The Reliable Source

Gossip From Washington and Beyond

The Reliable Source is back, under the stewardship of Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts . Appearing in the Style section on Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays, The Reliable Source brings you gossip from across the region and around the world -- candid looks at the lives and loves and hijinks of all your favorite bold-faced names, be they congressmen or millionaires,ballplayers or newsbabes, nightlife divas or master thespians, DJs or gadflies, has-beens or will-bes.

The Columns:

Diddy Draws Flak From Right (Post, Nov. 16)

Mr. Contrition Skips Concord for Boston (Post, Nov. 15)

The Reliable Source (Post, Nov. 13)

Argetsinger and Roberts are online each Wednesday at Noon ET to discuss your favorite gossip, what you thought about their recent columns or who you want to see them writing about in future ones.

Argetsinger is a veteran of all leafy-green, protein-rich sections like Metro and National while Roberts brought you the champagne and bon-bons of Style's society beat.

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Amy Argetsinger: This week we encountered Oprah's cool dad Vernon, Oprah's hot date Roger Ebert, and P.Diddy's political problems. We went to Fight Night and asked people how much they paid for their shoes. We puzzled over the Japanese royal family's gender double-standards. And we were positively *besieged* by Hollywood hotties -- Malcolm Jamal Warner, Jessica Biel, Eva Longoria, Robert Downey Jr. -- yet were just as thrilled as always to spot hometown honey Jenna Bush in another cute outfit and another trendy bar! So... looking forward to your questions!

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Eastern Shore : Bold face Mr and Mrs. Donald Rumsfeld were seen at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton this weekend, rubbing elbows with the L.L. Bean'ed collectors of art ducko. At least the heavily Republican attendees were trying to rub elbows. Secret Service was busy keeping the hoi polloi at bay while the happy couple eyeballed the decorative bird carvings. They have a palatial estate near St. Michaels, appropriately named Mount Misery.

Amy Argetsinger: Hmmm... did you happen to also see someone known as Islamorada Girl there?

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Islamorada Girl : Seen rockin' out at the Easton, Md., Waterfowl Festival Saturday -- the lovely and talented Mr. and Mrs. Donald Rumsfeld. Since Republicans actually think decorative bird carvings are art, no one was surprised. And they do own a palatial estate near St. Michaels appropriately named Mount Misery. The preppy locals were dying to touch the sacred couple, but the Secret Service kept the L.L. Bean'ed hoi polloi at bay.

Roxanne Roberts: Great----and only FIVE days late! You don't call, you don't write......People, we want phone calls ASAP. Leave voice mails, e-mails, carrier pigeons. But all great gossip has a shelf life.

Now to the duck: Did he get the duck he wanted, or just the duck they had?

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Washington, D.C.: What movie is being filmed around Sheridan Cirle in D.C.? Did I see Nicole Kidman?

Amy Argetsinger: Oh, probabLY! I mean, what else? And of course you saw Nicole Kidman, she's as ubiquitous as Jenna. The question is, did you see Daniel Craig? Hurry up, folks, D.C. filming is supposed to wrap this week, maybe today even...

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Largo, Md.: I saw the lovely Eva on Saturday's Wizards game, did you? What a style! She is so petite but so glamorous. Her clothes? Jeans and a white long coat. Superstar!

Amy Argetsinger: Our spies saw her (not hard, considering she was on the Jumbotron) and we got her in yesterday's column. That coat looked really cute. I've never even seen "Desperate Housewives," but I can't help but like her. She's the one starlet who seems to be having genuine fun with her newfound fame.

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wsahingtonpost.com: Mr. Contrition Skips Concord for Boston (Post, Nov. 15)

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Georgetown, Washington, D.C.: Where was Jenna? My friends swear if I go to Smith Point, I'll rub shoulders with one of the twins soon enough. Any other leads for the spottings this holiday season?

Amy Argetsinger: Jenna was at Tallula in Arlington on Friday (also in yesterday's column, along with Eva Longoria, see the link above). The word on the streets is that the Jenna pack has moved on from Smith Point in search of preppy hangouts that the suburban crowd hasn't found yet.

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Southwest: Japan -- Now that Bushie is in Japan, it seems a good time to ask about those wacky Japanese royalty. What's up with the king and queen paying their daughter $1M to stop being "royal" since she got married? And what is the real story with the crown princess and her "adjustment disorder"?

Roxanne Roberts: Here's the deal, as far as we can make out:

You get to be reigning emperor if you're a boy---and those eight empresses who reigned were temporary fill-ins and don't count as far as the royal thing goes.

