Gawker: Rolling Stone

P.J. O'Rourke Will Probably Survive Anal Cancer

Moe — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:01:46 EDT

P.J. O'Rourke: is there a writer we more heartily wished had a blog right now? The country is in the throes of an ideological earthquake, and P.J. O'Rourke is a right-wing free-market ideologue who is too smart not to allow himself to be tossed around a bit, and too entertaining a writer to elicit much of our indignation in the case he doesn't end up landing that much closer on the spectrum to raging creative class Bolshevism. Well, we'd been wondering where the writer and Rolling Stone "foreign affairs desk" chief had been during the End of Capitalism, and it turns out today that he has been preoccupied getting ass cancer. (His phrase, not ours!) The good news is that it seems to have been detected early: he assures us he has a 95% chance of survival. The other good news: it's good material! From today's LA Times:

Furthermore, I am a logical, sensible, pragmatic Republican, and my diagnosis came just weeks after Teddy Kennedy's. That he should have cancer of the brain, and I should have cancer of the ass ... well, I'll say a rosary for him and hope he has a laugh at me. After all, what would I do, ask God for a more dignified cancer? Pancreatic? Liver? Lung?…

No doubt death is one of those mysterious ways in which God famously works. Except, on consideration, death isn't mysterious. Do we really want everyone to be around forever?…Napoleon was doubtless a great man in his time — at least the French think so. But do we want even Napoleon extant in perpetuity? Do we want him always escaping from island exiles, raising fanatically loyal troops of soldiers, invading Russia and burning Moscow?

Well, at the moment, considering Putin et al, maybe we do want that. But, century after century, it would get old. And what with Genghis Khan coming from the other direction all the time and Alexander the Great clashing with a Persia that is developing nuclear weapons and Roman legions destabilizing already precarious Israeli-Palestinian relations — things would be a mess.

Then there's the matter of our debt to death for life as we know it. I believe in God. I also believe in evolution. If death weren't around to "finalize" the Darwinian process, we'd all still be amoebas. We'd eat by surrounding pizzas with our belly flab and have sex by lying on railroad tracks waiting for a train to split us into significant others.

As for that last sentence, I don't know quite what it means, and I am tempted to say if anyone would I'd be that person. But the important part is, P.J. O'Rourke thanks God for death (and to that end, whiskey.) Taxes can't be very far behind.

Rolling Stone Political Writer Is Useless

Ryan Tate — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:55:28 EDT

"Someone should tell Taibbi that it's the predictable disgust of people like him that make the culture-war posturing of people like Sarah Palin so resonant with the many, many folks who like pick-up trucks and plasma TVs and aren't ashamed of it." [Portfolio]

Rolling Stone's Size Issues

Ryan Tate — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:28:29 EDT

Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner just confirmed to the Times that he's shrinking the once-groundbreaking magazine to a distinctly ordinary format. And already, in that same story, the magazine mogul has allowed himself to sound insecure about the change. “I myself was kind of torn about it,” Wenner said. He's right to be worried. Rolling Stone's large format stirred a certain nostalgia. And not just among readers, as the Times noted, but also among a more important group: The celebrities who still trip over themselves to appear on the magazine's iconic cover, despite the fairly humdrum content within. That magnetic draw will surely be diminished now that the publication looks so thoroughly contemporary, and 1967 so very far in the past. After the jump, Wenner pulls off a similarly-self-defeating trick in a year-old Charlie Rose interview by saying the key difference between rollingstone.com and Facebook is that the latter is "kind of a teen thing."

[Times]

As Intern, Kurt Cobain's Daughter Considered A Bit Too Punk Rock

Ryan Tate — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:26:13 EDT

Did you know Frances Bean Cobain, Kurt's surprisingly well-adjusted daughter, is a "summer aide" at Rolling Stone? She is! Also, she's wayyy too rock and roll for the anal-retentive offices of the Wenner title. Insiders bitched to Page Six, "she doesn't get coffee for anyone . . . calls in sick all the time and wears funny outfits." First of all? She's 15. And second? Something tells me Evan Springsteen, Max Spielberg and Gus Wenner weren't fetching too many lattes last summer, either. Anyway, here are some conversation tips, courtesy a February article in People, in case she comes to collect your drink order:

She is not her parents: "I get it, I really do, but at the same time it's creepy."
She is not her parents: "If you're a big Nirvana fan, a big Hole fan, then I understand why you would want to get to know me, but I'm not my parents."
Career interests: "She's thought about photography and/or journalism."
Also: She is not her parents! "People need to wait until I've done something valid with my life."

So, basically, a fairly typical 15-year-old, except she already has Rolling Stone on her resume, and has already been savaged in Page Six. But given that her mom is Courtney Love? Something tells me she's not sweating it.

