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February 10, 2012
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David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
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Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
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Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
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Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
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Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
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January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
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Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
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John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
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January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
March 2, 2006
/ 2 Adar, 5766
She's ready for her close-up: Whirling through town to dress an Oscar nominee for the big night.
By
Joel Stein
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
I WAS SHOCKED. I was stunned. I was a master of synonyms.
What had been a very pleasant Oscar nominee luncheon — offering my suit jacket to shivering tablemates Charlize Theron and her mother, watching Fox studio co-Chairman and co-Chief Executive Jim Gianopulos stand the entire meal to schmooze with any actor in lunging distance, devouring Kyoto beef roll with cucumber and jicama — was destroyed in one moment.
The woman seated to my left, Anna Behlmer, a nominee for sound mixing for "War of the Worlds," told me that she was going to wear her own dress to the awards. It was as if she were packing a lunchbox to work on a studio movie set.
Even though this was Behlmer's eighth nomination, none of her fellow nominees (all men) had informed her that clothing designers would loan her an outfit for free. Apparently, sound mixing is a field heavily dominated by men, unlike best actressing.
So on Sunday, I took Behlmer to Escada at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where we were met by a small army of salespeople and publicists, including Marina Morrison from Film Fashion, a company whose entire business is hooking actresses up with free outfits. How, you may wonder, do they make money loaning free stuff? Volume.
An important part of Morrison's job is to keep track of every dress so that no two people are wearing it to an event. Apparently, that would be very bad.
Avoiding such misfortune is becoming a big challenge as the universe of freeloaders expands. Journalists on E! and "Access Hollywood" are in on the deal. Just being married to a nominee or presenter works too: Steve Carell's wife is getting a dress in case the camera focuses on her during his speech. And Jada Pinkett Smith, who will walk the carpet with husband/presenter Will Smith, was getting the hookup. I'm pretty sure I could get a shirt and tie for watching at home.
The Escada army had pre-selected eight gowns for Behlmer to try on, several selling for more than $8,000. Although the green dress was thought to be "a more fresh color," it was determined that the black dress "had the right silhouette." Hanging quietly bored in the corner, I thought that I shouldn't pick column topics that are "so damn gay." Behlmer settled on a black silk one-shoulder column gown with Swarovski detailing. I have no idea if any of those words are correct. I do know the price tag said $2,650. She also got a $1,195 black Swarovski crystal evening clutch and $450 black satin strappy sandals with Swarovski detailing.
Because the dress would be returned, a tailor used large, loose, wide stitches and didn't press it too much. And Escada dry-cleans the loaned dresses afterward, because the store has yet to get a piece of clothing back that's been sent to a cleaner by an actress. And these are people who, it seems, wear something called "body makeup" that I'd like to learn more about.
Although Behlmer was having a good time at Escada, she had more Oscar power to exploit. We headed to jeweler Erica Courtney, who opened her store just for us. Courtney, I learned, loans her pieces out to just about anyone. At Saturday's Costume Designers Guild Awards, most of the winners were adorned with Erica's stuff. She even did Jennie Garth's wedding.
The vast majority of actresses don't grab free jewelry until later this week, so Behlmer got a wide selection of Courtney's stuff. Because bare necks are in, Behlmer settled on $20,000 platinum-and-diamond earrings. And because she couldn't decide between a $45,000 double-snake diamond bracelet and a $34,000 diamond slave bracelet with a ring connected to a hand-wrist covering that looked as if it might have superpowers, Courtney, of course, told her to take both of them home and decide later. The government doesn't hand out contracts to Halliburton this freely.
Finally, we headed to a sunglasses store called Solstice. Sunglasses, even the $280 Marc Jacobs pair that Behlmer picked out, are so inexpensive in the world of celebrity swag that Solstice doesn't even bother loaning them. The shop just gave them to her.
All of this took less than three hours, probably because we cut out the part where you have to pay. And, by the end, Behlmer was undoubtedly the hottest sound mixer in history.
When I told her she was going to be shot by all the photographers at the parties after the awards, she told me that she hadn't been invited to any besides the Governors Ball that the Academy throws. "We don't get into those parties unless we're holding a statue," she explained.
Capitalism, it seems, is always one step ahead of social stratification. Still, I'm guessing Vanity Fair lets her in once they see the outfit.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Joel Stein is a Los Angeles Times columnist. Comment by clicking here.
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