You get to be in the line of succession if you're a royal son, but not if you're a daughter. Because the princess decided to marry a commoner, she gives up all her royal status and her kids have no claim to the throne. (If a prince marries a commoner, she gets to be royal.)

The princess got $1.3 million from the Japanese government for buying groceries and all those dreary parts of real life.

The Crown Princess has reportedly been a wreck since she got married more than 10 years ago, because basically her only job is to produce a male heir, which she has failed to do. One cute little three-year-old princess is all she has managed, causing much hand-wringing in the Imperial halls. There are calls for the toddler princess to get a piece of the action, but so far no go.

All in all, the commoner thing is not looking so bad.

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Cubeville: Spotted: Jackie Joyner-Kersee in Annandale. Does anyone know what ties she has to the area?

Amy Argetsinger: We can't seem to find a quick answer for that. Anyone else?

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Amy, Hi Roxanne,

How long will it be before Woodward announces his long standing status as a member of the Bush family? It seems SOOO obvious, like toilet paper on the shoe after a visit to the men's room.

Also, I'm going to my first gala ball in many years and wonder if you have any tips for being center of the social scene -- what's in these days?

Thanks!

Amy Argetsinger: Hmmm... you might want to try making an entrance from the men's room with a piece of toilet paper dragging from your shoe. Then people will definitely talk about you! Any other ideas, Roxanne?

Roxanne Roberts: I'd work on my small talk, if I were you.

Good: "Nice to meet you, Bob!"

Very, Very Bad: "So, how long have you been a member of the Bush family, Woodie?"

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U Street NW, Washington, D.C.: Why did so many castmembers of the Cosby Show have hyphenated last names?

Amy Argetsinger: Not so many, actually! I don't believe Keshia Knight Pulliam is supposed to be hyphenated (thanks imdb.com!). So it's just our friend MJW and Raven-Symone. Anyone here watch "That's So Raven" on Saturday mornings? It rocks. Though I refuse to believe Raven's only 19. Her comedic schtick is as polished as Kirstie Alley on the 11th season of "Cheers."

Roxanne Roberts: Don't ask me hard questions. I can't keep track of anything on Saturday mornings until I've had two venti lattes.

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Washington, D.C.: Can you identify any Post hotties that we who work nearby can keep an eye out for? (I heart Gene Weingarten, but he does NOT count)

Roxanne Roberts: Hot in a flash kind of way? Hot in a jump-their-notebook kind of way? Hot in the let's-go-on-background way? Personally, I have a long list, which I keep tucked in a secret, only-tell-Patrick Fitzgerald location.

Amy Argetsinger: Yeah, I plan to publish my list on my very last day of employment here...

It's worth noting, though, that fishbowldc.com (a very insider-Washington-journalism Web site) conducted a poll this summer of hottest D.C. media types, and the Post had three representatives in the "off-air" categories: Metro reporter Ylan Q. Mui, photographer Michael Robinson-Chavez, and former executive editor Ben Bradlee. You should totally go Google-Images them now!

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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Anyidea if Jenna has seen her father's spots on TV where he encourages smokers to "quit to live?" Seems like she should listen to papa.

Amy Argetsinger: Yeah, like any kid listens to their parents on this topic... Kids these days!

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Do you think the Osbournes will ever take baths and act like civilized adults?

Amy Argetsinger: Just saw in one of my glossy magazines that young Jack Osbourne has cut his hair, lost a ton of weight and really cleaned up. But you know, beyond that, I haven't really been paying much attention to them lately. They're so 2002.

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West Coast: So who do you think will get a better retirement package, Judith Miller or Bob Woodward?

Roxanne Roberts: Bob will outlast us all.

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Washington, D.C.: If there are celebrities in the D.C. area, where are they most likely to go for dinner? Drinks? or to dance?

Amy Argetsinger: Cafe Milano, Hotel George's Bistro Bis... If they're a rapper, they go to Platinum or Dream; if they're a Republican, they go to Capitol Grille. Not sure where the Republican rappers go -- we'll just have to wait until 50 comes to town!

