off the record

Chace Crawford's name, misspelled by the post on the Post's header in the same way the press release misspelled it.

How Your Gossip Sausage Gets Made: Page Six Seems To Borrow Language–and ‘News!’–From Press Release

On Saturday, Off the Record received a press release from Los Angeles-based celebrity PR firm Sprock. It was pretty thin gruel: “Actor Keith Collins & Actor John Stamos” were spotted at Westside Tavern, with Mr. Stamos “discussing his performances in his always sold out Broadway Play ‘The Best Man On Broadway’ [sic, throughout].”

“Also at Read More

Cover Story

Illustration by Dale Stephanos

Outward Bound: Celebs Struggle To Keep Sexuality Secret(ish), But Media Make Mischief

At a crowded movie premiere in Midtown recently, The Observer witnessed a young movie and TV star—a dashing young man who’s been involved with several starlets despite whispers about his close relationships with other men—sitting for the entire party in close conversation with a well-groomed gent, even as his co-stars circulated. As we passed, the Read More

movies

Fonda in Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding.

Peace, Love, & Nana’s High in a Timeless Fonda’s Latest

Jane Fonda is always a welcome antidote to the hackneyed drivel of today’s movies, even when she’s relegated to sharing the screen with also-rans like Jennifer Lopez and Lindsay Lohan. In her career zenith, she could always be counted on to bring both complexity and nuance to the least deserving roles. At 74, she hasn’t forgotten a thing. With a wonderful, careful and admiring director, she gives even a routine picture unbridled energy, craft and an extra dash of class above and beyond the script. All reasons to embrace Bruce Beresford’s warm, polished, feel-good comedy Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding.  Read More

The Shindigger

Jane Fonda Was No Hippie

We weren’t expecting a New York screening of a film about a Chinese dancer to be a heavily Australian event, but that’s what Monday night’s special showing of Mao’s Last Dancer at the Crosby Street Hotel was-its director, Bruce Beresford, is an Aussie, and the screening was presented by Australian Consul General Phillip Scanlan. The Read More

Sundance Dispatch: This Was Joel Schumacher’s First!

PARK CITY, UTAH—On the evening of Friday, Jan. 29, Curtis Jackson—better known as the rapper 50 Cent—was milling about the red carpet before the premiere of Twelve, director Joel Schumacher’s adaptation of the 2002 novel of the same name, which wunderkind New York author Nick McDonell penned when he was 17.

It was Mr. Read More

Brooke, Chace, Chloe! Freebie-Seekin’ Famous People Flock to Smartphone Soiree

During a promotional party for the new BlackBerry Tour smartphone at the Thompson Lower East Side on Wednesday, July 9, famous freebie seekers Brooke ShieldsOlivia Palermo, and Erin Lucas, among many others, had the opportunity to get the gadgets personally monogrammed. Et tu, Fern Mallis?

“That’s so sweet,” actor Chace Crawford said to Read More