Russell Simmons

"It's not like libraries are over-funded!" said Soledad O'Brien, master of ceremonies for the 12th annual fundraising gala for the Brooklyn Public Library on Thursday. "It's not like, ‘Trim the fat off those libraries!' Those are cuts that are going to be very much felt."

Ms. O'Brien was drinking a glass of water in the children's section of the central branch in Grand Army Plaza in advance of her hosting duties. We were discussing Governor David Paterson's proposed $20 million cut -- 20 percent of the overall budget -- to state library funding as reported by the Library Journal earlier in the day.  read more »

City Comptroller Bill Thompson and hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons are organizing an event for real estate mogul-turned-author Donahue Peebles next week.  read more »

The Hills' Whitney Port may have already started her new job working as in-house PR for Diane von Furstenberg. [NY Daily News]

Gotham magazine editor and socialite Cristina Greeven Cuomo is reportedly next in line to make an appearance on Gossip Girl. [P6]  

Jonathan Leitersdorf--real-estate investor and former owner of Noho's Sky Studios, an 11,000 square foot event space where the Seinfelds got married and several episodes of Sex and the City were shot--owns a 178-foot yacht that was just attacked by pirates off the coast of Corsica. The men were carrying "rifles and guns" and made off with $200,000 in cash, jewelry, and art work.  read more »

Transom correspondent Spencer Morgan is in Denver this week, talking his way into all sorts of political-slash-celebrity bashes. At the Creative Coalition event on Monday evening, he cornered Josh Lucas, Alan Cumming and the West Wing's Richard Schiff.

Meanwhile, in the Hamptons, George Gurley sunned his buns and found Russell Simmons, Stephanie Wei and Liam McMullan hanging out at an American Red Cross party at the estate where Mariah Carey got married a couple months ago. The songbird was nowhere in sight, but Ms. Wei and Mr. McMullan were more than happy to share their thoughts on the summer. "The Hamptons are like Disney World!" sniffed Ms. Wei.

Also: Meredith Bryan chats with model-socialite Elettra Wiedemann (daughter of Isabella Rossellini) about her new T-shirt line, whose proceeds go to help hospitals in Burundi, and Jonathan Liu thinks he may have found the real Gossip Girl—and she's wearing teal velour.

Last night, socialite, sometime Gossip Girl, and new face of Myla Lingerie Lydia Hearst hosted a cocktail party and fashion show to celebrate Freshpair.com's 6th Annual National Underwear day. (Every other day of the year is apparently not underwear day!) 

Also in attendance at Espace were Russell Simmons and designers Izzy Gold and Richie Rich, as well as a bevy of reality television habitues: Elle contributing editor and America's Next Top Model judge Nole Marin, Ben DiChiara of Bravo's Make Me A Supermodel, and Real Housewives of New York City stars and co-dependent couple Alex McCord and Simon van Kempens.  read more »

Time is dwindling for Obamamaniacs who hang their allegiance on their walls. Russell Simmons’ Art for Life auction ends tomorrow (July 24) at 2 p.m., and with it, the opportunity to pay over $100,000 for one of three original and unique, soon-to-be iconic Obama ‘HOPE’ stencilings. These approximately 4 feet by 6 inch pieces were produced by Shepard Fairey on mixed media (or what appears to be newspaper and wallpaper) and can now be admired in reproduced poster form in college dorm rooms across the country. That is, if your friend was one of the liberal junkies keen enough to pounce on them when they were released on Jan.  read more »

At last the Jolie-Pitt twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, entered the world on Saturday night via a Ceserian section at the Lenval hospital in the South of France. Giving a press conference shortly after the birth, Dr. Michel Sussman told reporters:
"It was an epidural, so [Angelina] was awake and speaking and laughing. They were happy. [Brad] was my assistant! He was perfectly calm, totally determined, very pleased to be at the birth of his children, very moved and very emotional." [Us Weekly]

An official photo of the precious twins is estimated to fetch between $15 and $20 million. [NY Daily News]

Meanwhile, Brad Pitt is reportedly going right back to work, meeting with Quentin Tarantino in France today about starring in Inglorious Bastards, a World War II movie inspired by spaghetti westerns. [P6]  read more »

