Candace Bushnell

Things may have kicked off in the UK, but the SATC girls finally came home to premiere the film at Radio City Music Hall last night. Love 'em or not, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, and Kim Cattrall glittered in their metallic dresses on a pink carpet that was covered with more than 10,000 Swarovski crystals. SJP looked amazing in a very familiar dress (hello, LL in Bazaar superhero photo shoot). Chris Noth and more costars came out, as well as some of NYCs most stylish trendsetters like Ashley Olsen and Anna Wintour (looking perfect as usual). New theme song artist Fergie got girlie, while Jason Lewis acted goofy sticking his tongue out for the cameras. Fans are so excited for the film that they paid big bucks to attempt to attend the premiere last night. Seriously, big bucks. Clearly this weekend belongs to the girls in the city, so move over Indy!

For tons more images of the ladies as well as Michael Patrick King, Patricia Field, Candace Bushnell, Jerry Seinfeld, and more, just read more

Welcome back Buzz Book Club readers! We're now three stories into Four Blondes, and somehow I'm not surprised that she gave us an honest-to-goodness princess in the section we read this week. I suppose after former model and magazine editor, it's the next logical place to go, right? Sidenote: I really think Candice Bushnell's at her best when she's writing in the first person. The story raised a few questions for me and I can't wait to discuss.

If you're new to the Book Club, this is how it goes: every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in May). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Finish the book by completing the final story titled "Single Process." We'll chat about the final section a week from today, Friday, May 30.

To discuss the second section of Four Blondes (in which we read to the end of the story titled "Platinum," read more

Welcome back Buzz Book Club readers! Now that we've read the first two stories in Four Blondes, I gotta say this second section was better crafted than the first but these characters give Janey a run for her money in the "abhorrent" department. Still, that's good stuff to discuss, especially since they're a little less materialistic and far more pretentious.

If you're new to the Book Club, this is how it goes: every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in May). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Read the entire third story titled "Platinum." We'll chat about this third section a week from today, Friday, May 23.

To discuss the second section of Four Blondes (in which we read to the end of the story titled "Highlights (For Adults)," read more

Welcome back Buzz Book Club readers! Before we start, I want to say that I know many of you have already read Four Blondes and were either turned off or maybe even appalled by the main characters. You should know I'm right there with you.

However, just like with movies, I think there is something interesting and valuable about examining what makes a book fail in comparison to others in its genre. Moreover, Four Blondes gives us a lot to talk about in terms of the portrayal of the women in Candace Bushnell's universe on the eve of the Sex and the City movie, like Bushnell's use of sex as a means of power, the unadulterated materialism of her characters, etc.

So with that said, here's a recap of how the Book Club goes If you're new: every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in May). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Read the entire second story titled, "Highlights (For Adults)." We'll chat about this second section a week from today, Friday, May 16.

To discuss the first section of Four Blondes (in which we read to the end of the story titled "Nice N'Easy"), read more

Hello Buzz Book Club readers! First of all, happy Friday! Now, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little emotionally spent from several Buzz Book Club books in a row that dragged us through the emotional ringer (Revolutionary Road, The Life Before Her Eyes).

Given that and the fact that it's Springtime, I thought I'd pick a light and frothy book for my May selection: Four Blondes by Candace Bushnell (author of Sex and the City).

It also seems appropriate, since we've had Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle on the small screen this year, and the Sex and the City movie is on the way to the big screen. So we might as well get into the spirit of the sassy, high-powered woman by reading Four Blondes.

For those of you new to my book club format, here's how it works:
I'll announce a new book each month. Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in May). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few discussion-provoking questions for you to respond to in the comments section.

To find out what Four Blondes is all about and to get the first assignment, read more

Did you catch the TV spot for the Sex and the City movie that aired during Gossip Girl last night? Well, now you can check it out after the jump. There's more of the brassy theme music, some squealing amongst the ladies and euphemistic talk of "crayons" and "coloring," among other cute stuff.

As I was perusing the movie's website last night I came across the little online quiz in which you can find out who your manly SATC match would be. And yup, I got Harry. He's not the sexiest of the bunch but he sure is loyal and good. Who's yours? Click here, then go to "About the Movie" and the "Match Your Man" option will appear.

