“IT'S CALLED GOSSIP AND OF COURSE IT'S AN OBSESSION OF MINE”

It may seem that Liz Smith being put out to pasture marks a generational shift, particularly after James Brady, the creator of Page Six, died in late January at age 80. But these are uncertain times for the entire trade. Circulation of In Touch Weekly and Star are spiralling downwards. Even the new scandal-mongering stars have been fading as online gossip has become a commodity business. After a brief moment in the sun, Perez Hilton seems to have burned out, thank God. Last week, having failed to find a buyer for Defamer.com, Gawker Media simply folded the Hollywood site into its main Gawker.com operations. One of Defamer's bloggers said there are just too many others trying to cover the same beat.

Globe & Mail
Feb 2 2009