David Foxley

On Monday, Feb. 25, Lorraine Bracco—who around here is still better known as the shrieky wife in GoodFellas than for her role as the shrink with a smoky voice on The Sopranos—threw a launch party for her new line of wines at the Hard Rock Café on Broadway and 43rd Street. No matter how you slice it, a TV actor launching an eponymous line of booze at a Times Square theme restaurant on a Monday night in February is a tad depressing. Fugeddaboutit! The event was well attended and star-studded—even Mayor Bloomberg showed up to support the 53-year-old actress and her vino.

“I have a lot of energy and didn’t want to just walk around in my apartment in circles,” Ms. Bracco told the Daily Transom of why she decided to put her name on a collection of wines, which range from Amarone Classico to Pinot Grigio.  read more »

Looks like Nicole Kidman will grace a fall cover of Vogue, which was shot by Annie Leibovitz in a town near Sydney, Australia. [WWD]

Just spotted at the Colette boutique in Paris: party gal/model Cory Kennedy, who “love[s] Paris for its fashion.” [T]

Donald Rumsfeld was spotted admiring the lovely flowers at Café des Artistes, where Mayor Bloomberg, dining nearby, didn’t say hello. [P6]

The New York Philharmonic was able to perform in North Korea; the concert included the George Gershwin tune “American in Paris.” [NYT]

It’s official: Veronica Hearst lost her ocean-front, 52-room Villa Venezia. [P6]  read more »

Things really have gotten out of control over at TMZ.com. They’ve just posted a live streaming link at the departures curb at LAX. “Can we spot Best Actress winner Marion Cotillard before she jets back to France? Watch and find out.” Though it looks like the most exciting thing their cam will catch is a frustrated skycap flipping the bird to a bad tipper, something tells us that a sad chunk of people will actually follow the gossip blog’s advice and remain glued to the mundane comings and goings at the international hub. Oh…wait…is that Owen Wilson getting out of a white stretch Escalade? Gotta run!  read more »

Harper’s Bazaar has all sorts of fun ideas tucked up its couture sleeve. The latest: recreating the Marc Jacobs spring ’08 runway show as a spoof, to be snapped by famed fashion photog Peter Lindbergh. This clip shows the on-set happenings at the magazine shoot. And make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the famous faces assembled in the “front row”—yup, that’s Marcia Gay Harden sitting near party photographer Patrick McMullan. Meanwhile, model Helena Christensen—does that woman ever rest?!—gets to play, as Mr. Lindbergh puts it, “the little bitchy fashion editor,” who looks at her watch impatiently while Mr. Jacobs does god-knows-what backstage. Hmmm…who could that be?

“People get bored and wait too long,” explains Mr. Lindbergh of the spread’s concept. “Because the bad behavior fashion crowd, you know?” Perhaps surprisingly to some, Mr. Jacobs appears an extremely good sport in the video, gladly making fun of his own notoriously-tardy fashion shows. “This is a good way to kind of end it,” the fashion designer says. “Just have it documented as a spoof and be on to the next. I’m really amused by it. And fashion is such a circus, and shows are such a circus. I think for anybody who doesn’t know this—it’s insane what we all go through. So it makes good pictures.”

Plenty of leading ladies relied on the expert advice of their stylists to “play it safe” on the red carpet at last night’s Oscars. (During a brief interview, Jennifer Garner, who looked insanely chic in a black Oscar de la Renta ruffled gown, mentioned her beauty-bestie Rachel Zoe several times.) Sarah Larson, on the other hand, looked to blast-from-the-past actor George Clooney, her boyfriend of seven months, to ensure her ensemble was sufficiently wowable.

