Times Square Gossip

Richard Branson Richard Branson was photographed the other day at the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Night Celebration at the PlayStation Theater in New York City Photo By: Diego Corredor/MediaPunch

**** TRAVEL TO MARS **** Richard Branson DALLAS TEXAS -- Surface Magazine celebrated its October Travel Issue alongside cover subject Richard Branson. Guests included Bill Hutchinson, Virgin Executives Jason Felts (CEO,Virgin Produced) and Raul Leal (CEO, Virgin Hotels,) and Sotheby's Capera Ryan. Surface Senior Editor Charlie Curkin and Surface CEO Marc Lotenberg joined the VIP crowd of over 100 at the Dallas-based Quill Lounge for custom ellt by Stolichaya cocktails. Curkin led a Q&A for the crowd, focusing on Sir Branson's choice of Dallas for the latest iteration of the Virgin Hotel brand, his expansion to space, and the October Issue feature in Surface.  Highlights from the behind-the-scenes Q&A included:  On marijuana on Mars: "Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and I decided that whoever gets there first will declare it legal." On space currency: "We will use a barter system." On getting Into hospitality: ...

**** HIGH FLYING STARS **** Sir Richard Branson Krysten Ritter Joe Jonas Jamie Pressly Adrienne Maloof VIRGIN AMERICA & SIR RICHARD BRANSON CELEBRATE NEW FLIGHTS from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas yesterday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photos By:  RD/ Kabik/ Retna Digtal

**** SIR RICHARD BRANSON PROMOTES THE BUSINESS OF SAVING SHARKS Could Well-Managed Whale Shark Tourism Save the Species? **** Sir Richard Branson Swims With Shark Today, Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group and Virgin Unite, joins non-profit group WildAid to swim with 300 whale sharks off the coast of Cancun to demonstrate that the economic benefits of shark tourism can drastically outweigh the value derived from killing a shark for its fins. According to WildAid, the lifetime economic value of a single whale shark can exceed US$2 million, compared to a few hundred dollars to kill the same shark for its fins. Sir Richard and his family, who are in Mexico to celebrate Virgin Atlantic’s new direct service from London Gatwick to Cancun, took a detour to swim with these gentle giants and raise awareness of shark conservation. It is estimated that whale shark tourism is worth over US$47 million worldwide per year. “Sharks play an i...

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman With Showgirls Dita Von Teese Sir Richard Branson And Dita Von Teese Sir Richard Branson and Dita Von Teese were snapped at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. Virgin Airlines Celebrates 10 years of flying to Las Vegas and unveiled a one of a kind Las Vegas inspired flying lady on it's aircraft in the iconic guise of Dita Von Teese. Our favorite Mayor, Oscar Goodman was there to welcome everyone with his trademark showgirls. Photos By: RD/ Erik Kabik/ Retna Digital

Sir Richard Branson Sir Richard Branson signed copies of his new book "Business Stripped Bare" at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square in New York City today. Photo By: RD/ Leon / Retna Ltd.

Saving the Earth was the main agenda item at President Clinton's world-betterment conference yesterday, with Virgin Airlines founder Richard Branson pledging $3 billion to fight global warming and Al Gore warning of a full-scale planetary emergency. Branson, a British business tycoon, said the entire pledge - which would cover 10 years - will come from profits from his airline and train companies, and will be invested in renewable energy development. "Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents," the laid-back billionaire said at a press conference at the Sheraton New York in Midtown with the former president, kicking off the second day of the Clinton Global Initiative. "We must not be the generation responsible for irreversibly damaging the environment. We must hand it over to our children in as near-pristine a condition as we were lent it from our parents."