HSN CEO Mindy Grossman

The home shopping network is taking space for executive offices in Manhattan, far away from HSN’s HQ in Florida, The New York Observer reported Monday.

HSN is renting at the luxurious, newly renovated tower at 545 Madison Ave., according to the paper.

Grossman’s company will be renting the whole 18th floor, glass-encased penthouse of the LCOR building, The Observer reported. It will provide digs for some HSN executive offices, a marketing center and some studio presentations.

The story quotes LCOR exec David Sigman, who says, “Home Shopping Network was looking for high-end, highly visible executive space that also had great light and views.”

If we were HSN shareholders, we’d be questioning why the network will be paying sky-high rents for space in Manhattan.

An HSN official contacted The Homeshoppingista to stress that HSN’s home office and corporate headquarters will remain in St. Petersburg.

But it looks like Grossman wants to stake a claim for HSN in Manhattan. She strikes us as an uptown girl, and that’s certainly the direction she is taking the No. 2 home shopping channel. Madison Avenue is what HSN is aspiring to.

Grossman’s strategy is to attract younger, hipper women to HSN. To do that, she has brought on a load of new Manhattan-based vendors, such as Stefani Greenfield and Badgley Mischka. Now, they won’t have to take a plane trip to Florida.

The blonde Grossman’s strategy that has meant that veteran HSN vendors such as Suzanne Somers parted ways with the Southern Channel. The blonde actress-author-entrepreneur is now on ShopNBC.

Of course, The Observer had to take some pot shots at HSN. Welcome to Manhattan pretensions.

“What better place to hawk tracksuits and sweater sets than a Madison Avenue penthouse?” The Observer wrote, calling “the Home Shopping Network…that seemingly inevitable destination of ex ‘Project Runway’-ers” and P. Diddy.

First of all, HSN changed its name years ago from Home Shopping Network. And second, it’s QVC that has the former ‘Project Runway’ winner, namely Chloe Dao.

It is true that Sean “Diddy” Combs is selling men’s fragrance on HSN, and it sold out on his first visit.

How delinquent we’ve been with our blog posts! It’s been a hectic, but incredibly productive and a fulfilling couple of months at Shiraz Events NYC and Miami. With exciting clients left and right, including The American Ballet Theatre, Microsoft Windows 7 launch, Rocco Dispirito and SNL, Absolut, ELLE Magazine and many more, we’ve been quite busy!

Otherwise, to kick off the Fall season, check out this great entertainment advice from Shai, as well as his recommendations for venues that set aside space for smaller private parties.

Check your local newsstands for this piece, as it’s published in The New York Observer, page R10 in ‘The Observer Guide to Restaurants & Party Planning’!

With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s time to start planning your party. There are some great places in the NYC that offer great pricing for your budget friendly needs.

“Right now, everyone is a little more flexible, so you can ask for more.” For example, if you come with a big group, you can ask for a prix fixe menu, and you can negotiate adding some dishes to the main menu as well as different wines. “And you can do the same thing with service,”  Shai says, “ in galas or dinner parties, ask for at least a server-and-a-half per table of ten people to make sure that you have really great service.”

For larger parties, you can even ask them to decorate the table, “even if they won’t do it as part of the package, they can probably apple the special rate that they get from their florist.” You can also ask the restaurant to print the guests’ names on the menu in lieu of place cards, “…it looks a little bit more custom made and more invested.” If you’re using a private room you can always bring your own music as well to set the mood.

Shai’s venue picks that cater to smaller parties too:

1. Aquavit 65 East 55^th Street (bt. Park and Madison Avenues)  Special Events 212-957-9045 

2. Buddakan  75 Ninth Avenue (bt. 15^th and 16^th Streets)   Special Events 212-989-7049- Manager: Deborah Yeom 

3. Eleven Madison Park   11 Madison Avenue (at 24^th Street)   646-747-2583 (Dana Kane)

4. Bottino   246 Tenth Avenue (bt. 24^th and 25^th Street)   212-206-6766 ext 6 for Danny Emerman

Travelling the world in the 90’s, I saw the great influence of American Pop Culture wherever I go, Tom Cruise’s 1986 TOP GUN poster stapled on a barber shop in Boystown, Pattaya-Thailand, Brad Pitt’s 1994 Legends of the Fall poster in a “mostly censored” movie rentals in Al Khobar-Saudi Arabia, Leonardo Dicaprio’s life-size cardboard cutout in the streets of Lan Kwai Fong-Hong Kong, 90’s Jason Priestley and Luke Perry of  90210 all over the notebook covers of teenage girls (and boys) in my highschool in Manila, I have to confess I bought my first Tiger Beat with River Phoenix cover to wrap my textbook for my drudging calculus class.

James Dean
(February 1931 – September 1955)

In “a  fun experiment” by Irina Aleksander on her article “The New Male Beauty” (June 23, 2009) for The New York Observer. She suggested that the latest “It boys”sort of look alike– High School Musical’s Zac Efron, Twilight’s Robert Pattinson, Gossip Girl’s Chace Crawford, Star Trek’s Chris Pine, Hairspray’s James Marsden, Fantastic Four’s Chris Evans and the list goes on, and she calls it the NEW MALE BEAUTY: those wide-set eyes, the narrow nose that flares up at the tip just so, the childish puffy cheeks and the not-too-rugged jaw lines, topped with carefully placed strands of layered hair. (http://www.observer.com/2009/style/new-male-beauty)

Although I agree with her that this twenty-something James Dean doppelgänger’s has been dominating the box office and prime time tv this decade, whats new? Since James Dean starred in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), he’s reincarnation’s in the “Male Beauties” of the 60’s (Warren Beatty), 80’s (Tom Cruise), 90’s (Leonardo Dicaprio) has always been prominent. The 2000’s Young Hollywood cannot deny that “another swoopy-haired, pretty-faced actor dominating the box office” has started in the 50’s. Although I was born in the 80’s and Tom Cruise was the king, I acknowledge that on my list of top 10 Male beauties of all time, it’s a not a Mr. Pattinson or a Mr. Efron topping my list- its the original, Mr. Dean.

River Phoenix
(August 1970 – October 1993)

The American film actor who starred in Gus Van Sant’s 1991 Semi-documentary footage of Seattle street hustling “My Own Private Idaho” is one of the reason I fell in love with american filmmaking, not only its sexiest Homosexual road movie ever made, its casted perfectly with beautiful talented stars all at the top of their respective games. The film’s success solidified Phoenix’s image as an edgy actor with leading man potential, without even trying, he is the most authentic reincarnation of James Dean’s beauty and talent in the 90’s.

Brad Pitt
(December 1963)

Yes, it’s not a surprise Mr. Pitt’s in the list, hailed as one of the world’s most sexiest men over and over in some top 10 list all over the world. But I can’t help but put him in this one, because am only human. Most of my favorite movies of all time are starred by Brad Pitt, and three of the sexiest and most beautiful characters that the silver screen ever produced he had played – J.D., the cowboy hitchhiker who seduces Geena Davis’s character in the 1991 road movie “Thelma & Louise”, as Louis de Pointe du Lac in “Interview with the Vampire” (1994) – the most referenced vampire of this decades’ teen vampires and Tristan Ludlow in the 1994 drama “Legends of the Fall”, how can I resist?

Johnny Depp
(June 1963)

There is something so mysterious about this American actor that I find so mesmerizing and beautiful, after 50 films and running, from “A Nightmare on Elm Street” to “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” from “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” to “Pirates of the Caribbean”, he just makes me ask for more.

Joe Dallesandro
(December 1948)

Aesthetically speaking if the Greek philosophers will have a perfect mold for the male beauty, it will be “Little Joe”s face. Thanks to Andy Warhol, the 70’s underground films will always have their nude James Dean. Although he never become a mainstream film star like Mr. Dean, Mr. Phoenix, Mr. Depp and Mr. Pitt –Mr. Dallesandro is a sex symbol of the 20th century in his own right, and an iconic beauty on my list. Like Mr. Phoenix he starred as as a beautiful teenage street hustler in the 1970’s film Flesh and hailed as one of the 10 most beautiful men Scavullo had ever photographed. As a photographer how can i disagree?

Gabriel Aubry
(January 1976)

“Quick, name one male model.” asked by Lauren Streib on her article “The World’s Most Successful Male Models” (May, 07 2008) for Forbes Magazine. Gabriel Aubry, Mark Fisher, Marlon Teixeira, Jon Kortajarena, and Greg Knudson and yes, Fabio doesn’t count. In my personal list of Top 10 Male Beauties of all time, it only make sense that half of them are models and three out of five are signed with Wilhelmina Models in New York City. All five of them have the movie star good looks minus the Zoolander ego that plagued most male models this decade.

