Gawker
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Gross Nepotism
Time Magazine Staffing Assignments To Sloppy Seconds From People
There're legions of uber-qualified writers who aren't employed right now due to the Sad State of Media. Funny, then, that Time Inc. hired a once-shitcanned People bureau chief accused of bad staff practices (nepotism, intern bedding) at their flagship, Time. More »
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2
By Foster KamerComment by raincoaster: I thought nepotism was a Time mandate? more » | Other threads
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war
North Korea Planning To Fire Missile at Hawaii, Says Japan
Japanese intelligence has learned that Kim Jong Il plans to fire a Taepodong rocket at Hawaii, possibly on the 4th of July. Wait, what?! More »
13,294
Comment by iplaudius: Everyone’s like, "fuck it, we’ll destroy North Korea." I don’t think we can invade North Korea, because the terrain is... 7 Responses | Other threads
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scandals
Tim Geithner's Brother Thinks He's Sexy
How did plain-jane Treasury Secretary Timmy Geithner make People's "Most Beautiful People" list? His brother works there. Yea WE FIGURED. Because they totally left out Larry Summers. [Business Insider]
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Comment by econdave: I've seen Larry Summers naked (long and boring story). Not something I feel the need to do again. 4 Responses | Other threads
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magazines
People Is Out of Good Coverlines
People managed to rush Natasha Richardson's skiing accident on the cover this week, but it also appears to have pulled a magazine no-no by promoting advertorial on the cover. More »
15,999
By John CookComment by katekate is squared: John & Jen: Who Dumped Whom? I don't know, but I certainly feel like I'm being dumped on whenever John Mayer... 2 Responses | Other threads
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blagosphere
Blago Passes on Senate Appointment
Sad! Crazy-coiffed, fabulously scandalous Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will not appoint anyone to fill Barack Obama's Senate seat, according to his fun-loving lawyer, Ed Genson. Why? Because Democrats are mean.
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By Owen ThomasComment by Weegee's bored: Lemme get this straight. Under normal circumstances the Senate wouldn't scrutinize an appointee to the Senate? 5 Responses | Other threads
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rants
Why the Hell Was Time Inc. Interviewing Angelina Jolie Over Email?
Yes, People is a softball celebrity magazine. But editor Larry Hackett has been defending his publication as a deeply ethical, serious crown jewel in the Time Inc. empire, despite its obvious kowtowing to powerful subjects like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Who the hell is he kidding? More »
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By Ryan TateComment by Weegee's bored: Dear Editor: I have finished jerking off. You may ask your questions now. Sincerely, Che Guevera PS: my PalPay information is attached. 2 Responses | Other threads
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barack obama
Obama Crap Making Insane Millions For Media
Amid pandemic media bloodletting and global financial meltdown, it's nice to finally find a silver lining: All those silly Barack Obama trinkets are making insane amounts of money for media companies and providing precious little stimulus to the economy. The Times estimated roughly $200 million sold so far, including more than $15 million in commemorative issues and books from People and Time, somewhere around $1.5 million for the online store set up by the New york Times Company and $700,000 for the Los Angeles Times. Commemorative plates and coins, meanwhile have become ubiquitous enough that Lewis Black ranted about them on the Daily Show (clip after the jump). The downside? More »
3,287
By Ryan TateComment by MisterHippity: Sure, the Obama stuff people are selling so far is worthless crap, I agree. But just wait until my new product,... 8 Responses | Other threads
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layoffs
People Surrenders London To Redcoats
Time Inc. CEO Ann Moore shamed all of the United States of America by ceding hegemony over House Of Windsor gossip to filthy British tabloids. People is flying the white flag of surrender over its London bureau and shutting it down, two tipsters inform us, sending its handful of staffers, like writers Courtney Rubin and Pete Norman, packing. Former bureau chief Simon Perry was purportedly told to work from home after a demotion to "correspondent," but there's skepticism he'll comply. Good luck trying to crack the Brits' white-glove treatment of their silly "royal" family now, People! Meanwhile, a reckoning is coming in the U.S. More »