[Page Six, People]

Jann Wenner's Missing Accent

Nick Denton — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:43:31 EDT

An associate of Jann Wenner says the Us Weekly owner—rumored to be ready to sell the title to a magazine group such as Condé Nast—isn't so attached to the celebrity weekly. It's vastly profitable but doesn't really understand the modern pop culture from which Us Weekly plucks its stars. The source tells today's WWD: "It's not really his world, not like Rolling Stone, a world he instinctually understands." But just how clueless is the 62-year-old former hippie, who founded Rolling Stone at the age of 21 after dropping out of Berkeley? His minions joke that Wenner's musical evolution ground to a halt some two decades ago. He's never quite figured out that Us Weekly staple Beyoncé has one of those accents at the end of her name. Wenner refers to her as be-yons, much to colleagues' amusement. One hopes he doesn't refer to his hoped-for buyer as "cond-nast".

Will Wenner Sell Us Weekly?

Hamilton Nolan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:01:29 EDT

Last week Charlie Rose wondered if Conde Nast was trying to buy Rolling Stone. Now Keith Kelly reports that they're actually trying to buy Us Weekly, Jann Wenner's other, more valuable but less cherished property. The "price tag could hit $750 million," according to the Post. Which would give Wenner enough cash to continue running Rolling Stone into the ground for decades to come. Us does seem like a more likely target for Conde Nast, but the high price and the overall print market these days are cause for skepticism. And though Charlie Rose may have gotten it wrong on that particular issue, that interview's main benefit stands: it is still accurate to call Graydon Carter a "self-described pussy." [NYP, Previously]

Is Conde Nast Trying To Buy Rolling Stone?

Hamilton Nolan — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:50:18 EDT

FOLIO magazine spotted a juicy bit at the very end of a Charlie Rose interview earlier this week with Vanity Fair chief Graydon Carter and Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner. Rose casually asks, "What's this story that Conde Nast wants to buy Rolling Stone?" That triggers a look of sheer terror on Graydon Carter's face, and a great deal of forced laughter and jabbering between the guests. We think we can hear Graydon saying, "We'll see." What it does not trigger is a denial. RS would certainly be a decent pickup for Conde Nast, but what the hell would Jann Wenner do with himself if he sold out? (Then again, Jeff Bercovici thinks Wenner's company is in a permanent decline, and he should cash out). Click to watch the clip, and parse the reactions carefully. [If you have any further info, email us.]

Rolling Stone Copying Perez Hilton?

Ryan Tate — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:26:33 EDT

We're hearing something fairly horrifying — that Rolling Stone senior editor Austin Scaggs is starting a "Perez Hilton-esque" music blog for the magazine next month. It's not clear how, exactly, this new creation would ape Hilton's crude celebrity gossip site, but the initiative is said to be an outgrowth of Scaggs' own infrequent Smoking Section music news blog. Jann Wenner has approved the project, but the magazine mogul hasn't provided any budget, so "Scaggs is hiring six unpaid interns to staff the whole thing—and they have to work 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday" said our tipster. NB to desperate young intern candidates: Just launch your own music news site. You won't get to say you write for Rolling Stone, but you'll have no trouble reaching Perez Hilton quality levels, and at least you'll retain ownership in exchange for all your free labor.

Buy A Rolling Stone T-Shirt. It's Iconic Or Something

Hamilton Nolan — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:45:24 EDT

Rolling Stone, America's most frustrating magazine (yay, Matt Taibbi; boo, excruciating music coverage) has been having some trouble selling ads lately. So to help revitalize its "iconic and revolutionary brand," the magazine has slapped some of its classic covers on t-shirts. They're for sale at Macy's for $36 each. Eh, not really worth it. Oh, wait: each shirt comes with a free subscription to Rolling Stone. Eh, still. Better idea: make the magazine better so it sells. "The new collection of Rolling Stone tees appeals to today's cross-channel lifestyle, bringing together the influences of fashion, music, celebrity and entertainment," says a Macy's exec. "Macy's is honored to be exclusively bringing back these covers in a new, wearable way." OH NOW I GET IT. [via Ad Age]

Heidi, Lauren, and Co. Gather No Moss

Richard — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:53:00 EDT

Hey, look. The girls from The Hills (tears are streaming down my face right now) are on the cover of this month's Rolling Stone rock and roll, modern times, Peter Travers poop fest magazine. It's the first time that Lauren and Heidi (who hate each other so goddamn much they think about it sometimes when they are driving and want to run over a pigeon or forget it all and move to Rhode Island and teach the third grade and eat fried clams sometimes in the summer and maybe fumble towards Happy) have been at the same photo shoot in like fucking forever. Apparently it was cold, but civil and everyone got through it OK.

Note the positions: Heidi stands, offering her ass up to the heavens and to men, ready for any sordid penetration. Audrina poses in an old, sexy style because she's an idiot and cried when she invited Jessica Rabbit to her 20th birthday party and she didn't show up and no one bothered to explain to her that Jessica Rabbit isn't real. Lauren is trying to look fun or animate or something and has maybe just peed herself. And dear old Whitney has fallen asleep or is dead. Look at the four of them all happy and stupid! They're just like the Sex and the City girls! Except, you know, real. Oh, and speaking of dead, down below watch Heidi crying over the sad death of her step-brother. Then watch as she snaps right back and talks about how bitchy Lauren is. Then, you can hear it faintly, a violin string snaps.

