Signs of 'Arrival'

In the brittle, self-conscious demimonde de mode, the name of the game is names, names, names (preferably boldfaced), and the more frequently you can append your own to those of the rich and famous, the closer to center stage you move. And so, to build on the mention of Eisner (whom Isaac Mizrahi has called his “muse”) — hence, to make the gossip juicier — Booth blundered on. “Eisner, looking fab in a black cowboy hat, gold leather skirt and gold conch belt . . . said that rumors that Madonna’s new western look was inspired by Eisner’s recent book, Rodeo Girls, are true. Eisner’s next book, Kustom, is due later this month. With L.A. photographer Dewey Knicks, she explores the art of obsession, from custom interiors and hot rods to plastic surgery.”

Blunders two and three: Kustom is not Eisner’s next book. It is Dewey Nicks’ solo debut — his words, his photographs, his obsession. And, it’s N-I-C-K-S not K-N-I-C-K-S. Perhaps the confusion arose because Eisner is the co-publisher of Kustom, not its author, a subtle distinction that apparently escaped Booth’s inflationary imagination.

Newly appointed Times editor John Carroll and managing editor Dean Baquet being a bit touchy about facts, the newspaper dutifully printed a correction two days later. “Tuesday’s So Cal Confidential column misidentified Lisa Eisner. She is not related to Walt Disney Co. Chairman Michael Eisner.” Disney’s Ken Green says that his company did not make the catch that prompted the “For The Record” admission. Times spokesman David Garcia did not return Offbeat’s calls concerning Moore’s other mistakes. And why should he? “So Cal Confidential” is gossip, not news, so what’s the harm of a little embellishment whispered among (catty) friends?

—Greg Goldin