She's Not the Bad Guy: Erin Kaplan Clears Her Name
by Betsey Morgenstern
PRWeek.com

Have you heard of Elle magazine? Well, of course you have since it's been a knockout on the newstands for years as well as the main prize for winners of America's Next Top Model and Project Runway (before the magazine was kicked to the curb for Seventeen and Marie Claire). Still, the reason it was there in the first place is due to Erin Kaplan, the young PR maven who has taken the magazine world by storm by turning the magazine brand into something that even Anna Wintour must respect.

But with the increased publicity for the publication comes an increased profile for Kaplan, who some think is only a tan and a set of SUV keys away from being the next Lizzie Grubman.

"Really, I'm not that bad," Erin told me during a recent interview outside of Magnolia bakery, where we indulged in sweet treats and threw pebbles at tourists. "It's just that everyone who I work with really sucks. Especially Olivia Palermo. Make sure you get that right, it's P-A-L-E-R-M-O. And yes, I said she sucks. I hate her. I almost quit my job because of her."

The feud between the socialite and the PR star become noticeably public when they were heard bitching at each other in the background of a recent Today show segment.

"I knew something was amiss when I got all the looks together to go to the studio and there was nothing that Olivia and I had pulled the week before," said an Elle magazine intern named Bryn who asked her last name not be used because she does not talk to fake reporters. "Erin told me that she went and redid all the looks. She really has it out for Olivia. I just don't want to get fired. But, yeah, I'm totally scared of Erin."

And that is with good reason. Not only is she in charge of getting the magazine's name out there, but also, apparently, in overseeing the duties of junior editors, a very different responsibility for someone who specializes in communications.

"Look, I'm not a fashion editor and I never claim to be," Kaplan said after her third vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. "But Olivia Palermo is so bad at her job that I had to step in and do something or else my segment would be ruined and Elle would look stupid. I can not have that happening. I have no social life, my last boyfriend dumped me for another guy, and no one wants to talk to me at parties. Without this job, I have absolutely nothing. When Olivia put that in jeopardy, I had to fight back."

She explains that at the Today show, Elle creative director Joe Zee asked Palermo about the prices and designers of the dresses he was about to talk about on air. Since Kaplan vetoed Palermo's looks and inserted her own, Palermo had no clue what was going out, and out of spite, wouldn't brief Joe. He had a short flub on the air with Hoda Kotb, but was able to recover. Good thing Mr. Zee was on his A game.

After they show, Kaplan and Zee tried to confront Palermo about what happened. "I'm sorry, but I did a whole afternoon of hard work before going home to do bong hits and then attend a Twilight screening," Palermo says. "Erin never thinks I do anything right. She has horrible style, can't dress, is poor, and doesn't respect me. She makes it impossible for me to do my job. And have you seen what she wears? She shouldn't be picking out clothes at all. But she is impossible. Until she shows me some respect, we can't work together."

Kaplan was more than happy to respond to her comments. "Of course I don't respect her, she doesn't know what the fuck she's doing!" Kaplan screamed while brushing her hair out of her face and scowling—a look that should be familiar to anyone who knows her. "And the worst part is, you can't talk to her. Whenever I confront her about something, she is either too stupid or too stoned to care and just doesn't get the message. Unless it's news about a sample sale or the opening of a new bottle service club, she just can't retain any information. She is completely useless. I told Joe Zee that it was either her or me."

And what did Joe Zee say? "Erin is a consummate professional," Zee says from his Midtown office. "She is great at her job and I trust her implicitly. I like Olivia a lot—mostly because she's pretty. But I am not a guidance counselor, I don't want to be deciding who wins in a fight between Erin and Olivia."

Now that the ultimatum has been placed—Kaplan says that she even awkwardly stormed out of Zee's office!—who is going to hit the road and who is going to stay? "Well, let's just say that the magazine needs PR more than it does socialites, but sometimes socialites are what brings the PR," Kaplin says cryptically giving her signature sly smile.

No matter what, we have a feeling that Kaplan will end up on top.

