Though Roger Ebert would rather his thwacking at the hands of Lou Lumenick be forgotten, it seems that New York Post readers aren't as quick to forgive. Lumenick's last Toronto Film Festival update neglects to mention the incident (instead focusing on an Anne Hathaway/Keira Knightley Oscar showdown), but every single commenter rips into him anyway, blaming the critic for pummeling a national treasure. "So let me guess: on your next trip you're going to run over Stephen Hawkins and maybe punch Stevie Wonder, right?!" asks one (another suggests he train his pugilism on cancer-stricken children), while the comments on Lumenick's review of The Women personally mock the writer, with one person posting, "Here's to hoping your reviews are boycotted, you are deservedly let go, and you spend the remainder of your years at the grill of a second-rate fast food restaurant." Punchy! [NY Post]

TIFF Tiff Update! Via MCN, we've learned that Roger Ebert has posted to his blog regarding the now-notorious thwacking he received at the hands of NY Post critic Lou Lumenick. Titled "An Incident at Toronto," Ebert confirms the NY Daily News account of the dustup, but adds that he wishes it had never been made public. "This whole matter was embarrassing, because it drew attention to me and invited pity, which makes me cringe...in one way I feel sorry for him. He had no idea who was behind him when he smacked me. Now it looked like he was picking on poor me. I have had my problems, but I promise you I am plenty hearty enough to withstand a smack, and quite happy, after the smack, to tap him again. I had to see those subtitles." [Roger Ebert]

After a battle with thyroid and salivary gland cancer sidelined Roger Ebert and left him without part of his jawbone and unable to speak, he bravely returned to his post as film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times last year, an inspiring feat that could warm the hearts of anyone in the film industry. Anyone, that is, except gruff New York Post critic Lou Lumenick. According to the NY Daily News, both film critics found themselves at a Toronto Film Festival screening of Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, though Lumenick wasn't aware that he was sitting in front of Ebert, nor that he was blocking his view. Not long after the lights went down, Ebert tapped on Lumenick's shoulder, soliciting a shouted, "Don't touch me!" Ten minutes later, he tried again to the same response. That's when things got ugly:

• Gordon Ramsay says he's partnering with Victoria Beckham to open a restaurant in LA. Yes, a restaurant. Whether she'll actually taste any of the food served there is anybody's guess. [P6]