Gawker: jane magazine

Will Former 'Jane' Eds Make New Weekly 'Page Six Mag' Cool?

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:50:48 EDT

Remember Page Six The Magazine? The first issue, helmed by Jared Paul Stern, was a glossy brand extension of Richard Johnson's fiefdom. The second issue, published months later, was another decent, if seemingly random, attempt to further monetize the paper's gossip sheet. It was also presumably to give the celebrity weeklies a run for their money—though coming out once every eight months or so isn't the best way to instill fear in your competitors. But multiple sources confirm that Page Six The Magazine is coming back on Sunday, Sept. 23 as a weekly, and it won't look very much like its predecessors. Instead, it'll be more like the New York Times money-minter T. But can a glossy lifestyles magazine make it attached to a gritty tabloid?

As of now, Col Allan & Co. seem to be betting yes. They've lined up an interesting masthead for the launch, most of whom have a fashion and/or women's magazine background. Helming the ship is former Harper's Bazaar executive editor Margi Conklin, and the Post has also snagged several refugees from Jane: Former Jane executive editor Stephanie Trong is lined up to have the same title at P6M (hopefully this will mean Jeff Johnson will write for them!), former special projects editor/entertainment Shelly Ridenour will be features editor, and former market/fashion news editor Kelly Culp has signed on as fashion editor. Radar assistant editor Rachel Syme will be entertainment editor.

Word is also that they've already managed to land several high-profile fashiony advertisers for the first issue, including Marc Jacobs and Manolo Blahnik.

We're wondering why they decided to call it Page Six The Magazine, if it really has very little to do with Page Six and none of the P6 staffers are even involved (including overlord Richard Johnson). Presumably, the Post felt that the power of the Page Six brand, and awareness of the first two issues, was strong enough that it didn't matter if the content of the magazine was totally different.

So will it work? They're certainly not skimping on the talent, and we also hear that they are paying freelancers quite well. But it's a crowded field they're entering, and doing it as a weekly—as opposed to the monthly-ish T—will be challenging, to say the least. We're envisioning a sort of Sunday Styles-meets-New York vibe, but with shorter paragraphs. Presumably they're going for the same fashion-media-power nexus that devours Page Six (and the Styles section), but that doesn't typically buy the Sunday Post. Will this make the Post a must-read on Sundays? Maybe. Will it make Times-fellas Trip Gabriel and Stefano Tonchi sit up from their piles of cash and take notice? Slightly less maybe but still maybe. One thing we're sure of: It'll provide gainful employment for former Jane staffers. In that, at least, everyone wins!

The issue of Jane that's on newsstands now...

Doree Shafrir — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:30:15 EDT

The issue of Jane that's on newsstands now (the August issue, with Eva Mendes on the cover) is not the one the staff was working on when the magazine folded. It's the September issue that will never see the light of day.

'Jane' Publisher Was Still Hawking The Mag As It Folded

Doree Shafrir — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:00:35 EDT

So what was Jane publisher Carlos Lamadrid doing in the days before the magazine folded? Why, soliciting ads for the next issue! Which raises the question: What did he know and when did he know it? The answer seems to be: Not much, and not until the very end. Which kinda jibes with what we've been hearing, which is that Jane had, actually, managed to meet all its numbers for the year (subscriptions, ad revenue, and newsstand) early, after an incredibly dismal 2006. So even though the magazine's demise had been rumored for months, if not years, staffers were genuinely surprised that the cleaver fell when it did. Apparently, so was Lamadrid. (Click to enlarge.)

Jane (Publisher) Was A Lying Bitch [Complex]

The Jane magazine website is still up, and...

Doree Shafrir — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 13:00:46 EDT

The Jane magazine website is still up, and someone there still wants to know if you're into anal. [Jane]

From the mailbag: "The Jane fashion interns...

Doree Shafrir — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:57:37 EDT

From the mailbag: "The Jane fashion interns from the reality show are getting shipped over to Lucky. In the end Kim France always wins."

The 'Jane' Intern Reality Show

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:59:05 EDT

Earlier today, we heard that the only people crying when Jane folded were the two interns who were being filmed for a show on the SoapNet channel. Too bad the impending fame of television couldn't save the magazine! (Didn't Teen Vogue's circulation jump after The Hills? Then again, SoapNet is hardly MTV.) Anyway! The Fashionista Diaries starts August 1, and if this preview is any indication, it's probably no surprise that Condé Nast execs weren't banking on the show for any circ increases. "Your jobs are going to require a lot of schlepping," former Jane editor Stephanie Trong says in her best Miranda Priestley imitation. Ooh, scary!

