The HAMPTON Report

Hedge-fund manager John Paulson made more than $3 billion last year through smart bets, but his Hamptons house has sat on the market since spring and he recently shaved $2.6 million from the price, lowering it to $16.9 million.

Led Zeppelin fans praying for good news on a rumored reunion tour would not have been encouraged by guitarist Jimmy Page at a Toronto film festival press conference where he was promoting the documentary film “It Might Get Loud”.

The film, a love letter to the electric guitar, features Page, U2 guitarist The Edge, and White Stripes frontman Jack White discussing their musical backgrounds and jamming with each other on a soundstage.

But with all three rockers assembled in Toronto, the “elephant in the room”, as one reporter put it, was whether recent jam sessions with Page, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer Jason Bonham would lead to a tour.

Page and Jones are founding band members, while Bonham is the son of original drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980.

“We’re not actually really recording. We played at the O2 (concert in London last year). That was our reunion,” Page said, adding “It’s nothing as monumental as what people are speculating and projecting.”

Moderator George Stroumboulopoulos was clearly trying to shield Page from having to answer questions about a reunion, redirecting questions from two reporters on the subject.

Finally, on the third try, Page answered.

“If you’re going to do a reunion, you need four members,” he said, referring to lead singer Robert Plant’s commitment to touring with U.S. country singer Alison Krauss.

Plant is nearing the end of a six-month world tour with bluegrass queen Krauss to promote their acclaimed 2007 album “Raising Sand.”

So fans looking for a “Whole Lotta Love,” are getting none of it from the rock icons, at least for now.

Led Zeppelin fans praying for good news on a rumored reunion tour would not have been encouraged by guitarist Jimmy Page at a Toronto film festival press conference where he was promoting the documentary film “It Might Get Loud”.

The film, a love letter to the electric guitar, features Page, U2 guitarist The Edge, and White Stripes frontman Jack White discussing their musical backgrounds and jamming with each other on a soundstage.

But with all three rockers assembled in Toronto, the “elephant in the room”, as one reporter put it, was whether recent jam sessions with Page, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer Jason Bonham would lead to a tour.

Page and Jones are founding band members, while Bonham is the son of original drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980.

“We’re not actually really recording. We played at the O2 (concert in London last year). That was our reunion,” Page said, adding “It’s nothing as monumental as what people are speculating and projecting.”

Moderator George Stroumboulopoulos was clearly trying to shield Page from having to answer questions about a reunion, redirecting questions from two reporters on the subject.

Finally, on the third try, Page answered.

“If you’re going to do a reunion, you need four members,” he said, referring to lead singer Robert Plant’s commitment to touring with U.S. country singer Alison Krauss.

Plant is nearing the end of a six-month world tour with bluegrass queen Krauss to promote their acclaimed 2007 album “Raising Sand.”

So fans looking for a “Whole Lotta Love,” are getting none of it from the rock icons, at least for now.

 As the Nov. 4 U.S. presidential election draws near, New York’s Fashion Week has launched its own campaign — for style.

The entrance to the tents at Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan, where designers are showing their spring/summer 2009 collections, are painted with large campaign-like badges that read “Declare your Style,” “Fashion = Change,” “Vote Fashion, “Super Model Delegate,” and “Accessorize for Democracy.”

And this week Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign is holding a fundraiser, due to be attended by top designers who have created merchandise for sale on the Obama Web site. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker and Vogue Editor Anna Wintour are said to be special guests for the evening.

Some designers, too,  have declared more than just their style on the runway. Liz McClean sent her final model down the catwalk on Friday wearing a Barack Obama campaign badge. Charlotte Ronson took on a different cause with her show Saturday sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States, which beamed its logo onto walls either side of the runway.

Ronson’s collection attracted a lot of attention with her DJ brother Mark providing music for the show, and DJ sister Samantha sitting in the front row with gal pal Lindsay Lohan.

U.S. tennis player Andy Roddick checked out the Lacoste show on Saturday, while Friday night Australian actress Melissa George and “Prison Break” star Camille Guaty graced the front row at Nicole Miller.

But the fashion and celebrities aren’t always center of attention.

