• Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon may have skipped the big wedding, but that doesn't mean they want to skip all the big presents. The duo has apparently registered at Bergdorf's, where they're encouraging friends to buy them fine china and expensive stemwear. [Page Six]

Going after the student loan industry seems to be too darn frustratingly low-profile for Andrew Cuomo, who's contemplating throwing his hat into New York City's 2009 mayoral election, the Sun says today. Though the Democratic field is already a standing-room-only crowd, ambitious Andy would have a leg up over his rivals in that he has much broader name recognition and a much meatier resume. (Plus, he hasn't been implicated in any elaborate slush-fund scandals, which doesn't hurt.) Previously, the advancement-minded Cuomo had been eyeing the Governor's mansion and Hillary's Senate seat, but David Paterson increasingly looks like he'll seek reelection in 2010 and Hillary decreasingly looks like she stands a shot in hell at being Obama's VP. Of course, this wouldn't be the first time a Cuomo has to tried rule the city: Andy's dad Mario ran a losing primary race against Ed Koch in 1977. We figure the analogue to Koch in this election would be Christine Quinn since she'd be Cuomo's strongest competitor, not because, uh, any other similarities between the two.

The truth about HarperCollins CEO Jane Friedman's abrupt departure from her job has now been established, sort of. While it's obvious that News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch fired her—not least because heir-in-waiting Brian Murray was offered Friedman's job two days before she knew anything about it—no one who's willing to speak knows why the unscrupulous Aussie cut loose a woman who, by all accounts, had done extremely well for the company and was widely admired by her publishing cohorts. And so the normally dry old book industry is consumed with soap opera-ish emotion and intrigue: Agent Robert Gottlieb calls the decision "a dreadful mistake...What can be in the minds of these people, losing somebody that valuable, is simply beyond my comprehension," while a HarperCollins exec says that they'd "all be helped emotionally if we had a better sense of why this happened." Bring in the trauma counselors!

The last we heard, former U.S. Senator Al D'Amato was spending his days lobbying on behalf of Internet casinos and cleaning up nicely at weekly poker games. But he's gearing up to take a gamble on an entertainment career: Apparently he has a "Judge Judy-type" show in the works in which he'll preside over small-claims cases, joining the distinguished ranks of Judge Hatchett, Judge Joe Brown, Judge Marilyn Milian, and Judge Alex. From the looks of it, D'Amato's show sounds like a completely original concept:

A black man's in the running for president: It's a historic event, a crucial time for the Democratic party, and for the American people. Yet if you're Scarlett Johansson, naturally it's all about you! Barack Obama's got a vocal supporter in the zaftig blonde actress, who's discovered that his campaign is the perfect opportunity to direct even more media attention toward herself, while purporting to be not just another narcissistic starlet. "I don't want to seem like I'm holier than thou," she rhapsodizes to Politico.com (we think she can rest easy) but "if the spotlight is on me, I might as well try to direct it on things and causes that I believe in." If you believe, Scarlett, then what more does the electorate need to hear?

Self-professed call girl "Chloe" weighs in with her take on a handful of the chic-est hotels around town: "The wait for food [at the Bowery] is mind-boggling." For someone who sells her bod for a living, the gal's got surprisingly high standards for sauteed duck foie gras! [Gridskipper]

• Over at Portfolio.com, reformed gossip Lloyd Grove lobs some softballs at "tall" and "handsome" Kushner Companies heir (and Ivanka Trump ex) Jared Kushner. Speaking from the family's new trophy property 666 Fifth Avenue, Kushner tells Grove that "Real estate is like porn for rich people." You don't say! [Portfolio]

Breaking! Cindy McCain! In person! Spotted shopping at Oscar de la Renta's showroom at 550 Seventh Avenue! "What was the taut Mrs. McCain shopping for? An inauguration, perhaps?" No comment! [WWD]

Looking to "own, fondle, and stick your face in a place where Heath's heinie rested for many hours"? The director's chair that departed Aussie actor Heath Ledger sat on while making Brokeback Mountain is coming up for auction. It's officially expected to fetch between $1,000 and $1,500, but as Michael Musto points out, "you can bet your ass it'll go for more." [VV]

Apparently undeterred by the horrific cultural detritus left by her model-turned-singer predecessors (we're looking at you, Naomi Campbell) Brit fashion phenom-of-the-month Agyness Deyn talks, in her cute accent, about breaking into the music biz. The guy next to her, whose forthcoming album Aggy's song appears on, clearly can't believe his luck.

Who knew Martha Stewart's personal blog was so controversial? The ex-con/TV personality turned intrepid blogger first posted photos of a garden party she attended last Friday, including photos with longtime friend and Westport neighbor, Paul Newman. But it wasn't until readers began noticing how frail Newman looked in the photos that news outlets latched on to the story as proof that Newman is dying of lung cancer, something he's always refused to confirm. Has Martha transitioned from domestic doyenne to gossip blogger? Could she be the next celeb-outting Perez Hilton? Sadly, it looks like the answer is no, at least judging from her most recent post put up today, which takes on the slightly less controversial topic of growing peonies on her farm.

Things are about to get awkward at the State Supreme Court this afternoon, when 50 Cent and his ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins see each other face to face for the first time since Shaniqua's Long Island home was mysteriously set ablaze two weeks ago. The duo are battling over child support (naturally), and while we always do enjoy courtroom theatrics, here's hoping sparks don't start to fly this time! [TMZ] (Update below)

The media is having a little trouble getting the story straight on Barack Obama: Just a week after his and Michelle's fist pump—which most commentators deemed an adorable gesture of affection, but which always-gentlemanly Fox News anchor E.D. Hill slammed as a terrorist fist jab—nobody can agree on whether he's the poster-boy for stylish dressing or an absolute fashion disaster.

With impeccable timing, PETA has launched its latest offensive in the midst of a monstrous heat wave, when not even the most devoted fur wearer would go near a pelt. The loony animal rights agitators—who have gone after Anna Wintour, Kimora Lee Simmons, and Diane von Furstenberg in the past—are now training their attention on the Olsens. For the twins' upcoming 22nd birthday, people are urged to send human hair as a gift, "since they seem to be in such dire need of extra hair on their bodies." Because they're skinny, get it? We preferred the last stunt—when Donna Karan "would eat bunnies raw if she could."

Bastion of credibility Maria Bartiromo—perennial leaker of information and the most famous adultress in the history of private jet aviation—weighs in today on the presidential election, telling Page Six that if Obama's elected, "He's going to take the capital gains tax at 15 percent right now all the way up to 25 to 28 percent." Just think of how much Obama will cost Maria and hubby Jon Steinberg when they finally divorce and they have to sell the East 62nd Street townhouse they bought for $6.5 million last year! [NY Post]

What do you do if you're a billionaire real estate developer, you've just taken over one of New York's biggest housing complexes, and—despite early promises that you wouldn't force out rent-stabilized tenants—you've already generated bad press for doing exactly that? Offer up free rent on the radio, naturally.

• Paul Tudor Jones's hedge fund is picking up some ex-Bear employees [Dealbook]

It's a great day for sex scandal fans: Not only is Eliot Spitzer celebrating his 49th birthday today, but Gina Gershon, now at the center of a controversy over whether or not she had a fling with Bill Clinton, turns 46 today. Other birthdays: Furniture heir Eric Villency is 33. Hedge funder Richard Chilton is 50th. And nightlife impresarios Eugene Remm and Mark Birnbaum will no doubt be partying hard tonight when they turn 30 and 31 years old.

Suppose you're a relatively anonymous City Council member with mayoral ambitions—how to distinguish yourself from all the higher-profile Democrats jockeying for the job? Champion the winningly populist cause of banning foie gras! Tony Avella of Queens, apparently unaware that this movement is so 2006 and that even the city of Chicago recently lifted its much-ballyhooed goose liver ban, is rallying behind legislation that would prohibit the force-feeding of fowl to fatten them. We're sure this issue is priority No. 1 for his constituents Whitestone and Bayside, those hotbeds of animal-rights activism. (Although they would probably be more amenable to Avella's proposal than Manhattanites, who might actually eat the stuff.) We're guessing, though, that means Avella can perish the thought of an endorsement by Daniel Boulud.

• Is it really over between Madonna and Guy Ritchie? Madge has apparently hired England's toughest divorce lawyer, Nicholas Mostyn—the same guy who handled Paul McCartney's split with Heather Mills—so the answer looks like yes. [Holy Moly!]