The Last Frantic Moments Of 'Jane'

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:57:48 EDT

From the mailbag comes a tale of what goes down when a gaggle of women's magazine staffers simultaneously find out that their magazine is going down the tubes:

My friend works at JANE (well, up until yesterday) and she told me that at 11 a.m., all of the editors and people went into their regular Monday meeting, and 2 hours later, they all came RUNNING down the hall. People were completely nuts and started grabbing everything they could from the fashion closets.

Oh, it goes on!

Kusum Lynn, the fashion director, packed up two huge trunks and had them sent to her apartment. [Ed. Note: We're assuming they were her own clothes, natch. Not necessarily nefarious!] Everybody who had Treos from Conde Nast (a lot of people) had to surrender them by 6 p.m., so they were frantically trying to copy down all of their contacts. A lot of people went to HR to get help finding new jobs, but those who didn't want to work at Conde anymore (like [senior editor] Joshua Lyon) just left pretty much as soon as they cleaned off their desk. Turner, the accessories editor, was trying to get people to stop stealing clothes and stuff but nobody would listen. By the mid-afternoon, there was a guard posted at the fashion closets who wouldn't let people go in or out without checking their bags. Turner was told that everything that she didn't return to the PR companies by today, she would be paying for personally.
Only Brandon knew on Friday, and my friend thinks maybe one other person. Everybody else had no idea. [Executive editor] Stephanie Trong is starting her own fashion zine, so she probably had an idea that the magazine was going to be shut down soon.

There is a super fake reality show being filmed for SOAPNET at JANE starring two people hired specifically to "work" there who literally do nothing except when the cameras are on them. The camera crew filmed the whole thing, so it should be on TV when the show comes out. The two people on the show were the only ones crying.

No wonder editor Brandon Holley plans to chill out for a while after her time at Jane. This sounds exhausting!

Jane staffers actually are clearing their...

Choire — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 12:09:16 EDT

Jane staffers actually are clearing their desks already. And Conde won't even be shipping the 90%-complete latest issue. This is after Conde spent a bundle on not one but two redesigns. When they're ready to kill a mag, they do it.

Remainders: Jenna Elfman ≅ Samantha Jones

Doree Shafrir — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 19:30:52 EDT

Jenna Elfman will play a book publicist who's "intensely loyal to her clients," as opposed to the book publicists who hate their clients, in a new sitcom produced by Darren Star. We're sure it'll be just as realistic about the book publishing industry as Sex and the City was about the life of an alt-weekly columnist. [Galleycat]

The Jane virgin may still not be deflowered, but at least her real estate career seems to be going well. [Curbed]

Tonya Harding, now fatter and more drug-addled for your pleasure. [BWE]

Maybe-Anna Nicole baby daddy Prince Frederic von Anhalt is suing Bill O'Reilly for the calling of mean names. Uh, that's one lawsuit going nowhere.[TMZ]

Gawker Book Club: "Falling Out of Fashion," The End

Emily Gould — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:23:05 EDT

Falling Out of Fashion is a roman a clef by Jane Pratt's ex-assistant, Karen Cohen Yampolsky. But its heroine is a stand-in for Jane, not Karen! "Jill White" is a valiant soul who wants to keep Jill Magazine true to its idealistic roots, even after it gets bought by Nestrom (read: Fairchild) and Jill is forced to work with a publisher installed by evil Nestrom CEO Ellen Cutter (read: Fairchild CEO Mary Berner). Juicy stuff! And so, so, so bad!

In our previous installment, Jill White did battle with her new evil overladies for the soul of Jill magazine. She did not win. She got totally canned, the magazine was mainstreamed, and Jill was separated from her doe-eyed assistant, the lovely Casey! But it was all for the best, as we'll soon find out, after the jump and also in real life, when actual Jane Pratt has the last laugh on her radio program on March 23rd!

Take it away, Ms. Yampolsky!

