Next time you go into the Waverly Inn, be sure to have taken some of these walking lessons we've been hearing so much about, or do an assload of cocaine as soon as you get there. It just might get you job.
At a recent pow-wow of American Express executives, Vanity Fair chief Graydon Carter admitted that he's hired people he met in bars because they "walked with purpose." Of course, that backfired with Toby Young, but nobody gets it right 100 percent of the time.
In addition to admiring those who walk briskly, Carter finally came clean about the seating arrangements at the Waverly: he personally overseas every one. Doesn't leave much time for running a magazine, does it?
Toby Young, the British former assistant to the Vanity Fair editor who turned his six month gopher gig into a book and movie deal, stole passages for How to Lose Friends and Alienate People from a NYT story by John Tierney about the bitchy guys and gals at Conde Nast. Confronted with the accusation, Young is all: Yeah, so? [Intel]
Nice guys the world over are sure of one thing besides death and taxes: people love assholes. Curb Your Enthusiasm fans are also aware of this fact, or at least they should be, considering how much of an asshole Larry David is. Bukowski fans should know this too. And David Sedaris fans.
The obnoxious dickheads always win, people. So why the hell is anyone perplexed by Toby Young's success?
CONTINUED »
With Simon Pegg as Sidney (Toby) Young and Jeff Bridges as Clayton (Graydon) Carter, How to Lose Alienate People will bring to life the author's mildly fictionalized account of working as the Vanity Fair editor's assistant in the Big Apple. Herewith, the movie's trailer, which is worth watching if only because Kirsten Dunst appears in it, and you do not immediately want to hit her.
“Say it, don’t spray it” has long been our philosophy when it comes to spitting while talking and celebrity profiles.
Janine Gibson at The Guardian seems to agree in her piece on Graydon Carter. With comments like "[Vanity Fair] is like running the Metropolitan Opera in a way," we're beginning to think that in between all the self-rationalizations, Toby Young might have had a point. Our favorite quotes after the jump. CONTINUED »
If only because Jeff Bridges is playing him. And, apparently, Bridges is a "sex symbol." [P6]
When we heard that Toby Young's Vanity Fair roman à clef, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People was being adapted into a movie, we nearly wet ourselves. It's like a Devil Wears Prada without the chick lit bullshit. Love it, love it, love it. However as you may recall, the studio hadn't quite settled on a actor to play the role of the mighty Graydon Carter. So, we thought to ourselves, our super hip readers might have a few ideas. And you did. And you voted! And the results are in.
We took the above choices, Richard Dreyfuss (the oldie), Jeff Bridges (the smoothie), Steve Carell (the funny), Ray Winston (the random), and Meryl Streep (the chick). And you, the people, have spoken.
Out of 583 votes, 254 of you voted for Jeff Bridges, giving him the win by a 44% landslide. If Jeff falls down dead, though, either Richard Dreyfuss or Meryl Streep could take his place. We can't wait to see who they actually pick! (We're actually clapping as we say this.)
The best part? It gives us hope for a Jann Wenner or Adam Moss so we can play again and again and again!
Earlier: Vote for Toby Young's Graydon Carter
Thanks to all who came out in droves yesterday to vote in our latest poll. One of the more pressing questions facing our society today is surely, "who should play Graydon Carter in the adaption of Toby Young's novel, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People?"
As of now, Jeff Bridges is in the lead, with Meryl Streep and Richard Dreyfuss closing in. Vote now! Hurry! This is extremely important and meaningful stuff! Ok, well at least it's funny. Hopefully.
We'll bring you the final results at the end of the day. (This gives us a reason to live, guys. So please contribute to our pointless existence in whichever way you can.)
When we heard that ex- Vanity Fair writer Toby Young's How to Lose Friends and Alienate People was going to be made into the next "life inside Conde" film, we were overjoyed. And today we find out that Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead will play Toby Young's character. But an actor to play "Clayton Harding," (the Graydon Carter based editor in chief of the VF based Sharps) has yet to be found.
Who we thought would be the perfect Graydon Carter? We' finally narrowed it down to the following five options. Richard Dreyfuss (who's balding, but could get some patches of grey pasted to the sides of his head), Jeff Bridges (he has the tanned face and wrinkly smile), Steve Carell (he can play anybody) or the random doppelganger Ray Winstone, (Grayon Carter is a pretty Sexy Beast.) Then there's Meryl Streep — who is such a ballsy actress, she could totz play a dude.
So, you decide. Who would be the best leader of the friendless and alienating publication? Get your votes in! We'll run the results tomorrow, and hopefully the studios will listen to the people.
Hollywood Elsewhere [Jeffrey Wells]
• It's no 126 Rivington, but certainly there's enough drama in this "urban dorm" for its own show. [NYT]
• The length of Robert Novak's conversation with Karl Rove about Valerie Plame was up there with the amout of time it takes for your premature ejaculation to kick in. [AP]
• Katie Couric is shaking hands not just with viewers but with the local affiliates who will determine what her own ratings will look like. [USA Today]
• Jennifer Aniston's security detail threatens the stalkerazzi by taping the photogs — and making sure their immigration papers are in order. [TMZ]
• As Nick Denton and Jared Paul Stern gear up to host tonight's book party for The Sound of No Hands Clapping, author Toby Young is working to get old bossman Graydon Carter to show up. But how'd Toby get these folks to appear on the invite, anyhow? [WWD, ETP]
• The FCC maintains its quest to ban obscenity from the airwaves, this time turning its attention on NASCAR swearing, sponsored by Penzoil. [THR]
• Jane mag bloggers clearly need more oversight. [Jane]
