Jared Paul Stern Poorest He's Ever Been After Six-Figure Book Advance
As predicted yesterday, today sees the official announcement of Simon & Schuster's purchase of former Page Sixer Jared Paul Stern's proposal for his gossip tell-all (or tell-most), Stern Measures. The book's actually a personal acquisition of Mark Gompertz, publisher of Simon & Schuster imprint Touchstone Fireside. The Observer plumbs the depths of reaction near and slightly farther than near. "He wore a perfect hat, as I thought he might," reminisces Gompertz about his first meeting with Stern. Even though the deal was reputedly quite comfortable, Stern is still poormouthing his post-Payola Six lifestyle, mentioning that his wife, Ruth "Snoodles" Gutman, has had to take a job. "She is working at a local company that makes, like, gourmet foods," says Stern. Fellow disgraced Page Six gossip and author Ian Spiegelman put it less delicately: "Ruth is working at a fucking factory." The Observer piece also has a few updates on Stern's lawsuit versus nemesis Ron Burkle, and perhaps versus other as-yet unnamed parties as well. Official book deal press release after the jump, for those inclined to read such.
Jared Paul Stern to Pen Book
On World of Gossip
For Touchstone Fireside
(New York, New York October 18, 2006) Jared Paul Stern, an 11 year veteran of the New York Post's Page Six, the world's most powerful gossip column, has signed with the Touchstone imprint of Simon and Schuster to write the ultimate, definitive, non-holds-barred-book on the business that is gossip. Mark Gompertz, Executive Vice President and Publisher of Touchstone Fireside acquired North American rights from agent John Brockman of Brockman Inc. Tentatively titled STERN MEASURES, the book is scheduled for publication in fall 2007.
Stern will deliver the scoop on the glamorous heights and seamy underbelly of the gossip industry and the New York tabloid wars; the behind-the-scenes machinations of moguls, celebrities, politicians; publicists and secret sources; the inside dish on the sometimes dirty business of churning out columns, glossy magazines, websites and tabloid TV shows 365 days a year.
"For over a decade, Jared Paul Stern played a major part at the world's most powerful gossip column," commented Gompertz. "As one of its main practitioners he is perfectly suited to give us an entertaining behind-the-scenes expose on that world while getting at the heart of the culture of celebrity."
"Gossip is a major money-making industry," said Stern, "and its secrets are more closely guarded than the CIA's. Until now.... I love this dirty town - but it's full of men with big mouths and no guts. It's time someone started telling the truth around here."
Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonsays.com.
