You didn't think there was anything good that could possibly come from the spread of swine flu, did you? You were wrong! If you happen to work in one of the dozen or so office buildings owned by Trinity Real Estate, you're going to be getting free hand sanitizer starting next week. Exciting! Are you one of the lucky ones? If you work in one of these buildings, cross off Purell off your shopping list, stat. [City Room]
Is this show called A Gay Guy, Two Pregnant Chicks, and a Pizza Place That Sponsors a Football Team, because last night, that's what it was. What it lacked in music it made up for in soul—and Beyoncé.
Joyce Purnick, New York Times columnist and the author of Mike Bloomberg: Money, Power, Politics, is once again taking questions about the mayor! Today, though, she's handed a doozy: "Does he do anything for pleasure at all?" a reader named "Coleman" asks. "From here, it looks as if his life consists entirely of power games: racking up money, giving away money, acquiring power, using power, holding power. He has done many worthwhile things, but there is something driven and seemingly empty about the process as a whole. Is there anything that he likes doing other than work?" Good question, Coleman!
Moammar Khadafy may be completely crazy. And he may be one of the world's worst dictators as far as Washington is concerned. But just because you're a vicious dictator and an international pariah doesn't mean you can't be stylish, too. (And, really: If everyone is going to despise you no matter what, you might as well feel good about yourself when you look in the mirror, right?) Fortunately, we're here to help. Since Khadafy is spending the week in New York—the fashion capital of the universe—it seemed like an opportune time to give the Libyan leader a few style pointers. At last night's reception to celebrate the opening of the Spider Silk exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, reporter Douglas Marshall took celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch aside to get a few tips on how Khadafy could reinvent himself. And because Moammar has always been known to love the ladies—he's protected at all times by a contingent of attractive, female bodyguards, for example—we asked one of the most beautiful women around, actress Heather Graham, to weigh in as well. Some honest advice to Moammar is below.
Rihanna catching a flight at JFK ... Queen Rania of Jordan leaving Harry Cipriani on Fifth Avenue ... John Legend in SoHo eating lunch outside with girlfriend Chrissy Teigene ... Jessica Szohr hanging out on the Gossip Girl set downtown ... Jude Law signing autographs outside his Broadway show ... Kirsten Dunst walking around ... Tess Kartel filming scenes for The Other Guys in Midtown while Mark Wahlberg was shooting his own scenes nearby ... America Ferrera shooting scenes for Ugly Betty ... and Jennifer Aniston leaving Monkey Bar.
Like snowflakes of dysfunction, every relationship is different. In Hollywood they can include the wife sleeping with other men under her husband's nose. Must be great to be famous! It also helps that people hide your drinking binges. Yay celebrity!
Bill Thompson won the Democratic primary for mayor by a substantial margin last week and he started airing his first TV commercial. So he's probably made a dent in Mayor Bloomberg's lead, hasn't he? Not so much, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released this morning:
Photographer Annie Leibovitz may be making an effort to dig her way out of the epic financial mess that nearly left her bankrupt earlier this month. Along five other "personalities," she's been tapped by Louis Vuitton to design a monogrammed canvas backpack for the company. It's actually part of a charity project that will benefit the Red Cross, so it's entirely possible she won't earn a dime from her contribution. Then again, as Grazia notes, here's hoping her work earns her a commission of some sort! [Grazia]
• Retired Lazard Frères partner Peter Smith (and the father of publicist/girl-about-town Bettina Prentice) has listed his 17-room apartment at 640 Park, the building that was home to former Lehman chief Dick Fuld until he sold his apartment last month for $25.87 million. The full-floor residence (above) is listed with Kathy Sloane of Brown Harris Stevens for $26 million. [NYP, BHS]
• Real estate investor Adam Gordon has dropped the price of his West 76th Street townhouse. The 10,500-square-foot manse, which hit the market for $25 million last November, is now listed for $23.5 million. [Cityfile, Corcoran]
CNN's least likable anchor is celebrating his birthday today: bigot and birther enthusiast Lou Dobbs is turning 64. Former cable news personality (and now radio host) Alan Colmes is turning 59. Actress Nia Vardalos is 47. Karen Brooks Hopkins, president of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, turns 58. Actor Kevin Sorbo is 51. Jessica Lucas, a member of the cast of the new Melrose Place, is turning 24. Ross Matthews, the guy better known as "Ross the Intern" from the old Tonight Show, is 30. And the WWE's Stephanie McMahon, daughter of wrestling mogul Vince McMahon, celebrates her 33rd birthday today.
• Bethenny Frankel isn't going to be happy about this one bit, but her Real Housewives of New York City co-star, Kelly Killoren Bensimon, is going to appear semi-nude in the December issue of Playboy. The 40-year-old reality TV star won't have to worry about competing with the women almost half her age who normally grace the magazine's pages: The photos were reportedly taken by her ex-husband, photographer Gilles Bensimon, "several years ago." [In Touch, P6]
• Jennifer Aniston was reportedly in tears over a scene for her flick The Bounty because it reminded her of Brad Pitt. The actress supposedly pulled it together to shoot her lines, but the source said, "privately she is still very fragile." Her rep denies it ever happened. But if it did happen, Jen probably needs a better therapist. [P6]
• Topper Mortimer and his girlfriend, Vogue editor Valerie Boster hit the New Yorkers for Children Fall Gala on Tuesday night... as did Topper's ex, Tinsley. Val was reportedly "not happy," but luckily, they all weren't seated together so there was no WASP throwdown. [P6]
John Travolta testifies about the day his son died. Carrie Prejean enjoys playing dress-up. Jude Law has another kid. And you'll never again have to endure Lily Allen's music. All that and much more in your Thursday morning gossip roundup...
