The NY Times' article about presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain's superclose relationship with a young, attractive female lobbyist (more about her here) has drawn a lot of criticism, especially from McCain himself. His campaign seized the moment to raise money for his campaign. more ›

Foxy Brown, who last year found herself a resident of Rikers, is attempting to get released early. Not surprising considering she (falsely) declared pregnancy prior to sentencing. Her latest attempt for a "get out of jail free card" is based around her hearing problems. more ›

COMEDY: In November, shortly after the WGA strike sent SNL to reruns, the cast took the UCB Theater stage for an off-air show. If you missed that one, there's a chance to catch some of the cast doing stand-up at Comix tonight. The site says "sold out" but the people at the venue say they just added more tickets! So give a call and enjoy "An Evening with the Writers and Performers from Saturday Night Live." The money raised will go toward the Writers Guild of America. And yes, Andy Samberg (pictured with cat) will be there. Andy Samberg, originally scheduled to be there, has dropped out of the show. more ›

What's today's salacious claim about Anthony Marshall, who was recently indicted for allegedly mishandling his mother Brooke Astor's estate? That he hated his mother's dear dogs so much, he wanted them dead! Rush & Molloy spoke to a source who claims Marshall "wanted to put them to sleep." "Them" being Astor's dachshunds Boysie and Girlsie. When Marshal's own son originally claimed his father was not properly caring for Astor, it was mentioned that Marshall wouldn't... more ›

Controversial publisher Judith Regan dropped a 70-page lawsuit on her old bosses at Harper Collins and News Corp yesterday. The $100 million defamation suit claims she was the victim of a smear campaign in order to protect Rudy Giuliani's presidential bid (read: Rupert Murdoch's political agenda). She states they asked her to lie to federal investigators about her one-time lover and former police commish, Bernard Kerik (who at the time was working with Regan on... more ›

This afternoon's rain will continue into the evening, as some areas are being warned about the storms. New Jersey is supposed to have heavy thunderstorms, a tornado warning was issued, then canceled, for Nassau County, and an urban flood warning was issued for Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens until 7PM! more ›

As a kid, apple juice was a daily enjoyment. As an adult, it’s been relegated to the few short weeks where the air gets a little cooler and the layers of clothes a little thicker. And soon enough memories of apple picking start to float in our heads. The craving hit us early Friday morning. We stopped off at the Green Market in Union Square on the way to work and picked up a little jug of freshly pressed cider. After all, we had to give into our seasonal indulgence. more ›

(directed by Jeffrey Blitz) more ›

The State Legislature's regular session is supposed to end today, but Governor Spitzer is trying to orchestrate a deal with something for everyone: Congestion pricing (which the State Senate seems to approve but the Assembly hates), campaign reform (Spitzer's pet project, which the Senate hates), and raises for lawmakers (which the Assembly and Senate love). more ›

If they're good enough for Rush Limbaugh, they're apparently good enough for our City's school kids. The Post reports today that there are twice as many NYC eighth graders illegally using painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin than there were five years ago. This surge has lead authorities to a crackdown on pushers, nabbing five NY State doctors who were peddling the stuff to kiddies. Both drugs are opioid derivatives similar to morphine (Vicodin also contains acetaminophen, which is the active ingredient in Tylenol) and can be highly addictive. more ›

The nicer the weather gets, the busier we get across the Ist-A-Verse. But we like being busy. Here's a peek at what we've been up to since last week! more ›

Franklin spent more than two decades working among trains and on the tracks where he would eventually die, but his passion was art and he carried a sketchbook with him nearly always. In a poignant intersection of two stories this week, when two homeless men were also killed in one night while in the subway system, the people who lived in the subway were Franklin's frequent subjects. Marvin Franklin was awarded Best in Show for his art work at the 2006 City Workers Invitational, hosted by the 136-year-old Salmagundi Art Club. The honor included a year's membership in the club. The work he entered was a watercolor chosen from his "Homeless Series." Some of Franklin's sketches of the homeless in the subway system can be seen here. One of the last watercolors Franklin completed can be viewed here (scroll down). He held a degree in illustrative arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology and spent many of his off-hours studying and practicing at the Art Students League. The New York Times reported that for his retirement, Franklin's dream was to open a gallery and give the proceeds to the homeless, the people he worked around for 22 years. more ›