“I curled her hair,” Mr. Clooney deadpanned to Us of how he helped Ms. Larson prep for the big night. Contrary to comedian Kathy Griffin’s recent claims that only D-list celebs show up super early to red carpet events, the Best Actor nominee, who graces the cover of the current issue of Time, showed up two hours early, allowing the couple enough time to chat with every news outlet stationed along the publicity gauntlet set up outside L.A.’s Kodak Theater. Mr. Clooney, it seems, isn’t just a master coiffeur, he also bragged of being Ms. Larson’s “seamster.” (The brunette beauty wore a beaded, silver-and-pink Valentino gown to the awards show.) “The ironing of the beads works very well,” he added to the whisper weekly of his work on the frock. “I sewed all the beads back on myself.” Despite the apparent ease with which he completed Ms. Larson’s look, his plan for the rest of the evening, he said, was to “drink.”

Tilda Swinton, the 47-year old actress who picked up a Best Supporting Actress Oscar last night for her turn as a corporate lawyer in Michael Clayton, celebrated her win last night with the younger of her two lovers, the Daily Mail reports today. While 29-year-old artist Sandro Kopp looked on adoringly as Ms. Swinton got up to deliver her acceptance speech, 68-year-old John Byrne, the father of her ten-year-old twins, Xavier and Honor, was at the home the couple shares in Nairn, Scotland. Of her two-pronged love life, the ginger thespian with haunting green eyes said: “[Mr. Byrne and I] ostensibly live in the same house, but I travel the world with another delightful painter.”

Baird Jones, gossip reporter and Webster Hall curator, died in his Greenwich Village apartment on Thursday night at the age of 53. [NYDN]

All about actress Charlize Theron, who has “her feet firmly planted on the ground.” [T]

At Oscar parties, celebs like Sean Penn and Rocco DiSpirito showed up with new, attractive girlfriends. [P6]

On the red carpet this year, a lot of leading ladies played it safe. [NYT]

John Mayer left a star-studded party in L.A. because, as he put it, “people keep coming up to me and touching me and telling me I’m so cute.” [Rush&Malloy]  read more »

Clicking through New York actress and socialite Serena Merriman’s Facebook album, called “Friends,” we found the above shot of Ms. Merriman, pal Sturgis Adams and, um, Leelee Poohead? That sure looks a lot like 24-year-old actress Leelee Sobieski. Call it the new twist on the common socialite practice of switching the placement of first and last names to avoid easy searchability (file under Laliberte Kristian; Rambin Leven; Hearst Lydia.)  read more »

There are only 13 days till the Project Runway finale airs. And while we have a few ideas about who’s going to win—thanks to a certain little bird—the anticipation continues to build. Last night, Bravo aired one of those reality TV reunion episodes, in which almost everyone comes back to the show, where they are filmed fidgeting in a poorly designed set. It gives them a chance to rehash tired feuds, dish about “what happened when the cameras weren’t rolling” and howl at embarrassing outtakes. But this isn’t just any reality series.

In this clip from last night’s episode, host and mentor Tim Gunn straps on his best TV persona to reveal the show’s “fan favorite”—the PR designer that garnered the most viewer votes. The winner gets $10,000 and a bigger head. (This video also reveals a sense of how judge Heidi Klum’s mood—or looser editing—on the reunion episode made the whole thing utterly bizarre. For the first time, Ms. Klum makes three things crystal clear: 1) She really can’t stand eliminee Victorya Hong; 2) Mr. Gunn makes her nervous; 3) $10,000 doesn’t impress her.) So, back to the fan fave, who, Mr. Gunn reveals, won by a landslide. Turns out, viewers absolutely adore…MARION LEE!

No, not really…but those who don’t already know will have to watch the clip to find out. Hint he’s so Posh.

Chuck Norris isn’t the only celebrity who has stumped for Republican Mike Huckabee. Here’s a clip of rock group KB Gunn and the Boston Tea Party singing their support for the presidential hopeful from Arkansas. The tune, cleverly titled “The Huckabee Song,” rides high on harmonic intricacies that alone express a fiery passion for Mr. Huckabee’s unique platform of issues. Self-styled proponents of real change in the nation’s capital, Mr. Gunn and his invisible collective of New England-based herb flakes have crafted lyrics, too, which drive at the heart of Mr. Huckabee’s vision for America.

A song without sound is like a painting without a canvas or something, but here’s a little taste of the tune’s poetry. “The Huckabee Song” begins:

I like Huckabee for president—Huckabee!

