FRENCH LETTER DAY: Jonathan Newhouse, chairman of Condé Nast International, is to receive an award of merit from the French government and will be pinned as an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters during a ceremony in Paris on Jan. 16. "I regard this really as recognition of the excellence of our magazines rather than a personal honor. It reflects the brilliance and talent of our editors," Newhouse told WWD. "I suppose if I have any gift, it's finding the best editorial talent to produce our magazines." Gilbert Brownstone, president of his namesake foundation and former curator of the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris, will bestow the honors and pin the medal on Newhouse, who has operated Condé Nast magazines outside the U.S. since 1989. Condé Nast France publishes Vogue Paris, Vogue Collections, Vogue Homme International, AD and Glamour. A French edition of GQ will be added in April. — Miles Socha
OLDIES BUT GOODIES: Don't get between foxnews.com's Roger Friedman and his music. The commentator on Monday called for a boycott of Rolling Stone magazine after the release of this year's nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, who include Madonna, the Beastie Boys, Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp. In "Rolling Stone Magazine Hits a Sour Note With Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees (like Madonna)," he writes, "OK, just so we're straight on why Rolling Stone must be boycotted. It wants the Beastie Boys before Randy Newman, The Hollies, Tom Jones or Mitch Ryder's 'Devil With a Blue Dress On.'
"Hit publisher [Jann] Wenner, who controls the Rock Hall, where it hurts," reported Friedman. He also asked readers to refrain from clicking on the ads on Rolling Stone's Web site. "Then maybe Wenner will get the message that no one can take his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seriously anymore."
Of Friedman's piece, a Wenner Media spokesman said: "Roger's accusations are moronic nonsense." Meanwhile, Joel Peresman, president and chief executive officer of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, joked one of the reasons Friedman is bitter is because his "demands for free tickets to events" are not met. "Jann isn't even on the nominating committee," Peresman added. "People are always going to be upset. They are very passionate about the artists and get angry if certain people aren't inducted." Right you are. So can we talk about Tiny Tim? — Amy Wicks
NET MOVES: Condé Nast suffered a defection at its MagNet division, which houses the individual Web sites for its various magazines. Julie Hansen, who for the past year was the executive director of MagNet, resigned Monday to join the ncaa.com. Hanson became the head of the division after serving as director of business development at Golf Digest Publications. At MagNet, Hansen reported to John Bellando, Condé Nast's chief operating officer. Most Condé Nast magazine sites are getting upgrades to include video, blogs and other interactive features, and are under the oversight of each magazine's editor in chief. Hansen was the liaison between Bellando and editors such as Graydon Carter, Anna Wintour and David Remnick and helped facilitate resources for the sites. The task was not easy, suggested one insider, who commented Hansen had to deal with "20 huge egos that want to remain in control of their Web sites" while at the same time fielding complaints they weren't getting the millions they demanded. A replacement for Hansen has not been revealed. — Stephanie D. Smith
I DO: The real star of TLC's new series "Say Yes to the Dress" may be Kleinfeld's 35,000-square-foot New York flagship at 110 West 20th Street. The 13-part series, which premieres on Oct. 12, documents the trials and triumphs involved in choosing a wedding gown. "Say Yes," which is described as part bridal story, part fashion transformation and part family therapy, "is wrought with intense drama," TLC boasts. Each episode introduces three brides who traveled to Kleinfeld from across North America, some arriving with an entourage of parents, friends and extended family. While not exactly bridezillas — the badly behaved brides on the WE show of the same name — the betrothed on "Say Yes," have their tearful moments but generally handle pressure with a bit more dignity. Of course, they have the Kleinfeld team to guide them, an army of 250 bridal consultants, fitters, seamstresses, beading specialists and steam pressers. Kleinfeld, which was founded in Brooklyn in 1941, is owned by Ronnie Rothstein, Mara Urshel and Wayne Rogers, and claims to have the largest selections of bridal gowns in the world. But what about the bridesmaids' dresses? — Sharon Edelson
OLDIES BUT GOODIES: Don't get between foxnews.com's Roger Friedman and his music. The commentator on Monday called for a boycott of Rolling Stone magazine after the release of this year's nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, who include Madonna, the Beastie Boys, Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp. In "Rolling Stone Magazine Hits a Sour Note With Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees (like Madonna)," he writes, "OK, just so we're straight on why Rolling Stone must be boycotted. It wants the Beastie Boys before Randy Newman, The Hollies, Tom Jones or Mitch Ryder's 'Devil With a Blue Dress On.'
"Hit publisher [Jann] Wenner, who controls the Rock Hall, where it hurts," reported Friedman. He also asked readers to refrain from clicking on the ads on Rolling Stone's Web site. "Then maybe Wenner will get the message that no one can take his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seriously anymore."
Of Friedman's piece, a Wenner Media spokesman said: "Roger's accusations are moronic nonsense." Meanwhile, Joel Peresman, president and chief executive officer of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, joked one of the reasons Friedman is bitter is because his "demands for free tickets to events" are not met. "Jann isn't even on the nominating committee," Peresman added. "People are always going to be upset. They are very passionate about the artists and get angry if certain people aren't inducted." Right you are. So can we talk about Tiny Tim? — Amy Wicks
NET MOVES: Condé Nast suffered a defection at its MagNet division, which houses the individual Web sites for its various magazines. Julie Hansen, who for the past year was the executive director of MagNet, resigned Monday to join the ncaa.com. Hanson became the head of the division after serving as director of business development at Golf Digest Publications. At MagNet, Hansen reported to John Bellando, Condé Nast's chief operating officer. Most Condé Nast magazine sites are getting upgrades to include video, blogs and other interactive features, and are under the oversight of each magazine's editor in chief. Hansen was the liaison between Bellando and editors such as Graydon Carter, Anna Wintour and David Remnick and helped facilitate resources for the sites. The task was not easy, suggested one insider, who commented Hansen had to deal with "20 huge egos that want to remain in control of their Web sites" while at the same time fielding complaints they weren't getting the millions they demanded. A replacement for Hansen has not been revealed. — Stephanie D. Smith
I DO: The real star of TLC's new series "Say Yes to the Dress" may be Kleinfeld's 35,000-square-foot New York flagship at 110 West 20th Street. The 13-part series, which premieres on Oct. 12, documents the trials and triumphs involved in choosing a wedding gown. "Say Yes," which is described as part bridal story, part fashion transformation and part family therapy, "is wrought with intense drama," TLC boasts. Each episode introduces three brides who traveled to Kleinfeld from across North America, some arriving with an entourage of parents, friends and extended family. While not exactly bridezillas — the badly behaved brides on the WE show of the same name — the betrothed on "Say Yes," have their tearful moments but generally handle pressure with a bit more dignity. Of course, they have the Kleinfeld team to guide them, an army of 250 bridal consultants, fitters, seamstresses, beading specialists and steam pressers. Kleinfeld, which was founded in Brooklyn in 1941, is owned by Ronnie Rothstein, Mara Urshel and Wayne Rogers, and claims to have the largest selections of bridal gowns in the world. But what about the bridesmaids' dresses? — Sharon Edelson
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