Signed to Wilhelmina Models in New York City, the only male model to ever appear on the cover of Uomo Vogue while appearing in 4 different campaigns at the same time, in the same magazine. Aubry is a Canadian male model, that has been the face (and body) of blue chip clients like Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, DKNY, and Valentino, achieved supermodel status after modeling for Hugo Boss.

Mark Fisher
(January 1976)

One source of male beauties for me back in college are the men’s fashion magazines, I have converted my room in a mini-magazine library and nobody can avoid all the muses for more than four decades of the legendary photographer Bruce Weber, Mark Fisher is my favorite. Mr. Fisher is an American model best known for his campaigns for Abercrombie & Fitch, Polo, Versace and Ralph Lauren. In my book he is one of the original male models that carries the James Dean charm without even knowing it.
Fisher was born in Detroit, but grew up in Atlanta and considers himself a little boy from the South.

Marlon Teixeira
(September 1993)

Signed to Wilhelmina Models in New York City, Teixeira appeared on Dior Homme Campaign, the provocative Diesel Ad shot by Terry Richardson, the face of the 2009 Christian Dior Summer/Spring collection to name a few. The brazilian beauty is half Portuguese and has Indian and Japanese origins and at the very young age and early of his career he is becoming one of the top working male model now.

Jon Kortajarena
(May 1985)

Those chiseled cheekbones, full pout and sexy stare has placed Spanish male model on my top 10 male beauties, signed to Wilhelmina Models in New York City, Kortajarena has been the face of Just Cavalli, Tom Ford, Bally, Etro, Trussardi and now on his film debut on the upcoming directorial debut of designer TOM FORD “A Single Man” (2009) with Colin Firth, and Julianne Moore.

Greg Knudson
(November 1978)

Whenever people ask me who’s my favorite model I ever photographed, this American male model, native of california always come to mind, I never thought I’ll ever meet a real life James Dean in my lifetime, but I did, and his body covered by Oriental tattoos of his gang membership in his teen years, a troubled teen like the characters that James Dean, River Phoenix, Johnny Depp would usually play in their films and his striking resemblance to Brad Pitt is uncanny.

Excerpt from my book Acknowledgement “STARK”: I remember buying my first photo book, Just Between Us by LA photographer Greg Gorman, when I was in Fine Arts college majoring painting. I will never forget that, because I had never before spent so much money on a book; but that day and from this day on I knew it was all worth it. The moment I saw Greg Knudson on the book cover in the display, I considered him the most beautiful person on the planet, and I still feel he is.

When I shot him in LA last year—8 years after I bought the book—Greg told me I might be the last photographer he would ever work with since he is thinking of retiring; he has worked with most of the top photographers in the 1990’s. Now he is gracing my photo book, and I am elated.

_________

info@navostudios.com

http://navostudios.com/

©2009 Dangerously Naive

©2009 Naiveboy.com

*All photos courtesy of Scallywag & Vagabond.

Check out their recap of the night’s revelry here.  Here’s a snippet:

“BOMB Magazine with Gigantic and Opium magazines hosted an end-of-summer bash at Bowery Electric featuring a musical performance by a drag queen, two short plays, and another musical act that consisted largely of a guy speaking (rhythmically) to the audience about a dream he had, set to music. So of course, this means we need to talk about one thing: wolves. Or, in this case, ‘werewolves.’”       ~ Scallywag and Vagabond

~~~

In case you missed our earlier post, the Observer also ran a great review of the night.

~~~

Much thanks to our performers and to all who attended!  As well as to those who ran pre-press for the event and helped promote the evening including: HTML Giant, The New Yorker, Black Book, ARTmostfierce, [THING], The Daily News, and anyone who posted who we may have missed.

To join in the next Gigantic literary bash, stay tuned for news about our upcoming Issue II launch party!

According to the New York Observer, post McKinsey, Details, Glamour and Traveler will see budget cuts of up to 25%-ish. What does that equate to industry terms? Work harder, suck up to the bosses and find leverage to keep your feet firmly on Condé Nast territory. Purportedly, Gourmet and Teen Vogue may see their fair share of penny pinching after their boardroom talks with the well-kempt young guns of McKinsey. At least Si Newhouse’s favorite, The New Yorker, was spared from McKinsey axes.