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By Ryan TateComment by bess marvin, girl detective: although it's never good when people lose jobs, i'm kind of glad that some magazines are folding. most of... 4 Responses | Other threads
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boys smell
Scratch 'N' Sniff The Sexiest Men Alive
This year's edition of People magazine's hugely popular "Sexiest Man Alive" issue (Hugh Jackman takes top honors) will feature... um... scratch 'n sniff photos of famous dudes, like Gossip Girl actress Chace Crawford, TV show kryptonite Taye Diggs, Law & Order: SVU brute Chris Meloni, and young god swain of the oceans Michael Phelps. Each of the guys chose a scent that makes them feel sexiest, from fresh cut grass (Mr. Crawford) to L’Homme YSL parfum for Mr. Phelps. We'll take a look at each fellow's preferred odor and analyze what it's supposed to say about them and what it really says, after the jump. More » -
sad things
Grading The Celebrity Glossies' Jennifer Hudson Coverage
Yesterday we took a look at the celebrity glossies' websites, to get a sense of how this weeks issues would cover the Jennifer Hudson story. People and Us Weekly seemed like they planned to devote the most space reporting on the murders of the singer/actress's mother, brother, and nephew. And, sure enough, they were the only two to run the story as the main image on their covers. But what's inside? More »
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Comment by kween of everything: hi, as someone who did reporting for one of the mags you are discussing (not US), i have to tell... 2 Responses | Other threads
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sad things
Handicapping How the Gossip Glossies Will Cover Jennifer Hudson's Family Tragedy
When the celebrity weeklies unveil their new covers tomorrow, we can bet they'll be dominated by coverage of the terrible Jennifer Hudson news story, in which the singer and actress's mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew were murdered on Friday. And we suppose they're right to, it being big news and all. Since the issues went to print yesterday, it's up to the websites to tease what each publication has in store (and to keep up with breaking developments). So what might each magazine be featuring? We took a look at five magazines' websites today to try to see if there were any hints of what their coverage will look like tomorrow. More »
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Comment by The Captain of My Heart: Why hasn't Mister Obama spoken out about the Hudson family tragedy? How could he be so cold? It happened in Chicago...his... 11 Responses | Other threads
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paul newman
Paul Newman's Final Donation Goes To People
People is coming out with a 96-page "tribute" "book" "honoring" the recently dead Paul Newman. It will sell for $12, and none of the proceeds will go to charity, despite the fact that Newman dedicated the latter part of his life to working for charitable causes. But, to use the line that Jossip unfortunately beat us to this morning, it's "sort of okay, because this year, the print industry basically is a charity." Yep. [Folio] -
clay aiken
Get Used To It: Just when we thought we were done with today's People-led insurrection of the Claymates, this post from "NClayolina" pulls us back in: "I will never be able to listen to [Clay Aiken] sing, 'O Holy Night,' knowing he desires unholy nights." [The Clayboard] -
clay aiken
Inside Clay Aiken's Unforeseen Revelation That He Is, In Fact, 'A Gay'
Now that America has had time to process yesterday's shocking bombshell that Clay Aiken is gay (and now that Debbie from accounting has gotten her breathing under control), People magazine has released excerpts from their exclusive cover interview. In it, Aiken discusses coming out to his mother four years ago, a rocky experience that may have prepared him for the real hurdle: weathering reaction from millions of hysterical Claymates. More » -
people
Brangelina Baby Photo Rumormonger
We hear that People is feverishly closing its upcoming issue tonight, so that the magazine can be on newsstands by Monday with its $10-15 million worth of Brangelina baby pictures. The spread, we hear, will be in the neighborhood of 30 pages. Babylicious!
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Comment by maevemealone: I've yet to see a picture of Brad and Angelina that proves these two even like each other. more » | Other threads
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brangelina
People Wins Brangelina Baby Pics?
