THOUGHTS ON A D-LISTER

Update Looks like I'm not the only one with a changing opinion of this d-lister. Kathy Griffin's earned the ire of Page Six (which, in celebrityland, is like a violent death). Instead of opening her act with asking "Where are my gays?" she may, instead, need to ask, "Where are some of my gays?" Page Six gossips:

Chelsea gay club Splash is throwing a hissy fit over comic Kathy Griffin. Club spokesman Len Evans tells us Griffin - the star of Bravo's "Life on the D-List" who often talks about her gay friends in her stand-up act - has turned down an offer to perform there in September. "We offered her $5,000, but she wanted 30 grand plus a $10,000 rider," Evans says. "On her show she's always like, 'My gays' and 'I love the gays,' but it's totally opposite in real life. We were taken aback by her response. If she had love for her gay fans she'd do it. I mean, J.Lo just performed at Gay Pride for free. I guess it's all about the money." Griffin's publicist said, "Any public appearances or stand-up bookings go through her agent."

Will more gays jump off the Kathy G vaginawagon?

On the growing success of her show on Bravo, ever self-deprecating Kathy Griffin has definitely been stepping her game up and the ascending sunrise she sees in the distant horizon just may shine favorably upon her and elevate her onto the c-list of celebrities. I've been a big fan of hers--not quite on the level of worship offered by her gays--for a long time, but lately I've been developing an internal seismic shift that's making me rethink my opinion of her.

The shift isn't set in stone, but my love for Kathy that developed over her first season on Bravo has lately been tainted by a new hesitation and ambiguity. This shift is similar to the feeling that develops when I begin noticing annoying habits or tendencies of a girl I've recently started dating. I'm sure everyone can relate to that. You go from thinking the girl (or boy in Moye's case) is the flyest and sexiest chick in the world to being first, distracting, then irritating, and then finally absolutely being disgusted by her because she...says "like" a lot or chews with her mouth open (nasty FYI). This is how I'm slowly beginning to feel about Kathy Griffin.

I still love her show and her dishing on celebrities, but her handling of the situation with her ex-husband, Matt (best name ever, by the way) disgusts me and is making me think that she's as self-absorbed as the Nicole Kidmans, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Nicole Richies that she hilariously makes fun of.

The story explaining the divorce that Kathy has peddled, most notably on Larry King this past week, is that Matt stole money from her.

"That money totaled $72,000. And he was doing [it] systematically over about a year and a half," Griffin said.

I understand that every married couple organizes their finances differently (my parents' money all went into the same pot), but one spouse stealing money from the other seems to be symptomatic of a larger problem in their relationship. Of course, what that is, is unknown to us at the moment. There are rumors flying around the blogosphere that Matt was usually responsible for paying for everything (dinners and such), which he couldn't afford--a problem exasperated by Kathy's demanding personality towards Matt. Even if she's only living in a d-list atmosphere, that's still out of the reach, financially, for most people (her house has a freakin' elevator for god's sakes). With Matt playing the role of hair dresser and personal assistant to Kathy's non-normative schedule, I imagine Matt's career took a backseat to Kathy's.

All of this is speculation and I take it with a grain of salt (and so should you). What has really triggered my changing opinion of her, however, is her decision to air her and Matt's dirty laundry in a very public way. I think it's very distasteful and unfairly vindictive.

I wouldn't have a problem if Nicole Kidman decides to go on Larry King to reveal all about her beard marriage with Tom Cruise ("Larry...it was very cramped in that closet."), because her and Tom are on a equal and balanced fighting field. Matt, despite his appearances on Kathy's show (and in my opinion, often funnier than shrill Kathy), is still relatively a nobody just like you and me. He's not going to get invited anytime soon to Larry King or Jay Leno or hell, even the View. The guy doesn't get a chance to tell his side of the story.

Adding to this, a story came out today that her two favorite gays from her first season aren't in the second season and in fact, they are completely estranged from Kathy. The reason? Money. They wanted some money to appear and Kathy's admitted obsession with gettin' paid excludes hooking her friends up with some Bravo money. I would link to the article, but I can't seem to find it at the money. You google it.

