Gawker
celebrity-industrial complex
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journalismism
Coked-Out Mumbai Terrorist Story Too Good To Ignore
Nearly 200 people died in the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, but amid economic chaos and a presidential transition, the story is bound to soon fall off the front pages of American newspapers. How to keep readers interested? By helping them somehow relate to a despicable band of terrorists born in a foreign land and fervently devoted to an unfamiliar religion. Preferably in a way that simultaneously makes the perpetrators seem even more crazed an awful. Enter wild allegations of cocaine and LSD use, via the British press!
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layoffs
Time Europe Layoffs: The Backlash Builds
More on yesterday's gutting of Time's European bureau: threats are involved! We hear that Time Inc. stuffed suits told the Time London office "that if news and details of the layoffs were leaked, they might have their severance reduced." Whoever made that threat is an asshole, and one whose threat failed to accomplish its purpose. So there. We also hear the company is "axing the London art, imaging, and copy-editing departments," and firing two staffers in the photo department. And all of this is causing staffers to be pissed—predictably—at Time editor Richard Stengel [UPDATE: and more clarity on the layoffs below]: More » -
Barack Obama
Tina Fey Over That One
"She's certainly the comedy writer's 'Person of the Year.'" [Page Six] -
dead trees
Obama Saves Newsweeklies, Too!
"By late yesterday, Time, which published more than 100,000 extra copies, had already gone back to press, while Newsweek, which also added 100,000 to its print run, was very close to doing the same." [Post] -
time
'Time' Pretending Obama Won't Be Person of the Year
Assuming Barack Obama pulls this thing off next week, we imagine we're due for a deluge of media gushing over our First Black President. No, seriously, it'll make the last two years look like a dress rehearsal. And it will all lead to a glorious crescendo of treacly nonsense by January, when Obama, secret socialist muslim god willing, is sworn in. So. That really makes it all the more ridiculous that Time editor Richard Stengel has taken to the YouTubes to ask "you" who should be named the Time Person of the Year. Every sitting President has received the dubious honor, with Bush II, Reagan, Carter, Clinton, and others all getting it the years of their elections. And they were all old white guys. So go ahead and email "NOBAMA" to Stengel and see how far it gets you if Barack wins Colorado and Nevada next week. A scant two years after naming YOU Person of the Year, Time is now just jerking YOUR chain. -
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reviews you can't use
Harvard Guy Gives Orgasmic Review to Other Harvard Guy
Since we're such big fans of Time book critic Lev Grossman, this week's review of John Updike's latest book troubles us that much more. Updike apparently has images of Grossman tearing through The Da Vinci Code somewhere, because we can't think of any other reason to toss Philip Roth aside so quickly and embrace John Updike so completely as he does in his review of their latest efforts. The adulation becomes unbearable starting now. More » -
working 'with' the press
Joe Klein Banned From McCain Plane
John McCain's presidential campaign won't let Time columnist Joe Klein aboard its campaign plane because, according to an official statement, " we don't allow Daily Kos diarists on board either." Translation: More » -
this thing looks like that thing
The Backhanded Art of the Unflattering Cover
Hey, Julia Allison's on the cover of once-important lifestyle rag Wired! Ms. Allison, who's moved beyond the "dating columnist/celeb talking head" thing to become a noted dater-of-rich-nerds, is the subject of yet another of those interminable stories about becoming Internet Famous in Three Easy Steps. We haven't read the piece, except that we already did in a different magazine like a month ago. More importantly: editors and contributors who perhaps have some doubt as to your value as a cover model may undermine the honor with unflattering photoshop work and coverlines. ("Even if you're nobody," eh?) Just ask right-wing comedienne Ann Coulter. And consider yourself warned. -
4chan
O Hai I Can Haz Memes? Click For AWESOME Video!!!11!!
The Wall Street Journal would like to inform you about 4chan.org, a "website" that starts "memes" such as "LOLCats," which is "humorous images of cats with loud text beneath them in a fake language," and the "Rick Roll," an "online bait-and-switch" that sends you to "the music video of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up," a hit song from 1988." The Wall Street Journal, by the way, is a "newspaper." And formerly anonymous 4chan founder Christopher Poole was on a self-revealing spree, because the same day, Time magazine ran a 4chan story as well. It's a LOL-MSM-MEME unto itself! More »
