Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Jun 8, 2011

The Economy:

PRESIDENT OBAMA says now is not the time to panic and that the economy is recovering. Fed Chairman BEN BERNANKE agrees.
In a speech at an international monetary policy conference in Atlanta yesterday, Bernanke said the economic "recovery was continuing at a moderate pace" but "at a rate that is both uneven across sectors and frustratingly slow from the perspective of millions of unemployed and underemployed workers."
Bernanke says the job picture should pick up in the second half of this year. (Maiman)

Fashion Emergency:

LADY GAGA was honored as a fashion icon at the big Council of Fashion Designers of America awards Monday night at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Fashionista.com says her outfit didn’t disappoint in its shock value. She wore a bustier that flashed some nipple --right in front of photographers, of course. She also wore a sheer black bodysuit with a spiked thong that covered nothing but the bare essentials, a long train, blue hair and 24-inch platform shoes to accept the “icon” award.
The ceremony is considered to be the Oscars of the fashion industry.C-N-N’s ANDERSON COOPER hosted the show and designer MARC JACOBS received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The New York Times says Gaga was nervous when she took the stage. She told all the mega-famous designers in the audience at Lincoln Center how important fashion has always been in her life, especially when she was growing up. Gaga said her love of fashion gave her confidence as an artist. She said (quote), "As much as this award means to me personally... I just want you to know how much this means to young Americans... I can’t believe I’m allowed to be here.” (Marino /Bartha /Lee)
Editor’s Note: Neither can anyone else!
--Is there even a line anymore between “fashionable” and “weird?” (Bartha)
--Pictures? Check 'em out in the London Daily Mail. Freak. (Lee)

Designers in Cambridge, MA, have created the first-ever 3-D printed bikini that the general public can buy.
JENNA FIZEL and MARY HAUNG call their fashion label Continuum Fashion, “part fashion label, part experimental design lab.” The three-dimensional print has a bumpy texture, But the ‘girl geek culture’ blog The Mary Sue says the bikini bottoms are “lined for comfort... so the bumpy things don’t poke you in uncomfortable places.”
The bikini seller, Shapeways.com, says all previous 3-D clothing was experimental or not available to buy. They say this is the first time affordable 3-D fashion is available for sale. Their version of affordable: Two hundred dollars.
Editor’s Note: --If the right women are wearing them, all bikinis are 3-D. (Bartha)

Reality Round-Up:

Dr. DREW PINSKY is gearing up to treat another wild bunch of Tinseltown addicts on "Celebrity Rehab." Us Weekly reports LINDSAY LOHAN's father, MICHAEL, will be appearing on the show, along with actress SEAN YOUNG, baseball player DWIGHT "Doc" GOODEN, AMY "The Long Island Lolita" FISHER, BAI LING, JESSICA "Sugar" KIPER from "Survivor" and JEREMY JACKSON of "Baywatch" fame. Former GUNS 'N ROSES drummer STEVEN ADLER is coming back for a repeat performance --he also detoxed off heroin during the first season. Look for the show to premiere June twenty-sixth on VH1. (Lee)

TV Briefs:

See ya! Entertainment Weekly magazine reports LAURENCE FISHBURNE is leaving "CSI" and will not be back this fall. He's been with the franchise for two years, replacing WILLIAM PETERSEN.
Both Fishburne and MARG HELGENBERGER's contracts expired after the show's latest (11th) season, which (of course) ended with a cliffhanger, since the stars were all re-negotiating their contracts. And the show is ranked #30 for the season, another reason the salary offers might not have been as high as they might have been in the past.