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 ... mingled with the Hollywood film crowd last night as Warren Beatty got a lifetime achievement award at AFI. Here's a (somewhat tart) note from Susan, one of our readers, who was at the event:
Maybe we have [his] nephew to thank for Clinton showing up at the AFI Life Achievement Award for Warren Beatty tonight -- those of us in the audience were surprised to see him. A frail but very sharp McGovern was there, so were Jerry Brown and a few others.
Besides of course, Jack and Dyan who raced over from the Lakers' loss. Faye Dunaway and Elaine May looked like they had the same doctor for cheek implants; makes you appreciate Diane Keaton's natural approach to aging gracefully.
More coverage -- actually about Warren -- from Anne Thompsons excellent "On Hollywood" blog, People, The Gossip Girls (where Hugh Hefner and his posse of blonds take center stage), USA Today, the ever-cranky Fox News (Hollywood Left-fest!) and of course, AP.
--Veronique de Turenne
Photo: Getty Images
GOP senators say no to the $7-billion plan to improve healthcare in state prisons. Just one problem -- the feds might take that $7 billion from the state anyway. More on this latest impasse from Michael Rothfeld.
The biggest drop in home prices in 20 years, with L.A. County and the O.C. really taking it on the chin. Peter Y. Hong has the latest numbers.
There's a bounty on teen popster Miley Cyrus' first kiss. Rachel Abramowitz explains.
Done deal: The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the studios agree on a new three-year contract. AP via LAT.
The Lakers win! The best-of-seven series is now 3-1 and moves to Staples Center on Thursday night. Mike Bresnahan's game story, plus lots of pix and links to more Lakers stories here.
They like him, they really like him. David Beckham's critics sing a different tune.
A new James Bond novel is out and ... wait, isn't Ian Fleming dead? Yeah, and his impersonators don't exactly bring the Bond legacy back to life. Read along with Tim Rutten.
 Earle H. Hagen, the Emmy Award-winning TV composer who wrote -- and whistled -- the theme song for “The Andy Griffith Show” has died. Dennis McLellan writes about his life.
Remember the Olympic skater who was slipped a date-rape drug during dinner? An arrest in the case has been made, Kim Christensen reports.
A teensy bit of good news amid the housing debacle -- lower property tax bills for some of us. Garrett Therolf explains.
-- Veronique de Turenne
Photos: Associated Press, BMI
Peregrine falcons in California cities have more flame retardants in their bodies than any living organism anywhere on the planet. The chemicals come from the pigeons the falcons eat, more proof of how these chemicals, which damage developing nervous systems, are working their way up the food chain. Marla Cone explains.
The city's struggling to balance the budget and one plan on the table
is to give -- yes, that means free -- a three-acre site in North
Hollywood worth almost $15 million to a developer. David Zahniser
and Steve Hymon follow the trail of red ink that led to the proposal.
Five more claims of sexual abuse by Santa Monica teacher Thomas Arthur Beltran have surfaced. One goes back to 2004, and others could reach back to 1998. And how do school officials explain all the years that Beltran remained in the classroom? Communication breakdown. Tami Abdollah has more details on the growing scandal.
Neighbors listened to 70-year-old Katan Khaimov beg for help for an hour after he was stabbed in his West Hollywood neighborhood, and no one called the police. He died in the street. Scott Gold visits Poinsettia Park and looks for answers.
At last -- some good mortgage news. The House passed a rescue bill to make $300 billion in new loans available, enough to keep about half a million homeowners out of foreclosure. (The only California Republican to vote for the bill? Rep. Gary G. Miller of Diamond Bar.) The details -- and the bill's chance of becoming law -- from Maura Reynolds.
A look at all the Kobe Bryant worship out there from Bill Dwyre.
Forget Riverdance. L.A. native Victor Quijada comes home from Canada with his ballet-based, hip-hop infused fusion troupe, Rubberdance. Victoria Looseleaf is betting you'll like it.
You're a very vocal bunch of readers, not always polite, but invariably impassioned. A sampling of the reaction to the Montrose flag controversy here. And if you're new to it, here's the story and the video.
-- Veronique de Turenne
Photos: Los Angeles Times
 It's been more than a week since the NY Post got worldwide attention with a tale of a sale of a Marilyn Monroe sex tape. A day later, Defamer offered the first debunking, which our own blog, Web Scout, had a bit of fun with. (Web Scout had to close comments on its post, and so did we.)
Then came The Smoking Gun and Radar, and the Philly Daily News, offering a recap of the purported sex tape scam. (The New York Daily News, the Post's arch-rival, seems never to have touched the story.) ... New York collectibles dealer Keya Morgan came forward earlier this week with a wild story involving a 15-minute "French-type" silent reel, the FBI, Marilyn Monroe, a secret $1.5 million sale and the thwarted vengeance of J. Edgar Hoover.
