Gawker Media's advertising team seeks an HTML-savvy, Excel-tolerant, Photoshop-friendly Intern who will lug their laptop to the NY office each day to perform entry level feats of data entry, ad banner banging, spreadsheeting, and maybe code contortionism. The marketing industry calls this 'trafficking.' We call it heroism.
Young people do extraordinary things in Hollywood, and make, I'm assuming, extraordinary money. Some good news about television, plus some bad news. And a film wins a very deserving prize.
Have the Weinstein brothers done anything lately that doesn't signal a desperate need for cash? Now Bob Weinstein, the less violent and insane half of the pair, is trying to unload his Central Park West duplex for $34 million.
Yesterday was "Take Your Butler to Court" day over at the ongoing Astor trial, where 85-year old Anthony Marshall stands accused of bilking his Alzheimer's riddled mother, Brooke Astor, out of millions. Astor's butler, Chris Ely—who once worked for Queen Elizabeth (a coincidence Joanna Malloy has magically massaged into a strange column about the similarities between ne'er-do-well mamas' boys Marshall and Prince Charles)—testified, explaining, among other things, why you really don't want to be a butler: Being forced to go on emergency runs for "nighties, underwear and bedwetting pads."
Today we have an out-of-town billionaire visiting to cheat, a musician who brings an army of tight-panted musclemen wherever he goes, a shy/diva pop star, an actor with some predilections, and an arrogant guitar-strumming actor.
• Chrysler's alliance with Fiat is a done deal. [CNN]
• Good news, bankers: The Obama administration is dropping its plan to cap salaries at firms receiving government bailout money. [WSJ]
• Citigroup is swapping $58 billion of preferred stock into common shares, a move that will make the U.S. government the bank's largest shareholder. [BN]
• The ten banks that were given to go-ahead to repay U.S. aid had planned on returning a combined $68.3 billion. Add another $4.6 billion to the tab! [DB]
• FDIC chair Sheila Bair stirred the pot the other day when she said she hoped to oust Citi's Vikram Pandit. Now both sides are defusing tensions. [FT]
• Hedgie John Paulson is investing $100 million in CB Richard Ellis. [WSJ]
The New York Times Co. reports today that it's retained Goldman Sachs to "manage the possible sale of the Boston Globe" and it "plans to request bids for Boston's major daily in the next couple of weeks." The paper hasn't indicated how much they're looking to get for the Globe, but if you'd like to get a head start and open the lines of communication, you'll find contact info for the man to talk to located on your left. If your budget is a bit more modest, but you're still interested in walking away with a NYT Co. cast-off, perhaps we can interest you in the Times jet? It's still on the market. And priced at a very reasonable $9.5 million, too! [Dealbook, Boston Globe]
• Bob Weinstein and his wife Annie Clayton are reportedly looking for a buyer for their five-bedroom apartment at the Beresford. The 6,500-square-foot duplex is "quietly" being offered for "around $34 million" by Brown Harris Stevens broker Ileen Schoenfeld. No need to worry about the couple being homeless if they manage to unload the apartment: In addition to a townhouse on West 70th Street, which they picked up for in May for $15 million, the Weinsteins also own a one-bedroom on West 67th Street and a condo at Astor Place. [NYO]
• Retired hedge fund manager Michael Steinhardt has sold his two-bedroom apartment at the Museum Tower. He and wife Judy won't be moving, however: The Steinhardts split their time between an apartment at 1158 Fifth Avenue and a massive estate in Bedford. [Cityfile]
• Charles Martin Jr., the CEO of Vanguard Health Systems, has picked up a pied-à-terre. The Nashville-based exec purchased a four-bedroom duplex at 155 West 15th Street for $6.675 from Blackstone senior managing director Neil Simpkins and his wife Miyoung Lee. [Cityfile]
Gov. David Paterson has never generated positive poll numbers, but every time the numbers reach a new low, another month passes and they get even worse. According to a survey conducted by the New York Times, Cornell, and NY1—the same one that found that while people generally like Michael Bloomberg, a majority aren't interested in having him serve a third term—just 21 percent of New York voters say they have a favorable view of Paterson, compared to a 26 percent favorability rating for Eliot Spitzer, and seven in 10 respondents said Paterson did not deserve to be elected in 2010. There was one bright spot for the governor who has vowed to make gay marriage legal in New York: Forty-six percent say they favor same-sex marriages, up from 38 percent a year ago. [NYT, previously]
Two politicians who have had a hard time keeping their pants up over the years are celebrating birthdays today. Eliot Spitzer is turning 50; John Edwards is turning 56. Other people blowing out candles today: Gina Gershon is turning 47. Elizabeth Hurley is turning 44. Eric Villency, the furniture store heir and husband of Kimberly Guilfoyle, is 34. Faith Evans is 36. ABC News correspondent Kate Snow is turning 40. Journalist Nat Hentoff turns 84. Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal is 38. Leelee Sobieski is 27. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn turns 46. Olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski is turning 27. Defense attorney F. Lee Bailey is 76. And nightlife impresarios—and business partners—Mark Birnbaum and Eugene Remm are 32 and 31, respectively.
Leo the Great dumped Bar Refaeli, Britney Spears is banging her agent at William Morris, Miley Cyrus dumped her boyfriend and is after Nick Jonas, Lauren Conrad's new novel will be horrendous, and David Carradine bought lots of sex toys.
• The British paparazzi have seen it all over the years, but even they were surprised by a shopping expedition by Beyoncé in London last week. The singer required two chauffeur-driven cars/limos and a small army of bodyguards to escort her to the store. Even though it happened to be located about 15 yards from the front door to her hotel. [Telegraph]
• On-again, off-again couple Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli appear to be in "off" mode, according to People. But Us says Bar and Leo are still together and even have photos of the couple shopping yesterday to prove it. Say a little prayer and hope for the best, won't you? [People, Us]
• There doesn't seem much doubt about the status of Kanye West's relationship with model Amber Rose. West's rep has confirmed that it's over. [P6]
