Tina Brown and Barry Diller will finally be sharing a bed. The Princess Di biographer and the vindicated IAC chief are teaming on a news aggregator website, where there will be “no ideological stance” on the glorified RSS feed.
Former WSJ deputy managing editor Edward Felsenthal will lead things off (given that other high-profile types, including business scribes at the Times, turned down offers).
But Tina isn’t saying much about what the site will actually do, let alone when it’ll launch. In the meantime, there will always be The Huffington Post, Brijit, Newser, and a slew of others already doing whatever it is Diller thinks will rescue his company.
THE CLINTONS ARE INTERESTING Tina Brown is writing a biography on the Clintons. Awesome, because we were just thinking we don’t know anything about those two. [AP]
SHOWTIME DIDN’T WANT HER “The amazing Tina Brown is in a newly struck, first-look deal to bring projects and story ideas to HBO, the TV network that also seems to understand “buzz” and great storytelling versus the hackneyed stuff that is on the networks.” [Liz Smith]
• When asked to clarify his feelings on Dow Jones, Ron Burkle winked and said, “Yeah, you know I’d like to get a piece of that,” before reaching up for a high-five.
• Ivanka Trump has zero interest in joining morning trainwreck otherwise known as The View.
• Impossibly, the Conrad Black jury claims they’re utterly incapable of unanimously reaching a (guilty) verdict.
• Michael Moore “live-chats” with HuffPo about healthcare, politics and, of course, how much he hates Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
• Amy Jacobson ‘devastated’ over termination. “I thought they would suspend me and then support me,” she tells the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Reputed rivalry between Tina Brown and Graydon Carter gets exponentially more heated boring.
• Jeffrey Katzenberg on Joel Siegel: “He understood that behind every movie was a person, a human being, somebody who had poured their heart and soul out for a year or two or three and he cared.”
• How do television networks and advertisers count the number of viewers on the Web? On one hand…at least for reruns of The Facts of Life and Mr. Belvedere. ZING!
• Meanwhile, a Murdoch-owned WSJ “would be a horror show,” says an apparently still-interested Tina Brown.
• Turns out dangling prepositions, misplaced modifiers and syntax errors could (mis)spell disaster for would-be online daters.
• Women’s Health is so green it’s actually blue.
• Just because Kate Spade is now owned by Liz Claiborne Inc. doesn’t mean their ads won’t still be elitist, and really, really expensive.
• Prince to follow your mother’s lead, start giving it away for free.
• “Wendi Deng, the young Chinese wife of Rupert Murdoch, appears to have finally been elevated to an official post within News Corp.” Huzzah!
• Former makeup artist claims hosts of Cold Pizza tried to engage her in a game of “Hide the Sausage.”
• If Mayor Bloomberg runs for president, he’ll singlehandedly drive up the cost of TV ads by approximately one zillion percent.
• Time Inc. fires Chris Poleway, names Vivek Shah as the new prez of its business and financial network. Shah. a 33 year-old wunderkind, had previously served as president of digital publishing, and bears no relation to soap-deprived Radar staffer, Neel Shah.
• Tina Brown gets in trans-Atlantic catfight.
God, I like to think I have nothing much in common with the airhead daughter of a pedigreed Earl who left school, became a nanny, and married a prince with a tenacious mistress. I don’t see much of a resemblance, to be perfectly frank. Except for a haircut. But the truth was I had more in common with Camilla Parker Bowles’s haircut, if anybody cares to examine my coiffure on my first Today Show.
–Tina Brown, discussing her new book “The Diana Chronicles” with Maer Roshan [via Radar]
If you’ve been to any fancy book parties lately, then you likely already know exactly how these things work. There’s typically an over-stressed author, an under-utilized open bar, an abundance of untouched hors d’oeuvres trays, and a clusterfuck of publicity-hungry “friends,” who haven’t read the book (and have no intention of doing so) but have nothing but praise and backhanded compliments for the author.
Case in point, Isaac Mizrahi.
Craving frivolity over seriousness, The Transom approached designer Isaac Mizrahi, who saw a ready muse in Ms. Brown. “We have to figure out what she could make at Target,” he said, “because I think she could do really well in that store …. I’ll tell you something, she’s like a role model for me right now because she’s so thin. I mean, not that she was ever big, but you know she’s kind of at that crucial moment, where she could go one way or the other and she kind of looks amazing. So that’s a real inspiration for all of us.”
Naturally, Brown didn’t help matters by shifting the attention to her choice of wardrobe.
• If you subscribe to Reader’s Digest, you’re probably insane. Also, you have very questionable taste.
• AP photographer Nick Ut is lauded for covering everything from Vietnam to rich, spoiled brats.
• Meanwhile, the NYT praises marketers for coming up with London 2010 “toileting monkey/broken swastika” logo.
• Tina Brown: magazine genius or buzz-created hack? Answer: Who cares, so long as the advance orders for “The Diana Chronicles” keep coming in.
• And, your obligatory Conrad Black update. Turns out that $62,000 party Black threw for his wife was really “a business event masquerading as a social occasion.” At least, according to the defense.
