January 31, 2008
Obamapalooza
Outside the Kodak Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, where the Clinton-Obama debate took place today, WOW's James and Thairin came across a throng of Obama supporters (outnumbering Clinton's 10 to one) waving images of their candidate that looked like Andy Warhol had silkscreened them. The boys also ran into Navy NCIS star Pauley Perrette, an avid Obama fan.
(Photos: top and above left, Thairin Smothers; above right, Pauley Perrette)
Sitings
• Rosie's Vagina, the unmistakable scent of feminism. (t/y Eduardo)
• The Brick Testament, illustrated in Lego. (t/y Wendy)
• Must be the vodka. Sneezl. (t/y Eduardo)
• Isabella Rossellini does bug porn. (t/y Chris)
The St James Version: Love Letter to Edie
My friend Brett from Brownsville is a bit OCD, and because of that he has perhaps one of the greatest video and CD collections ever amassed IN THE WORLD. You just have to mention Florence Henderson or Carol Channing or Divine to him and he’s off and running, collecting rare Loveboat and Merv Giffin appearances for you. About once a month he sends me a care package, and I usually just put them in a corner, unviewed, thinking they’ll be fun to watch when I’m in the home for Old Drag Queens and slightly ga-ga and need to jiggle my memory. But what with nothing to watch on TV these days due to the writers strike, I’ve started watching them and, HOLY CRAP, they are a riot. I’m sorry I doubted you, Brett, lover-lady! To get us started, here is a fabulous little gem from 1975, a 13-minute bio of Edith Massey, the John Waters Superstar. I can’t quite figure out if John actually directed it or not but, either way, it’s pretty incredible. Who knew she had such an interesting life pre-Pink Flamingos? (And I LOVE that she plays herself as a young, hot chick!) Anyway, over the next few weeks, I will introduce as many of Brett’s short videos as I can on the WOW Report and WOW TV, so YOU have something to watch during the strike.
– James St James
When She Knew
Another When I Knew real person realization recorded in HBO's video booth confessional during the Sundance Film Festival. World of Wonder's When I Knew documentary based on Robert Trachtenberg's book airs in June.
He's Ba-a-a-ak
Chris Crocker makes his heartfelt, albeit hesitant return to the public eye. Make that eyes. His. Sans mascara.
Transamerican Love Story
The first episode of Transamerican Love Story, World of Wonder's groundbreaking elimination dating game premiering on Logo Monday, February 11, is now available on iTunes. (Click here)
Warhol Dead at 21
In conjunction with World of Wonder's "Warhol Dead at 21" group art show in the Storefront Gallery (which continues through February 22, the anniversary of Warhol's death), we're running the full raw interview tapes from WOW's 2001 three-part documentary Andy Warhol: The Complete Picture on WOW TV's Warhol TV channel. More than 60 talking heads contributed to the series, including Debbie Harry, Joe Dallesandro, Julian Schnabel, The Dandy Warhols, Crispin Glover, Nan Kempner, and The Velvet Underground's John Cale. Above, Billy Name is interviewed. Artist, photographer, Warhol boyfriend, and onetime Factory resident, Name is a major Warhol archivist and among other things was responsible for the Factory's aluminum-foil interior.
They Razed the Love Shack and Put Up a Funplex
Producer-DJ Peace Bisquit sent us the title tune from the B-52s' new album. Listen to "Funplex."
When He Knew
Another When I Knew real person realization recorded in HBO's video booth confessional during the Sundance Film Festival. World of Wonder's When I Knew documentary based on Robert Trachtenberg's book airs in June.
Hairsay
As if poor Tom Cruise doesn't have enough to bug him at the moment: There's the rumor that Chris Klein is the biological father of his daughter Suri, an organized group calling itself Anonymous is waging war on his Church of Scientology, and there's that tell-all bio by Andrew Morton. Now people are mistaking Selma Blair for him. "I had long hair for a while," Blair told Elle, "but I wanted to go back to my Tom Cruise cut and told my hairdresser to shave the back and leave the front long. Then someone thought I was Tom from the back. I guess I'd better wear heels." But we think Blair looks less like a doppelganger for Cruise than she does the biological mother of Suri. (Source)
Love Child
Those Destiny's Children are still loving sibs. Ex Child Kelly Rowland was in a New York studio recently, recording a song with Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy, when she discovered that, after repeated tries, she couldn't hit one of the crucial high notes. So she dialed up Beyoncé Knowles, who came right over – with an entourage of six armed bodyguards – and schooled her how it's done. (Page Six)
Assisted Living
The novel Celebutantes isn't on shelves yet but judging from the promotional videos, it looks like the movie's already been cast. And shot. (t/y John)
Snap!
