BITS AND PIECES 02/01
PUSSS...@aol.com
--This time, he's singing about an "East End Girl." Billy Joel, who
famously sang about his former wife Christie Brinkley in his hit
"Uptown Girl," is releasing his first pop single in 14 years. Joel
recorded "All My Life" last year in Manhattan with producer Phil
Ramone. He wrote the song as an anniversary present for his current
wife, Katie Lee Joel, the former host of the television series "Top
Chef" who also writes a magazine culinary and lifestyle column called
"East End Girl." The new song will be available on People magazine's
Web site next Wednesday and can be downloaded from iTunes starting
Feb. 20. It also will be in stores later this year.
--Former "American Idol" contestant Constantine Maroulis, now off-
Broadway in "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,"
previewed material from his upcoming album Monday night at Corio in
SoHo.
--Toronto-based band The Clicks, who were just featured on Showtime's
"The L Word," release their U.S. debut, "Snakehouse," April 24.
--THE late crooner Bobby Darin, who hosted an NBC variety show
(1972-73) and was a regular TV presence from the late '50s until his
untimely death, will get his star on the Las Vegas Walk of Fame May
14, on what would have been his 71st birthday (he died in 1973 at the
age of 37). There's now a plan afoot to get the U.S. Postal Service to
issue a stamp bearing Bobby's likeness. Darintodream.com has more
info.
--Comedian Jim Gaffigan will be featured in three different Sierra
Mist commercials during Sunday's Super Bowl, is touring with his
Comedy Central Live show (at The North Fork Theater in Westbury March
16) and co-stars with Conan O'Brien as the animated superheroes "Pale
Force" (on nbc.com). Oh yeah, he's also in TBS' ensemble comedy, "My
Boys."
NY POST/PAGE SIX...
--RATINGS-challenged CNN is flipping out over a taunting Fox News
Channel ad that cattily compares the also-ran cable network's dapper
newsman Anderson Cooper to Paris Hilton. In a big spread in Television
Week magazine, Fox, which regularly trounces CNN in viewership, has a
shot of Cooper from behind posing for a team of paparazzi who are
frantically snapping his picture. "Meet the Paris Hilton of Television
News," the ad crows. It then accuses the silver-maned talking head of
being a "media darling" who's the product of "endless hype," but is
really all "style over substance." The ad also claims CNN has shelled
out "tens of millions of dollars in advertising" to put Cooper on the
map, "and he still gets beaten every night by 'On the Record With
Greta Van Susteren' - the No. 1 show at 10 p.m." But don't expect CNN
to take the insulting swipe sitting down. "They are preparing their
answer to the Fox ad and you can expect something next week . . . It's
war," a CNN insider told Page Six. A CNN flack called Fox's ad an "act
of desperation because Greta's audience has been eroding and 'Anderson
Cooper 360 Degrees' is getting closer. This is a sign they are
starting to panic." The rep also denied CNN had spent tens of millions
to hype Cooper, but wouldn't say what it has doled out. Fox countered
that Van Susteren's show was the fifth-highest rated program in cable
news while Cooper was a distant 17th. One executive at Fox - owned by
News Corp., which also owns The Post - told us, "Obviously, we hit a
nerve for them to overreact to this degree. Is this what they came up
with while they were sunning themselves at the Atlantis?" The Fox exec
was referring the lavish trip to the Bahamas that 100 CNN suits
enjoyed last month - much to the chagrin of network rank-and-file
during the week when CNN suffered a jolting third-place finish among
cable-news channels in coverage of the State of the Union Address.
--WHILE promoting his new DVD, "Farce of the Penguins," comic Bob
Saget learned his father, Ben Saget, had passed away. He got the
tragic news after taping Conan O'Brien's show Tuesday afternoon. Saget
- the writer, director, and voice of the penguin Carl - finished his
day's work with a promo party at Tenjune, which Mary-Kate and Ashley
Olsen attended. Sagat's rep told Page Six he flew back to L.A.
yesterday morning to be with his mom.
