Jason Binn is back, baby &mash; an impressive feat when he never went anywhere unlike, say, Bob Guccione Jr. (who is "back" with Discover, but we're not here to talk about that).

Tomorrow's is Binn's big day in Boston, where his couriers will be dropping off copies of the premiere issue of Boston Common, the 352-page glossy graced with Steven Tyler's sunken cheeks (despite Ben Affleck's face is still plastered on the mag's website).

And as with each new launch (Capitol File hits D.C. this month), Binn once again takes the quiz as to whether his magazines exist for more more than the advertisers.

Which is funny, because some people actually take this debate seriously, as if the answer isn't clearly written in the mag's pages.

Fox News advertises in Binn's Washington magazine; two of its anchor people appear in a "power" profile. ("It's their first ad ever," Binn says.) An article in Capitol File reports that Barneys New York's creative director and his partner "both have new projects bringing them to D.C."; Barneys appears on Niche's list of national advertisers. "They don't advertise in Capitol File," Binn says. "There is no connection whatsoever."

Elsewhere in the magazine, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright comments that she likes to wear Ferragamo shoes; the brand name is highlighted in the text. Three pages away one finds a full-page Ferragamo ad. Binn points out that many of the people photographed in his magazines wear the jewels and gowns made by his advertisers, such as Armani and Jimmy Choo, because that's what they wear in real life. He comments: "When Madeleine Albright talks about luxury lifestyle, that's the kind of story an editor wants."

Dual agendas abound. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler appears on the inaugural cover of Boston Common, and he happens to be plugging a new clothing line. Larry King is a contributor to the Washington magazine, advertises his charitable foundation in the magazine, and appears in a full-page photograph attending one of Binn's bashes. "So Larry King likes to come to our parties," says Atkinson. "What's the big deal?"

Well that was a fun game. Unfortunately, we hear the good times aren't going to last long. From inside the House of Binn we hear staffers are anything but enthusiastic about Boston Common's chance of survival. In New York, Gotham works because we're flashy with our money. Not the case in Boston, or so we're told.