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Members of the Hamptons community were united in speaking out during the time Kanye West — now legally known as Ye — sparked outrage and controversy by making a slew of antisemitic rants, as well as selling Swastika t-shirts on his official website.
Gwyneth Paltrow reposted on social media a poignant image originally shared by Amagansett local Jessica Seinfeld which read: “I stand against hatred of the Jewish people.”
Alexa Ray Joel, whose parents are Long Island locals Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley, shared on Instagram she was “standing in solidarity” with the Jewish community, reposting a lengthy quote from Friends actor David Schwimmer, who urged Elon Musk to remove the rapper from X (formerly Twitter) for “hate-filled, ignorant” comments, adding: “Silence is complicity.” Sag Harbor resident Jill Zarin’s daughter Ally Shapiro posted an emotional video of herself with a caption that asked, “Where is the outrage?”
There was another shocking moment in the days that followed when a video went viral depicting Jewish celebrities such as Schwimmer, Jerry Seinfeld, Scarlett Johannsson, Steven Spielberg, and Adam Sandler in a seemingly silent protest wearing an anti-Kanye T-shirt emblazoned with a middle finger. It quickly transpired the video was generated using AI without permission from the stars to use their image or likeness.
Montauk homeowner Johannsson — who previously threatened legal action against ChatGPT parent company OpenAI for allegedly copying and imitating her voice in a product launch — was quick to call out the dangers of the deepfake and objected to the video, despite its intentions.
In a statement to People, she said: “It has been brought to my attention by family members and friends that an A.I.-generated video featuring my likeness, in response to an antisemitic view, has been circulating online and gaining traction. I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind. But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by A.I. is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it. We must call out the misuse of A.I., no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality.”
For Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, life is beautifully chaotic — and now deeply and publicly personal. In The Baldwins, their new TLC docuseries, the couple talk candidly about the ups and downs of raising seven children while weathering one of the most challenging periods of their lives.
The show, premiering Feb. 23, was filmed last year when Alec was facing an involuntary manslaughter trial stemming from the 2021 accidental shooting on the set of Rust. Despite the pressure and public scrutiny, the family’s focus never wavered. Alec says he decided to do the show instead of taking on a movie or a play so that he could be more present at home.
“For me, work-related things really aren’t that critical anymore. I thought, ‘I get to spend time with my family,’” he explained to People.
“I always joke with her and say, ‘You know where I should be right now, don’t you? We should be on Geffen’s yacht, drinking a cappuccino and reading a book, and having dinner with Spielberg or whatever,’” Alec told the interviewer, before Hilaria interrupted: “Instead we’re changing diapers!”
And on that front, Alec insisted: “I wouldn’t change anything.”
Meanwhile, the Emmy-winning actor, who owns a property in Amagansett, will be back in the Hamptons next month. Almond Restaurant and Hampton Library are serving up more than just good food on March 13 — they’re dishing out a night of conversation between Alec and comedian Bill McCuddy, aptly called Dinner & Conversation.
Tickets are $400 for the evening event, which promises local cocktails and wine, followed by a three-course dinner with wine pairings, a press release said. Proceeds from this special event will benefit the Hampton Library’s ongoing capital campaign for interior renovations, titled ‘Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future: The Story Continues at the Hampton Library’. Eric Lemonides, co-owner of Almond Restaurant, is heading up the campaign’s committee.
We hear…
Bridgehampton resident Christie Brinkley was honored at Aspen’s Snow Ball Gala raising $3.5 million for pediatric cancer research.
Celebrity hairstylist Sally Hershberger has put her East Hampton home on the market for $2.75 million, according to The New York Post. Known as the Butterfly House, the mid-century modern residence at 6 Masthead Lane was originally built in 1976. Hershberger — famous for creating iconic looks for stars like Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Joan Jett, and Courtney Love — bought the home last spring for $1.4 million and gave it a full renovation inspired by 1970s design. “It reminds me of great, classic California architecture. It felt like a treehouse to me — lush and organic, with complete privacy,” she told the outlet. “The bay is right down the street. It has the feel of a Japanese wonderland.”
Sightings…
Jay-Z – who’s been frequently spotted in East Hampton since last summer — was on the field at the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9 with daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi Carter. Jay-Z is the co-executive producer of the Super Bowl halftime show.
Also at the big game was Sir Paul McCartney who was a fixture last summer in the Hamptons — reportedly owning in Amagansett — from taking a sailboat out on the water to a surprise drop-in at The Stephen Talkhouse. The Beatles legend was shown on the main broadcast seated by Adam Sandler and Paul Rudd.
Bridgehampton resident Michael Rubin, the owner of Fanatics, was another attendee of the Super Bowl, alongside actor Kevin Costner.
Southampton resident Jean Shafiroff was spotted at the Oscar de la Renta fashion show on Feb. 12 in Manhattan.
The cast of Summer House, including Paige Desorbo, Ciara Miller, Jesse Solomon, West Wilson, Lindsay Hubbard, Gabby Prescod, Amanda Batula, Kyle Cooke, and newcomers Imrul Hassan and Lexi Wood, celebrated the premiere of Season 9 at the Fleur Room at the Moxy Chelsea on Feb. 12.
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