Jared Paul Stern

The Associated Press is reporting that the defamation lawsuit brought by former New York Post writer Jared Paul Stern against Ron Burkle, The New York Daily News, and Bill and Hillary Clinton has been dismissed by State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub. (This comes via Jim Romenesko.)

In April 2006, The Observer's Choire Sicha profiled Mr. Stern at his Catskills cottage and reported on his book deal which was subsequently cancelled .

Leon Neyfakh wonders who'll replace departing Random House CEO Peter Olson. "Regardless of whom Bertelsmann CEO Hartmut Ostrowski and his 15-person supervisory board appoint to replace Mr. Olson, it is all but certain that Random House will undergo some radical changes." Plus: James Frey.  read more »

Whether or not billionaire Ron Burkle is an investor in Radar--despite plenty of speculation--has never been fully established. Indeed, Mr. Burkle has never said he is an investor on the record.

However, in former Page Six freelance writer Jared Paul Stern's lawsuit, filed today against Burkle, Ronald Sitrick, William Sherman, the Daily News, and Bill and Hillary Clinton, it is stated as fact.

From the lawsuit:

"Stories further disparaging Mr. Stern and repeating Burkle's false and baseless accusations as unqualified fact subsequently appeared in Radar Online, the Internet version of a New York-based magazine that Burkle owns. One of the articles referred to Mr. Stern as an "extortionate former gossip columnist," while others re-stated Burkle's false accusations as fact. Burkle subsequently used Radar to get another Page Six staffer fired."

--Michael Calderone

Jared Paul Stern, a former contributor to the New York Post gossip column Page Six, is baring his te  read more »

The Lower East Side blog drinking scene claimed its first victim when DealBreaker's John Carney was run down in the wee hours of January 14. A guide to the dangerously thirsty bloggy zone of Hell Square. The Transom goes to Sundance. (As Brad Pitt.)

Jared Paul Stern: Free at last.

It's Davos, baby! A thorough guide to this week's Swiss new media/old royalty confab. As Time slashes forward, its editor tries and fails to poach big names. Who's next on NYT video obits? Alexis Swerdloff goes home again--to Brooklyn.

Mike Sitrick, a spokesperson for Ron Burkle, just released a statement regarding the news that Jared Paul Stern will not be charged.

"The facts speak very clearly for themselves, as media reports on the contents of the tapes have demonstrated.

"Mr. Burkle followed the government's instructions from the onset: From their directive that he record and they monitor the second meeting Mr. Stern had with him -- where Mr. Stern repeated his request that Mr. Burkle pay him $100,000 up front and thereafter $10,000 monthly in exchange for Mr. Stern's 'efforts' to stop the publication of false reports about Mr. Burkle on Page Six of the New York Post -- to the government's subsequent monitoring of a series of emails with Mr. Stern in which Mr. Burkle was given bank account information for wiring money to Mr. Stern -- to now. Mr. Burkle didn't question their decisions previously and he isn't going to start doing so now."

Jared Paul Stern has been notified that he will not be charged with a crime by the U.S. Attorney's office.

Since last April, Mr. Stern, a former Page Six writer, has waited on word from any law enforcement office regarding allegations of extortion or blackmail due to his interactions with supermarket billionaire Ron Burkle.

Joe Tacopina, Mr. Stern's lawyer, issued a statement to The Observer today:

"I have been informed by the U.S. Attorney's office that they are not proceeding with any case against Mr. Stern. We have said from day one that this was a campaign to spread lies based on false accusations fueled by Burkle's personal vendetta against the New York Post, and that there was never any evidence of wrongdoing on Mr. Stern's part."

More in tomorrow's New York Observer.

--Choire Sicha

“You know the average Post reader is a complete cretin,” Jared Paul Stern said.  read more »

“You know the average Post reader is a complete cretin,” Jared Paul Stern said.  read more »

Television journalist Stone Phillips has just slashed $1 million off the asking price for his West 72nd Street penthouse, according to the New York Post. The Dateline NBC anchor is now asking $4.45 million for the apartment, listed with the Corcoran Group. And good news: there's an open house this weekend!

Also, (we refuse to write "babe-loving") billionaire Ron Burkle has been seen looking for a full-floor pad in Tribeca. But didn't that whole Jared Paul Stern mess take place in a Tribeca apartment that Mr. Burkle renting at the time? Why not try another neighborhood?  read more »

And is the Forward Building--which The Observer recently profiled--now the "Dakota of the Lower East Side?" The Post emphatically says no!

- Michael Calderone

“When this thing dropped down on me,” said Jared Paul Stern, “it made it sound like the cops w  read more »

On the remarkable videotape that shows Jared Paul Stern allegedly trying to shake down California bi  read more »

On the evening of Saturday, March 4, the night before the Oscars, the powerful supermarket billionai  read more »

“When this thing dropped down on me,” said Jared Paul Stern, “it made it sound lik  read more »

The five emails scanned and reproduced here are written by and to: Paolo Zampolli, a friend of Ron Burkle's and the founder of ID models; Jared Paul Stern, a freelance employee and writer for Page Six; and Kevin Marchetti, an associate of Ron Burkle's.

They were provided in print form by a single source and have not been authenticated with other parties.  read more »

An explication of their relationships is provided in today's New York Observer story.

• From Paolo Zampolli in response to Jared Paul Stern, the day after Mr. Stern's Palace Hotel meeting with Ron Burkle.
• From Kevin Marchetti to Jared Paul Stern, a shirt order for Ron Burkle, four days after the Palace Hotel meeting
• From Kevin Marchetti to Jared Paul Stern, regarding Ron Burkle's shirt size
• From Kevin Marchetti to Jared Paul Stern; Page Six tips regarding Ron Burkle, August, 2005
• From Kevin Marchetti to Jared Paul Stern, Page Six tips, August, 2005

— Gabriel Sherman

From Paolo Zampolli in response to Jared Paul Stern, the day after Mr. Stern's Palace Hotel meeting with Ron Burkle. From Kevin Marchetti to Jared Paul Stern; Page Six tips regarding Ron Burkle, August, 2005 From Kevin Marchetti to Jared Paul Stern, regarding Ron Burkle's shirt size From Kevin Marchetti to Jared Paul Stern, a shirt order for Ron Burkle, four days after the Palace Hotel meeting From Kevin Marchetti to Jared Paul Stern, Page Six tips, August, 2005