As if the Daily News features of Jared Paul Stern, and Lloyd Grove throwing in his two sense in weren't enough, the gossip on gossip action was taken to the next level this weekend as Campbell Robertson thoroughly recounted the "scandal."
Though Stern's official statement reads
"Mr. Stern said it was a set-up and questioned both Burkle's motives and the Daily News' role in the proceedings. He looks forward to getting to the bottom of the matter.
'Mr. Stern has been the victim of a smear campaign, and expects to be fully exonerated and re-instated in his position,' said his lawyer Joseph Tacopina,"
dust has not yet settled on the rumors, allegations, and of course, gossip, that continued to swirl like Tenesee tornadoes all weekend.
On Saturday, in a New York Times cover story, Roberts revealed that Ron Burkle is not the only one involved in "finessing" his coverage in the column. Harvey Weinstein, Ron Perlman, and Joe Francis are all "friends of Page Six."
And because no eight-part story is complete without thorough background info on the players, the Times introduces us to the Page Sixers, and sheds light the dark, gritty details of a gossip columnist's life.
Of course, the most shocked of all is Alec Baldwin, who just can't believe (he's shocked!) Stern sunk so low — good thing we have Cheryl Tiegs to sum it all up in one word: "creepy." A full calendar of the stories runs along today's Times installment — New York's roses, the News and the Post, are dished about in the same fashion as the subjects' most poured over pages.
But you know what's really creepy? With so much drama in the NYT this weekend, we didn't even need to pick up Page Six for our weekend gossip fix.
Behind Gossip, There's Often a Relationship [Campbell Robertson, New York Times]
Post to Daily News: Drop Dead (& Back Atcha) [Richard Siklos, New York Times]
Earlier: Page Six's Jared Paul Stern stung by Daily News
• TV anchors don't really want to cover Mardi Gras in New Orleans. [TVNewser]
• Russel Crowe and Nicole Kidman are hooking up again — chill guys, it's just for a movie. [People]
• After leaving her shoeless and alone on Valentine's Day, Ron Perlman throws some cash at Ellen Barkin, hoping he won't look like such an ass. [NYDN]
• Vice found Osama Bin Laden and nobody even noticed. Damn fake Anthrax. [Fishbowl, NY]
• Lee Tamahori, the cross-dressing hooker/director, pleads no contest to prostitution charges. His punishment? He has to go and learn about how prostitutes and trannies get AIDS. [TMZ]
