned! It’s gonna be a long season for Angelina “Jolie.”

4. “If you’re gonna hand me a bottle of frickin SoCo, something just comes over me. I go crazy.” — Snooki
Sadly, no one handed Snooks a bottle of SoCo in this episode. However, based on the previews, it looks like she and Vinnie are going to tip back a few SoCo + Limes at some point this season, at which point they bump uglies.

3. “If I hook up with one of youze one night, who gives a f*ck?” — Angelina
Well, seeing as how she’s already done the deed with both of them, we say it’s only a matter of time before it happens on camera.

2. “I feel like a friggin’ Pilgrim from the ’20s washing sh*t right now.” — Snooki
I remember reading about this in history books, too! It’s like Little House On The Prarie up in here!

1. “I want two [meatballs] … in my face.” — Snooki
What’s not to love about Snooks? Her penchant for punning on foodstuffs — she also worked in a joke about her boyfriend’s sausage in this scene, too — is nothing short of endearing.

Until next week,
— Juice Springsteen

Katy Perry Music And Phil Collins Music Had A Music Baby Together

I guess we all at least sort of like Katy Perry, right?  We don’t necessarily think she’s a huge talent, but we, in general, find many of her songs to be catchy when we here them at the grocery store.  I’m pretty sure that’s how we all feel about that.

Now, when it comes to Phil Collins…. we all love Phil Collins.  We jog with our iPods blaring Phil Collins.  That’s just what we do.  Phil Collins was the first person to be like, “Guys, let’s all just chill.  There’s no jacket required.”  And then we all were like, “Oh man. This is going to be a whole new era of music where we don’t need formal wear.  F*cking sweet, bro!”  We all yelled that in unison.

Well I’ve got big news for all of us.  Someone mashed up Invisible Touch by Phil Collins with Katy Perry’s California Gurls.

Click on THIS or click on the image above.  And then you’ll hear the magic.

(Thank you, Jon Gabrus.)

Disney Sells Miramax to a Group That Includes Rob Lowe

Disney had been looking to sell Miramax amid a studio overhaul because it no longer resonated with its other family centric studio units such as Pixar and Marvel.

You Can Buy United Bamboo’s Cat Dresses at Opening Ceremony for $500

Sometimes fashion trends grow over periods of years. Lace, for example, has trickled its way down from the Prada runway to the tights of half the 19-year-olds in the East Village and 90 percent of the blouses at Forever 21. Cats and cat imagery are similarly gaining momentum in the clothing business. Just yesterday Style.com noticed what we've been saying for ten months: Cats are having a fashion moment. Not dogs, cats. Cats, you dog people! Finally, the clothes the sexy cat models showcase in United Bamboo's 2010 calendar are available for sale, exclusively, at the coolest store in the world, Opening Ceremony. Two feline looks are available, each for $500.

Photo: ace.openingceremony.us

Most of you are probably looking at these images, spellbound, and thinking, Dogs? What dogs? But for the small percentage of you still holding on to your pooches and bags of their poo, Roberto Cavalli makes some outfits for those little guys that would be fantastic for the Jersey Shore boardwalk.

Got $500? [Cat Party]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: crazy cat ladies, cats, designers, united bamboo

PIC: Ali Lohan Brings Lindsay Fan Mail in Jail - Us Magazine

Daily Mail

PIC: Ali Lohan Brings Lindsay Fan Mail in Jail Us Magazine On Thursday, Lindsay Lohan's younger sister Ali visited the incarcerated actress, bringing her large bags of mail. Lindsay, 24 -- who has been at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, Calif., since July 20 -- is set to be released ... Lawyer: Lindsay Lohan looking forward to 'light at end of tunnel'CNN International Lindsay Lohan Getting 250 Letters a Day in JailCBS News Lohan besieged by jail mailToronto Sun Daily Mail -OK! Magazine -PopEater all 1,216 news articles »

Disney sells Miramax to investor for $660 million - The Associated Press

Kansas City Star

Disney sells Miramax to investor for $660 million The Associated Press NEW YORK — The Walt Disney Co. said Friday that it agreed to sell its Miramax Films to an investor group for about $660 million, ending a 17-year association with the studio and a six-month bidding process. Miramax's Oscar-laden film library has more ... As indy films struggle, Disney sells MiramaxUSA Today Disney sells Miramax to investment group for $660mThe Guardian Disney's £423m deal to sell MiramaxThe Press Association Los Angeles Times -Hollywood Reporter -Wall Street Journal all 632 news articles »

Anna Chapman Is Being Sexy Again!

