'Push' Sweep Pushes Mo'Nique Closer To Oscar Short List

STV · 01/26/09 01:46PM

OK, so for real this time: Much as we loved our festival jaunt (and are keeping its sinus-besieging germs close to us even today), Sundance's awards announcements are our official signal to finally move on.

Padma Branches Out

cityfile · 01/26/09 01:24PM

Don't be surprised if you see Padma Lakshmi sporting some mouth-watering jewelry on upcoming episodes of Top Chef. The TV hostess and cookbook author is planning to launch a line of necklaces and rings based on various cooking ingredients: "It's inspired by things like seeds and pods, like cardamom, lentils and cloves." Yum? The collection, which Padma has very creatively named "Padma," will debut at Bergdorf Goodman in May. [WWD]

America Picks 'Blart'

Seth Abramovitch · 01/26/09 01:07PM

What color is your Monday morning misery? Pink slip? Blue pregnancy-test result? Black asymmetrical mole? Desaturate the pain with some box office numbers:

The Germans Love 'Valkyrie'!

STV · 01/26/09 12:45PM

The debate over Valkyrie's box-office viability has tempered since its plunge from the post-holiday Top 10. But while it's barely broken even at home, it managed a stunning Euro groundswell over the weekend.

Your Tax Dollars at Work: Citi's $50 Million Jet

cityfile · 01/26/09 12:44PM

When we first broke the news last month that Citigroup was selling off two of its jets, we thought the bank was looking to cut costs as it spiraled towards bankruptcy. Apparently not! The Post reported this morning that the bank is plunking down $50 million on a brand-new Dassault Falcon 7X. The decision to purchase the plane was reportedly made two years ago, although Citi still intends to take possession of it—assuming, that is, politicians in Washington don't come up with a way to scuttle the deal. (Senator Carl Levin said this afternoon that he plans to lobby the Treasury Department to "stop this absurdity from occurring.") The good news is that if the sale does go through, when Pandit is eventually fired and Citigroup is nationalized, we'll all be entitled to free trips, right?

Hollywood PrivacyWatch: Jeremy Piven

STV · 01/26/09 12:22PM

1/24 — Saw JEREMY PIVEN sweating off all of that mercury on the Stairmaster at Equinox. He had bags under his eyes that rivaled Droopy the Dog's. [Hollywood PrivacyWatch is written by and for Defamer readers; send your sightings to tips@defamer.com.]

Martha Sells, Kristol Departs, Ad Pages Fall

cityfile · 01/26/09 12:05PM

• Martha Stewart has sold a third of her shares in her eponymous media company. But she's still as anal as ever around the office. [NYP, Gawker]
• Bill Kristol's New York Times column has come to an end. [NYT]
• Fashion and beauty magazines will see a 22 percent decline in advertising pages during the first three months of the year. [WWD]
• Doubledown Media, the publisher of Trader, is reportedly up for sale. [NYP]
• Conde Nast is reorganizing its web division. [MW]
• Moody's has downgraded New York Times Co. debt to junk status. [NYP]
• A long Q&A between Lesley Stahl and Rachel Maddow. [Wow]
• Sundance ended yesterday without a big sale. [NYT]
• Once again, Paul Blart: Mall Cop was No. 1 at the box office. [THR]