--JEREMY Piven likes to joke about why he's 41 and single. "I'd love
to have a girlfriend - if I weren't gay," he tells Playboy's March
issue. "That's right, I'm gay! I'm gayer than Liberace in 1972." As to
why he's seen as a round-the-clock party boy, Piven adds, "At the
moment, I happen to be the mother[bleep]ing pretty girl . . . The
pretty girl who goes to the hot spot sure does look like she goes out
all the time, right?"
--THIS explains why style maven Tim Gunn has not yet signed on for the
new season of "Project Runway" - he's been lining up a new job. Expect
an announcement today from Liz Claiborne Inc. that Gunn, 53, is
joining the firm as chief creative officer, The Post's Adam Buckman
has learned. That means Gunn is leaving Parsons The New School for
Design, where he's been chairman of the fashion design department
since 2000 (and with Parsons for 23 years). Sources said his new job,
set to start in March, will not prevent him from participating in
"Runway" season No. 4.
--BILL Clinton is too busy saving the world with his foundation to
consider quitting now for the confines of a college campus. The former
president was said by our sources to be on a short list of candidates
to become president of Harvard University. (Harvard's last president,
straight-talking Lawrence Summers, was forced to resign last year
after he insulted the feminists on the faculty.) But a spokesman for
Clinton says he hadn't been contacted and isn't interested. The Post
recently reported that Clinton is being advised by his wife Sen.
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign to cut back on any speech-
making and business activities that could pose a conflict of interest,
and the Harvard job would be a prestigious and safe haven. But Clinton
isn't liberal enough for the Ivy league institution, which is said to
be looking only at candidates from the academic world. A Clinton
insider, relieved he wouldn't have to move to Boston, said, "He's
running the Clinton Foundation with over 600 people around the world
treating AIDS, fighting childhood obesity and climate change."
--THE Yankees' season opener is two months away, but Jason Giambi has
already had his first rainout. The $20 million-a-year first baseman
recently had a pipe burst in his Upper East Side condo, with the water
flooding the apartment below. "He let friends stay there and they left
some French doors open, which let in the freezing-cold air. It was a
mess," a source said. "But he's been more than a gentleman about it,
taking pictures of and documenting the accident so his neighbor can be
reimbursed." Giambi's agent said he was unaware of the incident.
--PAULA Garcés, who plays sexy Officer Tina Hanlon on FX's red-hot cop
show, "The Shield," is considering desperate measures to get on Page
Six. "We've got to start making some [bleep] up! I talk about that
with my husband all the time," the brown-haired stunner tells
Penthouse. "My husband's plan is to dress up in drag, and we'll go to
some hot club and just start making out. People will think I'm making
out with some crazy lesbian girl, and I'll get a lot of heat in the
New York Post's Page Six! But I always back down."
--JAY-Z has pocketed a cool $3 million for agreeing to relaunch Cherry
Coke. The Def Jam president, never one to say no to a good financial
deal, is launching the soda next Wednesday. One music industry insider
sniped, "He is supposed to be focused on his label - not outside
deals." A rep for Jay-Z confirmed the date of the launch but said she
had no idea how much money was involved.
--DREW Barrymore sucking face with a 20-something at Mercury Lounge
during the set of Swedish trio Peter Bjorn and John.
--ROD Stewart at Gotham Lounge being told by p.r. woman Michelle
Corbin Hillman that she'd seen him perform with Small Faces at the
Fillmore East. "If you saw me at the Fillmore East," Rod replied, "you
look damn good."
NY POST/CINDY ADAMS...
--ELLEN DeGeneres is working hard at looking like emceeing the Oscars
isn't hard work. Although rehearsals don't start until the week
before, which is when her daily show officially goes on hiatus, she
and producer Laura Ziskin meet every Sunday at Ellen's to talk about
the depth, the breadth, the whatever. She's "very excited." ACADEMY
President Sid Ganis, he watch the movies at home? "I try not to. I go
out at every turn. I run to every screening and movie theater there
is." And isn't it enough already with all the pre-Oscar award shows?
"We've still got the Directors Guild Awards coming, but this year
there's yet another, although it won't be televised. The AARP's doing
its own tributes for the first time. Co-hosts are Kathy Bates and
Martin Sheen, and they picked their own winners - Donald Sutherland,
actor; Helen Mirren, actress; Clint Eastwood, director. "The Last King
of Scotland," best movie for grown-ups; "Lassie," best movie for grown-
ups who refuse to grow up; "Little Miss Sunshine" for best comedy. "We
have to look at it like, no matter what goes before, the Oscars are
the Super Bowl."
