Madonna

Paul Starr, a makeup artist to celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Garner, was found dead in his Los Angeles apartment yesterday, according to Metro UK.

While the cause of Mr. Starr's death is still undetermined, his friends said that they hadn't seen or heard from Mr. Starr in several days. After knocking on his door repeatedly, police broke down the door and found him dead. Mr. Starr's age was reported to be anywhere from 48 to 51.

According to Mr. Starr's Web site, his clients have ranged "from ladies who lunch to movie stars, rock stars, and supermodels.  read more »

Madonna's head flack Liz Rosenberg is insisting that the singer has no plans to adopt a three-year-old girl from Malawi in the near future, as had been reported. [Us]

Sources say actress Michelle Williams is taking extra steps to avoid the paparazzi in her Brooklyn neighborhood, reportedly "having a bodygaurd go around her block and make sure there are no photographers" each time she leaves the house. [P6]

West Villagers--including Amy Sedaris--are opposing the renewal of Beatrice Inn's liquor license, citing issues with noise, smoking, drugs, and taxis the club brings to the neighborhood. [Eater]

Joy Behar, Lorraine Bracco, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Alfie Fanjul, Pete Peterson, Sandy Hill Pittman, Marjorie Gubelmann, Debbie and Leon Black, and Tory Burch and Lyor Cohen all attended a special screening of Woody Allen's new film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" in Southampton.  read more »

I’m a changed person. Up until today, I was always up for a good colostomy bag joke. You know what I’m talking about: Is your colostomy bag full, or are you just happy to see me? Ba-da-bum! Or the old shoes-to-match standby, as in “My auntie’s got a colostomy bag … and shoes to match.” Ba-da-bum!

So great was my vulgar enthusiasm for this unfortunate accessory that I once—way back in the punky late ’70s—decorated an entire fashion window display with “dead-stock” colostomy bags from an old medical supply warehouse. THAT’S how thigh-slappingly funny I thought they were … until, that is, I remembered that Madonna was about to turn 50, on Saturday, Aug.  read more »

On Saturday evening, 600 of the Hamptons' most philanthropic horse fans donned their finest black apparel and gathered for a somber twilight benefit at photographer Steven Klein's West Kill Farm in Bridgehampton. The "MANE" Event was co-chaired by Gwyneth Paltrow and Mr. Klein, and Madonna served as the evening's honorary chairperson (even though she's currently in London).

The candlelit affair began at dusk on the grassy field behind Mr. Klein's house. A haunting string refrain played on repeat, to the point where the Daily Transom felt a bit like we were caught in Requiem for a Dream, a feeling that only increased as the sun set completely and we could no longer find anyone (maybe the black dress code wasn't the best idea.  read more »

Model Christie Brinkley and ex-husband Peter Cook--who are involved in a vicious custody dispute--managed to bring their children to a Jonas Brothers concert (read Daily Transom's report!) at their school in East Hampton without incident. [NYDN]
 
Great Britian's Princess Michael of Kent is angry with New York Social Diary blogger David Patrick Columbia over his report that her husband, Prince Michael, was seen out with another woman. [P6]
 

New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez will reportedly donate at least $500,000 to Madonna's charity, Raising Malawi. [TMZ]
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Model and actress Milla Jovovich is putting her clothing line Jovovich-Hawk to rest; it had been carried by high end stores like Fred Segal. [Racked]

There will no longer be a Sean John runway show this September. Instead, Sean "P.Diddy" Combs will host a private preview of the Spring/Summer 2009 collection at his Sean John homebase at 1710 Broadway. [FWD]

Madonna will wear designs by Givenchy, Stella McCartney, Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli, and Jeremy Scott, as well as custom-made Miu Miu shoes, for her Sticky Sweet tour. [WWD]  read more »

Vacationing in Miami, Samantha Ronson and Lindsay Lohan "aren't hiding their affection at all." [People]

Long Island girl Nikki Blonsky, of Hairspray fame, could go to court over an altercation with America's Next Top Model's Bianca Golden. The two 19-year-olds got into a physical fight over a row of saved seats in the Turks & Caicos airport last week. [NY Daily News]

