Imagine Father Coughlin, the hateful radio demagogue of the 1930s, spewing vitriol on YouTube. That's why poor people can't be trusted with the Internet, says Andrew Keen, author of The Cult of the Amateur.
It's like the razors-in-the-apples Halloween urban legend: one bad kid-hating apple ruins it for everyone. People used to visit the post office and cheerfully respond to letters addressed to "Santa, North Pole." No more.
It's been a rough week for real estate billionaire Sheldon Solow. On Monday, it came to light that Marc Dreier, the lawyer now accused of defrauding investors to the tune of $380 million, had been trying to sell fake Solow Realty promissory notes to investors. (It was Solow, in fact, who first tipped off the authorities back in October.) Now he has a new headache to contend with. Citibank filed suit against Solow this week, claiming Solow has thus far failed to pay back $67 million in loans and $18.5 million in letters of credit. The funds were part of a half-billion loan that Citi extended to Solow in 2004 to finance the development of a series of buildings along the East River waterfront. Unfortunately for Solow, construction on the project hasn't even started yet and it appears he's already running into financial difficulty. The nitty gritty from Citibank, N.A. v. Sheldon H. Solow after the jump.
Wonders a tipster, "I know that Gawker posted about The Selby covering [Williamsburg Brit-It girl] Peaches Geldof's apartment... but did you guys notice how it's no longer there? Think it has anything to do with lovely husband Max [Drummey] not being anywhere in the photos/any trace of him in the apartment? Or is it just due to the fact that no bone can stand Peaches?" Hmm! (Come visit our rabbit warren, Mr. Selby—we promise we'll have plenty of boy-toys on hand.)
The next time someone tells you you're high maintenance, point them in the direction of Marie Douglas-David, the estranged wife of United Technologies chairman George David. The Swedish countess and former employee of Lazard Asset Management is asking her elderly husband—he's three decades her senior—to cough up $53,000 a week to pay for her living expenses, including $8,000 for travel, $4,500 for clothing, and $600 for weekly flower deliveries. (Oh, and she'd also like to hang on to the couple's 10,000-square-foot penthouse at 740 Park Avenue.) It's reassuring to hear that the economic meltdown hasn't disrupted everyone's spending habits. We were beginning to worry! [NYP]
Today we have a TV star who received oral pleasure while dans chapeau, a man proposed to by his lady, an actress who hurled her Oscar at her hubby, and an insensitive pig.
So in light of the inevitable squeeze on cosmetic enhancement spending, how's everyone's favorite diminutive derm Patricia Wexler doing? Just fine, she tells Wowowow: Not only are her patients still coming in for treatments, they "feel it is critical to keep up appearances right now," although some are cheeky enough to ask for discounts, which, just so you know, will certainly not be granted. But, more importantly, Pat is thrilled about Obama's new presidency for the obvious reason: Democrats have more tasteful surgery!
• Writer/director John Ridley paid $6.65 million for a three-bedroom apartment at 15 Central Park West in July, relisting it just a few days later for $13 million. He seems to have had a reality check: He's dropped the price down to $9.995 million. [WSJ, Corcoran]
• Scott Kleinman, a partner at Leon Black's Apollo Management, has paid $5.8 million for a 20th-floor apartment at 15 Madison Square North. [Cityfile]
• Goldman Sachs managing director Tim Furey and his wife Catherine paid $3.145 million for a seventh-floor condo at 215 West 88th Street. [Cityfile]
It seems that all the apocalyptic predictions of the economic crisis triggering societal breakdown and moral dissolution are coming true! Customers of New York boutiques—we're talking about upstanding, mid-tier designer label-wearing citizens, not hardened criminals or warped celebuspawn—are abandoning their scruples and straight-up lying in order to snag bargains. At the Shoe Box, for example, people have come in saying that Bloomingdales has Uggs on sale when it doesn't (not that we'd expect any better from those still voluntarily wearing Uggs, frankly), or brazenly pretended that Saks has a $535 boot for $150.
Considering he's spent the last couple of days fending off accusations he's a slumlord, this probably won't be the most cheerful day for hotel/restaurant owner Eric Goode: He celebrates his 51st birthday today. Others born on the 19th of December: Jake Gyllenhaal is 28 today. Alyssa Milano is 36. Tyson Beckford turns 38. Lady Sovereign is turning 23. Criss Angel turns 41. And real estate developer Doug Durst is turning 64. Weekend birthdays after the jump.
Everyone is speculating wildly: The Post asks if Tom Cruise gave his wives cold sores; Hollywood reporters accuse their boss of naughty flights and Madonna thinks a new baby can maybe fix everything.
• Both Katie Holmes and Nicole Kidman have active cases of herpes, reports Page Six, something you should probably keep in mind in the event either woman tries to plant a kiss on you. [P6]
• William H. Macy will take over for Jeremy Piven in Speed-the-Plow now that the Pivster has overdosed on sushi and will need to take time off to cleanse his sacred temple from mercury. [NYP]
• Marci Klein, SNL producer and daughter of Calvin, is calling it quits with her husband of eight years, Scott Murphy. [P6]
