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Portrait Gallery bleeding Dodger blue
Published: Sep 17, 2009
Remember that scene in “Fletch” where Chevy Chase’s character says, “I hate Tommy Lasorda!” as he punches a photo of the great Dodger manager on the wall?
Well, Fletch would likely be unwelcome in the National Portrait Gallery come next week, when Lasorda’s portrait is hung. The date: Sept. 22, Lasorda’s 82nd birthday.
The life-sized painting, by Everett Raymond Kinstler, will join portraits of Dodgers stars Don Drysdale, Leo Durocher, Sandy Koufax and Jackie Robinson, among others in the museum.
“I have been honored many times in the past, and am appreciative of them all,” said Lasorda in a statement, “but to be included in...
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Fenty, Rhee documentary in the works?
Published: Sep 17, 2009
Wednesday evening saw the local premiere of the Sundance Channel's docu-series "Brick City," about gangs and crime fighting in Newark, N.J.
But at the pre-screening reception at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association offices, director-producers Marc Levin and Mark Benjamin had their sights on their next project. "We want your superintendent of schools [Michelle Rhee]," Benjamin told Mayor Adrian Fenty. "We want her, we want you. And we're looking for a D.C. policeman."
If "Brick City" is any indication, it would mean plenty of screen time for Fenty, because Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a longtime Fenty pal, figures prominently in the...
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JLo and Marc: Talk about a birthday!
Published: Sep 17, 2009
Marc Anthony not only celebrated his lifetime achievement award at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s (CHCI) 32nd Annual Awards Gala on Wednesday, but his 41st birthday (hardly a “lifetime”) which featured some very A-list stops, fetes and food.
Anthony, along with wife Jennifer Lopez, had a full day supporting several political causes, but somehow managed to make the time to celebrate his big day.
Their day in Washington started off meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi to discuss education for Latino youth and college affordability.
Later that afternoon, the Latino power couple met with Washington’s top power couple – President Obama and Michelle...
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Media Mix: Wale
Published: Sep 17, 2009
Local rapper Wale is performing on Friday as part of the Kia Soul Collective Tour. Also performing at the weekend-long event at 3300 New York Ave., NE, are MGMT, Dan Deacon and the Creepers.
Wale gave us his Media Mix via email.
Q: What are you reading?
"ESPN The Magazine"
Q: Whats the last movie you saw?
"The Hangover"
Q: Whats your favorite TV show?
"Entourage"
Q: Whats new on your iPod?
Young Dro Mixtape
Q: What Web sites do you visit in the morning?
Twitter rapradar
Photo: John Dragonette/Courtesy Interscope...
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President Obama (fake) stabs a man
Published: Sep 16, 2009
President Obama playfully stabs Tim Morehouse, who won a silver medal in the saber at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The demonstration was part of a White House event to promote Chicago's bid for the 2016 Games.
Photo courtesy Tim...
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Bad timing for Serena’s ‘Solid Character’ nomination
Published: Sep 16, 2009
In sports, timing is everything. So, too, in sports awards.
Tuesday night brought the sixth annual Greater Washington Sports Alliance “Sneakerball” fundraiser to the National Building Museum, and with it the organization’s slate of awards for local sports figures.
And wouldn’t you know it, there in the program was Serena Williams, nominated for the “Solid Character” award. (Williams was the Washington Kastles’ marquee player for a portion of their summer season.)
Williams, you may recall, was defaulted out of her U.S. Open semifinal match and fined $10,000 for telling a line judge that she felt like “taking this [expletive] ball and...
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Rep. Crowley’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Published: Sep 16, 2009
Penn Quarter got its own version of the Cavern Club on Tuesday night as pols and other VIPs turned out for the local release party for the “The Beatles: Rock Band” video game at Gibson Guitar’s Showroom.
Taking up the mantle of John, Paul, George and Ringo were Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., who did a take of “Come Together,” and Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., who ran through “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I’m Looking Through You” with Erik Huey of the Entertainment Software Association.
“Crowley and I had the harmony thing going,” Huey said.
Also on hand: Reps. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., Marsha...
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For trafficked persons, Liu is an ‘Angel’
Published: Sep 16, 2009
She kicked butt in “Charlie’s Angels” and “Kill Bill,” but now actress Lucy Liu is looking to take out human trafficking.
