You know what rich people like? Staying rich! While it's unclear why exactly super-rich Yankees slugger and serial house hunter Alex Rodriguez finally decided to buy a $6 million place at the Rushmore condo, here's one factor that probably didn't hurt: The 421a tax break that will turn what could have been an annual $60,000+ tax bill into one that's just $1200 a year. more ›

Finally: Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez has finally found a place where Cameron Diaz can feed him some popcorn in privacy! The Wall Street Journal reports that Rodriguez is buying a a full-floor, five bedroom unit at the Rushmore condo development on Riverside Boulevard at 64th Street (basically south of Trumpistan), "Brokers confirmed that the sale price was between $5.5 and $6 million for the unit on the 35th floor but said a contract had not yet been drafted." more ›

The Super Bowl is already three days old, but certain controversies just won't go away. No, not the Groupon commercials, nor Christina Aguilera's National Anthem debacle, nor the Black Eyed Peas' Star Trek: The Next Generation halftime crapathon. Only one ridiculous controversy soars above all others: A-Rod and PopCorn gate. more ›

If we're to believe this CBS headline, then Grim LeRogue, the man who rushed the field at Yankee Stadium with a photo of A-Rod reading "You have to go bud, you've ruined too many of our white queens," hates A-Rod. But before he set off on his crusade to win Cameron Diaz's heart, he saved some of his wrath for local politicians. He is believed to be the author of vitriolic letters sent to Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the newsrooms of The Riverdale Press and Norwood News, signed "The Uncle of Sam" in an apparent nod to the Bronx's "Son of Sam" killer. Uh oh, is there a talking dog involved? more ›

Grim LeRogue wasn't only motivated by his chivalrous love of Cameron Diaz to run onto the field of Monday night's Yankees/Rangers game—he also just plain hated A-Rod. His ex-super told the News that LeRogue had scrawled anti-Alex Rodriguez screeds on the walls of his old apartment beside giant pictures of the Yankees star, one of which read, "I want to beat his ass." Take a number pal. more ›

At the top of the fifth inning of Monday's Yankees game against Texas, a crazed fan took to the field (video below) in an attempt to confront A-Rod about his relationship with actress Cameron Diaz. Grim LeRogue (née Joe Rogan, but why would you stick with a name like that when you could be Grim LeRogue?) was carrying a picture of Diaz that said "We will be together soon," and one of A-Rod with an X scrawled across his face with the written threat, "You have to go bud, you've ruined too many of our white queens." But those queens were helping his batting average! more ›

CC Sabathia's 30th birthday isn't until Wednesday, but that's a game day, so he held an early celebration at the 40/40 Club last night. The Daily News reports that Yankees great Reggie Jackson greeted him while his fellow pitchers Andy Pettitte, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and A.J. "I like punching stuff" Burnett made it, as did Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada. (Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Spike Lee were also in attendance.) Also: "While a 3-foot alligator in a tank drew plenty of attention, A-Rod and his hot date, Cameron Diaz, were a bigger attraction. A-Rod entered and left the party alone, but sources confirmed he was inside with Diaz." So, was the alligator more of an attraction than CC? more ›

Who knew Kelly Taylor and Cameron Diaz had so much in common? When Playboy asked the movie star if she was dating Alex Rodriguez, she said, "No, no, no. I've been in relationships since I was 16-years old. In the past three years I’ve made a conscious decision not to be in a relationship for as long as I want. I've stayed away from all the traps out there for me to just fall into something that will potentially lead me down the same road ... I want to have a relationship with myself right now." Well, wasn't Cameron only dating A-Rod to get back at Kate Hudson? Anyway, we're betting the Yankee slugger dates someone blonde next. more ›

According to Page Six, paparazzi were annoying the Secret Service yesterday, all in the name of A-Rod! The photographers were outside of Serafina on the Upper East Side, while the agents were "closing the street for" Biden's arrival at the Regency Hotel. Page Six's source claims, "The agents asked them to move. It was comical to see the cameramen didn't care about the vice president -- they wanted A-Rod." Well, A-Rod was at the restaurant with Cameron Diaz. However, Diaz left the restaurant alone so the paparazzi had to ask Gay Talese if A-Rod was still there. Talese was ready with a response: "He's probably with some blonde in the bathroom." True, Alex Rodriguez does have blonde ambition. more ›

