Gawker: Shiloh

New Shiloh Pix To Help Cambodia, Uh, Somehow

Emily Gould — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 08:30:00 EST

The contested 'exclusivity' of the new shots of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's "natural-born" offspring (way to give Z and Mad even more issues, Daily News!) doesn't really interest us that much, but in case it interests you, here you have it: Hello! (a UK publication, natch) claimed that it had a World Exclusive, when in fact it only had US rights. People actually has US rights, which is why their ed in chief, Larry Hackett, was holding up the photos on the Today show yesterday. Neither publication really wanted the shots leaked all over the internet, but whatcha gonna do.
What does interest us is how the shots were sold to the publications by Trevor Nelson of the Endeavor Group. According to WWD, Nelson

sent out an e-mail to interested publications, asking that those "who purchase these photos will use them in a way that also draws attention to the needs of the Cambodian people." And the three-page pitch from Neilson reads like an application for the Nobel Peace Prize, detailing Jolie's and Pitt's visits to Cambodia from the year 2000. "Their vision and generosity will not only positively affect the lives of Cambodians today, it will also benefit generations to come," Jeffrey A. Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, is quoted as saying in the pitch.

The only thing that the Daily News story about the pix 'calls attention' to is the fact that Brad and Angie have given Shiloh "show-stopping looks you'd expect from the finest genes in Hollywood," but we suppose that's close enough.

Brad and Angie's Shiloh Sure Is A Beauty! [NYDN]
Memo Pad [WWD]
Earlier: Gawker's Coverage of Shiloh

Buy Almost-Relevant Domain Names, Make Tens of Tens in Advertising!

Jessica — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 15:10:32 EDT

Recently, an individual who has registered an insane amount of Brangelina/Shiloh-related domain names offered us the chance to purchase any number of his culturally hot dot-coms:

BabyShilohJoliePitt.com - $1950
BabyShilohJolie-Pitt.com - $1950
BabyShilohPitt.com - $2700
BabyBradPitt.com - $2850
JoliePittWedding.com - $2950
TheJoliePittWedding.com - $2950
PittJolieWedding.com - $2950
PittWedding.com - $2600
ThePittWedding.com - $2600
BrangelinaWedding.com - $4750
TheBrangelinaWedding.com - $4750
MrandMrsBradPitt.com - $3250

That's a lot of domain names this fellow has purchased — but surely it'll pay off. Right? It's gotta, right? Right? Anyhow, we can't fathom coughing up a single penny for BrangelinaWedding.com, nevermind $4750. But if you're in the business of psychotically snatching up domain names and are interested, we've got some comparison figures for you:

UsWirelessPhones.com - $7500
Diarrheal.com - $2850
DarfurSudan.com - $600
StopTerrorism.com - $160

Happy shopping.

Gossip Roundup: Flacking for the 'Hammer

Jessica — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:45:50 EDT

• As it turns out, everyone's new favorite do-nothing socialite, Melissa Berkelhammer, is repped by society flack R. Couri Hay. When she cries, he gets her an invite to whatever stuffy party is otherwise keeping her from her twitty happiness. Figures — there's no way this girl was cruising Bridgehampton Polo Club on her own accord. [Lowdown]
• British Airways staff fights terrorism by refusing to let a wasted David Hasselhoff board his flight from Heathrow. [TMZ]
• Oh, our bad. Poor Jeffrey Epstein was set up. He's just a nice guy with knots in his back. [Page Six]
• We should've known: the man who's bringing you the disturbing bust of Hillary Clinton is the same sculptor responsible for the Britney Birthing on a Bearskin Rug statue. [R&M]
• Madame Tussaud's in Times Square will do anything to creep the hell out of you, even if it means creating a carefully constructed wax Shiloh. [NYDN]
• Thanks to Us Weekly's celebrity baby morphs, you can see that as adults, Sean Preston Federline will look like a victim of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Barron Trump will resemble a composite of most rapists. [Us Weekly]
• Russell Crowe drops $100K to rent a home upstate in Nyack while filming his latest project. Consider it an investment in the safety of hotel employees everywhere. [Page Six]