A model at Korean designers Andy and Debb’s show on Saturday earned applause from the crowd when she finished her catwalk without missing a beat – after her four-inch heel fell off her shoe.

I’ve known this guy named Chris basically my whole life. He’s a year older than I am and like a big brother. We were like best friends. Then, a few months ago, he started acting all weird and different around me. Like, for example, when he came to the Hamptons with my family and I and stayed in our house there, he got all weird when he saw me in a bathing suit, pajamas, and stuff(and no, not because I have a bad body. LOL. I work out for a reason) and was constantly saying stuff to like, show off. I had no clue what was going on with him…until yesterday. He came over to my house as usual, but instead of just hanging around and goofing off like me always do, he was all nervous and stuff. Then, out of nowhere, he asked me out. I was so speechless, and he was waiting for an answer. So I said the stupidest thing ever. I said “You’re asking the wrong person.” There was silence, and then he was like “I gotta go to lacrosse practice.” I knew he was lying cause he only has lacrosse practice on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays and that was a Friday. I felt soooooo bad later on, but I don’t wanna be more than friends with him. He’s like my brother. I tried calling him again and again all last night and today to apologize, but he’s not answering. I’m so confused. How can I fix things between us? I have a feeling things will never be the same again but at least I want to try to make him not hate me. Suggestions?

(Reporting by Cameron French) 

The Coen Bros., Joel and Ethan, are well-known for their clever scripting and directing of films like “Barton Fink”, “Fargo” and “No Country for Old Men”.

But as smart as they seem to be, the brothers have a lot of fun creating characters that don’t quite measure up to their own abilities. In a word, the people they write about are dumb.

“We’ve all got an inner knucklehead, and it’s good fodder for stories,” Ethan said at a press conference in Toronto, where their newest film, “Burn After Reading,”  had its North American premiere.

The movie stars Brad Pitt as a “Gatorade-swilling dumbbell” of a gym instructor trying to blackmail a former CIA agent, played by John Malkovich. Tilda Swinton is the CIA spy’s wife, who is having an affair with a “shockingly dumb” federal marshall portrayed by George  Clooney.

Added Pitt at the same news conference: “It’s much more fun to play the guys who make the wrong choices.”

Pitt has been positively mobbed by fans in his visit to Toronto, and most likely due to that, the press conference was held under unusual circumstances for the festival. Rather than being open to all accredited press, the event was by invitation only, held at a separate location from other press conferences and few photographers were taking photos.

At the post-premiere party for “Burn After Reading” that went into the small hours of the morning, the Hollywood star was similarly fronted by security and press spokespeople as he sat in a back corner booth with friends – laughing and drinking and seeming to have a good time.

So, one can only conclude that while he might find it fun to play guys who make the wrong choices, judging by the things going on around him at Toronto, Brad’s no knucklehead.

Barack Obama won yet more celebrity endorsements at the Venice film festival this year, although whether he would welcome them or not is a different matter.

From the very first press conference, stars from Hollywood who came to the canal city to promote their movies voiced support for the Democratic presidential candidate, although in the case of George Clooney and Brad Pitt, they were careful not to steal too much of the political limelight from Obama.

Presumably they were aware that Obama has come under fire from Republican rival John McCain for being a “celebrity” candidate, in other words a man of style over substance.

Oscar-winning Jonathan Demme, who brought “Rachel Getting Married” to the Lido, said his multi-racial drama reflected the America he loved — one where Obama could be a presidential contender.

And Kathryn Bigelow, director of Iraq war feature “The Hurt Locker“, entered the fray towards the end of the 11-day festival, which winds up on Saturday.

“I hope and pray that that’s imminent,” she said, when asked if she supported the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. “I think with a change of administration it’s possible. But only one man is capable of doing that and that’s Mr. Barack Obama.”

By Tim Stack From Nate and Serena to Blair and the new guy, fake relationships are all the rage as the Upper East Siders finish their summer of sex and tears with a Hamptons white party, but somehow the real couples still find each other

COMEDY.

Karen Arikian, the new executive director of the Hamptons International Film Festival, wants to bring an even higher profile to the 16-year-old festival.