— DIANE CLEHANE

They were dishing like it was 1999 today at Michael’s where it was SRO at the bar and in the lounge and filled with movers and shakers of every stripe in the dining room. I got a serious case of whiplash trying to keep track of it all. Between keeping an eye on Anna Wintour, who seemed to swoon over Vivi Nevo‘s every word, and watching Brian Williams and Universal honcho Ron Meyer tuck into their lunch with unbridled gusto, I found the scene even more fascinating than usual. Another intriguing phenomenon was the steady stream of suits that poured into the restaurant until it nearly overflowed. Was there a noontime shuttle from Brooks Brothers? Or perhaps, in some circles, the expense account in making a comeback. Here’s hoping…

Here’s the rundown on today’s crowd:

1. A casually clad Charlie Rose, who explained why he was wearing Chuck Taylors with his pinstripe suit: “I worked out earlier this morning.” The PBS talk show host was with two mystery guests.

2. Anna Wintour and Vivi Nevo. The Vogue editrix seemed completely enraptured by the Israeli venture capitalist. Whatever could have made her smile so much?

3. Hollywood casting agent Bonnie Timmermann with Law & Order SVU star Richard Belzer and literary agent David Vigliano. Belzer entertained his pals throughout lunch by reading stories aloud from a pile of old issues of Star magazine. I’m thinking Richard is considering writing a book based on some tabloid tales. Sounds interesting.

4. Glued to his Blackberry throughout the first half of lunch, a tie-less Harvey Weinstein with James Neaderlander and another business type. The group all gave Bonnie Timmermann a big ‘hello.’

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Today on the mediabistro.com Morning Media Menu we’re joined by Todd Mason, CEO of Mason Media Group. We talk to Mason about the changing public relations industry — and how companies like his are adjusting to the trends. We also discuss how other outside factors, like the economy and new technology, affect the PR world.

And, not to be missed, we opine on Rod Blagojevich‘s blossoming reality star career, and whether a third party site that allows newspapers to charge for content could be a success. You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321. Coming up this week: PRNewser’s Jason Chupick.

Today on the Menu we are joined (straight off the set) by CBS’ The Early Show anchor Maggie Rodriguez, who interviewed former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and who is set to interview Hero of the Hudson, Captain Sullenberger, along with his crew and a number of survivors, next Monday. Rodriguez talks about how she prepared for both interviews (talk about opposite ends of the media spectrum!) and how it was necessary to dig for something different to offer her viewers.

As for her time with Blagojevich Rodriguez says “in person everyone [at CBS] thought he was incredibly charming.” However! He’s also “an interesting case study in delusion and self-destruction.”

We also discuss (once again) whether paid content is the future of the New York Times, and the DTV transition — 13 days and counting. You can listen to the podcast live every morning at 9amET on BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321. You can also subscribe to the iTunes feed of the podcast by clicking the “iTunes” button.

Today on Morning Media Menu — our audio podcast based around the mediabistro.com Morning Newsfeed and mediabistro.com blog network — Nightline‘s Cynthia McFadden joins us fresh off yesterday’s interview with Rod Blagojevich to talk about using expletives, whether Blago is fully aware of what’s happening to him, and the Hair! Also up for discussion: has the media jumped the shark over Obama.

Oh the travails of the Tribune Co. Here’s the latest. The company has confirmed that it has in fact received a federal subpoena as part of criminal charges against Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The “close associate” of Sam Zell who was allegedly approached by Blago’s people for “help”, and is now being interviewed by the FBI, has been identified as Nils Larsen. According to the Chicago Tribune Larsen is the “38-year-old financial whiz who was instrumental in Zell’s takeover of Tribune Co.” A deal Zell now concedes perhaps wasn’t as well thought out as it could have been.

Whether Larsen ever attempted to apply pressure to Tribune officials remained unclear.

At the news conference announcing the arrests, U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald declined to say how far the effort went, “other than the person who was identified as a person to be fired was not fired and still works there today.”

It should be noted that the Tribune Co. and Zell maintain they did nothing wrong and that none of the Trib‘s editorial members were fired.

We have to imagine this is just the beginning. Earlier today the Chicago Tribune released a statement which basically says it held back on reporting certain parts of the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich story at the request of the U.S. attorney’s office. Fine. This story may turn out to be the best thing that has happened to the Tribune. We shall see.

Just now the Tribune Co. released its own statement saying “the actions of the company, its executives and advisors working on the disposition of Wrigley Field have been appropriate at all times.” Says Gerould Kern, editor of the Chicago Tribune: “No one within Tribune Company has ever complained to me about the positions taken by our editorial board, or attempted to influence our coverage of the governor in any way.” We shall see. But wow the Tribune Co. is having a crappy week. Full release after the jump.

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This stranger-than-fiction election year just absolutely refuses to die. Curious what people are referring to when they say “Chicago Politics?” Well looks like we are about to get a healthy dose, and then some. You may have already heard that earlier this morning Chicago Governor Rod Blagojevich (bluh-GOY-uh-vich) was arrested on corruption charges for possibly trying to sell Barack Obama‘s vacant Senate seat (and people here are freaking out cause our awesome Governor might give it to a Kennedy!).

Apparently Blagojevich is on tape saying “Unless I get something real good s***, I’ll just send myself, you know what I’m saying [a Senate seat] is a f***ing valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.” Which, you know, is probably true in every state just not something as governor you necessarily SAY OUT LOUD. But it gets better! And by better we mean the newly bankrupt Tribune Co. is involved.

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