The Washington Post's Lloyd Grove reports that someone in the White House sent Matt Drudge (of drudgereport.com) a tip that "World News Tonight's" Jeffrey Kofman was Canadian and gay after Kofman did a report about sinking morale among U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Stupid, stupid White House. Drudge ran the story under the headline "ABC NEWS REPORTER WHO FILED TROOP COMPLAINT STORY IS CANADIAN." (Drudge may be xenophobic, but he's definitely not homophobic.)
Drudging up personal details [WaPo]

The Observer's[/Barneys'] Simon Doonan says the afro is the hot summer hairstyle. He also contemplates another Manhattan variant: "Re Jewfros: Imagine if all the Jewish girls in Manhattan ditched the pricey, follicle-shriveling blowouts to which they have submitted for a solid decade and grew a Jewfro this summer as per [hairstylist] Edris? Don't laugh! It s not as ludicrous as it sounds. The ass-kicking Cleopatra Jones tough chic of an Afro is certainly more assonant with, for example, Hamptons correspondent Lizzie Grubman s persona than her current, uber-Nordic, ultra-blond, little-girl-lost look."
Head trip! The afro is back: calling all curly girls [Observer]

The Morning News' Choire Sicha and Geoff Badner report from the NYC Tattoo Convention: "The bar in the Roseland Ballroom is a dank alcoholic ward. The big bald bartender is wearing a white t-shirt, with a homemade message written in black magic marker: 'I'm With Fudge Packer.' Beneath it is an arrow pointing left. Between dispensing five-dollar Jager shots, he mugs next to his co-workers, evidently insinuating that they are packers of fudge all. 'Ya getting a tattoo this weekend?' I ask him. He rolls his eyes at me. 'Yeah, on my ass,' he says."
The New York City Tattoo Convention [TMN]

A reality TV show is casting NYC bike messengers for an outdoor sports show. Survivor Manhattan, perhaps? Weave in and out of traffic in crowded intersections, dodging yellow cabs, Lincoln Towncars, and Beemer-driving assholes from Westchester without getting killed?
24-HOUR CASTING NOTICE!
New As Of: July 15
Category: Reality TV
OUTDOOR SPORTS REALITY TV
Outdoor sports reality tv show is seeking — Bike Delivery Person: all ethnicities, 25-40, male, must be an articulate actual bike delivery person at a local NYC establishment and willing to try a new, fun mode of transportation for deliveries. There is pay. Copy provided. Shooting July 22 and/or July 23 in mid-town Manhattan and Central Park. Toni Pezone, dir. Call by July 19 to (818) 301-4663; or fax (818) 301-4511; or email reallycoolideas@aol.com. (First posted 7/18)
Help wanted [Backstage]

· Columbia Pictures airbrushed J-Lo's ass in the publicity shots for "Gigli." A spokesperson for Lopez: "I'm absolutely shocked. Who would ever think this could possibly happen in Hollywood?" [Page Six]
· Latvian escort services are featuring well-known actresses and models in their ads. [Page Six]
· "Call me 'Esther.'" Friends say Madonna has asked them to refer to her by her "Jewish" name. [Page Six]
· Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones are suing Hello! magazine for even more money and Monica Lewinsky is in London negotiating a possible TV project. [NY Daily News]

A mini-report from The Week's "Is Bush unbeatable in 2004?" panel at Grand Central today: Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal (one of four panelists, including former presidential candidate Gary Hart, Republican strategist Ed Rollins, FoxNews contributor Monica Crowley, all moderated by Brit publisher Harry Evans) having speculated about Bush's prospects, gets ambushed by defected Clintonista Dick Morris, who recently accused him of writing an 800-page job application for the Hillary Clinton campaign, in the form of his book, The Clinton Wars. Morris and Blumenthal haven't spoken for years. Morris, whose voice suddenly booms from the loudspeaker via unannounced phone-in, comments on the state of the Bush adminstration's re-election prospects and adds at the end, "Hellooooooo, Sidney..." Blumenthal smirks (in that seethingly condescending way he appears to have perfected.) Evans announces, "That was a frisson. If you missed it, too bad."