People magazine has won the heated bidding war for the new Brangelina baby pictures, according to a report (unconfirmed, so far) on JustJared.com, who puts the winning bid at "between $10 million and $15 million." Rumors of a $15 million payday for the tot photos surfaced almost two months ago. People was bidding against OK!—where publisher Richard Desmond was reportedly so determined to land the rights that he was leading the negotiations personally. If People really walked away the victor here, they will have succeeded in staving off (temporarily) OK!'s ominous ambition to corner the baby picture market. [JustJared] -
brangelina
Brangelina Baby Shoot Booked Even Before Bidding Complete
Brangelina spawn photo war update! We hear that Getty is scheduled to do the photo shoot of Angelina Jolie's new twins on Monday. Knox and Vivienne are officially entering the celebrity media machine, and it's about time! The twist, of course, is that the bidding war between OK! and People for the rights to the photos is still ongoing. The price was hovering between $11 and $12 million this morning, and we hear it hasn't been decided yet. We know you are dying to know who will walk away the victor. A speculative look, and a guess: More »
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Comment by flossy: Eh, wake me up in twelve years when they go to rehab. more » | Other threads
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peter castro
Is The Editor Of People Too Friendly With Madonna?
People magazine has always been sickeningly nice in its celebrity coverage—it interprets kid-glove coverage as "respectability" in the generally not-nice celebrity news world. They've even crowned Anne Hathaway a "princess" for finally breaking up with her con man boyfriend, for chrissake. Part of the problem is editor Peter Castro, last seen here partying it up in the Bahamas on the corporate dime while the rest of the company crumbled. Shady anonymous whisperers tell us he likes to suckle at the teat of Madonna, figuratively! More »
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Comment by sakura415: Just to clarify, Peter Castro is the editor of People en Espanol, and Larry Hackett is the editor of People.... more » | Other threads
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time inc.
Execs Jam While Time Inc. Burns
Media companies are all facing a fundamental quandary: They have to throw lavish, expensive events to impress advertisers, even as they slash editorial budgets in ways that upset longtime employees. Well, it's only a problem if the corporate suits are worried about perception issues, which they may not be. But you have to admit that it does look bad when People editor Peter Castro (pictured, at left) and other execs are partying it up in the Bahamas "getting a massage, being given a wii fit, jamming with some old dudes, being on vacation" at a fancy sales meeting while the company faces a hiring freeze. Hey, that's capitalism! Angry email from an insider, after the jump.
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Comment by BlinkyMcChuck: It's hard to find out you don't matter, but when you don't matter, you don't have to go on the... more » | Other threads
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dadagers
Papa Joe Simpson: Hollywood's Least Valuable Player
We have a feeling that, were there a group of deadbeat dads out in Glendale (a la those Dina Lohan-lovin' freaks out East) who got drunk enough one day to form a Totally Awesome Dads Association (TADA!), they would most likely celebrate their first-year anniversary by handing out their Bud Light-drenched award for Father Of The Year to Papa Joe Simpson. Why? Well, as we already know, the former minister-turned-dadager managed to pimp out a few mind-numbingly boring exclusive wedding pictures featuring most annoyingly faux-punk new marrieds on the planet, Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz, to People a few weeks back. But what we didn’t know was that, at the same time, Simpson was allegedly attempting to sell off his other daughter Jessica — not to the tabloids, but to then-boyfriend Tony Romo. See the astonishing managing skills this guy has? But he reportedly wasn’t stopping at selling off his daughter — he was also said to be pressuring the quarterback to sign a client/manager agreement and become one of the magically successful Simpson Family Players: More » -
Buy My Baby
