metro

A City of 8 Million People, All With Their Eyes Closed

Jessica · 11/14/05 10:13AM

It's now been two weeks since former Womens Wear Daily and Voice writer Peter Braunstein, disguised as a fireman, allegedly broke into the home of a former coworker and sexually abused her for nearly 13 hours and, despite the belief that he is still in the area, authorities have yet to apprehend their top suspect. Instead, we're getting accounts of coming "this close" to bringing down Braunstein (He was almost caught in Chelsea! They nearly had him in Queens!), as if that's supposed to make anyone feel any better.

To Do: Brooklyn Shuffle, Brewtopia, or Funny Arabs

Jessica · 11/11/05 02:30PM

Friday:
• The Brazilian Girls and Beans headline Brooklyn Shuffle tonight at Southpaw, a two-night showcase for artists who capture the open-mindedness and funky diversity that Brooklyn has grown to embrace. Oh, the euphemisms people come up with for hipster trash. [flavorpill]
• Jesus is Magic, the new film from potty-mouthed ing nue Sarah Silverman, opens today. Bemused Jewish boys everywhere scratch their heads at how unfunny fatman Jimmy Kimmel beat them to the punch. [AOL]
Saturday:
• Enjoy unlimited sampling of over 300 of the finest craft beers in the world at Chelsea Piers Brewtopia: World Beer Festival. Make sure you don t overdo it on the college nostalgia, Van Wilder: Security will be on hand to make certain that you drink responsibly. [Brewtopia]
• Tonight s Art Brut show at Tribeca Grand Hotel is different from the previous Art Brut shows at various other New York City locales in one important way: it s free if you RSVP. [flavorpill]
Sunday:
• The 3rd Annual New York Arab-American Comedy Festival kicks off tonight, conveniently packing hordes of ethnic-looking people into small venues around the city. And the Department of Homeland Security s job just got a hell of a lot easier. [Arab Comedy]

The Man on the Right Is Clearly Tired From All That Stalking

Jessica · 11/11/05 12:40PM


An astute reader pointed out that the Post's picture of young Peter Braunstein is rather different from the mug shot released by NYPD. For starters, it seems that Braunstein's nose might have undergone some de-Jewification procedures. And the brows? Someone's been to Warren Tricomi.

But Who Doesn't Have Fireman-Rapist Scenarios on Their Computer?

Jessica · 11/11/05 11:02AM

Alleged rapist and former Women's Wear Daily and Village Voice writer Peter Braunstein gets some interesting front-page coverage from the Post today. The paper reveals that authorities found a "step-by-step walk-through" of the crime scenario on Braunstein's computer:

Please Pay Us to Resent You

Jesse · 11/11/05 10:35AM

The Times carries word today that an influential city business association is pushing the idea of charging vehicles to drive in midtown during the day as a way to cut down on traffic, help the environment, and speed trips for buses and other mass transit currently trying to fight their way through Rock Center gridlock.

Another Day, Another Fake David Cross

Jessica · 11/11/05 09:06AM

We're continuing our search for the Fake David Cross, a downtown charlatan known to dupe less-than-intelligent folks into thinking he's the Arrested Development actor so as to score free drinks and easy women. We had a possible suspect yesterday but, as it turns out, he's just one of the owners of Beauty Bar, meaning that Fake David is still at large. Someone has suggested that this man (sorry, dude, whoever you are) might be the guilty party, but considering his MySpace profile says he's in Philly, we're not buying it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AARON BROWN!

Jessica · 11/10/05 05:35PM

• Happy birthday to former CNN anchor Aaron Brown! May your 57th year be full of, um, employment! [Wikipedia]
• Staying in tonight? Be sure to catch Judy Miller seduce Larry King with her bangs. [CNN]
• In a week where the fluff news is dominated by the story of two cheerleaders getting it on in the ladies' room (and then subsequently punching a witness), let's take a moment to remember all the great moments in pop cultural history that have gone down in public restrooms. [Black Table]
• Master the Paris Hilton pose, and you too can downplay your lazy eye! [Just Jared]
• Get Rich or Die Tryin to See the Flick. No, seriously. Stereotypes, people — need we keep perpetuating them? [PC]
• Dozing on the LIRR? You might want to rethink that, considering someone's devoting their blog to pictures of you drooling. [Essays & Effluvia]
• Sarah Silverman: "I don't care if you think I'm racist. I just want you to think I'm thin." At least we're not the only ones who think like that. [Slate]

Stella McCartney's H&M Line Sells Into Thin Air

Jessica · 11/10/05 03:00PM

Oh, were you looking to pick up some of Stella McCartney's new line at H&M? Tough shit. At right, an image of the fray at one of H&M's Soho outposts. Writes one reader:

