French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy is friends with Dominique Strauss-Kahn. When Strauss-Kahn was arrested in May, Lévy complained about his treatment, "I resent the New York tabloid press, a disgrace to the profession, that, without the least precaution and before having effected the least verification, has depicted Dominique Strauss-Kahn as a sicko, a pervert, borderlining on serial killer, a psychiatrist’s dream" and also got the Daily Show treatment. And now, with Strauss-Kahn's release, Lévy has some thoughts about the latest turn of events. more ›

We liked Ben Stein a lot more when he was in those Clear Eyes commercials and made money being an adorable nerd in movies and TV shows, but we should have known better of a former Nixon staffer. After a few merely idiotic missteps recently, Stein shat the bed with his ignorant, sexist comments about the Dominique Strauss-Kahn affair in American Spectator. And New York state assemblywoman Deborah Glick thinks Stein should publicly apologize. more ›

As ex-IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn awaits release on $1 million cash bail, the Daily Show and Jon Stewart looked at the leading French economist and politician's passionate supporters. Like Ben Stein, the lawyer, Nixon speechwriter, actor, joke-teller, who wondered earlier this week, "The prosecutors say that Mr. Strauss-Kahn 'forced' the complainant to have oral and other sex with him. How? Did he have a gun? Did he have a knife? He's a short fat old man," and "Can anyone tell me any economists who have been convicted of violent sex crimes?" Well, Stewart managed to find some examples, leading him to declare, "Economists are the rapiest profession going. It turns out the invisible hand of the market is very f***ing touchy feely... Yes, it's a redistribution of rape." more ›

Ben Stein is a lawyer, a former Nixon speechwriter, a sarcastic Obama appreciator and, yes, Ferris Bueller attendance taker. But that's no match for a woman who felt his jokes at a Dallas private equity conference were sexist—and therefore demanded that Citigroup ditch Stein as keynote speaker for the banking giant's conference. And guess what—Citigroup agreed, "We have decided to present the conference without Mr. Stein’s participation." Yeah, probably doesn't help to have possibly sexist jokes dropped while Citigroup is dealing with a gender discrimination lawsuit. more ›

Rep. Charles Rangel, the 40-year veteran of the House, is hoping to avoid censure for the ethics violations related to multiple rent-stabilized apartments, bad financial accounting, trying to solicit donations for the graduate school being named after him at City College, and more. The House is supposed to vote on whether to censure him this week, and he has reportedly been seeking time to speak to colleagues before the vote. more ›

In a tender column for the Times, one-time Nixon speech writer and Wonder Years star Ben Stein tells of how the "wealth management division" of an investment bank came to his Beverly Hills home two years ago trying to get him to invest with "a genius (who) never lost money." That genius, of course, was Bernard Madoff. What the bank didn't realize of course was that while Madoff may very well have been a genius, Ben Stein is a supergenius and turned down the offer. more ›

American Experience: New York Underground (Monday, 9:00 p.m. WNET 13) Channel Thirteen re-airs this 1997 documentary about the building of the New York City Subway. more ›

Remember doodling in your notebook while your teacher droned on and on and on and on like Ben Stein? Well, pull that Bic from behind your ear and start scribbling. The drawings from These Bagels Are Gnarly: Ballpoint Pen Group Drawing Show are on sale for up to $1200 at Cinders Gallery (103 Havemeyer; Brooklyn). Unlike in a high-school cafeteria, everyone finds acceptance at Cinders. Simple rows of crosshatches like the kind kept to pass time in prison are on the same wall as meticulously detailed portraits of animals; amateurish cartoons face social commentary. more ›

This week is rife with comedy possibilities, thanks in part to the 7th Annual Del Close Marathon at the UCB Theatre. The festival is named for the guru-junkie-genius who helped found Chicago’s ImprovOlympic. If you want to put a face with the name, Close was also the teacher in Ferris Bueller who wasn't Ben Stein. The fest has grown in size and stature over the last 7 years and to accommodate there will be a second stage at the Abingdon Theatre, which has been putting up additional shows all week with some big names from New York and Chicago. The Chicago based groups listed below tend to attract huge, loyal audiences that pack the house as they generally don’t perform in New York more than once a year. Gothamist recommends you check them out during the week to avoid having to stand in a packed, overheated theater with an obstructed view. more ›