Controversial ‘Times’ Writer QuitsSharon Waxman, the Times Hollywood reporter who often caught flack from Gawker and others for the errors in her work, has decided to leave the paper. She’d been on leave to write a book but had intended to return, she says on her blog. Instead, she’ll begin a new Web venture because she says — and this is breaking, people — that print is dead:
Journalism is going through tectonic changes. To some, this is a very scary time for our profession. Like many colleagues, I have observed the shrinking of American newsrooms with concern, and watched closely the continuing decline in print readership along with the price of newspaper stocks. With that has come a caution and paranoia in American newsrooms that is not healthy for the vibrant debate crucial to a democratic society.
Waxman, it turns out, has big ideas that will save us all. But we have two questions about the above statement. One, is the “caution and paranoia” that you’re discussing code for “editors getting angry and insistent about you producing information that is accurate”? And two, Waxman writes articles like “Why Hollywood Is Getting Serious About 3-D” and “Matchmakers Know Superstars Need Love Too.” Good articles, and fun to read, sure. But since when are we talking about “the vibrant debate crucial to a democratic society”?
Sharon Waxman Quits NYT [LA Observed via Gawker]
new york fugging city
No Golden Globes? Now Everything’s Fugged UpAs Sunday night approaches and the Golden Globes’ “Night of a Thousand Yawns” press conference looms large and boring, we’re still struggling to absorb the fact that the whole affair will be void of the traditional pageantry. Usually, this is the time when we’re stocking up on Ruffles and dip in preparation for an evening on the couch, wondering if Cate Blanchett will wear Armani (possibly) or something metallic (probably) and laying bets on whether Nicole Kidman’s inevitable Balenciaga will successfully make her look less waxen (doubtful). But this year, no ceremony means no fashion parade: no hits, no misses, no Marchesa. Fine, the sacrifice is all in the name of union labor and whatnot — but will no one think of the outfits?
gossipmonger
Mama Don’t PreachMadonna won’t let her daughter dress like, well, Madonna. The U.N. campus has a pretty serious rodent-and-eel problem. Rockefeller Center and Chrysler Building owner Jerry Speyer is proficient with a yo-yo. Oscar presenter Jerry Seinfeld has been asked to host the Oscars next year but can’t because of a movie obligation. “The Secret” is Hollywood’s new Scientology/Kabbalah. Martha Stewart just bought an unfinished apartment in the West Village for $16 million. Someone stole one of Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel dresses and sent it to Courtney Love to wear. Kathie Lee Gifford has as soft spot for Britney Spears, though her son fancies Paris. Mark Ruffalo is far nicer to the press than he needs to be.
the oscars
Pigging Out With Oscar
New York film critic David Edelstein and Hollywood producer Lynda Obst have been discussing the Oscar race since the nominations were announced. Today, their final thoughts.
To: Lynda Obst
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 1:38 PM
From: David Edelstein
Re: Last Year’s News
Hi Lynda:
The Oscars are such old news. Really, I went out for a hamburger last night and took a little walk (well, a half walk, half stumble) in the beautiful falling snow, and tens of thousands of bloggers filled the Internet with their musings. I wrote you last night that I had absolutely nothing to say and you didn’t think I had LITERALLY nothing to say, so I gather you were late for your post-Oscar party waiting for me and I’m so sorry.
the oscars
Let the Winners Speak!
New York film critic David Edelstein and Hollywood producer Lynda Obst have been discussing the Oscar race since the nominations were announced. Today, their final thoughts.
From: Lynda Obst
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 11:43 AM
To: David Edelstein
Subject: The Aftermath
Dear David,
So it was the Departed mini-sweep we suspected it might be, all centered on the inevitable crowning of Marty as Best Director. From Editing on, it became a drumbeat, didn’t it? But before that, the most interesting trend that I hadn’t expected at all was the love showered on Pan’s Labyrinth — for a minute, I thought I was watching the Independent Spirit Awards. Art Direction, Makeup, Cinematography! Why not Director? All these choices determine the look of the movie, all are made by the director, all complete his vision. There were many tough choices this year, with this movie coming out late in the voting season, but it is curious in retrospect that Del Toro himself was not nominated by the director’s branch of the Academy.
gossipmonger
So There Was Some Awards Thing Last Night?Forest Whitaker and other Oscar revelers celebrated at parties. In New York, celebrity viewers were either at Elaine’s, with EW, or the Spotted Pig, with New York. Brandon Davis ruined Paris Hilton’s birthday party by harassing Paula Abdul and Courtney Love. Ron Burkle had George Clooney, Beyoncé, Clint Eastwood, and a bevy of other celebs over his house for a private Giorgio Armani runway show. Harvey Weinstein used direct-marketing techniques to get Rosario Dawson and Lindsay Lohan to come to a party. To which Cameron Diaz showed up with Tyrese. Courteney Cox spent at least $750,000 on a Damien Hirst. Josh Hartnett brought Helena Christensen back to his room at the Chateau Marmont. VanityFair.com’s Jessica Coen left the Miramax Oscar party because it smelled too good, missed Ben Affleck and Helen Mirren.