You Say You Want a Revolution: Kelly Cutrone Talks about the Help
by Betsey Morgenstern
PRWeek.com

One of the biggest challenges for any PR agency is keeping the stable of young communications majors in check. Between all the swag, the nights out in New York, and the boy drama, it can be more difficult that pleasing clients and getting them good media placement. To find out how to do it the right way, we talked to Kelly Cutrone, the saucy boss at People's Revolution PR and the star of the new reality show Kell on Earth, which starts in February on Bravo.

"I can't stand these fucking girls," Cutrone screams in her office, pushing her hair back and bugging her eyes out that signals she is about to go off on one of her famous, expletive-laden tirades. "They come in here and they think that they know everything and they can do whatever the fuck they want. I've been doing this for decades. I started this whole company on my own. They better learn some fucking respect and learn it quick."

Most recently she has had completely opposite experiences with Whitney Port, an aspiring designer, and Roxy Carmichael Olin, a girl who seems to have no skills, no drive, and doesn't do much of anything. Still, Kelly sees something of herself in Olin.

"That is what really pisses me the fuck off," she says. "She's just like me. She's brash, an outsider, likes to wear black, isn't afraid of what people think. But then she just fucking sits there. And when she's not sitting there, she's making things difficult for everyone and pretending like she knows more than she does. Yes, she may be like me, but I know when the dresses should be ordered. I know how to set up a photo shoot. I know what a look book is. She just knows how to get drunk and dance on banquettes."

Asked to defend herself Olin says that she doesn't really need Cutrone. "You know, my parents are rich, so I only do this for fun and so I can hang out with my friend Whitney," she says in her voice that is a strange mix of a drawl and a rasp. "Maybe that's why I don't give a fuck what Kelly thinks. But yes, she can yell, and that keeps people in check."

Olin tells a story where she recently went into Cutrone's office to ask why she was being left out of a meeting between Port and the buyers of Bergdorf Goodman. Olin has nothing to do with the line whatsoever and knows nothing about retail, marketing, fashion, or merchandising, but for some reason thought it was a good idea to stand by Whitney at her meeting. "Kelly totally snapped on me," Olin cackles. "She was going on and on, spouting all this jargon, and all I could do was get up and leave."

Cutrone is still worked up about the meeting. "I got Whitney, who I love and adore, a meeting with the big shots at Bergdorf Fucking Goodman, the most important department store in the world," she rants. "We're talking Linda Fargo, Ginny Hersey-Lambert, Sunni Spencer. These are people that will make or break her career. And she wants to take her little sour-faced drinking buddy? Get real! I was so pissed I didn't even go to the meeting. Let those bimbos fend for themselves."

For what it's worth, Port seemed to think the meeting went well. "They said some nice things, and they looked at my clothes. I don't really know what I'm doing," she purred while twirling her hair on her finger.

Cutrone disagrees. "Went well? It was a fucking disaster," she screams. "We're talking Marc Jacobs 1993 grunge line for Perry Ellis disaster. They hated it. She wasn't ready at all. Some of her dresses had crap all over them. And then she had that chucklehead Roxy there undermining her. She only has one shot left and that's a fashion show I'm putting together for her."

That's right. Cutrone may be a fierce disciplinarian and makes her stances known, but she has "the old ball and chain" with her employees, as she calls it. If they go down, she goes down with them. She also helps to raise them up by giving them as many opportunities as they can in the industry. She is including Port in a group show she is organizing for fashion week in the spring.

"She said something about it being not a baby step of faith but a leap of faith and if I don't do it, she'll slit my throat and fire Roxy," Port cooed. "I'm not quite sure what is going on, but she says it's a big deal so she must be right."

While Kelly certainly has this whole thing under wraps, the biggest lesson she has to teach is never hire anyone as smart as the boss.

Trend originator Michelle Obama competed in a hula hoop contest and scored 142 rotations.

Kathie Lee and Hoda were impressed with how "fit" Michelle looked swinging her hips, so they gave it a whirl, at 5:30 in the below video. Kathie Lee was way better, her eyes falling into a trance-like stare as she swiveled to and fro.



MSNBC's Natalie Morales and Erin Burnett tried it in front of a live audience. Natalie is the clear winner here.

Absolutely, completely, 100% true. Here's looking at you, NBC, via the AP report:

...a 27-year-old teacher in Baltimore, [Bush] will contribute stories about once a month on issues like education to television's top-rated morning news show, said Jim Bell, its executive producer.

