Chace Crawford Is Awesome at Being SinglePlus, a Puerto Rican party for Carlos Beltran’s birthday and who the gayest man in the world is in our daily gossip roundup.
it just happened
Is Mariah Carey Already Married to Nick Cannon?That’s what ‘Latina’ is reporting. At first, we didn’t believe it, but then we got mad at ourselves for even trying to think about it rationally.
Leaked: Mariah Carey’s Latest Album Is Too FormulaicMariah Carey’s last album was hailed by critics as a minor comeback after it succeeded in being marginally less terrible than her previous two albums. Sadly, this one isn’t quite that good.
Adam Duritz Probably Should Have Married Jennifer Aniston When He Had the ChanceCounting Crows lead singer Adam Durtiz laments the fact that he’s 43, single, and sits home a lot. Alan Greenspan is worried about the economy, but he can’t be that worried: He celebrated his 82nd birthday the other night with a pricey dinner at Le Perigord. Jimmy Kimmel says he bought his ex-wife an engagement ring from Costco. Bill Clinton says his favorite movie of the year was Michael Clayton, but that he hasn’t seen There Will Be Blood. Defense attorney Mickey Sherman says he uses Otter’s “It’s the system’s fault!” speech from Animal House to justify defending shady clients. Tina Fey thinks she’s funnier than Jon Stewart.
in other news
Ad Hominem Attack on Mariah Carey in the ‘Daily News’Dude, News editorial board, what’s with this 63-word diatribe today?
Cultural note: We see that the warbler Mariah Carey, who has already tied Elvis Presley as the second-place holder of the most No. 1 records, will soon, if her new hit ditty goes to the top of the charts, tie the Beatles as the first-place holder of the most No. 1 records ever.
Man.
That’s — that’s just wrong.
On so many levels.
Why, exactly, is it wrong, you guys? Because you’re a bunch of mostly white old people who don’t understand R&B? If you’ll recall, your parents thought Elvis and the Beatles were trashy, too. We won’t defend Mariah Carey’s cultural relevance in comparison to those musical giants — though we do love her. But from now on, you’re no longer allowed to wonder why young people think your newspaper is irrelevant.
Off the Charts [NYDN]
beauty marks
Mariah Carey’s Fragrance Earns Fifi Nom; Guerlain Brings Back ShalimarFRAGRANCE
• The Fragrance Foundation announced the semi-finalists of the Fifi Awards, the Oscars of the fragrance industry (what industry doesn’t have its own Oscars?). Mariah Carey’s “M” scored a nod in the luxe women’s category. Those ads weren’t airbrushed in vain! [Now Smell This]
Mariah Carey Has a ‘Rock’-Solid Hit on Her Hands
Mariah Carey’s latest video has hit YouTube, and we have to say, we love it. We’re not always fans of her efforts, as they generally involve too many jean shorts and Jet Skis for our tastes. But a video co-starring Jack McBrayer, a.k.a. Kenneth the Intern from 30 Rock? That’s genius! Especially since it involves laser tag. And a unicorn. Click above to view. Seriously, did Mariah finally get some gay friends?
Botty and the Geek [Dlisted]
gossipmonger
Eli Manning’s Little Town Blues Have Melted AwayEli Manning and Yogi Berra sang “New York, New York” together at Rao’s. Male madam David Forest says Marc Jacobs used to employ his services. Mariah Carey shot a video on the rooftop of Lenny Kravitz’s Crosby Street apartment. Mayor Bloomberg celebrated his 65th birthday with Steven Ratner and others at Michael’s. R.E.M. front man Michel Stipe got into a go-cart accident two weeks ago but is fine now. Blackstone Group co-founder Pete Peterson sold his River House digs to financier Jeffrey Leeds for $10 million.
Bloomie and McCain: A Ticket Made in Independent Heaven?John McCain may or may not ask Mike Bloomberg to be his running mate. Harvey Weinstein belted out “New York, New York” at his daughter’s 10th-birthday party at Spotlight Live. Recently married Vogue editor and socialite Lauren Davis wants to find a “gestational carrier” for her baby. First daughter Barbara Bush watched the Giants win at the Village Pourhouse with 40 friends. Josh Hartnett went to Freemans and the Beatrice Inn on Thursday, while Helena Christensen just went to Freemans. Andy Samberg went to BAM to watch harpist girlfriend Joanna Newsome perform.
