Morning Briefing:
The Lohan/Hilton war of '06: It's so over the top that it feels almost orchestrated, but Paris Hilton's little tiff with Lindsay Lohan, which has been brewing for about the past week, exploded into something far grander and much weirder Wednesday with a video of Hilton and slimy pal/oil heir Brandon Davis outside of a Los Angeles club. With paparazzi swarming and Paris egging him on, Davis goes on a lengthy, disgusting monologue about Lohan's looks and genitalia, repeatedly insisting that the drapes don't match the carpet. Those with a strong stomach can see the video of Davis' tirade here. Here's the tabloid-approved version of what's behind the nastiness: Lohan has been seen spending a lot of time -- either partying or making out -- with Hilton ex Stavros Niarchos. (Defamer, TMZ, Page Six)
Time's solid, boring pick: Time named its new managing editor Wednesday, and it was kind of a letdown for media wags when Richard Stengel -- who has worked for Time for most of his career -- was named for the position, instead of the likes of Tina Brown or Adam Moss. Stengel is only a disappointment because he seems competent, experienced and gossip-proof: When Lowdown tried to bait him about once dating Bianca Jagger, Stengel just said, "Um, she's a wonderful person," and then felt compelled to mention that he's now married with two kids. (Gawker, Lowdown)
Also:
It's the end of a good run of luck for David Spade: His tenuous fling with Heather Locklear has come to an end, and a source tells In Touch Weekly he "isn't happy" it's over. (In Touch via the Scoop) ... As an apparent peace offering, Tom Cruise sent Brooke Shields a huge bouquet to congratulate her on the birth of her second daughter, Grier. "Tom is ready to bury the hatchet," a source tells Star. "Katie and Brooke gave birth on the same day, and that bond really touched Tom." (Star) ... While she was just a "Today" host, biographers steered clear of Katie Couric for fear that a negative book would get them banned from the career-making show, but now that she's moving on, writers like Hillary Clinton smear artist Ed Klein have reportedly started to sniff around. (Rush & Molloy) ... Proving that a high-profile divorce can be good for business, Nick Lachey's new album, "What's Left of Me," took the No. 2 spot on the Billboard chart this week, trailing the Red Hot Chili Peppers' new "Stadium Arcadium." (Billboard) ... Steven Spielberg's "Munich" may not have been box office gold, but it's doing great as a DVD, jumping to the top of the sales and rental rankings in its first week out. (Hollywood Reporter)
Money Quote:
Sir Ian McKellen, who appears in "The Da Vinci Code," on the relative nature of truth vs. fiction in storytelling: "I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer at the front saying 'This is fiction.' I mean walking on water? I mean, it takes an act of faith." ("Today" via Us Online)
Turn On:
It's the end of the road for two shows on Thursday night: "That '70s Show" (Fox, 8 p.m. EDT) and "Will & Grace" (NBC, 9 p.m. EDT) both have their series finales. Also, "The O.C." (Fox, 9 p.m. EDT), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS, 9 p.m. EDT) and "ER" (NBC, 10 p.m. EDT) all have their season enders.
-- Scott Lamb
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