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Washington, D.C.: What's the scuttlebutt around the Post's newsroom about Bob Woodward's 11th hour deposition to Fitzgerald's grand jury? I find it surprising that a man who hounded endless sources to reveal the Nixon White House's wrongdoings would, as quoted in the Post this morning, criticize Fitzgerald as "'a junkyard-dog prosecutor' who turns over every rock looking for evidence." Is Woodward now in the uncomfortable position of having to answer the types of questions he has asked for 35 years?

wsahingtonpost.com: Woodward Was Told of Plame More Than Two Years Ago (Post, Nov. 16)

Amy Argetsinger: I don't really know what it means to call someone a "junkyard-dog prosecutor," but I figured if he's using it to describe someone as adorable as Patrick Fitzgerald, it must be a compliment!

Roxanne Roberts: I can't comment further because Judy told Bob who told Matt who told my cats, Yin and Yang, that it was on super secret backscratch.

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Not a royal but in Arlington, Va.: When the Crown Princess married, I think she was almost hailed as a Japanese Princess Di-- beautiful, glam, appealing to the people. She is also Harvard- or Yale-educated, I believe, and no slouch in the diplomacy area. Must be like living in a gilded cage now for her. Ah, the things we do for love. At least the British let the women take up if there are no men to do so.

Roxanne Roberts: Since there hasn't been a boy born into the Japanese royal family for 40 years, I'm guessing the family might decide a royal empress is better than no royals at all.

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Abramoff secrets: Hey, guys, how come no dirt on our favorite lobbyist under fire? What's the dish on him and his wife? There's got to be lots of juicy stuff on the poor man, just sitting around with his millions and whining about how hard he has it these days. Is he becoming the pool man? Can I hire him to arrange a meeting with YOU? (only if you get a cut of course) ...Let's really spill the beans!

Amy Argetsinger: Well, if only we could ever pry a good Abramoff story away from Sue Schmidt! But whenever she gets one, it goes on A1...

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Washington, D.C.: Michael Robinson-Chavez: yowza! Is he single?

Amy Argetsinger: Sorry, he's not...

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L.A.: Will Democrats start naming their daughters KATRINA, just to keep it on people's minds?

Roxanne Roberts: God gets you for stunts like that. Think a pack of little terrors, always out of control, knocking things over and spilling their sippy cups everywhere. Bad, bad idea.

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wsahingtonpost.com: E-Mails Show Ex-Interior Official's Links to Lobbyist (Post, Nov. 5)

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Bush in Japan: Will Bush keep up the family tradition and vomit anybody as his father did?

Roxanne Roberts: Now, now. Say what you want about the president, but he's not a vomit comet.

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L.A.: I thought you two dealt with "culture",yet I've yet to hear a comment about the country music awards last night. Waz up? Are you wiggin' out on us, with all Diddy, all the time?

Amy Argetsinger: Okay, try this: How about that wig Lee Ann Womack was sporting? Though I did think she looked pretty good, that thing was straight out of the Country Music Hall of Fame museum!

Also, Kris Kristofferson is on my list. Or, Kristofferson circa 1968.

Anyone else got any thoughts?

Roxanne Roberts: Our special RS spies were in the crowd, and promise to report back if they can remember anything from last night. Yee haw.

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Washington, D.C.: Apparently Bob Saget went to McFadden's last night after doing a show at GW.

Amy Argetsinger: Ah. And we hear he was at the Capitol Grille the night before. Does that make him a Republican?

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Da Zoo: You people can go on all the celebrity sightings that you want. I'll just stay right here and watch the panda cam. Junior is chewing on his toes. NO ONE can beat that!

Amy Argetsinger: Uh oh, now Roxanne is going to want to end the chat early!

Roxanne Roberts: I'm writing "Mrs. Butterstick" on my notebook cover even as we speak. I'm in love.

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Silver Spring, Md. Nicole Kidman: No, this isn't Nicole Kidman, but I worked as an extra (ahem, background artist) in The Visiting and can report that she isn't a very friendly person and seemed quite out of it. Her scene required her to seem panicky and paranoid, so I don't know if she was just in character the whole time, even when the cameras were off, or what. She wasn't even that striking close up ...

Amy Argetsinger: Were you playing a body-snatcher? Maybe that's why she was skittish around you, method acting and all... Tell us more: Does she have a luminous complexion? Is she bone-thin in person?

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College Park, Md.: Just a heads up: Robin Givens loves to go to the drive-thru Starbucks in College Park, Md. Why in the world would she ever go to COLLEGE PARK of all places to get over-priced coffee?

Amy Argetsinger: College Park, we hereby deputize you as a Special Secret Junior Reliable Source Agent and command you to help us find out!

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Fairfax County: Any news on where former WRC anchor Dave Marash is going now that he's leaving "Nightline"? I would so love to see him back on D.C. TV.

