Mike D does Manhattan like a Hilton

It's official. The Beastie Boys are no longer trying to keep things real -- Mr. Horovitz excluded. They're going celebrity on us, Paris Hilton-style. First, our man Yauch participated in a red carpet photo opportunity at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this week. Now, his buddy Mike D is smiling pretty for the paparazzi.

Last night (May 4), Mike was seen and photographed at not one but two events in New York: Rolling Stone's 1000th issue party at the Hammerstein Ballroom, where the Strokes performed, and at the opening of Mr. Chow in Tribeca. An entertaining account (i.e., let's snicker at the lameness) of the Rolling Stone party can be read at Gawker.com. The story doesn't mention Mike -- which is a good thing in this case -- but it does draw a good picture of the event he attended.

All these photo ops from a band who have not participated in such fluffery in the recent past makes a person wonder what's going on with the Beastie Boys. Are they bored and craving some attention? Or are they stepping into the spotlight because they intend to promote something soon? Really cool people normally avoid the red carpet and paparazzi unless they've got something to pimp.