I like Huckabee for president—Huckabee!

I like Huckabee for president—Huckabee!

I like Huckabee for president—Huckabee!

Though certainly sufficient, those aren’t the only reasons why KB Gunn and the Boston Tea Party want you to vote for Mr. Huckabee. “The home of the brave, the land of the free,” they sing, “needs a leader like Mike Hukabee.” Oh, and we almost forgot—“he wants to fix our country’s press” and “end the IRS.” But at the end of the day, don’t we all?

Andre Benjamin (a.k.a. Outkast’s Andre 3000) may not be so set on finding an East Village place after all; he recently toured a penthouse loft on West 13th Street. [P6]

For many women searching for that perfect wedding dress, less is definitely more. Sayonara, Cinderella. [NYT]

Elizabeth Hurley and husband Arun Nayar are accused of paying their full-time London housekeeper $200 a week. [P6]

Hedi Slimane, the former Dior Homme designer, took the pictures for a 14-page spread in French Vogue’s forthcoming April issue; “it’s magnificent,” said the mag’s editor, Carine Roitfeld. [WWD]  read more »

Warning to those affected by motion sickness—now is the time to pop a Dramamine.

Beyond all the jiggles and giggles, the nougat at the core of this promo clip—a sewing-circle interview of Hillary Clinton conducted by Traveling Pants sister Amber Tamblyn, Ugly Betty star America Ferrera and the inside of her mouth (Chelsea Clinton is apparently there, too)—is d’lish.  read more »

Savoring what is fast becoming the gastronomical awakening of the Upper West Side, Times foodie Frank Bruni gives the hood’s Dovetail three stars. [NYT]

Jennifer Lopez, who is pregnant with twins, has checked into her private room at a Long Island hospital. [P6]

Asked by a reporter how his daughter Jenna’s wedding plans were coming, President Bush said: “It’s coming like I have nothing to say about it, is how it’s coming.” [Rush&Malloy]  read more »

“I’ve never experienced an Oscars that’s as apathetic and unenthusiastic as this one,” said Cameron Silver, the owner of Decades, a vintage couture boutique on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.  read more »

In Milan, where fashion week is currently underway, Giorgio Armani recently decided to ban Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn from his show, which took place last night. Aside from the 73-year-old designer’s apparent displeasure with Mr. Horyn’s write up of events preceding the show (and, perhaps, an unflattering comment she made about one of his trousers last year), the real reason for his decision has been a matter of speculation. Filing a dispatch from the northern Italian city, The Daily has just provided additional details and developments concerning the exile.  read more »

This morning, American Express announced that fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg will be the new face of the company’s major forthcoming advertising campaign. The commercial, which was directed by Bennett Miller (Capote), is scheduled to air during the Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb 24. Accompanying the television spots will be a print campaign photographed by Annie Leibovitz.  read more »

Last night, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s daughter, Rumer, 19, was reminded of her age by the staff at L.A. nightspot Villa, so she had to turn right around. [Perez]

Giorgio Armani wrote Times fashion scribe Cathy Horyn a letter banning her from his show in Milan on Monday because she “belittled” his friends and family in her write up of the preshow hoopla. [WWD]

Nonetheless, here are photos from yesterday’s Armani show. [T]

At Lindsay Lohan’s nude photo shoot for New York, mom Dina was absent, possibly shooting her reality show, Momager. [Rush&Malloy]  read more »

In this clip, Chris Rock introduces Barack Obama—the candidate for “progressive people that are not scared,” Mr. Rock says, who “want to be on the right side of history, because you’ll be real embarrassed if he won and you wasn’t down with it.” The comedian adds that the “smart” senator from Illinois, who he has met a few times, “is a change, and it’s time for a change.” After all, a new regime is needed, in the funnyman’s words, because “anything would be better than [George] Bush. You know, Bush, my god, it’s just…You knew he didn’t care. In a way, Bush’s presidency has been a success, because he hasn’t let us down. It was everything we thought it was going to be and worse. It was like a horror movie—man, that really scared me!” Mr. Rock says to loud applause, before drawing a distinction between the way the president handled Hurricane Katrina (no time for the black people drowning) and the wildfires in L.A. (pour Katrina water on the white people who are burning).