One final thought: Kathy told Larry that she isn't dating anyone right now. Okay, she's funny and seemingly quite likeable (my aforementioned comments notwithstanding), but she's not the prettiest rose in the bunch. She should date a blind guy with a good sense of humor and who doesn't know how to use an ATM.

HEAD BUTTING RACISM

Reuters is reporting that Materazzi called Zidane a "dirty terrorist" prior to Zidane's infamous headbutt.  If this is substantiated, this incident makes me like Zidane even more.

NEW YORKER TACKLES NYC HIP HOP

Using NYC's hip hop radio station "Hot 97" as the focal point, the always awesome New Yorker examines the current state of hip hop in New York City. It's a very fascinating, engrossing and entertaining read. Here's an excerpt from the article:

A recent edition features a scene shot last year, before Gravy’s feud with Hot 97, and shortly after he and Fendi had negotiated to take their private label, Dirty Money Records, to Warner Bros., for a reported three million dollars. It is night, and Gravy and Ice-T are standing on Eighth Street, in the Village—a young rapper on the cusp of success, basking in the attention of an elder statesman. “We just chilling,” Ice-T says. “I bumped into Gravy. Say, ‘What’s happening?’ We talking.”

“We gone got the official Gangsta Man,” Gravy says. “You can’t get more gangsta than this man right here, you know?. . . Tell me, what you got going on, Ice-T?”

“Right now, I’m on TV—niggas watching me on ‘Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,’ cause I’m the real mothafuckin’ pimp,” Ice-T says. “Playing the police. Imagine that. That’s real pimpin’ for a street nigga like me.”

Ice-T mentions that he’s got a new album coming out (“Gangsta Rap”), along with a clothing line (310 Motoring) and an energy drink (Liquid Ice) to promote: “I’m just trying to get it all, man. I’m trying to stay in the game.”

Gravy, nodding along, is wearing three huge silver necklaces, with crosses dangling in front of his stomach. “My man, shit, let me check out how you roll,” he says, turning and pointing behind Ice-T to a silver luxury car.

“Yeah, this the Bentley,” Ice-T says, before directing the camera to the front seat, where he shows off a customized steering wheel. “Got a lot of wood up in there. You go check niggas’ Bentleys out, you ain’t even going to see the wood steering wheel, ’cause that’s extra. That cost five thousand. . . . But I got it from hard work.”

Ice-T turns serious. “The hardest thing in the world to get is street respect, where niggas really are happy to see you with this type of stuff, you dig? That’s the hardest thing to obtain, is to get it, and have the hood feel like you deserve it, you dig? ’Cause you can go out there, get a budget, and get a whole bunch of money—niggas will run right up in your crib and repossess that bullshit, real quick. Look, look, look— ”

A double-decker sightseeing bus has pulled to a stop behind the Bentley (“Ladies and gentlemen, Ice-T!”), and tourists on the upper level begin snapping pictures. “What’s up, Ice-T?”

“What’s happening?” he shouts back.

“There he is!”

Turning to face the camera again, Ice-T smirks, and says, “That’s all white people—trip. That’s all white people. So you got to be good in the hood, and gets respect from the top deck, you dig? World renowned, internationally known, and locally respected. That’s me and Saucy”—Gravy—“we do it like that.”

The cameraman asks, “Ice-T, how’s the rap game changed since you’ve come up?”

“I mean, the rap game’s changed a lot, but I’m not mad at it,” he says. “It’s more raw. . . . Now every rap crew is made of real mothafuckin’ dangerous individuals, you dig what I’m saying? You got to understand, I got in the rap game to get out of the streets. . . . Now the streets is in the rap game.” Ice-T, as if in a time warp, appears to be counselling his protégé Gravy from some vantage point in the future. “Now niggas idolize the shot, not the shooter,” he says. “You brag how many times you got shot. I’m supposed to be impressed? . . . I’m down with the niggas who staying on the streets, who ain’t getting shot, ’cause nobody wants to shoot ’em. . . . I’m down with the niggas who come from the gutter but are trying to do it right, so they can feed they kids. Them is my crew. . . . Like this, ya heard?” He tugs Gravy back into the frame. “If you motivate niggas to do low, you hustling sideways.”

