Posted on JULY 17, 2006

Cellulite & Justice Newman: Flabby judgment

Today we welcome state Supreme Court Justice Sandra Newman to Clout for a game of “What Were You Thinking?!”

Last week, CBS 3 health reporter Stephanie Stahl aired a story on a “cellulite wand” that melts unsightly flab from chins and butts and thighs. For $400 to $800 a treatment.

To show the wonders of this “breakthrough technology,” Stahl introduced viewers to “68-year-old Sandy Newman who says after just a few treatments her saggy neck and chin are much younger-looking!”

Newman is seen lying on her back as a technician waves a radio-frequency heat wand over her neck.

“It’s wonderful to have a treatment that’s noninvasive, no anesthesia and no dangers,” Newman enthuses.

The irony here is that Newman’s late husband, Julius “Dr. Nose” Newman, was the most famous plastic surgeon in Pennsylvania. We’re pretty sure he used anesthesia.

Newman gushes to Stahl, “I think it’s amazing.”

So do we!

We have a justice of the state Supreme Court shilling for the latest overpriced, questionable, fat-melting fad.

A breach of judicial decorum? Guilty!

So we say to Justice Newman, “What Were You Thinking?!”

Perhaps more bizarre was that CBS 3 identified Newman only as “Sandra Newman, patient.”

No mention that she’s a justice on the state’s highest court. No mention that her late husband was a famous plastic surgeon.

So we say to Stephanie Stahl, “What Were You Thinking?!”

“She was one of the patients who volunteered to be on TV,” Stahl told us yesterday. “Her job and who she’d been married to wasn’t relevant to my story.”

That means if we do a story on the new bowling alley and Monica Lewinsky is rolling a few frames, we don’t need to mention that she once . . . well, nevermind.

Justice Newman did not return our call so we don’t get to find out what she was thinking.

But we offer advice anyway. Next time an opportunity like this presents itself, Justice Newman, think WWSDOD: What Would Sandra Day O’Connor Do?

Mayoral wheels

In politics, image matters as much as substance. Heck, look at the last two presidential elections.

So when we heard that mayoral hopeful Tom Knox was driving to campaign events in a 2004 pewter-gray Mercedes S500, we thought: Wrong image!

Knox is the millionaire in the bunch, but acting like Daddy Warbucks won’t win votes.
Knox comes from the humblest origins: He grew up in Abbottsford Homes. He has a good story to tell if he doesn’t let a luxury car get in his way.

“We couldn’t afford bus fare, let alone a car,” Knox told us yesterday.

Turns out he’s dumping the Benz, which was leased by the insurance company he sold to United Health Care.

“I’m getting a new car, either a Cadillac or a Chevy,” he said. “My son’s picking it out for me.”

Our advice? Go with the Chevy. And if you want to stand out from the crowd, make it any color but black. Every single one of the other candidates’ cars is black.
Here’s a review of the other candidates’ carriages:

John Dougherty
Car: 2005 Mercury Mountaineer.
Pluses: American-made, a requirement for a labor leader.
Minuses: Gas-guzzling SUV.

Dwight Evans
Car: 2003 or 2004 Chevy TrailBlazer.
Pluses: Because he’s a state rep, he could charge his ride to taxpayers. But he pays a portion of it himself to offset personal use.
Minuses: Taxpayers don’t like picking up any cost of a pol’s ride.

Chaka Fattah
Car: 2006 GMC Envoy.
Pluses: Looks like part of a presidential motorcade.
Minuses: His campaign’s paying for it; voters don’t like free rides.

Michael Nutter
Car: 2000 Acura.
Pluses: His license plate is a rolling campaign ad: “MAN 2007” — his initials plus the election year.
Minuses: Japanese nameplate.

Jonathan Saidel
Car: 2005 Lincoln LS.
Pluses: Gets better gas mileage than every other vehicle except Nutter’s.
Minuses: Luxury ride might make voters think he likes high living.

Philly mag disses Brady

We got a sneak peek at Philadelphia magazine’s annual “Best of Philly” issue, which hits newsstands next week.

Among other lists, they rank our region’s 10-member congressional delegation.

The best? Delaware Republican Mike Castle. He gets high marks as a moderate able to work both sides of the aisle.

The worst? Bob Brady, our city’s Democratic chairman.

“Seems more interested in ward-level politics back home than the ins and outs of his day job,” the mag griped.

How do they come up with this stuff? Well, for the first time they’re going to tell you.

The jury that makes the decisions, headed by editor Larry Platt, will dish about the inner battles and past controversies at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the National Constitution Center.

We suggest a couple of muscular guys from Brady’s staff should go. They can get tickets by calling 215-409-6700.

Staff writers Gar Joseph, Dave Davies and Bob Warner contributed to this report.