· Hipster bingo [via Lindsayism]
· "Queer eye for the straight guy" fuckability guide
· James Frey goes camping

Just an observation: In looking over the pictures of the FDNY firemen who so generously offered their bodies up for FDNY calendar photo sessions, it has been pointed out to me that they're all completely hairless. This, of course, means one of two things: 1) Fireman genotype = hairless as a dominant trait. 2) NYC Firementhe last bastion of no-maintenance machismohave somehow failed to escape the metrosexual trend and are waxing. So, which is it? The evidence:
Fireman gallery [Newsday]

Blog aficionado (but non-blogger) Rob Sterling has been talking for months about starting a "bridge-and-tunnel" blog. When he raised the subject, friends would shake their heads and explain in hushed tones that Sterling was from Jersey. Rob, however, has finally put his money where his mouth is and started blog called "Boro6" (sixth boroughgeddit?) and the site already has a massive Manhattan inferiority complex. Now, you may think I'm just saying that to antagonize Rob. And you would be correct. But that doesn't mean that it's not true. Four of today's five posts mention Manhattani.e., "closest trailer park to Manhattan." Boro6 also helpfully explains where New Jersey is, for those of you who don't know: "Many residents of Manhattan are surprisingly ignorant as to the location of New Jersey, and many of those who do know where it is are unable to get there without the very expensive assistance of a taxi. New Jersey, it turns out, is located right next to Manhattan, across a large body of water called 'the Hudson River' that can be seen from the West Side. Next week: Boro6 answers the question 'Why would I ever need to go to New Jersey?'"
[Boro6]

The Black Table kids have come up with their own New York walking tours, themed along the seven deadly sins. The "envy" tour, for example: "Greenwich Village and West Village. Explores landmarks and historic sites connected to the desire for others' traits, status or abilities. With a special stop at Emerson's quote about art and jealousy and a mistress and stuff. Will look in windows of shops you'll never be able to afford, both in Soho and on Fifth Ave. where we will also cross the streets near hotels whose managers would laugh in your face and then spit on you if you ever tried to come through their revolving door. Meets 1 p.m. Saturday at some dickhead's $550/mo. 3-bedroom rent-controlled loft in the West Village. Prick. No fee. Sponsored by Universal Studios' "2 Fast 2 Furious" — Cross the line one more time!"
The seven-deadly ways to spend your spare Times [BlackTable]

Blogger Lockhart Steele, once again scouring the Lower East Side for signs of embryonic restaurants marked by boarded up storefronts, offers some freshly-gathered intel on places that are under development. Among them:
· On Broome, between Orchard & Ludlow: a tequila bar called "Barrio Chino."
· The former M&R Bar (Elizabeth, between Houston & Prince) is under development by the people who did "industry (food)"
· 258 Elizabeth - miscellaneous bi-level restaurant under development (Oooh! Finally! A T.G.I.Friday's in Nolita!...Kidding, kidding.)
· Keith McNally's German Jewish place on Norfolk & Rivington is set to open August 11th.
Neighborhood notebook [Lockhart Steele]

· New York mapped by ethnicity [Gotham Gazette]
· The importance of being Friendsters with Gawker [Kitty Power]
· Gawker as urban conservative phenomenon [Jay Currie]
· No Blair book deals for black journalists [Africana]
· Tests for New York tour guides [Gotham Gazette]
· Libeskind clashes with developer over WTC site [1010 WINS]
· The Hasid blogger [Village Voice via Anil Dash]
· Advice on moving to New York [Ultrasparky via Dash]

Moby has discovered, the musician writes in his online journal, that there's a trim named after him. "i'm so honored... you know how haircuts can be given names? the mullet. the flat-top. the faux-hawk. etc. well, apparently my name has been given to the practice of women shaving off all of their pubic hair. yes. someone forwarded me an article wherein it said that when women go to get a complete shave or bikini wax they get a 'moby'."
7/15/2003: It's All Gone [Moby.com]