Hunter S. Thompson Is Dead, You're No Longer Edgy

rebecca — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:52:52 EDT

After teabagging Barack Obama for the past nine months, Rolling Stone political writer Matt Taibbi still considers the magazine's political coverage Gonzo-esque: "We have the license to talk about things that other people won't because we're a music magazine and we don't have to worry about access for anything." While it is true that Rolling Stone's access is shit, Obama's only fear in talking to them would be not getting a halo drawn over his head. Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail was about the 1972 election. But maybe Rolling Stone has license to talk about things that they think other people won't because it's irrelevant. [MediaBistro]

Internet To Save/Destroy Traditional Media; Britney Spears, You To Help

Pareene — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:17:22 EST

Magazines are dying and the web is surging, but maybe there is a web ad bust on the way, and also maybe the web is what is killing magazines, or maybe no one reads anymore, and (former Gawker managing editor) Choire Sicha is trying to figure it all out in today's Observer. He's also trying to figure out Rolling Stone's Britney Spears cover and New York's Lindsay Lohan cover, the two most important magazine covers of this century. But, about that Rolling Stone piece—we all saw the good bits, because they were leaked, by RS, to Perez, but maybe we mostly missed the more "important" thinky bits of Vanessa Grigoriadis' story, because RS only put the first 606 words on their website? Regardless, Rolling Stone had their "best week ever in the history of the Web site," even without the story. So maybe all they needed were the photo galleries? "Until the people on the business side are sure they're going to replace that revenue, that's how it's going to be," says an editor. Maybe we don't actually need content anymore, just the idea of content? That will save everyone a bit of time and money!

According to Esquire's web editor, "80 to 90 percent of people that visit the Web sites for magazines neither buy nor subscribe nor have anything to do with the print publications," which he calls "counterintutive," though it really makes perfect sense to us. Esquire has a bit of a relationship with Yahoo, which has led to occasional traffic spikes, like the ones this site receives when AOL places one of our items on its home page. Popular Mechanics now puts things on the web and ties them to movies and things, and their traffic benefits when they go hard on Diggable stories. New York's Lindsay Lohan pictures presumably did very well for their website, considering it crashed under the traffic on Monday.

These peaks and valleys, dependent on things that are popular in spite of their debatable aesthetic or intellectual quality, doesn't really seem like a sustainable model for media, at least in terms of paying people to create intelligent, professional content, paying other people to place this content either on paper or in magic electrons, and then charging still different people to consume it. But what do we know! We're bloggers, like Anderson Cooper and Rosie O'Donnel. Maybe this post should've been a photo gallery?

Extra! Extra! Read Some About It! [NYO]

Britney Spears' Goons Wanted $2 Million From Poor, Innocent Rolling Stone

Ryan Tate — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 19:10:19 EST

The writer who profiled Britney Spears for last week's Rolling Stone just cannot believe the audacity of Spears' handlers. One handler tried to sell her Spears access for $2 million, editorial control over her article and the right to name the cover photographer, the writer said on CNN today. This handler is called Klaus, and the Rolling Stone writer, Vanessa Grigoriadis, thinks he is "just really naive" and doesn't "understand the way that United States media works at this point." After the jump, Grigoriadis' full description of the cash demand and why she is, of course, dead wrong about the American media.

Grigoriadis made her comments to Howard Kurtz on CNN's Reliable Sources:

Vanessa, you tried to get an interview with Britney, and you wound up dealing with one of her intermediaries, a guy named Klaus (ph).

Tell us what happened.

VANESSA GRIGORIADIS, "ROLLING STONE": Well, through some sort of miscommunication, Klaus (ph) was under the impression that I was going to give him $2 million in order to have an interview and a photo shoot with Britney. And he's just one of the many people around her who is, you know, essentially somebody who realizes that there is somebody who's very valuable to be booked in any way, as a sponsorship, a media interview, a restaurant opening, whatever. Let's take this girl and do something with her.

KURTZ: Well, obviously you didn't cough up the cash, but I understand he asked for pre-approval of the article and something about who was going to take the pictures?

GRIGORIADIS: Sure, yes. No, the people that I was dealing with, I mean, essentially these people are just really naive, they don't understand the way that United States media works at this point, which is like there's no pre- approval over articles. We don't let your friends take pictures for the cover of "Rolling Stone” magazine.

It might be as easy as that? I don't know. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

KURTZ: So revealing.

Hopefully Grigoriadis had some time after the CNN shoot for a chat with the other guest on her segment, Ryan Smith of U.S. "OK!" magazine. Smith might have disabused her of the notion that Spears' people "don't understand the way that United States media works at this point" by explaining how his magazine late last year paid the Spears family $1 million for the exclusive news and interview about Spears' sister's pregnancy.

Or he could have reminded her how People magazine acknowledged it paid for pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's baby Shiloh. It disputed the widely-reported figure of $4.1 million but did not name an alternate price.

CNN: Full Transcript

Is Karen Danziger The Best Media Headhunter?

