Gawker: boldface names

We Have Been All Wrong on Commenters

Pareene — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:04:10 EDT

Commenters, it has been noted, are the single greatest threat to freedom facing America today. They are mean and libelous and should be rounded up and deported to Narnia. From YouTube to the New York Times, commenters are useless noise machines and racist cowards, and their mothers would be ashamed of them if their mothers weren't also forwarding nonsensical conspiracy theories to blog editors with CCs going out to Tom Brokaw, Perez Hilton, and Iron Man. But it turns out that sometimes commenters are awesome! Like on this BBC story about a court in New Zealand that took custody of a 9-year-old girl so that it could change her name from "Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii" to something New Zealanders consider more normal, like "Number 16 Bus Shelter." "You've been telling us about your unusual names," the BBC says. "Below are a selection of your comments." The first one is from someone claiming to be named "Russel Sprout" who says that his unusual name has helped him "make friends and improve my confidence," and they only get better from there.

No-one ever considered that the child might like the quirkiness of their name. Nothing has ever held back my development or progress in the world. I'm now working in the catering trade and everyone calls me Eggy. I don't see the problem!
Egnorwiddle Waldstrom , London, UK

I hated my parents for what they named me up until I was a teenager, but then I just became comfortable with it. I suppose it was just bad for me as my sister was called Judy.
Ftango Molasses, London England

My friends call me Manny!
Mangled Brown Fence-Post, London

We're sure they do, Mangled Brown Fence-Post. We're sure they do.

Former 'Times' Gossip Now Just Publishing Sketchbook in Paper

Pareene — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:24:41 EDT

Campbell Robertson used to have what seemed to be the most fun job at the New York Times: writing Boldface Names with crazy Joyce Wadler. Then the Times killed that bizarre little corner of the Metro section and Campbell was sent to the Broadway beat. Recently, though, he's ended up on the campaign trail, where he apparently been drawing funny pictures. In the last week, the Times has brought us three installments of Robertson's funny pictures from his trip to North Carolina, where he's been talking to voters and attending campaign events and, uh, cartooning. Doesn't the Times already have professional cartoonists on staff? Is Robertson auditioning to illustrate an issue of American Splendor? We love him, but surely there are plenty of other "occasional cartoonists" on staff they could send to upcoming primary states. Adam Nagourney's might be pretty funny. He probably draws everyone with really big heads and tiny mopeds!

It's True: Campbell Robertson, Broadway Baby

Jesse — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 11:50:02 EDT

A quick check-in to complete the death-of-Boldface storyline: As hinted by Bill Keller's memo announcing the demise of the Times's meta-gossip column, and as widely rumored among the sorts of people who bother to think about such things, erstwhile Boldfacer Campbell Robertson has indeed taken over the Broadway-reporting beat recently vacated by California-bound Jesse McKinley. Robertson started in the job at the start of this week, but his first Broadway byline is still TK. Better get cracking, Robertson — at this rate it'll be years till you can finagle a free redesign of your apartment.

Earlier:
It's Official: 'Times' to End Boldface. (Or: ".")
Gossip Roundup: McKinly Must Un-'Queer' Apartment or Pay

Remembering Boldface: Could It Be That It Was All So Simple Then?

Jesse — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 15:30:28 EDT

To commemorate the passing of the Times's sorta-gossip column, Boldface, we asked HuffPoster Rachel Sklar — the Fishbowl vet who is both perhaps the column's biggest fan and also the president of the Lower East Side branch of the Campbell Robertson fan club — to reflect on the greatest Boldface moments of yore. Cue The Way We Were, and then take it away, Rachel:

How to pick just one favorite Boldface column? I'm on the record as being a huge fan (read: embarrassingly, sloppily, obviously so), and frequently cited Campbell's witticisms when I was at FishbowlNY, where his showtune-citing proclivities were most welcome. Standouts include goofy art-history puns ("Hey, Modigliani! Why the Long Face?"), smarty-pants literary references ("We have heard the Olsens singing, each to each"), and elaborate poems ("To PARIS! Riper than a melon/Led more Greeks astray than HELEN/Been around more than MAGELLAN"); honorable mention for his charming little goat drawings, done in tandem with Boldface predecessor Joyce Wadler and, coincidentally, very Passover-appropriate.