Remainders: Pete Coors Loves That Refreshing Rocky Mountain Taste

Jessica — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 19:22:20 EDT

• Beer king Pete Coors gets a DUI; in an era of corporate corruption, it sure is nice to see an executive who really loves his product. [Denver Post]
• If you're going to have a complex, might as well develop it in your infancy: pictures of Suri Cruise aren't worth half as much as those of Shiloh. [TMZ]
• At 7 PM tonight, a pompous clusterfuck will descend upon Soho House. Worse than usual, we mean. Here's your guide to understanding why the fuck Toby Young's book party is so random. [Eat the Press]
• Leonardo DiCaprio films at old mob haunt in Brooklyn; borough's celebrities-are-here arrogance grows 37%. [NewYorkology]
• A handy guide to the MySpace profiles of all your favorite D-list reality stars. [Jane]
• Speaking of D-List, agent Roger Paul revels in the joys of managing Screech. What's not to when the guy's packing 8-inches of hot geek meat? [NYP]
• The rules of office restroom etiquette: "Dancing in front of the auto-flush to the tune of 'Material Girl' playing in your head wastes water and will summon your boss to the bathroom like a beacon. Don't." [The World According to Tom]
• How not to gracefully accept that you didn't get the job. [PR Differently]
• The Post knows there's only one way to cover the "bartha bartha" explosion on East 62nd Street: by focusing on the hot girl who was tragically injured. A video of her almost getting killed? Even hotter. [NYP]

Gossip Roundup: Brangelina Baby Shower Photos Confuse the Masses

Jessica — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 12:34:13 EDT

• Stolen photos from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's baby shower have made their way to the web, prompting lawyers to do their threatening, lawyerly thing. The images may be illegal, but is it so wrong that the people want to see Brangelina wearing the Laurel Touby fertility costume? Marvel at the image here. [TMZ]
• Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban tie the knot; Kidman wears 80's throwback gown by Balenciaga. [Us Weekly]
• After learning that her interview with Matt Lauer didn't do much to help her image, Britney Spears hires someone to take classy pictures. Alas, the pics and an interview were sold to OK! for a mere $5K — much less than Britney's $200K asking price. Only K-Fed fetches that kind of money nowadays. [Page Six]
• Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone bend to blackmail from the National Enquirer. [R&M]
• Steven Soderbergh's former agent, Pat Dollard, more or less calls George Clooney a pussy. [Page Six]

Shiloh Learns to Use Her First Cash Register

Jessica — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:02:30 EDT

According to Keith Kelly's drinking buddies at Time Inc., People mag's Princess Shiloh issue sold about 2.3 million newsstand copies, compared to their usual run of 1.5 million. Combined with the issue's upped cover price of $3.99 (50 cents higher than usual), Shiloh may have netted People an extra $2.25 million profit. Unfortunately, that's not quite the $4 million the mag reportedly coughed up for the pictures, but the sheer, arrogant glory of having exclusive rights was surely worth the extra $1.75 million.

We know we certainly weren't going to pay for the Shiloh scrapbook, so who did?

Lad Mag's Coverup [NYP, 2nd item]

Anderson Cooper Gets 1/5 of Brangelina Brood

Jessica — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 09:16:46 EDT

Let's start this lovely morning with something of great, pressing import: a glitter-sprinkled press release brings news that our dear Anderson Cooper, Chelsea's beloved prince, will be interviewing Angelina Jolie in her first U.S. television interview since the birth of the world's sexiest baby. Naturally, Coop had to submit to doing it under the guise of a serious look at African refugees and airing it on World Refugee Day (June 20), but you know he won't let her leave without talking some Shiloh.

Angelina: "I love being a mother, it comes very naturally to me..."