--After Darryl Strawberry labeled the New York media "crap," emcee Len
Berman, my "Live at Five" colleague, piloted me around to some of
Darryl's buddies. Said Mike Mussina: "When I joined the Yankees, I
came here dreading the New York press. I'd heard they only repeat
negative stories. But I've tried to talk to them, be friendly, and I
find they can be fair. If you love playing this game, you just have to
deal with the issues. There are always issues. And if you want this
life to be fast, it can be. But it can be too fast, and better enjoy
it while you have it because it sure won't last very long." Thrilled
to meet me, Mets slugger Carlos Delgado said: "The New York Post I
know - but you write what?" Eventually he said: "Look, I'm not into
this high life everyone talks about. I'm a family man. My son's name
is Carlos Antonio. He's named after my parents. And I'll always be a
great devoted dad." This will be he and his wife's first baby, due on
April 1, the Mets' opening day. And then, again, "The New York Post I
know - but who are you?" Speaking of living large, alongside Patrick
Ewing was a gorgeous, tall (sitting down she looked like 7 feet)
stunner. Ewing allowed as how he might someday come back to boss the
Knicks: "Would I consider coaching this team? I could. I would.
Absolutely. I know exactly how they should be operating. They're
playing too hard. They have too many stars. I don't say now when
exactly this might be, but let's just say I am never going to take my
hat out of the ring." And Darryl Strawberry, you watch your mouth.
--SIDNEY Sheldon, my longtime friend, left us this week after 89
years, 300 million books in 51 languages, an Oscar, a Tony and a
couple of wives. Shortly before his illness, he reminisced with me:
"Those early days when I was poor, I made $10 a week as an usher. I
lived in a cheap Hollywood boarding house with a dozen others, and if
the one phone rang, we all ran hoping it was for us." His latter years
were better. He owned Andrew Lloyd Webber's London mansion, a Palm
Springs spread that includes three houses besides the main one, and
I've wandered through 30 rooms in his Beverly Hills estate on Sunset
Strip. A 1993 trip around the world was in his own plane. When last he
stayed here, his hotel accommodation was a triplex penthouse with
private elevator. He was already weakened when we discussed might he
have done anything in his life differently. There was silence. There
was a deep shuddering sigh. And then there was the hoarse whisper:
"I'm not talking."
--ANOTHER marriage for Liza: Her schnauzer, Emmalina, mated with
Arlene Dahl's schnauzer, Max. The dating took place the other night at
Liza's East Side co-op. The ceremony itself was performed the
following morning, and turns out Max is a real hound dog. Miss
Minnelli herself officiated .
--Having lost mom Janet Leigh just two years ago, Jamie Lee Curtis is
now worried about her father. Wheelchair-bound Tony Curtis,
hospitalized for pneumonia followed by surgery and intensive care, is
home. But feeling fragile.
--Oscar nominee Eddie Murphy's next is Paramount's "Norbit" opening
Feb. 9. In it, he's back to the makeup chair and the million faces.
NY POST/LIZ SMITH...
--IT PAYS to socialize - or it did for the chief of Harper's Bazaar -
one Glenda Bailey, a Brit who has become very American over the last
10 years as she has shepherded the Hearst fashion mag to prosperity.
Its newsstand sales have actually increased, and it has grown by 30
percent. The editor-in-chief was in Paris in October having dinner at
Baccarat with Victoria Beckham and her very good friend Katie Holmes.
Glenda suggested that Katie pose for a Bazaar cover and Victoria be
the fashion stylist for her pal, the relatively new Mrs. Tom Cruise.
Now it has all paid off. There's Katie looking glorious on the March
cover as clicked by Peter Lindbergh. This is Katie's first interview
since her big wedding in Italy, but I'm afraid if you are expecting
any inside revelations from Katie, as told to writer Sarah Bailey,
you'll be disappointed. She says things like: "I feel very lucky. I
have a husband and children that I adore. I have a career that I
really love. When I sit back and reflect, it's - wow! I am very
grateful. Tom makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world
and has since the day I met him. I love being with him. I love calling
him husband." Well, what do you expect of a young 28-year-old brand-
new mother married to a movie legend and still basking in the glow of
her honeymoon?