In the Hamptons, Gossip Girl mom Kelly Rutherford was overheard telling a companion that her son Hermes Gustaf Daniel Giersch was named after the designer label. [P6]

Morgan Freeman will undergo surgery for injuries sustained during a weekend car wreck. [  read more »

John Kerry's reps says that he was not partying with co-eds as the pictures of the Massachussets senator surrounded by college women and holding a beer might suggest. [Us Weekly]

Kate Hudson and Lance Armstrong may be over. [P6]

Tim Gunn reportedly appeared on the first season of Project Runway free of charge, and made only $2,500 per episode during the second season. [NY Daily News]

Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment, is reportedly having some trouble with his summer programming choices as ratings have dropped. Who knew Baby Borrowers and American Gladiators could fail? [P6]

Michelle Obama made Vanity Fair's best dressed list alongside Julian Schnabel and SJP. [VF]

Madonna's rep says her client, who was recently photographed looking thin and sickly pale, is a just victim of an unfortunate and possibly touched up photo. [NY Daily News]

 

 

What does U2 sound like?

For a question that seems so absurd to ask-surely, everyone knows!--it's pretty hard to answer. Not because the band has been around for over three decades and experimented with a number of styles. Its that the answer is tautological: U2 sounds like U2. Its commercial success and attendant ubiquity has done something to it: it's transcended pop music.

Of course, Bono, The Edge, Larry, Mullin, Jr. and Adam Clayton weren't born fully grown, as their first three albums, all reissued in remastered form last week, attest. Boy, October, and War come out together today in a super-deluxe box set which cheekily leaves room for collectors to add an extra disk of their own, as if it's being left to the listener to judge whether The Joshua Tree belongs here.  read more »

Heath Ledger was reportedly a silent investor in Five Leaves, a Greenpoint bar designed by John McCormick, who also designed Smith & Mills and Beatrice Inn. While the project was at first put on hold after the actor's death, his father has agreed to fund the project to its completion. [P6]

Christian Bale's assault on his mother was possibly not an assault at all; sources say he never touched her, but merely raised his voice when she made negative remarks about his wife. Apparently, the British consider yelling a verbal assault and therefore a crime. [NY Daily News]

As part of an investigation into Raffaello Follieri's affairs, the F.  read more »

To its surprise, the Transom ran into designer Christopher Ciccone—SMACK!—outside the Rouge Wine Bar at Paris Commune in the West Village. Madonna’s short, paunchy but sensual brother had flown in from London early that evening and was flying to Los Angeles the following morning—part of the whirlwind press tour surrounding his book, Life With My Sister Madonna (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, $26).

Wearing jeans, black sneakers, a tight black T-shirt and a veil of cinnamon-inflected cologne, he was there to see aspiring Broadway star (and dear friend) Ryan Raftery’s one-man show, Ryan Raftery and Friends: A Solo Act.

“There are plenty of things I left out of the book, and things that the lawyers and editors took out,” Mr.  read more »

Madonna is reportedly so pleased with the press that her alleged affair with Alex Rodriguez has gotten for her Sticky and Sweet tour that she plans on attending A-Rod's game at Yankee stadium tonight to keep it going. [P6]

Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman's reps confirm their break-up. [Vanity Fair]

Friend to Christie Brinkley and Today show contributor, Jill Rappaport is reportedly handling all press for the recently settled divorcée, granting the first televised interview to the Today show. Ms. Rappaport is also apparently telling other outlets, that if they want any information, they have to introduce her as "Today show correspondent and renowned entertainment journalist.  read more »

Former Radar editor Remy Stern's Web site chronicling New York's influentials has finally gone live with (exclusive!) pictures of Eliot Spitzer's daughter's prom and a handy survival guide for the city's trophy wives to get us going. Click through for more. [Cityfile] 

Lazard Freres banking heir Justin Lazard is planning to sue the Caribbean hotel where he and his wife, former Project Runway contestant Shannon Fluet, were married in early June. Mr. Lazard claims that his then-pregnant wife was assaulted by the hotel's manager and security guards. [P6]