It was fun to sit back and watch the rumor mill run wild with the speculation of my replacement ... With advertisers dropping out of Jill left and right since my departure, I started to think that no one would be dumb enough to take my job. But someone was. Nestrom's pick turned out to be Bryce Bradford, who held the top position at Jeune Fille, the teen spin-off of the women's monthly Femme.Bryce worked for Ellen as an associate editor at Charisma some time ago, and it was a well-known fact that she was desperate to get out of the teen market and step up into the world of women. It was also known that she was chomping at the bit for all the perks that came with it—front row seats at couture shows in Paris and Milan, invites to premieres—all the things about the position that had ceased to impress me long ago. I actually didn't know how Stepfordish she and Ellen were, but I knew Bryce—she had written a few stories for me in the early days of Jill—and she wasn't very Stepfordish at all. But Bryce wasn't known for having a strong personality—or voice—whichg was surely appealing to Ellen. After dealing with me, Ellen probably wanted someone as malleable as possible for the position. That made me feel a little sorry for Bryce. She probably thought she had a real opportunity to make her mark; instead, she was more likely to be used as a puppet.

I had heard about Bryce's appointment through the grapevine. But the rest of the world found out through a series of the lamest ads this side of Peoria. They featured Bryce donning faded jeans and a faded Michael Kors blouse... Even more painful than her trying so hard to appear so cool and approachable, however, was the tagline.

She's Totally Jill! it said, right under her photo.

I kid you not.

Earlier: "Falling Out of Fashion" Part Two

Behind The Scenes At The 'Jane' Boob Shoot

Emily Gould — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:28:34 EDT

Good news for fans of anonymous media tits: the photo shoot for Jane's guide to boobs took place on Saturday, despite the magazine's earlier claim that they'd canceled the shoot because the list of participants—which included some familiar names—was inadvertently leaked. However, the boob-baring volunteers were phoned individually late last week to determine whether they'd still be willing to participate. Our own Intern Stephanie was one of these women. This is her story.

There will be not pictures supplied with this feature so don't even think about asking. I arrive at Sun Studios, which is located in a nondescript building at the corner of Broadway and Houston. When I walk in, I see a bunch of random people standing and sitting everywhere. After a couple awkward seconds, a blond with a blackberry introduces herself as Heather, Jane's booking editor, and tells me to help myself to breakfast, which I do. There is a wide variety of food: bagels, eggs, bacon, sausage, tater tots and cereal. I feel like I'm at IHOP, except that I'm about to take off my shirt for the camera, which almost never happens at IHOP.
I unsuccessfully try to make eye contact slash initiate a conversation with some of the other girls. They glare back at me. You know the scene in Mean Girls where Janice is introducing Cady to cafeteria cliques? She's like, " Asian nerds... cool Asians... sexually active band geeks... unfriendly black hotties, etc...." These three girls were definitely unfriendly black hotties. I sit on the couch next to Heather - who barely looks up from her Blackberry - and compose a paragraph about why I love my boobs, which may or may not appear in the magazine.

I eavesdrop on conversations while waiting for the unfriendly black hotties to finish flashing their boobs to Brooke, the photographer.

Crisis! Heather doesn't want to stay until 5:00. She wants to leave at 3:00.
The plan? Heather calls the remaining girls to ask them to come earlier.
Crisis! There are only "about 30" girls. They may need more.
The plan? Heather, another Jane staffer (didn't catch her name), and Brooke call their friends.
Crisis! Heather is lonely, bored, etc....
The plan? Heather calls her sister, a student at Pace, and asks her to stop by. In this conversation, I learn that Heather's parents "winter" in Miami. Also, that Heather is the kind of person who uses "winter" as a verb.

After the three hotties bare their boobs, it's my turn. The waiting area and the shooting area are small and separated only by mismatched curtains. While sitting in the waiting area, you could catch of glimpse of boobage if you positioned yourself in the right spot.

Unfortunately, I forgot that the first shots were avec bra. I'm wearing a pink and purple polka dot bra from Kohl's. Brooke seems to approve, and starts clicking away. [Ed: Intern Stephanie has a stupendous rack, just FYI.] Brooke clicks away. I pose with my hands at my waist, behind my back, and then they have me do the obligatory hands-over-the-nipples Janet Jackson shot.

After I'm done, I sneak a peek at the computer to see my shots. I look fat. I hope they airbrush that out. I hastily throw on my top, grab my bag, thank Heather - who looks up from her Blackberry to cheerfully say goodbye - and head towards the door. As I leave, I see Brooke helping herself to some tater tots. At least she has good taste.

Earlier: Jane: Now With 106 Fewer Breasts

Gawker Book Club: "Falling Out of Fashion," Part Two

Emily Gould — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 17:15:55 EST

"The magazine needs to look more mainstream," Ellen said, as she again fiddled with her headband.

Mainstream. The word made me want to unleash a primal scream.