NY POST/LIZ SMITH...
--TONIGHT the Eiffel Tower in Paris will switch off the 20,000
flashing lights that illuminate and define the French capital city's
skyline. There'll be an astonishing five-minute blackout at the urge
of environmental activists who want to call attention to energy waste.
Speaking of Paris, the talk of that town is still the recent visit by
the gorgeous Demi Moore, who hosted a dinner for 350 VIPs at
Versailles. Demi was wearing a gold Lanvin dress. Her Cartier earrings
kept falling off onto the table. ("Marie Antoinette must be wanting
these back!" quipped the star.) Demi is seen the world over as the
Face of Helena Rubinstein, and don't you forget it. (Well, you might
just forget it. H.R. isn't even sold these days in the United States.)
--THAT QUEEN of the Deep South, Paula Deen, is America's butter-
drenched chef, and now her memoir is coming out in April titled "It
Ain't All About the Cookin'." They already have a first printing of
300,000. Paula, who is like a goddess from Atlanta to Savannah, picked
the excellent Sherry Suib Cohen as her collaborator, and they've
included some shocking truths. Such as Paula's motto: "There ain't but
four ingredients in Southern cooking - the pig and all its parts,
butter, mayo and cream cheese." Paula is as powerful in her part of
the country as Oprah is all over. Only a few years ago, she was
destitute, suffering from agoraphobia. Today she has two shows on the
Food Network and five best-selling cookbooks. Now she's going to
really hit it big.
NY DAILY NEWS/RUSH AND MOLLOY....
--O.J. Simpson's book "If I Did It" may have been pulped, but it seems
to have revived the market for other Simpsonalia. Phoenix-based agent
David Hans Schmidt is brokering video from O.J.'s wedding to his
murdered wife, Nicole. In 1995, O.J. lost his bid to stop Fox TV from
buying footage from the doomed couple's 1985 nuptials. Schmidt says
his unnamed client has a secure copyright to four hours of intimate
moments from the fateful day. Schmidt - who, contrary to what the N.Y.
Post reported, did not launch that Web site featuring the contents of
Paris Hilton's storage locker - says the wedding tape features Simpson
pledging his life "to Nicole and Jesus" before plunging a knife
into ... their frosted cake.
--Dave Navarro flirted with a bevy of blonds while a shirtless Tommy
Lee acted as guest deejay Friday night at mur.mur at the Borgata Hotel
Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. Both rockers were in town for the Rock
Star Supernova concert.
--Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas will perform live on the beach at
Eighth and Ocean for the Ocean Drive Magazine/Market America Super
Bowl XLI Gala. Over 2,500 football fans are expected to sing along,
including Jessica Simpson and DJ AM.
--Oscar winner Marlee Matlin jets into New York today for Douglas
Hannant's fashion show at Gotham Hall. The actress, who's starring in
"The L Word," will be donning one of the designer's gowns tomorrow as
part of the show of red dresses at Bryant Park tents to benefit the
American Heart Association.
NY DAILY NEWS/BEN WIDDICOMBE....
--Rod Stewart will rock Madison Square Garden for three nights this
month, but the boozy Brit has also been performing in Brooklyn - "Full
Monty"-style. "Rod got totally drunk two New Year's Eves ago at the
River Cafe in DUMBO and exposed himself," laughs an insider. "He was
banned for life." Owner Buzzy O'Keeffe toned down the story a little
when he got on the phone yesterday. He said Stewart came in with Keith
Richards and two ladies, whose outfits got more revealing as the wine
flowed. Both Stewart and Richards thought it would be funny to drop
trou - although O'Keeffe insists that "striped boxers" were all that
was revealed. But Stewart talked his way back in two weekends ago -
"and got totally wasted again," says the snitch. At least this time he
didn't show anyone what a guy with Scottish blood wears under his
kilt. "He danced a number of jigs and sang folk songs," says the
source, including one remembered as "You Can't Put Grandma on the Bus"
- though if a song by that name exists, it would be news to Google.
