Nestled inside The Hollywood Reporter’s New York Media blah blah blah issue is a real gem: a lengthy interview with gossip queen Liz Smith.

News of Nora Ephron's death late last night, of complications arising from leukemia, came to be public in a most curious way. The story was broken Tuesday afternoon by the gossip writer Liz Smith on the Web site wowOwow. Smith, a longtime friend of Ephron, hadn't gotten the family's permission to write about her…

Gossip columnist Liz Smith, nearly 87, looks back with NPR. "I had a lot of gender confusion when I was younger," she says of her affairs with women. She still goes out at least three nights a week. [NPR]

• "Designer" Anand Jon has been sentenced to 59 years in prison for multiple rapes. [Times of India]
• Seems Naomi Campbell would, in fact, rather wear fur than go naked: the one-time PETA campaigner models furs for Dennis Basso. [Daily Mail]

• Lindsay Lohan is reportedly pissed that Katie Holmes is on Glamour's April cover; LL was under the impression that her Madonna shot would get the cover. Insiders say that was never gonna happen. [MSNBC Scoop]

• We're not gonna lie, there was some gawking at Olympic bods 'round these parts.
• But there was also grinning at gymnasts, thrilling wins from Michael Phelps, controversies over the Chinese and Golden Girls all around.
• Jennifer Love Hewitt wants you to kiss her ass. But only if it's skinny!
• Speaking of ass masters, don't…

If you didn't know how old you were, how old would you feel? This is not a trick question, but one posed by WoWoWow, the website targeted at old ladies, ha ha ha. Columnist Peggy Noonan says she feels 37; gossip Liz Smith feels 28; Joan Juliet Buck says 11 — she works at Vogue so go fig — and my answer is obviously…

There's a big splashy article in today's New York Times about the launch of Wowowow.com, a new website for women over 40 founded by NY Post gossip dowager Liz Smith, former presidential speechwriter Peggy Noonan, ex-Simon and Schuster president Joni Evans, 60 Minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl, and ad exec Mary Wells.…

Syndicated gossip dowager Liz Smith has been awarded the first annual "Ann Richards Troublemaker in Residence" honor by the organization Women's Voices for Change. WVFC is aimed at women over 40 and dedicated to making the post-menopausal feel "good about not being born yesterday." Richards (pictured), the feistiest …

Does Liz Smith know something we don't? According to this Q&A with New York Magazine, the answer is yes. At least Liz is tactful (or Texan!) enough to avoid the word "ass".