The now-eight-syllabled Eva Longoria Parker (right) with her parents at the Los Angeles premiere of her film Over Her Dead Body. You can see where she gets her looks. (Source)
Turning Japanese
While you're munching on your morning muffin, enjoy the munchable erotic dance troupe from Brooklyn, the Daisy Spurs, performing to Robyn's 2005 sleeper hit "Konichiwa Bitches." And by sleeper hit we mean"Wake up, people!" (t/y tigerpedal)
Britney Goes Down
Long, unedited and uninteresting Britney-free footage of LA streets, headlights, police, and clamoring paparazzi in the dark of early morning as Britney Spears traveled to UCLA Medical Center to be admitted for psychiatric evaluation.
January 30, 2008
Not Just Joey
We said we'd stop this when it bored us. It's boring us. So this is the last picture post of Joey Maiocco, the newest staffer here at WOW. Twenty-four-year-old Joey spent a good deal of his youth in the US Army – from 2000 to 2007. In the above photo, taken in 2003, he's on the left; the other guy is Chris Cann, Joey's bff while serving in Bargram, Afghanistan. They're flying home to Fort Knox, and flying on the painkiller Darvocet. Yes, Chris has eyes the color of bluebells, so what? Jealous?
The St James Version Pt 2
Now why on earth can't the Patriots adopt this hot British trend? "Footballers in thongs" – it makes perfect sense from a marketing standpoint. Why, you'd attract a whole new demographic. And hot jocks getting felt up by old men on national TV? What's not to like about THAT? I could EASILY be one of those old men. THINK ABOUT IT, TOM. THINK ABOUT IT. The Stetson commercial is all well and good. But a VICTORIA'S SECRET PANTY COMMERCIAL? That's the stuff of legend. And legendary wet dreams.
– James St James
When She Knew
Another When I Knew real person realization recorded in HBO's video booth confessional during the Sundance Film Festival. World of Wonder's When I Knew documentary based on Robert Trachtenberg's book airs in June.
The St James Version
I cannot BELIEVE I am about to say this, but: OMG,I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT SUNDAY'S BIG SUPERBOWL GAME! I am absolutely SPINNING ON MY TITS! Well, you can't imagine my bliss: I mean: we all get to spend hour after glorious hour of looking at Tom Brady's dimpled little ass! It just doesn't get any better than that, does it? And I'm not the only one who thinks that. Every faggot IN THE WORLD is with me on this one, right? And it's not just faggots. Every straight guy I know admits to a mancrush on him. Just watch this video. I was going to ooze on and on about him for another three or four paragraphs, but I think that song pretty much says it all. Oh, my dad will be so proud of me. We'll actually have something to talk about this week! TOM BRADY'S ASS! SQUEEEEEEAL!
(And just for a tiny bit of overkill, to really drive home how hot he is, here is another tribute video. This one features a calvalcade of "Gisom": Giselle + Tom – or "proof that God exists.")
– James St James
Smell for the Camera
And speaking of Kate Hudson, which we try to avoid, PageSix.com says Matthew McConaughey admits that when his frequent costar works with him "she always brings a salt rock, which is some natural deodorant, and says, 'Would you please put this on?'" McConaughey hasn't worn deodorant or cologne for 20 years because he's been assured the chicks dig his stink. Well, his mother does, anyway, which is this side of creepy. "The women in my life, including my mother, have all said, 'Hey, your natural smell smells, one, like a man, and, two, smells like you.'" Are those separate things? (Photo: Everett Digital)
They Call Him Mr Biggs
Are actors Jenny Mollen and Jason Biggs famous enough to have a comboname? You know, like Jenson. As in: Jenson started dating not even a year ago, just before they started shooting the Dane Cook-Kate Hudson vehicle, My Best Friend's Girl. Now they're engaged. "He asked me over and over again ever since we met!" said Mollen, 28. "I asked her the first night we met," agreed Biggs, 29. Too bad that film's not a remake of Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? (Us; photo: Eric Charbonneau/WireImage)
Conan Kills
It'll be a sad day when the writers return to Late Night and give Conan things to do. (Video at Gizmodo)
When He Knew
Another When I Knew real person realization recorded in HBO's video booth confessional during the Sundance Film Festival. World of Wonder's When I Knew documentary, based on Robert Trachtenberg's book, airs in June.
Bigfoot Siting
Artist Gay Bigfoot airs his banana on Laist today. You'll recall that the contributor to World of Wonder's "Warhol Dead at 21" group show at the Storefront Gallery tried to get his Warhol banana image printed at Cafe Press and Zazzle and ran into judgment calls. Zach Behrens conducts a nice interview with Bigfoot, who honestly appears to be normal size to us.
Bite Me
Get your Lindy Hop on! Dancing like John Travolta doesn't have to be a trial, as Zena finds out in this week's new bite, World of Wonder UK's online show for Channel 4. Hollywood-style Lindy Hop classes are fast becoming the hippest ingredient for London's coolest nights, cos obviously all us Brits really want is to be Yanks. You'll be triple-stepping in no time.
– Rachna Suri, producer
Curry Dish
Martha Stewart was giving Ann Curry shit for not knowing how to cut an onion this morning. She corrected her twice, said "You don't spend much time in the kitchen do you?" then offered to send her a book about the basics of cooking. Martha also mocked Ann's holding her elbow up to cut, imitated it, and told her not to do it. Punish her! Punish her! I think I need to pursue Buddhism more diligently. The Today show is getting worse and worse, yet I continue to watch. Maybe I am going to make a change.
Oprah Has Tut in Common
Rulers. The latest piece from sculptor Daniel Edwards, whose work comments on celebrity and pop culture (previously, you'll remember, he's sculpted Prince Harry dead, Paris dead, and Britney on a bearskin rug) is The Oprah Sarcophagus, a dead(pan) ringer for the eternal encasement of Egypt's King Tutankhamun. Winfrey is cast in bronze as a nude, full-breasted woman with wide-load hips. Edwards has taken the work out of mentally undressing Oprah. (Source)
Near Her
Oscar-winning actress Julie Christie secretly married her partner of 28 years, Guardian journalist Duncan Campbell, two months ago in India, not far from where Christie was born. Christie's brother Clive revealed the marriage to the press, though he and other members of her "distant" family were not invited. Christie had long held that marriage was not for her. "I don't see any reason for getting married unless you're religious, which I'm not," she said. The actress won an Academy Award for her performance in 1965's Darling, and just won the SAG best-actress trophy for Away from Her. Although she's starred in a number of major films, including Doctor Zhivago, she's managed to keep out of the limelight. Fame, she once said, is "like always having chewing gum stuck in your hair." (ContactMusic; Christie photo: Steve Mundinger)
Young and the Restless
Well, now that we've seen the footage of Julian Schnabel's acceptance speech at the DGAs on Saturday, we understand why Sean Young would feel compelled to shout, "Get on with it!" Somebody had to. If it took one too many cocktails for her to say what everyone was thinking, God bless the bartender who served her. (Vid viaGold Rush)
Mourning Becomes Her
A Daily Mail headline today reports Lindsay Lohan in brighter spirits after mourning the death of Heath Ledger. Good for her. The story goes on to say she'd been very sad to learn of the sudden death of her former lover. (Ledger's many "lovers" after splitting from Michelle Williams are now coming out of the woodwork.) But following a brief period of mourning, during which she was spotted openly weeping in Hollywood and New York while being comforted by her new lover, The Hills star Brody Jenner, she is now considerably cheered up. A good cry does one the world of good. Last night, the actress was seen smiling again as she left Cipriani restaurant in New York. (Photos: Big; Splash)
January 29, 2008
Headline
Billy Luther's documentary Miss Navajo got mentioned at the very end of the Tonight Show's "Headlines" segment last night. The Monday-night "Headlines" is the only reason to watch Jay Leno, even when Miss Navajo is a punchline.
Cruise Control?
The robot voice employed to speak in the latest video that Anonymous is using in its counterattack against Scientology has a wicked Bawston accent. (Radar)
One Way or Another
Stonie, the gay male porn star who appeared briefly, naked and pendulous, as Sacha Baron Coen's son in Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, is now a straight female porn star named Britanny Coxxx. It's the first time in the adult-film industry that a porn star has changed sex and continued to star in films. Says the new girl in town: “I’m really looking forward to working, again. It’s funny how things happen in life." (Lavender Lounge; t/y Phil)
SuperFriends
This is a genius mash-up. And it shows that when all else fails (and really, guys, hasn't it already?), Chandler and Ross can always find work doing voices for animated kiddie shows. They have a real knack for it. (t/y Ed, James)
Warhol Dead at 21
In conjunction with World of Wonder's "Warhol Dead at 21" group art show in the Storefront Gallery (which continues through February 22, the anniversary of Warhol's death), we're running the full raw interview tapes from WOW's 2001 three-part documentary Andy Warhol: The Complete Picture on WOW TV's Warhol TV channel. More than 60 talking heads contributed to the series, including Debbie Harry, Joe Dallesandro, Julian Schnabel, The Dandy Warhols, Crispin Glover, Nan Kempner, and The Velvet Underground's John Cale. Above, actor Dennis Hopper is interviewed. Not only did Hopper purchase a print of Warhol's Campbell's Soup cans back in the day for a mere $75, he appeared with Taylor Mead in the 1964 Warhol film Tarzan and Jane Regained...Sort Of.