People magazine only looked at Alex Rodriguez's batting average during his romantic involvements with Madonna, Kate Hudson, and Cameron Diaz (his current girlfriend/whatever), so the Post decided to offer a comprehensive look at how well the slugger does with his various blondes—adding ex-wife Cynthia and stripper Joslyn Morse (she of the "Stray-Rod" cover) into the mix. more ›

Clearly believing that two Hollywood starlets will sell papers, the Daily News devoted front page real estate to the alleged spat between Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson over Alex Rodriguez. There's nothing new in the News' article, which is based on the US Weekly analysis of this verrrry exciting sorta/not quite love triangle. The Post mentions the feud in Page Six and has this quote from a "source close to" Kate Hudson: "Kate thinks Cameron is an aging old-lady actress struggling to remain sexy and relevant." Meow, indeed! more ›

OMG, this explains everything about A-Rod's relationship with Cameron Diaz. US Weekly claims she and Kate Hudson are "locked in a bitter battle over Alex Rodriguez... An insider believes Diaz is bedding Rodriguez as a form of retaliation after Hudson hooked up with Justin Timberlake in January 2007 -- just two days after the couple of four years split." The insider says, "Kate thinks it's payback, pure and simple," while Diaz's friend offers, "Cameron was actually in a serious long-term relationship with Justin. She thinks it's a joke Kate would be mad. Kate is only upset because she hates being single." Another claim: Hudson got breast implants after they broke up because A-Rod likes "busty women." more ›

So, Alex Rodriguez and Cameron Diaz are dating. But before you assume you'll be spotting Diaz at Yankees games the way yesteryear's news Kate Hudson was, think again: A source tells Betty Confidential, "He doesn’t want what happened to him and Kate to happen between him and Cameron. Kate was at every New York game and then some and even went to Alex’s game practice. Things got too clingy too fast." The source adds, "Cameron is not really into baseball, so she wouldn’t want to go to all the games." She was apparently cool with just hanging out with A-Rod in their Boston hotel suite all weekend when the Yanks were playing the Red Sox. more ›

At 8:30PM (following a half-hour red carpet special), the 80th Annual Academy Awards ceremony will begin, finally putting an end to the "There Will Be Oscar" or "Oscar Country for Old Men" type headlines. more ›

We know that Giants co-owner and movie producer Steve Tisch has been trying to ramp up the star power for the Giants sidelines. After Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore and Cameron Diaz were seen at a game last fall, Tisch told the NY Times, he brings "the spices, the taste, the flavor" to the Giants (if the Giants experience were a soup; the other co-owners, the Maras, would bring the meat and potatoes). more ›

For the second year running, the Food Bank for New York City and the Lunchbox Fund of South Africa have enlisted over 100 celebrities in their holiday fundraiser. Boldface names like Kanye West, Elton John, Cameron Diaz, Mike Meyers, William Wegman and, um, Urban Outfitters, have created personalized, autographed lunchboxes that are now onsale via online auction. At Thursday night's kick-off event at Saatchi & Saatchi, a lunchbox by Michael Stipe was snatched up... more ›

