Saturday, June 20, 2026

Elaine’s Birthday; Gawker Stumbles; Scientology Responds;

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Tonight in New York: I can’t be there, but I think everyone will be. This would have been Elaine Kaufman’s 82nd birthday, so many dozens of her friends will gather at the legendary bistro to raise a glass to our late, very great pal. Kaufman, who died on December 3rd, will never ever be forgotten. It’s already a tribute to Elaine that the restaurant’s business is booming. Happy Birthday, Elaine… 

…What happened to Gawker? Unless I read it on my Blackberry or Ipad, it’s impossible to figure out what the heck is going on. Nick Denton has redesigned all his sites, including my favorite, Gizmodo, but the results are very weird. Nick, switch back or give us a way to choose “classic” Gawker. This has all the earmarks of the Tropicana or Coca Cola logo switch…

…Scientology is panicking in light of The New Yorker article that just reams them. The sect is running long commercials on local Los Angeles television proclaiming their love of all people, and their loathing of war, etc. Jeez.

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009, where he covered Michael Jackson, and previously wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine in the mid-1990s, where he covered the O.J. Simpson trial. He also edited Fame magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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