On the evening of Friday, Feb. 15, an exhibition of documentarian Albert Maysles’ photographs and cinemagraphs opened at the Steven Kasher Gallery in Chelsea. The event coincided with the release of a new book, A Maysles Scrapbook, which features a preface by Martin Scorsese, who praises the iconic, collaborative efforts of Mr. Maysles and his late brother and soundman, David Maysles.  read more »

Zena Scharf, the 24-year-old daughter of painter Kenny Scharf, has recently joined fashion photographer Patrick McMullan’s staff, where she works in the art department. She said it’s a nice place to work: "I’ve known him my whole life, basically.” When we ran into Ms. Scharf, she was on hand to help her pal-cum-boss at a party he was co-hosting on Thursday, Feb. 14, at uptown boutique The Parker. Ms.  read more »

Okay, so it’s not exactly a new stump speech. Or even a speech, really. (Heck, are these people even celebrities?) In any case, this ethanol-scented clip features singer John Mayer getting into a tiff with former Mac spokesman Justin Long. Whatever about? Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, of course—a politician Mr. Mayer is game to go to the mattresses for.

Mr. Long, who has somehow leveraged his Apple gig into a real acting career, insists that he and Mr. Mayer are just loudly agreeing (“We’re saying the same thing!” he shouts), but the cuddlesome crooner doesn’t seem to see it that way. “What Ron Paul wants to do...,” he shouts over and over, before being shoved further from Mr. Long and his curiously large posse. “What about Condoleezza [Rice]?” Mr. Long then asks Mr. Mayer, while someone (also famous?) jumps on his back. “No, not [drag performer] RuPaul,” Mr. Mayer hollers back, before adding: “Ron Paul! Read the constitution.”

At newyorksocialdiary.com, David Patrick Columbia digests his personal relationships with a long list of American presidents.

At last week’s Tribeca Ball, Andre Balazs beat Padma Lakshmi in a bidding war for a matching diamond earring and necklace set; he paid $20,000. [P6]

Look at Lindsay Lohan recreate Marilyn Monroe’s last nude photo shoot! [NYM]

Living in one of the new Plaza condos can get rather lonely. [NYT]

Thanks to Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, the hottest new game among celebs in Hollywood is Mexican Train Dominoes. [Gatecrasher]

The new Louis Vuitton commercial. [Fashionista]

Do gossip mongers have a double standard when it comes to famous girls and boys? [NYT]

It was Kirsten Dunst’s breakup with Jake Gyllenhaal that led her to drink more. [Us]

Despite rumored plans, Soho House will not be moving into the former site of Morton’s restaurant on Melrose in L.A. [P6]

Meet this week’s Look Book subject, Sundy L. Leake, a copy editor who’s really a dancer. [NYM]  read more »

The Parker, a small boutique on Madison Ave. near 78th Street, was overflowing last night with an eclectic mix of partygoers who had come to celebrate downtown designer-DJ Izzy Gold’s new, limited-edition “Kiss Kiss” T-shirt. The design of the soft, gray item was inspired by Patrick McMullan’s 1996 book of the same name—a weighty chunk of pages, it features the party photog’s favorite kissing pics taken over his 25-year career. (Later on, after the party moved to the meatpacking district nightclub Kiss & Fly, photos from the book were blasted onto a large projection screen dangling over the empty dance floor.) Mr. McMullan, a co-host with Mr. Gold, 26, and Ally Hilfiger, 22, was schmoozing and signing copies from behind a table in one corner of the store.  read more »

Actor Jack Nicholson has taken a real shining to Hillary Clinton. In this audio clip, recorded last week, radio host Rick Dees puts the 70-year-old actor, who went on the air to endorse the senator from New York, on “a party line” with Ms. Clinton, 60.