From The New York Observer:

“There will be significant layoffs,” said one alarmist source at the company. “Significant.”

Another well-placed source explained that editors and publishers can address the layoff issue in one of two ways: “A lot of the junior people might be let go, but if I decide we need more Indians than chiefs, I can cut two senior people and fulfill a giant chunk of the cut.”

Until the end of the fiscal year in January, the final decision have yet to be made. We should be seeing lower volumes of issues and “significant layoffs.” It’s a frightening time to be an editor. There is no doubt about that.

http://josephsreviews.wordpress.com/2009/08/22/beg-borrow-steal-a-writers-life-by-michael-greenberg/

The infamous Sweet Jewels treats by Julie Tran Lê were requested over NY fashion week by Anna Sui for gift boxes. Custom made to represent Anna Sui’s trademark colors, they looked exquisite. Julie, a former intern and shop girl for Anna Sui, has been a fan of her since high school after reading an article about her in Sassy Magazine.

Her line shown at fashion week was inspired by the circus part of Doctor Dolittle. In addition to her main collection, Anna Sui has recently released a line with Target that’s inspired by Gossip Girl.

The cakes were covered in the custom colored white chocolate, with the inside red velvet cake, boxes black, and outside coating- violet.

A little more about her balls:
Lê’s handmade approach to design carries over into her epicurean pursuits. Mirroring her omnipresent cherry red lipstick is the red velvet interior of her cake balls, SWEET JEWELS. Hailed by Daily Candy as the “belle of the balls,” Lê’s confectionary treats are created by crumbling red velvet cake into cream cheese frosting which is then dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut. Currently available by special order.

In addition to Sweet Jewels, Julie also has a jewelry line called Crunchy Jewels. Her jewelry is sold in stores from places such as New York, to Japan and Dubai. They’re creatively remade from vintage necklaces thus making them one-of-a-kind jewelry. Her latest collection has incorporated yarn and string alongside the chains.

Aside from making jewelry and cakes, there’s more to Julie:
“Librarian by day, creative force by night, Brooklyn based Julie Tran Lê is a Renaissance woman of sorts. Armed with her Master’s degree in information & library science, Lê heads the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Library, where she helps designers and scholars research fashion history. The job informs her own love of vintage, which is directly expressed in Lê’s preference for dressing in the ladylike silhouettes of the 1950s – a decade that has not only shaped her unique sense of style, but influenced her choice of design projects. In forging a new definition of elegance and domestic goddessness, Lê has created a jewelry line and a mini baking empire.”

She has received press from the likes of Nylon, Nylon Japan, W Magazine, the New York Observer, Vice, Women’s Health, Daily Candy, Sportswear International, The Today Show, and VOGUE.COM.

It’s a good time to be a pawn at Hearst. I’m a bit relieved that I declined an internship with Details after reading The New York Observer’s piece on the sharp shooting McKinsey folks scrutinizing the efficiency of Condé Nast’s publications. Not surprisingly, Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Details were high priority publications listed under ‘extensive changes’ — someone finally realized the redundancy of two publications (GQ and Details; Gourmet and Bon Appetit) that serve one purpose.

Cuts nearing 20%-25% are rumored and staff members are jittering in their Jimmy Choos dreading the corporate axe — it makes me wonder about how crazy we are to be pursuing this industry. In the mean time, you should say your farewell to flipping through ostentatious editorials set in the Amazonian jungle — Anna Wintour won’t be too happy — but I for one have already adapted long before McKinsey stepped foot into 4 Times Square. W magazine, thank you for satisfying my exotic pleasures.

The only living boy in New York…   These words by Paul Simon kept going through my head as I read Greenberg’s collection of 44 essays on life and living in the Big Apple.   Another title for this compilation might have been A Life in New York City.   To his credit, Greenberg does not try to convince the reader that everything in Manhattan and the boroughs is exciting; in fact, when writing about his daily commute he hopes that “(there’s) more to the monotony than I had expected.”

In theory this collection is supposed to focus on the tough work of trying to make a living as a writer.   That is a theme often returned to, but Greenberg nonetheless gives himself plenty of room in which to roam and create.   He has been, in fact, a successful writer most notably with last year’s release of the four-star non-fiction memoir Hurry Down Sunshine: A Father’s Story of Love and Madness.   But here we read about Greenberg, the free lancer, script doctor, ghost writer, writer-for-hire who uses his craft to distinguish his life from that of the typical career worker…  “I was willing to work harder than the next person to ensure that I didn’t have one.”  

