‘The City’: Olivia Palermo versus Blair Waldorf

I know, I know. It’s too easy to compare “The City” to “Gossip Girl.”

The beautiful people, the Uptown/Downtown divide, the snippy girls and the oversexed boys, the gossip. So after today, I’ll try to concentrate on Whitney Port’s Manhattan fairy tale as a semi-plausible reality show separate and apart from the soapy goodness that is “Gossip Girl.”

But for now, I’d be remiss not to stack up Whitney’s faux friend Olivia Palermo, not a socialite but a “social,“ against her “Gossip Girl” counterpart Blair Waldorf. Both are all imperial looks, frustrated pouts and perfectly coiffed locks. Name-dropping and social climbing is their game, and if you get in their way, those fake-lash, black- eyeliner-shaped peepers will bore a hole through you.

But who’d get the best of whom? Would fashion house heiress Blair out-scheme and out-text Olivia? Or would Olivia, daughter of a real estate mogul, out-advise Blair? Who better manages their profile and social graces? Let’s stack 'em up and find out:

The lackeys: Olivia’s cousin, Nevan, has got nothing on Blair’s maid, Doroda. Doroda plans parties, maintains Blair’s schedule and is her primary confidant. (And here you thought it was Serena.) Nevan spits on subway platforms, attends prissy dinner parties thrown by Olivia and indulges her bland stories about trying to keep Whitney away from the Downtown crowd. Point: Blair.

The agenda: Speaking of which, why is Olivia hellbent on adopting Whitney? Blair doesn’t adopt her enemies -- she vanquishes them. Look at what happened to Little J! So suspend disbelief for a sec and pretend that Olivia is not trying to glean as much camera time on “The City” as possible -- there is no other reason for her to impart her neighborhood tips and dating advice to Whitney. (When Whitney shares that non-boyfriend Jay is going to help move heavy boxes into her new apartment, Olivia nearly has a coronary explaining why that’s a bad idea. “You need to be independent!”) What’s more awkward is that Whitney can’t even feign interest, rolling her eyes behind Olivia’s back and doing the exact opposite of whatever she says. Olivia needs to focus on crushing Whitney, not supporting her. Point: Blair.

The day job: Blair is a high school senior with admittance to Yale. And she still lives with Mom. Olivia didn’t finish college, but is working for Diane Von Furstenberg. Whether or not that’s all for show -- as most of the jobs featured on “The Hills” have been -- it’s a high-profile gig she can keep on her resume (should she ever need one) forever. She’s also got a sweet Tribeca living space. Point: Olivia.

The profile: True, Whitney’s man, Jay, and former boss Kelly Cutrone did know Olivia when Whitney brought up her name in separate conversations. Olivia is, after all, kind of famous. But being known by Jay and Kelly Cutrone do not a social climber make. Olivia boasted to Whitney that Mr. Manolo Blahnik, shoemaker extraordinaire made even more famous by the ladies of “Sex and the City,” was a family friend. But was it just me or did he have absolutely no clue who she was when she arrived to get her new shoes signed. And that dinner party? Zero fabulousness. Blair, on the other hand, is Queen B within her own demographic but has shown little prowess or profile within adult circles. Point: Neither.

The entourage: Olivia has none to speak of -- so far. Whether she actually has friends that aren’t related to her is unclear. On a typical day, when she’s not chasing after Chuck, Blair has got at least four prim and posh flankers holding her cappuccino, her purse and making sure her style stands out from the rest of them. Point: Blair.

The boys: It may be too early to tell, but Olivia may as well be a snow queen. She doesn’t seem to have any potential prospects. She’s not warm, flirty, and I’m not sure she’s even interested in anything unrelated to being Velcroed to Whitney’s side. Blair’s better balanced. Nate was a bust, and Chuck is the delicious devil she can’t resist. Point: Blair.

Looks like Olivia’s playing catch-up. The good thing is she’s got a whole season ahead of her on “The City” to try to even out the score.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete coverage of “The City.”
Complete coverage of “The Hills.”

Left photo: Olivia Palermo. Credit: Getty Images.

Right photo: Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf. Credit: The CW.

Comments

[CC]

Seriously? This is a no-brainer. Blair Waldorf for the win. Even as a fictional character, she's less hated than Olivia Palermo was and still is. Olivia can try all she wants, but she'll always be known as the desperate aggressive status seeking buffoon who was elbowed by the Tinz.

[olivia fan]

I was never under the impression that Olivia wanted to be velcroed to Whitney's side. She's just giving her advice. Whitney is going to get crushed in NYC if she doesn't stop being so flighty.

[a.g.]

Olivia? is that you? reading the few blogs about you?

[nahh]

Being a real person: Point: Olivia

[Trixiebelle]

Olivia Palermo is such a snob. Beautiful, yes but only on the outside. What a shallow, empty headed, narcissist. No wonder the real New York Socialiates have nothing to do with her. She has absolutely no personality whatsoever. She's about as interesting as a bowl of oatmeal.

[maria]

well of course cutrone knows olivia, she hired a publicist at people's revolution

http://nymag.com/news/people/31555/index2.html

and they got her the city, I guess. good job

[DJ]

Olivia is a lying B***h that needs a reality check. If I were Whit, I would do exactly the opposite of what she says too. WHo wants to be like Olivia? I guess being a spoiled brat means that moral and ethical values don't matter. Loved Kelly's reaction to Olivia's name-- priceless.

[Mary]

NO ONE LIKES OLIVIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is mean and back-stabbing!

[N]

Um, yeah i'm going one point to Olivia for her being a real person... you can't put her up against a fictional character, leighton meester is paid to act like girls like Olivia. I love Olivia, she is just trying to get Whitney to be strong & independent NY woman, not some silly boy obsessed girl from LA.... plus you have to have the token "bitch" in shows otherwise whats the point in watching? Thats what makes GG so sucessful.

[gigi]

its not that she is a bitch, she sees herself as a nice person, its that she is a narcissist. She has issues whit shame and rejection so she tries to shame people (the ungenuin quality about her) and pendle between distance and clingyness, like trying to make whitney jelous by mentioning the dinner party but not inviting her and then wait for a reaction and then when that didnt work (because whitney is strong, confident and relaxed), she just switched to asking her to "please" come.
Its just waiting for a reaction basically and because she doesnt get one from whitney Olivia looks forced and tense, shame which she cant cope, so she talks down to whitney as in "obviously" "she is sweet, naiv, silly even and not whit it".
If you look closly you will se it in her eyes, this is no doubt what whitney means by "you can see the daggers in her eyeys" and why jay and erin are uncomfortable around her. People like whitney are happy and strong and havent seen narcississism or experienced other peoples complete misconception of things in the precence of it. Notice how Olivia took credit of whitneys work knowing the hole thing was going to be filmed, now i know she believed herself to really have co-contributed to the winning look but it was never really about stealing whitneys work, it was about making whitney look bad. Now whitney looks jelous and catty and more importantly Olivia doesnt. Shame.
She mentions that she actually did tell her bosses it was a mutual project but that, that wasnt aired. Right after whitney confronted her she immadietly ran to the elle guy.
This is not about bitchyness, its about shame and its not as much of a conscious behaviour but it is dangerous. The first one she was just trying to make whitney look petty and the second one she had to run and in her mind "get back at whitney and keep the feelings of shame in check" bec she cant cope whit shame.
To these peolple shame is a game like chess.