As a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, Lui was in town Wednesday as the keynote speaker at an anti-trafficking conference hosted by USAID.
Liu passionately addressed the mainly women-filled ballroom at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel about the atrocious acts of trafficking young women across the world, including right here in our own backyard.
Liu explained how she first learned about this “modern-day slavery” while doing work with UNICEF, but furthered her involvement in the cause when she joined on to star in the MTV...
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Paul Simon back to stump for health care
Published: Sep 16, 2009
Paul Simon was back on the Hill on Wednesday to stump for his pet issue: health insurance for kids.
“Paul Simon is a man, we’ve learned, that can be very passionate in his words and music,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., before making several bad puns based on Simon’s music and professing his as well as his wife’s love for the singer.
Reid said Simon was instrumental in creating the current child health care laws, crediting his passion and way with words.
Simon, who is the co-founder of the Children’s Health Fund, said that if he were in Washington to sing about children’s health care, he would sing, “Poor kids can’t...
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Speakeasy: Mike Pence
Published: Sep 16, 2009
"I told him he should have worn a white coat. I was only half kidding. Put a little pocket protector in it and fill it with pens."
-House Republican Conference Chair Mike Pence, R-Ind., recalling what he told Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La., before Boustany, a physician, gave the GOP response to President Obama's address to Congress last...
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Late night with President Obama
Published: Sep 15, 2009
Next Monday night is going to be a late one for President Obama, but not because of presidential matters in Washington, D.C. Instead, Obama will be the sole guest on David Letterman’s “Late Show” — his latest effort to push his health care plan.
Obama will make late night show history for the second time this year, becoming the only sitting president to sit on Letterman’s couch in the history of his 16 years as host of the show. And it’s not a first time the men have met — Monday night will mark the sixth time.
It took Obama only two months to be the first sitting president to chat it up on late night television, granting Jay Leno the honor of...
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It’s no lie: Rep. Wilson has serious credit card debt
Published: Sep 15, 2009
No wonder he’s a little stressed out.
Rep. Joe Wilson’s, R-S.C., outburst last week on the house floor during President’s Obama's joint session speech on health care legislation has become the interruption heard around the world this week (Kanye West’s outburst at MTV’s Video Music Awards notwithstanding). But documents filed at the end of last year could point to one explanation — he’s in some major credit card debt.
Documents obtained by watchdog group OpenSecrets.org show that the congressman has a minimum credit card debt balance of $30,002 between his American Express credit card and Bank of America credit card. And that’s the...
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As Brown’s book is release, Masons tell real story
Published: Sep 15, 2009
As Dan Brown’s book “The Lost Symbol” is being picked up this week by thousands across the country, a lesser publicized book is hoping to prove the inaccuracies of what is to be expected in the “The DaVinci Code” author’s book on the Masonic secrets in Washington.
Author James Wasserman was in Washington Tuesday to discuss his book “The Secrets of Masonic Washington,” a guidebook of sorts full of pictures of the “signs, symbols, and ceremonies” that our nation was founded upon. Joined by Mason Akram Elias, the two men traced the history of our country through the traditions set in place by the father of our country and Mason,...
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Kilmer spotted at Il Mulino
Published: Sep 15, 2009
A day after Presidents Obama and Clinton dined at Il Mulino in New York, our own outpost of the Italian eatery had its own VIP for lunch — though, we concede, this one was a little more B-list than A-list.
Val Kilmer, the actor-turned-potential candidate for governor of New Mexico, was spotted Tuesday at Il Mulino on Vermont Avenue.
Sources say he went largely unrecognized, due mostly to the extra weight he was carrying and his “greasy blond hair.”
Like a good aspiring New Mexico pol, Kilmer sported a bolo tie and a cowboy hat....
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Bush: Obama wasn't 'remotely qualified'
Published: Sep 15, 2009
The latest tell-all from a Bush administration aide, speechwriter Matt Latimer's long-awaited "Speech-Less," hits stores next week. Byron York teased the book's content on Tuesday, and now GQ is out with the first actual excerpts.
In it, President George W. Bush weighs in, according to Latimer's recollections, on several of the players in the 2008 elections, and does so scathingly.
After Barack Obama blasted his administration in a speech, Bush spouted off in the West Wing: "This is a dangerous world, and this cat isn't remotely qualified to handle it. This guy has no clue, I promise you."
Vice President Joe Biden didn't escape Bush's candid assessment, either....
