Lynn Hirschberg to New York Magazine? We Can Only Hope ...

The inimitable Gawker turns our attention to an interesting post on the LA.com Blog. They write:

"Hollywood is openly wondering what Adam Moss, the former features czar for The New York Times who left to edit New York magazine, is going to do about entertainment coverage. Here's a scoop that hasn't been announced: Anne Thompson was let go as New York mag's Hollywood columnist back in January by Moss's predecessor, Caroline Miller. (Previous to her, the mag's columnist, who also held the title of West Coast editor, was LA Weekly's Nikki Finke). So the mag is presently without a Hollywood writer, leaving a clear path for Moss to name his own--if he even decides to keep the column. True, Moss has been seen lunching with The New York Times Magazine's contract writer Lynn Hirschberg at NYC's Michael's restaurant. But the two are close friends so it may have been purely social."

(ed note: 4/11: Anne Thompson is still on the masthead at New York. Apologies)

Yeah, it could be purely social, but, then again, let's get the ball rolling and drum up some wild speculation.

Catherine Seipp in Salon did an excellent job summing up the flak that led to Hirschberg's getting the bump from Vanity Fair back in the day(1998). Seipp wrote then:

"Briefly, here's the back story:

"1. Lynn Hirschberg, who wrote regularly for Vanity Fair under Tina Brown but never enjoyed the same closeness with the magazine under Graydon Carter, nevertheless was assigned to profile Seinfeld for the May issue."

(cue ominous music) Seipp continues:

"2. Although Hirschberg is famous for turning celebrity profiles into celebrity vivisections (as in the memorable 'The Fall of Jamie Tarses, As Scheduled' in the New York Times magazine a few months ago) her portrait of Seinfeld was basically a Valentine -- atypical for Hirschberg, but typical for a Vanity Fair cover. Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

Ummm, we won't get into my opinions about Vanity Fair covers, although you can read all about it here (3rd story).

"3. Vanity Fair now accuses Hirschberg of showing Seinfeld a copy of her manuscript before it was published -- which would be a major breach of journalistic ethics -- and has severed what was left of its relationship with her."

On April 2, 1998, NY Post reported: "But even hard-nosed Jonas couldn't shield Seinfeld from the tenacious Hirschberg, who, over the years, has eviscerated Courtney Love, ABC's Jamie Tarses and others.

"Love never forgave Hirschberg for writing that the rocker used heroin while pregnant with daughter Frances Bean.

"At a post-Oscar party in 1995, Courtney picked up Quentin Tarantino's Academy Award and vowed, 'If Lynn Hirschberg were here, I'd kill her with this Oscar.'"

Seipp continues in Salon:

"4. Hirschberg says she did not show Seinfeld her manuscript."

and:

"5. Jonas faxed Vanity Fair what the magazine took as evidence that she did. "

But, The NYPost reported at the time:

"Hollywood execs and journalists who've had to deal with the difficult Jonas - notorious for not returning phone calls - were doing cartwheels over the news that she'd gotten the ax.

"'I field calls from people all day long who just do nothing but complain about her,' one top-level television industry insider told (ed note: then-) The Post's Josef Adalian. 'People think she's an ineffective, destructive and mean-spirited excuse for a publicist.'

"Added another detractor at a major network: 'If you were to poll everyone here, they'd say she's a big bitch and a huge pain in the ass.'"

Finally:

"6. Hirschberg responded that this 'evidence' was merely papers she accidentally left in Seinfeld's car, not her story. "

"7. Jonas isn't Seinfeld's publicist anymore."

Since then, Hirschberg has labored in the New York Times wilderness, turning in interesting copy. Hard hitting copy that the media chattering classes mull over. Back in 1998, Catherine Seipp wrote, " ... a studio publicist said to me the other day, indulging in a little shudder just at the mention of Hirschberg's name. 'She's like Mike Wallace showing up at your door with a camera crew -- I mean, why even open it?'"

Why not open it, says The Corsair. What's wrong with a Mike Wallace of the Hollywood entertainment complex? Forgive and forget, I say. Wouldn't Lynn Hirschberg be a magnificent Hollywood columnist for New York?