The source says management laughed it off the second time and that
"he's welcome any time, as long as he keeps his pants on." Stewart's
rep acknowledges he was at the restaurant, but says rather primly: "As
for dancing [in restaurants], he does not engage in that type of
behavior."
--Songwriter-producer Linda Perry is sometimes credited with
"creating" Pink, and helped propel Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani
and James Blunt to superstardom. But the pop kingmaker can't find a
front woman for a new album's worth of songs she has written in the
voice of a black lesbian. "The process has been a real struggle," a
source tells us. "She has been auditioning all hot black lesbians to
sing her songs, but is having absolutely no luck at all." Perry, who
fronted '90s band 4 Non Blondes, wanted to create a "racier" kind of
artist, says the music insider. Related: How much better would
"American Idol" be if it were just black lesbians?
--Will Smith took a break from filming "I Am Legend" on the Brooklyn
Bridge Friday to order pizza from the lower East Side's Pizzeria de
Santo. Perhaps he got a taste for it because he's temporarily staying
on Mulberry St.
--Speaking of famous neighbors: Josh Hartnett has moved into the same
East Village building Colin Farrell called home when shooting in the
city.
NY DAILY NEWS/RICHARD HUFF...
--Kelly Ripa is leaving sidekick Regis Philbin - just for a moment -
so she can host TV Land's fifth annual "TV Land Awards," the network
revealed yesterday. Ripa, who hosts "Live With Regis & Kelly" with
Philbin, will handle those duties for the April 14 ceremony to be held
in Santa Monica, Calif., and air on TV Land April 25 at 9 p.m. "Kelly
Ripa's high energy, vitality and passion for television make her the
perfect host for this year's 'TV Land Awards'," said TV Land president
Larry Jones in a statement. The annual awards show salutes classic TV
stars and series and the people whose work has endured over time.
--Ted Danson has been tapped to star opposite Glenn Close in an
untitled legal thriller pilot for FX in which he'll play a corporate
giant facing a class-action suit.
--Adam Arkin is set to star opposite Damian Lewis in NBC's pilot
"Life." Arkin will play a former chief financial officer who served
time for insider trading. The offbeat drama centers on an ex-cop who
rejoins the force after being wrongly imprisoned for years.
USA TODAY/Jim Cheng with staff and wire reports
--Those who saw the first half of Jerry Seinfeld's anti-trailer for
his animated Bee Movie can catch the conclusion in theaters Friday. In
the first promo, Seinfeld and Chris Rock sported oversized insect
costumes in an ill-fated live-action version. The new installment co-
stars director Steven Spielberg, in a rare appearance in front of the
camera, trying to salvage the doomed project. Seinfeld says the
cartoon, which opens in November, originated from an awkward moment
with Spielberg. "I saw Spielberg out on Long Island one time, and
there was a lull in the conversation. To fill in the lull I said,
'What do you think about a movie about bees?' " Seinfeld recalled.
"Next thing I knew, I was making the movie."
--In a week with four debuts in the top 5, R&B idols Pretty Ricky
edged hipster-pop idols The Shins for No. 1 on the Billboard album
chart. Pretty Ricky's Late Night Special sold 132,000 copies,
according to Nielsen SoundScan, and The Shins reached a sales peak by
selling 118,000 copies of Wincing the Night Away. Chris Daughtry fell
to No. 3 from No. 1, followed by the debuts of 2007 Grammy Nominees
and John Mellencamp's Freedom's Road. The rest of the top 10 is held
down by the Dreamgirls soundtrack, Akon, Robin Thicke, the Jump In!
soundtrack and Justin Timberlake.
--Beginning today, Nickelback will donate 100% of the proceeds from
digital sales of the group's new single and video If Everyone Cared to
charity. Donations will be made to Amnesty International and
International Children's Awareness Canada. Nickelback embarks on an 18-
city tour beginning Feb. 20 in Tacoma, Wash.
--The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is offering the
services of three writers to help Oscar nominees with their speeches,
says academy president Sid Ganis, who acted on an idea from producer
Laura Ziskin. The trio consists of Phil Alden Robinson (Field of
Dreams), Fay Kanin (Teacher's Pet) and James L. Brooks (The Simpsons).
