You are not logged in

New York Magazine

Skip to content, or skip to search.

Skip to content, or skip to search.

May 14, 2008

In Other News

5/14/08

6:15 PM

Weird Science! NYU Student Invents Virtual Girlfriend

Inbed

Photo: Courtesy of Drew Burrows

You work late. Like, every night. You probably screwed up your last steady relationship, and, well, maybe there's no one to curl up next to in bed when you stumble in the door at night. Drew Burrows knows the feeling. "I'm in this grad program right now, and it's totally consuming," he said. "I come home every night to an empty bed." So Burrows, 28, engineered (literally) a solution, which he unveiled to the public last night at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program Spring Show at Tisch School of the Arts.

Read more »

It Just Happened

5/14/08

6:10 PM

Breaking: John Edwards to Endorse Obama

John Edwards

Photo: Getty Images

Barack Obama is scheduled to make an appearance in Grand Rapids in a few minutes, where he is expected to pull out a surprise guest: John Edwards, who, The Wall Street Journal and other news outlets are reporting, is expected to formally endorse the Illinois senator. Whether this will sway many voters is debatable, but one thing is certain: Obama has just pocketed the Sarandon-Robbins vote.

Ex-presidential candidate John Edwards endorsing Barack Obama as Democratic nominee [Grand Rapids Press]

Early and Often

5/14/08

6:00 PM

Axelrod: ‘I Can Sleep in November’

We hadn't previously known that David Axelrod founded the epilepsy nonprofit CURE ten years ago, after his daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with the disease. Last night, the organization honored the Axelrods at the Yale Club, in front of a crowd that included Katie Couric and Bob Woodruff. The event was moderated (somewhat ironically) by George Stephanopoulos. We caught up with Obama's right-hand man to ask about how he manages to stay awake (or, even, alive) with all of the madness he's been going through over the past year. "You know, I figure I can sleep in November," he said. "When you are motivated, you will be surprised by how much you can do. Obviously, the work of this foundation is deeply personal to my life, and I will always work to see that it continues, and I also feel very strongly about Senator Obama." The question on everybody's mind, of course, was when Hillary Clinton will drop out. Axelrod said that the New York senator is "very committed to change," and he's not worried that she won't work with them to fight for a Democratic win in the general election. We didn't know they were officially sharing the "change" mantra now. How generous! Would they also share a ticket? "There's no ticket talk yet; it's a little premature for that, I think," Axelrod said. "But I definitely anticipate that we will work closely together." We knew that answer was coming. —Tre Borden

Party Lines

5/14/08

5:15 PM

To Become the Torturer, Michelle Trachtenberg Had to Be the Tortured

Tranch

Photo: Getty Images

Newest Gossip Girl cast member Michelle Trachtenberg really knows what she's doing as evil, conniving underminer Georgina Sparks. As it turns out, the 22-year-old is drawing on her own painful teen experience: The Harriet the Spy star was, she told us last night at the launch party for Gen Art's Styles International Design Competition, "tortured" by her classmates at her L.A. private school. "Everyone knew who I was, and a lot of people resented that, so I actually had quite a difficult school experience," she said. "I cannot say that I have any childhood school friends." Really? We can't imagine why not. They were obviously just jealous, we said. So, how was she tortured?

Tell us all the gory details! »

Party Lines

5/14/08

4:30 PM

Video: The Premiere of HBO's ‘Recount’

Last night New York's Jada Yuan went to the premiere of the HBO movie Recount, starring Laura Dern, Kevin Spacey, Bob Balaban, and Ed Begley Jr. The film relives what happened during the highly intense battle that took place between the day of the 2000 contested presidential election and the final decision by the Supreme Court that declared George Bush president. In the above video, see what Dern thought of being cast as Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, how one Daily Show writer would have rewritten the ending, and just how difficult a butterfly ballot can be.

Party Lines: 'Recount' Premiere [NYM Video]

Neighborhood Watch

5/14/08

3:45 PM

Obama Gets Whitewashed (and Not How You Think)

East Village: Obama's spray-painted puss is in the middle of a smackdown on Houston and Bowery between graffiti artists Shepard Fairey and MARTY. [Gothamist]
Gowanus: Nasty, toxic Gowanus Canal is where this artist dunks canvases, pulls them out months later, then displays them. See his stuff at a Park Slope gallery starting May 18. [NYP]
Greenpoint: Leave it to infrastructure watchdog Miss Heather to video the, uh, "shit juice" that bubbles out of the floor when you flush the toilet at LaGuardia Park. [Newyorkshitty]

Read more »

The Sports Section

5/14/08

3:00 PM

Hank Steinbrenner: More ‘Onion’-Like Every Day

Hank Steinbrenner

Photo: Corbis

The Yankees lost last night to the first-place Tampa Bay Rays when Mariano Rivera surrendered a walk-off hit to right-fielder Gabe Gross. Read that sentence again, and it’s almost understandable that Hank Steinbrenner is upset. But his trademark bat-shit insane quotes are starting to stray from mere off-the-cuff remarks to borderline self-parody. Here’s an exercise: See if you can pick out the real Hank quote below from among parodies published in The Onion. We’ll even include the headlines, since they’re all equally hard to believe.