THEATER: Continuing through the 29th, the East to Edinburgh Festival is showcasing some of the most adventurous American theater productions before they blast off for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Tonight’s your chance to witness one of the more colorful and timely selections: LA FEMME EST MORTE or Why I Should Not F%!# My Son. It’s a contemporary Phaedra adaptation that satirizes America’s celebrity obsession in the midst of war, featuring live music, “frenetic dance, fierce boxing, raw meat. Flash photography is encouraged. Be careful of blood splatter.” - John Del Signore more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a North Fork Bank was robbed on Union St. in Queens, a Sovereign Bank on Ave. A in Manhattan was also robbed, and a stabbing on Chauncey St. in Brooklyn.
• A man and his cow return to New York City after 68 years (it's a different cow).
• Al Sharpton doubts that poor minorities would be let out of jail on request, and is upset that Paris Hilton is getting preferential treatment.
• A red Jeep Cherokee with Florida license plates rear-ended a silver sedan stopped at a red light on Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside, Queens, sending the latter car headlong into a group of pedestrians crossing the Blvd. at 46th St. Five people, four of them pedestrians, were injured and a 16-year-old boy will likely lose both of his legs. The Jeep driver fled the scene in his car.
• The cop shot four months ago, while sitting in an unmarked police van with two other officers, returned to work at the 78th Precinct this week. He has still not recuperated enough to return to full active duty, but it's reported that he's happy to be back at work.
• Criss Angel's Times Square encasing-himself-in-concrete stunt was dedicated to Cameron Diaz, who he described as beautiful, talented, and smart.
• Unable to find any children that hang out in bars, Charles Schumer vowed to block OTB terminals in drinking establishments to protect the college students, who he likened to children.
• Streetsblog reports that parking spaces in Williamsburg, Brooklyn are being eliminated to make way for bike parking.

Uma Thurman's ex and Cameron Diaz's latest maybe love interest, hotelier Andre Balazs, was the high bidder. Though he has no immediate plans for it, he said "it belongs back in the tropics.'' We think he should keep it in LIC (where it's been on view since May 17th) and make it a green boutique hotel. more ›

We can't listen to Criss Angel (pictured..."levitating") speak for more than two seconds without thinking of the Human Giant sketch, Illusionators, so it will be hard to take his latest stunt very seriously. more ›

7:06PM First thoughts: Gael Garcia Bernal is so cute. Ryan Seacrest is an idiot, as are Joan and Melissa Rivers. But we want to know what Jennifer Lopez is wearing! (It turns out to be Marchesa.) more ›

Two quite controversial and buzzed about movies hit New York theaters this weekend. So far the critical opinion of raving lunatic Mel Gibson's new foreign language feature, . Now we finally get to see the film they thought was going to be such a public relations nightmare. Leo plays a South African diamond smuggler who teams up with a Sierra Leone farmer (the always excellent Djimon Hounsou) to outwit a syndicate of businessmen. From the trailers it looks pretty heartpounding, and not just because the lovely Jennifer Connelly is also in it. more ›

THEATER: A.R. Gurney’s new meta-play, Post Mortem, takes place in a future tyrannical America where a college student discovers a lost “masterpiece” by the largely forgotten playwright A.R. Gurney. In Post Mortem's cowardly new world, many believe Dick Cheney to be responsible for Gurney’s death, and the discovery of an unpublished memoir reveals Gurney affairs with Cameron Diaz, Katherine Hepburn and Katrina Kerns. (Okay, that last one's from our own meta-memoir.) The student’s willingness to defy the government by producing the banned play wins him both a shot at the Nobel Peace Prize and his hot professor’s affection. - John Del Signore more ›

New York Magazine reports that Jim Carrey is renting an apartment near Lincoln Center for the smokin' figure of $45,000 a month. The apartment is for sale - if you have $11,800,000 to spare - and has a 2,000 square foot living room! We saw Carrey on a Barbara Walters special, and he was talking about being all Zen and we think took her to his meditation retreat for the weepy part of the interview; this apartment has tons of terraces, so he can commune with Buddha there. more ›

Kathleen Cholewka, Translove Airways more ›

but Gothamist suspects Shirley is either blind or prone to hyperbole - Lenny Kravitz is hot. more ›

All the talk about Charlie's Angels Full Throttle being about female empowerment is a joke, because it's just about a bunch of girls being silly and their T&A. Of course Gothamist knew that, but the evidence is too overwhelming not to comment on. For starters, a painful-to-read interview by Sean Smith of Newsweek, with the Angels, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu. Here's a sample: more ›

In the Hindsight is 20/20 department, one sign that lets you know this company is doomed: Basing your company on AOL Time Warner. Hollywood talent agency The Firm laid off most of its staff last Friday according to a Variety article by Dana Harris. Hee hee. The Firm is home to Leonardo DiCarprio, Cameron Diaz, Vin Diesel, and Samuel L. Jackson. more ›

Oscar Commentary
Oscar is celebrating its 75th anniversary, I'm celebrating my 25th anniversary of watching Oscar. more ›