There’s no shortage of sleazy surprises in the world of baby picture pimping. Today, TMZ reports that soon-to-be-dad Matthew McConaughey and his model girlfriend Camila Alves have hired an actual agent to auction off photos of their upcoming newborn’s visage to the major glossies. And the “brand agent” in question, Todd Shemarya, has quite a record — he’s the man behind Brangelina’s record-setting deal with People, and Christina Aguilera’s far less pricey cover with the same weekly. As disturbed as we are that such a man exists, we’re more saddened to learn that former nude bongo player and hairy beach hippie McConaughey would cash in on his first kid. We're actually starting to miss the hobo doing push-ups outside a trailer we'd grown accustomed to. Then again, the $1MM that he's reportedly been offered by three separate spawn-obsessed mags can buy a lot of t-shirts. [TMZ] -
Once Upon A People
'People' Unveils Massive Cover Archive Online, All We See Are Fabio's Pecs And John Travolta's Quads
It took them long enough, but People has finally seized the magical capabilities of the world wide web and uploaded each and every cover in its almost 45-year history online. And while we hand-picked a few of our favorites, from a very Dirk Diggler-looking John Travolta in 1983 to the sad black and white sight of Jennifer Aniston’s misty eyes looking up as Brad Pitt placed the wedding ring on her finger in 2000, we also featured a few after the jump that are slightly more disturbing. "Judge Judy Disrobed," and Brooke Shields doing her whole kiddie porn thing back in the 70s, for example. Plus, a very special throwback to a time when the world wondered whether Britney was looking “too sexy too soon” ... way back in 2000! More » -
exclusive
Mariah Carey Wedding Pictures: $2 Million
We hear that People magazine paid around $2 million (if not more) for the recent wedding pictures of Barbie-like singer Mariah Carey and younger actor Nick Cannon. People triumphed in a bidding war with OK!. This surely rates as one of the biggest paydays of Cannon's career, if not his wife's. And that figure would make their photos even pricier than the baby pictures of Nicole Richie and Christina Aguilera, though only half as valuable as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's baby shots of Shiloh. Does Mariah still move that many magazines?
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Comment by SlickaNicka: @Mike_Jahn: Mike, she's so superficial she doesn't even HAVE a left side. more » | Other threads
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beautiful and damned
Does Landing The Cover Of People's 'Most Beautiful' Issue Come With A Curse?
Today, People has revealed that Kate Hudson will appear as the cover girl for their 2008 Most Beautiful People issue, and we'd certainly like to send out a hearty congrats to the recently divorced single mom who's currently nursing Owen Wilson back to health. But after taking a look back at the list of stars who've previously nabbed the annual issue's cover spot, we fear there may be a curse accompanying the glossy honor. Sure, Leonardo DiCaprio (1998) and Julia Roberts (2000, 2005) haven't slipped up since having their smiley visage top the list, but a sizeable chunk of the winning alumni eerily saw their public and private lives undergo a downward spiral following their appearance on the issue's cover. We took a closer look at the possible curse-laden honor after the jump: More » -
fameballs
Pregnant Dude Was Hot As Woman
The pregnant guy who appeared on Oprah today? Ex-woman Thomas Beatie? He was officially a hot chick, according to People, earning a finalist slot in Miss HawaiiTeen USA back in the day. Finalist or not, he looks kind of mannish to me. And apparently to himself as well: "I always felt masculine, even as a woman," the caption reads. Click through for a larger pic and two other shots from the People spread, via Guanabee. More »
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By Ryan TateComment by Pussy Galore: Wait? Does he still have a vajayjay or does he have a willywonka now? If he is pregnant, I assume his... more » | Other threads
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update
Us Calls Bullshit on Star!
Star overlord Bonnie Fuller is getting her ass kicked this morning. "Online reports that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt tied the knot in New Orleans Saturday are 'complete and total bulls—t,' a source tells Us. 'Bottom line, they aren't even in New Orleans.'"