Alex Rodriguez' friends are reportedly accusing his estranged wife, Cynthia Rodriguez, of going on a spiteful spending spree amidst their public divorce.  read more »

Amidst divorce rumors, Madonna may be having an affair with Yankee, Alex Rodriguez. [Us Weekly]

In a freak year at The Dalton School, not a single student got into Harvard and many are finding themselves attending non-Ivies like Syracuse, Vanderbilt, and Tulane. [Page Six Magazine via Daily Intel]

Gossip Girl's Blake Lively politely asks you not to compare her to Paris Hilton since she doesn't go to clubs, dance on tables, or like sex tapes, she says. [P6]

Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook's divorce hearings begin in open court tomorrow. The New York Daily News has a detailed round-up of their divorce proceedings thus far. [NY Daily News]  read more »

Although his rep denies it, Entourage actor Adrian Grenier is reportedly shopping around his own birthday, asking Hamptons clubs for up to $50,000 for the honor throwing him a party. [P6]

Ben Kingsley's co-stars in The Wackness say he had to be taught how to properly smoke from a bong. [NY Daily News]

Patrick McMullan and son Liam, were scheduled to host a party at Dune on Friday night, but the event was cancelled after the younger Mr. McMullan and his music producer, Chris Young, handed out invitations depicting them smoking pot. [P6]

Lindsay Lohan may have an 11-year-old half sister that Michael Lohan fathered during an affair while still married to Dina Lohan.  read more »

Last month, The Observer wrote about 30 West 21st Street, the building famous for its old new-wave dance club Danceteria (Madonna debuted there). The place sold last year for $25 million to an investor who's turning the place into 11 4,000-square-foot apartments (listed around $5.8 to $7.9 million each), plus a triplex penthouse ($7.7 million), plus a townhouse apartment ($9.25 million).

“Legitimacy is the one word I can really give to it,” the investor, named Kevin Comer, said then, but by legitimacy he meant details like three-inch solid marble kitchen countertops, lifestyle designers, in-loft wine cellars and gyms, radiant-heat floors and daily maid service with chocolates on pillows.  read more »

Madonna used to sit on the steps of the new-wave dreamland Danceteria—where she was a hat-check girl, Keith Haring was a busboy and the Cramps played next to the Buzzcocks or Birthday Party—and tell nightlife kings like Steve Rubell she was going to be a very big star. In 1982, when the club reopened at 30 West 21st Street, she got a DJ to play her demo there.  read more »

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon have reportedly gotten married after dating for about a month. [NY Daily News]

Project Runway is not just moving to Lifetime, but also Los Angeles for its sixth season. [EW]  read more »

A curious (and perhaps shameful) thing has happened since Madonna's single, "Four Minutes to Save the World," off her new album Hard Candy (due out today), hit the Internet almost two months ago. At the time, in this same space, I wrote, "fans could be forgiven for cringing a bit at Madge's cool-as-a-cucumber delivery being drowned out by the 'urban,' brassy hip-hop beats. Was it Mommy telling us to turn the music down?" But then something happened ... Several weeks later in a store, I found myself resisting the urge to tap my foot, to shake my hips and bop my head. What is this song?, I thought. It sounds ... familiar. Oh, no. It then hit me like a bass-heavy chorus: I liked "Four Minutes to Save the World." Damn you Madonna!  read more »

No one gets in Madonna’s way, especially not some stuffy Central Park West co-op board. It appears the world’s most famous Anglophile pop star will get to expand her 6,000-square-foot fiefdom in the decidedly Victorian sounding building Harperly Hall.

The Material Girl has closed on the $7 million, 7th floor unit, according to city records published today, which will bring the swank duplex that has been her New York headquarters for the past two decades to positively palatial proportions.  read more »

Gossip Girl actress Blake Lively is so just one of the people, while Helena Christensen is categorically not. Ms. Lively went to Café Habana over the weekend and waited in line! For more than half an hour! Meanwhile, Ms. Christensen walked up to the eatery but kept on walking when she saw there was a wait. [P6]  read more »