Conrad Black Even Swears Like Nixon

Kim France And Her Big Butt

July, 1993. Sassy had just turned five years old, and wouldn't make it much longer. (On the cover: "My brother's gay. Big whoop.") A young lass named Kim France—Oberlin '87, now the editor in chief of Lucky—had recently left the magazine. Christina Kelly was newly Jane Pratt's number two, doing the real running of the mag. And so Sassy—Christina, we assume—gave Kim a rude send-off in the form of a fake advice letter about her rump. (Recent sightings of Kim France from behind reveal that her butt has not been exceptionally large in some time.) Click to enlarge for the full-page of "Dear Boy," with questions (real and fake) answered by J Mascis. —choire More »

'How Sassy Changed My Life' Book Party

Lower East Side bloggerbar Lolita had a decidedly high school-ish vibe last night—a generation of ladies whose lives were so changed by Sassy magazine that they grew up to work in the media gathered there to fete the publication of Marisa Meltzer and Kara Jesella's book about that seminal teen mag. Doree and Emily were there. So was Atoosa Rubenstein. More »

How Christina Kelly Changed Jane Pratt's Life

You "love book reviews—sorry I cut down on them for a while; they're now back in full force," declared Jane editor Brandon Holley her April editor's letter. Conspicuously missing from the newly replumped book section, though, was a review of a book that seems like a natural fit for Jane's audience: How Sassy Changed My Life. That's Kara Jesella and Marisa Meltzer's "love letter" to the magazine that kicked off the careers of thousands of women's studies majors turned women's mag editorial assistants—and the career of one Jane Pratt, who served as the seminal teen mag's editor in chief at the tender age of 24. Nary a peep about this book in a magazine that still has Pratt's name on the masthead as "founding editor?" More »

Jane Pratt Isn't The Type To Go Around Telling People She Had Sex With Drew Barrymore

In an interview with Metro, your alternate choice for subway platform linoleum, former Sassy/Jane editor Jane Pratt comes clean about that rumored dalliance with Drew Barrymore, the actress who so memorably portrayed Amy Fisher in one of the three made-for-television movies they made about that story. Metro's Daniel Holloway asks the tough questions. More »

Jane Pratt Is Still So Jane

This week's Time Out New York will bring readers a Q&A with a lady who shaped many women's lives in immeasurable ways. Ruth Bader Ginsberg? Betty Friedan? Hells no. Jane Pratt! She's back, baby, with a Sirius radio program. Is she well suited to the radio? Well... "I've been on a bunch as a guest. I talk a lot, and I talk long. I tell stories I assume people are interested in. They really may not be!" That actually sounds like a fun show! She also says that she "feels like [she] is working in print now," whatever that means. Then TONY asks the tough question: does Jane read Jane now that Jane she doesn't edit Jane anymore? "I pick it up. There hasn't been any issue that I haven't at least looked at. When I wasn't at Sassy anymore, that was really clear-cut. I didn't read it: I didn't want to support it in any way. This is more confusing. I want Jane to do well. It has my name on it. " Well said. —Emily More »

Jane Pratt Goes to Sirius Radio

Hearkening back to last July, perhaps you recall that Sassy and Jane founding editor and all-around adorable cult leader Jane Pratt was forced eased out of the latter publication last July after what WWD referred to as "endless antics." In case you were wondering what sort of "antics" could result in the termination of a magazine's spiritual leader, Keith Kelly's report on Pratt's forthcoming debut on satellite radio safehouse Sirius notes that Pratt's infamous "wanderlust" that led to her departure coincidentally occured after she suffered a miscarriage — an event which likely superceded the magazine in her personal hierarchy of emotional commitments, God forbid. Ladies, take heed: nothing shall distract you from your job. More »

Remainders: Getting to Know Meredith Vieira

• The Today Show may be losing Katie Couric's legs, but there's still hope if Meredith Vieira takes her place: Vieira eschews underwear in favor of nature's breeze. [TMZ] More »

Brandon Holley Revives Neon Palette

So, uh, what the hell is going on over at Jane? Okay, what with Hurricane Zed and DeLay being indicted and Britney's new baby, we're sure the state of affairs at the girly mag is hardly at the top of your mind. But maybe it should be! After all, Keith "Mad Dog" Kelly confirmed our earlier report that since Jane Pratt stepped down from the helm at her semi-glossy brainchild, the Fairchild title has been melting off its staff like the fat on Star Jones. Speaking from Milan, new Jane EIC Brandon Holley comments that the recent departures (including managing editor Debbie McHugh) are normal for any regime change, and notes that new editors have already signed on. More »

Sassy's 10-Year Period of Mourning

Who can spare more than 3000 words ruminating on a magazine, other than Spy, that died over 10 years ago? Why, Mediabistro, of course! Don't get us wrong: We lurved the now-defunct Sassy, the pages of which made a mini-legend of editor Jane Pratt and were later reincarnated in the shape of Jane. But 3000 words on Sassy, Jane, and the meaning of life as dictated by irreverent women's magazines strikes us as just a wee bit overindulgent. More »

Gossip Roundup: Mary-Kate Will Kick Your Ass

• This might be the most inconsequential gossip item ever, but still one of our favorites. After hearing that model May Anderson supposedly hit on her ex, David Katzenberg, Marlboro woman Mary-Kate Olsen was on a street corner, screaming into her cellphone, "I'll kill that fucking slut!" Awesome: What we wouldn't pay to see MK get violent. It'd be like watching a rabid squirrel decimate an acorn. [Page Six] More »

Why Jane Pratt Left 'Jane'

This week has been all about Jane: Why Pratt left her eponymous magazine, whether or not the glossy has an identity crisis, and its future under new EIC Brandon Holley. Interestingly, Folio suggests that perhaps Pratt didn't leave as voluntarily as she might have us think: More »

Media Bubble: But Do the CBS Interns Approve?

• CBS News's search to save the Evening News hits a milestone: The network has started doing prototype episodes. [NYT] More »

Wait, So Who's the New Editor of 'Jane'?

Are you confused about who will be filling Jane Pratt's shoes at her eponymous Fairchild Publications magazine? Then pick up a print copy of Fairchild's Women's Wear Daily, which today features a a whopping six full-page ads introducing the already-introduced new editor, Brandon Holley. More »

Brandon Holley Named New 'Jane' EIC

Oh, how quickly we replace the ones we love. Just weeks after Jane founder Jane Pratt announced her retirement, Fairchild has found a replacement. Ladies and ladies (okay, maybe 2 or 3 gents care), meet your new Jane editor, Ms. Brandon Holley. 38 years young, Holley comes from the top editorial throne of ELLEgirl and enjoys surfing, horesback riding, and drag racing in New Jersey. No, seriously — she's just that "Jane." More »

Didn't We Almost Have It All: Jane Pratt Steps Down

Relish this moment, for it may be one of the few displays of genuine emotion you will ever see on Gawker: We are very sad — nay, heartbroken — to learn that Jane Pratt, the one-woman roadshow behind Jane magazine and the founder of the truly fantastic Sassy, is stepping down from her editorial throne. Say what you will about the magazine's mixed messages (in her most recent letter from the editor, Pratt herself acknowledged that some skanky cover girl choices were a matter of making money), but Jane was the one women's magazine that didn't consistently inspire self-loathing. In fact, we always felt a hell of a lot better about ourselves after reading. And sure, whoever replaces Pratt (uh, we're available!) will no doubt carry her torch of awesomeness, but, well, it just won't be the same. More »