"It wasn't something I'd always dreamed to do," she said. "But I think one of the most important things in life is to be open-minded and to be open-minded for change."

Hopefully, she'll end up hanging around post-segment, get shitty with Kathy Lee and Hoda, and enlighten them with the story of Chandarella. Must See TV, right there. Jim Bell, Today's executive producer is already giving quotes about how he's not using it as political grease for a future shot at trying to Frost/Nixon old Daddy Dubya. Watch that D:

Bell said Hager won't be covering politics. He said he didn't consider the job as a down payment for a future interview with her father, who has been living quietly in Texas since leaving office earlier this year. Attacks on NBC News by conservatives for the liberal bent of MSNBC also had nothing to do with it, he said. "I hope to focus on what I'm passionate about because I think I'd do them best job on them - education, urban education, women and children's issues and literacy," Hager said.

Jenna Bush is nice, and fun! And know what? This is actually somewhat likable in its complete and utter boldfaced stunt-casting nature. And while this might not exactly be a ratings boon—at all—educational it shall be: all you aspiring TV anchors, look to the stars! You apparently have a better chance of getting there than on Today.

Hoda Kotb is speaking out on her job and stuff! She was rejected 27 times before she landed her first TV job 20 years ago. She was a Tri-Delt in college! "With Kathie Lee, she's insane — completely insane," Hoda says, speaking the truth. Is that why you drink, Hoda? We like you!


John Koblin reminds us that this is not the first time that Conde Nast has called in the dreaded McKinsey consultants, to kill people on its staff:

Back in 2001, Condé Nast had hired McKinsey to help streamline the company's finance and human-resource divisions and develop a back office for employees in Delaware. That was a time when Condé Nast was blooming into a grown-up company. This time …"It's worse," said a source.

Mercy! Apparently all of Conde Nast headquarters is currently a den of backbiting and stress. Uh, more than usual. Our survival guide seems more important now!


NPR has cruelly conned Jonathan Shia, one of its interns a guy they asked to write for their intern blog, into writing a tearjerking blog post about why he decided to enroll in Columbia Journalism School this fall, which is a horrible financial mistake. "For my part, at least, it's an expression of perhaps naïve optimism, a faith that journalism can never possibly cease to exist. Will there ever come a day when we have no interest in the world around us? Will we become so solipsistic that we no longer care about anything besides ourselves?" Please. Most journalists—particularly in Washington—become more interested in themselves the more successful they become. It's the goal to which journalists aspire.
Of the rise of the internet, Jonathan says: "I view this transformation with regret in part because I am old-fashioned and can think of nothing better than waking up to the morning newspaper outside my door...The vast majority of online writing-and I speak here with personal experience-is of a slapdash, ephemeral nature, created quickly with the explicit intention of a limited shelf life." You are too young to be old-fashioned, Jonathan. It is not mathematically possible. Or maybe it is? We haven't "fact-checked" because such things are optional on the internet, because hey, here today, gone tomorrow.
That's free advice that the J-school types won't tell you. Instead, they'll tell you horrible, nonsensical lies like this: "as my old editor told me, now is not only the worst time to go to journalism school, but also the best." It is not too late to withdraw, Jonathan. Because while you might spend all that money and come out without any career prospects, your old editors do have a career prospect: J-School professor. Don't encourage them.


Janice Min left Us Weekly and now she is talking about it! She denies that money was a factor in her decision to leave, and also denies that she's going into TV for her next gig. Mike Steele has been named her (apparently interim) successor, but she refuses to speculate on who might be his successor, if there is one. So if Janice Min goes on to a higher-paying job in TV, remember this day.

1.) Moms and Their Boxed Wine
After staging an intervention for her son, this woman's family then staged one for her over her Xanax addiction. She didn't want to go to rehab because of the its strict no-alcohol policy.

2.) Does Joan Rivers realize that perhaps she's gone too far with the cosmetic procedures?

3.) Did you like the Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion shows?