Greenberg’s essays are a prime example of the writer as the detached, note-taking, chronicler and observer (He sought “work in which I could observe people, write, and get paid at the same time.”).   Reading Greenberg, I was reminded of the phrase used in the movie Elizabethtown - “We’re the substitute people.” – in which the main character finally learns that it’s best to enjoy life rather than watching others as they do so.   Yet Greenberg tells very true tales coincidentally parallel to this reader’s experiences.   Of working in a criminal courthouse, for example, he notes that “boredom was the permissible emotion”; the only permissible emotion.

The author also writes with humor and sophistication:  “When Tony Bennett crooned ‘Baby, Ain’t I Been Good to You?’ I could hear the tuxedo in his voice.”   How true, and the same was the case with Sinatra.

Is there any big message in this compilation?   Perhaps that everything counts, as Greenberg treats the lives of Wall Street movers and shakers and cab drivers and waiters and baristas equally.   Some gifted and talented writers are able to show us that everything in life is – in the words of The New York Observer – both “big and small in perfect proportion.”

Recommended!

Beg, Borrow, Steal: A Writer’s Life will be released by Other Press on September 8, 2009.   On the same date, Greenberg’s memoir Hurry Down Sunshine will be released as a Viking Reprint edition (trade paperback).

Thanks to Terrie at Other Press for the review copy.

-The New Republic: The Jokester

A unique profile of Senator Ben Nelson. Discusses in detail some of his funnier pranks, as well as his odd position within the Democratic Party.

-Politico (Glenn Thrush): 58% of GOP not sure/doubt Obama born in US

What do we take from this? 

-Politico: Birchers to birthers: a GOP quandary

I discussed this yesterday here, but now Politico has an interesting piece on GOP conspiracy theorists out today.

-NYT: Take Me to the River (or Somewhere Nearby)

Actual byline: Decades after his faith in God has faded, the author considers his longing to be born again all over again.

-WaPo: The Gifts of Gaffes

-NYT (Paul Krugman): Health Care Realities

-Globe and Mail (Toronto): U.S. debate reminds us our medicare is worth it

Canadians think the good parts of their health care outweigh the bad.

-The Detroit News: ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program running on fumes

-The New York Observer: Controversy Surrounding Lou Dobbs Has Failed to Increase His Ratings

Born in New York City on March 10, 1984, Olivia Wilde was christened Olivia Cockburn but changed her family name for acting purposes. A love of the craft inspired her to pursue it as a career following graduation.

Wilde’s first role came in 2003 in the exciting but short-lived TV drama Skin, in which she played Jewel Goldman. When the show’s execs announced Skin would not be returning for a second season, Olivia took the news in stride and concentrated on her personal life. She married documentary filmmaker Tao Ruspoli that same year.

It was her next television role, however, that really put her on the map. Cast as temptress Alex Kelly on The O.C., Olivia rocketed to stardom in 2004 and 2005 as she stole the show and attracted many, many male fans. As Wilde looks to continue on as an important character on the popular FOX show, she’s also trying her hand at film. After starring in Girl Next Door (2004) with Elisha Cuthbert, Wilde has five films in the works, including Alpha Dog with Sharon Stone and Running with Scissors, co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Annette Bening, Joseph Fiennes and Alec Baldwin.

Olivia Wilde (born Olivia Jane Cockburn; March 10, 1984) is an Irish-American actress. She began acting in the early 2000s, and has since appeared in a number of film and television parts, including her roles on the series The O.C., The Black Donnellys, and House.
Wilde was born in New York City, New York. Her mother, Leslie Cockburn (née Corkhill Redlich), is a 60 Minutes producer and journalist, and her father, Andrew Cockburn, is an Irish journalist, as are her uncles Alexander and Patrick, all of whom are contributors to the political website CounterPunch.org. Her half-aunt is mystery writer Sarah Caudwell. Her paternal grandfather was the Irish novelist and journalist Claud Cockburn. Wilde has said that as a result of her family background, she has a “strong journalistic streak”, being “really critical and analytical”. She has wanted to become an actress since the age of two. For a short time, Olivia’s family had a house in Guilford, Vermont, USA. Wilde attended Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C., as well as Phillips Academy, and subsequently moved to Dublin, Ireland, where she attended The Gaiety School of Acting. She initially began working as a casting assistant.

