Gawker

Like AIDS before it, Darfur has become the shibboleth one clueless celebrity whispers to another to assure themselves that they aren't shallow and callous. With the exception of a scarce few (Mrs. Brad Pitt, for instance), these blithe young things have no idea of what they speak. But does it matter? The argument could be made, as it was last night at the Rip the Runway for Darfur event hosted by Lydia Hearst, that that doesn't matter. The words of celebrities, no less than their unshaven nether parts, carry a dizzying gravitas: If Lydia Hearst says "Save Darfur," the hope is it will trickle down until some slavering acolyte Googles the word. (Darfir? Darfer?) Call it a Reagonomics of good will. But last night, Lydia Hearst was "sick" and didn't show. Neither did other expected guests like socialites Tinsley Mortimer, Fabiola Beracasa nor Olivia Palermo. Gawker photographer Nikola Tamindzic and I were left to document Bertolli-shill Rocco DiSpirito, Hofstra senior and publicistgay Micah Jesse and an international debutante named Laura Dubois as they drank free Level vodka.

Today's Page Six asks a very interesting question: "WHICH 'socialite' who's suffering photo withdrawal since socialiterank.com closed got down on her knees for a party paparazzo? He accepted her favors and then snapped away." Isn't that generous of her! We decided to consider the most obvious candidates; you, of course, will select the one you think is most guilty of giving out party favors. (Separately, you may also consider: Which party paparazzo? Bill Cunningham? (KIDDING.) Patrick McMullan? Urgh.) You might also speculate on who might plant such an item about someone! Also: We have considered that putting the word "socialite" in quotation marks was some sort of code, and have adjusted our guesses accordingly.

On my way to Catherine Malandrino I got a call from Maer Roshan. "Good news," he said: Radar magazine would like Tinsley and I [sic] to join him in Los Angeles on February 21 to host the relaunch, just before the Oscars.

Noon I ran downtown to the Yigal show. I wore the cute white dress and jacket that we picked out on Thursday, and it was soooo cold! Why would I rather look good than be warm? I got to the show and sat next to Meredith Melling Burke from Vogue and Bergdorf's Roopal Patel, who both have back-to-back shows because of their jobs. I don't envy them. I mean I love fashion, but it's really exhausting to run around like that!!!

Before, it was either models or actresses--but socialites were, most times, born into this lifestyle. That's what fascinates people. It's a continuous lifestyle that people are fascinated by. But it's not all the media's fault," she said. "You know, it's us posing for the cameras and going out and exploiting the spotlight for our careers.

I just think people like to know something real," she says. "It's not like, 'Oh, a stylist dressed her, and she grew up in a trailer park,' like with an actress. Or a model." She pauses. "Being me, I can say people perceive you in a very one-dimensional way. They don't know us. We do work. We do meaningful things.