Ashley Olsen: GroundedThe former ‘Full House’ star and her adorable boyfriend, Justin Bartha, avoided a scary fate when their plane was forced to land after a cockpit fire.
Is Tinsley Having Topper Trouble?Plus, transvestites in Times Square, Marc Jacobs and his new boyfriend, and Priscilla Presley’s Botox in our daily gossip roundup!
gossipmonger
Chace Crawford Must Really Love ‘NSyncFormer ‘NSync member J.C. Chasez and Gossip Girl’s Chace Crawford hung out with a bunch of cute boys at Elton John’s Oscar party. Javier Bardem lip-synched to “You Shook Me All Night Long” at the No Country for Old Men after-party at Bar Marmont. Ben Affleck and Jimmy Kimmel needed ten takes to film the “almost kiss” scene in “I’m Fucking Ben Affleck,” because they couldn’t stop laughing. Diablo Cody refused to wear Stuart Weiztman’s $1 million diamond-encrusted heels at the Oscars when she figured out it was a publicity stunt. Donald Rumsfeld and Mayor Bloomberg both ate dinner at Café des Artistes, but didn’t say hello to each other.
in other news
Ashton, Bruce, Gwyneth, Madonna, and Demi Are the New Faces of HepatitisWell. The Hepatitis Awareness Council is probably happy about this one. Last week, as you know, Ashton Kutcher celebrated his 30th birthday at Socialista with a crowd that included Roberto Cavalli, Rebecca Gayheart, Molly Sims, Liv Tyler, Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, and, of course, his wife Demi Moore and her ex-husband/BFF Bruce Willis. As it happens, the bartender serving them all caiparinhas had just gotten back from Honduras, where he or she apparently contacted a wee case of Hepatitis A. Hep A is spread “primarily through food or water contaminated by stool from an infected person,” the Health Department said, which means that the bartender would have to had crap on his or her hands when she touched Madonna’s ice, but the Health Department isn’t taking any chances. They’ve gotten the press to spread the news as far as Thailand, in hopes of getting people who went to Socialista on the days the bartender worked to go and get a vaccination this weekend. Socialista must be thrilled. But hey, at least they’ve got an answer for people who say the place isn’t authentic.
Hepatitis A Crashes Ashton Kutcher’s Birthday Party[WSJ via Grub Street]
Earlier: Ashton Kutcher Borrows Madonna’s Guest List for His 30th
in other news
Ashton Kutcher Borrows Madonna’s Guest List for His 30thHa-ha, Los Angeles! You see what happens when you threaten to take the Oscars away from the pretty people? They come here to New York to party! Okay, so maybe it’s more that Madonna just invited them all to come to New York, and you can’t say no to Her Madgesty (she clearly knows how to do that Famke Janssen kill move from Goldeneye, and she likes it). But still, her Gucci/Malawi party was on Wednesday, and according to PageSix.com and Us Weekly, many celebs stuck around last night to attend Ashton Kutcher’s birthday party at Gemma. Kutcher claims it was his 30th birthday, and to celebrate, Salma Hayek, François-Henri Pinault, Lucy Liu, Bruce Willis, and Kate Hudson all showed up. Madonna even sang “Happy Birthday” (okay, for all our bitterness, we must admit that’s pretty effing cool)! Later in the evening they went to Socialista, where they were joined by Roberto Cavalli, Rebecca Gayheart, Molly Sims, Liv Tyler, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Nice job, Ashton! Way to party like it’s still 1999!
Demi Moore’s A-List Birthday Bash for Ashton Kutcher [Us Weekly]
Ashton’s A-List B-Day [PageSix.com]
gossipmonger
PETA Causes a Ruckus in the House of Donna KaranA PETA protester accosted designer Donna Karan inside her Central Park West apartment after an assistant mistakenly let her in. Kyle MacLachlan and his wife are expecting a child. Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore, and a host of other stars all turned out for Madonna’s “Raising Malawi” (Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon did not, however, after learning that the event was sponsored by Gucci). Rachel Zoe came to Fashion Week with eight suitcases, two of which were for accessories. R.E.M. played a series of impromptu shows on the Lower East Side earlier this week.
gossipmonger
Cindy Adams Had Her Psychic Write Her Column TodayCindy Adam’s psychic, Wendy, predicts that in 2008, the mortgage crisis will stabilize, Brad and Angelina will adopt some more kids, and Madonna will shave her head. Box owner Simon Hammerstein wrote an e-mail to his club’s manager privately applauding a dancer who spilled a drink on Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore (“Bleep] Ashton and Demi, they are so up their own arses … and they spend nothing”) but insisted that publicly the performer be “reamed.”