Wilde has appeared in the films The Girl Next Door, Alpha Dog, Conversations with Other Women and Turistas. She became known for her role on The O.C. as Alex Kelly. She has also appeared in the Dashboard Confessional music video for “Stolen”, and the French Kicks music video for “So Far We Are”. She was strongly considered to play Bond girl Vesper Lynd in the 21st Bond film Casino Royale; Eva Green eventually won the role.

In 2005, Wilde was ranked #61 on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100. She was also ranked #95 on the FHM 100 Sexiest Women of 2006. She was one of the key models in Abercrombie & Fitch’s “Rising Stars” campaign in summer of 2004.

In 2007, Wilde was a part of the ensemble cast of the short-lived NBC midseason drama The Black Donnellys. Her character, Jenny Reilly, was the lone principal female character in the series following the lives of an Irish-American family tied to organized crime in New York City. Also in 2007, Wilde appeared in the play Beauty on the Vine, a political thriller, playing three different characters.
Wilde joined the cast of the FOX medical drama House in fall 2007, playing a young doctor, Dr. Remy Hadley, nicknamed Thirteen, who works closely with Dr. House. Wilde recently told Star magazine how she sometimes takes cues from her character even when she’s not working, saying, “I’m now convinced that I’m a doctor. I mean, if someone says they have a pain, I’m like, ‘Well, that’s your spleen.’”

The New York Observer has described Wilde as having a “throaty voice” and the “wide, teal-eyed charisma of Hollywood in the days of yore”. She has cited Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver, Frances McDormand, Catherine Keener and Robin Wright Penn as acting inspirations, and also admires playwright Eve Ensler and director and actor Woody Allen.

She won the 2006 US Comedy Arts Festival Film Discovery Jury Award for Best Actress for Bickford Shmeckler’s Cool Ideas (2006) and in 2008 at the Teen Choice Awards she was nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Breakout Star Female for House M.D. (2004) and won the Rising Star Award at the Vail Film Festival.

On October 7, 2008, Olivia appeared in a video on funnyordie.com showing how much she enjoys registering early for the 2008 Presidential election, titled “Olivia Wilde Does It Early”

Wilde has dual citizenship between the United States and Ireland. Wilde is a natural blonde and has stated that people have been “shocked” that she is a blonde but that “I wasn’t stupid”.

She married Italian-American documentary filmmaker, photographer and flamenco guitar player Tao Ruspoli on June 7, 2003, in Washington, Rappahannock County, Virginia. They currently live and work in Venice, Los Angeles, California.

You can Explore more about Olivia Wilde at The Link Below:

Olivia Wilde Pictures Gallery

Olivia Wilde Flaunt Magazine Download

Olivia Wilde Biography and Pictures Gallery

Olivia Wilde Set 1

Olivia Wilde Set 2

Olivia Wilde Set 3

• TVGuide.com is reporting that there will be a new male character introduced next season as a “replacement” for Ethan (Dustin Milligan).
• It was officially announced that Matt Lanter (Liam, 90210) will be back next season as a regular.
• Peter Facinelli, husband of Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills 90210) said they were alarmed that news reports blew her comments on her heart issues out of proportion.  He also said Jennie currently has a broken foot.
• Penn Badgley (Dan, Gossip Girl) says he may have a music career in the “future.”
• The extras for the One Tree Hill Season Six DVD have officially been announced.
• Hilarie Burton (Peyton, One Tree Hill) is inviting fans to send in questions to her Southern Gothics Production site.
• James Lafferty (Nathan, One Tree Hill) participated in a Battle of the Sexes basketball game last night.  You can see a little footage here and read a short story on it here.
• Joshua Jackson (Pacey, Dawson’s Creek) and girlfriend Diane Kruger are planning to move in together.
• The New York Observer has a feature story on Michael Pitt (Henry, Dawson’s Creek).
• Tom Kapinos, one of Dawson’s Creek former showrunners, slammed the show and the cast during a recent television panel.
• Rachel Bilson (Summer, The O.C.) says she’s a “preacher” of safe suntanning.