How nominees will be encouraged to use these tutors is up in the air,
Ganis says, "but we just know that the audience gets much more
involved with the winner if they're speaking from the heart about what
the moment means to them, as opposed to listing 15 names no one's
really heard of."
By Jeannette Walls/MSNBC
--Mickey Rourke is howling mad at a pet store. The "Sin City" actor
bought a puppy for a friend right before Christmas - and it died two
weeks later. Now the longtime animal-rights activist and member of
PETA is taking aim at the Miami pet store where he bought the critter,
and is planning to hold a protest outside the Miami store today. "The
animals who wind up in pet stores are often so inbred and sickly, that
they break your heart as you come to love them and watch them die,"
says a source. "This shop should be closed down," Rourke said in a
note emailed to The Scoop. "And as I have learned from my friends at
PETA, pet shops across the country often sell sick animals. So the
message I've learned really well here is to only ever adopt animals
from a shelter, never buy them from a shop."
http://janetcharltonshollywood.com/....
--What is it about Sundance that turns boyfriends into MONSTERS? We
just heard a grueling story about Heather Graham and her boyfriend
Charles Ferri, a clubowner whose Star Lounge is set to open any minute
in New York. Heather and Charles were at the Hollywood Life magazine
party and she was being photographed and interviewed by reporters
about her film Adrift in Manhattan, but, according to our witness, she
held onto her boyfriend and didn't ignore him. At one point he walked
over to talk to two girls and when Heather was free she moved over to
join them. She stood politely, smiling sweetly while they talked until
the boyfriend angrily grabbed her and pulled her outside. Party guests
could see him through the large window, berating and screaming at the
miserable lookng Heather. For fiteen minutes he lectured her viciously
at top volume as she came closer to tears. When he came back inside
the boyfriend was still ranting "THAT'S why I HATE actresses! They're
so INSECURE- I can't even TALK to another girl!" people tried to calm
him and Heather went home alone, upset. The angry boyfriend (who has
been described as a "womanizer") went on to another party on his own.
--We had no idea that making movies could do terrible things to your
hair, but Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts have had some bad experiences.
They claim that the studio people are way too rough on their locks
when they change color, blow dry, and style. The constant manipulation
to get the perfect look, damaged their fragile hair. They're both
leading ladies in demand these days so they don't have to put up with
broken ends. Awhile back, the two Australian pals joined forces to
INSIST that they wear wigs in every movie they make, and it's become a
given. Even if it looks exactly like their natural hair, you can bet
it's fake.
--We almost forgot how cute Barbra Streisand was back in the 70's. She
looks like a hippie girl her in her Woodstock hair and embroidered
jacket from Chinatown. And that was a real suntan - they didn't have
tanning booths then. A few weeks ago Barbra was at a big art event in
Santa Monica - it was held in a large space crowded with wealthy art
collectors. A woman heard Barbra was in the house and asked several
people where she might find her. She was told "If she's here, she'll
be by the food." Sure enough, Barbra was found nibbling at the food
table. Hubby James Brolin was socializing while, according to a
server, Barbra was "parked at the food table all night." PHOTO: http://
snipurl.com/18z16
--From 2000, we see another little secret Pamela Anderson kept from
her then fiance Marcus Schenkenberg. They spent an afternoon in
Beverly Hills and they stopped for lunch at the restaurant in Neiman
Marcus. Apparently Pam didn't want to pig out in front of Marcus so
while he indulged in a lobster club sandwich and french fries, she
nibbled on a green salad with no dressing. But as soon as Marcus
excused himself to go to the mensroom, Pam flagged down a waiter and
told him to bring her a popover with butter and strawberry jam right
away. Pam wolfed down the sweet treat in record time, and had the
waiter remove the crumbs before Marcus returned to the table!
3 A.M. GIRLS/Eva Simpson & Caroline Hedley
--GWEN Stefani is playing Cupid to her son - who's eight months old.
Little Kingston regularly plays with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's
baby daughter, Shiloh. No Doubt singer Gwen, 37, says: "Maybe they'll
get married when they grow up. That'd be cute!"
