Peckerwood Manor

  Andra Day, George Clooney, and Alicia Keys at Albie Awards.  Photo: Neil Rasmus / BFA //Vogue The Clooney Foundation recently hosted its 2nd annual Albie Awards. The award is named after anti-apartheid hero Justice Albie Sachs. According to the Clooney's Foundation's website:  "The Albie Awards were created to shine a protective spotlight on courageous justice defenders who are at risk - sending a message to those who abuse human rights that the world is watching." What better way to shine the spotlight on those risking their lives for having the courage to speak up about human rights atrocities than by throwing a glitzy bash. The event was attended by a parade of A-listers wearing gowns and tuxedos whose value could probably feed a small impoverished nation. I'm always leery of foundations because so many of them are created as tax shelters for their founders. Who can blame them when tax laws have so many loopholes. And before anyone says anything, I know Amal ...

  Super rich people are not like the rest of us. They don't worry about the electric company raising prices which forces some to swelter inside their homes because they can't afford the A/C. Or rationing medication because of greedy pharma and insurance companies. Those are plebe problems.  Rich people worry about the audacity of a waspy fitness guru raising prices on them. Tracy Anderson, the trendy fitness guru to the rich, privilege and BFF of celebs including Goopy and JLo is facing the rage of clients at her Hamptons studio. In the  USA, she has studios NYC, LA, Palm Beach, and the Hamptons.   If you're not familiar with Tracy Anderson or her method - its a dance-based fitness routine where a room is heated to 95 F (35 C) with 75% humidity.  It's like working out in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Except in her studios the jungle animals are rich and will strike you down at the mere thought of breathing on their space. Clients are upset about the new pric...

  Polo is so passe. Yacht racing is overdone. Are we seeing the dawn of a new adrenaline rush of what I'm going to refer to as Step Into My Shoes? The reason I say this is that Lana Del Rey and now David Letterman have been spotted stepping into the shoes of everyday common jobs (for whatever reasons) to experience the thrill of it.  A few days ago there were reports of Lana Del Rey working at a Waffle House in Alabama. For some unknown reason she donned an apron and stepped into the shoes of a waitress and served unsuspecting customers. A few of them ended up recognizing her but there were no camera crews in tow. No paps. Her camp offered no explanation why she did this. Was it self-imposed penance for being late to Glastonbury due to hair issues? Was it to experience the thrill of blue collar work? Who knows. Then, there's David Letterman who visited a grocery store in Iowa and started bagging groceries. Now David did offer an explanation. He's co-owner of an Indy car tha...

    Jennifer Lynn Lopez Noa Judd Anthony Affleck threw a temper tantrum when she arrived at a Los Angeles gym only to discover the doors were locked and no one was letting her in. She stood outside fuming at the audacity that the place was closed and that it wasn't red-carpet ready with a sea of paparazzi capturing every moment of her grand entrance. After waiting outside for what must have seemed like an eternity someone finally let her in. When she finished doing whatever she was doing inside (my guess? berating the staff with a new workout routine called, "Don't you know who I am"), she emerged pissed off and dropped an "F" bomb. It was caught on video for posterity and to give Benny something to think about when he gets out of line. I have to ask this question:   Why in the hell is she going to a gym in Los Angeles when she can work out at her LA chateau? JLo and Bennisito Affleck recently bought a 38,000 sq ft mansion for $60 million in Los Angeles. The...