To Do: Tarts of Pleasure, Artsy Advertising, or Streetfighting Poultry

Jessica · 11/10/05 02:30PM

• Tonight's Art Brut show at Mercury Lounge is sold out, but head on over to the Dark Room for the official "Tarts of Pleasure" afterparty. No less than venerable nightlife rag the New York Times has noted that the party is "chock full of high-energy odes to pretension" — Grey Lady slang for conspicuously coked-up girls in leggings! [Upcoming, WUNY]
• The Steven Kasher Gallery plays host to House of Campari's Passionate Image: The Body in Art and Advertising, which examines how art and advertising have become increasingly intertwined in recent years. Allow us our highbrow explanation: Classy boobies sell. [Paper]
• Tonight at Northsix in Brooklyn, celebrate the release of Homecoming 2004, a documentary on streetfighting poultry hybrids Chengwin and Chuck. We're as clueless as you. [flavorpill]

How Not to Pitch Rolling Stone, by Peter Braunstein

Jessica · 11/10/05 02:00PM

We received an interesting email thread yesterday from a former editor at Rolling Stone. This then-editor had the misfortune of fielding pitches from alleged rapist and former freelancer Peter Braunstein:

Could This Be the Fake David Cross?

Jessica · 11/10/05 01:15PM

When we're not too preoccupied with our manhunt for alleged rapist Peter Braunstein, rest assured that we're devoting our remaining energy to uncovering the wicked doppelganger to Arrested Development actor David Cross, who uses his genetic fortune to woo ladies back to his evil boudoir. The fellow at right, according to The Apiary, was recently seen accepting free drinks from patrons of Down the Hatch, all of whom believed he was David Cross. Don't be fooled by the tattoo: While the imposter does bear ink on the proper arm, it's certainly not of a "miling pig standing upright and serving you his own ribs straight from his open chest." This man is most certainly NOT our fair David.

Peter Braunstein Still at Large, Still Fetishy

Jessica · 11/10/05 11:38AM


The police have (finally) named former Women's Wear Daily and Voice writer Peter Braunstein as their prime suspect in the Halloween rape case. To help aid in his arrest, NYPD has released the above images of him at the Super 8 Motel on W. 46th Street on November 1st. If you look closely, you can see he's carrying a travel bag full of girly glossies and Manolos.

To Do: Straight Acting, Trinie Dalton, or Paindemic

Jessica · 11/09/05 03:32PM

• Spencer Winde s documentary Straight Acting, which screens tonight as part of the New York LGBT Film Festival, focuses on the lives of gay men who compete in such macho athletic endeavors as hockey, rugby, and rodeo. We can only assume the latter is of the bareback variety. [Paper]
• LA-based writer Trinie Dalton, says Flavorpill, "pens beautifully strange stories about a psychedelic California that s rarely seen in the light of day." Translation: she s a freak. Check her out at the Court Street Barnes and Noble in Brooklyn tonight at 7pm. [flavorpill]
• Writer Paul Collins newest work, The Trouble with Tom, chronicles the author s global travels to piece together the body of Thomas Paine, the Founding Fathers' very own Jon Stewart. The Daily Show s Tim Carvell and writers JM Tyree and David Rees help Collins unleash the "Paindemic" (Rees's pun, not ours, though we wish we came up with it) at Housing Works Caf at 7:00pm. [Upcoming]

Gawker Poll: Hunting for Peter Braunstein

Jessica · 11/09/05 10:05AM

It's been nine days since former Women's Wear Daily and Village Voice writer Peter Braunstein allegedly raped a 34-year-old woman in her Chelsea home, and he's still at large.

Peter Braunstein Prefers Hanes to Leggs

Jessica · 11/08/05 04:10PM

As our disturbing fascination with alleged rapist Peter Braunstein continues, the internet continues to turn up all sorts of interesting tidbits about the former Women's Wear Daily and Voice writer. A little digging into Usenet (that classic message board land of yore) reveals Braunstein's work-related posts on alt.romance.unhappy, alt.fan.gwyn-paltrow and, our personal favorite, alt.pantyhose. From the 'hose site:

To Do: Literary Bigwigs Against Torture, Post-Election Drinking, or Cyndi Lauper

Jessica · 11/08/05 02:58PM

• Edward Albee, Paul Auster, Don DeLillo, Dave Eggers, Rick Moody, Salman Rushdie, Colson Whitehead, Heidi Julavits, Sandra Cisneros, and Philip Gourevitch, among others, are mad as hell about the American government s policy regarding the treatment of detainees at home and abroad, and they're unleashing their considerable literary acumen upon the masses at Cooper Union s Great Hall, site of Pen American Center s second State of Emergency reading. Starts at 7, but lefties might want to queue up a couple hours early if they want a seat. [flavorpill]
• Bloomberg supporters rejoice while all thirteen Ferrer backers out there drink away their pain at the New Yorkers for Parks Election Night Party at the Blue Room. Yes, the call is a bit premature, but we re not exactly expecting Dewey v. Truman here. [Acteva]
• Cyndi Lauper gives you an evening of her time (after time) at the Concert Hall at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Good to see she's still performing — we sort of thought she was dead. [Upcoming]