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July142008

Happy 10th Anniversary, David Remnick!

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I'll expand this post a bit later this week, but for now, I'll just wish David Remnick a very happy 10th anniversary at The New Yorker. Here's another of his many appreciators (who just turned 21! the twentysomethings are reading--see below), with a similar cheer and a link to a Financial Times profile about Remnick's first decade at the magazine. From the FT piece:
Remnick has much to celebrate after 10 years: circulation of The New Yorker has risen by 32 per cent, to more than 1m copies a week; re-subscription rates, at 85 per cent, are the highest in the industry; and despite the conventional wisdom that young readers don't have the attention span to do more than blog, text and twitter, the magazine has seen its 18-to-24 readership grow by 24 per cent and its 25-to-34 readership rise 52 per cent. Twenty-four of its 47 National Magazine Awards were awarded under Remnick's tenure. Perhaps most reassuring of all, The New Yorker's balance sheet has moved from red to black - although its private ownership precludes him from revealing how much profit it makes.
Let's hope he's celebrating today and not just fielding calls about the cover; that's what the animatronic Eustace Tilley is for. (continued)

7 comments
May212008

Nicely Put: On Paul Muldoon

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The New Yorker, which I've now read for nearly 40 years, is surely publishing better poems now that Paul Muldoon has taken over for Alice Quinn. His selections are interesting, witty, striking, running the gamut from free verse to traditional poems. Quinn's poems were often self-indulgent, sentimental, mannered, boring.

This is just another sign of the magazine's revival under David Remnick, who has returned it to the best days of Shawn and Ross, and perhaps surpassed them. Too bad this excellent, wide-ranging cultural treasure keeps improving in a climate of anti-intellectualism and short attention spans. I often hear quite well-read folks say they no longer read the New Yorker, or just glance at the cartoons. Too bad, you fools.
That's from Chasing the Blues, and that's a fine site, by the way. I'm so happy I happened on it. I would argue there are many exceptions to the note about Quinn's taste, but I'm not here to argue; I'm here to be glad we're not said fools, often the very people who don't read poetry because—we know the real reason, right? It's too much work to worry about whether you'll understand it. Be brave, prosey people! (continued)

3 comments
May122008

Remnick's Jazz List: Let the Omission-Counterlisting Begin!

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Martin Schneider writes:

In theory, I oppose lists of cultural distinction; in practice, I devour them greedily.

In conjunction with his Profile of legendary WKCR DJ Phil Schaap, David Remnick (with the help of Richard Brody) has compiled a fine, judicious, respectful, I daresay typically Remnickian list of the 100 most essential jazz recordings (continued)

7 comments
May072008

Designing Woman Tina Brown

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From today's New York Post (via MediaBistro): "Tina Brown has turned to legendary avant-garde design firm Number 17 to handle her new yet-to-be-named Web venture, a news-aggregation service that is being backed by her longtime friend, media mogul Barry Diller." I can attest both to No. 17's design acumen and their laudable foosball hosting and playing skills.

Elsewhere in design, journalism and political science double major (and keyboard player) Teddy Applebaum, given the challenge of a mock blow-in card, struggled among various versions of Rea Irvin's New Yorker typeface and their cost ("oodles of cash"), and had to settle for a poor imitation. Occasional spelling oversights aside, I think the kid's got something, don't you?

Speaking of blow-in cards, there was an eloquent defense of them in Wired some months ago that I keep thinking about, and not just because of the witty execution. It seems the cards really bring in the dough, and in these uncertain times, that's something we've got to support (as this Jack Ziegler cartoon suggests), right? Or at least not judge too harshly, especially when in the forest, which could probably use more edifying reading material, anyway. (continued)

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April112008

Maybe We'll Witness Tony and Tina's Wedding After All

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Martin Schneider writes:

So they want to turn Tina Brown's biography of Princess Diana into a musical. Over at Gawker, readers are busy casting the musical—mostly with people who never stray from film or TV. (I love that "NOOOO!" department.) It would be the first time a New Yorker editor has inspired a musical since Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary flop Ross!

I think the only rational response is to think up silly song titles. I came up with a few to get us started:

"Royal Love Train"
"Balmoral Hazard"
"Shy Di"
"Squidgygate"
"Raine, Raine, Go Away"
"The War of the Waleses" (medley)
"The 42 Longs"
"I'm Just Looking For a Guy with a Gulfstream"
"Hasnat Khan a Lovely Smile?"
"The Royal Oui"
"Mama and Paparazzi"
"That's an Awful Lot of Flowers"
"The People's Princess"

Got any to add to the list? (And just kidding about Ross!) (continued)

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January162008

Doesn't This Law & Order Guy Look a Little Like David Remnick?

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January142008

If The New Yorker Isn't Published on Paper, Put Me on an Ice Floe

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January112008

How Much Do They Pay Her If Obama Wins?

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November212007

O Princeton, Do Say You Made a Recording of This Remnick Event

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November172007

Tina Brown on The New Yorker: "I Would Probably Redesign It Again"

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2008 Webby Awards Official Honoree
Happy Fourth Anniversary to Us!
2009 New Yorker Desk Diaries
Pretty!