That was fast. Reporter Jon Koblin at “The New York Observer” follows up on that newspaper’s earlier scoop with a story online today: “Portfolio.com Officially Resurrected; Loses Conde Nast”:

“Portfolio.com will return.

Hours after we reported it first, Conde Nast announced this morning that it has transferred full control of Portfolio.com to its sister publisher, The American City Business Journals. The Charlotte-based ACBJ, which runs all the bizjournal.com Web sites, will assume full power both editorially and on the business side of the Web site, and has hired from portfolio.com the managing editor, Josh Moss, to become the lead editor of this site ….”

Read the full story … 

The site is preparing for lift off, with Ray Shaw’s executive bio already under construction.

Snitching is good. I promote snitching. All the time. Every time. If possible. Obviously in certain parts of Philadelphia, people’s lives are threatened. And they’re afraid. As well they should be. Because a culture where outing the perpretator of a crime is considered grounds for murder, people are going to be afraid. Until a majority rises against such terrorist/intimidating/bullying techniques.

But I must say I didn’t expect to see supporters of the so-called “Hipster Grifter” Kari Ferrell condemn Philadelphia musician Sam Tremble, who turned Kari into the police this past Sunday, May 3rd. (She has supporters? Whoda thunk?) I guess I didn’t expect people to get so emotionally involved in white collar crime. (Where were all these supporters when Philly hottie Jocleyn Kirsch scammed folks, btw?)

Check out the comments at Citypaper. So far Mr. Tremble has been called “snitch” a half a dozen times. He’s also been physically threatened by Kari fans.

Really, guys? Really?

You want to defend a gal who takes time out from being on the lam for photoshoots? If she thinks those purty photos are going to melt a judge’s heart, I’m guessing she’s quite mistaken. (“Well-behaved bitches seldom make history” T-Shirt, are you serious?) What sort of photographer takes photos of wanted criminals anyway? I’d think people would be condemning photographer Will Sherman. Why didn’t he turn her in?

PG readers, feel free to go on Citypaper’s website and support Sam. Snitching isn’t always fun, but as one commenter notes, and I’m paraphrasing here, “if she stole your money, you’d want her caught too.”

Forget that, how about her confessional video that isn’t  quite a confession. Judge for yourself. (Clearly the dumbest criminal ever. Dying to get caught and be famous.)

Truly disgusting. Stealing isn’t what phillygrrls do, K.F. Stay outta our town.

List of usual suspects but perhaps some new sites for some people.  I can’t believe this is now a star studded event!  I can remember when the webby awards were for this guy: http://pixyland.org/peterpan/

Webby Award Nominees: From Daily Beast to Digg, NYTimes.com to Salon.com | The New York Observer.

• The New York Observer weighs the pros and cons of the new 90210.
• The Los Angeles Times has an interview with Matt Lanter (Liam, 90210).  There’s also an interview with him by the New York Post.
• Latina has an interview with Michael Steger (Navid, 90210).
• Tori Spelling (Donna, Beverly Hills 90210) is denying that a salary dispute kept her from making a 90210 appearance.  Thankfully we’re seeing her now.
• The April 6th issue of PEOPLE has a photo of AnnaLynne McCord (Naomi), Jessica Stroup (Silver ) and Shenae Grimes (Annie) celebrating at the 90210 wrap party.
• The same issue also has a series of photos of Ed Westwick (Chuck, Gossip Girl) and Jessica Szohr (Vanessa, Gossip Girl) kissing and walking her dog.
• TVGuide.com is wondering if Gossip Girl is heading into jumping-the-shark territory.
• Pedro, starring Matt Barr (Psycho Derek, One Tree Hill), will air tomorrow night on MTV.

Jamie Clayton – does that name sound familiar? She was named the 2^nd most beautiful girl in New York last August by The New York Observer. But what may perplex most of you is that Jamie did not start out as “Jamie” whatsoever. Yes, ladies and gents (and everyone in between), Jamie is a m-f transsexual – and she’s got the look!

Jamie, please explain to our readers what struggles and turmoil you must have gone through before making the permanent decision to rid yourself of your manly duty and completely transform into the woman you are today:

JC: My “manly duty;” What’s that? LOL! There really wasn’t much struggle or turmoil before I decided to start my transition. I just remember feeling confused because I was so feminine, but I wasn’t born female. Once I started taking hormones, I was so much happier.

