The much-talked about – as in, we've been talking about them much – rumors of AMI editorial director Bonnie Fuller meeting with TV folks and taking meetings in LA are once again causing a stir among the top tabloid set.
We're told that, among other outlets, she's met with the E! channel. Except rather than focus on her own projects – such as a reality show about her family or something that her NYU film student son would spearhead (?) – the latest gossip suggests she's simply trying to raise her profile among David Pecker's set before Ron Burkle's takeover of the company.
She's been working with a "TV trainer" to help avoid her oft-mocked awkward presence on screen. "Apparently she's much better on camera now as a result," says a source.
Even more evidence of a new Bonnie? She's been meeting with Star's reporters ("something she hadn't done for a long while until recently") and even calling her own contacts to report stories, which we've already seen her do once.
… just how coincidental it is that the National Enqurier – owned by American Media Inc., which Clinton family friend Ron Burkle is looking to buy – pieces together a "secret love child" story about John Edwards just in time for the Iowa primary.
"High-level merger talks are underway between American Media and Ron Burkle's Source Interlink Companies," reports the NYP. "The merger would combine American Media's titles, including the National Enquirer, with Source Interlink's, which range from Motor Trend to Soap Opera Digest."
While negotiations are still in the early stages, both parties are confident the deal would do nothing to tarnish the sterling reputation of the titles in question, which have long been unofficially merged at the front of the supermarket checkout aisle, under the multi-purpose category of "Reading For Dummies."
Remember One Park Avenue, the American Media reality series that never got off the ground? (Trust, it was for the best.) The above promo takes us back, with then Star leader Bonnie Fuller telling us about "what it takes"; David Caplan, before he decamped for 24Sizzler.com, on how the tabloid biz is like high school; and a Star staffer who insists she "looks forward to coming to work."
Oh, and there's former Men's Fitness and current Genre chief gay Neal Boulton talking about how much he loves his job — because he's "around hot sexy women all the time, partying my ass off."
Excuse us for doing this, but: ROFL.
[Note: The show's lawyers asked us to take down the video. They were very nice, so we agreed and will cherish memories of what counts as one of Boulton's straightest moments.]
Whoops-a-doozie! Pseudo-homophobic Star
magazine missed its 1.5 million rate base for the first half the year — and has Ron Burkle target American Media Inc. wondering whether they should drop it to 1.2 million. Meanwhile, the tab that usually sells upwards of 800k on the newsstand has only been averaging about 600k under new EIC Candace Trunzo. Which begs the question: Can we get Bonnie back to do another one of those blog-a-zine issues? Or maybe they should just follow this one's model and go with the gay-baiting angle.
Remember last week when TMZ* blew the lid off of Andy Roddick's (superimposed) tree-trunk arms? Well apparently, AMI prez David Pecker was less than thrilled about all the negative publicity. And so, he did what any of us would do: publicly insinuated Bonnie Fuller was to blame, and tattled about her super long lunches crappy interview skills and her inability to copy-edit. Like, at all.
Sources told Page Six that AMI chief David Pecker "went crazy" on editorial director Bonnie Fuller Friday morning. The rant came after Pecker read Keith J. Kelly's Media Ink column in The Post, in which the magazine admitted its cover subject's body had been altered. The issue was put together under the watch of Boulton, who has since been replaced by new editor-in-chief Roy Johnson.
"Pecker is livid. He really thinks this is something Bonnie should have caught," said one source. "He's crazy about wanting everything in his magazines to be accurate and basically told her she was responsible."
Normally, we'd make a joke here about AMI's "crazy" obsession with accuracy, but instead we'll content ourselves by smugly pointing out that Page Six could use a copy-editor of their own.
"I am very interested in celebrities and always have been. I have the same burning questions as everyone else, about Tom and Nicole's relationship and why did Brad and Jen break up. It's impossible to get jaded with celebrities."
That's Bonnie Fuller, opening up to Media Life about her unique perspective on celebrity culture. And while we're momentarily stunned by her outdated references (Brad and Jen break up? Tom and Nicole??) we're simultaneously gearing up for what promises to be an insightful, revealing interview.
Inevitably, we're wrong.
Bonnie Fuller is on full PR mode, offering annoying pat responses to inquiries about her future ("My next step is continuing to grow all the great magazines and brands here at American Media") and refusing even to answer the most banal questions, such as "what are you worst at?"
[Note to Bonnie: You don't have to be heart-wrenchingly honest here. No need for a candid response involving the phrases "soulless bitch" or "sleazy muckraker." Just say something stupid like "I'm a perfectionist" or "It's so hard for me to fit exercise into my busy schedule of ruining innocent people's lives."]
Truthfully, we can't quite figure out why Bonnie's suddenly rendered incapable of normal speech (possibly she's still traumatized by the Brad/Jen breakup?) but we've nevertheless reprinted the most telling excerpts below for your viewing "pleasure."