Is Kate Beckinsale Too Hot to Play Judy Miller?MEDIA
• Matt Drudge cracked open The New Republic’s Iraq fabulist controversy once again. Did the mag’s Baghdad diarist really make up details about mass graves and troops ridiculing a disfigured female soldier? Franklin Foer complains that Drudge’s docs could only have come from the Army. [Slate, NYO]
• Chris Jones, the managing editor of Portfolio.com, announced his departure from the mag after giving notice over a month ago. High-level rumors also indicate Joanne Lipman may soon be relieved from command — but only for the Website. [WWD]
• The Judith Miller movie is now filming in Memphis, and let’s just say that Kate Beckinsale is way too hot to be a reporter. On the other hand, the Valerie Plame CIA character, played by Vera Farmiga, looks just about right. [WP]
gossipmonger
Graydon Carter Never Gets Any CreditDavid Boies, Al Gore’s lawyer in his recount battle against Bush in 2000, may have taken on Blackwater CEO Erik Prince as a client. The 2008 Zagat’s says that the Waverly Inn is owned by “Grayson Carter.” Deepak Chopra likes telling bad jokes about the president. A random crowd outside the French Institute was invited to watch a screening of Tina Fey’s Baby Mama and enjoyed it. Vince Vaughn hung out at the Rose Bar and the Box on Saturday. Mariah Carey promoted her new perfume at Macy’s Herald Square. Fox Business Network is throwing a launch party tonight at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
gossipmonger
J.Lo’s Pregnancy SpoilerJennifer Lopez will supposedly announce that she’s pregnant during her show at MSG on Saturday night. Jessica Simpson’s people say she didn’t drink and dash at the Box — her friend just accidentally took the receipt slip with him. Rosie O’Donnell did an impromptu ten-minute stand-up set during a show by Roseanne Barr at Comix. (Rita Crosby was there, despite having been served a subpoena earlier in the day.) Mariah Carey doesn’t know how many bathrooms are in her Tribeca penthouse. Howard Stein, the nightlife honcho behind eighties hangouts Xenon and Rock Lounge, died at 62. The Port Authority says the quality of its toilet paper is much improved, contrary to what Larry David said on last week’s episode of Curb. GLAAD forced “Page Six” to apologize for calling the pre-op transsexual who has a reality show on Fox a “she-male.”
gossipmonger
Kate Hudson Is Friends With Ron Burkle?Polish Commish Ray Kelly may be angling to become Mayor, or, if Hillary Clinton becomes President, her Homeland Security chief. A math teacher in Brooklyn got Mickey Rooney and Celeste Holm to star in his $50,000 indie romance flick. Ron Burkle hung out at Rose Bar in the Gramercy Park Hotel with Kate Hudson and two other blondes. Giselle is selling her West Village two-bedroom (replete with hot tub and grilling deck) for $10.9 million. Page Six contends that Vanity Fair is not killing a piece on Bill Clinton buddy Jeffrey Epstein and that Vogue’s Meredith Melling Burke did not go around Nantucket trying to pick up townies, contrary to what Gawker says. Diddy reportedly called a door girl at Gold Bar a “fucking bitch” when she asked him how many people were in his party.
gossipmonger
Scores Stripper Not So Sure About Drag De La HoyaThe Scores stripper who had the photos of Oscar De La Hoya in drag is now saying she cannot “personally verify the authenticity of the images,” likely because she was threatened by De La Hoya’s lawyer. Lever House owner and real-estate mogul Abe Rosen is forcing tenants (including art collector Robert Wilson) out of his nine-story building on 67 Vestry Street to turn it into a luxury condo building. Miss USA Rachel Smith says she wants to be taken seriously as a TV reporter and not “end up like Katie Couric.” Donald Trump denied having once punched his second-grade music teacher, despite having written about the story in a book. Bruce Willis and his eight-person entourage were denied entry to Socialista at 3 a.m. Ivanka Trump’s jewelry line predictably does not include diamond grills. Dates with some hot firefighters are being auctioned off for charity at Turtle Bay Lounge tonight.
party lines
Mariah Carey Even Out-Divas Bill Clinton at ‘Save the Music’ FêteEvent planners for last night’s “VH1: Save the Music” benefit were so accustomed to diva Mariah Carey’s lateness that they built in an hour’s delay into their schedule. As a result, the songstress arrived right just in time, joining stars like Conan O’Brien, John Mayer, James Blunt, Jon Bon Jovi, Mya, and Quincy Jones. Hillary Clinton was supposed to be there but sent her husband instead. ““Ladies and gentlemen, I’m doing tonight what I hope I’ll be doing for all of us for the next several years,” Clinton told the crowd. “I’m just sort of standing here for Hillary.” Read more about what the stars said in our complete “Save the Music” Party Lines.
Openings
Webster Hall’s New Project Will Include Over-the-Top Vodka BarDaily Intel has the scoop on Hudson Terrace, the nightclub and catering hall Webster Hall’s owner Sean McGarr is opening on 46th Street in November. His partner in the $3 million venture, Michael Sinensky, tells us that in March he’ll bring a Russian vodka and caviar lounge (with a separate entrance and operating hours) to its basement. Sinensky, inspired in part by his Russian wife and in part by Red Square in Atlantic City, says customers will be able to select from over 100 vodkas stored in a transparent walk-in fridge — including, he hopes, a Russian one exclusively distilled for the lounge. The interior will be what he describes as “real over-the-top, like communist Russia back in the day. Lots of gold and arches. We’re planning on putting old Russian uniforms around the place.” Pravda, you’re on red alert.
