E Pluribus, Man BandVH1’s latest genius concept show, Mission: Man Band, debuts today at, well, now. But last night its stars, former boy-banders being molded for your viewing pleasure into the grown-up boy band Sure Shot, celebrated the premiere at Gramercy’s Runway Club. The band’s four members — who hail from Color Me Badd, LFO, 98 Degrees, and ‘N Sync (the Backstreet Boys, apparently, think they still have their original careers) — were disappointingly nice and PR-trained and heterosexual-seeming. 98 Degrees’ Jeffrey Timmons said the show was a “great opportunity” and brought up the possibility of reuniting with his former mates, including Nick Lachey. “I think it’s definitely about that time,” he said, likely noting that Lachey has done nothing musical since Vanessa Minnillo gave him just one night (una noche!).
party town
Last Night’s Top Party: Felons and Bisexuals at the Four Seasons
There were two big, boldfaced parties last night, and they were wildly divergent. In Chelsea, Milk Studios hosted an auction of rock photos to benefit VH1’s Save the Music Foundation while in midtown disgraced ex-Sotheby’s head Alfred Taubman threw a book party at the Four Seasons. The VH1 shindig featured the Kaiser Chiefs, Stoli Blueberi–and–Sprite cocktails (not bad!), and handsomely greasy-haired young people occasionally silently bidding on, though mostly just getting their pictures taken in front of, photographs of CBGB and Kurt Cobain. At Taubman’s, there was wine; cheese puffs; a crowd so collectively aged it made Bill Cunningham, the septuagenarian society photog from the Times, look spry; and the chance to consort with a convicted felon who also happens to be a billionaire. So which one won? It was unclear for a while. But then a victor suddenly emerged. “Given the chance,” we heard someone say at the Four Seasons, “I’m going to leave this party a bisexual.” Point, Taubman. —Jada Yuan
gossipmonger
Miss Anna May, In Fact, Like Fat PeopleA movement is afoot to regulate the body weight of runway models in New York City, and Anna Wintour is leading it. Blood Diamond director Ed Zwick took Russell Simmons to task after Simmons went on diamond-industry press junket to South Africa and Botswana and claimed the diamond trade there to be mostly beneficial. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin put their Tribeca pad on the market, but only for one day. The Hilton sisters don’t get much love from their potential in-laws. (One suspects the feeling is mutual.) ABC anchor Charles Gibson thinks Mayor Bloomberg will run for president. Nasdaq CEO Bob Greifeld admitted in court that he did not know the difference between a markup and a gross profit margin. The Little Dog Laughed star Julie White got a ticket for bringing her dog on the subway. Brazil’s first lady wants to adopt a child. Demi Moore dragged Ashton Kutcher to Fashion Week in September, but all Ashton wanted to do was watch football. The duo behind holiday show What I Like About Jew have gone their separate ways. Dakota Fanning thinks her next film is wonderful, despite the fact she’s raped in it. Matthew Fox and the cast of SNL hung out late night. Victoria Beckham styled Katie Holmes for a magazine cover shoot, and the 300-plus people involved were (allegedly) instructed not to make eye contact with the ladies. For reasons entirely unclear, Brett Ratner’s grandmother has her own realty show on VH1. Cindy Adams hates on Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto (although she hasn’t seen it), and Liz Smith loves James Lipton.