--GORDON Ramsay's first New York restaurant has had a roasting from
the city's top food critic. The New York Times' Frank Bruni battered
the celebrity chef for relying as much "on luxuries like foie gras and
black truffles as on imagination". He laid into a "cloying, gummy
wedge of turbot" and "bizarre" starter of langoustine and chicken. And
he complained of a "dearth of inspiration" on a "forgettable" menu.
Ramsay had already had a lukewarm reception from other food writers.
Bruni, said to make or break restaurants, gave The London two stars.
Top-flight chefs such as Ramsay aspire to four. The critic even
blasted the decor, saying the best feature was the exit sign.
LAS VEGAS JOURNAL/NORM CLARKE...
--Rumblings continue out of London that MGM Mirage and Mohamed Al
Fayed could announce the Harrods megaproject across from Luxor this
month.
--Henry Winkler of "Happy Days" fame is hosting and emceeing the Tony
Award-winning musical spoof "Forbidden Broadway" March 10 at the
United Jewish Community/Jewish Federation of Las Vegas Champions of
Freedom Dinner Gala. The event is being held at Bellagio.
--Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, the most valuable player of the NBA
Finals last year, is hosting the official NBA All-Star party Feb. 16
at the rumjungle in Mandalay Bay.
--Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth, at Elton John's "Red Piano" show
Tuesday at Caesars Palace. They are in town to shoot the film "21"
much of this month.
--Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, at one table at Vintner Grill, and
Greg Maddux at another on Tuesday.
--NASCAR star Tony Stewart and pit reporter Matt Yokum, watching the
Las Vegas Wranglers game on Tuesday night from a VIP suite at the
Orleans Arena.
L.A. DAILY NEWS/BY MARILYN BECK and STACY JENEL SMITH
--Chris Noth isn't getting worked up about the prospect of reprising
his role as Mr. Big in a big-screen version of "Sex and the City."
He's heard the chatter that the film will finally be made, but says he
doesn't believe it. On the other hand, if such a project does come to
pass, he's sure there will be a part for him, because, he says, "Mr.
Big was such a big part of the equation." He has decidedly mixed
emotions about the matter. "Mr. Big was fun to do, but I have many
more roles to play and wouldn't want to be locked into one part.
People even call me Mr. Big when they pass me on the street. I would
prefer that they didn't, but they do." He's more than pleased to be
back, reprising his old "Law & Order" role as Detective Mike Logan on
"Law & Order: Criminal intent" - with a schedule that has him and co-
star Julianne Nicholson alternating leads with Vincent D'Onofrio and
Kathryn Erbe. He does admit, though, that it's taken him a while to be
happy with the show. "That first year was difficult. The plot lines
were long and complicated, and I just wasn't sparking to it. The
characters were just pointing the audiences through the story, like
beacons. But this year it's different. The show's provocative, the
writing sharp and much improved." Noth's schedule allows him squeeze
in some film work, such as the upcoming drama "Frame of Mind," in
which Tara Wilson is also featured. Noth and Wilson met a few years
back when she appeared in "King Lear" in New York. Then she did a
"Criminal Intent" guesting in 2004 and ... they've been together ever
since? "You could say that's true," says Chris.
--"Lost" regular Daniel Dae Kim reveals his late-in-life decision to
become an actor did not sit well with his parents. In fact, the Korean-
American heartthrob admits they freaked out "for a little while. I was
in college, and I was going to be an attorney, so this was a major
career change for me. And my dad's a doctor who wanted me to follow in
his footsteps, so being an actor was the furthest thing from his
mind." Now that the show's a worldwide hit, "I'm happy to say they're
proud of what's happened," reports Kim. "My dad even tries to give me
career advice every once in a while. I'll talk to him about a
potential project and that I'm in discussions for this particular
role, and he'll ask me questions like `Well, how much are they
paying?' and `What are the accommodations like?' I get a kick out of
that. I love it that he cares." Meanwhile, according to him, this
season of "Lost" will finally shift the focus away from the triangle
of Jack, Kate and Sawyer (Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly and Josh
Holloway) to the other island habitus. "My character is going to start
speaking more English, which I'm thrilled about," says Kim. "He's
going to be taking some serious English lessons, and in the episodes
coming up, he'll start to learn quickly."
