Rumors and/or Gossip

A Fishbowl spy tells us that CNN's Wolf Blitzer (in a suit, of course), Martha Stewart, NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman and Fred Barnes, executive editor of The Weekly Standard were all at the Verizon Center last night for the Cavs/Wizards game.

The motley crew of media types were not at the game together but our source says they were all sitting center court, approximately 15 rows back.

After two months of getting drunk and hooking up, "The Real World" moved on to the reason it came to Washington in the first place: politics.

We hear that one of the cast members for the 23rd season is Andrew Woods - a 21-year-old from Denver. Sources tell FishbowlDC that last week, Woods took an internship with TWT, where he's working in the graphics department drafting a political cartoon that could run in the paper.

FBDC hears that Woods was shadowing Joe Curl (pictured), the former senior White House correspondent who now writes the paper's "Political Theater" column, on Wednesday. Allegedly, Curl took him and the MTV camera crew to the White House where the pair stayed for the daily press briefing with Robert Gibbs. No, Woods didn't ask a question... though we wish he would have.

We checked in with Curl, but he wouldn't say much: "I signed a three-page confidentiality form, so if I told you anything, you'd be dead in an hour," Curl said. "I can tell you that if you're right, my 14-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl would completely confused. 'Dad on The Real World? No way!'"

Based on our info, we're guessing Curl may win some celebrity status at his kids' school. Then again, he may shame his children, scarring them for life and pushing them into therapy. Either way, we'll be watching.

The Washington Times, DC 50, 93.9FM, NBC4, Washington Flyer, Washington Life and On Tap Magazine are just a few of the sponsors and partners of the The America's Polo Cup DC Fall Classic. Held on the National Mall this Saturday, the event brought out horses, hats, [real] housewives and soon-to-be "Dancing with the Stars" diva, singer Mya.

Whispers and cameras were buzzing around a few flashy fashionistas - rumored to be cast members of DC's "Real Housewives" series that was announced by Bravo earlier this year. See for yourself (more pics of the hush-hush housewives after the jump).

Anyone know this wifey? This sassy momma Edwina Rogers was hamming it up for a personal camera crew all day.

Tareq Salahi, singer Mya and rumored cast member Michaele Salahi.

continued...

A little birdie tells FishbowlDC that MTV's cameras may be headed to The Washington Times for a little Real World drama. Word is that the cast member will be interning in the TWT graphics department.

We all know it's brutal out there, but are times so desperate that the BBC's top State Department correspondent can't afford a fresh pack of chewing gum?

We told you that TWT's Joseph Curl had traveled with a pack of reporters down to Guantanamo Bay to cover several pre-trial hearings for the 9-11 terror suspects. Curl ragged on his British buds from the BBC in a postcard he sent us on Wednesday. Now another another source (we swear it wasn't Khalid Sheikh Mohammed) has stepped forward with this:

"Just before the plane took off from Gitmo's airstrip to head back to Andrew's Air Force Base, someone noticed this small, white glob stuck to the back of the ear of the BBC's Jonathan Beale. After puzzling with a few colleagues, someone asked him, 'Hey, what's that behind your ear?'

'Oh,' said Beale. 'That's my gum' -- and then he snagged it with his finger and popped it into his mouth!"

DOUBLE, DOUBLE YOUR REFRESHMENT, I guess!?!?

Please, people, we know it's tough for you reporters (maybe even tougher for us). But can't we rally together and send Beale some fresh packs of Juicy Fruit or Doublemint? If you can find it in your heart to chip in a pack or a quarter-- just 25 lousy cents -- we'll send Beale enough gum to get him through this recession.

Dig deep, people.

A tipster tells us that our pals at Roll Call may not be able to access FishbowlDC from work computers now. We haven't been able to confirm but we sure hope the tipster is pulling our leg... er, fin.

If it's true, we suggest Roll Call staffers sign up for a Google Reader account. Ha!

>>>UPDATE: Roll Call says this is definitely not true- keep reading Roll Callers!

A tipster tells FishbowlDC that Cap File's EIC of yestermonth, Sherry Moeller has reemerged as a flack after being replaced by Sarah Schaffer at CF on May 14th. We hear that she has teamed up with a publicist from the "cosmetic surgery" industry and plans to announce a new firm in the coming months. We checked Moeller's LinkedIn profile and indeed, it now reads "Independent Public Relations and Communications Professional."

FishbowlDC hears that the LA Times, Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun (Tribune's Washington Bureau) are moving to the Scripps bureau office, where they will share a l0th floor space...

We spoke with Tribune Corporate Communications but they declined comment.

Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that 2-time Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and film director George Hickenlooper are currently at the Cumberland Federal Prison visiting jailed DC lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Abramoff is the subject of screenplay "Casino Jack" starring Spacey and directed by Hickenlooper. The picture is described as a modern day GoodFellas involving Karl Rove and others from the Bush Administration.

Nikki Finke of DHD reports that the project starts filming next month. For the full scoop, check out Finke's piece here.

We had posted earlier today that sources told FBDC that Metro Weekly's days in print were numbered and that the publisher had announced to staff to prepare to go online only in the next three weeks.

Co-publisher Sean Bugg says this is not true and that there are "no plans to cease publication."