Irving Picard, the man in charge of liquidating Bernie Madoff's assets, is asking for $22.1 million in fees for the last five months of work he and his firm have put in on the case, on top of the $14.6 million he's already been paid. But that includes a 10 percent "public interest discount," so don't even think of suggesting Picard isn't generous. [Bloomberg]
Can an overpriced cocktail dispensed by a mixologist prevent you from getting the flu, or make you feel better if you already have it? (Presumably a drink like the Flu Shot, which is on the menu at the East Village's Drop Off Service, isn't designed to appeal to the taste buds: It's a mixture of "garlic-infused honey, jalapeño-infused tequila, orange-lemon-ginger purée and a few drops of liquid echinacea.") No, it won't, says one doctor. But "if it makes you feel better"—or you need an excuse to keep boozing when you should probably quit—"go for it." [NYT]
Not quite as many people are planning to travel over the long weekend. But don't assume that means you'll have an easier time leaving the city if you do plan on traveling. A new report indicates LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark Airports ranked as the three worst airports in the nation for on-time arrivals through the first nine months of the year. [NY1, AP]
Christy Turlington walking with son Finn and their two dogs in the Village ... Woody Allen and Soon-Yi strolling down Madison ... Jodie Foster walking to the gym in the West Village ... Alec Baldwin having brunch yesterday at Five Points with a mystery blonde ... Susan Boyle arriving at JFK ... Miranda Kerr going to lunch at Friend of a Farmer on Irving Place ... Gayle King leaving Jean Georges after having lunch ... Katie Holmes taking Suri to see The Lion King on Saturday ... Harvey Weinstein eating at Sarabeth's on Madison Avenue ... George Lucas walking down Madison Avenue with his girlfriend ... Hugh Jackman walking in the West Village with his wife and kids ... Jimmy Smits having dinner at Cafe con Leche on the UWS ... Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts riding bikes downtown ... Tyra Banks leaving MTV studios in Times Square ... Katharine McPhee crossing the street while talking on her phone ... and Jude Law walking in the East Village.
When you hear "AOL," you think of the dial-up Internet service that your elderly aunt still uses, right? Prepare for all of that to change! Now that AOL is being spun off by Time Warner, it's developed a new logo, dropping the all-caps and going with "Aol." which, in case you missed it, tacks on a period after the letters. America's perceptions will shift in no time! [PaidContent, WSJ/Digits]
• Samuel L. Jackson is reportedly the mystery buyer behind the purchase of a 2,578-square-foot condo at 76 Crosby Street. The second-floor apartment, which was sold by Wall Street exec Eric Gross and just happens to be located next door to Gawker founder Nick Denton's pad, was most recently listed for $4.35 million. Jackson is reportedly picking it up for just under $4.1 million. [NYP, Sotheby's]
• Joseph Betesh, president of the Dr. Jay's chain of clothing stores, has put his 28th-floor condo at 15 Central Park West on the market. The 2,367-square-foot apartment, which Betesh bought for $5.6 million in April 2008, is listed for $12.9 million. [Cityfile, JCRE]
Is Jamie Dimon in line to replace Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner? That's that the Post suggests today, pointing to increased chatter in political circles that the JPMorgan Chase chief would make a "good fit," and Dimon's own efforts to build a higher profile in Washington in recent weeks. One thing that's for sure: 50 Cent is going to be crushed to hear this news today. [NYP]
Elle creative director (and regular on The City) Joe Zee turns 41 today. Senator Chuck Schumer is turning 59. Miley Cyrus is 17. Good Morning America's Robin Roberts is turning 49. Director and screenwriter James Toback is 65, as is Basic Instinct and Showgirls writer Joe Eszterhas. Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana turns 54. Former Lazard chief Michel David-Weill is 77. TV chef Rick Bayless turns 55. Defense attorney Gary Naftalis is turning 68. Filmmaker Robert Towne is 75. Psychiatrist and author Keith Ablow is turning 48. Comedy writer Bruce Vilanch is 61. And child soldier-turned-bestselling author Ishmael Beah is 29 today.