Anderson: "Ohmahgah, I just don't know how you do it! Three little babies and they're all so cute — I'd be so enraptured with those precious things that I'd forget to feed 'em, I swear. They're so perfect, I just want to take them and sit them with my porcelain dolls!"

CNN's full release after the jump.

Media Advisory
For Release: June 15, 2006
Exclusive: CNN's Anderson Cooper Interviews Angelina Jolie

Jolie's First U.S. Television Interview since Daughter's Birth to Air on Anderson Cooper 360 on Tuesday, June 20

In her first U.S. television interview since the birth of her daughter, Angelina Jolie spoke with CNN's Anderson Cooper about her work with refugees in Africa and around the world as well as the birth of her daughter in Namibia last month. The exclusive interview will air on Tuesday, June 20, as part of a special edition of Anderson Cooper 360 marking World Refugee Day from 10 p.m. to midnight (ET). Jolie sat down with Cooper for nearly an hour earlier this week in Los Angeles.

In addition to the Jolie interview, Anderson Cooper 360 will feature reports from chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour and Africa correspondent Jeff Koinange about poverty, famine and refugee camps across Africa. Senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta also will provide reports about specific healthcare challenges for refugees around the world.

Cooper, whose Dispatches from the Edge is the No. 1 hardcover nonfiction book on The New York Times bestsellers list, has seen significant ratings gains for his prime-time program. In May 2006, Anderson Cooper 360 experienced its most-watched month in total viewers since it moved to the 10 p.m. block in November 2005, posting a 53 percent increase in both total viewers and adults 25- to 54-years-old over May 2005. Online, the "360 Blog" has become a popular venue for reports and analysis from the program's contributing correspondents as well as posted comments from online users. Since its launch in February 2006, the blog has had more than 12.6 million page views.

Anderson Cooper 360 is a wide-ranging, unconventional news program that takes a full 360-degree look at the world's events. The program showcases CNN's worldwide newsgathering capabilities as well as Anderson Cooper's unique sensibilities and perspective through a diverse range of live reports and interviews. Anderson Cooper 360 airs on CNN/U.S. each weekday from 10 p.m. to midnight (ET).
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is one of the world's most respected and trusted sources for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; four Web sites, including CNN.com, the first major news and information Web site; CNN Pipeline, an on-demand broadband video service; CNN Newsource, the world's most extensively syndicated news service; and partnerships for four television networks and one Web site.

Remainders: Shouldn't Shiloh Really Be Selling Condoms or the Pill?

Jessica — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 18:50:14 EDT

• People mag has a major opportunity for you, cash-throwing advertiser — placement of your ad space near Shiloh. Dodge takes the bait. Is there anything that baby can't sell? [LeftLane]
• Without Pete Doherty, would the British press simply cease to exist? Every single day, the crackhead inspires a new, stupid story. Today, he's found Jesus. Tomorrow, he'll have found another rusty syringe. [FF]
• Just another reason to loathe Bill O'Reilly, courtesy of his 10-room Manhasset estate. [Cryptome]
• A Suicide Girl attempts to spend 7 days straight in the Fifth Avenue Apple Store (open 24 hours). If David Blaine had any thunder, this might steal some of it. [SuicideGirls]
• It's kind of sad when construction workers would rather read the WSJ than ogle your ass. [Things That Make You Go Hmmm]
• Marc Jacobs dumps his boyfriend; not even the twink's Marc Jacobs tattoo could lube the relationship. [Towleroad]
• Way up at 158th Street rests Safety City, "a special place to how to cross streets, drive bicycles, and ride in cars safely." [Amish in the City]
• An extra to-do for you tonight: John Mayer will be testing his skills at the Comedy Cellar at 11 PM. His comedy skills, that is. Panty-throwing still appropriate. [BWE]
• Eva Longoria is determined to prove that she can be just as annoying through the written word, thus her forthcoming erotic novel, to be ghostwritten by the editors of Maxim. [BookStandard]
• In their defense, only porn is going to distract Katrina victims from their problems. [CNN]
• From the creators of the Greg Gutfeld Show comes Keira Knightley's Jaw, a blog documenting exactly that. Better than Keira Knightley's Pout, which just makes you want to punch things. [Keira Knightley's Jaw]