This picture makes it look like Corn Mo should be singing Love Reign O'Er Me. And if you've ever seen Corn Mo, you know that he can hit those notes as well as Roger Daltrey. You also know that Corn Mo is quite the story teller, and you'll get a few tasty Mo-resels in this interview. more ›

A horrible accident occurred on the West Side Highway yesterday afternoon. Police say that Michael Rush was speeding while intoxicated in the southbound lanes near West 92nd Street and rear-ended a SUV. The SUV crashed into the median and burst into flames, and joggers nearby helped pull the driver out of the burning car (the driver suffered a broken pelvis and leg). Then Rush's car crashed and flipped over, killing a woman in the backseat. The passenger, in the front passenger's seat, was the woman's husband and also suffered injuries. more ›

THEATER: Pot-au-Noir (The Black Hole) is a retelling of the story of Cain & Abel "through the lens of the Great American Myth -- combining images of Hollywood Film Noir, the Gold Rush, the Dust Bowl, and Manifest Destiny with a story that is at the core of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and, therefore, America." Jake Hooker’s new production promises lyrical text, contemporary dance and live music to tell a story of lies, deceit, jealousy, lust, revenge and, finally, murder. - John Del Signore more ›

Protest is alive and well at Columbia, though it's still a far cry from 1968. Yesterday evening, Jim Gilchrist, head of the Minutemen, the "citizens' vigilance operation" that patrols the Mexican border in California, was invited to speak at Columbia University. But pretty much as soon as he got on stage, a group of student got on stage and protested - and then all hell broke loose. The Bwog liveblogged the event, and here's an excerpt:

Finally the Minuteman himself enters. "Now who're you calling racist?" he shouts, putting his arm around [Minutemen boardmember Marvin] Stewart, who is black. "I love the First Amendment. As soon as you graduate, you'll all be investment bankers. I've been where you at. I know you hate yourselves." more ›

Will Franken grew up in Missouri where he huffed Freon, took acid, and aspired to be famous. He came to New York, became disillusioned, and went to San Francisco to make a name for himself. He's been named "Best Comedian of 2005" by San Francisco Weekly and performed his one man show at the New York International Fringe Festival and The Comedy Central Stage in LA . Now he's coming to NYC. more ›

We'll be keeping a running list of nominees for this year's most inappropriate morning coverage of the fifth anniversary of 9/11-- around noon we'll crown a winner. more ›

Just what you've been waiting for: Our fair city has its newest sports franchise. The National Lacrosse League is brining a franchise to the Big Apple, and four of the games will be at Madison Square Garden. Mayor Bloomberg played intramural lacrosse at Johns Hopkins, and the NY Times writes that he "showed off his command of the sports esoterica":

I know you all agree with me that there’s nothing quite like a middie clamping down on a rock on a face-off, scooping it up and cradling it with his wand and then dishing it off to a crease attackman who stuffs it into the back of the cage.

Breakups are hard, but when animals are involved, fuhgeddaboutit. The Post reports that two good friends and roommates are now in the middle of a $4 million squabble that involves "$1 million in monetary damages and $3 million in punitive damages" - and the ownership of a West Highland terrier named Ollie Pablo. After two years of sharing a Tribeca apartment, Alexis Carroll and Michelle Clarity, both 26, went from being BFF to BEFN (Best Enemies For Now), with Carroll had her lawyer filed a "notice in court" against Clarity, charging "extortion, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and breach of contract" and that the dog be returned to her. Ack! Clarity tells the Post the "funny" thing is that Ollie isn't even a purebreed, but won't say where the dog is while Carroll's lawyer says the dog "certainly doesn't belong to" Clarity. The funny thing to Gothamist is how the Post tries to describe the ex-roomies:

