Cityfile: New York's Most Notable and Influential

Saddest Celebrity Halloween Costume Ever | "James Gandolfini celebrated Halloween like any indifferent dad, ripping eyes into a cheap Homer Simpson mask and wearing it for about ten minutes." [Buzzfeed]

If you haven't picked up something to wear for Halloween, Forbes has posted its annual collection of masks featuring "some of the year's most frightening faces." There's a little something for everyone. The Glenn Beck will work for if you're looking to frighten your liberal friends; then there's the one of Michael Moore, which will work nicely if you plan to hang out with a bunch of conservatives this weekend. Of course, if you actually work at Forbes and you just watched the company lay off as many as 100 employees this week, the most frightening man around right now is probably Steve Forbes himself, in which case you'll need this. You're welcome. [Forbes]

Arthur Sulzberger Jr., the publisher and chairman of the New York Times Co., is known for having a sense of humor. So you might think he'd get into the spirit of Halloween and put on a costume of some sort. That will not be the case, unfortunately. When we contacted his office, we were told to follow up with him directly by email, which, naturally, we did. His seven-word response: "I'm out of town that day." Next year then? [Previously]

We weren't able to find out what Eliot Spitzer is dressing up as for Halloween, but Ashley Dupre came through in a big way when she posted pics of one of three looks she'll be rocking this weekend to her Twitter account. (She'll be a sailor on Friday night, a cat for brunch on Saturday, and a vampire on Saturday night.) Ashley would like you to know she isn't wearing any make-up in these photos, and that it took her an hour to get the contact lenses in. But her efforts paid off nicely, didn't they? Two bigger pics of New York's most famous ex-call girl turned recording artist looking her freakiest are below.More

Big Al Is Hush-Hush | What's Al Sharpton dressing up as for Halloween? A spokesperson for the good reverend declined to comment. [Previously]

Hillary Clinton won't be dressing up for Halloween. (But don't let that stop you from dressing up as Hillary, if you'd like.) When we called Secretary Clinton's press office in Washington, DC, and explained our request, the incredulous woman at the other end of the line said she'd have to get back to us. We later got a call from a press representative from the State Department. "Unfortunately, she's not going to be here to celebrate Halloween," he said. "She's traveling overseas in Asia and won't be back until the first week of November." So will she be dressing up overseas? "Um, I couldn't say," he replied. (MF)

Previously: Rudy Giuliani, The Naked Cowboy, Mario Batali, Anna Wintour

Rudy Giuliani will not be pulling his dusty Marilyn Monroe costume out of the closet this weekend, sadly. (It seems that while New Yorkers didn't have a problem with a mayor who occasionally cross-dressed, national voters picking their next president weren't quite as open-minded.) When we called Giuliani's office to find out what he was planning to wear for Halloween (if anything!), a spokesperson for the ex-mayor admitted that while she hadn't spoken to him about it, she didn't believe he had any plans to dress up: "He's likely to be in New Jersey campaigning for the gubernatorial candidate, Chris Christie," she said. [Previously]

His normal work attire is hard to top, but as part of our ongoing series on Halloween costumes, we thought we'd ask the Naked Cowboy (aka Robert Burke) if he was planning to dress up as anything special this weekend.

"So far, I've got three parties to attend, and I'm going as The Naked Cowboy to all of them," Burke says. "People never believe I'm the real one, but I just start singing and then say, 'What more proof do you need?' I've sold a few of my outfits as costumes this year, and have even lent some out to friends. But I don't ask for the underwear to be returned."

What's Mario Batali dressing up this Halloween? "Mario will be a 'dictator,'" a spokeswoman says. "He ties a piece of butcher twine to his belt on one end and a Yukon gold potato on the other." Points for cleverness! [Previously]

With Halloween just a few days away, we thought we'd call up a handful of notable New Yorkers and find out what they're planning to dress up as this year. We'll be running these for the next couple of days. In this first installment, here's what a spokesperson for Vogue had to say when we called and asked what Anna Wintour was planning for October 31: "She has no plans to get in costume this year for Halloween." Oh, well. Fortunately, we'll have some more inspiring answers for you in just a bit. (MF)

Earlier this week, it was reported that just three floats had been registered for the Greenwich Village Halloween parade, which will undoubtedly make the annual event more a picture of lameness rather than one of guts and gore as it was in years past. Now it turns out that the number of people planning to celebrate the holiday this year is down to just 62 percent. Of those revelers, a measly 33 percent are dressing up, and only 42 percent are planning to carve a pumpkin. What's next, no more pumpkin pie?More

Your Exciting Halloween Plans Just Got More Exciting | No need to worry about dressing up for Halloween and running the risk that your dog's costume will clash with your own. You can coordinate! Now when you shed your Upper East Side-living, lawyerly image and put on that same slutty French maid costume you always wear one night a year, you can make sure your dog looks just as slutty. Awesome! Between you, your dog, and your investment banker boyfriend wearing the very popular Bernie Madoff mask, you'll be the hit of the party, no doubt. [Buzzfeed]

♦  André Leon Talley urged fashion students at the Art Institute of Philadelphia to vote, "no matter who your candidate is," and said of Anna Wintour: "She is not that person in 'The Devil Wears Prada.' She is like Catherine the Great of Russia. She has kept that magazine on top, raised money for the Met and for the Democratic party." [WWD]
♦  Election eve shocker! Donna Karan and Diane von Furstenberg are voting for Obama. [WWD]
♦  Michael Kors could care less which network Project Runway winds up on: "I just want people to watch the show." [The Cut]
♦  In the new Agent Provocateur campaign, Helena Christensen doesn't look very happy in cheap red lace, and we don't blame her. [The Mirror]
More

♦  Present at Bette Midler's Hulaween benefit gala for the New York Restoration project: Suze Orman (dressed as big pile of money, left), André Leon Talley, Gloria Estefan, Gloria Gaynor, Donna Karan, Kathy Griffin, Michael Kors, Pink, Jimmy Buffett, John McEnroe and Patty Smyth, Ray Kelly, and Cindy Adams. [PMc, Wireimage, NYO] More

♦  Charles, the West Village spot that's been billed as the next Waverly Inn, is opening tonight. [Eater]
♦  A list of 18 spots ideal for fireside dining and boozing. [The Feedbag]
♦  Danny Meyer says sales are up at his budget-friendly restaurants (Shake Shack) while his pricier joints (Tabla, Eleven Madison Park) are beginning to suffer. [GS]
♦  A look inside West Branch, Tom Valenti's Upper West Side Brasserie opening tonight. [Eater]
♦  It's not too late to make Halloween plans: GoaG has a guide to festivities across the city, including a number you're probably not invited to. [GoaG]