Brasserie Cognac's owner Vittorio Assaf is having to introduce a children's menu because neighborhood couples like Brooke Shields and husband Chris Henchy; Jeff Gordon and wife, Belgian model Ingrid; and designer Eric Villency and wife Kimberly Guilfoyle keep bringing in their toddlers. [P6]

Michelle Williams is reportedly making a film about Heath Ledger for daughter Matilda starring his friends and co-workers, who will share anecdotes of the late actor. [NY Daily News]

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's model wife, Carla Bruni, reportedly said she'd like to be pregnant. [The Cut]

When Russell Simmons breaks up with you and makes you move out of his home, he'll help you find an apartment and take you furniture shopping first.  read more »

A suitcase filled with $15,000 worth of Russell Simmons jewelry was reportedly stolen when one of Mr. Simmons' employees left it in the hallway of a Bleecker Street building for about 30 minutes. [P6]

Heidi Klum says that Project Runway will get a facelift on Lifetime that will include more catch phrases and a "Hollywood flair." [Forbes via The Cut]

Jennifer Lopez stopped by Obama's offices to talk about "matters close to her heart." [People  read more »

Last night we found Russell Simmons hiding out in one of the VIP booths at Chinatown Brasserie at the after-party for the Tribeca Film Festival's Pray The Devil Back To Hell. Mr. Simmons, wearing one of his signature V-neck sweater vests and a Yankees cap, was thinking about politics.

It’s finally nice out, any plans for the summer?  read more »

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As he said this week on NY1, Russell Simmons told me today that he is angry that Eliot Spitzer has failed to reform the Rockefeller Drug Law sentencing guidelines—one of his campaign pledges.

“Not only will I campaign against him," Simmons said over the phone. "I’m going to campaign for a change in those laws and he is going to have to stand up and explain why he promised the state of New York that he is going to make this change and when he got in office, he pushed it to the side.”

“We know Eliot Spitzer has to be our target," he added.

When I asked Simmons about his plans for 2010, the hip-hop mogul said, "Is he going to run again? He ought to step down.”

More after the jump.  read more »

Russell Simmons went on NY1 News last night to announce his support of Barack Obama for president, and took the opportunity to attack Eliot Spitzer for not doing more on Simmons’ pet issue: reforming prison sentences for drug offenders.

Today in Genesseo, Spitzer responded to a reporter’s question about the criticism.

Spitzer said, “We are trying to come up with something that will be reasoned and that will maintain safety. People should not forget we have seen a dramatic decline in crime over the years in New York State. And that is because, I can say this as a Prosecutor, we prosecute crimes and we are tough. We lock up those who are guilty. So we have to be very measured and reasoned in what we do and we will be.”

More of the transcript after the jump.   read more »

If Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee, it’s a pretty safe assumption that he’s going to have overwhelming support from the hip-hop community.

Vibe magazine crystallized his status as an icon in the rap community, remixing his first name into the hipper “B-Rock,” and shortly before the crucial primary and caucus in Ohio on March 4, Jay-Z recorded a robo-call saying that “it’s time for Barack Obama.” The Chicago-based rapper Common told CNN that there’s simply “a love for Obama” among fans and practitioners of the genre.

The question is, will Barack Obama return the embrace if and when he becomes the nominee?  read more »

So Russell Simmons has put out a statement explaining his endorsement of Barack Obama for president.

It's not necessarily a natural choice for Simmons, given how involved he has become in New York State politics. He previously endorsed Andrew Cuomo for office and made numerous trips to Albany during George Pataki's governorship to reform the Rockefeller drug sentencing laws.

In his endorsement, Simmons writes, "I have great respect for the accomplishments of Senator Clinton and I have personally worked with Senator Clinton successfully on issues concerning education, prison reform and poverty."

But in the end, Simmons, who brought rap music from the predominantly black audience into middle class consciousness with groups like Run D.M.C., the Beastie Boys and solo artists like L.L. Cool J, says he’s supporting Obama because the Illinois senator “has and will continue to transcend race in America.”

Although Obama has a wide lead in the world of hip-hop endorsements, Hillary Clinton does have her supporters, including Darryl McDaniels, a.k.a. D.M.C. of Run D.M.C., and Timbaland.