new york fugging city
Fugging the OscarsFor most of the red-carpet dog-and-pony show, we were perplexed by Jennifer Hudson’s froofy gold bolero made of alligator skin (or croc? snake? whatever — the point is, it was fashioned after the hide of something that would eat us if we gave it the chance). That is, until the ABC broadcast began, and deliciously flamboyant Vogue man-about-town André Leon Talley introduced a montage of his efforts at helping Hudson get a custom-made Oscar de la Renta. We should have known. From his fetish for reptilian textures to his recent penchant for tacky coats, Hudson’s hella-shiny jacket does scream A.L.T. more than anyone. Too bad for her that the Supporting Actor/Actress awards were moved to later in the ceremony; now she has to wait until much nearer to the end to exhale and get drunk.
Still, there’s plenty for us to write about, even if the early awards are probably the more boring ones. Without further ado, allow us bitches to bring you the blogged-up 79th Annual Academy Awards.
new york fugging city
The Fug Girls Live-Blog the Oscars
We can’t think of a better way to kick off our new weekly column for the Daily Intelligencer than by starting on the night of the Celebrity Superbowl. On Sunday we’ll be live-blogging the entire Oscar telecast, from the opening credits at 8 p.m. to the orchestra playing off the Best Picture winners because the show’s run over and the limo lines outside are starting to break traffic laws. So go load up your cooler with Cheetos and Red Bull — we’ve all got a lot of snarking ahead of us.
in other news
Killers Kill, But ‘VF’ Just HurtsAs if Graydon Carter’s inability to sell his latest documentary, Chicago 10 , at Sundance wasn’t proof enough that the fabulously coiffed magazine editor should perhaps get out of the movie-production business, we point you to Killers Kill, Dead Men Die, a faux-noir video montage now available on VanityFair.com to promote the magazine’s new Hollywood Issue. We have no idea who wrote that drivel, how much they had to pay Ben Shenkman to get him to narrate it, or whether it’s intentional or accidental that it seems like Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid–style noir spoof, but, regardless of the answers, this much is clear: It’s time you put down the camera, Graydon, and got back to filling people’s dinner reservations.
Killers Kill, Dead Men Die [VF.com]
in other news
Everything’s Coming Up RosieRoses for Trump — and We Figured Out Why
In case you haven’t yet heard — and maybe you didn’t, because the man himself is so utterly modest — it seems Donald Trump was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday. As the AP’s Sandy Cohen (who, we guess, is pursuing a new career now that The O.C. is coming to an end) reports, the real-estate mogul, holding his littlest apprentice, Barron, “was asked, and asked, and asked about Rosie O’Donnell. But the billionaire developer said he is finished with the feud.” And we can only suspect it’s because he’s played his, er, Trump card. Though O’Donnell acted in such movies as A League of Their Own, Now and Then, and The Flintstones and even hosted her own cutie-patootie talk show for a time, the controversial Viewer does not have a star. Naturally, we wondered why only one name-calling New Yorker made the cut, so we turned our attention to the most recent honoree. Suddenly, it all made sense. Inspired by their new addition of Hilary Swank, the Walk of Fame people obviously got ambitious: They inducted a billion-dollar baby. — Lori Fradkin
Trump Gets Star on Hollywood Fame Walk [AP via Forbes]
the know-it-all
Quantifying the Pointlessness of the Golden Globes
With your TV tuned to the Golden Globes tonight (8 p.m., NBC), the question you should be asking is not the David Carr–esque “Will Scorsese finally win?” It’s the Joel Stein–ian “Who gives a damn what these people think anyway?”
As well publicized as the mechanics of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association are, every year someone is shocked to hear that the second-most-fussed-about award in Hollywood is being handed out by a cagey club with membership in double digits. So, in honor of tonight’s event, we present Daily Intel’s quick tutorial on the HFPA, lovingly garnered from CNN, Luke Ford, and other sources including our acquaintance on the inside (voting member Serge Rakhlin).
Members: 89
Estimated number of actual full-time journalists: About two dozen
Entry rules: Nearly impossible to crack — any applicant can be vetoed by any one member
Trademark privilege: Allowed to be photographed with the stars after the junket (originally, to prove to the overseas editor that the interview took place)
Other perks: Two paid trips to any film festival each year
Status among U.S. film critics: Extremely low (colleagues, from David Denby to Richard Schickel, describe HFPA members as “fawning,” gift-addicted flacks)
Arguable low point: 1982, naming Pia Zadora “New Star of the Year” weeks after enjoying a weekend in Vegas courtesy of her wealthy husband
Arguable high point: 2006, awarding Best Drama to Brokeback Mountain; 2007, reluctantly renouncing $62,000 goody bags
Hollywood Foreign Press Association [Official site]