Ate Mile
Rapper Trick Trick, who recently had Eminem collaborate with him for his own album, says the rumors that Slim Shady ain't slim no more are greatly exaggerated. "He's nowhere near 250 pounds or anything like that. He picked up a little weight. He ain't walkin' around obese or some shit though. He can still run two miles if you want him to and still out-box the majority of them. My man still gets down." (Digital Spy)
Ritual Not Habitual
Word is the Kutchers, Ashton and Demi, haven't been seen at LA's Kabbalah Center for months, when previously their attendance had been so flawless it earned them more than one gold star – of David, that is. Have they learned all there is to learn of the ancient Jewish mysteries? Some insiders speculate that Ashton, who no longer wears the red string on his wrist, was "tired of being dragged there on Friday nights." A source at the Center worries. "It's just odd. Something must be up." Anyone else smell a Tom Cruise? (InTouch; photo: Fame Pictures)
Duo's Duds Are Done?
Heatherette won't be competing in Fashion Week this year. "Three years ago, we signed a deal with backers who became our partners," the fashion house's co-designer Traver Rains tells Gatecrasher. "Now those three years are up and we are figuring out what we want to do. Do we re-sign or not? All this was just bad timing for Fashion Week this year." A spokesperson for Heatherette said Rains and partner Richie Rich were cooking up some merch deals and planned to do catwalk in September. Though the house's line was popular with the downtown nightstalker celebs, it never fully caught on with retail customers. Sad. If there's no more Heatherette, there'll be no more this.
Where Did Their Love Go?
The love Jamaicans had for Miss Diana Ross very quickly turned to hate when she performed in front of 40,000 at the Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival in Montego Bay on Saturday. Save for a few rows in the front, no one in the stadium could see her and she refused to allow her image to be displayed on the big screens and threatened to leave if she saw evidence of cameras. Fans who'd paid up to $307 and naturally expected to actually see her became an angry booing, jeering sea when organizers announced that "to honor Miss Ross' wishes" the monitors would be turned off. "Wi come fi get leg and thigh and dem gi wi chicken back," shouted a man in the crowd. The hapless organizers released a statement the next day blaming Ross for the fiasco. The diva was paid $300,000 for the gig. And when we say diva we mean bitch. (Jamaica Gleaner; photo: Ramey)
Snap!
Adrian Grenier was caught jogging around his Los Feliz neighborhood on Sunday. Must be the celebrity boys' turn now to go without panties. (via Just Jared)
Of Interest: Mr & Mrs Smith Edition
Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt in 2005 and Maureen & David Smith in 1966. (t/y Louis)
Quote Unquote
"I was supposed to be on The View today. But then I get a call from producer Bill Geddie, and he says, 'You were too mean to Barbara on your last special, so you can't come on.' Can you believe it? I've been banned before but never re-banned!" – comedian Kathy Griffin to Page Six.
January 28, 2008
Anonymous Threats
Anonymous vs Scientology: not a mashup but a chilling challenge. Meanwhile, watch this.
Snap! Back
Thairin Smothers took his camera to "Snap!" the solo exhibition of drag, porn, and "louche night creatures" by Peter Palladino at the Gay & Lesbian Center on Thursday.
Vylette, Gregory, Cervando Maldonado, and Jeff P
Makeup artist Travis • Chet B, new shutterbug on the scene
Photo of Palladino's photo of Lady Bunny outside WOW's Storefront Gallery
Raja and her new man • Vylette and her colorist Adam in front of Vylette's Palladino photo
Warhol Dead at 21
WOW TV's Warhol TV channel is running full, raw interviews from World of Wonder's 2001 three-part docuseries Andy Warhol: The Complete Picture through February 22, the anniversary of the artist's death and the conclusion of WOW's Storefront Gallery art show, "Warhol Dead at 21." More than 60 talking heads contributed to the series, including Debbie Harry, Julian Schnabel, Joe Dallesandro, The Dandy Warhols, Dennis Hopper, Crispin Glover, Nan Kempner, and The Velvet Underground's John Cale. Above, filmmaker Naum Kleimon, director of Eisenstein: The Master's House, is interviewed.
Just Joey
More Joseph Francis Maiocco IV, the newest staffer here at WOW. Joey, 24, served in the US Army from 2000 to 2007. In the 2003 picture above, he's on a turret of a Hummer in Jalalabad, on the northern border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Jealous? (Photo by Sgt Michael Coss)