“I thought you were going to call in and stop me perhaps,” Mr. Nicholson says with a gravelly laugh. “Oh, no! I’m thrilled to have your support—it’s great,” Mrs. Clinton, who calls herself a “big fan and friend of Jack’s,” responds. Then things turn slightly awkward …

“I’m getting terrible static, so if I drift off the point, you’ll have to forgive me,” Mr. Nicholson can be heard saying in his trademark this-is-just-how-it-is tone. After clarity is restored to the line, he starts to stump.

“As far as her positions which she’s clearly stated in many occasions that I’ve watched her speak about Iraq—you know, it’s very simple to say what you would or wouldn’t have done in this or that situation. She was apparently misinformed by the president about the process and people forget about the timing at these times....As I heard the senator herself say, ‘If had been in [Mr. Bush’s] position, this particular question would not have arisen.’”

Mr. Nicholson then begins talking, in rather ambiguous terms, about how after Ms. Clinton is elected she will go over to the Pentagon and demand this and that. Mr. Dees quickly shifts the conversation to Ms. Clinton’s travel schedule. And because this is such a rare, excellent opportunity for real Americans to ask the maybe president hard-hitting questions, the radio jockey selected only one query from “the 50,000 questions” that had been sent in.

Here’s what curious listener Michelle had to say: “The question is: I’ve heard that Chelsea’s getting married, she’s engaged. And is she actually a bridezilla, to be honest?”  read more »

With Rambo on his side, presidential hopeful John McCain has nothing to worry about. In this clip from Fox News, an anchor asks actor Sylvester Stallone (a.k.a. Sly) who he supports in the upcoming presidential race. Considering Mr. McCain’s cinematic war-hero history—you know, the whole Hanoi P.O.W. stint back in the 60’s—Mr. Stallone has got to love the guy.

After the Republican senator from Arizona, 71, has a bit of trouble hearing the Fox anchor through his earpiece, they deliver the goods. Here’s what the 61-year-old actor had to say about his primo politico:

“I like McCain a lot, a lot. And you know things may change along the way, but there’s something about matching the character with the script. And right now, the script is being written and the reality is pretty brutal and hard-edged, and like a rough action film, you need somebody who’s been in that to deal with it.”

For Jimmy Kimmel’s birthday, his girlfriend, Sarah Silverman, and Matt Damon starred in a music video called “I’m [Bleep]ing Matt Damon”; Mr. Kimmel is retaliating with his own star-studded, catchy clip: “I’m [Bleep]ing Ben Affleck.” [P6]

Oscar nominee Tilda Swinton switches between two lovers—German artist Sandro Kopp, 29, and the father of her twins, John Byrne, 67. [Gatecrasher]

Traveling to St. Barts is always difficult and often pleasurable; here’s what to do if you’re lucky enough to make it there. [NYT]

Blackstone Group cofounder Peter Peterson, who last year bout David Geffen’s $37.5 mil. Fifth Ave. spread, just sold his River House apartment to banking bachelor Jeffrey Leeds for $10 mil. [P6]

Brad Pitt confronted a pesky paparazzo. Source: “the…guy looked so scared…He just ran into the parking garage.” [E!]

Tina Fey said her 30 Rock character, Liz, is “torn between McCain and Obama”; meanwhile, Alec Baldwin’s character, Jack, can’t get over Rudy Giuliani. [Gatecrasher]

In a London High Court, Heather Mills will be banned from grilling Paul McCartney on his alleged “violent behaviour” during their four-year marriage. [Daily Mail]

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, is involved in an ecologically questionable coastline development, intended for the super-rich, in Brazil. [P6]

“Why We Travel,” a multimedia experience. [NYT]

Star Jones, formerly of The View, will perform in The Vagina Monologues tonight in Washington, D.C. [P6]

Real-estate broker Barbara Corcoran received a “chastity belt” from her husband yesterday, the couple’s 20th wedding anniversary. [Gatecrasher]

The some 5,000 ice fishing cabins on the lunar icescape of central Minnesota range from bare-essentials to “chalets with cathedral ceilings.” [NYT]  read more »

The grass at Bryant Park isn’t even cold yet, but the folks behind last week’s midtown mayhem have already started seducing coverage for their next runway romp. Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios will take place from March 9-13. Confirmed designers, as of today, include: Kelly Nishimoto, Kevan Hall, Octavio Carlin, Maggie Barry and Xubaz, Lauren Conrad, The Gallery, Whitley Kros and Monarchy Collection.