The release of Anna Chapman's mug shot has confirmed that even weeks after she was sent back to Russia, the media's collective boner for the spy has yet to subside. "Anna Chapman stares seductively at the camera," the Daily Mirror reports. The Post says the photo proves that "even on a police mugshot the suspected Russian spy could retain the poise and glamor that made her famous." Granted, she does look a hell of a lot better than her counterparts, some of whom we're fairly certain are not alive in their photos, but is there anything Chapman can do that won't be considered "sexy"? Taking out the garbage? Buying dog food? It reminds us of the Onion article from a while back, "Produce Section Bursts Into Laughter After Will Ferrell Makes Casual Remark About Apples."

Sexy spy Anna Chapman's glamorous police mugshot sweeps internet [NYP]

Read more posts by Dan Amira

Filed Under: spies like us, anna chapman, mug shots, sexiness

Andy Griffith Pitching Obama's Health Care Law to Seniors

Polls show that seniors are more skeptical of the health care law than are younger people because Medicare cuts provide much of the financing to expand coverage for the uninsured. 

Recession Was Actually Worse Than We Thought

Data from the Commerce Department shows that over the past two years, the economy shrank not by 3.7 percent, as economists expected, but 4.1 percent. “Today's data shows us that the recession was steeper than initially estimated,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. Guess that's why we were all so miserable. [Official site via Bloomberg]

Read more posts by Jessica Pressler

Filed Under: thanks for letting us know, business, economy, good to know, greatest depression, misery

Critic's Notebook: Showtime and the CW's Fall Season Previews

The chasm between cable and network programming loomed especially large on Thursday, Day 2 of the Television Critics Association presentations, as Showtime occupied the morning and the CW the afternoon.

Ellen Will Always Be Our Idol—for Leaving

'American Idol' judge shake up: Kara DioGuardi fired, Steven Tyler hired?

Sandra Bullock Wants to Be Erased From Gulf PSA

Simon, Ryan Stick to Script on Ellen's Idol Departure

Lawyer: Lindsay Lohan looking forward to 'light at end of tunnel'

Project Runway Recap: Season Eight Kicks Off in New York

Ninety minutes, Lifetime? Ninety minutes!?! To take a show that’s about 60 percent filler, and then tack on another 30 minutes of filler — well, that’s just cruel. Think of the recappers, we say! Welcome back to Project Runway, now with more montages of designers and sewing machines, and strange, though not unwelcome, backstage commentary from Tim and Heidi. They’ve jazzed up the show a bit this season, adding more of the stuff that you don’t really care about (interviews with the designers, judges’ commentary), yet not any additional time to, you know, look at the clothes. And yet, it seems like there’s a good, drama-happy crowd this season, and so we won’t complain about the additional running time. Because we have nothing better to do on a Thursday night than watch a movie-length version of Project Runway. (Please leave your thoughts about the longer running time in the comments. Yay or nay?)

The first episode of any PR season is sort of tough. We can’t remember anyone’s name and there are so many dresses on the runway that they all blend together. This year’s notable contestants include: Peach from Lake Forest, a 50-year-old who designs for “ladies who lunch." Ivy, who people say resembles Vera Wang, and somewhat ominously declares, “I think Project Runway is the Ivy show!” Famous last words, sweetheart. McKell, from Utah, who has dreads and a baby, in that order. Jason, who decides it’s a good idea to wear a bowler hat, so that he can “throw the competition off.” (The last time we were intimidated by someone wearing a bowler hat, it was 1928 and we were being chased by Al Capone.) Mondo, who describes himself as “misunderstood,” but we think we understand him perfectly. April likes morgues, Gretchen is a hippie, and Casanova is kind of frightening. No one else made any sort of impression, but there are many 90-minute episodes in our future, and so we have a feeling everyone will get his or her moment to shine.

Heidi and Tim arrive at Lincoln Center (“the new home of Fashion Week!”) to inform the designers that they’re actually still in the process of auditioning, and one person will be sent home today without moving into the luxurious Atlas apartment buildings. Sad. They’re asked to take one item out of their suitcases to use in the challenge, and then — the twist! — they're told to pass it to the contestant to their right. They then have five hours to create a garment, which is apparently the shortest challenge in Project Runway history. On to the runway slideshow, to see how everyone did!

Read more posts by Emma Rosenblum

Filed Under: make it work, heidi klum, michael kors, nina garcia, overnights, project runway, tim gunn, tv, tv recaps

J.Lo signs 'Idol' deal?

Drew Carey: How I lost 80 pounds

Exclusive: Melissa Reeves Makes a Deal with Days of Our Lives

Cool news! Suds phenom Melissa Reeves has signed a contract with Days of Our Lives and will resume playing the role of Jennifer Deveraux in September. 