From an article titled “Yankees Bury Bernie Williams Under New Stadium for Good Luck”: "Not that this organization believes in curses. We're the Yankees. We believe the success of our team is based purely on our players and their on-field performance. And we act accordingly."

From an article titled “Yankees To Build Stadiums In Every MLB City For Away Games”: "The New York Yankees are a proud, venerable franchise that should never have to be subjected to artificial turf, domes, other teams' logos, or anything unfamiliar or unfavorable."

From an article titled “Report: Hank wants Yanks to play more like Rays”: "This is going to get turned around. If it's not turned around this year, then it will be turned around next year, by force if we have to."

Joe DeLessio

Yankees Bury Bernie Williams Under New Stadium for Good Luck [Source]
Yankees To Build Stadiums In Every MLB City For Away Games [Source]
Report: Hank wants Yanks to play more like Rays [Source]

Okay, it's kind of obvious. But admit it, you had to scroll over the links to be sure.

Earlier: Hank Steinbrenners Greatest Hits

It Just Happened

5/14/08

2:30 PM

Prostie Provider Pleads Guilty

Temeka

Photo: AP

Temeka Rachelle Lewis, the 32-year-old Clinton Hill resident who booked prostitutes for the Emperors Club and famously warned hooker "Kristin" against ex-governor Eliot Spitzer's "dangerous" sexual preferences, pleaded guilty today to charges of prostitution and money laundering. By all accounts, Lewis seems like a pretty vanilla kind of gal. She was an honor student and a high-school cheerleader and a graduate of the University of Virginia. Old classmates and teachers describe her using words like intelligent, sweet, shy, and quiet. "I can't remember her even getting a driving ticket," an uncle told the Daily News yesterday. "It just don't make any sense." It's true: Why would such a nice girl become so desperate for work she would turn to the seedy underbelly of brokering deals for low-rent Jersey-shore hookers? What could have possible gone wrong? The answer comes halfway down today's Post story.

Read more »

In Other News

5/14/08

1:30 PM

Matthew Settle Will Be Your Father Figure

Rufus

Photo: Getty Images

As you are no doubt aware, yesterday People magazine unveiled a set of photographs to the public, and not since Abu Ghraib — or at least the birth of Suri Cruise — has a set of photographs created such a stir. The slightly overexposed images, taken with a long-lens camera, clearly depicted a sight America was longing to see: Gossip Girl stars Penn Badgely and Blake Lively swimming, drinking frozen beverages, and totally making out. The two play a couple on the show but have been tediously denying dating in real life for months. Now, the evidence was now irrefutable! People triumphantly pointed it out to Gossip Girl co-star Matthew Settle last night, the day after thousands were killed in China. How did he think "America will react" to the startling photos? "I think people are going to love them as a couple," replied Settle, who plays Rufus, Badgely's father on the show. People pressed for more of his "fatherly insight." "They're a very hot couple," he went on. "They look good together." Ew, wait. "A hot couple"? They "look good together"? That is so not fatherly. That's actually sort of … gross.

Gossip Girl's TV Dad: Penn & Blake 'Good for Each Other' [People]

Intel

5/14/08

12:45 PM

How Can John McCain's Appearance on ‘SNL’ Go Awry? Let Us Count the Ways

McCain on SNL

Photo Illustration: Everett Bogue; Photos: Getty Images, Courtesy NBC

John McCain is going to be on Saturday Night Live this weekend! He's proven to be pretty funny on the other shows he's been on, but we're interested to see how he does with the young whippersnappers on SNL. Below, we imagine what it would be like if he joined "Weekend Update" for Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers's hilarious "Really" segment:

Poehler: Really, China and Burma? You thought your devastating natural disasters could distract American media from the Democratic primary? Next time try a little harder, guys. Really.
McCain: Really, Life Alert? You really just have to push a button and help magically appears? Really?
Seth Meyers: Really, Vito Fossella? You think you can run for reelection and win? Really? The only thing about you with staying power these days is your baby-making machinery. Really.
McCain: Really, Cindy? You really think you're not a cunty painted trollop? Really? Why did you think I married you?
Poehler: Wow. Really? You went there?
McCain: Really.

Read more »

Company Town

5/14/08

12:00 PM

He's an Icahnimal!