Wait! The Lauren Conrad (a.k.a. L.C.) of The Hills fame?  read more »

This morning at around eight o’clock, Barneys flung open its doors to welcome stylish spendthrifts—reportedly over 100 of them—who had lined up to make like locusts at the store’s warehouse sale. Our morning coffee must have been spiked with too much sanity, because we weren’t there to report on the dumpling-line doppelganger. But a New York fashion reporter was, and they got some good stuff … for free!

If the curious magnitude of the sale was ever in question, the two girls from Long Island, who apparently boarded a 5:30 a.m. train to the city, can probably speak to its import. Or perhaps the woman wearing “a big furry hood” who got in line at six a.m. could put in her two-cents on the matter. That is, unless she needed to put them toward a $200 pair of Christian Louboutins.  read more »

When an Us Weekly reporter tried to speak with Scarlett Johansson after her Today show appearance, the actress snapped: “You have got to be kidding me after that [plastic surgery] cover you did.” [Gatecrasher]

The hot new fragrance for women can’t be bottled—it just sorta happens. [NYT]

Times fashion writer Cathy Horyn couldn’t make it to Marc Jacobs’ recent fashion show because she was ill, but she still wrote about it and then he wrote her. [WWD]

At the launch party for her vegan shoes, Natalie Portman only stayed for 15 minutes. [P6]

Since meeting at the Cynthia Rowley fashion show last week, David Tisch and Lipstick Jungle actress Lindsay Price have been dating. [P6]

Excerpts from the last interview Michelle Williams gave—to a British magazine—before Heath Ledger's death. [Us]

In a forthcoming film about the “Scooter” Libby situation, Valerie Plame will be played by Nicole Kidman. [P6]

Some of this spring's hippest accessories are really fun. [NYT]

Mia Farrow is thrilled that Steven Spielberg backed out of his role as an artistic director for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [P6]

When will messaging service Twitter catch on? [NYT]

Love is in the air: Mary Louise Parker is engaged to actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan. [Us]  read more »

Last night, Parker Posey said she had a cold.

“Can you tell?” the actress asked in an earnest tone. No, we assured her. And it was true. Considering the flight of otherwise red-faced, smooshy-coiffed guests who had just braved a blizzard to attend the New York Academy of Art’s Tribeca Ball, Ms. Posey, in her breezy Cynthia Rowley dress, appeared the ravishing exception.

Still, Ms. Posey was in clouds.  read more »

Model and muse Agyness Deyn used her 25th birthday party at Don Hill’s in Soho as an opportunity to fling chunks of cake at partygoers. [P6]

At a party for Peter Som on Monday night, Lauren Davis-Santo Domingo, who had just returned from her honeymoon, told Vogue pal Plum Sykes that she keeps asking if her flower girls will make it into the March issue, which features her wedding. [FWD]

At People magazine’s pre-Grammys party in L.A., Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester was running around the place trailing a “funny-smelling cloud of smoke.” [P6]  read more »

On the afternoon of Monday, Feb. 11, for the second time in a little over a month, all the contacts in designer Zang Toi’s e-mail address book received a gay-chat invitation supposedly issued by the 46-year-old rag-trade renegade, a favorite of actresses Sharon Stone and Eva Longoria, who showed his fall 2008 collection at Bryant Park on Friday, Feb. 8.  read more »

For the first time in its 104-year history, the New York Friars Club, the comedians’ organization famous for its crass roasts, has named one of the chambers at its storied midtown clubhouse for a woman: Lucille Ball. At a commemorative event on Wednesday, Feb.  read more »

Tracy Westmoreland, the actor and former operator of shuttered Hell’s Kitchen watering hole Siberia, called us to chat about his rumored return to Fox’s Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld on Thursday, Feb. 14. (Today, Page Six printed the possible reunion in their “We Hear…” item.)

