Ashton, Bruce, Gwyneth, Madonna, and Demi Are the New Faces of HepatitisWell. The Hepatitis Awareness Council is probably happy about this one. Last week, as you know, Ashton Kutcher celebrated his 30th birthday at Socialista with a crowd that included Roberto Cavalli, Rebecca Gayheart, Molly Sims, Liv Tyler, Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, and, of course, his wife Demi Moore and her ex-husband/BFF Bruce Willis. As it happens, the bartender serving them all caiparinhas had just gotten back from Honduras, where he or she apparently contacted a wee case of Hepatitis A. Hep A is spread “primarily through food or water contaminated by stool from an infected person,” the Health Department said, which means that the bartender would have to had crap on his or her hands when she touched Madonna’s ice, but the Health Department isn’t taking any chances. They’ve gotten the press to spread the news as far as Thailand, in hopes of getting people who went to Socialista on the days the bartender worked to go and get a vaccination this weekend. Socialista must be thrilled. But hey, at least they’ve got an answer for people who say the place isn’t authentic.
Hepatitis A Crashes Ashton Kutcher’s Birthday Party[WSJ via Grub Street]
Earlier: Ashton Kutcher Borrows Madonna’s Guest List for His 30th
in other news
Ashton Kutcher Borrows Madonna’s Guest List for His 30thHa-ha, Los Angeles! You see what happens when you threaten to take the Oscars away from the pretty people? They come here to New York to party! Okay, so maybe it’s more that Madonna just invited them all to come to New York, and you can’t say no to Her Madgesty (she clearly knows how to do that Famke Janssen kill move from Goldeneye, and she likes it). But still, her Gucci/Malawi party was on Wednesday, and according to PageSix.com and Us Weekly, many celebs stuck around last night to attend Ashton Kutcher’s birthday party at Gemma. Kutcher claims it was his 30th birthday, and to celebrate, Salma Hayek, François-Henri Pinault, Lucy Liu, Bruce Willis, and Kate Hudson all showed up. Madonna even sang “Happy Birthday” (okay, for all our bitterness, we must admit that’s pretty effing cool)! Later in the evening they went to Socialista, where they were joined by Roberto Cavalli, Rebecca Gayheart, Molly Sims, Liv Tyler, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Nice job, Ashton! Way to party like it’s still 1999!
Demi Moore’s A-List Birthday Bash for Ashton Kutcher [Us Weekly]
Ashton’s A-List B-Day [PageSix.com]
company town
‘Times’ Laughs in Morgan Stanley’s Face (Well, Back)MEDIA
• Marcus Brauchli remains top editor at the Journal, but there’s a growing sense of inevitability that Robert Thomson, Sunday Times of London editor and Murdoch “old boy,” will challenge him for the position. (Related question: Does Murdoch have any “boys” who are not “old”?) [NYO]
• The Times’ third-quarter earnings almost doubled analysts’ expectations, giving the paper a chance to gloat about the big hit Morgan Stanley took a week ago by selling its stake in the company. [NYT, DealBook/NYT]
• Rick Reilly, previously the highest-paid writer in the history of Time Inc., will get $2 million a year for five years at ESPN. Who knew wussifying sports would pay so well? [NYP]
