As always, quite amusingly written. You’re a true rainmaker with the prose—not that we need any more of THAT wet stuff this rainy Monday morning in NYC!
Russell
]]>They had to find a reason to fire her, lest she find a reason to sue them. She was set up. Methinks that they are hoping that the Goldmans’ and courts will be satisfied by their sacrifice of her body and so won’t demand to know how this project was put together. If there hadn’t been an uproar, Rupert would have had no problems with Ms Regan.
I’m glad she’s gone. Her tabloid publishing style sickens me. What she does is not really publishing anyway. It’s putting out the trash.
]]>The contract with O. J. Simpson was signed by Judith Regan AND Jane Friedman, president and chief executive of HarperCollins… “Through a spokeswoman, Ms. Friedman declined to comment on the contract or the closing of Regan Books; she has been noticeably silent throughout the controversy. [Having accomplished her mission, no doubt!]
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Or maybe she did know and hastened the inevitable by refusing to change her behavior, a behavior that was tolerable as long as the bucks were rolling in, and then was deemed shocking and unacceptable when things turned south.
Assuming the stories about anti-semitism are true, her behavior is beneath contempt. But just for a second, let us try to imagine what it takes for a woman to reach the level in the (I’m only guessing since I’m not a publishing professional) dog-eat-dog, male-dominated world of big publishing. Intelligence and great vision are a given, as, do I believe balls to rival those of an elephant. Would she have achieved her lofty position had she been a deferential, feminine woman who feared offending others? And when things were going swimmingly for her imprint, did the big guns ever demand that she turn it down a notch? I have no idea what the answers to these questions might be.
Like the Mafia always says right before putting a bullet in the back of your head: “It’s nothing personal; just business.” I’m guessing a savvy publishing professional like Judith Regan understands that and will move on.
Regan, I predict, will land on her feet. Hopefully, when she does, she’ll have a filter installed between her brain and her mouth. She’s obviously talented at what she does, but she ain’t no Howard Stern.
]]>After I gave notice at my last job, in total good faith I reviewed every single one of the ten thousand emails in my Outlook and one thousand documents on my hard drive and filed, forwarded and deleted until there was no stone left unturned and no loose end to tie up — and not one message or document left. What do you think they did the minute I left? Restored them from backup to their original magnificence.
So, Lynne, I say to your readers: don’t bother wiping out your hard drive. It’ll look suspicious. Better off pilfering office supplies if that’s what floats your boat.
]]>Now excuse me–I have to get back to my riotous laughter (hey, retail in December, ya gotta take your yuks where you find ‘em).
Frazer
I’ve read a lot of Regan news but your post is the best! Made me laugh out loud–AND feel fortunate to be working on the creative side of the industry (i.e. from my writing desk at home) where the only people who could frog-march me anywhere are my husband and teen-age sons. (Probably I’m safe…but I s’pose one never knows!)
]]>Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: I don’t know about St. Martin’s Press. They are quite prestigious and might not like the association. (Actually, they are my old publisher.)
]]>The News Corporation owed Regan a better send-off along the lines of a Steinbrenner-Billy Martin-type news conference where minor injuries required immediate attention. Judith might have headlocked Rupert or at least knocked the podium over.
The consequences for readers seem serious. What of Jenna Jameson’s literary career? What will we read now?
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