Full statement after the jump.  read more »

Though the L.A.-based designer of Rock & Republic, Michael Ball, has expressed disdain for the Bryant Park tents in the past, he had no problem showing there on Saturday, Feb. 2.  read more »

Last night at the Hammerstein Ballroom, where celebrities converged for Conde Nast's Black Ball to benefit Keep a Child Alive, singer Alicia Keys was decked out in head-to-toe Armani and a lot of black patent leather. She told she was taking a very special date to the Bungalow 8-themed, Amy Sacco-designed after-party ...  read more »

“A lot of times people think they’re struggling. They have all the most obvious resources they need, but they somehow think they want more,” said the hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons, in blue blazer and Yankees hat (give it a rest, fella!), standing in front of Cipriani Wall Street, that age-old site of struggle, as a phalanx of photographers clicked their flashbulbs.  read more »

Saturday

Noon. Councilman Charles Barron will march with a family alleging police brutality at 684 Thomas Boyland Avenue, between Blake and Sutter avenues, to the 81st Precinct on East New York and Thomas Boyland avenues, in Brooklyn.  read more »

1 p.m. Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum will deliver Easter baskets to homeless families at Teresa's House shelter, 1975 Creston Avenue, in the Bronx.

Sean (Puffy) Combs was on the phone from a yacht in the Bahamas, and he was laughing.  read more »

Sean (Puffy) Combs was on the phone from a yacht in the Bahamas, and he was laughing.    read more »

After two years on the market, our long Noho nightmare is over. Britney Spears has finally unloaded her condo in the Silk Building for $4 million, according to the New York Post.

When The Observer last checked in on Britney's real estate woes, the pop princess had just slashed another $400,000 of the asking price. Originally priced at $6 million in July 2004, the subsequent price drops finally brought in the out of town buyers.  read more »

Unfortunately, the identity of the new buyers remains a mystery. But they certainly have some big shoes to fill. Besides for Britney and K-Fed, the penthouse has also been home to Keith Richards and Russell Simmons--at different times, of course.

- Michael Calderone

Gossip columnists have been dogging newly minted bachelor Russell Simmons ever since the hip-hop mog  read more »

Gossip columnists have been dogging newly minted bachelor Russell Simmons ever since the hip-hop mog  read more »

Developer Harry Macklowe has just bought a mansion at 53 East 77th Street for $15.75 million—b  read more »

Developer Harry Macklowe has just bought a mansion at 53 East 77th Street for $15.75 million—but w  read more »

For hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, selling his 7,000-square-foot duplex on Liberty Street hasn’t b  read more »

For hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, selling his 7,000-square-foot duplex on Liberty Street hasn&rsquo  read more »

Matthew Schuerman reads the coded conversations about what the Fulton Mall needs.

Michael Calderone profiles the 15 Upper East Side townhouses presently marketing for $20 million or more.  read more »

In Manhattan Transfers: Russell Simmons' beleaguered duplex in Tribeca--which has been on the market at different prices since before Sept. 11 when P. Diddy opted out--is offered for $7.2 million after another price drop. Also, Elia Kazan's widow sells their Carnegie Hill townhouse.

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons just slashed $1.8 million off the asking price of his duplex penthouse on Liberty Street. The 13-room, 7,000-square-foot apartment (which was once featured on MTV Cribs) is now available for $8.2 million, listed with Lisa Maysonet and Gary Kabol of Prudential Douglas Elliman.

Last May, the palatial downtown pad came on the market at $11 million, but the price dropped down to $10 million about a month later, as The Observer reported.

Could the drop in price be a sign of a cooling luxury market? Or, maybe the development squabbles across the street at Ground Zero have scared off high-end buyers.

Shortly before the terrorist attacks, Mr. Simmons had a signed contract with fellow music impresario, Diddy. Not surprisingly, the building sustained ample damage and the deal was broken. However, the apartment has since been completely renovated.  read more »

-Michael Calderone

Jason Herndon, a.k.a.  read more »

Wednesday 23rd How to maintain your vacation tan?  read more »

The American game of celebrity politics has been played with equal opportunism by left and right for  read more »

Miramaxed Out?  read more »

Donald Trump stammered when asked if Jason Binn, the 31-year-old publisher of Hamptons , Ocean Drive  read more »

Upper East Side

3 East 84th Street  read more »

Three-bed, three-bath, 1,600-square-foot prewar co-op.