True Blood's Hot New Werewolf: Men Keep Following Me Into the Bathroom!

Caption Jessica Biel's Banana Suit

HOT LIST: Sexiest Reality Star Bachelorettes

Bachelorettes who don't mind living their single lives in front of the camera.

W’s September-Issue Documentary Won’t Be in Theaters

W magazine confirmed this week that camera crews were in the office filming a documentary about the making of its September issue under new editor-in-chief Stefano Tonchi. Turns out the film is for the Internet only, and won't make it to theaters like Vogue's September Issue film. A spokeswoman for the magazine says the movie "will live online as a part of our online film festival, among other curated fashion-based films." The online film festival begins in late October on the magazine's website. Another September-issue theatrical release would have thrilled the hell out of us, but it's just about as exciting that W, a fashion body, is using the strange alien interwebs for something new and innovative.

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: w watch, w

Ellen DeGeneres' Exit From 'American Idol' Divides Fans

'Dinner For Schmucks': Idiot Patrol, By Kurt Loder

'Gossip Girl' has 'more active viewers' in China than U.S.

Soon You Can Shop Zara Online; Tom Ford Hires Women’s Shoe Consultant

• Zara is launching an e-commerce site this September. Now if only H&M would follow suit. [Elle]

• Australian Vogue is dedicating its September issue to Catherine McNeil, who is said to have the cover and at least three big editorials in the issue. [Frockwriter]

• Tom Ford hired shoe designer Michael Lewis, who also creates shoes for Versace, to consult on his forthcoming line of womenswear. "When Tom offered me the position I can only describe it as having arrived," Lewis said. "Why I was chosen, only Tom can answer that question but I would like to think it had something to do with having no ego and feeling comfortable with the vision of Tom's brand." [Vogue UK]

• Hussein Chalayan is working on a film “exploring the coverlap between clothing and art,” which will debut at London’s Lisson Gallery in September. [WWD]

• Beyoncé will make a cameo on Britain’s Next Top Model. [Catwalk Queen]

• Olivia Palermo wants her own clothing line, but you probably knew that. “[My collection] would probably be soft. And elegant — a really feminine collection. But I do love menswear, so I would probably throw in a few blazers and pant suits into the mix as well," she says. "It would have to be consistent though, that's something you have to keep in mind when you're designing.” [Fab Sugar]

• Canadian online magazine Hardly, which claims to be the new Sassy, debuts today. [Refinery 29]

• Victoria Beckham’s super-skinny jeans are now for sale on Net-A-Porter. [StyleList]

Filed Under: loose threads, australian vogue, beyonce, britain's next top model, catherine mcneil, designers, ecommerce, hardly, hussein chalayan, michael lewis, models, net-a-porter, olivia palermo, tom ford, victoria beckham, zara

'Jersey Shore' season 2, episode 1 recap

Ellen DeGeneres exits 'Idol'

'Schmucks' not appetizing

Review: 'Charlie St. Cloud'

Lady Gaga’s September British Vanity Fair Cover Is Out

The first big cover of this year's September fashion titles is out! Lady Gaga, naked as usual, poses virtually colorless for British Vanity Fair, wearing only a fancy cat collar and the same long gray hair she had at this year's Met Gala. Shot by Nick Knight, this may be her best cover yet: She looks quite pretty all washed out without firearms coming out of her boobs or her tush hanging out. Of course she may be saving that for inside the magazine, where she undoubtedly provides as much fake meaning to the cover headline "Why is she?" as possible, even though the answer is simply "attention." How do you feel about this cover?

Lady Gaga Covers Vanity Fair Magazine [Gaga Daily]
Lady Gaga for British Vanity Fair [Design Scene]

Read more posts by Amy Odell

Filed Under: disco covers, covers, disco heaven, divas, just pants, lady gaga, vanity fair

'Charlie St. Cloud': Dead Zone, By Kurt Loder - MTV.com

Los Angeles Times

'Charlie St. Cloud': Dead Zone, By Kurt Loder MTV.com Charlie St. Cloud sees dead people. Possibly filing in to watch this movie. Although the storyline of "Charlie St. Cloud" has some nice love-after-death twists, and the imagery — gleaming harbor-town nightscapes and sleek sailboats skudding across the ... Zac Efron Continues Career Transformation by Admitting to Strip-Club VisitNew York Magazine Review: 'Charlie St. Cloud'CNN International Review: Charlie St. Cloud Represents ProgressSeattle Post Intelligencer Washington Post -Arizona Reporter -Boston Herald all 1,124 news articles »

'Charlie St. Cloud': Dead Zone, By Kurt Loder

'Jersey Shore' Season-Two Premiere: Angelina And Roomies Reunite In Miami

What To See - And Not To See - This Weekend

Other movie reviews stop at 5 stars. Losers! At Fox411, 4 + 1 + 1 = 6. Do any of this weekend's releases garner the coveted Fox411 6-Pick?

