Last year, three years after CBGB founder Hilly Kristal died, a bankruptcy judge ruled that the late Kristal’s estate is the rightful owner of the club’s assets, including its name. At the time, the estate already said they were trying to find potential buyers, and now Bloomberg News reports that they'll be auctioning it off. more ›

Despite an effort to get the campaign dropped, R.J. Reynolds has now officially brought their Williamsburg-branded Camels to consumers. One smoker at the Brooklyn Paper procured a pack, noting there's nothing different in the taste; that's right, these cigs don't taste like a "last call, a sloppy kiss goodbye" or "a solo saunter to a rock show in an abandoned building." Unless those things taste like Benzene, Formaldehyde, Ammonia, and... actually, it's entirely possible a rock show at an abandoned building could taste like that. more ›

The tobacco industry has had many targets over the year, and their latest: The Hipster. Sorry, young creatives. Whether you live in Williamsburg, or aspire to, their latest campaign is aimed to get you smoking their cigs. Wait, what, why? Well, company spokesman David Howard says, "We believe that [Williamsburg] represents a lot of the belief of the Camel brand. It helps illustrate the break-free attitude that Camel is about, breaking free to be your own person." He's right. When we suck down a pack of Camel-branded cigarettes all we can think about is how it's like we're on our own personal L train to an early grave. Breakin' free, y'all! more ›

The Hells Angels have waged many a war, with Pagans, Rolling Stones fans, and anti-beard activists alike. But now, they're fighting a greater enemy than any of those: the fashion industry. more ›

Well this seems unfair: MTV is allegedly trying to stop the Jersey Shore cast from cashing in on personal appearances. Well, not all of them, but the NY Post reports that the network's head honchos have warned the cast to "rein in their appearances" or face fines and legal consequences! Allegedly they are trying to "protect the brand," but none of the guidos or guidettes are abiding, even after signing their $180K contracts for a 2nd season. more ›

Some former lovers just can't help but leave an indelible impression on a guy, no matter how many years they've been broken up. A judge thought that 23-year-old Kristina Caban definitely should not have, when she kidnapped her ex- and marked him on his abdomen with a homemade branding iron at the Chelsea Inn. She was sentenced to five years in prison for the crime. more ›