Local News - The New York Observer

Elle creative director Joe Zee will be making his reality TV debut this fall as a judge on CW's Stylista , a show in which fashion hopefuls will compete to become senior fashion news director Anne Slowey's assistant at Elle . Created by producers of Project Runway and America's Next Top Model , Stylista promises to a be A Devil Wears Prada -inspired reality show that will presumably ...

Ashley Dupre, the hard-working Jersey girl who we thought would be leaving us for L.A. to pursue a reality TV career , is still here, it turns out, spending her time in hotel rooms and going on shopping sprees with another married man. Today's New York Post reports that Ms. Dupre spent 24 hours with 35-year-old New Jersey asphalt heir, Thomas J. Earle. The two were reportedly seen ...

Heath Ledger was reportedly a silent investor in Five Leaves, a Greenpoint bar designed by John McCormick, who also designed Smith & Mills and Beatrice Inn. While the project was at first put on hold after the actor's death, his father has agreed to fund the project to its completion. [ P6 ] Christian Bale's assault on his mother was possibly not an assault at all; sources say he never ...

According to The New York Post , Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels has a stalker . Evan Pidhajecky, a 31-year-old Long Island resident, didn't send Mr. Michaels love letters or threaten to commit suicide as Uma Thurman's personal stalker did earlier this year. Rather, he just wanted the SNL producer to admit that he had stolen his material for the show. In a letter sent to ...

VH1 has yet another fashion-themed reality show coming this fall. The subtly titled Glam God is brought to you from stylist Phillip Bloch and Vivica A. Fox, and will crown the next celebrity stylist. [ The Cut ] In an interview with an Israeli newspaper, Katie Couric compared herself to Hillary Clinton, claiming that sexism is more tolerated than racism. [ NY Daily News ] Lauren Conrad, ...

“It’s one of the last fabulous things about New York,” a dark-haired young man nursing a drink at the nightclub Splash, on West 17th Street, said the other night. He was referring to Musical Mondays, a weekly event at which a VJ plays video clips from Broadway shows—plus films based on Broadway shows, films featuring Broadway stars, Broadway tribute shows, and Tony Awards shows—to an audience ...

Hey, slackers! Will Ferrell thinks it’s time to shape up … or ship out. “There is this phenomenon of grown children who either live at home or move back home,” said the comic actor, discussing the theme of his latest comedy, Stepbrothers , which co-stars John C. Reilly . It was Monday, July 21, and Mr. Ferrell, a cuddly 41, was hunched in the corner at a party on the Empire Hotel’s ...

On Monday, July 21, at the top floor of the Hearst Tower, a crowd of wealthy-looking women gathered for a reception and panel discussion sponsored by Every Woman Counts, a nonpartisan endeavor of Redbook magazine and the Lifetime Network encouraging ladyfolk to participate in the coming election. And by “participate,” we assume they mean to wave placards around, perhaps; to knock on doors, ...

Prominent socialite couple Tinsley and Topper Mortimer have been “proposed” for membership at the famously stuffy Southampton Bathing Corporation—or as it’s nicknamed, “Beach Club”—immortalized both in Tom Wolfe ’s 1987 The Bonfire of the Vanities and the movie Born Rich , Jamie Johnson ’s seminal journey into the pickled minds of young rich people. (“I brought three Jewish ...

To its surprise, the Transom ran into designer Christopher Ciccone— SMACK!— outside the Rouge Wine Bar at Paris Commune in the West Village. Madonna ’s short, paunchy but sensual brother had flown in from London early that evening and was flying to Los Angeles the following morning—part of the whirlwind press tour surrounding his book, Life With My Sister Madonna (Simon Spotlight ...

“It’s kind of a different way of life, because you can really just live your life one loop at a time,” said Gunner of his life caddying at a very exclusive private Hamptons golf club which is often bathed in a nice ocean breeze. He’s 25; back home in Glasgow, he’s studying to be a dentist. “You always know you’re going back out the next day. So it’s quite a surreal environment. ” “It’s just ...

Christian Bale's attorneys are denying allegations that the actor assaulted his mother and sister, reports Associated Press .   "Christian Bale attended a London police station today, on a voluntary basis, in order to assist with an allegation that had been made against him to the police by his mother and sister," his attorneys said. "Mr. Bale who denies the allegation, co-operated ...

Remember that book we urged you to hurry up and write ? The one retroactively endorsed and publicized by the Sex and the City movie? Well, it seems that in a mere six weeks someone has already beat you to it. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that the fictitious titled called Love Letters of Great Men , from which Carrie read love letters from Napoleon and Beethoven to Mr. Big in ...

The campaign to smack you in the head with a Wiffle Ball bat until you give up and watch The Wire continues today, as series creator David Simon appears with writer Richard Price and actors Seth Gilliam (Sgt. Ellis Carver), Clark Johnson (Gus Haynes) and Amy Ryan (“Beadie”) to discuss the making of the HBO series. Your deadbeat boyfriend will love it! ...

“Pithecanthropus Erectus!” Call out that 1956 Mingus classic as the Charles Mingus Orchestra wallops Washington Square, causing N.Y.U. summer students to stop in their tracks because they have never actually heard music that doesn’t include the word “bitches.” [Charles Mingus Orchestra in Washington Square, 8 p.m., 212-252-3621] mbryan@observer.com  read more »

Before you throw up your arms and conclude that a weekend in the Hamptons is synonymous with Dante’s Sixth Circle (you know, the one where the heretics are roasted), think about this: You could be in the city watching a group of “young entrepreneurs, socialites, filmmakers and ping-pong fanatics” (if you had any doubt that the word “socialite” has lost all meaning, doubt ...

Witt warbles as Crow croons! Alicia Witt, the thespian best known for Law & Order: Criminal Intent , where she starred opposite Mr. Big, er, Chris Noth , performs original songs with piano and a full band (“ Hit it, boys!”) at Joe’s Pub. Meanwhile, showing she’s over her Tour de Lance, Sheryl Crow pulls a Jennifer Aniston, responding to the cyclist’s ...

The Kennedys co-opt even more square footage along our nation’s waterfront , hosting a Memorial 40th Anniversary Celebration in honor of the late R.F.K. , prolific speaker and procreator, at a private home in East Hampton (similar celebrations will be held in Kennedy-friendly cities like Hyannis Port and Jackson Hole ). In attendance: Rory and Ethel ...

Who knew “casual Fridays” would evolve into nice young women coming to the office in what are basically towels —i.e., strapless “dresses” worn over pants—which simply beg for some hijinx-prone , ginger-freckled lad to give a tug and allow the shocked and defrocked lass to meet the summer as G-d made her. … Meanwhile, out in the ho-ho-Hamptons , a good cause— Help ...