Kara DioGuardi Reportedly Out At 'American Idol'

Best Bet: Veggies for Your Skin

Countering the grime caused by breezeless, 90-degree heat calls for an amped-up skin-care regimen. But rather than splurging on facials or fancy masks, test out affordable beauty line Yes to Carrots. The produce-based brand harnesses natural ingredients like cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, green tea, witch hazel, and Dead Sea minerals to clean, exfoliate, and tone your skin. Two are standouts for battling common summer skin ailments: The Yes to Tomatoes deep-cleansing pads are saviors after unavoidably sweaty afternoons, blending anti-inflammatory lycopene, oil-taming witch hazel, and salicylic acid to unclog pores. And the Yes to Cucumbers facial towelettes are packed with organic cucumbers, aloe vera, and green tea to soothe skin, reduce puffiness, and swipe off dead cells after a day in the sun.

Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes, $2.99 for 10 or $5.99 for 30; Yes to Tomatoes Deep Cleansing Facial Pads, $7.99 for 50 at Duane Reade.

Read more posts by Lauren Murrow

Filed Under: best bets, beauty, yes to carrots

Vintage Ads: What Were They (We) Thinking?

Funny, freaky and frightening ads from our not too distant past.

Hugh Hefner: Rebel with a cause

Arthouse picks: 'Dry Land' and 'Smash His Camera'

Jason Mesnick Joins Down Under Answers to Give Travelers the 'Real' Scoop on Travel

If not Ansel Adams, then who took garage-sale photos?

Ellen out, Jennifer Lopez possibly in at 'Idol'

"Charlie St. Cloud" a silly failure (Reuters)

Analyzing each and every alley cat

I slept in the bedroom of a teenage girl while the teenage girl, whose name is...

Lisa Kudrow plays therapist in 'Web Therapy'

Singer Kristy Lee Cook has her own hunting show

HOROSCOPE for Friday, 07/30/2010

Bad Reporter

Imprisoned Phil Spector gives music a new spin

TV review: 'Rubicon' could be intriguing

Fiction review: 'Star Island,' by Carl Hiaasen

Sid Vicious absolved in erratic documentary (Reuters)

Paparazzo gets his due in "Smash His Camera" (Reuters)

"Rubicon" a stylish conspiracy thriller (Reuters)

Capsule reviews: `Dinner for Schmucks' and others (AP)

AP - Capsule reviews of films opening this week:

'View'-ers get to see Obama as he used to be

Limoland's Flashy Streetwear is Not for the Color-Shy

Eye-popping streetwear brand Limoland unveiled its U.S. flagship today, a splashy 750-square-foot space abutting the Highline. Like the neon-hued polos and double-L-printed hoodies lining the shelves, the shop is flashy and bold, with Astroturf-covered floors, color-changing LED lights, and poppy music blasting overhead. The brand was founded in 2007 by Jean Pigozzi, a French photographer and famed African art collector who now spends his time jetting between Switzerland, Panama, France, England, and the U.S. (The blue-faced logo, Mr. Limo, is based after Tanzanian artist George Lilanga.) The busy prints and color-block jackets take confidence to pull off, but true Limoland peacocks will be pleased with the details, like polos knit from Pima cotton and hoodies lined in silk. Though the apparel caters to men, women can check out the brand's sturdy cotton-canvas and leather travel accessories, a collaboration with Japanese bag brand Yoshida Porter. Click ahead to check out some eye-catchers from the current selection.

Limoland, 829 Washington St., nr. Gansevoort St. (212-366-5466).

Read more posts by Lauren Murrow

Filed Under: buyer's guide, limoland, shopping, slideshow, yoshida porter

LeBlanc's slate filled with laughs on 'Episodes'

Dear VH1: Give This Man a Show. Hell, Give Him This Blog!

This news reported about an attempted rape in Madison County, Alabama is very serious.

That is until about the 1:00 mark, when our new favorite person in American Antoine Dodson reveals himself to be the most entertaining person in the South. VH1, I know we’re technically sitting inside you right now, but listen here: Reality show. Antoine tries to find the neighborhood rapist. You could call it “Run and Tell That.”

Now, to sit back and watch my Jersey Shore-like residuals start rollin’ in.

