Sarah Palin at that gifting suite: Grabby? Not so much

Oh no she didn't.

That's what Silver Spoon, the company that hosted a pre-Oscars gifting suite attended Wednesday by Sarah Palin, said Thursday about the former governor of Alaska. 

As in, oh no, Palin and company didn't do all those "grabby 'n' whiny" things that were reported by an entertainment gossip site Wednesday evening and spread like wildfire online Thursday and into Friday.

"The stories currently circulating about Governor Palin’s attendance at our event are total fabrications," partner Melissa Lemer said in a statement from Silver Spoon (read it here). [Updated at 11:11 a.m.: Lemer has confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that she issued the statement.]

"We would like an immediate retraction and an apology to The Silver Spoon, its vendors, and
especially to Governor Sarah Palin."

To paraphrase Lemer, who said she personally escorted Palin around the suite: Oh no she didn't demand vendors open early just for her, didn't scoop up 40 sets of headphones, didn't behave like "locusts."

Which is pretty much what this blog, the Ministry of Gossip, reported in the first place.

Just Jared posted a pic Thursday of Willow Palin with her mom, and the Associated Press mentioned the Fox News commentator's $1,700 Red Cross donation -- and what one vendor called her "great skin." The New York Post stayed calm on Friday as well. Palin supporters weren't pleased with the negative reports; non-fans didn't seem as bothered.

Said Lemer: "She never asked for anything but politely accepted the products. The governor and her
family and guests were very gracious and respectful to everyone. We asked and the governor
happily agreed to take a photo with the American Red Cross staff and the staff of The Silver
Spoon. The governor stayed for a total of about 35 minutes, thanked everyone, made an
additional generous personal donation pledge to the Red Cross, and then departed."

The charitable focus of the gifting suite -- such events invite celebrities and media to spotlight luxury products and services -- was to benefit Red Cross efforts in Haiti and Chile.

Sarah's week -- which some have chastised as the equivalent of Levi Johnston's Hollywood presence --  also included a Tuesday appearance on Jay Leno's revamped "Tonight Show," which launched Monday. (Maybe Jay wanted to book the guest least likely to show up with David Letterman?)

Daughter Bristol Palin filmed a scene for ABC Family's "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" on Tuesday, and Sarah reportedly made some rounds pitching an Alaska docudrama with the help of "Survivor," "The Apprentice" and "Eco-Challenge" producer Mark Burnett.

Looks like it's spring break in Wasilla next week -- will the crew stay for the Oscars?

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Sarah Palin talks to Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on March 2, 2010, in Burbank. Credit: Paul Drinkwater / NBC. 

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip and friends:

Has Sarah Palin gone from bagging moose to bagging swag?

Sarah Palin attends Oscars gift lounge with Willow and Tripp

Levi Johnston fights Bristol Palin to make custody battle public -- and wins

Sarah Palin meets the enemy -- we mean, cracks jokes and sings -- at winter Gridiron dinner

Barbara Walters' '10 Most Fascinating People of 2009': observations, and a poll

Barbara Walters tries to find Sarah Palin a job

Why didn't Oprah ask Sarah about Tina? Oh wait, she did

Wait, is Sarah Palin going to be on 'Oprah' or something?

For Sarah Palin's 'Rogue' book blitz, a Barbara Walters interview

Levi's rep promises 'full johnson' (Did he mean 'full Johnston'?)

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Comments

[zsa zsa]

Has the LA Times confirmed this with Silver Spoon? Because your link to their supposed statement goes to a Palin-bot site Conservatives for Palin. The statement doesn't even appear on Silver Spoon's website. I think Sea of Pee'ers have punked you.

[skeptical]

You link to Conservatives for Palin as your source? Um, at least Fox claims to be fair, do you think your source might not be entirely reliable?

[Katie]

So where are the photo op pictures??? Every other little thing is printed, why not those? And as most real journalists know, you verfy your sources with a second, non-biased source.

Well?

[Katarina]

I reiterate what I said before...

What does she have to do with the Academy Awards? I dont give a rat backside if she took and then gave it all back plus 1700, she should not ahve been there in the first place.

[CDZ from the Ministry]

@Katie -- Christie D'Zurilla here from the blog. Click the Just Jared link for a picture from the event.

//cdz

[pete]

why dont you palin haters give it a break? You left wing dbags do nothing except for going after women and children. I hope todd palin goes postal on one of you animals one day and we see it on tv...

[CDZ from the Ministry]

Christie D'Zurilla here again from the blog, with a gentle reminder that we don't publish comments with profanity, even mild stuff, even with dashes or asterisks instead of letters.

I also personally try to keep it civil when it comes to slang and name-calling, so if you want to make my job easier, play nice.

And please don't yell at me over comments that are already published. Those are the reasons I'm dropping in with this note.