Jill was the antithesis of mainstream. My magazine had full-on fatty recipes instead of diets; makeunders instead of makeovers; disarmingly revealing celebrity profiles instead of fawning puff pieces; and writers who were a bright band of personalities, not just bylines.

"I'm not saying the magazine has to be mainstream," Ellen went on, as my blood boiled. "It just has to look a little more mainstream." [...] "So let's get ourselves a new managing editor. And let's get the redesign underway. Asap."

I was speechless. I didn't know how to respond. I just stood there staring at her in shock, still convinced there was no way.

"The woman I want you to see is from a small publication, New Jersey Lighthouses. But she's vastly talented," Ellen went on, tidying her desk and not giving me another glance.

Liz continued to glower, adding, "You'll see; new blood will be good for Jill."

A lump started in my throat. A lump of rage that I knew would ultimately manifest into tears. New Jersey Lighthouses? Even worse, a redesign? In six weeks?!

"No, I don't think so, " I said, shaking my head. "I think Jill is fine the way it is. I don't understand why you're trying to turn it into exactly what it's not supposed to be. Jill isn't Charisma!"

"It certainly isn't. And, like Liz mentioned," Ellen said, "it's not up for discussion, Jill."

A small laugh escaped my throat. I didn't mean it to, and I certainly didn't feel amused, but it was all so absurd. They had to listen to me. Didn't they? I was the magazine's creator and founder; it was based entirely on my vision. I was Jill. They weren't. And there was nothing they could do about that.

Ellen finally met my eyes. Calmly, quietly, she folded her hands together on her desk. It seemed that she was reading my mind. "I understand that Jill is your baby, dear," she said, trying to soothe me, "but the magazine's personality doesn't have to be so tied to yours."

There it was. The other Manolo Blahnik had dropped. And it was a particularly pointy, spiky-heeled one. And I couldn't believe what I was feeling. I was hurt. That was a direct insult to me. They didn't like my magazine because they didn't like me. Not only did I want to cry; I wanted to quit on the spot. But I quickly thought of the repercussions ...

Josh hadn't been working all that much lately. We had a hefty mortgage. And we were spending an obscene amount of money on fertility treatments. There couldn't be a worse time for me to walk out. But I would be damned if I'd let them control my magazine.

Unfortunately, there's one kind of new blood that WON'T be good for Jill. (Hint: fertility treatments!) Find out in the next installment.

Gawker Book Club: "Falling Out of Fashion"

Emily Gould — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:45:18 EST

Does the name Karen Cohen Yampolsky ring a bell? Congratulations, old-skool Jane reader! She was Jane Pratt's assistant, and she's done the expected thing and written a roman a clef. But there's a twist! The heroine of the novel isn't a Yampolsky stand-in—she's a Jane Pratt stand-in, named Jill White. ("White" used to edit a teen mag called "Cheeky!" For real.) Jill is a valiant soul who wants to keep Jill true to its idealistic roots, even after it gets bought by Nestrom (read: Fairchild) and Jill is forced to work with a publisher installed by evil Nestrom CEO Ellen Cutter (read: Fairchild CEO Mary Berner). Juicy stuff! Unfortunately, the book is still incredibly, incredibly bad. Wouldn't you like to read some?

Its badness is probably why, despite the gossip-column mentions the proposal generated, the only publisher who stepped up was classy Kensington—that fratire article, remember? Anyway, to save you the $19.95, we'll treat you to a few of the most insane, ridiculous, and/or Pratt-tastic bits.

In this excerpt, Jane—sorry, Jill—sticks by her guns... and introduces her valiant, stunningly attractive gal Friday.

******

"Jill! Do you really want me to call back Katy Hanson's people and tell her we're not interested in having her on a cover? Really?!"

That one stopped me in my tracks, snapping me right into reality. It came from Rosario [ed: Jauretsi? Is that you?], the entertainment editor. "Yes, really!" I snapped.

"But her album just hit number one," she halfheartedly pleaded. "And you said we had to start thinking a little bit more mass appeal for the covers."

I looked at Rosario, her blue hair matted in all directions. She of all people should know better, I thought. She was a downtown girl—a d.j., for crying out loud. I guess she misunderstood me in last week's meeting. "I meant someone more along the lines of a ... Jennifer Aniston," I explained. "Definitely not a cheesy reality show winner. The only way that Katy Hanson would end up on one of our covers would be via a cover line reading 10 Reasons Why Katy Hanson Blows."