Choire — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:00:13 EDT

Today Kent Brownridge, Jann Wenner's former right-hand man and the honcho of new Alpha Media, the former Dennis Publishing, shouts the praises of media headhunter Karen Danziger. She's the exec vice president of Howard-Sloan-Koller Group, and she was the one who suggested somewhat frightening former Rolling Stone guy Jim Kaminsky as the new editor of Maxim. Brownridge tells Portfolio: "Karen Danziger, the only headhunter in the editorial world that I think is worth anything, and she's worth a lot — I love her; she's my sister, shrink, priest, whatever — she gives me a list of people that I should go see, and on it is Jim, and I think, oh, well, Jim." Heh. That's how we felt about Jim too—but then Kent got all frothy on him, and hired him. We've met Karen—she's fun, mouthy, doesn't like idiots, and she dresses like the high-end version of a sharp Long Island lady. But is she all that? Your experiences sought, anonymity guaranteed.

An Incomplete List Of This Year's Crop Of 'Rolling Stone' Interns

Choire — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:10:24 EDT

Can you help us finalize this very imperfect list?

Gus Wenner. (Following in some footsteps.)

Evan Springsteen.

Max Spielberg.

Either Cydney, Caley, or Emily (daughter-of-Chevy) Chase.

Bernie Taupin's step-daughter.

Thank God they didn't get their claws on that nice Elizabeth Hanks.

The revolving door at Wenner Media spins ...

abalk — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:46:19 EDT

The revolving door at Wenner Media spins again, as Rolling Stone publisher Tim Castelli moves to Google. Associate publisher Ray Chelstowski is expected to be promoted today. [NYP]

'But Enough About Me,' Let's Talk About Stevie Nicks

Emily Gould — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:30:40 EDT

Jancee Dunn's memoir But Enough About Me is new in paperback, and we highly suggest you grab a couple if you're remotely interested in how your celeb-profile sausage gets made. Jancee worked at Rolling Stone for years and interviewed every single person you've ever wished to meet. (Or wished not to!) In our favorite part of the book, she sits down with everyone's favorite Nightbird, Stevie Nicks, to look through her "velvet-covered, poetry-filled diaries from 1979's Tusk tour." If that last sentence didn't make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, well... you're probably heterosexual. Now you know!

Barefoot and in a demure floral sundress, [Stevie] padded up the stairs to show me her clothing-stuffed dressing room, which was lined with suede platform boots in every color imaginable, like a groovy box of crayons. And, joy of joys, she let me try on one of her shawls! "And these beads belonged to Janis Joplin," she said, putting them on me. Heaven!
After we covered the coke and the romances, she brought out her velvet-covered, poetry-filled diearies from 1979's Tusk tour, when she had first started an affair with drummer Mick Fleetwood, and we read them together, sometimes aloud.

After a few happy hours, Nicks and her rambunctious assistants broke out the binoculars to spy on the neighbors. "You can stay over, you know," she said to me. "There's a fabulous guest bedroom." She showed me the impossibly high guest bed, which had a dramatic red drapery hanging from the ceiling. They all planned to make a little dinner, play some music, watch Golden Girls reruns—really, up my street in every way. I was tempted, but I thought I should maintain a professional boundary. How stupid was I?

OH MY GOD, JANCEE. SO STUPID!!!

Did Jann Wenner Make Sure His Son's Wedding Announcement Didn't Go Online?

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:40:01 EDT

As I perused the New York Times Weddings section on Sunday under the watchful eye of my mother ("Do you know that girl? I thought you might know her. Didn't you go to college with that guy? He's young! I didn't know he was a lawyer!" OMG, shut up, Mom! I'm never coming home again!), I noticed one Alexander Wenner's wedding announcement. He got married in the Hamptons! He's 22! He was an intern at Electronic Arts, the video-game designer! But then when we went to post about it yesterday, it was, mysteriously, not online! Was Jann worried that the internets would post about his son? Hmm! Anyway, we've reproduced the announcement, so you wouldn't miss it. Also, his son really looks like a video game designer, but my mom and dad don't have a scanner (Google Image Search was no help), so you'll just have to trust us on this one. (He doesn't really look like Jann, though. So no help!)

Emily Eisen-Berkeley, a daughter of Margaret M. Eisen of Darien, Conn., and Joseph W. Berkeley of Osterville, Mass., was married last evening to Alexander Jann Wenner, a son of Jane Wenner and Jann S. Wenner, both of New York. The Rev. Dr. Jon M. Walton, a Presbyterian minister, officiated at Villa Des Amis, a private home they rented for the occasion in Bridgehampton, N.Y.
Mrs. Wenner, 23, graduated in May from the New School.

Her father, who is retired, worked at the Boston office of A.G. Becker & Company, a financial services concern in which he was principal. Her mother works in New York, as a managing director of the marketing and communications department at the CFA Institute, the organization of Charlottesville, Va., that administers the chartered financial analyst certification program.

Mr. Wenner, 22, was a summer intern, from 2003 to 2006, at Electronic Arts, the video-game maker in Redwood City, Calif., where he helped design games.

His parents are founders of Rolling Stone magazine. His father is the chairman and the chief executive of Wenner Media in New York, the publisher of Rolling Stone, Us Weekly and Men's Journal magazines; his mother is a vice president.

Sounds lovely! No mention of Matt Nye, though! And we have a feeling Neal Boulton probs wasn't on the guest list.

