Publishing: October 2009 Archives

Sad news today for foodies who have way too much time on their hands.  Gourmet Magazine, the magazine that showed all of us hack-chef-wannabees that we had no chance of ever being any good, is going out of business.  [I mean, seriously, look at that picture - who can possibly make that?  It's hard enough just ordering pizza.]

The print business is living a nightmare.  Conde Nast also announced they are axing three other titles (Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride).  The publishing business model, as it stands today, is truly fucked up but Gourmet has a different problem.  It is a victim of its own name. 

Gourmet is a top-notch magazine to be sure and its Editor-In-Chief Ruth Reichel is one of the classiest and most talented publishing executives in the business (and one hell of a good cook). 

The problem with Gourmet, in this economic climate, is its title.  The middle and lower income people that purchased a subscription for $1 an issue finally gave up on the dream of having 5-star restaurant food in their apartment.  It just wasn't practical in the overall scheme of things.  It's the equivalent of reading a copy of Yachting when you have no idea if you're going to have a job next year - much less... a yacht.  Scary stuff.

Bon Appetit and Food & Wine are scraping by (maybe) but only because their generic titles allow them to have cover stories like 10 (Great) Wines for Under $10 Bucks, and Feed Your Family For Less Than 5 Cents A Day.  The best Gourmet could do was Eat Like A King On A Prince's Salary (or something like that).

The good news is the website (which includes the fabulous Epicurious.com) and TV show will continue (I didn't know there was a TV show - but good luck with that).

I wish the Ruth Reichl and her entire staff the best of luck as they try to move forward.  It's a fucked up world and nothing is fair right now.

Once we start extending the OnMedea brand into the food & wine area, I'll be looking for a few good writers.  But you may need to learn how to make a grilled cheese first.

Jill Kennedy - OnMedea

The cover of Sarah Palin's latest work of fiction "Going Rogue: An American Life" was released today by publisher HarperCollins. 

Anyone waiting to see if Ms. Palin can write in complete sentences WON'T be able to find that out anytime soon because she didn't really write the book.  Most likely she talked into a speaker phone from her Chevy Suburban to Ghost Writer Lynn Vincent who turned Ms. Palin's incoherent thoughts into a simple, easy-to-understand prose that will further separate the growing division in America.

What do we know about Lynn Vincent?  Not much lately.  I have a feeling Ms. Vincent has been locked in Dick Cheney's bunker and will remain there until "Going Rogue: An American Life" is safely in the $1 bins at Costco (or when Ms. Palin becomes President - whichever comes first). 

What we DO know about Lynn Vincent (46) OFF-THE-RECORD is that she is a total Christian Right wacko with hardcore beliefs about abortion, gay marriage, Jews, Democrats, Muslims, etc.  In general, she's a woman with a deep hatred in her heart for all those who are not like her. 

ON THE RECORD, she's a fairly solid writer who (I'm sure) has gay and Muslim friends.  OK, maybe gay friends.  OK, in the closet gay friends.  OK, maybe not.

Over the next few weeks (until the book is released in November), there will be numerous attempts by the "Illegal-should-be-abolished" media on the left to dig up more about Ms. Vincent.  But I have a feeling she will be "unavailable for comment" (though Fox News may be able to land an "Exclusive".  Hannity will be "tough but fair" and manage to wring out what her favorite flavor of Jell-o is).

As tempting as it is to go after whatever low-hanging fruit there is on Ms. Vincent, I say the real focus should remain on Ms. Palin - who, frankly, must be stopped.

Somewhere buried in the digital universe there is further proof that she is completely out of her mind and... dangerous.  For the good of the world, it is our duty to dig it up before she writes again.

Jill Kennedy - OnMedea

P.S. - Sarah, you should have gone more "Coulter" with your cover.  The men want to see you in a black mini-dress (especially Sean Hannity and his repressed sexual urges).