* * *

Casey, my assistant, perked up when she saw me approach. I gave her my best don't-let-anybody in look when I reached my office. She knew better than to join the conga line from hell trailing after me, and she usually waited for me to get settled before she confronted me with anything, no matter how urgent. I could tell by her exasperated expression, though, that she had some really pressing, and probably unpleasant, news.

Within a second, Casey was in my office looking me up and down with her big brown doe eyes. She shook her head. "Of all the days for you to arrive looking like Mary-Kate Olsen dressed you," she said, referring to my ratty jeans and my stretched-out, extremely vintage yet very comfortable V-neck sweater. "Get to the fashion closet and the beauty closet, now."

"Oh, shit," I said.

"Yeah, "Casey confirmed. "Liz's been calling all morning. She—and Ellen—want to see you right away. Like, half an hour ago."

I trusted Casey's urgency. She was always looking out for me. Even though she was a few years my junior, in her early thirties, she had a wise, motherly way about her, which contradicted her hip, petite, girlish looks.

Next installment: Jill takes on her new evil overlordladies!

Remainders: 'Anything But Love'

Doree Shafrir — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 18:02:54 EST

Looking for gainful employment? Serve beer to drunken grups on Smith Street this summer! [Eater]
The early '90s sitcom Anything But Love was Devil Wears Prada before Prada was Prada. [Paper]
The New Republic finally acknowledges that no one really has the strength to read it more than once every two weeks anyway. [NYT]
Jane casting about for some boobs, amateur-porn stylee. [Fashionista]

Drew Barrymore Is A "Nudist Little Bird"

Doree Shafrir — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 17:07:00 EST

It's so Jane to put Drew Barrymore on the cover of the March issue of Jane! She's so smart and cute and funny, and she dates indie rockers and one-testicled comedians. Also, she describes herself as a "sexual, free, fucking nudist little bird running around" and "a wood nymph when it comes to sexuality." Right-o! Well, the whole wood nymph thing would explain the dress she wore to last year's Golden Globes.

Anyway, Drew also had these things to say:

I'm such a workaholic and so fucking on fire all the time, it bewilders the shit out of me...If you're interested in something, you have to act on it. When you get ideas, don't just let them be fleeting thoughts that flow into the universe, so that later you look back and think, 'God, I wish I had done something about that.' Just go for it and never be afraid.

And:

I would definitely like to have a family one day. I don't know when or with who, but I don't picture myself alone and bitter...When I get old, I am not going to be wearing polyester pants. I'm going to wear old Levi's and Birkenstocks. And hopefully I'll have enough hair to wear braids."

And finally, on being Frances Bean's godmother:

Courtney and I have not seen each other in a while, so I haven't had the pleasure of being in Frances' life for a few years. That's a great loss for me, and I hope to reconnect with her.

Yoinks! No reading between the lines necessary there. No sirree.

Jane's CMJ Afterparty: So Brandon?

Doree Shafrir — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 15:33:52 EST

Ah, Jane magazine. Who ever thought we'd see the day when it featured Ashlee and Jessica Simpson on covers within 7 months of each other? Or a contest involving getting a 29-year-old virgin laid? Or ... a CMJ after-party?

Continuing Jane's new tradition of magazine schizophrenia—is Jessica Simpson so Jane? Or CMJ? Or what?—the mag is sponsoring a party (tonight!) featuring some appropriately edgy indie rock bands (and, inexplicably, Ultragrrl—we're done with you! Go away, now). Invite after the jump. We hear it's way over-RSVP'd, but use your imagination.

Remainders: 'Jane' Magazine Successfully Gives 'One Night in Paris' Gravitas by Comparison

gdelahaye — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 18:30:00 EDT

• Jane magazine continues its quest to lower lowest common denominator. [Jane]
• Heidi Klum is African, too? With Seal? Who actually is kind of African, or like African-British or something? Now we're just confused. Insert apartheid joke here. [Flickr]
• Tom Cruise cuts deal with third most likeable owner in professional sports. If you're working from a list that only also includes Mark Cuban and Al Davis. [LAT]
• World's oldest person dies at 116. World's youngest people continue never to call, never to write. [CNN]
• Bush to commemorate one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with three minutes of silently not paying attention. [Yahoo]
• Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Debbie going to fuck East Coast's brains out. [The Bad Pitch Blog]
• FHM lays off five staffers, forced to return company badges, bathroom keys, and mysoginistic concepts of women as objects solely for the sexual gratification of illiterate men. [FishbowlNY]
• Here is a picture of Rachel Sklar's dad. Whatever, Garfield's not the only one who hates Mondays. [HuffPo]

Attack of the Fake Conde Fashion Directors!

