"It's not clear who ended the relationship; Jane claims that it was a mutual breakup, though she admits 'there were resentments on both sides.'… 'I can't say I was thrilled with what happened to Jane after I left,' she says, adding that she 'pissed' that new editor Brandon Holley wanted to make it 'pretty.'" [P6M via NYO]
Did you hear? Jane subscribers are now receiving complimentary copies of Glamour in the mail. Naturally, former Jane staffers are handling this unforeseen development with the requisite level of poise, maturity and grace.
Reports Page Six:
FORMER Jane magazine staffers are livid that Conde Nast is sending their one-time readers copies of Glamour now that Jane has bitten the dust. "I want all the Jane readers to just cancel, rather than get Glamour," one ex-staffer griped. "I hope they call and say, 'I don't want this. Give me GQ, anything but this.'
Not sure what the big frickin' deal is? One of many ex-Jane staffers explains!
Domain-name obsessed Atoosa.com proprieter Atoosa Rubenstein once wanted to be Jane Pratt. And now she is, at least in name. She's purchased JanePratt.com and JanePratt.org — but they're gifts for the former Jane editor, who Atoosa wants to live on with a vlog.
Have you heard? Jane's folding. Which is extremely sad for everyone (except Jane's original EIC, Jane Pratt, who's rather pleased). And what better way to go out with a bang than by having the Eva Mendes pose topless for the last ever Jane cover, and a pregnant Milla Jovovich show off her giant belly only months before she (promptly) loses all the baby weight with the assistance of an extremely expensive personal trainer?
Eva Mendes, Kate Mara, Joss Stone and pregnant Milla Jovovich are among the stars baring all for a provocative new Jane magazine shoot.
Actress Mendes, who appears topless on thee cover, covering her breasts with pink flowers, admits she was honoured to be asked to appear in what will be Jane's final issue.
She says, "It's such a girl-friendly magazine and I feel completely honoured to be on the cover and just really comfortable in my skin… I worked really hard for my body and I'm really happy with it."
We think Jane's definitely ending on a high note. After all, nothing screams social relevance and post-feminist sass so loudly or clearly as a picture of actress Eva Mendes, with pink carnations hiding her naughty-parts.
You know what it's like watching the magazine you created get flushed down the toilet several years after you "voluntarily" left the offices of Conde Nast kicking and screaming? According to the crazy (and not at all bitter!) Jane Pratt, it's kind of like watching your second develop an incurable substance abuse problem. Or something.
"I feel like Sassy was my baby; I feel like Jane was my second baby," said Ms. Pratt, who started Jane in 1997 and was the first editor of Sassy, a ground-breaking title for teen girls, before that. "I feel like I abandoned that baby and it went off and got on drugs or something. I do have guilt about that. What I really would have liked would have been to have kept more of a connection to the magazine."
And by "I would have liked to have kept more of a connection to the magazine," Pratt really means "I'm still pretty fucking pissed about getting fired, thrown out on the street and unceremoniously replaced by an incompetent stranger who's named after a boy." Or something.
After yesterday's announcement that Jane magazine was unceremoniously shutting down, we realized we were far more interested in hearing founder Jane Pratt's reactions than those of new (and now-former) Jane EIC, Brandon Holley.
This is because (a) we're hoping Jane somehow finds a way to tie this all back to the time she had hot, ladysex with Drew Barrymore in the early 90's, and (b) we're counting on Jane to muster up the appropriate level of schadenfreude.
And while we were sorely disappointed on the first count [Ed: Seriously, Jane, if this doesn't trigger flashbacks to your intermittent lesbianism, we don't know what will] Jane totally delivered on the "inappropriate gloating" front.
This just in from Sirius Radio's PR department:
This week Jane Pratt will do her Jane Radio show live Tuesday, July 10 at 1:00 pm ET, as well as Friday night from 6:00 – 8:00 pm ET. Pratt, founder and former editor-in-chief of Jane magazine, hosts Jane Radio exclusively on SIRIUS Satellite Radio. On Jane Radio Pratt takes calls and has an open dialogue with listeners from around the country. Jane Radio airs on SIRIUS Stars 102.
Can't imagine what they'll be talking about.
Monday saw New York speculating former Jane editor Jane Pratt was leaving town, after her Downing Street townhouse (once owned by the Murdochs!) popped up for sale at $3.5 million.
Now Richard Johnson's team brings word that Brandon Holley (Jane's new EIC, not to be confused with the one-time Drew Barrymore paramour) has picked up an issue of Modern Brides – that magazine that lets women pretend they can have a career and a flowing white wedding dress! – and married musician boyfriend John Deley, whose band's MySpace page might be this one.