But it sucks that they never revealed what exactly Danielle "tried" to do to Dina that Caroline was freaking out about. From the way Caroline told it, Danielle took a hit out on her. But that doesn't seem realistic. Danielle sort of hinted at what it might on her blog:

I had no idea at the time what "disgraceful" acts she was referring to. I only found out later what she was talking about, from someone in her own family. I simply gave a phone number to her ex brother-in-law to contact proper people with questions that he had concerning something that was absolutely none of my business. I was asked to give this information to him.

4.) Cop Without a Badge Guy Talks
Danielle's ex-husband, Kevin Maher, who gave up all the dirt on her in "The Book" was on The Insider talking about how Danielle is "a bisexual." She didn't really deny it though.

5.) Promise Piercings
Kids are expressing their love for each other in new and different ways, like piercings…

…And emails.

6.) More Kid Stuff
NYC Prep was alright, but not great, IMO. But I did really like this girl, who is friends with one of the cast members, but not part of the cast herself. She's down town/to earth.

She seems tipsy.

And I love the way she communicates.

7.) Snoop's Statement On Michael Jackson

8.) Snoop Getting Off The Phone




9.) Larry King And "My daddy, P. Daddy"

10.) Reading: With Kathie Lee & Hoda

Because the internet really likes her cans. Embarrassed, poor Hoda tried to cover her busty display with her hands and a vase of flowers, but it won't help. Now that Kathie Lee has gotten wind of some weakness or self-consciousness in her Egyptian enemy, she'll exploit it and needle at it until Hoda flees the scene and the show is Kathie's... Allll Kathie's. The beginning of the end is here, Hodes. Prepare for more boob jokes.

It's on Ebay, so bid now. Wouldn't it make a great anniversary present for Frank, Kathie Lee, hmmm? True fact: Dan Lacey was on the front page of the Sunday New York Times one week ago. True fact.

[Previously in "Dan Lacey Paints Your Crazy Ideas": Mickey Rourke's Chihuahua Urine Bath, S&M Goat-Pancake Marriage, The Crucifixion of Octomom, and Rush the Hutt]

1.) "Have you seen Latoya?" has never sounded so creepy, or incriminating.

2.) Paula Deen visited the Today show, refused to leave, spread her legs, and grabbed two fistfuls of her vagina. The clip is rather long, but worth every second.

3.) The Real Housewives of New Jersey appeared on The View on Friday. Jacqueline, who discussed her difficulty with fertility on the show this past week, is now pregnant, and due June 11.



Unfortunately my two faves, Danielle and Teresa were not present. Teresa, it turns out, is also with child.

4.) Are your kittens still alive?

5.) More traumatizing than dead kittens: Judge Judy has never been a feminist.



But the thing is, her definition of why she's not a feminist is actually very feminist. So, like Mormon people who baptize the dead, I will anoint Judge Judy as a feminist, and get on with my life already.

6.) Oh, and if you ever need to read her mind, just read the captions on Larry King Live.

7.) Technology is destroying families, and making fathers sad.

8.) George Hamilton gave Bridget a lesson on the cultural history of Miami. Then they bonded about tanning.

9.) Sometimes I feel exactly like this:

10.) UGH! Maya Angelou, don't give her any ideas!

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is a minor observation of a 19th century battle by the Mexican army against the French and is therefore pretty irrelevant to Hispanic people of non-Mexican descent. Here in the States, it's a crazy made-up themed drinking holiday for honkies in sweaters. Maybe we're supposed to pray for the victims of swine flu or something.

Honestly, how we celebrate it in California, home to the nation's largest Hispanic population: We hoist a Tecate to our local taco truck, and drink in the memory of the New Yorkers who must make do with subpar burritos. Suck on those rock-hard, underripe avocados, Kathie and Hoda!

Because everyone knows that Irish people are nothing more than filthy drunks who reek of booze-stink all the ever lovin' day, the morning shows used the occasion to talk about beer and whiskey and magic drunk-getting coffee and, you know, drank it! Well, on CBS' Early Show they were taking demure little pretend sips and doing fanciful jigs. But Hoda... Hoda went full Kotb and glug-a-lugged throughout her entire hour. Temporary co-host Billy Bush (Kathie Lee is currently lying in the middle of the street in a pool of her own Jameson, her wig ablaze) was a terrible enabler, encouraging Hoda like so many Claire Huxtables to chug-a-lug. Hoda, watch how they do it on CBS. They don't actually get crunk. You could learn something.

