Remember that $25,000 sundae that Serendipity 3 was selling back before the stock market parked itself in the garage with the engine running? Needless to say, they haven't been selling too many of those lately, and even their down-market $1,000 sundae hasn't had any takers since last November.
Governor David Paterson yesterday continued to deal with what has been the defining issue of his administration thus far, making tough budget cuts in the face of a growing state deficit. The governor vetoed 49 pieces of legislation yesterday, including a bill that would have imposed a one-year moratorium on cuts to the medical benefits of retired public employees and one that would have made it easier for students to receive more state tuition assistance if their parents’ income shrinks because they are called to active military service, become ill or disabled or because of other unforeseen circumstances.
Governor Spitzer's resignation means more and more fodder for late night talk shows. David Letterman's writing staff has been a roll , what with Tuesday night's "Top Ten Messages Left on Spitzer's Answering Machine" (#7 - "Hi - I'm calling from the NY Post. Would you rather be known as 'Disgraced Governor Perv' or 'Humiliated Whore Fiend'?"), and last night's Top Ten Surprises During Spitzer's Resignation (video above).
Okay, the video of Governor Spitzer's short, vague apology is a classic addition to the apologetic politicians reel, but late night writers got to dissect the Hookergate. David Letterman offered up a Top Ten list that included references to Roy Scheider and Bubba (video, above; entire top ten list after the jump).
The presidential race has been a goldmine for talk shows (well, when the Writers' Guild strike isn't happening) and nowhere is that more apparent than on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. On last night's Colbert Report, on a riff about John McCain's Super Tuesday chances and taking credit for Mike Huckabee'e campaign, Stephen Colbert was joined by Jon Stewart, his Comedy Central crony, and then Conan O'Brien!
href="http://londonist.com/2008/01/6_years_on_amne.php">Amnesty International bringing Guantanamo Bay to the American embassy to raise the profile of the continuing campaign to close the detention center.
Last night Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert returned to their fake news desks, with picket lines outside of their studios and no strike beards in sight (however, a strike unibrow did appear). They were supportive as ever of the WGA though, in fact Stewart spent all 30 minutes discussing the strike, with only a lone joke or two about the primaries ("Cold white people have had their say"). He made it clear that "From now on, until the end of the strike, we'll be doing 'A Daily Show with Jon Stewart.' But not 'THE Daily Show.'"
Last week everyone from writers on the picket line to bored couch potatoes were abuzz with news that the late night heavyweights would be returning with all new shows. Last night was the big night (Letterman, O'Brien, Kimmel, Ferguson and Leno all returned), and both Conan O'Brien and David Letterman took the stage showing solidarity with strike beards intact. Letterman threatened to shave his later on Conan's show, saying that he'd probably be helping his New York late night pal out since he's returned sans writers.
As we previously mentioned, the late night heavyweights have been angling to make a return in early '08. Letterman has been leading the pack by working on a deal with the WGA through his own production company, WorldWide Pants Inc. Yesterday they reached an agreement which will allow his show to return to the air next week, writing staff and all.
Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a pediatric arrest on 5th Ave. near 117th St. in Manhattan, a person fatally struck by a train at 39th Ave. and 111th St. in Queens, and a submerged barge at the south end of the train tressel for the A line in Queens. Mayor Bloomberg doesn't just take the subway to work; he likes the Subway sandwich chain. "I love Subway sandwiches. I think they're a great deal,...
Last night, Stephen Colbert had a reading for his book I Am America (And So Can You) that was full of fans of truthiness and enemies of bears. The Washington Square News reported that the erstwhile maybe-presidential candidate said, "It's time to impregnate this country with my mind."
EVENT: The NY Horror Film Festival kicks off with a party at Don Hill's tonight. Terrifying short films and some creepy classics are promised throughout the fest, as bands M-16, Kaos From Order and more set the sonic tone tonight. Free Wychwood Brewery beer from 8 to 9pm. More details here.
We recently visited Fox News Channel’s morning show Fox & Friends. Unlike most of the other morning shows it is a freewheeling kind of crazy romp that definitely has “Fox attitude”.
Did you happen to catch Stephen Colbert announce his candidacy for President of the United States of America? The NY Times reports he's planning to run in South Carolina primaries, and that he's "serious enough about the stunt that his staff reached out to the state’s Democratic and Republican committees in advance of his declaration." The S.C. Democratic committee says they'd have no problems with him running.
Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a suspicious package at Broadway and Wall St. in Manhattan, a shooting at 158th St. and Linden Blvd. in Queens, and a homicide on Popham Ave. in the Bronx. Local One, New York's stagehands union, doesn't want Mayor Bloomberg to mediate in their negotiations with Broadway producers and theater owners. A 40-year-old Staten Island bus driver is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old frequent passenger on his route. The...
Last night the 59th Annual Emmy Awards took place on the left coast, but New Yorkers made out very well. New York productions/creative types that took home the gold: Late Night with Conan O'Brien (writing), The Daily Show (variety-comedy show series), 30 Rock (best comedy), and Dick Wolf (for producing Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee). In the would-have-been arena, America Ferrera won best actress in a comedy, Ugly Betty, which was originally supposed to shoot in the Big Apple but shoots in L.A. because it's cheaper. We'll also count Rob Marshall, who won for directing the Best Variety-Musical Special, Tony Bennett: An American Classic, since he has Broadway roots.
Stephen Colbert (busy taking over the world) adds one more notch on the "celebrities are clumsy, too" bedpost. Before filming a recent episode the faux-news anchor broke his left wrist while running around the studio of The Colbert Report to pump up the audience before taping. He really does hate the left!
As for the comic book, EW has more on Stephen Colbert's inner-geek project, Tek Jansen. Those familiar with Colbert have already heard this name, he's the hero in the book that he mentions on the Report. Well now you can get your hands on a copy (instead of reading of Tek's adventures online), and rest assured that Colbert is really the co-creator...but you can call him "Galactic Overlord".
Rosie O'Donnell made an appearance at BEA this past weekend, though her involvement with the expo was toned down significantly after The View fued. Variety reports:
Jordan Carlos first came to the attention of most as Stephen Colbert's Black Friend Alan, but he's much more than just a face. Jordan is a comedian, an Eagle Scout, a self proclaimed preppy black guy, and the host of Nickelodian's Me: TV. And if that's not enough, he also looks snazzy in a vest.
I was a journalist when I started performing comedy and pitched a profile of Jon Stewart to a people-focused magazine. It was Jon’s first year on The Daily Show, just before their Millennium special, and the night after Bob Dole first appeared as a guest. And the magazine wanted me to ask questions like “When are you getting married and how does it feel to make a lot of money?” Instead, I asked how he made people laugh not realizing it’s practically unanswerable but realizing the questions they wanted me to ask were ridiculous. Jon paused for about two minutes and said “It’s sad you’ve asked me a question I should know the answer to but don’t.” So we spent the time exploring that, and I wrote a piece entitled “ Jon Stewart: What makes people laugh,” which was killed, it never ran, and that’s the last piece I wrote for that magazine. Inside Joke came from that afternoon, and I’ve been lucky to take the stage with amazing people, all of whom happen to be comedians in one way or another. That interview with Jon is on the Inside Joke Web site too.
Every year that tragically hip (used to be Downtown) now-Midtown magazine, Paper, gives us a list of all the beautiful people. Some are famous, most you've never heard of, all of them are pretty on the inside (and/or outside!) and most importantly - they're all doing something cooler than you. Let's take a look at some of this years BPs:
Valentine's Day is only a few days away, and we here across the Gothamist network wanted to express would like to tell you, in the spirit of the holiday, just how much we love you, our readers. Don't let it get to your heads, though. There are plenty of things we love, you included. Just be glad you're not amongst the things we hate.
• Chris Ott starts verbal slapping match with The Decemberists Colin Meloy.
Yesterday, the NY Times looked at Columbia President - and First Amendement scholar - Lee Bollinger's free speech stance given this incident as well as many other instances at the the school were speech seems to have been shut down. And did you see Jim Gilchrist on The Colbert Report? Stephen Colbert didn't run across the stage from his desk to the interview area - it was probably in Gilchrist's rider that no one approach him suddenly before speaking.
+ This endless Stephen Colbert painting is pretty amusing-- unless the Stephen Colbert madness has already ended, in which case it's just sad.
UES Eateries Accused Of Racism For Not Delivering To Harlem
Teen Pulls BB Gun On Cops, Gets Shot In The Face
Adding In "Discouraged Workers," Jobless Rate Is 17.5%
NY Post Finds One Man Who Sides With Fort Hood Shooter
Reports: Taconic Crash Driver Was Regular Drinker, Pot Smoker
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
tweet this
add to facebook