It's hard to tell which is more Jane: Getting married and settling down, or ditching all your responsibilities to live the high life.
You know Jane Pratt, right? The former editor in chief of Sassy and Jane magazine, who recently—and for publicity absolutely no reason whatsoever—copped to having a hot lesbian affair with Drew Barrymore circa 1994?
Well, now Jane (who's a radio host, did we mention that? ) talks about publishing, Jane magazine, satellite radio and, of course, her twenty year old affair with Drew Barrymore. Let's fast-forward to the good stuff, shall we?
Jane's reflections on Sassy after the jump! (Kidding! It's the Drew Barrymore stuff, we promise).
CONTINUED »
• Simon Dumenco really only has one friend who was totally psyched about Lindsay Lohan's crotch shots? We have at least four. [Mediaweek]
• Well, if you aren't too into Lohan's vag, you may be more interested in how she is doing her part to bring peace to the Middle East. Anyone would put down their weapons and pick up a box of hair dye at the site of this. [Defamer]
• GQ editors, unable to move forward within their own mag, are forced to take high up positions at much less respected magazines. [Radar]
• Are Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton communicating via BlackBerry? If so, we bet the messages read: "shut up you stoopid hore" and "i h8 u biyotch." [Us]
• Jane Pratt pops a few Prozac and leaves the house to do a radio show. Please keep sharp objects and Sylvia Plath books at a distance. [NYP]
• Oprah is really, really flattered that this guy wants her to be president. Really. He needs to stop before her lawyers rip his face off, but, she's flattered. [AP]
Gwen Stefani is rumored to be "in talks" with dejected ex Jane editor Jane Pratt. The two are hooking up to start a new magazine (people are still trying to do that?) that will focus either on women over 35 or women who are younger.
In the eight months since Pratt was forced out of her namesake magazine after endless antics, she has been reported to be working on two projects: a satellite radio program for Sirius and a magazine concept she pitched to Time Inc.
No doubt that hook-up would be hot, but Pratt may need to fall back on that radio show. It seems that unless things fly off the ground, Stefani won't have much time between popping out a kid and doing all that mom stuff before she gets back into the gym … which, had Jane picked Britney Spears to start a mag with, obviously wouldn't be an issue.
Try, Try Again [Jeff Bercovici, WWD]
When Jane Pratt left her namesake magazine in August, everybody totally thought, "how's this gonna work?" We weren't to sure there would ever again be hope for our once favorite chick mag.
But, with the help of a few "She's So Jane," ad campaigns featuring Brandon Holley, and a starving Nicole Richie on the cover, 2005's November issue beat single-copy sales of November '04 by 32%.
Holley's December/January issue, featuring Shakira, was up 14 percent over last year's December/January — which happened to be the bestseller of 2004. And a recent cover test of the February issue with Alicia Keys, hitting newsstands Jan. 24, produced the most promising test results Jane has ever received.
Is it possible that Jane is sitting at home with her Women's Wear Daily, going, "ouch?" Creating catchy cover lines and the attempt to steer away from the clique-y, insider-y, tone that was beginning to dominate the indy feel glossy, have apparently paid off.
"A lot of what I'm doing here is going back to the vault," said Holley. "I loved the tight [cover] shots Jane used to do."
The ever humble Ms. Holley credits timing and luck, to Jane's success, but we totally heart her. She is not only so Jane, she's so freakin' fabulous. We bet you could even eat omelets in the elevator when she's around.
Jane's Addiction [Sara James, WWD]
2005 was a pretty boring year for magazines. A few folds, a few launches, a few EIC departees and scandals…nothing too mind-blowing. Or, maybe it was just that the shame shadows cast by the New York Times are large enough to cloud over an entire industry. TV News had its moments, as did blogs! It was tough competition, but the categories and their nominees for Best Media Moments are here:
(and don't forget the winners after the jump!)
• 'Twas the year for founding magazine EICs to abandon their babies, and we sure were sad to see them go. Sarah Gray Miller broke a few hearts when she left Budget Living's pockets empty. And of course there was Jane Pratt's confusing departure from Jane, which led Brandon Holley to say c'ya to ELLEgirl. It's hard enough to keep track, let alone choose our fave EIC flee.
• Ah, the scandals of journalism. If only there was a tabloid for media freaks to follow each other's wrong-doings. Nominees for 2005's biggest newsmedia mishaps go to Judith Miller for her NYT/Scooter Libby/Valerie Plame protection/revelation debacle. And recently, there was that whole NYT wiretap/PR disguised as service journalism fiasco. And of course, who could forget good old Graydon Carter's Deep Throat discovery? (Not to mention all the press leaks it inspired.)