--"Saturday Night Live" is finally making us giggle again with newer
cast members on board, like Andy Samberg, who's gotten a lot of
attention from his digital shorts. Then there's the funny Kristen
Wiig, who hails from the Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles. However,
when it comes to patting particular cast members on the back,
executive producer Lorne Michaels says that's not his style. "I would
never sort of single somebody out," claims Michaels, who believes the
entire cast has renewed an interest in the long-running show. "You can
feel it around the show that there is a real excitement."
ASSOCIATED PRESS...
--LOS ANGELES - She may have missed out on an Oscar nomination, but
Beyonce Knowles is the No. 1 fantasy girlfriend, according to
AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2007. The 25-year-old
singer-actress tops the Web site's list ranking the "most alluring"
female celebrities as determined by its readers and staff. Voters were
asked to consider qualities beyond sex appeal and beauty, such as
"intelligence, humor, charisma and ambition," according to the site.
More than 8.5 million votes were cast, the Web site says. Knowles,
currently co-starring in "Dreamgirls," was followed by screen sirens
Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Alba, supermodel Adriana Lima and
actress Jessica Biel. Rounding out the top 10 were model Alessandra
Ambrosio, singer Shakira, TV host Maria Menounos and actresses
Angelina Jolie and Elisha Cuthbert.
--LAS VEGAS, Nev. - After nearly 30 years, California's classic rock
group the Eagles may soon release their first album of all-new music.
Founding member Don Henley said during a private weekend concert that
the band was nearing completion on an album of all-new material, the
Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Tuesday. "It's coming out in 60
to 90 days, if we don't kill each other first," Henley told the crowd
Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Eagles and Henley spokesman
Larry Solters said Wednesday there was no comment. The Long Run in
1979 was the Eagles last album featuring all-new studio material. That
album included the Grammy-winning single Heartache Tonight. The group
officially disbanded in 1982, then they reunited in 1994 for a
comeback tour featuring Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Timothy Schmit
and Don Felder. The band appeared together again in 1998, with past
members Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, when they were inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Henley, 59, will be honored Feb. 9 as
the 2007 MusiCares Person of the Year. The annual gala put on by the
Recording Academy and the MusiCares Foundation is among the
festivities leading up to the 49th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples
Center on Feb. 11. Henley, who has a home in Dallas, was selected for
his achievements as a musician and for his philanthropic work
benefiting environmental issues and musicians' rights and concerns.
MusiCares, established by The Recording Academy in 1989, provides
assistance to individuals in the music industry during times of need.
By Donna Freydkin, USA TODAY
--She just received her third Razzie nomination for worst actress,
this time for Basic Instinct 2. But Wednesday night, Sharon Stone
picked up a decidedly more laudable award for her long-term charity
work on behalf of amfAR, which supports AIDS research and prevention.
"I've been doing it 11 years," Stone said. The star received the
inaugural Roy London Award, which is named after her late acting
coach. "I feel very emotional about it," Stone said. "I had a big
crying breakdown in the tub an hour ago." The award was presented at a
star-studded amfAR gala at Cipriani, with Richard Gere, Woody Allen
and Beyoncé Knowles also in attendance. The Dreamgirls star said she
was happy to be there. "Young people need to have awareness of this
disease," she said. The always-outspoken Stone recently made headlines
for saying that Isaiah Washington's stint in therapy - for using a
homophobic slur in front of gay co-star T.R. Knight on the set of
Grey's Anatomy - was "absurd." Whoopi Goldberg and John Demsey,
chairman of the MAC AIDS Fund, also picked up awards for their efforts
in helping the global struggle against the disease. Goldberg said,
"I'm unable to explain what (this award) means, but it's a very, very
big deal." She talked about helping others: "My mother always said if
you have one crust of bread, you cut it up." Kim Cattrall was only too
happy to show support. "It's the beginning of the year and time to put
attention to causes you are passionate about," said Cattrall, who was
accompanied by her chef boyfriend, Alan Wyse. What has the former Sex
and the City star been up to? "I have found love in my life. I have to
work out a little more, having a boyfriend who is a chef."