The Battle of Shiloh: A Look Back

Jessica — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 10:38:46 EDT

The Times takes a look at last week's Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt debacle, in which evil, lawless websites like this one posted Hello! magazine's "inexplicably" leaked, multimillion-dollar cover image of the world's most important child. Says People managing editor Larry Hackett:

Mr. Hackett conceded that all of the reproductions of the photographs might increase interest in the magazine. "I must confess, I think it helps," he said. "Clearly, the blogs have betrayed a huge amount of interest in these photographs and people want to see them."

After countless hours spent bickering with Time Inc.'s Dickensian counsel Nick Jollymore, this is what we get. For once, we let ourselves go, allowing our loins to be melted by a man's cotton velvet coattails and gold monocle — only to find that our hearts were manipulated in a clever ruse. And you wonder why we're always so bitter.

In Web Era, Big Money Can't Buy an Exclusive [NYT]
Earlier: The Battle of Shiloh

Gawker's Week in Review: Really, It Should Be Shiloh's Week in Review

Jessica — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 19:02:42 EDT

• We fall to our knees and weep at the first pictures of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, which maybe we saw a little earlier than we were supposed to. But we don't care — her cutey-patootiness shall wait for no lawyer!
• Finally, after interminable months of uncertainty, Conde Nast gives us Porfolio. Lord knows when when we'll actually see it.
• Turns out Page Six editor Richard Johnson's DUI last week wasn't his first.
• The Coop declines to read from his book, opting instead to briefly just talk with smelly people. Afterwards, he retreats to Julio's love nest.
• We marvel at the horror of the Guccione mansion.
• Star magazine cans five employees, including two Fuller veterans.
• Wenner Media readies itself for MTV's cameras, due to start filming on Monday. Assistants begin applying makeup now.
• Krucoff attemps for the world's worst case of indigestion by eating his way around town with David Wain and Ken Marino, who will later dip his balls in it.

Remainders: Lindsay Lohan, Al Gore Smackdown

Jessica — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 18:15:21 EDT

• Al Gore and Lindsay Lohan are in a "huge feud." "She knows what she did," says Gore. Wait — is he making a funny? Good for him! [Deadline Hollywood]
• There's a polio outbreak in Namibia, killing 7 adults and paralyzing 33 others — and the Times still manages to raise the Shiloh issue, if only to tell you that they've no idea whether or not she's been vaccinated. [NYT]
• The settlement regarding Shock's stolen cover photo is off; shitstorm to resume Monday. [AdAge]
• For the lazy fatty within us all, a list of restaurants within 200 meters of every single subway stop. [Taste of the NY Subway]
• No plans tonight? Staying home alone? Have some lotion, kleenex, and a good imagination? Then maybe you'll find some use for these not-so-hardcore Heather Mills pictures. [Fleshbot]
• Trolling Craigslist's women seeking men section brings surprisingly aggressive results. [Animal]
• Behind every activist working against "wealthy white masters" is a hefty trustfund, presumably from his wealthy white father. [Daily Politics]
• The Sun needs a new city editor. If you're a right-wing journo with pants hicked up to your ribcage, please contact editor Ira Stoll. [NY Press]

'New York' Knew That Baby Was Coming, But Not Much Else

Jessica — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 14:30:30 EDT

New York has taken a moment to remind us all that they had done a cover story on their predictions for the Brangelina baby photos, along with staged photo shoots that look somewhat similar to the actual photos. See? They took a picture on a bed, and there was a real picture on a bed — they got it right!