FINANCE
• Billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who has stockpiled 50 million Yahoo! shares, might start a proxy fight to replace the Internet company's board members, and the exclamation point in the company's name makes the headlines look really fun and exciting. [NYP]
• JPMorgan might cut 4,000 of its own as it gets ready to take on Bear Stearns staffers. [DealBook/NYT]
• Blackstone has a hip (read: awkward) photo of the buyout shop's five principals in its firm's annual report. [WSJ]

Read more »

Intel

5/14/08

11:30 AM

On the Street: A New Look for Robbers

Master of Disguise

Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images, iStockphoto, nypost.com

Time was, professional robbers all dressed alike. They wore black capes, eye masks, gloves, and accessorized with long, curly mustaches that they twirled with villainous élan. When mustaches and capes fell out of fashion, the robbers moved on to a more streamlined silhouette: black or army-green ski masks, paired with jeans or other dark, undistinguishable separates. A gleamy weapon that read "robber" often completed the look. But now it appears that three maverick robbers have chucked basic black in favor of a more eclectic style. If, as they say, three is a trend, they could end up radically reinventing the look! Take "LI 'Indy'" as the papers call him, the past robber who, over the past two years has been spotted taking money off banks in Manhattan and Long Island wearing "a fisherman's floppy hat," or, alternately, a fedora or a turban. "He may also have been wearing a fake beard," the Post reports. Risky! Fabulous! He's not the only one mixing it up. Another as yet-unknown robber was caught on camera in January wearing "a powder-blue sheepskin bomber cap with earflaps, rectangular glasses, a red scarf, a green military jacket, dark pants and dark shoes." Sort of Williamsburg meets Alpine chalet, no? We love. And for classic style, let us not forget the recently arrested Staten Island Ninja trio, whose smart uniforms of black face cloths and nunchuckus referenced Kabuki depictions of eighth-century Japanese warriors. And they say all the creative people are leaving New York. Pish-posh. Someone call "Sunday Styles."

LI 'INDY' A VILLAINOUS 'RAIDER' [NYP]

Early and Often

5/14/08

10:55 AM

Clinton’s Hollow But Ominous Victory in West Virginia

clinton

"Good evening, white people…"Photo: Getty Images

Hillary Clinton didn't just beat Barack Obama last night in West Virginia — she walloped him by a 41-point margin. She won every age group, income level, ideological stripe, and gender. (She probably didn't win black people, but there aren't really any black people in West Virginia, so that doesn't count.) At the same time, those who believe in math have already decided that Clinton can't win the nomination, so last night's victory may not matter beyond boosting Clinton's pride. Obama, though, has still clearly not connected with white, working-class voters, despite drinking many beers. If he really is the nominee, as still seems likely, he may be facing some daunting challenges.

Obama might need to win the White House in a "brand new way," »

In Other News

5/14/08

10:45 AM

Famous Last Words: The Vito Fossella Edition

Vito Fossella

Photo: Getty Images

Congressman Vito Fossella's final words before he emerged from lockup two weeks ago, just after his drunk-driving arrest and before the maelstrom of public scandal that would erupt:
"Honey, we'll get through this."

When you're saying that to your secret baby-mama mistress, and not your loving wife and the mother of your three young children, you've gotta know it's going to turn out to be a lie.

But in his defense, he was drunk.

Vito Fossella assures 'honey' everything will be fine - and thinks he'll keep job [NYDN]

Gossipmonger

5/14/08

10:00 AM

Celebrity-Baby Boutique Spreads Word: Mariah Carey Is Totally Preggers!

Mariah Carey

Photo: Getty Images

Newlyweds Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon may or may not be planning to have a baby, depending on how you interpret a recent shopping spree. The spokesperson for a conservative media-watchdog group called Barbara Walters a "shameless media whore" for revealing that she had an affair with a married senator in her autobiography. Ashley Olsen went on a date to Patsy's with someone named Justin Bartha. The Plaza's grand-opening party, which was supposed to be held last Saturday, was canceled because the owner's mother died. Sean Combs, who endorses Ciroc vodka, had a bottle of the stuff at his table at Home but had the waitress fetch him Malibu rum and pineapple cocktails all night long. Pretty much the entire cast of The Real Housewives of New York City acted inappropriately at the NBC upfronts party at the Empire Hotel.

Read more »

Ink-Stained Wretches

5/14/08

9:30 AM

Schadenfuller!

Bonnie

Photo: Getty Images

Keith Kelly really rolls around in the news of Bonnie Fuller's "resignation" from American Media today like a puppy rolls around on a dead thing lying on the beach. He relishes her recent failure to raise the circulation of Star, quotes ex-employees talking about how much they hated her, and slaps a witch's cap on her head for good measure. Why? Because Bonnie told Keith terrible, terrible lies. "I know how this started," she said when he called her about a rumor she was leaving the company a couple of weeks ago.

