The Las Vegas Observer @11:45 AM
Also the Times, last year, laid off some copy editors. (Staf?) In any event, the news conveyed is that the Observer is launching a free weekly in Las Vegas. Duuuuuude. Also, may we amplify? Jared Kushner "has started a string of new ventures, like The Commercial Observer and a group of political news Web sites in several states [which he later shut down]." (via) 2
The New 'Observer': Very Bro @3:20 PM
The New York Observer, once sort of a fruity, faggy, Jewy, weekly too-smart-for-its-own-good rag, always with just a little too much Yiddish, has had a real change in flavor this year! Kyle Pope came over as editor from his post-Portfolio break, and then he hired his buddy Chris Stewart (also formerly of Portfolio, and author of Hunting the Tiger! About the "dark, bloody world of Serb paramilitaries"!). And today they announced the hire of a new managing web editor, the awesomely-named Tyler Thoreson, late of the late (and, in my minority opinion, heinous) men.style.com. READ MORE 13
New York City's Brave Future Looks Like the Past: Heterosexual White Gentiles Will Run This Town @12:00 PM
"Insurgents think of things we didn't think about or were too lazy to mull over much. They have the spirits of street fighters. But whether you like them personally doesn't really matter. That economy that flattened dreams all over? It emboldened them," says today's Observer, delivering their end-of-year list of 56 or so hot young-ish people (under 40) making inroads in our various economies. Okay, well, here we are on the Internet, which is the department of petty complaints, so: While the economy may have emboldened these great people, it sure didn't emblacken them. Of the 56 people included, there's one Southeast-Asian-American, one lone black man, one African-born woman of Indian descent, one Indian-American guy, one Australian of Sri Lankan descent, one biracial Mexican-American and two gay dudes. Plus one lady that at least looks lady-loving but probably is not. That's 90% white and 97% straight. (Though, to be fair, there are also two dude business partners who used to work for Scott Rudin on the list, so you know: let's just put them down as questionable. Heh.) Also? Not very many Jews, which is actually the weirdest thing of all. 14
Jared Kushner Explains Publishing the 'New York Observer' @12:32 PM
And also, in the new New York Observer book, there is Jared Kushner talking about owning the paper. Last night there was a party for this book, by the way! Former editor Peter Kaplan made a very funny speech that began with a joke about "Jewish editor hires Pope," which is funny because earlier that day, Kyle Pope, an unemployed former Portfolio editor, had just been hired, after months of talks, to become the paper's sixth editor. Jared Kushner also made a speech, and said nice things about his paper's former editors, though he said that every time he says something nice about an editor that it gets all twisted in the press, because everyone out there just makes things up! For instance, he slagged off Gawker and New York magazine, by name, but said that the Observer, at least, still practices real journalism. Which brings us back to his perspective on newspaper publishing. READ MORE 4
How You Used to Get a Job in New York Media @11:45 AM
The New York Observer book is out this week. The Kingdom of New York is a big ol' collection of pieces that rather accurately do sum up the last 20 years here! A couple of things caught my eye. One was an interview with the founding publisher, Arthur Carter (who also invented the leveraged buyout!), in which he explained how he hired everyone early on. The secret to success may astound you! READ MORE 4
Beginning of the End for the 'New York Observer' @12:52 PM
Interim New York Observer editor Tom McGeveran announced at today's regular Wednesday staff meeting that he will be leaving the paper at the end of the year. (Which is far too much notice if you ask me, but then, no one did!) The publisher, Jared Kushner, gave his own paper a statement on McGeveran's departure through his spokesperson. 3
Bonfire Of The Vanities @9:16 AM
We're still eight weeks away from McKinsey actually handing out down recommendations for whatever painful cuts they devise to help boost the publisher's bottom line. But it's clear, from interviews with Condé Nast employees-from editors to executives to editorial staffers to ad sales slaves-that the enchanting, mystical era of Condé Nast is pretty much over. Small perks-the mani-pedis for clients, the flower deliveries, the sodas in the fridge-disappeared a while ago. Some changes, such as the emergence of Vanity Fair editor and restaurateur Graydon Carter eyeing reasonably priced stir fry, are worrisome on a psychological level. A culture of paranoia has taken over.
Jared Kushner A Much Better Son Than You Are @9:00 AM
Here is one thing I did not know about New York Observer owner and Ivanka Trump-dater Jared Kushner, from today's New York mag feature: "Every Sunday, Jared flew to Alabama and visited his father in prison." Man. Most of us, when our parents are in prison, are like "Um, I guess we'll talk when you get out…." Also the forthcoming default on the $1.2 billion in debt for 666 Fifth Avenue, which does not by any stretch pay for itself—nor, for that matter, can they even find a tenant for the ground floor retail, leaving a massive empty stretch of prime Fifth Avenue glass plastered with ads from Kushner's brokers—well, that should be interesting! 2
Mike Bloomberg Toasts Peter Kaplan, While The Observer Roasts Him @2:40 PM
Mildly funny story! While New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg was flipping out on Observer reporter Azi Paybarah, calling him "a disgrace" in front of tons of reporters, the Mayor had apparently already penned a moving tribute to outgoing Observer editor Peter Kaplan. That's right: Mayor Mike stars on the front page—sandwiched between Tom Wolfe and Candace Bushnell—of a Kaplan tribute paper released last night at Kaplan's farewell party. READ MORE 3
Tom McGeveran Now Editor of 'New York Observer' @4:00 PM
Tom McGeveran—former copy boy, real estate reporter and everything else at the paper, as well as an enthusiast of obscure and difficult 80s music—will edit the New York Observer, until at least the end of the year. "One thing I admire about Jared Kushner is that he is willing to trust this enterprise enough to continue to fund it when this entire industry is falling apart," McGeveran told his new paper. We agree strongly! 6
'Observer' Offered Cleaning Lady Half The Pay Before Firing @9:45 AM
A little bit more on the New York Observer's firing of the long-time cleaning lady: apparently the paper's owner, Donald Trump's maybe-soon-to-be son-in-law Jared Kushner, offered her the possibility of staying on—if she worked for half the pay! What a world. (Perhaps she was pulling down six figures? We suspect: no.) And also, who knew Dilbert was so totally on the money these days? 6
George And Hilly And Ben Silverman @9:38 AM
George Gurley, The New York Observer's resident gadabout, might have his "George and Hilly" columns–in which he whines about not wanting to marry his gorgeous, though slightly psychotic, girlfriend–turned into a TV show, if Observer executive editor Peter Stevenson's wife Sarah Dunn has her way. She's written a pilot for NBC, also called George and Hilly, that, we hear, takes place at The Observer. Now, about that casting! READ MORE 0