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Comment by Liberace: Well, if it gets bad enough, BF can always step in as lead singer of Journey. more » | Other threads
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celebrity science
Death And Misery Sell
A big magazine industry report came out, and it turns out People magazine's top selling regular issue last year featured Owen Wilson on the cover just after his attempted suicide. People's biggest seller so far in 2008 was about Heath Ledger's death. The magazine's top sellers of all time were Sept. 12, 2001 and just after Princess Diana died. But death and misery do not rule completely: More »
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By Ryan TateComment by Otto-Reimer: Waynard put two stories out in the Banner, both asking for donations. One was for a young scientist with a... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Nicole Richie's New Baby Already Eschewing Mom's Dieting Advice
After shelling out a reported $1MM to Nicole Richie and That Guy From Good Charlotte, People unveiled their Super! Exclusive! Must! Credit! People! baby photos of Harlow Winter Kate Madden today. And something about those droopy eyes and vacant glare do suggest that Joel Madden is indeed the father. Although we don't yet see any resemblance to Mama Nicole, Harlow is definitely packing junk in the...cheeks. But that's a good thing! For a close-up of the just-under-two-month-old sporting the grim expression of someone who knows that their life is going to turn into a True Hollywood Story, click through. More » -
the new economy
What A Million Dollars Gets You: Nicole Richie's Baby
Attached, Nicole Richie's million dollar baby. As in one-million dollars, the price paid by People for the exclusive. Holy buckets, you say—what an expensive baby! You, sir, are naive. This is the bargain baby! Shiloh Jolie-Pitt was worth $4m. Jennifer Lopez's new twins went for more than $3m each! (How awesome would it have been, actually, if Jennifer had sold one twin to People and the other to OK!?) Even Christina Aguilera's loser baby was worth $1.5! And once Angelina has this next phantom baby the photo will probably cost some outlet enough to publicly finance the presidential election. Or like ten minutes of Iraq! This is the business model that will save the magazine industry. And keep our celebrities the way we like them: pregnant and complicit in the exploitation of their families. [Related]
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By PareeneComment by RocketSurgeon: Rachel Zoe flipped out when she saw the baby drinking full-fat breast milk. more » | Other threads
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stupid ideas
You're Fired!
Busty blonde belter Christina Aguilera will let you know when she's irrationally angry at you. By firing you. That's what she did to her PR people, manager, and assistant when the issue of People magazine that featured her and her new baby on the cover did not sell well. What exactly do these people have to do with magazine sales (especially the assistant)? Wasn't it their job to get her on the cover, not sell the magazine? They even managed to get a her a mind-boggling $1.5 million for the shoot, which is way above industry standard. Oh Christina! You so crazy. But, what can we do? A girl wants what a girl wants. [Crazy Days and Nights]
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Comment by Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate: Xtina shouldn't bitch; she got top dollar for a baby that only has one celeb parent. JLo's vampire-husband is a... more » | Other threads
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us weekly
When Will America's Women Stop Forcing Gossip Mags To Harass Female Celebrities?
Those gossip magazines, they seem to cover female celebrities a lot more than their male counterparts, noticed the Times. And in their defense, magazine editors bravely blamed their readers. "If Britney weren't a mother, this story wouldn't be getting a fraction of attention it's getting," said People's managing editor. The Times also gathered from him that "women are fascinated by the challenges facing a young mother." Women, said Fox News reporter Roger Friedman, are "more emotional and open;" US Weekly EIC Janice Min pointed out that female readers are "more sympathetic," in the Times's words, toward "young men in crisis." So gossip magazines are harsher on women because female readers sympathize more with women, and because female readers sympathize with men. More »
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By Nick DouglasComment by gobblegirl: @noasalira: So anyone who doesn't support Obama is racist? Eat it. more » | Other threads
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defamer
Lobbying By Clooney, Pitt Leads Matt Damon To 'Sexiest Man Alive' Win
This week's special issue of People—perhaps the magazine's second-most anticipated installment behind its annual Baby Bumps, Secret Weddings, and Conspicuous Nose Jobs spectacular—brings some happy news: Matt Damon will wear the magazine's Sexiest Man Alive tiara for the next 12 months, a choice that may indicate a seismic shift in the criteria it uses to select its honorees; if this newly established precedent holds, we may be entering a Golden Age of Sexy Lists in which less conventionally handsome Hollywood stars (work out all you want, Matt, you still have the face of a cherub who can't quite lose those last three pounds of baby-angel fat) can compete on equal footing with the throbbing slabs of leading-man-beef who tend to dominate the glossies' evaluations of Hollywood hunksmanship. People explains its choice: More » -