Depending on how you look at things, the exits at Star we're just hearing about – not to be confused with those other exits – could be bad news for an already-struggling tabloid, or good news for new EIC Candace Trunzo, as she aims to trim the fat and install her own regime to kick sales back up. Either way, the news still comes just after publisher AMI finally got around to reporting how bad its financial outlook is, which is certain to get in the way of the cheer we feel reporting this crap.
• New York chief David Caplan yesterday announced his exit, says an unverified source, and while he does know where he's headed, he wouldn't tell his bosses — so they asked him to leave immediately.
• Meanwhile, senior reporter Sue Rodezba told Star last week that she was taking a job at Life & Style. She, too, was asked to pack her things right away.
• And PR coordinator Nekiesha Walker – who was left to run things mostly by herself after they axed Kate Ottenberg – has tired of also being Bonnie Fuller's gopher. "Apparently so traumatized by taking on new duties as being Bonnie's personal assistant she is said to take time off to travel," says a source. "Overheard in pantry talking about realizing between publicizing that Lindsay buys a new dog to nuking Bon's coffee that life is too short." Nekiesha has put in her two weeks notice.
While it isn't in our nature to ring up Star and ask for their side of things, something tells us a phone call to, uh, Nekisha might not be the best move right now.
We've heard enough rumors of Bonnie Fuller's exit from American Media Inc. to fill a dozen lunches at Michael's, and yet still they persist. Today's round arrives in Ben Widdicombe's column, which picks up those murmurs of her shopping around TV projects that may not, ahem, be AMI-related. Among the two television scenarios: "a reality show based on herself and her family; the second is an idea of her son's."
Let's just ix-nay the first option there, shall we, as we've all seen what happens – and heard the staffer reactions – when Bonnie does TV.
The naysayers, meanwhile, remain — singing a tune along the lines of: "But her contract has her on lock down." "She's not going anywhere." "Her role at Star may be less, but she's sticking around at AMI." All of which sounds cute and plausible. Until the day it isn't.
Since Ron Burkle lost his chance to turn the Los Angeles Times into a publicity machine for his ego, he's now turning his attention to American Media Inc., the debt-laden publisher of Star, National Enquirer, Flex, and Muscle & Fitness. (Yeah, that list sort of trails off at the end.) It's also the stomping ground of David Pecker, whose ability to retain an executive title bewilders us. So the story goes, Burkle wants to merge AMI with Source Interlink Companies, a firm probably responsible for half the junk mail you receive, and one Burkle controls through his Yucaipa investment company. Combine all that with his not-so-secret investment in Radar and, if the deal goes through, he'll have a whole stable of tabloid magazines in dire financial straits.
Those rumors about Star magazine relocating back to Boca Raton are once again rearing their head. We hear from a Star insider that, come Labor Day, the tabloid will move "the majority of its operations" back to Florida. EIC Candace Trunzo is not sticking around NYC permanently, and will return to Boca, where she's got a growing team in place. The New York office, meanwhile, will empty out: no new hires, and "current staffers in New York are lambs being led to the slaughter." (Wait, didn't that already happen?)
In addition to Boca, we're told Star will keep the L.A. outpost. As for AMI editorial director Bonnie Fuller? She's sticking around in New York, where she can wrestle with Muscle & Fitness.
Update: Or it could all be a bunch of hooey. What do we know? We don't even read Star, let alone know where to find Boca on a map.
Neal Boulton is canoodilng with the competition. The Men's Fitness (an American Media Inc. title) editor has been spotted around town with Jann Wenner (of, uh, Wenner Media), reports the Sixers, despite Jann's long-term relationship with Matt Nye. And the fact that Neal is married, "to a woman, with kids."
The publishing mogul claims the hug and kiss at the Time Warner Center were nothing more than affection shown toward a "friend." But it was plenty, we imagine, to make Wenner underling and Men's Journal editor James Kaminsky jealous. At least when James isn't revamping the Adventure issue with breakthrough ideas like … a wine column. But perhaps he can make Jann a recommendation for his next date?
The tales from American Media Inc.'s bloodshed this week have been pouring in — and there's plenty to sift over. With cuts at Star in the 10-20 range, there's plenty of folks willing to share war stories of their own and of now-former colleagues. As you'll recall from when we broke rumors of the staff slash, among the axings were exec editor Jon Auerbach, film and television critic Marshall Fine, and in-house publicist Kate Ottenberg.
Most staffers were let go the lazy way: as a group, with HR vice prez Daniel Rotstein leading the parade. Says one witness: "Most of the editorial people were let go at the same time in the conference room," says a witness. "So basically, they had like 10 people in there and were like, 'You're all fired.'" Ouchy.
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Just after we went to press with our item about Star and the National Enquirer teaming up to deliver a monster "How Anna Nicole Smith died" story, a well-placed insider informed us that this was certainly not Bonnie Fuller's doing.
In fact, the tabs' editorial director isn't even in the office — she's in Utah, we're told, where she has a home. (Update: An AMI insider chimes in to say Bonnie is in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, not Utah.)