The story as told by Morgan: The film, of a pre-fame Monroe performing oral sex on an unidentified man, was in the possession of the son of a former FBI informant who had worked under Hoover during the Kennedy administration. Hoover obtained the film in the '60s, hoping that the unidentified man in the film was JFK and that it could be used against him.
The Marilyn tape may be imaginary, so far there's no way to know, but the men laying claim to the Monroe legacy are very real. Mud slinging, name calling, threats and counter-threats -- reading the comments on Defamer is quite the education. The one media outlet staying mum so far? The NY Post, who got the whole thing started. Hmmm...
-- Veronique de Turenne
Photo: Milton H. Greene
 An Austrian PR firm sure hopes you think so, spinning the briefest of mentions of the fourth "Terminator" film on NBC's puff-fest, "Extra," into a full-blown rumor. A reporter, interviewing Arnold Schwarzenegger, asked whether the governor will have a part in director McG's "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins":
Schwarzenegger: No.
Reporter: Not true?
Schwarzenegger: No, I have never had a dialogue about it.
Reporter: Would you do it?
Schwarzenegger: If they shoot the movie in California, yes.
Somehow, here's what the PR firm heard: He says, "I've never had a dialogue with anyone about it. But if they shoot the movie in California, I would (be a part of it), yes."
Filming starts next month -- in New Mexico.
-- Veronique de Turenne
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
Rosscoes House of Chicken and Waffles in Chicago agrees to change its name after Roscoes House of Chicken and Waffles in L.A. (is it too soon be be getting hungry?) complains. Via a lawsuit. Daily Dish, Chicago Trib.
Former Times staffer Cecilia Rasmussen talks to Adrienne Crew at Native Intelligence.
Our own Peter Spiegel fires back at critics of the LAT. Romenesko
Oprah's fans not thrilled by her foray into politics. Top of the Ticket
L.A.'s jazz community says goodbye to Ozzie Cadena. LAist
Tupperware parties go green. (But there's still burping, right?) Daily News
What does the Daily Mirror in London think is news in L.A.? The fact that David Beckham (they call him Goldenballs) got nabbed for speeding. Story here.
A drunk driving checkpoint on Saturday somewhere in Pomona. (Why do they announce these -- isn't the surprise element part of the point?) SGV Trib
Where's Mirthala getting married? Curbed LA
-- Veronique de Turenne
 Mirthala Salinas, who no doubt thinks of herself as a journalist, gets ID'd as Antonio Villaraigosa's former mistress on the cover of the May issue of LA Magazine. It's her first interview since her affair with Villaraigosa, revealed last year by the Daily News, led to a swift and steep downfall.
Salinas talks to Shawn Hubler about love, marriage, infidelity, Telemundo, and what it was like ("horrible") to make news instead of break it. She's got a new gig now, as co-host of the morning talk show, "Hoy por Hoy", which airs Monday through Friday on W Radio, XETRA 690 AM.
The story (which says Salinas in engaged to marry a former boyfriend) will go live online at LA Mag's site tomorrow.
More from from our own David Zahniser here.
--Veronique de Turenne
Photo: Los Angeles Magazine
Weekend fun from Defamer.
Two world views: LA Mag's 64 things vs. 64 things from Metblogs.
East vs. West sides from The Militant Angeleno.
Whale watching with fingers crossed. LAT
Paintball in Huntington Beach. OC Reg
The West Coast's biggest hotel is proposed for San Diego. Union Tribune
Chamber of woes in Gardena and Lynwood. Wave Newspapers & Daily Breeze
Jesus Sanchez & Veronique de Turenne
 It's the indie film Spirit Awards, coming to you from Santa Monica. A walk down the blue carpet, little statues, big speeches, and Angelina Jolie looking pregnant.
All you ever wanted to know at The Envelope.
More about Angie fashion at Dish Rag.
Awards go green at Wired.
Live-blogging at Cinematical.
Bad movies make you cranky? The Razzies, just for you.
--Veronique de Turenne
Photo - Getty Images
 It's been a while since we've talked about what's happening with Britney. Not so in the rest of the world.
The Gulf Daily News — that's the Gulf of Bahrain — assures us that K-Fed wants Britney in her son's lives. (Big of him.)
Ireland Online updates her child custody situation. (Not good.)
The Canda.com network ups the ante with the opinion Brit's estranged not just from her sons but from reality as well. (Snark, snark.)
The South Asia Women's Forum opines that only Britney's father, Jamie, can really help her.
And that classy U.K. publication, the Sun, manages to turn a custody update into a panty raid.
-- Veronique de Turenne
Photo credit: Film Magic
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Veronique de Turenne
Veronique de Turenne is a journalist, essayist, book critic and blogger, and has been a staff writer at virtually every newspaper in Southern California. One of the highlights of her career was interviewing Vin Scully in his broadcast booth at Dodger Stadium, then receiving a handwritten thank you note from him a week later. She lives in Malibu.
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... mingled with the Hollywood film crowd last night as Warren Beatty got a lifetime achievement award at AFI. Here's a (somewhat tart) note from Susan, one of our readers, who was at the event:
