As we told you earlier, MSNBC's been hard at work courting currently unemployed talk show host (and loudmouthed lefty) Rosie O'Donnell in an effort to knock Bill O'Reilly off his uncontested reign as cable news king and build up the star wattage of its predominantly liberal lineup.
Their plan? To have the opinionated O'Donnell step in and take over the time slot currently occupied by the network's GM-turned-on-air persona Dan Abrams, (who recently waived his managerial responsibilities to become Joe Scarborough's full-time replacement as host of Live With Dan Abrams).
Which would explain why Abrams reportedly flipped out upon hearing that MSNBC's been aggressively vying for Rosie O’Donnell to inherit his timeslot.
Yesterday, we shared the first installment of results from the Facebook survey.
And while we imagine you were relieved to find out which type of profile picture is the absolute loseriest (For the record, it's "Pretentious hipsters staring off into space with an arts/contemplative stare!") we think you'll be even more interested in the responses to our open call for your craziest Facebook related anecdotes.
There were, in fact, so many amazing responses that we've spent hours compiling them! (Hours that, should, in retrospect, have been spent "reading the newspaper," "interviewing potential sources" and "otherwise doing our jobs.") In the end, it was so hard to pick and choose just a few that we decided to categorize all our favorites into 7 separate—but equally entertaining—groups.
Exclusive:
After a year-long stint at Gatecrasher, gossip girl Laura Schreffler (right) is ditching the Daily Snooze in favor of a new gig as senior writer for OK! magazine, leaving the features managing editor (and intimidating Irishwoman) Orla Healy behind in favor of buxom Brit Sarah Ivens.
And with Schreffler originally slated to take a features position in the Daily News' Los Angeles bureau, some PR insiders are already whispering that some last minute "drama" and/or internal conflict was the cause for the split.
Schreffler is quick to dispel those rumors, however, insisting she left Orla and the Daily News on "great terms," and explaining "I just didn't feel that being a hard news reporter was the right move for me." (In which case, OK! magazine was definitely the way to go!)
What is original reporting, anyway? For some, that would entail heading out into the proverbial field, conducting fact-finding research, interviewing potential sources, and shaping it all together into an informative piece that actively contributes to the daily news cycle.
For others, like for instance, Page Six, the definition of "original reporting" ranges widely, and includes everything from coming up with those blind-item brainteasers (OMG, some socialite's husband's brother might be gay!) to blatantly ripping off an item from last week's TVNewser, not crediting them in the least, and then slapping it all together with a quote from a "CBS News Flack."
So take note, children. Because it's just that easy to turn already-reported news into an "exclusive."
"Please join me at Michael's Restaurant on Wednesday, July 25, in raising a toast to TVNewser's Brian Stelter, as he sets out to leave the confines of the blogosphere for the print world," writes Mediabistro.com founder Laurel Touby, who's not exactly having a bad week herself.
"But," Laurel continues, "every ending is a new beginning, and I've got some very exciting news to share. I'll be unveiling the next TVNewser - who will be taking the blog in new and exciting directions. Stay tuned — you'll have to be at the party to find out who it is (I'm inviting only 100 people, so you'll be among the first)!'
All of which would ordinarily be pretty damn exciting except for one small thing: we already know who the next TVNewser is.
Vogue may have jumped to the Chinese market two years ago, but now it's music trade Billboard that's getting the fever. We hear the VNU publication – you know, the one ran a chainsaw through its masthead last fall – is launching a Chinese edition, and that a team of editors is either on their way or about to leave for China to set up shop. All it took was the Chinese government saying yes to a company that once hoped Paris Hilton and Britney Spears would co-host its awards show.
Wallstrip – the Wall Street web video program featuring Lindsay Campbell trying to make the Nasdaq hilarious – is being snapped up by CBS News, we're told, for something in the $5 million range. An announcement is expected early this week, perhaps Monday. Part of the deal involves Campbell being the next Amanda Congdon: frontin' for CBS' web initiatives.
A moment of nostalgia: Back in November '06, Lindsay interviewed Wallstrip investor Fred Wilson, of Union Square Ventures, who, naturally, called the site "the next big thing." It certainly is, at least for Les Moonves' balance sheet.
It's probably worth noting at this juncture that Wallstrip – backed by Howard Lindzon – doesn't make any money. No ad revenue. Nada. Good luck with that!