• Sometimes, newscasters can get a little whacky, but that's why we love them. Television news needs its moment in the spotlight too, so we have nominated a couple in the category of TV travesties: Al Roker for his Hurricane Wilma wipe-out or Matt Lauer for holding his own when attacked with Tom Cruise's particular brand of cruisaziness. (Ok, we realize these are both Today Show incidents, but all the nerds already covered the real news.)
• When unoriginal mags launch, nobody wins. Yet, they just keep on launchin'. Our favorite new mags of the year? David will kill us all if we don't list Cookie, everyone's fave billionaire baby book. And then there was Weekend, another richie rich mag for people who have like seven houses and a cabin, and overcrowding the tabloid market from abroad is the very celeboring OK!. We hate them all, but which is truly the most unnecessary new mag of the year? After the jump, guys!
• The worst things to happen to media this year? Its a sad category, but someone's gotta do it. We don't what was more heartbreaking, the death of Peter Jennings or the death of Radar. And Judy behind bars was kind of a blow to the industry (yes, she can be nominated twice). Hmm, what else…? Oh, yeah, Peter Braunstein on the loose was pretty f'd up.
CONTINUED »
Don't expect any Devil Wears Prada-esque bashing in Wunderkind, the Jane Pratt fictional roman-a-clef being shopped around by – you guessed it – her former assistant at Jane. Unfortunately, without some severe plot reversals, there's little chance of this one making it to the big screen. Jane Pratt is, after all, painted as a do gooder, not an evil editrix.
Pratt's former assistant Karen Cohen Yampolsky is the scribe behind the "novel," though it's been rumored (and subsequently denied) that Pratt is actually the one at the keyboard.
In the novel, which has the working title "Wunderkind," the editor-in-chief is called Jill White and the publication is Jill magazine.
Jill the character is forced to do battle with a female CEO who installs her bridesmaid as the publisher of the magazine. …
In the book, Jill is forced out of her job by the treachery cooked up by the CEO and the publisher.
In real life, Fairchild CEO Mary Berner, shortly after she arrived at the top job, installed her friend Eva Dillon as publisher of Jane. Dillon is now at Cookie, the new parenthood magazine.
Oh, the coincidences. They're starting to make Nicole Richie's Truth About Diamonds "composite character" of Paris Hilton look more veiled than Prince Michael II out in public.
It's Plain - It's Jane [NYP]
• Jane Pratt's been spotted at Time Inc. meeting with chief Norman Pearlstine, fueling rumors she's ready to put out that 35-and-up magazine she's been chatting about. Meanwhile, Brandon Holley takes a stab at explaining to Jane readers why her name isn't, in fact, Jane.
• Not even Maureen Dowd agrees with the New York Times' fee wall, TimesSelect. While the paper promised its start columnists would offer bonus content for those willing to pay, she's delivered nothing but her twice-weekly column.
• Chatting with Loud Dobbs, Judith Miller says Patrick Fitzgerald's "zealousness" and decision to detain her might be justified if he actually indicts everyone. Meanwhile, Lou is hanging on to his grudge.
• Mediabistro editor Liz Spiers is shopping around her first memoir via ICM but, whether it fetches four or six figures, her tenure at the media social club site sounds limited. At least she could get back at Lauren Weisberger.
• Oh, those pesky right-wing conspiracies and political jihads. Mary Mapes, who was at the center of last year's infamous Memogate scandal with Dan Rather, claims she was the victim of a group of "loosely knit Internet bloggers" who plotted her downfall. Not surprisingly, she's got a new book out in November.
• Those wacky folks at Fox News are now expanding into a gay dating service, at least for Condi Rice. In a truly bizarre interview with the Secretary of State, FNC's James Rosen suggested her hooking up with Lauren Green of Fox and Friends. No word yet on if Bill O'Reilly will make this a "talking points memo."
• Nightline blesses us with Ted Koppel's departure then reprimands us with a live from Times Square proposition? When will the torture end?
• Maybe Lynne Cheney's next book should be called D Is For Dodging. Fox News' Shep Smith's exclusive interview with the veep's wife didn't last after he asked her about Nancy Pelosi's recent criticism: "Listen, I'm not going to talk to you anymore Shepard, but it's been a great conversation. I appreciate it."
• Jailed NYTer Judith Miller might be ready to spill the goods if it'll get her out of prison. Her attorney Floyd Abrams isn't commenting on rumors of a potential deal with prosecutors, which can only mean one thing.
• Is there stormy weather ahead for Good Morning America? Weatherman Tony Perkins is said to be entertaining quite a few courting offers from other networks.