company town
Alan Greenspan: ‘Not My Fault’FINANCE
• Alan Greenspan says don’t blame him for the credit crisis. He may not have understood the dangers until recently, but the former Fed chief claims there’s nothing he could have done. [NYP]
• Who needs Wall Street 2 when Gordon Gekko is already back in the guise of Steve Schwarzman? The Blackstone founder just bought a big stake in a firm called BlueStar, the same name as the central company in the original Wall Street. [DealBook/NYT]
• Big surprise: Funds that invest in Vice typically do far better than those that insist on Virtue. [NYT]
intel
Michael Shvo Pursuing Celebs in Their House of WorshipIt’s a strange real-estate market lately, what with all the mortgage-industry-driven doomsday talk, but that’s not stopping Über-condo marketer Michael Shvo from hawking his wares. He’s set up a swag-stuffed (iPod speakers, anyone?) lounge backstage at the Fashion Week tents to entice celebrities and fashionistas to stop by, all the while heaping them with brochures about his newest project, the 57-story W New York-Downtown Hotel & Residences on Washington Street. (It’s opening this fall.) The swank space, all dolled up in red and black by GRAFT, the celeb-friendly — Brad Pitt is a big client! — L.A.-based architecture firm, has had visits from rocker Gwen Stefani (twice!), Demi Moore, and Teri Hatcher. —Jhoanna Robledo
in other news
Paula Zahn and Richard Cohen Argue About When Sex Stopped, StartedPaula Zahn and her husband, Richard Cohen, are duking it out in the tabloids again, and this time, at least, they’re keeping their kids out of it. Team Paula tells the Daily News that “she and Richard weren’t having sex for some time,” maybe even a year. But Team Richard hits back in the Post, alleging that the former CNN anchor was having her affair with Contigroup CEO Paul Fribourg for at least a year before the shtupping stopped. Fribourg and Cohen were friends and would frequently golf together or share family outings, say both papers, even after the trysts began. Though Fribourg has started proceedings for a (reportedly amicable) split from his wife, no divorce papers have been filed between Zahn and Cohen themselves. And they’ve been publicly sparring since April! They’re probably just psyched to be in the papers for something other than that godforsaken Pale Male debacle.
Zahn Pal: She Left for Sex [NYDN]
Paula’s Affair Shock [NYP]
Earlier: Paula Zahn and Richard Cohen Start Fighting Dirty
gossipmonger
Paris Likes ChineseParis Hilton’s first meal out of the clink was takeout from Mr. Chow. Former gossip columnist Charlotte Hays has written a book about attractive women and the rich men they marry. Rudy Giuliani wasn’t a fan of France until Nicolas Sarkoz — the “French Rudy” — was elected president. Brooke Astor may have cancer. Bill Clinton won’t be attending his personal trainer’s Chappaqua book signing. Laura Albert, better known as JT LeRoy, wants to pose for Playboy, though the magazine hasn’t made her an offer. Ashton, Demi, and their daughter went to the “Bodies” exhibit at South Street Seaport. A bunch of waiters are suing Sparks Steak House for allegedly using tip money to pay bartenders and others not entitled to it. Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman is throwing a party for Rhode Island congressman Patrick Kennedy.
gossipmonger
Barron Hilton Was Not MuggedSecurity guards from Stereo thwarted a mugging of Paris Hilton’s brother, Barron Hilton. (And Barbara Walters will get Paris’s first post-prison interview.) Biographies of Dina Lohan state that she was a Rockette and Broadway actress, but she is neither. Porn star Savanna Samson backs Giuliani for president. Anna Quindlen is auctioning off naming rights to a character in her upcoming novel. Former Cosby Show star Phylicia Rashad often does not show up to parties she’s expected at. Bruce Willis was angry that Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore were dating until Will Smith gave him a talking-to. Bebe Neuwirth went to a chiropractor.
gossipmonger
Jacko PornoMichael Jackson is trying to reclaim a trove of Jacko memorabilia set to be auctioned off this month, some of which is pornographic in nature. Lindsay Lohan and “boyfriend” Calum Best got into a shouting match at the Soho Grand. Jerry Hall called Mick Jagger cheap. Billionaire David Koch boasted that he had graduated college when his wife was only six weeks old. The Office star Jenna Fischer slipped and fractured four bones in her back at Buddakan, but she’s okay now. Charles Barkley thinks Don Imus should just have been suspended, not fired. Top Chef contestant Sam Talbot backed out of his deal to open a gastropub on the Lower East Side.
gossipmonger
Breakups and the CityFormer Sex and the City partners Candace Bushnell and Darren Star are no longer speaking after Star sold a show similar to the one Bushnell was working on to a different network. Matt Lauer once had an awkward bathroom experience with Tom Brokaw. Kate Moss will launch her clothing line at Barneys on May 8. Alt Coffee on Avenue A is being turned into a stroller shop. Britney Spears may give Allure a tell-all regarding her family infighting. Lesley Stahl denies being the source of anti-Katie Couric rumors. On her way back to New York City, real-estate queen Barbara Corcoran boarded the wrong flight and ended up in Syracuse. Tyra Banks ate with Clay Aiken at Jean Georges. Andy Dick accosted two employees at a Chelsea club.
gossipmonger
Judi, Judi, JudiAmong the skits to be put on by the city’s political journos at the upcoming Inner Circle roast is one featuring Judi Giuliani as a blow-up sex doll. Us Weekly, Star, and other weekly tabloids are upping their negative coverage of Brangelina because they are sick of getting scooped by People. A handful of people are angling for a portion of deceased Dr. Robert Atkins’s $600 million estate. Mike Bloomberg’s 98-year-old mother sometimes pretends she’s not related to him so people don’t ask her to hook their grandkids up with jobs. NBC’s Today show is losing serious ground to ABC’s Good Morning America and even CBS’s Early Show in the ratings game. Charlie Rose and Amanda Burden may not be broken up, despite reports they are. Jay-Z has plans to ink a deal with Champagne label Ace of Spades to replace Cristal as his drink of choice.