On the July 4th weekend, a methed-up Fire Island partygoer called Luis Raminez fell into the water by the ferry that takes daytrippers back from the largely gay resort to the mainland. He died later in hospital. Who to blame? Take your pick: the incompetence of the police, who apparently failed to give first aid; or the meth-addled indifference of other daytrippers. As Panama-born Raminez struggled in the water, bystanders had other concerns, according to one post on the Data Lounge bulletin board. "A friend of mine who was on the ferry said that a bunch of queens were yelling out racial slurs at the guy because they were pissed that they'd miss the train. What a bunch."
Fire Island [Data Lounge]
Questions about police in F.I. death [New York Blade]
"They'd better start updating the place or it'll become as obsolete as Pam and Kid Rock" [Michael Musto]

Jonathan Franzen, author of The Corrections, tells David Amsden when he decided he would live in New York. "I was 16 when I first saw New York. I spent a long, perfect August afternoon here with a cousin I had a crush on, and by the end of the day I was thinking, This is the place for me."
The Write Start [New York Magazine]

· Last night at around 10:45 p.m., Moby was standing slumped inside his LES vegan eatery teany, saying something on the lines of "I tried to convince them to serve more vegetarian food, but..." [E Broadway]
· I saw Ben Curtis on Sunday evening filming a commercial (a film? yikes) on second avenue around 9th street (on the east side of the street in front of the theater where Stomp seems to still be playing). The commercial apparently involved him pulling up to the curb in a mini-van and leaning out the window to face the camera. On the take I witnessed he must have overshot his mark, because he said "my bad" and gingerly put it in reverse to start over. Another stalker writes in: The Dell guy just moved into an apartment building in Williamsburg. He was overheard yelling at someone over furniture left in the hallway. Looks like he needs to smoke another doobie!
· July 14, about 6:10, Isaac Mizrahi, tan, skinny, wearing a beige car coat, walking a gorgeous tawny collie, with a friend, up 6th Avenue at 14th street.

· Jennifer Lopez after a photo shoot for the fashion house's new campaign. "The Louis Vuitton people said, 'Take anything you like,' " a source told Rush & Molloy. "She took just about everything. Shoes, dresses, bags. An assistant went down the row of tables and loaded up a duffle bag." [Rush & Molloy]
· The latest issue of Details is as gay as ever, with stories such as Tobey Maguire Takes Off the Tights [Page Six]
· VH1, the entertainment channel, is spamming internet users. "Have you spent the night with a rock, hip-hop, or pop star? We want to hear about it!" [Page Six]
· People magazine buried news that Tom Cruise was illiterate till 22, after tha actor agreed to a cover interview [Fox 411, from yesterday]
· Karim Anouz, director of Madame Sata, the movie about a Rio kickboxing crossdresser, consoled himself at the release party at Flow. "At least I'm getting good sex tonight and it'll all be fine." [Musto]
· Barry Diller, Jason Binn, Ross Bleckner, Lizzie Grubman at Sunset Beach. [New York Social Diary]

Someone is missing Ben Curtis, the dude actor who was once the face of Dell Computer, before being busted for possession of marijuana. This, from Craigslist's Missed Connections: "Don't know if you will see this . . . you are on my mind even in Italy. When I walk around the lake you are there holding my hand, waiting to cross the street. As I sit in my living room I see those trees I "hate" and feel you next to me - absorbing each other, absorbing the rain. The miles are only as long as they feel, right?"
[Craigslist via The Modern Age]

A class at the Learning Annex, next month: How to succeed in public relations and image marketing. With Lizzie Grubman. Lizzie, a PR woman best known for mowing down pedestrians with her SUV, will reveal her "been there and done it" PR tips and strategies, and "attention-getting ways" and just think of all the double meanings in the class description that didn't make it past draft. Teaching at the Learning Annex is a cruel and unusual punishment, on a par with, well, learning there; I thought Lizzie had already completed her community service.
The Learning Annex New York

Bill Clinton donated some old golfing clothes to a thrift shop in Chappaqua a couple of years back. The gear, which includes an extra-extra-large Cross Creek windbreaker, is still in a closet, the sweat stains preserved for posterity.
Clinton's Old Duds Still Not Up For Sale [1010 WINS]