Amy Argetsinger: Our TV writer pal John Maynard provides us with this answer:

from his blog (yes Dave Marash has his blog), he writes "What's next? I honestly don't know yet, but I hope I will stay in the community of newspeople, and will see and work with many of you in the future."

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L.A.: Any chance that Fitzgerald told Cheney? Or how about if Woodward told "curveball", who told Miller, who told Novak, who told Kojak, who told Rove, who told Scooter, who told Fitzgerald?

Roxanne Roberts: Exactly.

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Washington, D.C.: Maureen Dowd was featured in the Times Magazine in red stilettos and in the Post Style section in leopard stilettos. Does she wear such things in real life or is this temporary insanity brought on by her book tour?

Roxanne Roberts: Maureen loves stilettos. Better to slam into a man's instep and twist.

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Washington, D.C.: As a true D.C. hometown girl, I'm offended by your characterization of Jenna Bush as one of us. She's an interloper at best.

Amy Argetsinger: Oh, come on. It's a transient town! Where would we be without presidential children?

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Anonymous: Republican rappers -- isn't that sort of an oxymoron? In any event, they would probably go to hell ... if Pat Roberston, the Eagle Forum, Gary Bauer, Tom DeLay, et al, have any say in the matter.

Amy Argetsinger: such a hot topic you can't even tell us where you're writing from, eh, Anonymous? I'll let you put your heads together with West Coast...

Roxanne Roberts: I thought the Singing Senators WERE rappers. Oh, wait....

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West Coast: Now we know: To Democrats it's DIDDY Republicans call him "Did he?" Everyone knows Hip-Hop stars encourage voting so blacks can vote Republican. It goes without saying. Can you think of a tougher dude than Dick Cheney?We all know he pistol-whips people for fun! If the GOP put their whacked-out "talking points" down with a Dr. Dre backbeat, they'd take at least 80 percent of the Black Vote, don't you think?

Amy Argetsinger: I'm having a hard time following this. However, I think the GOP could easily tie up 50 percent of the white or black vote with a Dr. Dre backbeat. He's that good!

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Washington, D.C.: What do you make of Halle Berry giving up men at the same time Maureen Dowd writes a book, "Are Men Necessary?" Has the world of females taken up plastic? Columnist as sexpot, I really do not buy, she comes off like Angie Dickinson in the later years.

Roxanne Roberts: Ouch. So unkind. If she could frown, I'm sure she would.

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Virginia: So who was the foreign dignitary with multiple security SUVs blocking off King St. near the Yacht club in Old Town this Saturday?

Amy Argetsinger: Virginia, we're so sorry you didn't have your Secret Junior Reliable Source Agent credentials on you that night so you could have helped us find out!

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Background artist again: Indeed I was playing a snatcher (I will let you know if I actually make the cut come June)! She really wasn't strikingly skinny, strikingly tall, or strikingly beautiful -- although she definitely was tall and skinny. Let's put it this way, if she walked into a room, not many heads would turn. To her credit, she did have amazing colored eyes. And just so you don't think I am a loony stalker, I don't mean that she wasn't friendly to me, because I didn't approach her. She was just whiny and not v. nice to the crew. And as I said, she was really out of it, like she was on valium or something.

Amy Argetsinger: Ah, good stuff. Thanks!

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Arlington, Va.: Jenna smokes?

Amy Argetsinger: True! Can you believe it?

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Washington, D.C.: I love stuff like this. These chats, I mean. Granted, it's so obvious -- besides all of our freedom -- that something like this is representational of all the reasons the terrorists hate us, but I can live with that as long as I know what's happening in the D.C. social scene. You two are, dare I say, honorable? Noble? The way you pry into people's personal lives, not because of who they are but because of arbitrary qualities like wealth and social status, what can I say about such an endeavor that honors it to the extent it deserves.

Let's put it simply: You ladies remind me what society is all about, and for that I thank you.

Roxanne Roberts: We think you hate us, or love us, or something. Very "Chinatown." Anyway, we'll mull on this for the next week and meet you'll back here same time, smae place. And keeps those duck sighting coming!

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L.A.: Maureen Dowd's new video is HOT!

ALPHA GIRLS GONE WILD!

Roxanne Roberts: A little P.S. for you fans.

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I'm confused: Which of you is Amy and which is Roxanne?

Amy Argetsinger: well, I'm Amy...

Roxanne Roberts: Which makes me...Roxanne!

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