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Angelina Jolie, media genius?
WHAT DOES the New York Times business section have in common with US Weekly? Well, now they've both used anonymous sources in articles about Angelina Jolie.But while US's latest tipster provides lurid details from the set of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," the Times quotes two anonymous insiders involved with the $14 million deal that Jolie and partner Brad Pitt cut with People for the first pictures of their twin daughters in August.
The sources claim that part of the deal put on the auction block was not just money, but that the winning bidder would provide only positive coverage of the Jolie-Pitt family in the future.
The Times investigative piece, titled "Angelina Jolie's Carefully Orchestrated Image," yesterday edged out articles on sexy topics like the seized-up credit market and falling grain prices to become the most e-mailed article in the business section.
People, of course, denied that they basically sold editorial content. But as other tabloids delve into the specifics of when exactly Jolie and Pitt first got together (following high-profile comments from Jennifer Aniston in Vogue this month saying that what Jolie did was "uncool") and whether Pitt was still married at the time, a search of People's stories on Jolie over the past month turn up . . . something on her new hairdo. The kids being cute. Getting back from doing humintarian work in Afghanistan. Nothing involving Aniston.
Now, perhaps People has come to the conclusion that damn, "Friends" has been off the air for four years now and Jennifer Aniston has done almost nothing with her time since then except make unsuccessful romantic comedies and garner pity from tabloids. Aniston's cultural relevance is rooted in the '90s and People would therefore be best served by keeping up a good relationship with the Jolie-Pitts. Or maybe they're just on team Jolie-Pitt because Aniston blew off an interview in the '90s, who knows?
* But taking a breather before SatTatt gets too media-wonked out, Hello! Magazine quotes Jolie as saying that first few years of her son Pax's life in a Vietnamese orphanage were so rough that even after two years of living with fabulously wealthy parents, the 5-year-old still hides food for later. He does it "even though we explain there will be more tomorrow," Jolie said.
So . . . there's that. SatTatt hasn't rescued any hungry children from a probable life of poverty lately, much less three. Therefore, she is willing to overlook the fact that Jolie, who made out with her brother in public, wore around a vial of Billy Bob Thornton's blood and got serious with the husband of a rather beloved sitcom actress and emerged from it all with a great public image, clearly has all us media folk wrapped around her little finger.
Inanity now!
* Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Pete Wentz are now proud parents of a baby boy named Bronx Mowgli. All well-wishers are asked to greet the newborn blessed with this unusual city-nature fusion name with Axl Rose-like screeches of "YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?! YOU'RE IN THE JUNGLE, BABY!"
* Michael Phelps is taking his 14 gold medals and going to rep for Subway, as SatTatt guesses Jared has lost a bit of his luster. The press release quotes Phelps (and yes, the R's are all for (R)eal): "SUBWAY(R) restaurants have always given me the options that I am looking for - whether that's healthy sandwiches before a big meet or the tasty meatball sub that I treat myself with," stated Michael Phelps. "I was ready to take my SUBWAY(R) fan-dom to the next level - I really think of SUBWAY(R) as a champion food option."
SatTatt guesses it's a long, cold four years until the next Olympics.
* Jodie Sweetin, who played middle daughter Stephanie Tanner on the ABC sitcom "Full House," yesterday filed for separation from her husband of about 16 months, Cory Herpin.
Up until the filing, Sweetin had nothing but good things to say about her now-ex, saying that he had been instrumental in her kicking a crystal-meth habit that began when "Full House" ended.
* Finally, a judge yesterday granted a preliminary divorce to Madonna and Guy Ritchie. They will share custody of their two sons, while Madonna's daughter Lourdes will stay with her mother. The couple chose to take care of splitting up their assets themselves (so no big Heather Mills payout announcement), but the British press has been reporting that neither party is going after the other's purse. The divorce will become final in six weeks. Stay classy.*