'New York' Culture Blogger Flees To 'Rolling Stone'

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 29 May 2007 17:14:11 EDT

We're hearing that music writer and editor Melissa Maerz—most recently co-editor of New York's brand-new "Vulture" blog, former Spin editor, and current girlfriend of Chuck Klosterman—is leaving Adam Moss's tender embrace for that of Jann Wenner. Hopefully Chuck's taught her how to keep her cubicle clean.

[Image via]

Hey Dad, Your 'Rolling Stone' Came!

abalk2 — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 13:43:10 EDT

We know that expecting relevance or currency from Rolling Stone is a lot like writing Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" in the snow with your piss—either way, your unit is going to fall off before it happens. Even so, Pink Floyd? On the cover? In 2007? Did that Bill Haley & The Comets story not make the cut?

Last issue: What Happened To Pink Floyd? [RS]
Next issue: The Girls Of Grindhouse [RS]

Joel Madden Kills White Converse Trend In 'Rolling Stone'

Emily Gould — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 16:31:05 EDT

Good Charlotte something-player Joel Madden knows that just because you're a punk, it doesn't mean you can't dress well. In the current issue of the old people's favorite music mag, he reveals that he always tries "to go shopping when I'm on tour. I get yelled at: 'You're going shopping again?' When I started touring, I didn't care. I was in Dickies and Vans, which is cool in its way." But there's still one downmarket item he can't bear to part with: a pair of shoes whose coolness he was informed of by older brother Josh. "I was always wearing black Converse, and he's like, 'Put these white Converse on.' And I like white Converse now."

Earlier: What Is Up With White Converse?
[Image via Rolling Stone]

Remainders: Jenna Bush, Do-Gooder

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 18:01:47 EST

Jenna Bush decides to let the world know how to save the children. [USA Today]

South Park on the cover of the new Rolling Stone, whee! [CC Insider]

Seth Mnookin can't believe that the NYT misspelled Kurt Andersen's name, again. [Feeding the Monster]

Starbucks in Greenpoint; confirmed. But will they sell kielbasa on a roll? [Curbed]

Media Bubble: The Whitey Album

abalk2 — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 09:30:42 EST

Ad Age's Media Mavens: A remarkably diverse group. [copyranter]
Who's getting canned at Time Inc.? It's a holiday mystery! [WWD]
Fox News: Here's the name of that broad what got raped. [Radar]
Philadelphia papers rank-and-file not exactly thrilled with labor deal. [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Gossip under threat in Great Britian. [Guardian]
Pretty much everyone's gonna go with a "gets off" joke about Girls Gone Wild auteur Joe Francis' lenient sentence for using underage girls in his videos; we're still trying to work something out concerning anal violation. [AP]
Rolling Stone reality show contestant disabused of romantic notions about the magazine: ""I guess I had this romantic idea in my head of people under their desks shooting heroin in their eyeballs." Sorry, kid, that's just the readers. [WWD]

Hotels: The New Magazines

Chris Mohney — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:50:06 EST

Chip Conley of boutique hotelier Joie de Vivre likes to use specific magazines as inspirations for his hotels. After he's picked a magazine, he and his staff then come up with five adjectives that describe the mag, and by extension the hotel concept. For example, the buzzwords associated with a hotel ostensibly inspired by National Geographic Traveler were "enchanting, international, cheerful, bohemian, eclectic." Another is equal parts Giant Robot and Lucky: "inventive, warm, optimistic, practical, quirky." Yet another property takes Wired as its muse, though your guess is as good as ours as to their keywords. Saddest of all, though, is San Francisco's Phoenix Hotel:

When [Conley] first saw the space, Rolling Stone came to mind, and so did the adjectives "funky, hip, young-at-heart, irreverent, adventurous." Now the property offers free massages to band-tour managers and can boast that David Bowie, Linda Ronstadt, Faye Dunaway, Johnny Depp and John Candy have slept there.

Hard to say which is less "funky, hip" — Rolling Stone or Linda Ronstadt. And we're not sure how much more mileage Conley can get from "John Candy slept here."

Magazines as Muses: Hotelier Finds Inspiration in Titles such as 'Wired' [Ad Age]

Maureen Dowd Will Not Be Ignored

abalk2 — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 12:10:43 EST

Rush & Molloy tip us off to a profile of Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert (because, really, we need another one of those) in this month's Rolling Stone. What makes this one extra-special is that it's written by Maureen Dowd! Yes, MoDo! Here's how it starts:

I thought Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert might be a little nervous to meet with me. I was the real news commentator, after all, and they were the mock. They threw spitballs at presidents; I interviewed presidents before throwing spitballs at them. I had crisscrossed the globe to cover news stories, while these guys just put on dark suits and threw up imported backgrounds on a green screen. No doubt they would try to impress me with some weighty discussion about world affairs or the midterm elections. But when I walked into Colbert's office at The Colbert Report, just off Tenth Avenue in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen, the two barely acknowledged me.

We'll let you savor that one. MoDo's a big fan of the shows ("I read about ten newspapers a day and three newsmagazines a week, and I have my TV tuned to cable news all day, and I still find myself taking notes from The Daily Show."), which is nice, considering she's appeared as a guest on both of them.