• Are Jude Law and Sienna Miller back together? That's what it looked like when the duo were seen cavorting at The Box last Thursday, but reps for the two are denying it. [NYDN]
• Either Jay-Z is a really thoughtful husband or Beyoncé is a bit of a control freak, but Jay refused to take photos with the models at the Victoria's Secret fashion show last week supposedly "out of respect" for his wife. [P6]
• Heidi Klum has officially taken Seal's last name and is now Heidi Samuel. Please update your address books, thanks. [People]
• The American Music Awards took place last night. Some highlights: Taylor Swift won three awards; Michael Jackson won four posthumous prizes; Lady Gaga set a piano on fire; Adam Lambert's S&M-themed closing act involved getting a mock blowjob and kissing a male band member; and Jennifer Lopez fell down on her most famous asset, but she managed to pick herself up and carry on as if nothing had happened. [People, MSNBC, TMZ]
• The Guggenheim is planning to open a restaurant named The Wright inside the museum. [NYT]
• Le Cirque is now morphing into a club on Friday nights. Just don't actually call it a club, though. [GS]
• Former Tailor chef Sam Mason has a new cooking show on Independent Film Channel and reports he may open something new in Brooklyn. [NYT]
• Má Pêche (aka Momofuku Midtown) is serving cocktails. [F&W]
• Is the Department of Health waging a war on pizza? It seems so. [Slice, GS]
• Starbucks is rolling out more of its brand-less coffeehouses. [NYT]
• If you haven't had a chance to get to know Vadim Ponorovsky, the owner of Paradou, please do so. He's a delight, both in print and on the phone. [Gawker]
• Oprah got all teary today when she announced she'll end her talk show two years from now. Meanwhile her upstart cable network announced it'll launch in January 2011, eight months before her talk show goes off the air. [EW, THR]
• Oprah isn't the only one planning her goodbyes. Bill Moyers announced today that he's retiring and will wrap up his weekly PBS show in April 2010. [NYT]
• Former NY1 anchor Dominic Carter was found guilty of misdemeanor attempted assault today for roughing up his wife last year. [NYDN]
• Last night's season finale of Project Runway was the highest-rated episode of the season; meanwhile, winner Irina Shabayeva describes what's next for her.
• The new Twilight sequel, New Moon, isn't just causing excitable teens to pass out in droves. It's also on track to break a few box office records. [AFP, AP]
• More on the bloodshed at BusinessWeek the past few days. [FBNY]
• Tina Brown has herself a new right-hand man at The Daily Beast. [NYP]
• Yet another book by reality TV star Lauren Conrad is on the way. [NYDN]
• Phil Falcone's Harbinger has cut his stake in the Times once again. [Reuters]
• The scariest news ever: Lou Dobbs has left open the possibility that he'll make a run for the White House in 2012. And he wasn't kidding. [Reuters]
It didn't very long for people to notice that the photo of Demi Moore on the cover of the December issue of W had been photoshopped. Half of her hip was missing! The magazine didn't even try to deny that the photo had been retouched. (A W spokesperson said the mag "did not do anything unusual or out of the ordinary," but since fixing up a cover photo is standard stuff, that didn't mean very much.)
Despite the fact she had a baby, like, five minutes ago (and she still has some baby weight to lose, or so she says), Heidi Klum took to the catwalk at the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show last night, which returned to New York after a four-year absence. "I have to say, I wasn't sure until the last minute if I was going to do it or not. I kind of left it open. And then I thought, 'What the heck. Why not?'" [AP, E!, WSJ]
Because he's the embodiment of healthy living and good nutrition, Donald Trump is getting into the vitamin business. He isn't selling any vitamins though. It's a multi-level marketing scheme, which means Trump will be making money by getting other people to pay him for the right to sell Trump-branded (and gold-colored?) vitamins.
"Douche" is having a moment, clearly. Last weekend, the New York Times devoted a front-page story to point out that the word has been used 76 times during primetime TV this fall (provoking a good deal of mockery online and off in the process). Now the infamous "douche" lawsuit from 2008 has popped back up in New York State Supreme Court.
One way the White House and Senate Democrats plan to pay to overhaul the health care system? By imposing a five percent tax on cosmetic procedures like breast implants, face lifts, tummy tucks, and Botox. The provision, which is projected to raise $6 billion over the next 10 years, has plastic surgeons up in arms, not surprisingly. But considering a slightly disproportionate number of cosmetic surgery consumers are Republicans, it may be a clever political move for Democrats. Even if it wreaks havoc on Nancy Pelosi's personal budget in the process. [AP]
