India, DC, Hollywood Mix at Obama Shindig

Michelle Obama wore Naeem Khan, and other tidbits

(NEWSER) - Didn't have a ticket to the country's hottest social event? No worries. Here's the who and what of last night's state dinner honoring Indian PM Manmohan Singh:

• The outdoor tent was decorated with local, sustainably harvested magnolia branches and ivy; centerpieces of hydrangeas, roses, and sweet peas evoked India's state bird, the peacock.
• Obama greeted his guests in Hindi.
• Michelle wore a strapless, silver-sequined, cream-colored gown custom-made by Naeem Khan; it reportedly took three weeks to complete the dress—with 40 people working on it.

Secret Service confirms failure of procedures

(NEWSER) - Michaele and Tareq Salahi not only penetrated White House security before Tuesday's state dinner but actually went through the receiving line, where they were greeted by President Obama and Michelle Obama. The red-faced director of the Secret Service released a statement today saying, "Preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint," the Washington Post reports. More»

White House still mum on first lady's outfit

(NEWSER) - Tonight's first state dinner of the Obama administration is likely to be a star-studded affair, and while the White House has been tight-lipped thus far, details are leaking: Guests at tonight’s celebration of Indian PM Manmohan Singh are said to include Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, as well as a delegation of Indian moguls, to highlight the commercial quality of India’s relationship with the US. White House veteran Jennifer Hudson will perform at the dinner. More»

If you're more partial to Mel Gibson films, you might be a Republican

(NEWSER) - Not only are lefties and righties split on their politics and what kind of food they like —they're split on their entertainment choices as well. A recent poll for the Hollywood Reporter finds that a whopping 45% of Tea Partiers consider a celebrity's politics before paying to watch his or her movies, compared to 35% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats. Among the differences between the parties:

• Democrats are more likely to go to the theater: On average, they have seen 5.7 movies in a theater in the past six months, compared to less than four for Republicans.
• Democrats don't like Charlton Heston: Many have avoided films starring the National Rifle Association president. They're also not a fan of Mel Gibson: 36% have avoided his films. As for Republicans, about 40% try to avoid Sean Penn and a whopping 60% reject Michael Moore.

Calderon the guest of honor at White House shindig

(NEWSER) - White House staffers kept a very close eye on the guest list as the Obamas hosted Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife at the second state dinner of the Obama presidency last night. No gatecrashers slipped through this time, and one assistant secretary of state was actually sent home to get proper ID, the AP reports. The 200 guests who made it through after their invitations were triple-checked included Whoopi Goldberg, George Lopez, and Olympic speed skater Shani Davis. More»