Ice-T’s wife, Coco, who is white, enters the picture, and his mood lightens. “She representing—just got her mothafuckin’ nails done,” he says. “I love her to death. . . . All the black women that got problems with Ice-T with a white girl? Kiss my fucking ass.” Then he puts his arm around Coco and starts singing “We Are the World,” swaying from side to side.

People are asking me why I'm switching from my old blog to this new one. If they use the points made in this article as a metaphor, they'll understand my motivations. I'm just trying to step up my game, ya heard?

MYMODELSTER: ONLY MODELS NEED APPLY

Another family has joined the social network neighborhood. Friendster first arrived on the scene in 2002 with a splash, but this master was soon surpassed by the grasshopper as MySpace (for emo and music fans originally) and Facebook (college students) quickly dominated the social network scene. Google's Orkut service is primarily popular in only Brazil (I don't quite understand why, but that's the way it is). In the never ending pursuit of greater market, most of these social networks have attempted to become more and more inclusive. There are a couple notables that prides themselves on being exclusive, like this new network strictly for the thin, tall, and beautiful. And it doesn't count if you competed in a few mall modeling contests. Nope. Started by Jesper Lannung (see below) and called ModelsHotel.com, this one is only open to legitimate models who are signed and represented by the "top 50" agencies.

It is difficult to be ridiculously good looking and so it is understandable models want a space that is safe and comfortable for them where their anorexia and homoerotic photo shoots won't be mocked by a public that doesn't understand the art.

The first 100 to join will receive a "Members Only" jacket.

ADAM CAROLLA HANGS UP ON ANN COULTER

This shouldn't come off as a shock to any of you who have been reading my blog or know me personally, but I pretty much hate Ann Coulter. I think she is a terrible human being. So I personally really enjoyed this moment in radio history when Ann Coulter calls into Adam Carolla's radio show to pitch her latest fatuous polemic. She tells him that she's short on time to which Adam responds by hanging up on her. His finals words:

Listen bitch, don't call in an hour and a half late and then complain you're tight on time.

To read more...Click Here.

To listen to an mp3 recording of this interview--an interview I consider the best Ann Coulter interview ever--Click Here.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH?

One became a world class athlete and the other a famous thespian and Hollywood star. Both have been known to use their heads to kick some ass.

PHARRELL? HELL NO!

I'm not quite sure what hanging out with Prince William does for Pharrell's street cred.  I don't think "dapper" works here.

NEW "NICK"NAME FOR NICK AND VANESSA

The newly divorced cuckold husband to Jessica Simpson has definitely upgraded himself by dating a bonafide hotty (as opposed to Double D Wonder). She might not be bringing home the money like Simpson, but MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo is dating Nick Lachey.  And it's developing, it appears, to be more than just a one week fling in Mexico.  And you know what it means when two celebrities appear to be "seriously" dating?  Time to bennifer their names. After the combined efforts of his hive, online gossip gadfly Perez Hilton decided on this: Minnillo BlahNick.  What's more hilarious though is reading the comments section to read everyone's reaction.

blahnick?

you people are fucking dumb.

posted by: mag | July 6, 2006 09:50 PM

Some people seriously need to take a step back from their celebrity worship and check themselves before they wreck themselves.

LB'S DIETER IS BACK WITH HIS EX.

(Via)

I'm slightly embarrassed to be writing about this, because it underscores the very depths to which I dive into the trash of celebrity gossip and news.  But I'm not ashamed.  No, I'm going to own my celebrity obsession even if that preoccupation extends to people who barely qualify as a "celebrity."

The lanky kid, Dieter from MTV's Laguna Beach, is apparently back with his ex-girlfriend--she with the ginormous breats.  Yes, he got back with the same girl, according to his myspace page, who broke up with him so she could get with the "bad boy," Jason.  I am still convinced Jason is actually a 30 year old man.

Anyway, Dieter better double wrap his car before parking it in the garage.