NEWSMAKERS
Q&A: Danica Patrick
Patrick finished a more-than-respectable fourth at this year's Indianapolis 500 and is the first woman to ever lead the pack during the race. She spoke to NEWSWEEK's Nicki Gostin.
Are you the Gloria Steinem of racing?
The what? I don't even know who that is. Is that bad? No, no. She's a famous feminist.
I'm sure that to some people I'm something like that. I'm sure everybody has their opinion about what I am.
Do you think you've gotten extra attention because you're cute?
Probably a little bit. It's just like when you watch a reality show and there's a cute girl on and she's kicking butt, you're like, "Go girl!" I think it appeals to people. It shows that you're not just using your looks to do simple, mindless things.
When are you going to be on the Wheaties box?
You know what? I always said that if that's the one thing I get, the Wheaties box, I will pee in my pants. I'm serious.
So let's send a shout-out to the Wheaties people and get you a box.
Yeah!
Is it hard for you not to speed when you're driving a regular car?
It's nearly impossible. I have a lead foot and road rage. That doesn't work well together.
Have you gotten any speeding tickets?
Oh, yeah. I've been pulled over plenty of times.
What's the most you've gone over the limit?
I've probably done 130 on the street, but that was once, when I was 16.
David Letterman is a co-owner of your car. Do you watch the "Late Show" every night?
Oh, goodness no. I can't stay up that late. I watch when there are good guests on.
Would you go--could you go--on "The Tonight Show?"
Probably not as long as Dave is my boss. It would have to be Dave's decision.
Have Jay Leno's people called you about appearing?
Yeah. We said, "Thank you very much, but not now."
Ee-eew, That Is So Not Cool
Even starlets deserve sympathy on occasion, so congrats, Lindsay Lohan: you've finally got ours. Last week the actress's Mercedes was rammed--intentionally, police believe--by a van driven by paparazzo Galo Ramirez, 24. (She was unhurt.) He was chasing her, she tried to hail a cop, so, allegedly, he smashed into her car to stop her. This, go figure, only attracted the attention of the police. And how sweet is this? Someone else got the coveted snapshot.
Meditate on This
This October, actor and Buddhist Lama Steven Seagal is releasing an album, "Songs From The Crystal Cave." Five things you didn't know about his musical career:
He studied with Albert Collins and Lightnin' Hopkins.
His manager worked with Kiss.
"Crystal Cave" has a track with Stevie Wonder on harmonica.
"Steven Seagal" is referenced in rap lyrics by Eminem, Ja Rule and Busta Rhymes.
His CD first went out to the media without his name. Now there's a smart publicist.
STEWART BUILDS A DYNASTY
Rod Stewart is certainly prolific, and we're not talking about his records. Fiancee Penny Lancaster is pregnant and due in December. This will be Stewart's seventh kid -- not bad for a guy pushing 60. Stewart's appeal seems to bridge generations; Lancaster, 34, is seven years younger than his oldest daughter. Of course Stewart is still married to Rachel Hunter; he plans to marry Lancaster next year, which should work out nicely. After all, what gal wants to go to the altar in a maternity dress?
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Devin Gordon is the editor of Newsweek Digital, the umbrella company encompassing Newsweek's various web properties, including Newsweek.com and Newsweek Mobile. Previously, from June 2007 to June 2009, he was senior editor of the magazine's Periscope section, which was nominated for a National Magazine Award for "best section" in 2008. Previously, he was a senior writer, writing about film, television, sports and popular culture for the Arts and Entertainment and Society sections. He was part of the Newsweek reporting team for the past three Olympic games, including the Salt Lake City winter games in 2002, the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where he covered swimmer Michael Phelps, and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, for which he wrote Newsweek's cover story about skier Bode Miller.
During his tenure at the magazine, Gordon has written about everything from HBO's "The Wire" to rock band Coldplay to Oscar-winner film directors Ang Lee and Peter Jackson. He profiled "Curb Your Enthusiasm" creator Larry David on the eve of the series' fourth season debut, and "The Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan just prior to the film's record breaking release. For Newsweek's year-end double-issue of 2002, he wrote "The Matrix Makers," (Jan. 6, 2003), a cover story about the two upcoming "Matrix" sequels—the first behind-the-scenes look at the new films by any publication.
Gordon joined Newsweek in 1998, after graduating from Duke University. His first cover story was "The Dominator" (June 18, 2001), an examination of what makes Tiger Woods tick. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Marc Peyser was named senior editor of the Arts & Entertainment section in October 2006, overseeing NEWSWEEK's coverage of movies, television, theater, books, art and architecture.
Previously he had served as a senior writer covering the television industry since 1999. He has contributed to numerous cover-length stories on popular television shows, stars and personalities. Among the most recent topics: "The Colbert Report," "Desperate Housewives" and "American Idol," along with "The Sopranos," the end of "Friends" and "Six Feet Under." He has also reviewed new television shows as well as Broadway and off-Broadway theater.
Before that, Peyser was a general editor in the Nation and Arts sections and penned the popular Newsmakers page from 1997 through 1999. He joined Newsweek in September 1989 as a letters correspondent and later served as editorial and senior editorial assistant of arts and associate editor of Nation, Society and Arts & Entertainment.
Peyser was a reporter for The Register newspaper in Red Bank, N.J. from 1987 to 1989. While at The Register, Peyser won two New Jersey Press Association Awards for feature stories.
He received his B.A. in English from Stanford University and his M.A. in Journalism from Columbia University. He resides in Manhattan.
Nicki Gostin interviews celebrities for newsweek.com. She has written for Newsweek, TV Guide, The Age newspaper, and Australian Women's Weekly, and has appeared on Entertainment Tonight. She dates her interest in celebrities and the Royal Family back to when she was five and wrote letters to Sesame Street, the Queen, and Basil Brush (a British puppet fox with his own TV show).
For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.
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