Actually wait, don't. Keep on keepin' on. You're more fun (read: bearable) this way.

Thanks to video intern Nicole Keller for the clips!

There's this wonderful website, Let Me Google That For You. (Eater editor Ben Leventhal even used it to humiliate relentlessly needy fameball ex-girlfriend Julia Allison once!) Enter a query, and the site creates an animated display showing how to use Google to look up, say, the capital of Norway. See how easy that was, Kathie?

This wonderful website could solve many of the world's problems. Like Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb.

P.S. We see that array of scotch in front of you. Your descent into self-parody is complete.

Martha Stewart was simply delighted to have Kenan Thompson, an African-American fellow, on her show today. Who's this other African-American fellow on your shirt, Kenan? A rapper, you say? Why I've had rappers here, in my craftery! Kenan, do you know Q-Tip? He's a black fellow too, with the rap. Wonderful!
[What's Beef, Martha? Bring it on!]

And Kathie Lee Gifford is basically like, "Whoa, today's Africa day? Who has two thumbs and is sitting next to a lady named Hoda from Africa? Me, baby!" And Hoda, who is from Tulsa, just politely counts the minutes until they get to the segment with the booze.

Yeah, Kathie was talking about bathroom lights or one of the other fascinating topics these two gypsies are always yammering on about, and she mentioned that in the nighttime she's nude. Awoken from her "it's come to this..." stupor by the sound of genitals turning to dust and blowing away on an East wind, cohost Hoda said "Whaaatt???" Kathie was indignant and weird as always, while Hoda did an informal census of the crew to see who slept naked. Many people did. But especially Kathie.

But don't worry. If you're planning on breaking into her house and stealing her jewels as I am, she always has some kind of cover up on hand just in case. So, you know. You won't have to spend any of your loot money on an urn to hold your genital dust.

She was trying to describe what it's like when a man cups your face with his hands, moves in three quarters of the way to a kiss, and then waits for you to do the rest. Kath did a visual demonstration on both cohost Hoda and flabbergasted supermodel Molly Simms. Her being the singular Kathie Lee, she also managed to get in some jokes about Hoda being lonely and miserable and about her hubby Frank not being a sexual dynamo. At one point in the middle of all this Hoda said "I'm going to kill myself." Scary thing is, we think she meant it.

Access Extra Tonight host Billy Bush was filling in for Ms. Gifford this morning, and he and Hoda flipped through some photos of a recent vacation. Billy, referring to one picture, said "it looks like you're keeping the Pinot Grigio industry alive and well." Hoda, not missing a beat, responded: "You have no idea how much sheeee was drinking." Because, hah! What can Kathie Lee do to her if she's not there? Except, you know, shame and debase her some more when she gets back. Sigh.

First up, one of our devoted video interns, Daniel Caron, has made a montage of clips of the sweatshop bosslady hurling her grossy-wossy sexual innuendos all over the be-windowed studio. These are from the past two months or so. Hoda mostly looks horrified and confused—by Kathie, by the show, by her life.



Next, in a clip put together by intern Shannon Donnelly, we have Kathie Lee treating poor confused, horrified Hoda terribly this morning. Hoda is lonely and single and Kathie Lee thinks that's hilarious! At least her devoted husband doesn't watch porn in hotel rooms with airline stewardesses who have been paid to seduce him. But, you know. Kathie still wants to make fun of her anyway.



Doesn't it all look shockingly like this?

[P6 says Anderson was spotted making his boyfriend sit in the back of a plane, while he sat up front. Bad form, sir.]

Kathie Lee first said that some people (meaning us, I guess) "don't have a sense of humor" but then proceeded to make the same "Hoda's a drunk" jokes that we were making. She gave her a Poinsettia champagne cocktail (I think that's what it was) to gulp and then tried to hand her a Baby Bjorn full of wine. Hoda just laughed meekly and said "please tell them you're kidding..." Which Kathie Lee did, eventually. The whole style of the back and forth was alarmingly similar to this weekend's SNL parody, down to the ominous "you know who you are..." from Kathie.