But Rachel's favorite column? Jump...

But for me the top column is and must always be that perfect union of fan favorite Wilmer Valderrama and a classic of musical theater. It's brilliant: "Celebrity Whose Name Can Be Most Easily Sung to the Tune of 'Gary, Indiana': WILMER VALDERRAMA. Mr. Valderrama wasn't at the Tonys, as far as we know. But it is true. Try it." That's just genius. (And so is this: "An old reporter's trick: WILMER VALDERRAMA will go on for hours if you start in with whatever is on the cover of The Nation.")

I think I'm done now. Er, and maybe a little embarrassed. Do you think I've tipped my hand?

Yes, Rachel, we do. And thanks for it.

Earlier: Gawker's coverage of Boldface.

Boldface Dies, Takes Gossip With It? (Nah.)

Jesse — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 12:25:45 EDT

Today, as promised, is the final installment of the Times' Boldface column. Some say it's dying because the Metro editors were tired of it; some say it's dying because Mrs. Keller, the gin heiress, doesn't like it; some say it's dying because Campbell Robertson, the column's author, has starry-eyed dreams of the Great White Way. (He'll go out there a youngster, but we have no doubt he'll come back a star.) In his farewell column, however, young Campbell provides his own explanation:

In a stunning development that rattled the gossip world to its very foundations — foundations that in turn crumbled into a pebble-strewn field of broken dreams — MR. SEGUE MAN, a former part-time stringer for the wildly popular Boldface column and editor of the short-lived Boldface: The Magazine, was revealed yesterday to have been caught on a secret videotape allegedly offering to pay $35.60 to various celebrities if they would allow him to use their names in the column.

The allegations come at a time when the gossip world is reeling on its axis and at risk of being derailed by charges of high living, free meals, all-expense-paid junkets and the occasional bachelor party....

Some observers of the industry say that the allegations surrounding Mr. Segue Man could be gossip's death knell.

Gossip's death knell? Really? Could it be?

Because of the allegations swirling around Mr. Segue Man and the fact that the Boldface closet was recently found to be out of pencils, this column you are reading will be the last. As of today, there will be no more Boldface.

The year's remaining Broadway openings, movie premieres, book parties, galas, benefits and concerts were, oddly, slated to take place on schedule despite the development.

Odd indeed.

Boldface: Gossip Column Rocked by Scandal [NYT]

Media Bubble: 'NYT' Turns Off TV Division

Jesse — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 16:11:37 EDT

• As expected, the Times dumps its unwatched Discovery Times channel. [Media Mob/NYO]
• Did Bill Keller's gin-heiress wife kill Boldace? Probably not, but she sure didn't help. [WWD (second item)]
• We love conflicts of interest; the Pulitzers board, not so much. [E&P]
• Forbes media kibitzer James Brady wonders, "Is Cosmo editor Kate White the smartest dame in the business?" Of course she is, Jim. Until you find someone else to slobber over next week. [Forbes]
• New Yorker fashion director Michael Roberts moves to Vanity Fair, presumably preferring a publication that does little things like fashion spreads. [Media Mob/NYO]

How to Quietly Turn a Suspension Into a Termination

Jessica — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 11:27:33 EDT

As they are wont to do with even the most non-competitive of their competitors, today's Page Six happily summarizes the death of the Times' Boldface Names columns (and, we have to add, the tone strikes as a bit too gleeful given the current circumstances). They note that in editor Bill Keller's announcement, he made it clear that the decision had nothing to do with the "the bonfire at Page Six." Page Six writes:

Keller, of course, was referring to the extortion allegations leveled by billionaire Ron Burkle against former Page Six part-timer Jared Paul Stern.

Ah — subtle, but it's there: former. Guess that makes it official.

Timid Column's Un-Times-ly Demise [Page Six]
Earlier: Breaking: 'Times' to Kill Boldface Column

It's Official: 'Times' to End Boldface. (Or: ".")

