Ralph Lauren is in trouble with the Internets. Some bloggers seem to think the designer’s opening ceremony clothes for the US Olympians were offensive, heralding his iconic Polo horse more than the iconic Olympic rings. We say big deal. How this is any different than every other day in America in which corporations are triumphant over amateur dreamers? But Jeff Koopersmith at the American Politics Journal is outraged:
Ralph Lauren, the founder and CEO of Polo Ralph Lauren Corp., was paid $34.2 million in total compensation last year, the fourth consecutive year he was the highest paid in his category. [WWD]
• Kelly Clarkson's record company woes can all be explained by this confrontation with Clive Davis, in which Clarkson screamed, "You're 80. You're not supposed to like my album." Somebody get this girl a muzzle!
• After spending millions on the exclusive rights to Eva Longoria's wedding snoretacular, OK! mag pays $400,000 for steamy sex photos of Nick and Vanny…that they have no intention of ever running. Related: OK! magazine officially has the dumbest accountant ever.
• Britney Spears is slowly, methodically cutting "anyone who can even remotely tolerate her" out her life.
• Not long after he was overheard ordering a "the fruitiest" beer in the joint, Kevin Spacey was spotted "dirty dancing" with himself. Yep, that one's as straight as they come.
Talk about disgusting! The Ralph Lauren studio at 650 Madison is, reportedly, infested with bed bugs. And while we have heard recent reports about bed bug epidemics taking over tenements and housing projects in New York, the swanky glam fashion studios are the last place we would expect to see an outbreak of the critters.
One affected employee told us, "I have bites all over me. This has gone on for over a month now." Ralph Lauren executives at first refused to exterminate "on grounds of bites alone," the insider says. "They wanted to see the bugs first. But bedbugs are notoriously invisible. So we have been here suffering forever. It is scandalous."
It's more than scandalous. It's totally gross. Ralph Lauren company reps claim that exterminators came twice, and employees were given the opportunity to relocate to another floor … where they could easily spread the critters around to everyone else. We just wanted you to know that if you planned on spending your lunch break shopping, you may want to opt for Kenneth Cole instead.
WHAT'S EATING RALPH LAUREN? [Page Six]