America's Anchors [RS]

Remainders: Maggie and Peter Steal Your Dream House

Jessica — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 19:20:04 EDT

• Maggie Gyllenhaaaaaal and Peter Sarsgaaaaard buy a $1.75 million townhouse in Park Slope, crushing the dreams of one silly civilian who'd been dying for a shot at the property. Alas, famous people always win. [NYO]
• Blogging for Rolling Stone requires biting one's tongue, even if it's on the matter of Fergie's prune face. [Idolator]
• A new Page Six writer learns that freebies really don't fly, especially when you gloat about your trappings in a mass email sent to half the city. [Radar]
• Our socialist brother taunts Edelman PR. [Consumerist]
• If you're excited about the Spy book, you'll likely enjoy Radar's homage to how it came to be. One thought: poor Kurt Andersen. [Radar]

'Rolling Stone' Reality Show Quietly Comes to a Close

Jessica — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 09:45:16 EDT

And so, after a summer filled with many a memory and valuable life lessons, the filming of the MTV/Rolling Stone reality show has officially ended. Thanks to the nasty release form that all Wenner Media employees had to sign, gossip coming out of the office has been frighteningly sparse. What we've heard: the intern/contestants aren't particularly talented, but there is a hot blonde chick — you know, MTV's usual "excuse" for programming.

As much as we'd like to feign interest in who won this exercise in faux-journalistic stupidity, a mole tells us that the real buzz around Wenner is whether or not the show will air:

Then again, most of us could really give a rat's ass about the outcome of this contest. The general consensus seems to be that the contestants were a bunch of idiots who didn't know what to do when the cameras weren't rolling, and the MTV producers were intolerable pricks. Many of us don't think that the show will actually ever be aired, as we can't imagine how the footage could ever be edited down to the point of being even vaguely interesting. The rest of us are terrified that it'll take off & be successful, and the next logical step will be a contest for a group of idiots who want to be interns for US Weekly.

God forbid — unless it were hosted by Xzibit. Jann's been dying to get something pimped.

Earlier: Gawker's Coverage of the Rolling Stone Reality Show

If You See Theo Around the Office, Say a Friendly Hello

Jessica — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 17:10:54 EDT

Hello there, laddy! The strapping young buck at right is Theo Wenner, son of Jann and Jane Wenner and Rolling Stone photo intern extraordinaire. It's hard to know much more about Theo as his Facebook profile can only be viewed by his 131 friends (popular!), but some commenters have noted that he's the co-creator of SelfPortrait.net, loves the Ramones and identifies himself with Bard '05 when he's actually in the class of '09 (so punk, dude). He loves Fellini and included amongst his heroes is Abe Lincoln — you know, reminds him of Dad.

Theo Wenner [SelfPortrait, top listing]
Earlier: Children of the Ruling Class: Theo Wenner Assumes the Position

Children of the Ruling Class: Theo Wenner Assumes the Position

Jessica — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 14:10:32 EDT

The only surprise about Jann Wenner's 19-year-old son Theo spending the summer as a Rolling Stone photo intern is the news that Jann has a son named Theo. Presumably short for Theodore, but still — Theo? Was "Cliff" not available?

As we were saying, the Bard sophomore has been bouncing about the RS offices, cropping pictures of Chingy. The next issue of the mag features two of Theo's photos for short articles about Cassie and Ben Kweller; wonder if he's pissed that his big break was in such a lame magazine. Maybe Blender will take you next year, big guy.

Moving forward: let's see the MySpace and Facebook pictures. We trust you all to realize our dream.

An Intern With a Shot at the Top [Lowdown (2nd item)]

Naming Names: The MTV-Approved 'Rolling Stone' Interns

Jessica — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 17:44:18 EDT

The interns for the Rolling Stone/MTV reality show (can we please get a name for that thing already?) are doing more than just sweating it out at Coney Island and mugging for the camera — they're learning about "reporting" as well. Some might even call it real writing! On RS' website, the Live Shows index features tons of blurby reviews, many of which are written by MTV's would-be journos. A review of Denmark's Roskilde Festival (can't wait for that wild-n-crazy episode) is written by Krishtine de Leon, Pete Maiden, Tika Milan, Russell Morse, Krystal Simpson and Colin Stutz — we already know Russell Morse is on the show, and Krystal Simpson is probably the real name of faux-Sienna Krys Jagger (there, there, it's okay: we're just as upset as you to learn that she's not actually rock royalty). Krishtine and Pete are rumored to be cast members, and a quick Google confirms that Tika is also part of the show. If Colin Stutz is also one of Jann's precious coterie, then that would account for all 6 interns.

Now go enjoy the work of these skilled, young writers:

Forget Coachella and Bonnaroo: For real festival madness, try traveling all the way to Denmark for mainland Europe's biggest rock fest, the four-day-long Roskilde — where you can swim nude, fish (and have your catch cooked by pro chefs), play basketball, guzzle Tuborg and, oh yeah, rock out to 180 or so acts from Bob Dylan to Kanye West.

What? You were expecting Lester Bangs?