(via Buzzfeed)

'Extra Man' needs that something extra

Heavenly! Zac Efron saves 'Charlie St. Cloud'

BWE CONTEST: Explain What, Exactly, Mischa Barton is Wearing

Mischa Barton might be Hollywood’s greatest enigma. At one time beautiful, talented, world at her fingertips and ready to shoot to the top, Mischa has fallen on hard times in recent years, becoming less beautiful, less talented, and less world at her fingertipped.

Thankfully, she’s got a closet full of fashion finds to keep her face in the paper!

Wait. A. Minute.

What on Earth does she have covering her bathing suit areas on her body? No, legitimate question, I’ve never quite seen anything like it.

You know what that means?? BWE CONTEST! A free BWE.tv Travel Mug to the person who best describes what Mischa Barton is wearing in the comments. If enough people enter, we’ll pull the best ideas together and bring them to you in their very own post. More pics ahead, and, you know, get creative!

Jon Hamm Covers Parade Magazine, Hopefully Answered Their Questions

Here’s Jon Hamm on the cover of this week’s Parade Magazine:

Hopefully he didn’t refuse to talk about his spotty past, forcing the one-legged (Parade) reporter to publish a story about Hamm’s cold mysteriousness that suddenly jeopardized Mad Men’s viewership, forcing Matthew Weiner to make an emergency call to his Wall Street Journal contacts for a second interview.

Nahhhh, he just took adorable pics, the usual:

(Parade, via JustJared)

'Gossip and innuendo' surround ABC exec's resignation

This Is Why Facebook Should Ban Parents

Yesterday, out of the blue, my mother wrote on my Facebook wall:

Guess what I have been listening to all morning? Enya!

Clearly, mother meant no ill will. But her comment implies that I seriously dig Enya, right? In fact, you might even get the impression that I’m wearing an Enya T-shirt right now or that I’m the President of the Enya Fan Club.

Not the case. Not at all! So of course I demanded a retraction. To be fair, there’s no way a 69-year-old mother could have realized that listening to Enya might be considered a little embarrassing for a son whose first concert was seeing Johnny Rotten circa 1985.

Of course, this slight humiliation is just one of many pieces of evidence as to why parents, especially those over 40, should not be allowed on Facebook. More evidence via myparentsjoinedfacebook.com:

Exhibit 1:

Exhibit 2:

Exhibit 3:

Exhibit 4:

Exhibit 5:

Exhibit 6:

And to my dear mother I dedicate this beautiful blingee:

Auto-Post: Steve Carell On “Between Two Ferns”

Sometimes, the internet is really slow and I have to make up dumb captions for things because nothing funny is actually happening.

Other times, Zach Galifianakis releases a new “Between Two Ferns” with Steve Carell, and can I copy and paste it and that’s my job. That was not very difficult! – Staples.

The internet’s just been full of gifts this week…

Review: Efron sleepwalks through corny 'Cloud' (AP)

AP - Zac Efron and the rest of the crew behind "Charlie St. Cloud" want their movie to be weepy, soulful, inspirational, cathartic, ethereal, life-affirming and who knows what else on the New Age emotional barometer.

You’ve Never Seen Bon Jovi More Bon Jovial

Wonder how good the 80s were for Jon Bon Jovi? This good. Mr. Jovi’s tour manager Rich Bozzett has release never before seen pics of Bon Jovi and company living it up with a handful of topless band sluts, as part of his upcoming memoir ‘Sex, Drugs and Bon Jovi.’ And these pics? Well, they tell quite a story. Bon Jovi, the tiniest of Sex Gods, playing whack-a-mole with random groupie tits while his leopard leggings squirm with desire.

And now, a game!! Take a look at these very telling, very sexual photos, replete with tastefully placed BWE.tv logos*, and tell us which one of these things is not like the other… You might also want to play this in the background while scanning, i.e. My Favorite Bon Jovi Song Ever.

NSFW-ish!!

A.

B.

C.

D.

Answer: Trick question!! They all feature Bon Jovi with white women. JK, it’s C.

*If you’d like to see their nipples, feel free to, you know, buy the book.

Photos via Splash News Online.

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The Grown-Ups Is Already Better In Spanish

Here’s Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin James and Adam Sandler in Spain for the premiere of “Ninos Grandes,” the comedy with “Hilaridad mucho de waterslidos!”

Anyone wanna fly to Spain to see this? We can watch it on the plane then the better Spanish version when we get there. Also, like, see Spain and sh*t.

Timberlake's William Rast to launch at Target (AP)

AP - William Rast, the fashion line by Justin Timberlake and his childhood friend Trace Ayala, has a new partner: Target.