Harvey Weinstein—who used to alternately flatter and cow the gossip columnists and reporters into submission—doesn't exert the same power over the New York press that he used to. The movie producer lunched Tony Ortega but the Village Voice editor still published embarassing business correspondence found in The Weinstein Company's trash. A second private phone conversation has now been leaked to Page Six at the New York Post, a newspaper which used to lap up Weinstein's tips and favors. (Click the thumb for the clip.) And more revelations are promised in a book called Film Fellas which is being touted around. It's as if they all think Harvey Weinstein won't be around to exact retribution.

The latest tape isn't that interesting. It's a conversation between the Miramax boss and director Quentin Tarantino from a long time ago, 1997, when both were still at the top of their game; the most notable line is Weinstein's description of Robert DeNiro's career dilemma as an explanation for some grievance he's carrying. Change a few words and this could be a summary of Weinstein's own plight, a movie producer who wanted to be an all-round mogul but now must be wondering whether he has the financial wherewithal.

This is a great actor and actually a great guy, who's going through a difficult time... I think he's really having like a scratching-his-head session, you know, with his own life and his own career. I think he knows he can play a certain kind of role from now for the next 20 years. But I think he wants to change the course of his career.