In a remarkable display of self-awareness, the mag takes it further upon itself to go back and look at whether or not their other predictions were accurate, coming to the conclusion that they were, um, kind of maybe right about some stuff. Thankfully, the Observer's Media Mob tallies it up the score:

TOTALS: 1 CORRECT, 7 WRONG, 1 UNKNOWN

But wait — there were several more predictions that New York had made, none of which were revisited. How about those?

BONUS ROUND: 1 CORRECT, 4 WRONG

At least they got the parents' names right.

New York Magazine: We Were Almost Entirely Wrong About Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt [Media Mob]
Better Than the Real Thing? [NYM]

Gossip Roundup: America's First Family Returns

Jessica — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 12:15:59 EDT

• Brangelina, Shiloh, and "those other kids" plan on returning to Malibu this weekend. When their plane touches American soil, our country will celebrate the reclaiming of our national treasures. [TMZ]
• After his jokes about Brokeback Mountain, Howard Stern gets snubbed by Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams. At Nobu, no less, for bonus shaming points. [Page Six]
• For every tabloid tell-all book, there's a spurned ex-boyfriend getting a gun permit. In Bridget Harrison's Tabloid Love, it's the Post's Jesse Angelo; for Deborah Schoeneman's 4% Famous, it's Rocco DiSpirito. [R&M (2nd item)]
• 59-year-old actor James Woods is now dating his daughter, 20-year-old Ashley Madison. [Lowdown]
• Barbra Streisand tours again! Cue fainting Gays! [IMDb]
• Fake David Cross is to the East Village and Lower East Side as Fake Jimmy Buffet is to the Hamptons. [Page Six]

Shiloh Makes Money for Ronn [sic] Torossian

Jessica — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 09:27:03 EDT

So much for ignoring someone until they go away: it's been some time since we dignified the existence of 5W Public Relations' cracky despot Ronn [sic] Torossian, and yet he refuses to fade into the ether. Case in point: he's managed to find a way to flack off of the most important event of the century, the birth of Shiloh Jolie-Pitt. Yes, Ronn knows that newborn babies are an incredible PR opportunity(!), and the parents shouldn't be the only ones who get exploit little cutesy-wutesy. That shirt Shiloh is wearing in her lucrative pictures? Why, it's designed by Kingsley and available at Belly Maternity — and it was delivered to Africa, courtesy of Ronn's carrier pigeons. SCORE!

After the jump, the press release gloats about "product placement at its finest," and Ronn reveals his plan to tattoo celebrity babies with his clients' logos.

5W PUBLIC RELATIONS SECURES THE TOP CELEBRITY PRODUCT PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITY IN THE WORLD - SHILOH NOUVEL JOLIE PITT

Product Placement at its Finest - Los Angeles Celebrity Product Placement Division of 5W Successfully Places Belly Maternity Product in the Most Anticipated Baby Photo of All Time

LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK - June 8, 2006 - 5W Public Relations, named the nation's fastest growing PR firm two years in a row, announced today their success of one of the most important product placement opportunities in the world - securing client Belly Maternity product to be worn in the first image published of the most anticipated baby of all time, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie Pitt.

According to New York Magazine, "Not since Jesus has a baby been so eagerly anticipated" and publications across the world are in agreement. Prices have gone through the roof in the past two or three years, and Alan Williams, head of celebrity agency Big Pictures, told Reuters: "The first pictures of Brad and Angelina with the baby are a massive opportunity."

The new born "T", hand picked by 5W Public Relations for Shiloh from the collection at Belly Maternity (www.bellymaternity.com) and designed by Los Angeles designer Kingsley, is a model of strategy, speed and persistence - and an example of PR done right. It was delivered to Africa.

"It's product placement at it's finest. I am very proud. It's a perfect reflection of our work. Consumer product placement is a huge component of any clients' public relations outreach. We are extremely proud of our entire consumer team who works tirelessly; making sure our clients products make it into the right hands," said Ronn Torossian, President & CEO of 5W Public Relations.