"He kind of gave me the news in cowardly installments," is how Dina McGreevey describes the coming out process of her soon-to-be ex-husband and Gay American Jim McGreevey on today's Oprah (tune in! ABC! 4pm!). That is, when he asked her to wear a football helmet and pads during sex, he didn't just blurt out "and by the way, I'm a homo!" like normal married couples.
The Big O, who scored an exclusive sit-down with Jim last fall, is the first to land a sit-down with wifey, whose new book Silent Partner is, conveniently, hitting bookstore shelves today.
But Oprah's dealings aren't stopping Good Morning America's Diane Sawyer from letting the good times keep rolling. She's invited Dina to come by tomorrow at 9am to tape a segment to further promote her book dish more on her failed marriage. But audience members are in for a special treat: We hear producers are planning an "interactive" segment.
In an email sent out yesterday, a GMA producer asked her contact list to submit names – "your moms, aunts, friends, neighbors?" – who are "well-spoken, outgoing women of diverse backgrounds, ages, marital status, religions, who would be part of an interactive audience."
Because the last thing this segment needs are a bunch of white ladies nodding along to Dina's tribulations. Black faces are needed, too. They know about dudes on the downlow.
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That photo over there? Of Reese Witherspoon? On page 22 of this week's Us Weekly? The one with Prince William on the cover?
Janice Min & Co. paid $2,000.00 for it.
The sale was closed a week ago today, on April 17. The $2k payment gives Us "non-exclusive rights to publish such Photos, including the right to promote and advertise the Photos in connection with promotion of the issue in which the Photos appear."
It's a standard arrangement, sure. But how'd we get all those details? Because the magazine has a little problem with leaking all that sensitive information via email.
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Following Ken Baker's move to head up UsMagazine.com – a transition, some might say, that was not voluntary – the West Coast chief slot has remained open. Sure, Martha Flores has been running things as news director, but where's the top slavedriver?
Enter Melanie Bromley, who's taking the reigns as West Coast bureau chief. A five year Us veteran, she arrived from the Times of London (and, ahem, News of the World).
Her first assignment? Next week's Hot Hollywood event — which, in fonder days, used to be Baker's territory.
Janice's full email to staff, after the jump.
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A tabloid's access to celebs often depends on whether their publicists are willing to schedule in a chat between soul waxings. Or at least that's People's M.O.
Over at Wenner rag Us Weekly, it's the paparazzi (also known as "friends" of celebs) who are the best sources. Which might explain why Us is so loose with its insider information when it comes to the lensmen it so heavily relies on.
So just how loose is the Us ship when it comes to the that prized asset called "access?" Perhaps the answer lies in a tale we like to call "Screwing Tori Spelling."
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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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When news broke last week that paprazzo Scott Cosman was suing Pamela Anderson and Denise Richards (remember that laptop gently tossed over the balcony?), the photog industry was abuzz with a not-so-well-kept unreported secret: Cosman is one of the owners of Flynet, the agency you'll remember for working with Us Weekly's Ken Baker to set up a smoochfest between Teri Hatcher and Ryan Seacrest (a Baker pal) in that makeout session.
Cosman and Rik Fedyck are taking on Richards with a lawsuit charging she went on a rampage after spotting the twosome snapping pics of Anderson on the set of Blonde and Blonder in November '06. The part where Denise called him a "fuckkng cockksucker at least 12-15 times as well as scumbags, douche bags and paparazzi scum" allegedly ended with Richards throwing their laptop over the balcony where it landed on an elderly lady.
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Just as Billboard announces it's looking to expand into Nashville with a Billboard Country Music Awards, the unconfirmed gossip mill spits out this rumor to us: Fox is dropping the regular Billboard Awards.
After 17 years of broadcasting the awards show, a source with knowledge of the network's decision making claims Fox is terminating their arrangement after 2006's show posted the worst numbers ever: 6.1 million viewers, or a 2.7/7 share. Blame is on the Britney-Paris fiasco or the fact that the awards show market is blatantly supersaturated (Big in '06, anyone?).
VNU's Billboard is "trying desperately to salvage the situation by proposing a more limited country awards show," we're told. "Fox is reportedly mulling the idea over, but television is already thick with country music award shows," like the Country Music Awards.
No firm decision has been made whether or not to drop the broadcast, but "Fox is expected to announce shortly what it plans to do." May we suggest … creating a MySpace profile?
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?
Editorial Director
