“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

After my heartfelt Woodstock moment yesterday, I am breching (vomit in Yiddish) from the lead story in Women’s Wear Daily, Woodstock at 40: Fields of Fashion. First of all, the writer Sarah Haight (no doubt hired for the whole Haight-Ashbury coincidence) has very little to say about the cultural, societal phenomenon; rather, she is quick to hone in on the “unfolding of the hippie chic look”…which correct me if I am wrong…is an oxymoron. The Hippie movement rose and fell as a rebellion against the stats quo…if not, status in general. Thankfully, Valerie Steele, chief curator F.I.T., points this out.… Read More »

When Ali (Not-So) Wise, PR girl extraordinaire (at least in her own mind), was arrested for hacking into interior designer, Nina Freudenberger’s privates, it was major, delicious dish. Wise–who clearly does not live up to her moniker–compromised her client Dolce & Gabbana, as they were now thrust into the middle of a seriously distasteful PR scandal…debacle. But, wait one minute, that arrest happened around July 10. And today, July 30, the news is that she has been terminated from her post. Can someone explain to me the 20 day black out here? Were Domenico and Stefano in Fiji, no phones,… Read More »

I have been producing events for more years than I care to admit, believe me, moss has grown plenty underfoot. In the business of fabulii, there must be pictures the next day on the internet or else you have not done the job well. Rather, you failed miserably. It’s as simple as that. Yes, there are those events that require no media attendance, like the ones I used to do when living in Los Angeles at the homes of certain celebs, and frankly, those are the best attended, celebrity wise. But outside of those exceptions, in order to prove your… Read More »

You can do all the upscale advertising you want. So, whether you are Target, K-Mart or JCPenney, get over yourselves right now, because smoke and mirrors is not going to replace better merchandise. Ever. Sure, these limited edition designer duds gets tons of attention and brings in a sought-after audience, but once that limited edition sells out, what’s left in-store is the crap that makes up for most of the merchandise in these mass marketers. So, Jean Claude Penney is coming to New York City? Big whoop. Penney has been trying for years to up its ante through free association… Read More »

Nothing brings me more joy that the lovely notes and requests for answers that I receive directly into my mailbox. I’ve been the go-to person for “matters of the heart” and “what to” or “what not to wear” my whole life and fielding your requests is in line with what I do best. Please keep those cards and letters coming. Hi Abe, How come you didn’t do an I Mean…What?!? on Barack Obama’s “mom jeans”? Surely I though you would have jumped all over that. Maureen Dear Maureen, I thought about that plenty. But the reason I passed on it… Read More »

Pack your bags kids. It is time to move off this continent and go to a place, any place in this world, where you will be safe from the prying, vomitous eyes of the media that gives us the endless stories about wanna-bes, never was-es, and nobodies galore. Today I have read a story that has made me so nauseous, that I am beside myself. Let me just list the cast of characters in this item and surely you will agree and run to start packing. Jon Gosselin, Michael Lohan, Jill Zarin. Should I stop now? And wait, this trifecta… Read More »

Last month I did a piece called the Nobody News, which is about a bunch of nobodies…that seem to be somebody…to a bunch of nobodies. If you do not know what I just said, it pretty much sums up our current media fascination with plucked-out-of-obscurity “notables”. That and a couple of “celebrities” thrown into the mix, a.k.a. people I couldn’t care less about. However, do I stand alone? Looking at today’s news reports, it was clear that the Nobody News was aching for a comeback. With that, I give you this.… Read More »

Have you been following that lead story in the New York Post about the high-profile divorce of Swedish Countess (?) Marie Douglas-David and George Davis, a Connecticut-based, rich, old coot. He snagged a younger wife and now after seven years, she wants out. Now there’s an original story for you to make the headlines. Meanwhile, she is suing for a ga-jillion dollars since she has proclaimed that her $53,000 WEEKLY expenses are just not enough. I MEAN…WHAT?!? Would someone please shoot these two. Actually, I don’t know who to shoot first, them or the NY Post for giving them this… Read More »

Here are the leading perpetrators of hawking way too much Republican manifesto blabber, and they need to stop. Better, they need to shut the fuck up while we try to calmly navigate through the uncharted waters of getting this country through an unprecedented financial crisis, the largest in our lifetime. I am not eloquent enough to go on and argue the Democratic side now populating the bloviator news channels, but what I do know (as a layman) is that whatever these clowns were saying over the past eight years DID NOT WORK and a big reason why were are where… Read More »