We thought critic Lou Lumenick elevated the festival-violence bar to insurmountable new heights with his Ebert-thwacking exploits last year in Toronto. But a Variety critic at Sundance may have just set his own standard.
Gawker operative Stephen Kosloff has sent us another batch of photos from the frozen film wonderland that is the Sundance Film Festival. Now with product-placing bunnies.
The Post is reporting that Caroline Kennedy just informed Gov. David Paterson that she is withdrawing her name from consideration to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate due to "personal reasons." The Post describes the news as "stunning," which may be because the paper said the selection of Kennedy was "certain" just two days ago. But assuming the news is true, you can direct your bottles of congratulatory champagne to Andrew Cuomo at the following address: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341. [NYP]
We're currently at the counter of the MySpace cafe, where a steady stream of celebrities have been filing in, ordering hamburgers and lattes with little-to-no fanfare—people like Woody Harrelson, Emmy Rossum, and Ben Foster.
With Slumdog Millionaire's staggering success comes increased scrutiny—specifically over what some call the overly sensationalized depictions of the poop-dipped hardships befalling India's extreme poor. Now, one Indian poverty advocate is actually suing the movie:
When real estate broker-to-the-stars Linda Stein was murdered in 2007, her "posh" 18th-floor condo at 965 Fifth Avenue was valued at $2.5 to $4.0 million. Oh, what a vicious homicide and recession will do to property prices. When the apartment was finally sold in August 2008, it went for just $1.045 million. Five months later, the condo is back on the market, but it's now being marketed as "staff quarters," a $1.8 million optional accessory to a $19 million penthouse in the building that's also up for sale. And you were thinking the lesson of the Linda Stein saga was to keep the help as far away from your apartment as possible. [Curbed]
1/11 — Last Sunday my girlfriends and I went to Hugo's in the Valley, and who should we spot hanging out in the parking lot (there was a 25-minute wait) but SANDRA OH and ERIC STOLTZ — together. They were there with 5 or 6 other people, but it was clear they were pretty intimate. She was wearing gym clothes, including a large brown hood which she even wore inside the restaurant, which seemed a little odd as it was about 85 degrees. He was wearing an unfortunate beard, but still looked pretty McDreamy. Or McPulpFiction-y. Not at all McMask-y. My friend went over and gave them her card and they were lovely to her. But that hood and that beard, they really have to go. [Hollywood PrivacyWatch is written by and for Defamer readers; send your sightings to tips@defamer.com.]
• You can't afford to eat there any more, but you'll be pleased to hear that Daniel is still a four-star restaurant, according to Frank Bruni, who says Adam Tihany's recent redesign is "genuinely gorgeous." [NYT]
• Jason Pomeranc's Thompson LES is opening a rooftop bar. [GS]
• Gramercy Tavern gives away free $24.07 gift cards, chaos ensues. [GS]
• Chocolate Bar is re-opening at a new location in the West Village. [NYO]
• Kevin Adey is taking over as chef at Park Slope's Bussaco. [TONY]
• Your Tony Bourdain rant o' the day: "Alice Waters annoys the living shit out of me... There's something very Khmer Rouge about [her]." [DCist via Eater]
• Spotted: Adam Platt's photo appears in Conde Nast Traveler. [Eater]
With banking stocks caught in a downward spiral, there's a wonderful way for bank CEOs to both demonstrate confidence in the institutions they lead and one-up their rivals: Just buy a lot of stock in your own company! Following the news earlier today that Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis plunked down $1.2 million for 200,000 shares of BoA, JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon has now officially upstaged him by purchasing 500,000 shares in his bank for $11 million. Your turn, Vikram! [Clusterstock]
1/16 — Saw HILARY DUFF at The Delta Spirit show at the El Rey. Actually, she was out front smoking alone with her coven while the band was playing, and I was just walking to Ralphs, but whatever. [Hollywood PrivacyWatch is written by and for Defamer readers; send your sightings to tips@defamer.com.]
Tuesday's inaugural festivities were as close to a must-see civic event as our nation as seen in almost 30 years. At least until American Idol came along later Tuesday night.
Mailing it in for Hamilton Nolan, who's, er, on assignment, I'm here with your post-inaugural, Nobama media column.
Want to entertain attendees at your next Rotary Club luncheon with amusing anecdotes about the disastrous war in Iraq, the mismanagement of US foreign policy, and the crumbling of diplomatic relations with countless foreign nations? Glad to hear it, since just hours after the inauguration, Condoleezza Rice signed with William Morris "to pursue opportunities that will likely include books and lectures." [Variety]
White America is under siege! In like 40 years they'll be a minority (though still with the majority of the money probably) but they are already being oppressed!