Live Review: Denmark's Roskilde Festival [RS]

'Rolling Stone' Reality Show Forces Contestants to Go to Coney Island

Jessica — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 09:26:34 EDT

The Village Voice held its annual Siren Fest in the midst of Saturday's ghastly heat, sending hipsters and freeloaders alike to Coney Island for five-plus hours of melanoma-stoking sunshine. As Siren is a major music event 'round these parts, Rolling Stone and MTV would certainly be remiss if they didn't send their latest batch of ratings slaves to the show; above, contestants from the RS/MTV reality show learn about the tough world of music journalism and boom mics. Not quite sure who's who except for the token hottie-with-a-Sienna-complex Krys Jagger — though names don't really matter. They're all the same menial flashes in Jann Wenner's pan, dutifully serving themselves up for oblivion. (But seriously, do you think the blonde one hooked up with the lead singer of the Stills?)

A few more dazzling pictures after the jump.

[via aekituesday's Flickr]
Earlier: Gawker's Coverage of the Rolling Stone Reality Show

Inconsequential Dispatches From the 'Rolling Stone' Reality Show

Jessica — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:46:14 EDT

Thanks to those pesky non-disclosure agreements, not a lot of information is coming out of the Wenner Media offices, where MTV is currently filming the Rolling Stone reality show. But there are some details dribbling from Jann's tightly clenched fist: there are only six contestants, and three of them are absolutely hopeless, clearly cast as the proverbial "stupids" necessary for any successful reality competition. There's also one clear front-runner, a fellow talented enough that he has no business on a show designed for special-needs journos.

Also amusing: when MTV and Rolling Stone were first developing the show, MTV's original pitch went something like this: "They'll all go out and try to land an interview with someone from the Warped Tour! And whoever gets the best interview or sleeps with the band gets their band on the cover! But then it's an ethical dilemma, because they slept with the band!" Oh, who cares about ethics? Everyone just wants to see AFI molest a pretty intern in the Vans tent.

Earlier: Gawker's Coverage of the 'Rolling Stone' Reality Show

There's Only One Magazine at Wenner

Jessica — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 09:30:47 EDT

We mentioned last week that in honor of the MTV camera crews, the front desk at Wenner Media had been emblazoned with a Rolling Stone logo, despite the fact that Us Weekly and Men's Journal both work in that very space. Now, some visual proof and a reminder to the editors of those other, lesser magazines: you really need to put down those drafts and get to work. The Rolling Stone assistants need their coffee.

Earlier: Gawker's Coverage of the 'Rolling Stone' Reality Show

Tips and Tricks for Your 'Rolling Stone' Internship

Jessica — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 09:22:24 EDT

A handful of desperately nervous geniuses are getting little sleep these days; they're the "chosen ones," the not-necessarily-bright young things selected to compete on a MTV reality show for a Rolling Stone internship. It's practically identical to MTV's earlier magazine internship reality competition, Miss Seventeen, only with a barely perceptible recast of the lead editorial megalomaniac. Thus it'd be wise for the geniuses on the latest show to take a lesson from Miss Seventeen contestant Brianne Burrowes, who quit the show after three episodes, blubbering that she didn't want "to be affiliated with a house of liars." Harsh, but that blow was considerably softened by Burrowes' other quotables: "Atoosa is, like, who I want to be"; another contestant noted that for Burrowes, meeting Rubenstein was "like meeting Jesus." Clearly, Rubenstein would be a selfless fool to let these comments go unheeded — even though Burrowes didn't win the MTV competition, she still scored a summer internship after taping was completed.

If the Rolling Stone contestants are as smart as they would like us to think they are, they'll concoct themselves a similar Plan B. Quit early and in a glorious huff if things aren't going your way, but secure yourself post-show employment by saying that "meeting Jann Wenner was like meeting Judy Garland." He'd be a fool to let you go.

Atoosa's Altar [WWD]

Gawker's Week in Review: A Moment of Silence for Erik Wemple

Jessica — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 17:33:10 EDT

• The Village Voice's new EIC Erik Wemple changes his mind, quitting the gig before he had technically started. Not surprisingly, the New Times has fucked things beyond repair.
• Britney Spears assures Matt Lauer and the world that she's just as pathetic as we all suspected, if not worse. (YouTube then slaps us and takes away our video.)
• Finally, Page Six finds someone to accept their job offer, it's just not who you'd expect: Post City desker Bill Hoffman.
• Hour Media buys Absolute; the mag's audience of rich people shrug, go about with their usual, rich-people lives.
• Rite-Aid removes Shock from its newsstands, arguing that the magazine clashed with the drugstore's Danielle Steel selection.
• MTV begins filming its reality show in the offices of Rolling Stone; Men's Journal and Us Weekly staffs are promptly forgotten.
• Rocco DiSpirito refuses to disappear.
• Now that Ellen Barkin has removed her balcony's privacy fence, neighbors are easily treated to a night of watching her kids drink bongwater.
• AMI plans to sell off five of its lackluster titles, if only so the company can afford Bonnie Fuller's driver.
• Beyonce graces the cover of Spin, and it's overwhelmingly clear why Andy Pemberton was sacked.
• Hell has a zipcode, and it's 02138.
• Nothing's the same, not even the simple things.