Jesse — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 11:22:29 EDT

Bill Keller makes it official this morning: Boldface, the Times kinda-sorta gossip column, will end its amusing and sometimes awkward run Friday. (Related question: What is this damned column actually called? In the current design of the Metro section, it's clearly slugged as merely "Boldface." People refer to it as "Boldface Names," which we assumed that was a mere vestigial holdover from previous layouts, when the column actually bore that title. But now Keller is calling it "Boldface Names" as well, and one would assume he knows. So maybe B2 simply gets the name wrong, and we're wrong to follow B2's lead? We have no idea.) Keller also confirms that bearded Boldfacer Campbell Robertson is having "a romance with the Culture Department," which we're taking to mean his rumored move to the Broadway-reporting beat is in fact in the offing. We've asked Campbell for comment; we hope to have something appropriately witty and narrative — perhaps with a showtunes reference! — shortly.

Keller's memo is after the jump.

From: owner-newsroom@nytimes.com
On Behalf Of Bill Keller
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 9:38 AM
To: newsroom@nytimes.com
Subject: Boldface News

To the Staff:

Boldface Names, begun five years ago, turned out to be a great adventure for the NYT. Since 2001, in the hands of several very talented reporters, the column proved to be entertaining, daring, and laugh-out-loud funny.

You know how sometimes White House photographers grow weary of photo ops showing the President in intimate conversation with some lucky citizen, so they back up a few steps and shoot the whole forest of boom mikes and TV cameras? Conventional gossip columns are the photo ops. Boldface Names is that wide-angled shot that shows you the stage managers of the gossip world.

But even the most entertaining of adventures have a natural end, and so Boldface will cease after a final riff this Friday. The Times is proud of its run, and grateful for its loyal readers. And we are already devising new adventures.

By the way, conspiracy theorists will undoubtedly connect this with the bonfire at Page Six. For the record, Joe Sexton suggested, and we agreed, that Boldface had run its course several weeks ago, when the current author of the column, Campbell Robertson, began a romance with the Culture Department. More on that story TK.

Bill

Breaking: 'Times' to Kill Boldface Column

Jesse — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:25:37 EDT

Not quite enough news about gossip for you these days? Then throw this into the mix: Gawker has learned Variety will report in tomorrow's newspaper that the Times is set to shutter its quasi-gossip column, Boldface. Even better, we understand the report is accurate. No word yet on when the column will see its last day, nor on what will become of Wilmer Valderrama-fancying Boldfacer Campbell Robertson, who last we heard — months ago — was slated to become a regional education reporter for the paper. (It has yet to happen, and most recently we were hearing rumors that he'd be moving from the Metro desk to Culture, where he'd take over Jesse McKinley's theater-reporting beat.) For now, at least, Robertson seems to be assigned exclusively to Page Six coverage — today's Boldface carried a different byline — and so we imagine he'll be busy there for some time. Auntie Joyce Wadler's Columbia J-School Young'un, on the other hand, it seems will not be so fortunate. Which, come to think of it, sounds just about right for a j-school young'un.

Related: Boldly Going: Auf Wiedersehn, Our Campbell [FBNY]

From the Desk of the New York Times Poet Laureate

krucoff2 — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 10:36:49 EST

Campbell Robertson boldly sums up the year and drops a Rafael Palmiero steroid reference within spitting distance of Martha Stewart. Great job, even if he was forced to rhyme Katrina and Angelina. An excerpt:

Because - let's change the topic:

To PARIS! Riper than a melon,

Led more Greeks astray than HELEN,

Been around more than MAGELLAN,

We wait for the biopic.

But soft! We speak of Greeks, ch ri,

And hark - ARIANNA's plea:

"Dahling, won't you blahg for me?"

"We will!" we say. (We lied.)

A Poem of Farewell to 2005 [NYT]

Andy Dick to Look Into 'Acting'

Jessica — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 08:45:48 EDT

Today's Boldface Names column spends some quality time with our favorite homoerotic trainwreck, comedian Andy Dick, who seemingly has taken to standing upright and speaking in complete sentences:

We caught up with Mr. Dick at the bar, where, after giving us a stern warning not to, um, mess with him, he told us about a movie he was working on with JACK BLACK and BEN STILLER. "It's all about me," Mr. Dick said. "It's me. Acting like a drunk director."

Oh Andy, that's not acting. Well, maybe the directing part of it.

Boldface Names [NYT]