Shoes!

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

It’s been a very busy week in the political world with the biggest story being the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump – here’s what we know. There was a reason that Donald was heard screaming for his SHOES as the secret service carried him away from the podium moments after the shooting. He wears LIFTS in his shoes to appear taller, and vain Donald didn’t want the press to photograph his shoes with the special inserts in them!

Speaking of Donald, as he accepted the Republican nomination for president on Thursday, he wore a bandage over his ear that was grazed by that bullet and now we just heard that he’s scheduled to undergo minor reconstructive plastic surgery to replace the cartilage that was blown away. Donald has turned to a top Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and is planning to have the surgery within the next few weeks. My source says that he could have gotten in earlier, but Donald enjoys the image of himself with the bandage as he feels it makes him appear stoic and macho.

The other big news is the continued backlash against President Joe Biden’s campaign and we just heard this scoop. The biggest Democratic donors were recently informed via a secure conference call that Biden will NOT be the nominee and to expect an announcement before the end of July. This isn’t speculation -it’s a done deal- and the powers that be are currently drafting a graceful way for Biden to bow out.

The Olympics are all over the news since they’re starting on July 27, and my source says that last minute plans are currently underway to get Taylor Swift to perform at either the opening or closing ceremony. Seems that ticket sales to the events haven’t been as great as expected, so they’re hopeful that an appearance by Taylor could somehow change that. She hasn’t signed on yet, as there are a lot of moving parts to navigate, but expect a big announcement if it all works out as the Olympic committee hopes.

Finally, a sad week for celebrity deaths, including Dr. Ruth, Bob Newhart and Shannen Doherty. Speaking of Shannen, her former husband, the handsome Ashley Hamilton just revealed his own cancer diagnosis during a statement he released to the press on her passing. We just heard this though – Ashley is planning to launch a cancer foundation in Shannen’s memory and raise awareness of the disease and hopefully raise funds in the process. He’s leaning on his stepfather, the wealthy but notoriously frugal Rod Stewart to kick things off with a large donation. We will keep you posted if Rod funds the endeavor.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

RICKY MARTIN’S FOOT FETISH COULD PAY OFF

Ricky Martin recently made headlines (and raised eyebrows!) when he revealed he has a foot fetish and likes massaging and kissing men’s feet, but I think that was  part of a bigger plan: According to an insider, Ricky has been working on a line of comfortable yet stylish shoes for men and timed his foot fetish announcement as a precursor to launching the collection. In the early 2000’s, I can remember when Ricky would visit a building a friend of mine lived in. The street would be blocked and he seemed to have more security detail than the president. A few years ago, I was very excited when he came to my house to do a magazine photoshoot and interview – he even posed for a pic with me and my Wire Fox Terrier Lulu. Fame can be fleeting, and while he’s managed to stay reasonably relevant, my source says Ricky is turning to footwear as a new source of revenue. He’s seen celebrities like Jessica Simpson earn millions from their shoe lines and hopes to mimic that success.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

 

SIMON COWELL IS TALLER AND THINNER THAN EVER

Simon Cowell gave paparazzi a thumbs-up as he headed into America’s Got Talent, preparing for their 18th season today. He’s happy about the fact that he’s been able to maintain that 60 pound weight loss that he claims is due to food control. (Isn’t that what they all say?) Whatever – he IS successful, but we cannot help fixating on his foot wear, as usual. His custom made boots with lifts inside seem particularly evident today – maybe because of his long jeans. It looks like they give him AT LEAST four inches of added height…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

SELLING SUNSET STAR JASON OPPENHEIM ADDED SOME INCHES

Selling Sunset star, Jason Oppenheim is reaching new heights, thanks to the lifts in his shoes! The petite reality star is beyond smitten with his model girlfriend, German model Marie-Lou Nurk, but he is very self-conscious of the fact that she towers over him. It pains him to see photos like this of them running together. Whether he’s working out at Equinox on Sunset in sneakers, or working his next big real estate deal in lace ups, Jason’s now a few inches taller thanks to the lifts that are custom made for all of his shoes. Did you know he has Sylvester Stallone to thank for the idea of sneakers with lifts?

 

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

JANET JACKSON IS ENJOYING HER NEWFOUND HEIGHT

Designer Thom Browne (who happens to be one of our unaffordable favorites) is famous for putting men in skirts and women in preppie neckties and he’s attracted all kinds of celebrities – including Janet Jackson. She wore Thom Browne to the Billboard awards and decorated the front row at his Paris show in an immaculately tailored layered outfit with one short sleeve and one long. Note the outrageously high platform heels – 7 or 8 inches- and the oversize “handbag” as big as a suitcase. The only drawback to Janet’s look is the piled high hair- makes her look like a stern matron in a 1960’s orphanage…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

JENNIFER LOPEZ: ISN’T DRIVING IN LA RISKY ENOUGH?

Nice to see that busy Jennifer Lopez finds time to shop with her daughter Emme- the pair hit the funky end of Melrose Avenue to look for vintage clothing at Jet Rag. Emme has eclectic taste and she’s not all about designer fashion like her mother. However, as Jennifer was getting into her car we were struck by the sight of her 8 inch platform summer shoes. Are they REALLY safe for driving? We can imagine all sorts of bad things happening…any opinions out there?

Photo Credit: BACKGRID USA

WHAT ROLE DOES PUTIN’S HEIGHT PLAY IN THIS WAR?

We’re not sure if Vladimir Putin is taller or shorter than Tom Cruise, but he is equally self-conscious about his height. There’s considerable online discussion about the carefully guarded secret of his actual height but the general opinion is from 5’3 to 5’6.” He’s been wearing hidden lifts in his shoes for YEARS – especially in situations where he has to stand next to taller heads of state for photographs. Smaller men have to be more assertive. His ego, which prompts him to wear lifts, is also fueling this aggressive war in Ukraine which has made him the most important man in the world right now.

Photo: Russian newspaper -probably no longer in existence

PINK HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL SENSE OF BALANCE

Height-challenged Lady Gaga is only around 5 feet tall, so we can understand why she suffers in high platform shoes to look taller and more imposing. But Pink? Pink took her kids and some friends to dinner at Soho Malibu and everyone wore sneakers EXCEPT Pink. The 5’4” singer navigated the rather treacherous brick outside area in these Gaga-style gold platform shoes…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

TOM CRUISE DOES ALL THOSE STUNTS IN ELEVATOR SHOES!

Tom Cruise may be 58, but that doesn’t deter him in ANY way from doing his own perilous stunts, and he loves the fact that it’s become his trademark. It’s all the more amazing that he’s an action star because he does all that running and jumping in elevator shoes! The 5’7” actor noticed early on that he was shorter than most of his costars and leading ladies, and he sought out the finest height enhancing shoes that money can buy. Now even his sneakers make him taller. (Keep in mind, all his pants have to be the perfect length to disguise the shoes.) Tom had a custom shoemaker in Beverly Hills that could add at least three hidden inches to almost any style shoe, but now that he’s living in the UK, he must have found a special shoemaker there.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

SARAH JESSICA PARKER: TIME MARCHES ON – IN SJP SHOES

How many A-list celebrities do YOU know who would get down on their knees to fit shoes on a customer in a New York shoe store? Sex & the City star Sarah Jessica Parker continues to amaze us as she waits on customers in her SJP shoe store on W 54th Street. Coincidentally (or not) this SJP store is located in the former location of the Manolo Blahnik shoe store that Carrie Bradshaw frequently visited and gushed about on the show. (Sarah fondly remembers filming there – Carrie wore Blahnik shoes to her wedding) Certainly business must have picked up since Sarah started pitching in to work there…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA