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Here are some of the crazed rumors we've heard about the Vanity Fair story that John Connolly is writing about alleged financier-perv* billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, of whom it is alleged that he retained a procurer of underage girls. Oh my God, we heard that Bill Clinton came into 4 Times Square and told Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter that this expose of Epstein must not run and of course Graydon folded like a paper doll. And also we heard alleged former Epstein alleged friend Ron Burkle is Danny A's backer on every club he opens and Burkle does that to harvest pretty young things then flies them to L.A. and allegedly sells them to Epstein and alleged movie-producer Steve "Bing Laden" Bing and it is this cabal of partying hedonists that has prevented the piece from running! And also we heard that Prince Andrew (the one who divorced Fergie!) and the royal family interceded, promising to shut down Graydon Carter's restaurant The Waverly Inn if this piece runs and that is all why it has not seen the light of day yet! more »

Rupert Murdoch has done his part to ensure the ouster of Australian prime minister John Howard, who's been toiling as the sad prison-island's leader since time immemorial. In a canny feat, Murdoch sent New York Post editor Col Allan out to Scores with Kevin Rudd—he's the opposition leader down in Australia, and is now expected to win the 2007 election. "Mr Rudd admitted visiting Scores and said he had been too drunk to remember much of what had happened," says the Guardian. Then Rudd got reprimanded for manhandling strippers and got booted. For Australian men, this is like scoring the winning goal of a soccer match or shooting the biggest kangaroo or something. He will now receive nearly all of the heterosexual male vote. How can we tell it's a counterintuitive and sophisticated campaign to manage the election? The trip to Scores happened four years ago and is just being revealed now—in Murdoch's papers. Good work, Rupe!

Strip club visit hurts Australian party leader [Guardian]

Get ready for the most synergistic fashion happening of our times! Famously difficult movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is going to make '70s brand Halston "the first American global luxury brand - an American LVMH." How will he accomplish this? "The film studio owned by the brothers Weinstein plans to dress actors in its movies in Halston fashions, hold a fashion show at next year's Cannes Film Festival and possibly open a stand-alone store in Manhattan." After all, nothing captures the experimental, artistic spirit of fashion more than enforced brand partnership. And somehow, this will also help make Halston seem irreproachably upscale: "'Louis Vuitton and Gucci are amazing, but this has the potential to be the classiest American brand,' Weinstein has said." Harvey is just a classy guy. Maybe his new focus on classiness will even lead him to shell out for business class tickets for his employees next time they all have to fly someplace! —Emily

Weinsteins Poach Choo Exec For Halston [NYP]

According to a Weinstein Co. source, everyone who's headed to the Cannes film festival to support the many projects they've got in competition there, including the Quentin Tarantino half of Grindhouse, will be flying to France economy-class. Well, everyone except Harvey, who's flying there in his private plane, of course. So is the big bossman feeling the pinch of Grindhouse, Factory Girl and Breaking and Entering's respective floppy openings? Well, in other areas, it doesn't seem like he's hurting—he was just yesterday crowing to the Post about how much money he plans to pump into Halston, the "iconic brand" he bought as a present for his girlfriend. And we also hear that "50% of the Cannes budget is just his hotel, his plane." So maybe he's just still a huge jerkface! Making his staff travel with the common people! —Emily