Related: Webster Hall Owner Spending $3 Million to Open a Nice, Quiet Place
gossipmonger
Sarah Silverman to Explore the Joys of BlackfaceSome people allege that Kelly Klein, 50, is too old to have a baby via a surrogate mom, and must have gotten an egg from a donor. A crazy Italian lady made a lunge for Brad Pitt at the Venice Film Festival, and “Page Six” has the video! (Also, Pitt’s two-hour-and-40-minute Assassination of Jesse James is too long.) Sarah Silverman goes blackface in the next season of her show. John Edwards and Russell Simmons did yoga together. Mariah Carey’s ex-manager claims that she owes him money. David LaChappelle hates Madonna, Gwen Stefani, and Christina Aguilera, and won’t work with them. Heather Graham sings and plays guitar in her upcoming movie.
gossipmonger
Closing the BoxSome Lower East Siders are trying to get the Box closed because it’s more a nightclub and less the “cultural institution” its owners promised it would be. (And also, we presume, because it’s utterly insufferable.) At the age of 50, Kelly Klein, ex of Calvin, is finally having a baby. Hillary Clinton raised $500,000 at a fund-raiser at Ted Danson’s house on Martha’s Vineyard. The beach is eroding in front of Tina Brown and Harry Evans’s place in Quogue. John McEnroe is in talks with Larry Ellison to establish a tennis training center in Flushing Meadows. Andy Roddick had stage fright when asked to say a few words at a party in his honor at Tenjune. A bunch of guests got lost en route to Donna Karan’s house in East Hampton. Tom Petty played two gigs in the Hamptons for $1.7 million. (Paul McCartney and Renée Zellweger were there.) Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning looked for the entrance to La Esquina.
gossipmonger
Enquiring Minds Want CashThe wife and son of deceased National Enquirer founder Generoso Pope Jr. are suing each other for the remainder of his $418 million fortune. Barbaro was the focus groups’ choice for August’s Vanity Fair cover, but Graydon Carter nixed him for Shia LaBeouf. CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo will soon have her own show titled Money Honey. The Giulianis like golf, bargains, The Tudors. Chris Noth tried to poach talent for his club from Hawaiian Tropic Zone but failed. Tinsley Mortimer and Lydia Hearst are attending a dinner thrown by Pete Wentz in the Hamptons. Jon Anderson of Yes canceled a benefit show for a bunch of kids because his spiritual adviser told him to.
gossipmonger
Chuck Schumer, Lady’s ManAfter college, Chuck Schumer picked a girl over a scholarship. 50 Cent is really rich. Gay activists don’t like John Travolta in the Hairspray movie because he’s a Scientologist, not because of his performance. Brian Grazer is getting divorced. Eliot Spitzer banged his head on the trunk of his car. Rufus Wainwright defends Anderson Cooper’s lifestyle and choice of gym. Maggie Gyllenhaal might come to Broadway as Nellie in South Pacific. Kevin Spacey partied at Lotus. Lily Allen put on a bad show at the Roseland Ballroom, then she hung out with Josh Hartnett. At Graydon Carter and Anna Wintour’s party for Nicholas Coleridge’s A Much Married Man, Ron Perelman thought the book was about him.
gossipmonger
Gore 2008!At an Air America relaunch, Bill Clinton said Al Gore has the money to run for president. Rudy Giuliani is raising money in Jerusalem. Paul McCartney is playing new songs at a free Highline Ballroom show tonight. Tom Wolfe is worried Gus Van Sant’s adaptation of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test won’t do the LSD trips justice. Mel Brooks thinks Cloris Leachmen is too old to reprise her role in Young Frankenstein. Paris Hilton is naked online again. At the Apollo’s spring benefit, David Dinkins said he likes Kyra Sedgwick. Dumbo developer David Walentas will play polo with Adolpho Cambiaso, the world’s best player, in Bridgehampton this summer. Beyoncé wouldn’t sign a British fan’s painting. Britney Spears exposed herself again, and snuggled with gal pal, at a Hollywood club.
party lines
Duck Man, RFK Jr., Boldfacers Go Green at TheoryWhen we heard there’d be a “bazaar” to celebrate the green lifestyle at the new Theory store on Gansevoort Street, we hoped to find a carnival-esque atmosphere. Pin the Tail on the Kyoto Treaty. Bobbing for litter. Al Gore in a dunk tank. We were disappointed.
Though the vegan, soy-and-dairy-free ice cream from Pure Food and Wine was divine, the party the other night felt, well, earthly – packed, as most parties are, with a bunch of people standing around and drinking. And listening. There’s no surer way to kill a buzz than a long and impassioned lecture from Robert Kennedy Jr. linking our failure to combat global warming to a failure in national security.
Brit Bares It in Meatpacking BarBritney Spears changed out of her dress and into a bikini at One Little West 12th. Beyoncé is jealous of Jennifer Hudson. The New Republic is going bi-weekly but is not cutting any staff. Chelsea club BED was set to be closed for renovation, and the fatal brawl there earlier this month isn’t helping matters. Ian Schrager’s Chinese restaurant at the Gramercy Park Hotel is back on but will be helmed by a Japanese chef. Zac Posen kicked socialite Arden Wohl out of his Fashion Week after-party because she didn’t come to his show or wear his clothes to the after-party. Paris Hilton is jealous of fellow sex-tape star Kim Kardashian.