Morning Briefing:
Was Keller fooled too? If the New York Daily News is to be believed, Judy Miller wasn't the only one at the New York Times who was suckered by the WMD story. "Word is that, well after many laughed off Miller's WMD tales, Times executive editor Bill Keller had a series of private meetings with Paul Wolfowitz, who assured him that Saddam was hiding something," the paper writes. "'Keller got snowed by Wolfowitz,' says a source. 'That's [Keller] who gave Miller the green light' to keep writing her piece." Even Keller had his limits, though. About this time last year, after the story was well and truly played out, Keller apparently received a series of late-night calls at home from Miller, claiming she had another Iraqi exile who could corroborate the whole thing. According to the Daily News source, Keller finally told her point-blank: "Judy, let it go!" (N.Y. Daily News)
Mom's always the last to know: Kathy Hilton is either very insulated or very funny -- in a recent interview with Britain's New! magazine, she claimed total ignorance of her daughter's new but by now well-documented fling with Stavros Niarchos. "What relationship? Are you sure? I don't know about that," Mrs. Hilton said. "That is news to me. I met him a few years ago, but he hasn't been at our house. Oh God! Are there pictures of them together? Are you kidding? Are they walking on the beach?" Paris Hilton, meanwhile, was delivered a subpoena last week, though sadly, it's for a case she's barely involved with. Darnell Riley, whom Paris briefly went out with in 2003, is being held for allegedly trying to kidnap "Girls Gone Wild" creator Joe Francis. Her spokesperson said, "I don't see what contribution, if any, she's going to be able to make in that case." (Ananova, People)
Making funny with the weather: In a desperate attempt to make weather matter to the coveted 18- to 34-year-old demographic, the Weather Channel is bringing in "Daily Show" regular Lewis Black to do a few segments, starting tonight. Best tidbit of info from the AP story: The channel "quietly put out the word recently, asking celebrities to drop by if they're near the company's Atlanta headquarters. Black, a closet weather fan, was quick to reply." (Associated Press via Washington Post)
Also:
Aww, Chris Klein is such a nice guy. He doesn't harbor any ill will toward Katie Holmes for their breakup and her subsequent media-blitz betrothal to Tom Cruise. "Her being with Tom has nothing to do with her and I discontinuing our relationship," Klein tells Access Hollywood. "People move forward, people move on, it's what we do I hope that she's making decisions that are making her happy and that she doesn't have people in her life leading her astray" ... Kate Moss Watch update: First she leaves rehab, then she starts working again, and now she's leaving London -- seemingly for good Will it be Matthew McConaughey? Sources tell Page Six that the naked bongo-playin' actor is soon to be named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine Actor Page Kennedy, a recent, mysterious addition to the cast of "Desperate Housewives" (he's appeared only briefly and was promptly locked in a Wisteria Lane basement) has been fired from the show after a "thorough investigation by the studio." Though there are no official details, Page Six hears it might be because Kennedy had a penchant for flashing people on the set ... "Do not go gentle into that good night": It's the 52nd anniversary of the day Dylan Thomas died, and what better way to celebrate than with a creepy, 3-D version of the author reading his work? ... Another pair of Arnold protesters who are getting as much media attention as Warren Beatty and Annette Bening: the two Breasts Not Bombs members arrested for taking off their shirts as part of an anti-Governator demonstration on the steps of the state Capitol on Monday. Under California law, the women could be added to the list of known sex offenders if they are charged and convicted of committing "lewd acts."
Money Quote:
Quincy Jones on how rappers need to learn about their musical roots in jazz and blues: "You cannot afford to not know this music. Americans, period, do not know anything about that music, especially black kids, not a clue. I bet most rappers you ask wouldn't know who Duke Ellington or Charlie Parker is." (ContactMusic)
Turn On:
Comics of the world -- Eric Idle, Larry David, Lily Tomlin and Martin Short -- unite to celebrate the work of Steve Martin with "The Kennedy Center Presents: The 2005 Mark Twain Prize" (PBS, check local listings); "Lost" (ABC, 9 p.m. EDT) returns with a new episode after a two-week break; and somehow Pamela Anderson is back with the second season premiere of "Stacked" (Fox, 8:30 p.m. EDT).
-- Scott Lamb
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