• A CNN staffer bared all but his upper body to an in-house feed, prancing around the network's London studio showing the whole company his bits and pieces.
• Magazine circulation directors are breathing easier, now that the Audit Bureau of Circulations decided to postpone new rules on the inclusion of third-party subscription sales figures. Let the circ scandals continue for just a little while longer.
• Jane Pratt isn't digging her old haunt's new ad campaign. Jane magazine is touting new editor Brandon Holley as "she's so Jane," but Pratt wants nothing to do with it. Damn those "image and likeness" clauses.
• The price was definitely wrong yesterday at CBS. The network broadcast a December rerun of Bob Barker's game show, which featured a trip to New Orleans as one of its showcase gifts. CBS spokeswoman Beth Haiken offered the requisite mea culpas.
• Just because it's fashion doesn't mean Time Inc. execs should be excluded — so long as you allow them recreational time with their Blackberrys.
The New York Sun handed the pen to former Ladies Home Journal editrix and More founding editor Myrna Blyth and what'd they end up with? A declaration of the end of the celebrity editor.
Break out the Louis Vuitton tissues.
Jane Pratt is out. Bonnie Fuller is barely making waves. Tina Brown is recycling her media celebrity as a Princess Di chronicler.
Blyth points to the uncelebrated success of In Touch, which is a little more friendly to the A-list and saw it's circulation shoot up nearly 50 percent to 1.12 million copies over the same period last year. But who's editing it? Our man-not-about-town Richard Spencer, who, if you've even heard of, you probably ignore.
Supposedly between In Touch and Kristin Van Ogtrop's Real Simple, the age of the boldface named editor is over. Unless, of course, you live in the bungalow at 4 Times Square where masthead thrones are waxed hourly.
Now that former ELLEgirl editor Brandon Holley helped shove Jane Pratt out of her throne at Jane (leaving Pratt all sorts of upset) and executive editor Christina Kelly has been promoted to editor-in-chief, there are the less headline-worthy transitions at ELLEgirl to note.
But as you readers of Jossip surely know, no masthead hopscotch is too mundane for us to care and their sheer mass of title housekeeping is worthy of your – and the New York Observer's – attention.
You're already aware Vitals' Nancy Gillen is taking over as managing editor and Sophie Schulte-Hillen was promoted from beauty director to deputy editor/beauty director.
Now, from right next to the oversized blowups of Hilary Duff at 1633 Broadway, we're tipped off that:
• Former beauty market editor Anais Lombard was promoted to beauty editor, working under Schulte-Hillen.
• Former editorial assistant Joanna Douglas was promoted to staff writer.
• Melissa Walker, currently a senior editor, will also receive a title change, but we're waiting to hear from today's edit meeting to figure out what it is.
And, warranting the most fanfare is Erin Meanley, who now dons the title of assistant editor after slaving away as the assistant to EIC Brandon Holley.
We're sure there's more to come, but if we revealed all our ELLEgirl secrets our friends at CosmoGIRL! might start struggling to show their frown lines.
Even though Jane Pratt voluntarily agreed to step down from her namesake magazine, she's quietly seething over ELLEgirl's Brandon Holley ascending the Jane masthead.
Pratt doesn't plan to be in the office when Holley takes control next week, though Fairchild would like you to believe the transition is running smoother than production on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. They're throwing a party for staffers and to welcome their new boss, and, after checking with a source, we hear attendance is mandatory.
Meanwhile, incoming ELLEgirl editor Christina Kelly (formerly the magazine's exec editor) remains a member of Pratt's inner circle stemming from their days together at Sassy.
Which reminds us, we have a media incest survivors group meeting to attend.
• Martha Stewart's TV exec Heidi Diamond quit in a huff after seeing most of her responsibilities handed over to reality TV overlord Mark Burnett. Diamond joins the list of other Stewart execs with Stepford names to ditch, which already included Sharon Patrick and Suzanne Sobel.
• In the latest round of Internet pickups, Rupert Murdoch is rumored to be continuing his buying spree with the acquisition of VoIP phone company Skype.
• New York magazine is facing accusations of plagiarism from writer Gail Goldberg, who penned an item on T-shirt design company Dangerous Breed for RareI.com and then saw a remarkably similar article in the magazine's pages.
• What's Jane magazine without Jane Pratt? Jane magazine without its A-list advertisers, perhaps.
• DMX is back in legal trouble, facing charges he violated his plea deal stemming from last year's crash through an airport parking gate while hopped up on Valium.
• It turns out the FCC will indeed get off its ass to look into Eliot Spitzer's allegations of music industry payola.
Editorial Director