Clarity, who graduated from Pace University in 2002 with a degree in communications, is known in the neighborhood as a quiet, hardworking person. Her Myspace.com profile lists her hero as Rush Limbaugh. more ›

This week the box office juggernaut that is the new , there's still tons of repertory to take in instead this weekend. more ›

Rush & Molloy theorize how the Yankees won against the Oakland A's the other weekend - it was because Athletics' players Nick Swisher and Joe Blanton (who wasn't pitching) went to Plumm in the Meatpacking district, ordering $1,000 of vodka (which means 2 bottles) and "helped close the bar." That's a new, subversive angle for the NYC Nightlife Association to bring to community boards - "We're here to souse visiting sports teams' players!" Then again, maybe going out so much isn't that good an idea, as Rush & Molly also point out that Yankees Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon and Bubba Crosby were at 40/40 Club and all were only okay the next day. We bet George Steinbrenner will have a talking-to with them this morning! more ›

We were walking around the Upper West Side when we noticed that part of West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue had been cordoned off by a film or TV production. Was it more Bruce-and-Halle filming? Or August Rush? Or Dedication? Or a Law & Order? But actually it was Reign O'er Me. Gothamist wracked our brain, because the name had sounded familiar... and then we found a production letter: It's the September 11-related movie with Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle. Oh, boy. On IMDB, it's called Empty City, and the description is this:

A man (Sandler) who lost his family in the September 11 attack on New York City runs into his old college roommate (Cheadle). Rekindling the friendship is the one thing that appears able to help the man recover from his grief.

Gothamist can't help but notice a Rush & Molloy item about media couple, Amanda Hesser (everyone's favorite NY Times food writer/target) and Tad Friend (New Yorker writer):

What did New York Times food critic Amanda Hesser do when she found out her husband, New Yorker contributor Tad Friend, had slept with four of his female friends before the two writers got together? She "zeroed in on my mattress as the Indian burial ground of my rootless past...She announced that she could no longer sleep on it - too spooky" [wrote Friend in the compilation, Committed.]

Gothamist knew there was a reason why we loved Brian Williams so much. Besides being hilarious and loving pizza, the NBC Nightly News anchor apparently loves sexy TV, too. Rush and Molloy report that when stars of The L Word (think Sex and the City without the men and the New York, but with more ladies) were at Michael's, Williams said, "On Sundays in my house, it's all about the lesbians of 'The L Word.'" Word. The media is all about loving the ladies - from the MILFS of Wisteria Lane to Los Angeleno lesbians...just as long as they are hot. Mayor Bloomberg, NYC needs a show about MILF-y lesbians STAT! more ›

The Mayor also pandered to his audience by by saying he'd like a West Side Stadium because that would be used "eight Sundays a year by groups of very large athletic men wearing tight pants." Yeah, football is homoerotic, just don't tell the fans that. And in a fundraiser yesterday, the Mayor blew the horn of the Independence Party, citing the disaffect in both the Republican and Democratic parties. The 40th Anniversary G.I. Joe is just under $35 on Amazon, but Gothamist is a fan of Gay Billy. more ›

Michelle Collins, Director and Spokeswoman, Votergasm.org more ›

This weekend begins the 42nd New York Film Festival presented by the Film Society at Lincoln Center and it's 17 days of international films, new pictures from old favorites and introductions to unsung artists. more ›

Then CRC covers a police bust of men selling counterfeit purses in Battery Park. Gothamist sees at least ten counterfeit stands as we make our way through Midtown each day, but never have we seen a police bust. What are the chances that the one counterfeit stand in Battery Park is busted? more ›

See the Rheingold campaign in question: "Don't Sleep." And check out the Coney Island area pizza information from Slice, the hot pizza blog we so dearly love; and for you gadget geeks out there, you can now have Slice on your PDA! Pizza + technology = something close to heaven. more ›