Sure, Rupert Murdoch and Silvio Berlusconi pretend they're fighting about a hot young model who calls Berlusconi her "papi." But that's just a banal cover story for what really gets the two men hot and bothered: media properties!

A street artist in Russia was arrested by the secret service, interrogated, and beaten after he made this piece showing Vladimir Putin as a woman. In Russia, politicians, cops, and vandals are all equally insane criminal badasses. [via Daily Mail]

The New York Daily News dismissed gossip writer Sean Evans last Friday. The paper has yet to name a replacement to head up the Gatecrasher column with Laura Schreffler, and from the looks of things, the recruitment process isn't going very smoothly. Filling in for the week is "swag hag" Sarah Polonsky, the former National Enquirer reporter who worked very briefly at Page Six in late 2006, but was fired for running afoul of the paper's ban on accepting freebies. (Most recently, she's headed up a website called Cellofame.com.) Guard your gift bags, publicists! Polonsky's email below.

The failing San Francisco Chronicle has started—in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression—a blog by two idly rich guys. Topic: "What's it like to be rich?" Lots of dodging pitchforks, I imagine.

Everybody knows that NYC Prep show isn't real. That's what the Wall Street Journal's Speakeasy blog proudly reminds us. See, real NYC preppers are nothing like the upcoming series. One of the schools even sent a letter saying as much.

A few more photos from last night's CFDA Awards after the jump.

As co-host of the Wall Street Journal's $5,000/head D conference, reporter Kara Swisher demands best behavior from her guests. Invite her to your startup, though, and she'll taunt your chef, heckle bizdev and mock your taste.

The Church of Scientology has launched a deeply creepy advertising campaign. They're buying spots on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, and seem to have stolen the ad playbook from their arch-enemies in the pharmaceutical industry.

Since we're in the midst of a vague, threatening porn industry HIV scare, some things are changing. Like talent-producer relations. Do you trust your porn stars? Don't! [UPDATED]:

The brain trust at Fox & Friends is often swatting at confusing things, trying in vain to figure them out, and today was no exception. The topic was that thing that's going on in Iran with the votes or whatever.

We have news from around the world today, but mostly from Foxborough and Australia. Two places both alike in dignity, but then suffering complete indignities like American Idol and movies about teenagers who save the world.

If anyone can get the scoop on a fringe Kennedy family member's creepy porny obsession with JFK Jr., and a very specific description of said guy's child porn collection, it's the New York Post. They've done it! Kennedy creepiness ahead.

Victory is ours! After losing the top spot in the annual survey of the nation's angriest drivers, New York City has once again risen to the top of the heap, beating out Miami, which placed No. 1 last year. "New Yorkers were most likely to wave their fists or arms. They were most likely to lay on the horn and they were most likely to make some sort of obscene gesture," explained Michael Bush, of the marketing firm Affinion Group, which commissioned the survey. You knew all of this, of course. But a little validation goes a long way. [NYDN]

"Investors say they are getting more promotional material from hedge funds than ever before, as funds seek to replenish assets withdrawn or lost because of negative performance during the financial crisis." Does this mean you may find Dan Loeb shoving a flyer under your door in the near future? Not necessarily. But you probably shouldn't rule it out either. [Reuters]

All of a sudden, thanks to Twitter and Bill Keller, Iran is like the biggest story of the year! What's the latest? Killings in the street, a president on the run, media in peril, and a Florida 2000 recount replay:

[Social bee Lydia Hearst with some fashion designer at the CFDA awards after party in New York last night; image via INF]

Today we have a male music divo (when they're boys they're called divos) who would like you to keep your feet off the furniture, a teen songbird who's having a May-December affair (she's May), and a wild actress gone mild.

It's a good thing we've been closely monitoring the pages of ¡Hola! magazine. Otherwise we might have never realized that the "EXCLUSIVE tour" of Ivana Trump's townhouse on People's website was comprised of the same photos that appeared in the Spanish-language tabloid almost two months ago. But it's a good thing that Ivana's shockingly embarrassing taste in home décor has now been exposed to readers on multiple continents, isn't it? [¡Hola!, People]

The free world has been protesting North Korea's 12-year prison sentence of Current journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee as unjust and outrageous. How embarrassing! Now the women have admitted their vile crimes. According to North Korea's official news agency.

It's really a shame there haven't been cameras at the trial of Anthony Marshall, the son of Brooke Astor who now stands accused on plundering his mother's fortune. Hundred (thousands?) of Upper East Siders would have been glued to their TV sets the past few weeks. Sketch artist Jane Rosenberg has been in attendance the past few weeks to document the goings-on with paper and colored pencils. Can you identify the notable people above who've appeared on the witness stand? As always, answers below.