'Rolling Stone' Reality TV Twits Invade Today

Jessica — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 11:05:37 EDT

The interns are coming, the interns are coming! The poor bastards selected by MTV to compete for a Rolling Stone internship arrive at Wenner Media today, bringing with them some camera-ready, wide-eyed naivete and obnoxious behavior. Please, please someone tell us what they're wearing. And what they say. And what they do. And whether or not they make a mess on their desks.

In honor of the occasion, Wenner has installed a giant Rolling Stone sign on the front desk, even though Us Weekly and Men's Journal are on the same floor — just to make sure everyone has their priorities straight for the summer. Us and MJ staffers, your cubicles have been moved to the supply closet. Please get the fuck out of Jann's way.

Earlier: Are These Individuals MTV/'Rolling Stone' Reality Show Victims?

Are These Individuals MTV/'Rolling Stone' Reality Show Victims?

Jessica — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:59:25 EDT

Thanks to all sorts of non-disclosure agreements, we can't confirm much of anything, but the two youngsters pictured above may be 2 of the aspiring journalists starring in Rolling Stone's reality show for MTV. The young lady is Krys Jagger, a young 20-something from Monterey, California who's written for various papers in the area and, best as we can tell, aspires to dress like Sienna Miller. The fellow is 25-year-old Russell Morse from San Francisco, who describes himself as a "dirtbag journalist" and enjoys posting pictures from Columbine on his MySpace page. If they are, in fact, on the show (and, as always, we could be painfully wrong), they should be arriving at the Wenner offices later this week. Try and make them feel welcome — they've got a rough gig ahead of them as Jann's vanity slaves.

Other gossip related to the show: there might only be a handful of contestants, perhaps less than 12, and they won't be living together in an overly hip ikea-sponsored loft, a la Real World. Instead, they'll be living in apartments, more or less separately, just like real impoverished journalists. Except their studios probably won't be sprinkled with mouse shit.

Krys Jagger [MySpace]
Roscoe P. [MySpace]
Related: One girl's tale of being rejected by casting after the semi-finals.

Breaking: 'Rolling Stone' Staffers Asked to Avoid Eye Contact

Jessica — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 08:52:16 EDT

Best summer ever? Certainly around the Wenner Media offices, where MTV will be shooting Jann's Adventures in Reality Television, in which Rolling Stone will be presented as a quasi-relevent and hip publication. The cameras may be following around a handful of foolish young'uns competing for the world's most depressing internship, but there's a rising star out there for everyone to catch. Put on your sluttiest outfits, staffers, 'cause filming starts Monday!

MEMORANDUM

To: All Staff
From: Gary Armstrong
Date: June 6, 2006
Re: Rolling Stone & MTV Show
_____________________________________________
The Rolling Stone Show on MTV is underway...

The filming will officially begin on June 12th with a scheduled completion date in middle August. All employees will be asked to sign a general release for the show, this does not necessarily mean you will be on television, (note: for every 100 hours filmed only one hour will be broadcast). You will receive the release and a memo from our General Counsel, Dana Rosen shortly, explaining in more detail.

As the cameras will soon become a part of our daily routine, please conduct yourselves with a high degree of professionalism as you are representing Wenner Media.

MTV has requested that should you find yourselves in the middle of a shooting area

o Act as naturally as possible

o Avoid making eye contact with the camera

o Do not purposely get involved with the shooting

Under the experienced direction of MTV's crew, this project should prove to be both smooth and enjoyable for all.

Thanks in advanced for your cooperation.

If you have any question regarding the show please don't hesitate to call me.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Gary Armstrong
Chief Marketing Officer Wenner Media
Rolling Stone - Us Weekly - Men's Journal

Media Bubble: Alas Poor Greenies

Jesse — Wed, 31 May 2006 14:20:26 EDT

• Anna Wintour and Patrick McCarthy don't like each other. Also, Rick Stengel doesn't plan big changes at Time and "greenies" die at post-Siegal Times. [NYO]
• Star gets sex wrong on Brangelina and Gwen Stefani babies, plans no corrections, because, as we read it, at least they got other stuff right. [WWD (second item)]
• Storm Field has only the nation's second-best weatherman name, and Sam Champion merely comes in fifth. [TMN]
• Katie Couric will have to spend $30K on new clothes for her CBS gig, experts say. Proportionally, that's like someone making $100K spending $200 on work clothes. [NYSun]
• Not at all uncharacteristically, a top exec is axed from NYDN. [NYP]
• Chicks dig TV news. [NYO]
• Former Rolling Stone publisher goes to Maxim, replacing dude who took his job at RS. [Ad Age]

Media Bubble: There Is Nothing Paul Newman Can't Do

Jesse — Fri, 12 May 2006 17:51:35 EDT

• Why did Budget Living fold? The word "budget" in its name. On, and also too many subscribers, apparently. [Folio:]
• Victor Navasky's secret to indie-mag success: Get Paul Newman to give you money. [FBNY]
• Jon Friedman likes Fortune. That's nice. [MW]
• Hungry in the new Hearst Building? The cafeteria officially opens Monday, but there was a "trial run" today. When does Bruni arrive? [Jossip]
• Us Weekly covers the Rolling Stone 1,000th-issue party, shockingly. [WWD (second item)]