Belly Maternity is one of several clients achieving marketable success under 5W Public Relations Celebrity Product Placement and Mom and Baby Divisions of New York and Los Angeles. Other successful placements and celebrity product affiliations have included leading names such as Jennifer Garner, Gwen Stefani, Gwyneth Paltrow, Britney Spears, Heidi Klum, Melania Trump and Angelina Jolie; among many others.

ABOUT 5W PUBLIC RELATIONS

Headquartered in New York, with an office in Los Angeles, 5W Public Relations (www.5wpr.com ), the nation's fastest growing independent PR firm for 2005 & 2004, maintains practice areas specializing in technology, corporate, consumer, celebrity, entertainment, crisis communications, Investor Relations, event management and public affairs. Described by a leading PR trade magazine as "aggressive in a way that clearly resonates with clients looking for a firm staffed with type A-plus personalities, a BS-free approach, and results from Day One," 5W's culture is aggressive, energetic, fast-paced and focused. The Company boasts a diversified client roster second to none, including: Fortune 100 mainstay EDS, Evian Bottled Water, NICE Systems, VeriSign, McDonald's Corporation, the 5th largest Internet travel agency, 530 store retail chain United Retail Group/Avenue Stores, The Pritkin Longevity Center & Spa, celebrities including NBA Star Jalen Rose, Lil' Kim, Ice Cube, Ciara, Nick Cannon and producer Scott Storch. The agency was named "Boutique Agency of The Year" by a leading PR Trade Magazine.

The Battle of Shiloh: We Fought the Good Fight

Jessica — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 17:15:33 EDT

As these things inevitably go, it would seem that the web has gotten its intangible hands on a solid handful of copyrighted images from Brangelina and Shiloh's session at the Sears Portrait Studio. And while we will gladly look at the pictures, coo like idiots, and then link to places where they can be found, we just can't post them. We can and will stand on our fair-use high horse all we want about a thumbnail pic of the Hello! cover (which, per our original offer to Time Inc. counsel Nick Jollypants, we have now changed to the People cover), but we really can't use the same justification for the fuzzy, cloying photos floating around from Hello!. Sorry — but this time, turns out that posting the pics actually is illegal. Or so we're told. Our lawyer could just be drunk and not wanting to deal. Whatever. We're still working through the first round of legal woes from 2 days ago, and we can't even keep track of what we are and aren't allowed to do anymore.

More Pics of the Messiah! [Dlisted]
Brad Pitt Just Murdered 100 Kittens [Mollygood]
Meet Shiloh Again [Teddy & Moo's Place]

The Battle of Shiloh: So Does This Mean We're Off the Hook?

Jessica — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 09:19:56 EDT

Well, hello there! People's Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt issue hits the newsstands tomorrow, and the local tabs are on those pictures like stink on baby shit. Because they're wily, the Daily News doesn't have the picture online — so clever, making us buy the paper so we can see this mysterious baby everyone's talking about.

People's managing editor Larry Hackett was just on the Today show to plug the issue — as if he needed to — but refused to reveal how much they paid for the pictures. About the leaked photos, Hackett said, "We'll challenge people who put them up illegally. This is not finders keepers." So why, then, asks Matt Lauer, would you allow a handful of pictures to be reprinted in the local papers? Won't that hurt People's newsstand sales? "If you go to a restaurant and have an appetizer, you have dinner afterwards." Touche. And so the world continues to dine on fresh baby meat.

Braddy's Girl [NYP]
Earlier: Gawker's Coverage of the Battle of Shiloh

The Battle of Shiloh: Keith Kelly's Fun With Numbers

Jessica — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 11:12:57 EDT

In his column today, merry media man Keith Kelly reports that American OK! and Us Weekly just missed winning the rights to the baby pictures of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, both bidding in the $4 million range but losing to People's $4.1 million (and to what length they'll go to get their money's worth). And since they were already tossing around the petty cash, People went ahead and bid $5 million for worldwide rights, but Getty laughed in their face. Kelly also reveals that Hello! paid around $3.5 million for British rights, then introduces us to his special brand of math:

People's $4.1 million deal for U.S. rights
+
Hello's $3.5 million deal for U.K. rights
=
"People's reputed deal [...] a bargain by comparison."