//cdz

[stillskeptical]

Assuming the press release is real, it doesn't dispute the essence of the story, it just spins it. So Palin was given two headphones, if everyone in her party was also given two, considering the size of her entourage, the total number could run up to forty. Further, Palin or her people claimed early on that she had donated the swag as she left, that claim was quickly disputed, and the Palin camp gave up on that story. In other words, she kept the loot and lied about it, a familiar pattern from the former governor.

If her "generous" donation was more than reported, that would have been noted in her press release, it wasn't. The press release confirms that she was given special privileges, like early entrance and no photography.

This was hardly a vindication.

[Dave]

When I first saw the story it just sounded fishy and now we know that it is a fabrication from those that don't like Palin. Sarah is a class act, no if's, and's, or but's.

[Just Cirroc]

Thank you Christie for having the journalistic integrity to set the record straight.

While we wait for the other retractions that will inevitably never appear, Palin Derangement Syndrome marches on.

[Angelica]

Sarah Palin is and always has been all about raking in money and getting her name in the news. Nearly all the media oblige her wish - the constant, free publicity she got for her book helped propel it onto the best seller's list. Now that she has her job on Fox, and both she and her daughter are rubbing elbows with the Hollywood movers and shakers, she's right up there with the celebrity elite. This wasn't the beginning of the gifts or the spin, and unfortunately, it won't be the end. Classy? A classy person would have finished out her term as elected governor, wouldn't have written a gossipy tell-all, and would have taken a few minutes to bear the responsibility for her own shortcomings instead of spending a lot of time and energy blaming other people for her embraced status of victimhood.

[a.m.]

Why is there no notice of the retraction on the Silver Spoons website? Why is the only link to a pro-Palin website? And have you looked at the PDF? It looks kind of sloppy for top-of-the-line celebrity caterers...

[truth to power]

Pete,
You are what is wrong with this country, an angry wing nut and we the rational majority find you and your kind lost, misinformed and most of all UN-American.
Grow up or move to another country.!
Ahhh, I feel much better now...

[JanineC]

First of all, Gov. Palin didn't lie about anything. You are just trying to throw more gossip and lies her way because you have some irrational hatred towards her.

Second, Gov. Palin did not finish her term because of all the attacks and frivolous lawsuits that were interfering with the office of the Governor's ability to get any state business done. It was costing THE STATE too much time and money replying to all the frivolous requests and ridiculous lawsuits (which all have been proven to be bunk). So she felt that for the good of the State of Alaska, it was better that she resign and let her lieutenant take over so they can conduct business again without the stupid distractions. She didn't "quit" because it bothered her--she can take it. In fact, she has a very thick skin for the attacks on her personally (just don't attack her children because then she will fight back as any good mother would). At any rate, she resigned for the good of Alaska (not for herself), so that business could be conducted without all the stupid distractions from obnoxious irrational haters.

I guess it is probably too much to expect some people out there to realize that Gov. Palin really IS a decent person--it seems that irrational hatred is too overwhelming for some. I don't know if it is because she is conservative or something else, but unlike some folks around here, I don't hate people with whom I disagree politically. I may discuss issues and debate matters with them--but I would never throw personal ad hominem attacks simply because we don't agree. Too bad there are a lot of people who think personal attacks are acceptable.

[Harold]

Waiting for another bogus ethics charge...

[Oy]

Katarina... she was invited by the company to stop by for a photo op. Companies do these things when they year famous people are in the area. It's called marketing... get over it.

[Gwen]

The link to Conservatives4Palin gives a link to the entire comment from Silver Spoon. When "stories" are not confirmed before printing that is all it is...gossip. Unfortunately, too many readers suck up gossip like candy and actually believe this garbage.

[Rita]

Sarah Palin is a quitter and a sore loser....she's certainly not the smartest woman, nor is her family life something to be admired...if you keep her in the media spotlight, we'd be delighted to have Tina Fey respond with more enlightend commentary....Tina Fey for President!!!!

[Angelica]

Um, Janine, Sarah Palin did not quit to save Alaska any money. Ask the Alaskans just how much money her quitting cost them. True, there were frivolous lawsuits, but there were lawsuits that unearthed her dubious ethical behavior, for which she had to pay the state back thousands of dollars. True it cost the state to investigate each lawsuit, but she put those laws in place and she stonewalled (and is still stonewalling) the investigations - like claiming "executive privilege" over her husband's direct involvement in state matters. If she couldn't "get anything done" it was because she wasn't trying. Just what people need in a political leader, right? Someone who jumps ship when things get a little tough. Yes, she did quit. There is no other word for it.

But, the move made her a much richer person. As governor, she wasn't so free to travel to give speeches for money, she wasn't so free to write and promote (campaign for?) her book, and she would never have been placed in the unethical but highly lucrative position of becoming part of the what she herself calls the "lamestream media."