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Albright’s jewels focus of book, museum exhibit
Published: Sep 14, 2009
Madeleine Albright is telling a story about her pins that told a story.
That’s the premise of her upcoming book, “Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box,” which traces the meaning and history of the former secretary of state’s large collection of brooches she used as diplomatic, political and social tools.
“Former President George H.W. Bush had been known for saying ‘Read my lips.’ I began urging colleagues and reporters to ‘Read my pins,’ ” Albright writes explaining how she began to portray messages through her jewelry.
Some of her collection includes a “Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil”...
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Spitzer back at a Washington hotel, this time for econ panel
Published: Sep 14, 2009
Apparently Eliot Spitzer thinks he can come to the city where he paid a prostitute to have sex with him, which led to his resignation of the governorship, and no one will talk about it.
It seemed that way Monday at the Willard Hotel, where Spitzer sat on an economic panel hosted by the New Republic and clearly hoped to have people remember he is a smart man that can indeed think with what’s in his head, not just what is in his pants. The only mention outside of the issue of the ISE “inflection point” was when he told reporters he has no desire to go back into politics, and he instead will be working in the family business of commercial real estate.
While quickly...
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Billy Crystal sups at Proof
Published: Sep 14, 2009
And on his 701st Sunday, Billy Crystal was spotted having dinner at Proof, the wine-centric restaurant in Penn Quarter.
In town for his one-man show at the National Theatre, “700 Sundays,” the comic and his wife, Janice Goldfinger, shared some Prosecco and sparkling water, eggplant salad and panzanella, hanger steak, duck breast and a side of rapini.
And on Monday, Crystal was spotted outside the Willard Hotel, signing autographs for fans.
(Photo: Mark...
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Goodbye Real World, enter Real Housewives
Published: Sep 14, 2009
As "The Real World: DC" winds down its weeks of taping in the nation's capital, another "Real" show is on the way, as the "Real Housewives of D.C." is set to begin taping locally later this week.
A spokeswoman for the Bravo network, which airs the "Real Housewives" series, would not confirm a start date, but we hear from numerous sources familiar with the show that is set to begin filming on Friday.
Josh Friedman of the DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development said the show has been in touch with his office, but has yet to file any specific permit applications.
Among the stars of the show are McLean socialite/supermom Mary Amons...
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Perez Hilton tries his best to be political in DC
Published: Sep 13, 2009
From blogging to music, gay rights to health care, Perez Hilton certainly is expanding his influence beyond the title of "Queen of all Gossip."
Writer of the self-proclaimed "most feared" Web site in Hollywood, blogger Hilton (nee Mario Lavandeira) was in Washington on Saturday night for his latest venture, a music tour. The 9:30 Club hosted Perez and his four independent music acts, which - given the city he was in - Perez used as a forum for his latest political cause, stumping for health care reform.
As many will remember, it was Perez's question about gay marriage to then-Miss California Carrie Prejean that stirred up huge controversy. Proving he's focused on...
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Women behind the Hill's power honored for work
Published: Sep 13, 2009
Most people don't recognize their names, but 37 of the most powerful women in Washington united Thursday evening for an event in their honor as the Hill's female chiefs of staffs.
Held at the the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum, which serves as the headquarters of the National Woman's Party, hundreds of women (and some men) fetted the accomplishments of these chiefs of staffs under a tent in the backyard of the historic home on the HIll.
"Women make decisions differently than men," said Women's Campaign Forum CEO Sam Bennett, sounding all Sonia Sotomayor-ish....
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Big night out for the Holders
Published: Sep 13, 2009
Attorney General Eric Holder and his wife, Dr. Sharon Malone, were spotted having a date night at Teatro Goldoni Saturday. Arriving around 9, Holder started off with a Caesar salad while his wife had the artichoke hearts carpaccio. For their main dish, both opted for the power-spot's signature dish of lobster risotto....
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Study: Yuppies multiplying in D.C.
Published: Sep 13, 2009
No, you're not imagining things when you walk around Georgetown, Logan Circle or Clarendon these days: there really are more affluent young adults zipping around in their BMWs and dropping $50 on brunch.
A new county-by-county study by Nielsen Claritas shows that D.C. has a larger percentage of the young and wealthy (those 25-34 making $100,000-plus) than any other metropolitan area in the country. In fact, sixteen of the top 50 "young and wealthy" counties are in the D.C. area — including the No. 1 and 2 counties: Loudoun and Arlington.
