This image was lost some time after publication, but you can still view it here.

The publicist denial is a delicate artform; a well-articulated naysaying by a practiced image craftsman can have the impact of a two-page spread in People (complete with candid photos of snuggling with a loved one on a couch and rolling in the grass with a favored pet). Compare Lindsay Lohan's flack's subtle and effective denial of a reported diva shit-fit at a recent Jane cover shoot with that of the magazine editor's attempt:

Lohan's rep: "Lindsay is a professional and the shoot was fine."

Jane editor Jane Pratt: "We couldn't be happier with our January cover of Lindsay Lohan. We were blown away by her professionalism."

Do you see the difference? While we immediately and reflexively suspect that the flack is baldly lying, her blithe dismissal diffuses our interest in the item...that is, until we read Pratt's over-the-top endorsement of Lohan's supposed "professionalism." At least the relatively unpracticed Pratt didn't repeat "Couldn't be happier" at the end to take the statement into the realm of the slapstick. She's obviously not a total amateur.