Picture This: $10M [NYP]
Earlier: The Battle of Shiloh

The Battle of Shiloh

Jessica — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 18:20:24 EDT

You post one little picture of Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt and, within seconds, the suits start calling. As it turns out, the Hello! cover photo of Shiloh and her sexy baby lips is very much authentic, so much so that Time Inc. lawyers were all up in our grill within an hour of this morning's posting. As we were informed by Time Inc. counsel Nick Jollymore (cute!), by posting the Hello! cover, Gawker was infringing on People's very exclusive, very expensive U.S. rights to the baby pictures. We think it's small enough to fall under fair use, and we'd gladly replace the Hello! cover with a People one featuring the baby, but no dice. And so Time Inc. continues on its counseled quest, creating almost enough fun to distract everyone from their more dismal problems.

After the jump, dance the legal disco and trip the copyright fantastic.

From: Nick Jollymore
To: Lockhart Steele

Dear Mr. Steel:

We will be sending you more formal legal notices shortly. Gawker's posting of the Hello! Magazine cover with Angelina Jolie and Bradd Pitt is an infringements of Time Inc.'s exclusive rights to that photograph. I need to talk to you or your attorney immediate.

Nick Jollymore
Deputy General Counsel
Time Inc.

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

From: Lockhart Steele
To: Nick Jollymore
Cc: Gaby Darbyshire

Mr. Jollymore,

The individual at Gawker who handles our legal matters, Gaby Darbyshire, is traveling today. I've cc'd her on this correspondence.

As part of Gawker's ongoing coverage of the media industry, we're firm in our right to report on Hello's treatment of the story, one of the biggest celebrity media news stories of the year. The Hello cover appears at thumbnail size and with links to the blog, D-listed, where we sourced the image from, per our image usage policies.

Should People wish for us to substitute a cover of its magazine featuring the image in lieu of the Hello cover, we'd be amenable.

Sincerely,
Lockhart Steele
Managing Editor
Gawker Media

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
From: Nick Jollymore
To: Lockhart Steele

Dear Mr. Steele:

Your thumbnail is 2.5 x 3.5 inches on my screen. With all respect, this is not "fair use" but willful copyright infringement in an attempt to use a valuable photograph to enhance your site even though you have obtained no rights to do so.

The Time Inc. Law Department is coordinating with the lawyers for Hello!. Matthew Higdon, who acts for Hello! in the UK, authorized me to inform you that under U.K. law there is not even a colorable claim that Gawker's posting of the Hello! cover is within the bounds of "fair use." As you know, the copyright law in the U.K. is much less flexible in this respect than the law of the U.S. Gawker can be sued in the U.S. by both Time Inc. and the publisher of Hello!

Hello! and Time Inc. are coordinating our pursuit of websites which have posted the Hello! cover. The first step is an notice, which is also the last step if the sites take the cover down immediately. If they do not, we are coordinating legal action.

I repeat my demand that Gawker take down the Hello! cover immediately.

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--

From: Lockhart Steele
To: Nick Jollymore
Cc: Gaby Darbyshire

Mr. Jollymore,

Checking the thumbnail in question in Photoshop, I found it to be 160 pixels across. Pursuant to the Google Image Search standard of 150 pixels, I've had our editor resize the thumbnail appropriately.

We stand by our belief that the image, which we have never displayed outside the context of Hello's treatment of it nor at anything larger than thumbnail size, is an important news media story that is within our rights to cover as part of our reporting on the celebrity media industry.

Sincerely,
Lockhart Steele
Managing Editor
Gawker Media

UPDATE: Goodbye, Hello!. Since People's cover is now widely available, we're going to stop wasting our beer money on legal fees and just use that instead.