As Mr. Westmoreland explained it, he recently ran into Red Eye's Greg Gutfeld, panelist Bill Schultz and ombudsman Andy Levy. “We were talking about how I sorta fell through the cracks,” said the bar guru, who was once a regular fixture on the show as its official Nightlife Contributor. “I explained it to them like this: ‘It’s Valentine’s Day; I’m going to send out some love.’ So I’m sending love and happiness out to the people. It’s going to be good,” he said, before adding: “Everything is groovy and it’s all good.”

Though apparently excited about the return visit, Mr. Westmoreland did not seem to know in what capacity he would be appearing. “I don’t know exactly why I’m going back, but I hope it’s the nightlife [beat], because that’s what I do best,” he told us.

We had not forgotten that he called us back in November to announce that Siberia would be reopening soon. And when asked for an update, Mr. Westmoreland would say only that Siberia’s reincarnation was “imminent.

“Here’s the story with that: we’re talking to four different landlords—we got the money—we’re dancing around the whole thing,” he said. “As soon as we hand him the check and we sign the papers, it could happen very soon.”

Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement of Barack Obama was a major coup for his campaign. Most people like Ms. Winfrey and, by proxy, want to read and vote like her. But, it seems, when Robert DeNiro tells voters to rally behind the junior senator from Illinois, people—especially those who have seen Goodfellas—have little choice in the matter. In this clip, the 64-year-old actor circles the wagons, strongly suggesting Americans answer the politico’s call to action. After all, he explains, Mr. Obama’s relative governmental inexperience “is the kind of inexperience I can get used to.”  read more »

Yummmm…What’s that delicious smell? Oh, my stars—it’s the “Chuck 4 Huck” Barbeque, of course!

In this promo clip for Republican Mike Huckabee, actor Chuck Norris, enunciating and gesticulating like he’s speaking to a mature golden retriever, invites viewers to join his Internet cookout party for the presidential hopeful and former governor of Arkansas. During the political party, Mr. Norris says he plans to—wait for it, wait for it—take guests on a virtual tour of his Texas ranch! For anyone still on the fence, the 67-year-old former Walker star, a nasty martial artist, surely seals the deal by promising to show off “the workout area where I train.” There won’t be any dessert, because it’s hard to serve dessert over the Web. BUT! “My black belts are going to give a demonstration,” Mr. Norris says.

This clip features famous ex-husband Kevin Federline performing a scene from tonight’s episode of a show called One Tree Hill. During a screening of this preview footage, rapt heartbeats can’t help but quicken at Mr. Federline’s stagecraft—an almost Shakespearean ability to put the smack down on a female character he bills “retarded.”

[Enter, stage left: Oh, No He Didn’t!]

Yes, yes he did. But a savior alights in the afflicted girl’s loyal B.F.F., who promptly tells Mr. Federline’s character, Jason, a musician of some kind, that he’s just upset because “all the talent left his band.” In retaliation, like a razor so sharp to slice a wanton stare, he’s all like, “Not as upset as I am that you left your granny panties in my bed.”

[A choreographed tussle with the heroic Nathan ensues. Fade to black.]

Scarlett Johansson was born and raised in New York City, but you probably wouldn’t know it from watching this video, in which she stumps for Senator Barack Obama. In the clip, filmed at Carleton College, a small liberal arts institution in Northfield, Minnesota, Ms. Johansson speaks to a group of students in an almost pitch-perfect Standard Midwestern accent. Amid the “yuh knowas” and “makun’ likes,” she recounts the first time she met Mr. Obama, someone she calls “an incredible thinker and mind.” The 23-year-old actress was apparently so “starstruck” by the encounter that a slightly unusual greeting tumbled out of Ms. Johansson’s mouth: “I love your wife!” The presidential hopeful returned the compliment, she tells the crowd, by “paddun me on tha hayd.”

At a post-Grammys party at the Thompson Hotel in L.A., Paris Hilton “aggressively tried to hook up with John Mayer.”