Jesse — Fri, 12 May 2006 18:26:35 EDT

Alert! Alert! Security breach! Someone who is not a Conde editor potentially getting perks of the sort reserved only for Conde editors!

From: Laura Morgan
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 1:04 PM
To:
Subject: FAKE ALERT

Hello Everyone-

There is a woman running around impersonating JANE's Fashion Director, Kusum Lynn. She's been asking for concert tickets, movie premiere access, etc. If you receive any requests for Kusum Lynn, please contact Shelly Ridenour in NY (xxxx@condenast.com) or me in LA (xxxx@condenast.com) to make sure it is a legitimate request.

We believe the woman requesting access in Kusum's name is Janice Simpson. She has created an email account that says something like condenastonline.com. She is NOT from Conde Nast. Below is her bogus email signature. If you hear from this person, please let us know and do not give her access to any events.

Isn't it terrible when peasants pass themselves off as royalty?

Compete email after the jump.

From: Laura Morgan
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 1:04 PM
To:
Subject: FAKE ALERT

Hello Everyone-

There is a woman running around impersonating JANE's Fashion Director, Kusum Lynn. She's been asking for concert tickets, movie premiere access, etc. If you receive any requests for Kusum Lynn, please contact Shelly Ridenour in NY (xxxx@condenast.com) or me in LA (xxxx@condenast.com) to make sure it is a legitimate request.

We believe the woman requesting access in Kusum's name is Janice Simpson. She has created an email account that says something like condenastonline.com. She is NOT from Conde Nast. Below is her bogus email signature. If you hear from this person, please let us know and do not give her access to any events.

THIS WOMAN IS A FAKE:
Janice Simpson
Special Events Manager
Conde Nast Publications
4 Times Square
New York, NY 10036
(212)286-XXXX

Thanks. Laura

JANE
West Coast Bureau Chief
6300 Wilshire Blvd.
7th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.951.XXXX - phone
323-951-XXXX - fax
xxxx@condenast.com

Remainders: 'Cargo' Swag Is Already Retro

Jessica — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 18:40:54 EDT

• The publication and paychecks have moved on to a better place, Cargo's moderately crappy swag lives on. [601am]
• Nick Sylvester offers the world's most incoherent explanation of what happened with that little mess he made at the Voice. It makes more sense if you get stoned before you read it. [Riff Central]
• Highly entertaining Jane editor-at-large Jeff Johnson steps down, presumably because of creative wanderlust. [Fitted Sweats]
• Alas, poor Krucoff travels all the way to the Javitz Center only to learn that the auto show lacks the sufficient skin-baring car sluts one would hope for. [Young Manhattanite]
• A new affliction: "Afflufemza," the condition of uncontrollable vomiting in regards to phrases like "motherhood is hot right now." [Powell's]
• It took just 10 minutes for every gay man in Manhattan to go broke buying Madonna tickets. [NYDN]

'WWD': Jane Pratt Was Forced Out

Jesse — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 12:20:10 EST

Women's Wear Daily's Memo Pad — one of the city's leading media-gossip columns — is sometimes derided as the Conde Nast School Paper, a comment on the (probably unavoidable) prevalence of news about its corporate owner, which just happens to be one of the biggest mag companies. Sometimes, though, you can learn the most interesting things from an in-house rag.

Consider, for example, the case of Jane Pratt, the founding Jane editor who left her mag back in the fall. Pratt "today said that she will be stepping down, effective September 30th, 2005," the Fairchild press release announced back on July 25. It was just that she had a "wanderlust to do new things," Pratt told Mediaweek that day. "I have an eight-year itch. I did Sassy for eight years before I left so I seem to have this need to move on and try to reach women in other ways." In the Post the next day, the bosses made it clear: The departure "was totally her decision," Fairchild editorial director Patrick McCarthy told Keith Kelly.

Which made it quite interesting to see how WWD today described what Jane's been up to since leaving her mag:

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.

Forced out after endless antics? Oh, WWD, do tell more. Or are we going to have to wait for you to pass us a note in study hall?

UPDATE: WWD's Jeff "Big Guy" Bercovici emails to point out that his column has always been skeptical about the reasons for Pratt's departure. True enough; his first report noted that "the decision was not entirely hers." But it didn't mention the f-word — "forced out" — or any antics.

Memo Pad [WWD]
Earlier: Gawker's coverage of Jane Pratt.