down time
Have you forgotten that it's Audit Bureau of Circulation time? Whee! People's sales declined, probably because a steady diet of Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears grows tiring after a while; we need some hot new celebrities to hit the rehab circuit and, sorry, Amy Winehouse just won't cut it. Over on the serious side of things, Time takes a massive hit, dropping 17.1% in paid and weekly circulation against the same period last year. A Time spokesperson claims that the drop is a result of the magazine's heroic struggle for transparency—shedding copies distributed to doctor's offices and the like—and that the industry will eventually be forced to follow suit, which sort of jibes with our theory that it's all part of new managing editor Rick Stengel's plan to make sure there are only seven people who read Time, but that those seven people absolutely savor every single word. [WWD]
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By abalkComment by Colonel Mustard: @LolCait: Next year's PotY will be "Rehab". Just watch. more » | Other threads
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just like romeo and juliet
Pete Doherty And Kate Moss Are Over Again
"You have touched my heart and soul you little fucker... You make me high my sweet. My skin shivers and longs to be held by you," Kate Moss once wrote in a love note to her junkie boyfriend Pete Doherty. But now! "Movers were spotted at Moss's London home Wednesday removing furniture and guitars, a piano, paintings and suitcases." Apparently Pete slipped up and did it with a South African model last week, although how that guy even manages to get it up we have no idea. Anyway, guess the wedding's off! More »
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By Emily GouldComment by Fishnets and Cigarettes: @raincoaster: Doherty is an extremely talented junkie on his way to an early grave. His dedication to art is not... more » | Other threads
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By abalkComment by hellosunshine: I wish the entire world would be 100% Paris-free. more » | Other threads
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people who read 'people'
See Where "Smarthrob" Dave Zinczenko Went To College
It's taking us a while to work our way through People's Hottest Bachelors issue because we keep getting distracted by the need to frantically fondle ourselves while staring at an open-shirted shot of Toby Keith, but we finally reached the page that's about why you should date a smart guy. According to Heroes' Masi Oka, who is smart because he went to Brown, "smart guys are going to make every relationship exciting, not just emotionally but physically because there are things that a creative mind has over just a hot smoking body." Okay! Then the next page is given over to a rundown of where some celebrities and "celebrities" matriculated. John Krasinski went to Brown! Ed Norton went to Yale! Wentworth Miller went to Princeton! And Men's Health tv-spokesperson Dave Zinczenko went to ... a college that no one has ever heard of. Apparently it's in Pennsylvania and it places somewhere in the third tier of US News's rankings. Also, he is bad at giving head.
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By Emily GouldComment by SecureLocation: This can't surprise anyone who's met or worked with the guy. He's got a fourth tier brain and the creative... more » | Other threads
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money changes everything
Jared Kushner One Of 'People' Mag's Most Eligible Players
Why, it's another feather in golden child and New York Observer owner Jared Kushner's cap! We're sure his family back in Livingston, NJ is absolutely kvelling with delight. And we can't help but notice that Ron Burkle (bottom row) is looking a little haggard in that pic. Radar got ya down, Ron? (Click image for the full array of Power Players.)
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Comment by girlinterrupted: Certainly no one will mistake this for the Most Beautiful People issue. more » | Other threads
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managing the media
Angelina Jolie's Media Contracts
Today, Angelina Jolie's people responded to the brouhaha over the restrictive contract they'd given news outlets to sign before Jolie would agree to be interviewed on the red carpet at the premiere of her new film A Mighty Heart. When most news outlets refused to sign (and Roger Friedman got all indignant that Fox allegedly hasn't been invited), the damage control began. From the Times: "Ms. Jolie's lawyer, Robert Offer, said that the statement was the fault of a 'bone-headed, overzealous lawyer'—meaning himself—and that his client was unaware of the move." That's very nice of Robert Offer to take the blame; Jolie refused to comment. But a source tells us there's almost no way Jolie could not have signed off on the contract.
More »
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Comment by BadenBaden: Oh, goddess forbid someone wants to control the image the media portrays of them and their family, BottomFeeder. Every single... more » | Other threads
people
New York, 9:25 AM
Fri Jul 10
45 posts in the last 24 hours
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