For the record, Janine, I don't hate the woman. Most people don't hate her. I don't like her, but it's because she's such a big hypocrite. She hides behind her desk at FOX or, worse, her daughter on Facebook, she blocks the press from her speeches, and refuses to do interviews. Yet she ridicules the current administration for not being more open. She goes apoplectic over the use of the word "retard" unless it's one of her own fans or colleagues using it, then it's satire, unless it really is a satire (Family Guy), then it's wrong.

She's very, very good at playing the victim - nothing is ever her fault; people who point out her inconsistencies are out to get her; and she counts on her rabid fans - like you, Janine - to promote the idea that people hate her. We don't hate her. We just like to call a spade a spade.

[KarenJ]

When I see a retraction BY THE VENDERS who made the initial complaints about Palin and her entourage, then I'll believe it.

Rebecca Mansour, the one-time (literally) former Hollywood scriptwriter-turned-ghostwriter for Palin's Facebook page and deposed former spokesperson Meghan Stapleton's successor, doubtless twisted a few arms in her zealous protection of her employer.

What I see here is backpedalling by the owners of the Silver Spoon on behalf of the vendors. This isn't the first time someone abused by Sarah Palin and complaining publically about it, later dropped out of sight or fell all over themselves saying something Palin did "never happened".

There was far too much detail in the original report for it to be a bogus claim, and there is very little detail in this revised version that DOESN'T debunk the earlier report.

[KarenJ]

"[Updated at 11:11 a.m.: Lemer has confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that she issued the statement.]"

Now I know why the PDF of the demand for retraction is linked directly to the conservatives4palin site.

Melissa Lemer is a Palin fan. Now it all makes sense. No doubt she's been a long time commenter at and member of conservatives4palin, and perhaps great friend and close associate of Rebecca Mansour.

After all that angst aimed toward "Ricky Hollywood" aka Levi Johnston, it certainly has been....lucky...that Sarah Palin has friends in Hollywood herself.

[KarenJ]

Palin DOESN'T have "great skin" -- the skin of her arms and upper chest are wind and tanning-bed damaged, the skin of her face is coarse unless it's carefully made up, and the skin of her hands looks like they were dipped in bleach at one time.

Also, I noted that Lemer, in attempting to debunk the earlier report, said, "the governor (another dead giveaway of Lemer's political leanings -- most people call her 'the former governor') thanked everyone, made an
additional generous personal donation PLEDGE to the Red Cross, and then departed."

We'll be checking up on that, Ms. Lemer. Palin has a long history of promising things she's never delivered on.

[Producer in the closet]

And today at the Publicists Guild Awards, George Clooney came on stage to present an award toting a bunch of bags saying that it was Sarah Palin's. Got a big laugh, of course.

Obama won; they have a majority in the House and the Senate, why in the world are those on the left side of the aisle, so obsessed with her?

[KarenJ]

'Producer in the closet' ASKED: "why in the world are those on the left side of the aisle, so obsessed with her?"

I'd be willing to bet that not one Democrat in either the US House or Senate wastes one minute "obsessing" about Sarah Palin -- but speaking for the rest of us, I think it's because she's quite possibly the most unprincipled hypocrite the political scene and/or the celebrity-wannabe scene has ever seen.

[AtheistConservative]

The best thing about the deranged Palin haters is that you can just let them keep talking - you know, posting eight or nine comments each about how awful Palin is, while simultaneously insisting they "don't hate her" - and watch their gradual descent into madness.

There is no diagnosing their psychosis, any more than there is plausible rationalization of their Obamaphilia. We can take stabs at it, bringing up the usual suspects of jealousy and that bizarre cat-like hatred insecure women have of any woman more successful than them.

We can point out that all of the horrid things said about Palin have never held any water: that of all the 'ethics violations' she was accused of, all that ever gained any traction was the horrid act of using a small amount of state funds (indeed, 'thousands', as in like $2000) to fly her kids with her, something nobody cares about when Pelosi or Obama or any other Democrat does it ... and unlike everyone else who does this stuff, she paid the money back; that she didn't make a fuss aobut the Family Guy episode, she was asked about it and made a comment and it was broadcast to the world like everything she says; that she has only ever spoken up to protect herself and her kids from the same hateful vitriol that these comment-hounds are posting, et cetera. We can point out that she was a normal person, successful in business and politics, who did great things for her state and country and was tapped for a bigger role, and who was immediately turned into a specter by a group of screaming shrews in love with an empty-suit rock star. We can point out that traditionally in politics it's quite normal for politicians to 'work the circuit' and find ways to hone and broadcast their message, that her current behavior is no different from a one-term Senator writing two autobiographies of himself; we can try to reason ad nauseum.

But these Palin-haters aren't rational people. Which is why we just have to remain focused on removing them from any positions of power or authority, as we are currently doing. There's a reason the left-wing media is collapsing: because this is a center-right country, and we don't want to hear your elitist preening irrational hatred.

2010 and 2012 will be huge days of reckoning for you hateful, small-minded people.