When you were a wee little lad growing up in San Diego, did you ever think to yourself, “I can’t wait to be a beautiful, foxy woman someday!”? Can you give us any insight as to what you did think to yourself when you were a kid?

JC: No, I never thought that. Just like most children, I didn’t even know it was possible to change one’s gender; I didn’t find that out until I moved to New York (I was 19 at that time). The only thing I remember thinking to myself when I was young, was that I never really felt like I belonged – I felt so different but I had no idea why.

Did you ever think that you could just be a gay man living in a gay man’s body or was that not an option for you?

JC: That was definitely not an option – I hated my body. I wanted to be with men but not with the body I was born with. I knew I had to have surgery in order to lead a happy, healthy life.

How did you pay for your sex-change operation? Did you have to do prep for it – i.e. seek counseling, etc.?

JC: I charged my SRS … it’s true! I worked very hard to pay it off. At one point I was working two jobs and DJing at night a couple times a month. I am very proud to say that I am debt free and that I paid for every single procedure myself. Yes, I was in therapy – I was given two glowing letters of recommendation for surgery by two different therapists.

How did it feel to be named the 2^nd most beautiful girl in New York? With all due respect, how did you even get nominated? Do you feel that you conquered something greater than just a beauty contest, being that you were a man in the past? I’m talking about gender-bending and the like…

JC: I wasn’t actually nominated for anything – that was just the title they came up with for the article. There was no contest. I have conquered a lot in my life and continue to do so on a daily basis. For the record though, I was never a “man.” Yes, I was born biologically male but I never played the role of a man in society.

As per observer.com, we read that you get hit on at least 5 times a week – is that true? Have you found a man that truly accepts you for you or is Mr. Right still out in the concrete jungle somewhere?

JC: Yes, however, it’s actually more like a combination of compliments, one-liners and flirtation; I have dated (and will only date) men that truly accept me for me … but I am currently single.

Please give advice to anyone who may be struggling with coming to terms with who they truly are.

JC: I would have to say learn to love yourself and everyone else will follow. Don’t deny your personal happiness because you are afraid of what other people will think. Live your life for you and you only.

What can we expect from the lovely Miss Clayton in the near future?

JC: Plenty! I am currently taking acting classes at Sally Johnson Studio and working with an agent. You’ll be seeing a lot more of me!

Quick, on your toes…

Blue or red?

Grey is my hands-down favorite color.

The ocean or a lake?

Jacuzzi!

Cook or take-out?

Take-out. Always.

Blonds or brunettes?

I prefer dark hair on men.

What kind of car do you drive?

I’ve never driven a car.

Favorite candy bar?

I adore Zone Bars – Chocolate Almond Raisin is my favorite!

Favorite website?

armourbeauty.com and chanel.com

If you would like to contact Ms. Clayton, check out her myspace page or facebook page.

Interview conducted and edited by J. Federico

Happy Halloween! (c) by R.J. Matson, NY, The New York Observer and Roll Call

Image credit:  Daryl Cagle’s Professional Cartoonists Index

Gillian Reagan of The New York Observer wrote an interesting blogpost titled “Digital Doomsday” a few weeks ago.

In it, she describes a spoof of the Evolution of Man chart, where the final picture is a man hunched over a computer, looking “just as simple-minded as the furry fellow at the back of the line”. She adds that she’s been seeing her own version of this chart in her ‘daydreams and nightmares’ lately, only ‘the geeky modern guy shrinks and gets swallowed by a MacBook, which morphs into a human-size robot, then some kind of nightmarish version of the Terminator, pointing a huge laser gun right at me’. Reagan relates her nightmare to Richard Dooling’s book, titled Rapture for the Geeks: When AI Outsmarts IQ.

The topic really hits home for me, making me realise that we need to “stop checking our email and refreshing our RSS feeds and updating our Facebook status and Googling things; instead… taking a look at what’s happening around us: The computer is not only consuming our everyday lives, it’s actually poised to take over”.

No-one can predict the future, but it’s scary to consider – especially if you factor in the way we”ve already become so dependent on all things digital, online and connected. According to Moore’s Law, computers will get twice as fast and twice as smart every two years.

Maybe it’s time to pull back a little and appreciate the finer things in life – to wake up and smell the fresh brewed coffee, not the all-too-familiar Starbucks java (no IT pun intended!) on Second Life. Whatever your views on the digital future, Reagan’s post is well worth reading.