• Shockingly, it turns out that publishing Princess Diana’s “death picture” is still rather taboo. On the other hand, we’ll always have this.
• Besides, what would Tina Brown think?
• Women who read fashion and beauty magazines have a lot of money. Or at least their husbands do!
• Page Six perpetuates rumors that Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira are being demoted. Cue the obligatory denials!
• Slate reports on the Battle of the Fonts: ‘Helvetica is for mediocre hacks,’ boast fanatical Courier devotees.
• Breaking: Celebrities sometimes model jewelry! Experts already calling this a brilliant foray into cross-promotional propaganda. WWD has the scoop!
Break out the mini bottle of champagne you keep strapped under your desk for super special occasions. Jim Kelly has been promoted from managing editor of Time magazine to managing editor of Time Inc.
The secret spot filler is still in the works, but Kurt Andersen and executive editor of Time Priscilla Painton are front runners in Mediaweek’s eyes. No mention of Tina Brown or Robert De Niro.
At today’s 10 a.m. meeting, Time managing editor Jim Kelly dropped a big hint to staffers that they should be around for a “pour” later today, according to Time insiders.
There has been much speculation over the past two weeks about Kelly moving to a corporate position, and while still not fully clear, it appears to be a position similar to that of Martha Nelson, formerly managing editor of People, who is now editor of the People Group.
From Time Inc.’s press release on the matter of Jim’s new position:
Having watched Jim navigate all manner of crises at Time over the years, including the never-ending Valerie Plame saga, I was convinced he was the person for this job. As I described it to him, the job would entail both proactive policymaking and pre-publication vetting of controversial stories, but crisis management as well. In addition, I asked him to become involved with me in the recruitment of big-time outside talent for our company.
Agreed. When the crises of too many gossips hanging around his flat into all hours of the night arose, he found some tiny hands to flick the lights and get us scooting. Crises averted indeed.
Time Changeover Set for Today: Kelly to Oversee Editorial Cluster; Successor to be Named [Stephanie D. Smith and Lisa Granatstein, Mediaweek]
Earlier: Is Jim Kelly Running Out of Time?
In New York magazine’s media gossip edition (first Robert De Niro buying the Observer and now this?) Tina Brown is latest to go through the rumor mill of possible replacements for Jim Kelly over at Time magazine.
In addition to considering Newsweek’s Jon Meacham, Slate’s Jacob Weisberg, And Michael Kinsley, Huey’s been doing due diligence on Brown, floating the idea in conversations—though insiders insist he’s not serious about her.
Dawn Bridges, spokeswoman for Time Inc., downplayed the replacement talk as “speculation,†though she noted that part of Huey’s job was to talk to people like Brown (though Brown says she hasn’t talked to him).
So, even the insiders think Jon Huey isn’t actually going to hire Brown, and Brown doesn’t remember having a conversation with Huey. Wow, that’s some really great gossip. Especially since Lloyd Grove adds in that New York EIC Adam Moss might be considered, but says “no way” he would ever go there.
So basically we’re at the same place we were last week, except now we have more arbitrary guesses and the knowledge that Kelly gets his staffers drunk off Graydon Carter approved champagne.
Could It Really Be ‘Time’ for Tina [Geoffrey Gray, New York]
Time Might Be Right For Tina [Lloyd Grove, Daily News]
Sir Harold Evans is a pretty important guy. You should know who he is … mostly because he’s a sir, is married to Tina Brown, holds some disdain for Mort Zuckerman, and (as insinuated by our previous theory) doesn’t need to go to the Dominican Republic for his tea.
Currently, Evans’ job as editor-at-large for Felix Dennis is likely being threatened. (Surely James Brady couldn’t have known that when he filed his online article praising this fab position.)
Before Stuff and Maxim, though, Sir Evans did spend some time at Conde Nast. As did his wife. And they just love Si Newhouse. Well, come on, he bought them a house.
Si Newhouse? “I love Si. With Si’s backing and resources, you can’t go wrong unless you’re a bloody fool.”
And when Sir Herold is not having tea in his Sutton Place apartment, he’s schooling Ariel Foxman and explaining why the Cargo editor only got a one-bedroom.
Sir Harry Never Rests [James Brady, Forbes]
Remember the days when dinner parties at Upper East Side brownstones were good enough for the likes of Tina Brown?
Introducing Celerie Kemble. You know her name … she’s one of these New York socialite party planner people that keeps popping up all over the place. Like, the Thursday Styles section for example. For Celerie and crew, parties in New York are just really not good enough anymore.
They need a special “community” where Moby and other rich people in poor men’s clothing can go drink tea and talk about themselves.
They are developing a planned community in the Dominican Republic that will provide weekend succor to investors like Fareed Zakaria, the editor of Newsweek International; Bronson Van Wyck, the event planner; Moby, the musician and tea shop owner; and other wealthy bohemians with an appetite for current affairs and social causes served up in a tropical paradise.
Come on. As if the DR didn’t have enough freakin’ problems. First Vin Diesel, and now this?
