Weekend Cocktail ChatterSlate's handy guide to small talk.

Slate offers a quick and easy guide to help you fake your way through overly cultured cocktail parties this weekend.

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First up, Whitney Houston. A British tabloid splashed photos of what it claims is Houston's bathroom littered with drug paraphernalia. First reaction: mournful shaking of head. Second reaction: Note with a naughty laugh that the photos were allegedly taken by Whitney's sister-in-law, whose name is "Tina Brown."

Condé Nast shuttered Cargo, the sexually-confused men's shopping magazine. Your challenge will be to find a partygoer who actually read it.

On TV, note that Josh and Donna will couple on The West Wing.

In real life, note that Ryan Seacrest and Teri Hatcher will attempt to date.

Show your enthusiasm for Showtime's premiere of Liza With a "Z."

If that fails, you can always speculate about the Tony Awards.

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