“In 1990 you had a lot more concentration of this demographic in the heartland and in Texas, likely driven by the oil economy,...
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Diminutive actress tackles hugely important issue
Published: Sep 10, 2009
While Capitol Hill was preparing to hear President Obama’s speech on health care, across town actress Christina Ricci was hosting an event concerning an issue that will surely be affected by changes in the medical field.
People packed the sleek and modern offices of the strategic communications firm Navigators Global Wednesday night to listen to RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) spokeswoman Ricci, who spoke along with Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., about the importance of both physical and mental services for victims of sexual abuse.
Harman, who dashed in for a moment before Obama’s speech, read off some statistics she found “appalling and...
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Actress, mother Garner wants to ‘save the children’ with education
Published: Sep 10, 2009
Congress is back in session, which means back to celebrity sightings on the Hill.
Wednesday brought us actress Jennifer Garner, who as an ambassador for Save the Children was there to introduce the Full Service Community Schools Act.
In the Capitol building, she greeted Save the Children Vice President Mark Shriver, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who kicked off his introduction of the actress like an avid reader of gossip rags.
“I know you’re here to see ‘Bennifer.’ I’m not that ‘Ben,’ ” Nelson joked, referring to the uni-name given to Garner and her husband, actor Ben Affleck.
“That...
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Reichs gets down to the bare ‘bones’ at discussion
Published: Sep 10, 2009
One of the first questions people ask Kathy Reichs is whether or not real bones are used on the set of Fox’s hit series “Bones.”
“I don’t think Emily (Deschanel) or David (Boreanaz) would stick around for five seasons if we made them work with real dead bodies,” Reichs said.
Reichs is a producer for the show, which is loosely based on her book series about Dr. Temperance Brennan, was in town on Wednesday as a speaker at the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program to discuss her newest book “206 Bones.”
There are several differences between “TV Tempe” and “Book Tempe,” as she affectionately calls them, but this...
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50 Cent: You can find him in da non-fiction section
Published: Sep 10, 2009
Howard U students flocked to see Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson on campus Wednesday, but it wasn't to hear him rap. The crowd, most back on campus after summer break, were there to hear he and co-author Robert Greene discuss their recent book, “The 50th Law.”
Greene started the evening by explaining his and Fiddy's “weird connection,” which became painfully clear throughout the evening as Greene struggled to connect with a crowd that was clearly there to see to see the popular rapper.
Jackson had been a fan of Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power – a book that distills takes three thousand years of the history of power down to 48 laws — and in...
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Speakeasy: Dan Brown
Published: Sep 10, 2009
“I’m fascinated by power, especially veiled power. Shadow power. The National Security Agency. The National Reconnaissance Office. Opus Dei. The idea that everything happens for reasons we’re not quite seeing. It reminds me of religion a little. The power that religion has is that you think nothing is random.”
— Author Dan Brown, speaking about his long-anticipated, Washington-centric book, “The Lost Symbol,” in this weekend’s issue of Parade...
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‘Arab Trump’ has green on his mind
Published: Sep 09, 2009
They call him the "Arab Trump." The only difference is when Sulaiman al Fahim thinks green, he’s not dreaming of money.
He already has a long list of titles before him — real estate developer, owner of the Portsmouth soccer club in England’s Premier League, reality show creator, philanthropist and world chess champion — but al Fahim hopes to add green housing entrepreneur to his resume.
The American University alumnus is back in Washington this week, meeting with some senior members of Congress — including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — to discuss his plans to provide green sustainability to low- and middle-income families.
“You...
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Media Mix: Michael Voltaggio
Published: Sep 09, 2009
Michael Voltaggio, a native of Frederick, Md., is one of three contestants on this season’s “Top Chef” with local ties (the others are his brother, Bryan Voltaggio, and Mike Isabella). Continuing our series, we asked Michael for his Media Mix.
Q: What book are you reading?
“The Big Fat Duck Cookbook”
Q: What’s the last movie you saw?
“The Hangover”
Q: What’s your favorite TV show?
“Entourage”
Q: What’s new on your iPod?
Matisyahu, Citizen Cope, the new Eminem
Q: What Web sites do you visit in the morning?
mylastbite.wordpress.com, kevineats.com, latimes.com...
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