Tradition’s New Cheerleaders [Penelope Green, New York Times]
We knew they had an “only the best for Condes” policy over at 4 Times Square. But (call us naive) we had no idea Si Newhouse was actually buying his employees $4 million apartments. More or less. Hey, these folks can’t be entertaining the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker and Marc Jacobs in a Brooklyn loft.
As today’s Observer reports, the top Conde editors must live in top Manhattan properties. It all began in the 90s, when Uncle Si reportedly picked up the mortgage on Tina Brown’s $4 million four bedroom pad on East 57th St. But why stop there?
Over 20 Condé Nast executives, editors and even a couple of writers have either been loaned money directly by the company (sometimes listed as the overarching corporation, Advance Publications) or had the media giant secure mortgages in order to purchase properties, according to city records.
A brief rundown of what exactly it costs Conde Nast to hold on to their socialite editors … and their socialite statuses.
Anna Wintour: Her and her husband took out a $200,000 mortgage on their Greenwich Village townhouse — “with Condé Nast lending the money.”
Graydon Carter: Him and his first wife Cynthia bought their four story Bank St. townhouse in 1999. “Shortly thereafter, the couple took out a $3.841 million mortgage, with Advance lending the money.
David Remnick : He signed a contract for a West 86th Street duplex listed at $3.25 million. “Advance secured the loan.”
Jim Nelson: After taking over as EIC of GQ, “Nelson moved into a co-op apartment in a Chelsea brownstone, with Advance serving as the secured party.”
Oh, and they threw Ariel Foxman a couple thou for his “oversized” one-bedroom spread. We wonder if Si is going to by his favorite Fairstepchild Brandon Holley a downtown crashpad, of if it’s only the “real” Conde editors who get houses?
It’s Condo Nast: Newhouse Keeps Editors Housed [Michael Calderone, New York Observer]
Who is Craig, and where did his beloved list come from? Will The Strokes ever be cool again? What the hell is Index magazine?
New York magazine answers all of our burning, passionate desires in this week’s issue. Oh, also, they laugh at the New York Times really hard for being about four months late on that whole JT LeRoy thing.
The models are absolutely gone from the Look Book, and Jared Paul Stern can finally breathe a sigh of relief that his fedora is back in style. But the best part of this week’s NYMag? It’s more or less all about California.
• Fresh off the back page of Vanity Fair, Jay McInerney brings his hipster insight to New York’s music scene. He also reveals the dangers of reporting, such as getting booze spilled all over you and creaming your pants. [Group Therapy]
• Is Craigslist’s Craig Newmark the Exploder of Journalism, or The Exploder of Pee? Who cares, this man can get you laid, and take down the New York Times. Mwaahaahaaa. [A Guy Named Craig]
• Keeping the gay porn industry alive is so in fashion right now. Very Brokeback Mountain meets Andy Warhol. [New York Screen: Peter Berlin]
• Does New York talk more about Tina Brown or Hillary Clinton? [Can Anything Stop Tina Brown?]
All this, plus advice on how to get NYC ranked even higher on the list of fattest cities. Now all we need to figure out is how to get an invite to that premiere party at Duvet …
We’re not sure why we stopped reading Tina Brown’s Washington Post column. Her recycled malaise? Her love for Camilla Parker Bowles? Has she even been writing her column the past few months?
But she – and we – deserve your forgiveness, especially when she tackles something timely like Bob Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas taking over at ABC. Or, more accurately, when she spits out copy this egregious about Bob Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas taking over at ABC:
The two of them look as if they were spawned in the same electronic petri dish. Perhaps somewhere in Korea there is a lab where they farm raise these made-for-TV faces. (Or maybe excessively craggy-faced correspondents can go to Paris to have a new one grafted on from a brain-dead French game-show host.)
And in between explaining the anchor manufacturing process, she even gives a nod to Les Moonves‘ undermining NBC’s Today show cash cow with his wooing of Katie Couric. Tina Brown: She gives good column.
The Future Face Of Network News [Tina Brown, WaPo]
Related: Woodruff & Vargas: ABC’s ‘rotating bottoms’ — officially
Related: All ABC coverage
Just because she doesn’t really know what they are or even read them shouldn’t keep Tina Brown from starting a blog of her own. And it won’t.
She’s everywhere else, it’s about time she got her own blog. Well actually, she’ll be joining in Arianna Huffington’s efforts, which lists a “murderers’ row of culturati” including Mort Zuckerman and Jann Wenner. But important people like them can’t be bothered with unimportant matters like actually blogging.
The trick: The contributors won’t actually have to learn how to blog if they don’t want to. “Rest assured,” Huffington’s e-mail says, “we’re going to make it as easy as possible for you to be a part of our group blog. We’re setting up a system wherein you’ll be able to e-mail or phone in your latest take, which our editorial team will fact-check and turn into a blog post.
That’s right folks, no learning how to click “Save” if they already know how to click “Send.” And if it’s only the cell phone they’re able to use, there’s a willing intern on the other line ready to transcribe.
(Photo via Gothamist)
Editorial Director
