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Radar editor Maer Roshan sure seems eager to serve Kurt Andersen some retribution for his recent bitch-slapping of Radar. As such, today's Radar claims that Andersen was fleeced for "several thousand dollars" by Russian gadfly Inna De Silva, who was working with New York reporter Phoebe Eaton on a major piece about the New York's Russian call girl/mob scene. For whatever reason, Eaton's piece was eventually scrapped and, ten-odd years later, Radar has a story about how Kurt Andersen had bankrolled De Silva, bought her and Eaton first-class plane tickets to Monte Carlo, and "furnished" the Russian party girl with "extra pocket money."

We don't know Kurt Andersen too well (didn't he start some magazine or something?), but this seems a little off. And just as we were scratching our heads and pondering the meaning of it all, Eaton contacted Gawker (since Radar wasn't listening) for comment. She tells us:

Radar's venge-item on Kurt Andersen in wrong in every particular, as the staff of the very young website was told after they called me yesterday for comment. New York Magazine never paid a dime to Inna De Silva or played any role in subsidizing her glamourpuss lifestyle or that of her hardly cash-poor friends. I only wish the magazine had shelled out for a first-class ticket.

Isn't there a Peabody Award for Delusion in Journalism? Seriously, those poor Radar kids are working so hard, we've got to give them something...

Update: Radar is standing by its story, Eaton is standing by hers, and we're standing by the air-conditioner.
Kurt Andersen's Russian Undressing [Radar]
Earlier: Kurt Andersen on Radar