Gossip of Upstate New York

York Staters is a place for serious investigation of all topics relating to Upstate New York. Tackling the larger historical, social, and economic questions is no easy task (for the writers or the readers) so I am now offering us a diversion in the form of: Upstate gossip!

I know you love to glance at the cover of Star or People in the check-out line (even if you would never, ever buy one) and there's no shame in it! Entertainment news/silly news that doesn't really effect our lives in any way is a diversion as old as language itself. And if you're going to divert your mind with a little gossipy news, it may as well be of the Upstate variety!

Item: The former home of Philip Seymour Hoffman in Rochester, NY is up for sale. It seems that the home's celebrity provenance hasn't inflated the price much - it's listed for $139,900. One of Hoffman's upcoming projects is the film Synechdoche, New York. The title is a play on the city of Schenectady and the literary device/figure of speach synecdoche. The film is written and will be directed by Charlie Kaufman (of Being John Malcovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind fame.)

Item: In further real estate news, governer elect Eliot Spitzer has purchased 160 acres in Gallatin, Columbia County for $4 million for a weekend getaway.

Item: Actor Rip Torn is arrested for drunk driving in North Salem. (Yea yea, Westchester doesn't really count as Upstate, but I couldn't resist, because who doesn't love Rip Torn? I mean, look at this guy. I can, however, resist making a "Torn was Ripped!" or "Rip got Torn Up!" pun.)

Item: Everyone loves a good catfight, and the one between Glenn Heller (who vehmently hates WAMC's chief executive Alan Chartock) and just about anyone who will listen rages on. Heller has accused Chartock and WAMC of tax fraud. First it was a war of words on Chartock's wikipedia entry, and now it's come to slightly more subdued emails between Heller and Mark McGuire (not THAT Mark McGuire.) Upstream follows the developments here.

And finally, many of you may know that Sagamore was used as a setting for scenes in the upcoming film The Good Shepherd, which I've already started seeing television commericals for. You can view the trailer here (which sadly doesn't show Sagamore - I guess we're just going to have to go see the movie when it comes out on December 22nd.)

If anyone else wants to contribute and item, post in the comments!

Natalie