To check out the TV spot for the SATC movie, read more

After seeing her at the airport on Tuesday I worried that Rachel McAdams' new hair might be a little severe and, sigh, true. Last night she was the belle of the ball at the NYC premiere of her movie Married Life showing off a little leg in a sassy outfit. Yowza — check out how to get her look here. Though that eye makeup is a bit much. Maybe it would all be better if she smiled a little? She was joined by some of her costars including Patricia Clarkson and Chris Cooper along with Lipstick Jungle's Lindsay Price and Candace Bushnell. While we're still getting used to the idea of not seeing her moving towards married life with Ryan Gosling, we'll just have to settle for her Married Life on the big screen.

To see more from the premiere including Candace Bushnell, Helena Christensen, Patricia Clarkson, Morgan Freeman and others just read more

Round One of the Cashmere Mafia vs. Lipstick Jungle faceoff appears to have gone to Lipstick. NBC has ordered six more episodes of Lipstick Jungle, making for a total of 13 for its first season.

Meanwhile, we've heard nary a word about the future of Cashmere, which aired its final completed episode last week. Cashmere was a ratings dud, not even topping 5 million viewers in its most recent airing — but, to be honest, Lipstick isn't faring that much better, getting just 5.8 million viewers last Thursday. However, it's winning its time slot among women in the 18-34 and 18-49 age brackets, which is good for advertisers.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the six new episodes of Lipstick are targeted to air in the Fall, so the first season would basically air in two parts. I'm actually pretty curious to see how the show will fare post-strike, since now the writers will be around to tweak a line here or there. What's your take? Which show did you hope would win the battle of the ruthless ladies?

Photo courtesy of NBC

It's time for the battle to really begin: Lipstick Jungle premieres tonight on NBC, bringing us the year's second crop of high-powered career women in fabulous clothing dealing with the problems of the well-heeled and wealthy. As I mentioned, I gave Lipstick a slight edge over Cashmere Mafia based on the first couple of episodes of each; I thought Lipstick was the more serious and somewhat better-acted of the two. It has a ways to go before it's SatC level, but I'm willing to stick with it.

I've already shared some of what Brooke Shields and Candace Bushnell had to say about the show, but in honor of tonight's premiere, I wanted to toss a couple of other moments from our conversation out there:

• Shields wanted to play Wendy from the moment she first read the book, but by the time the show was actually casting, she'd found out she was pregnant. Luckily for her, Bushnell and co. decided to make some changes to the show, and by the time they were ready to shoot the pilot, she was free again.
• The three leading ladies really are friends in real life. "I remember being on Friends and thinking oh, I want to know that they’re all really friends in real life," Shields said. "We’re with each other for long, long, long days and we have to share so much that it’s nice to really respect not just the talent but the person."
• For the record, Candace Bushnell's top five female-focused TV shows of all time are I Love Lucy, Murphy Brown, Mary Tyler Moore, Judging Amy, and — surprise! — Sex and the City.

Will Lipstick Jungle join that list? I can't wait to get your thoughts tomorrow. For now, you can check out a preview if you read more

Lipstick Jungle — that other show about career women searching for success, love, and happiness in New York City — finally premieres on Thursday. Unlike Cashmere Mafia, this series has Candace Bushnell behind it: The story comes from her book of the same name, and she's remained with the show as an executive producer. But in a conference call with reporters recently, Bushnell insisted Lipstick can stand on its own without being compared to her iconic Sex and the City. Here's some of what she and star Brooke Shields had to say about the show:

• On whether professional women must be neurotic if they are also successful:
  Shields: "I think you can be successful and still be extremely present in a healthy life. The women of Lipstick are saying to us that it’s OK to be successful and it’s also okay to be happy with your success even though it might not be easy. . . . I’m not saying any successful woman's life is without struggle. But it doesn’t mean it has to be miserable."
• On keeping the show real and not cartoonish:
  Shields: "The humor comes from the situations and it's earned. The funny moments are earned not because we’re going over the top or we're trying to hit you over the head, but because the situation is funny. But the basis of it and the ground on which we're standing truly comes from the struggles that these women really are going through, and really do exist. So the cartoon feeling was just taken away from the very, very beginning. That's why I was on board so quickly."
  
  Bushnell: "I think one of the things that’s very important to understand about Lipstick Jungle is that the show, the book, and the whole concept was really inspired by real women and a new paradigm of a career woman, and a working woman. It happens to take place in New York. But one of the initial things that inspired me to write the book is the fact that 30 percent of married women make more money than their husbands. Thirty percent of married women work and are the breadwinners for their families, which is something that surprised me and really inspired me. And having traveled all around the country, I will tell you that this Lipstick Jungle paradigm is not just high powered career women in New York."

Lots more from Shields and Bushnell, so read more