Read more »

In Other News

5/14/08

9:00 AM

New York Media Still Grieving Over Sue Simmons's F-Bomb

Sue SImmons

Photo: Getty Images

It is now day two of the Sue Simmons Swearing Scandal, and it appears that New York City has not yet recovered. Both the Times and Newsday report that when the beloved Channel 4 anchor said, "What the fuck are you doing?" live on air, she was joking to her longtime co-anchor Chuck Scarborough. It's not clear what he did to deserve the outburst, but both outlets report that she thought the moment was for a taped promo, not a live one. Newsday goes on to speculate as to whether Simmons will be fired over the gaffe. Not to take too much of an editorial stance on this, but what?? Sue Simmons has been a beloved figure in New York for more than two decades. She's been on the air for as long as many people can remember. She swore once in her 27-year career, after 10 p.m. no less, and they're thinking she may get the boot? You have got to be kidding.

The Times was a little more squeamish about getting into a discussion of Simmons's future, instead choosing to focus on the ol' "hey, we all swear a lot these days, huh?" meme. And the Post? What was their take on the whole kerfuffle? That Sue Simmons is a drunk, obviously. She goes out for dinner between the afternoon and late-night broadcasts and has "a cocktail or two." Which we thought was just under the disaster limit, but to the Post drinking that much apparently makes you a "SALTY SWILLER." We have at least four drinks a night — what does that make us, then? Crapulent Chuggers? Eh, we'll take that.

When an Anchor Curses on the Air, She Becomes the Night’s Top Story [NYT]
On-air expletive raises question about Simmons' future [Newsday]
SILLY SUE A SALTY SWILLER [NYP]
Earlier: Examining the Two-Drink Barrier
Sue Simmons Wants to Know What the F**k You Are Doing

Advertising

Edited by Chris Rovzar and Jessica Pressler

  • Get the RSS feed
Daily Intel Features

Media | Politics | Business | Real Estate | Parties

21 Questions: The New York questionnaire.

Company Town: Daily media, fashion, finance, and real estate news.

Developing: Real estate news.

Early and Often: Political news you can use.

Gossipmonger: Your daily dose of tabloid.

Ink-Stained Wretches: News from the world of print media.

Intel: Our scoopage, for your pleasure.

Neighborhood Watch: Hyper-local news delivered daily.

Party Lines: Celebrities say the darnedest things

Sex Diaries: A New Yorker's week between the sheets.

The Sports Section: The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat.

White Men With Money: Read all White Men With Money posts

Recent Posts:

Party Lines 

6:00 PM

Rufus Albemarle Says Good-bye to New York, Gives Good Credit Advice

Party Lines 

5:15 PM

Kirsten Dunst Explains Why We Vote on Tuesdays

In Other News 

4:35 PM

Nas and Bill O’Reilly Try to Out-Hyperbolize Each Other

Neighborhood Watch 

3:55 PM

Greenpoint Subdivided: Do You Live in Garbagetown or Sewagetown?

The Sports Section 

3:20 PM

Giuliani’s Son Sues Duke for Cutting Him From Golf Team

The Sports Section 

2:20 PM

The Problem With All Those Yankees Wins

Intel 

1:40 PM

Where Is New York’s Worst Smell?

Early and Often 

1:02 PM

Live-Blogging Obama’s Berlin Speech

White Men With Money 

12:45 PM

Bloomberg, Gates Mercifully Decide Against Ruling World

Company Town 

12:10 PM

‘Times’ to Raise Cover Price 25 Cents

Early and Often 

11:30 AM

Obama, Israel, and the Jewish Vote: More Interesting to Read About Than You Might Think

In Other News 

11:11 AM

Tricia Walsh-Smith Accuses Ex-Husband of Giving Her a Taste of Her Own Medicine

Early and Often 

10:31 AM

We Have Obama’s Western Wall Note

Gossipmonger 

9:58 AM

A-Rod Indulges in Retail Therapy

In Other News 

9:33 AM

Anne Hathaway’s Personal Journals Seized by the FBI

In Other News 

9:00 AM

Ashley Dupré Appears to Ruin Another Marriage

Party Lines 

6:20 PM

Kelly Killoren Bensimon Practiced for ‘Real Housewives’ Debut by Diving With Sharks

In Other News 

5:45 PM

Parents Television Council Unimpressed by New ‘Gossip Girl’ Ads

Early and Often 

5:15 PM

Behind Maliki’s Move Against McCain

Intel 

4:45 PM

Lit-ster Party E-mails: Every One a Precious Gem