So how'd all this teamwork come about? It was a team up between a pair of AMI veterans: new Star chieftess Candace Trunzo and her former boss, NE editor David Perel. If Fuller had been around, it's likely this group effort never would've happened, or at least never would have been publicized so widely.
"Bonnie has been shoved to the background," says our insider. "Candace has officially taken over."
Meanwhile, we're hearing that Bonnie has added Hearst to her roster of jumping possibilities. While it's been rumored that she wanted to launch a TMZ competitor, or even join TMZ, an insider tattles that she and Hearst scheduled a meeting (that might have already taken place) to discuss her coming on board. Hearst is said to be "very interested" in Fuller. So much so that they'll offer her, oh, we don't know, Marie Claire?
Contrary to what David Pecker might actually think, this press release is not doing good things for him. From the just-issued missive by American Media Inc.:
WORLD EXCLUSIVE: STAR MAGAZINE AND NATIONAL ENQUIRER SOLVE ANNA NICOLE’S MYSTERIOUS DEATH
Star magazine and the National Enquirer have demonstrated the strength in combining newsgathering resources under Enquirer editor-in-chief David Perel, who also leads Star’s West Coast news operations and newly appointed Star editor-in-chief Candace Trunzo. Just days before the medical examiner will announce the cause of death, Star and the Enquirer’s joint reporting reveals that the former Playmate died with a toxic level of the sleeping medication chloral hydrate in her system. Also, contrary to speculation, tests show she did not have methadone or any other painkilling drug in her system at the time of her death.
So, Star and the National Enquirer had to team up to put this one together? Granted, the release sounds as if Perel wrote it himself – it's time to stir things up, Candace! – but it points out the obvious flaws in The Case For Two Tabloids: If these rags are doing each other's homework, why keep them both around when those outrageous printing costs get in the way of paring down billions in debt?
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Some things you just know in your heart to be true. That the sky is not falling, for instance. That puppies are cute. That those asterisks in GQ are terribly gimmicky. Oh, and also: That David Pecker's American Media Inc. will miss its reporting deadline.
Today marked the deadline for the filing of Star magazine publisher American Media's third quarter, fourth quarter and full-year 2006 results, but the company told note holders Wednesday that it once again does not have them ready. The company says the results will be ready by March 23.
Last month, the company agreed to pay note holders between $687,500 and $1.375 million in exchange for again postponing the restatement of its third quarter, fourth quarter and full-year 2006 results, as well as the results of its first and second quarters for 2007, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Jeez, it's just a month of embarrassments for those kids, isn't it?
According to a recent study conducted by the American Council on Science and Health, many of the nation's popular magazine's aren't exactly up to snuff in their nutritional coverage.
The council tested 21 popular magazines (and, um, Men's Fitness) for "accuracy, presentation and recommendations," and here's a sampling of their findings:
At rock bottom was American Media's Men's Fitness, whose articles, said the council, led the panel "to wonder whether this magazine is in the business of publishing fiction." The report cited "inaccurate, exaggerated or undocumented statements" in a March 2005 nutrition article, such as "alcohol plus a steak dinner works like lighter fluid on your metabolism," concluding: "We have rarely seen so many myths, misconceptions and unproven notions in a single article."
Geez, you'd have think they'd have singled out Penthouse, Maxim or even Fast Food Weekly, but nope, apparently Men's Fitness takes the cake for Most Fictionalized Health Reporting. Which would be a whole lot funnier if it didn't mean Men's Health editor in chief, Dave Zinczenko, will be walking around all day with a big shit-eating grin bigger shit-eating grin than usual.
**Okay. Fine. That one's not an "actual" magazine. But if it was, we'd totally subscribe!
With rumors (and denials) surfacing that Star editorial director Bonnie Fuller might be looking for an out at AMI, we thought it appropriate to weigh the pros and cons of leaving a cushy gig atop a faltering tabloid empire. Is it worth sticking around for the Candace Trunzo era while the most staffers may or may not be forced to decide whether they're looking to relocate to permanent suntans?
Let's find out.
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As we were the first to suggest, Globe editor Candace Trunzo is taking over where Joe Dolce is leaving off at Star. Joe exits at the end of March. Candace's first day as Bonnie Fuller's Hovering-Over-Desk-mate is April 1.
Calling Clay Aiken a faggot? April 2.
The email to staff from AMI chief David Pecker, after the jump.
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Could the next editor of Star be … the current editor of The Globe?
Her name is Candace Trunzo, and you might remember her as the woman who had no problem putting Kobe Bryant's accuser on the cover of her tabloid.
An American Media insider tells us Trunzo is in town from Boca Raton and making the rounds in the New York office. Not that her presence is a declaration that she's taking over for current Star EIC Joe Dolce, who's expected to exit next month. But it does have staffers suspicious — and one insider suggests Trunzo taking over is a definite possibiliy.
Or, with all those rumors of Star closing up shop and moving back to Boca (or not), Trunzo could merely be on a talent hunting mission — just like the one National Enquirer editor David Perel is rumored to be taking soon.
