Ben Widdicombe

New York Magazine's Daily Intel is reporting that Ben Widdicombe, former New York Daily News "Gatecrasher" columnist, has moved to Star Magazine, filling the post formerly held by Julia Allison.

Editor-in-chief Candace Trunzo reportedly sent out a welcome e-mail today to Star staffers informing them of Mr. Widdcombe's arrival. If Ms. Allison's role at the tabloid is of any indication, Mr. Widdcombe will likely make TV appearances on behalf of the magazine to comment of celebrity culture. According to Daily Intel, he will also contribute some reporting to the weekly's celebrity coverage.

Last time we heard from Mr. Widdicombe, he was in Istanbul for a post-gossip vacation, attending the opening for the city's outpost of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Spice Market and running into Mandy Moore. Good to know he's rested enough from the vacay to return to professional gossip.

Door, Shut?    read more »

Door, Shut?    read more »

Door, Shut?    read more »

Correction to items written today by Dylan Stableford on Mediabistro's 'Fishbowlny', an oddly named New York media blog.

1. Is Page A2 of the New York Times really that funny?, Dylan asked of the Times' advertisement of a chuckling fellow holding open the paper. Caption: "Darfur? BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Actually, A2 carries the News Summary, corrections, editors notes, and "for the records," not news about international genocide.

2. Dylan takes note of a publicity email he received from the New York Daily News about the escalation of Ben Widdicombe's gossip column to 5 days a week. "We like to think of Widdicome as the Owen Wilson to our Luke, at least on the media party circuit. This well-meaning Daily News flack apparently agrees," he writes, and then reprints an email from said flack, in which Dylan is asked to consider "booking" Ben Widdicombe on his "show."

Actually, Ben Widdicombe is the Owen Wilson to Dylan's Carnie Wilson.

Fishbowlny regrets the errors.

The Transom is warily excited about the launch of Queerty. The web site will reportedly be lifestyley and gossipy and fruity all over, which is definitely a combination with which The Transom can get down.

Published by David Hauslaib of Jossip and written by Bradford Shellhammer, a fairly recent arrival to New York, the site certainly comes with cred—Mr. Shellhammer has been blogging since back in the day. ("Back in the day" is official blog slang. It means "any time prior to 9/11.")  read more »

And The Transom knows that the site's publisher, Mr. Hauslaib, though only just now entering his first autumn that isn't also called a "semester," is wily and deadly serious and feels himself ready for bigger leagues. Apart from his other achievements, The Transom understands that the youngster is dating a smart older fella, one of Manhattan's big-league tabloid gossips, Mr. Ben Widdicombe. (An inquiry to the gossip columnist was met with a reply that did not answer the question, and Mr. Hauslaib has not yet responded to an inquiry.)

We'd pull out that old chestnut about "only fucking your way to the middle" but there's no need to disparage these adorable romance rumors. In fact, shouldn't we all be so lucky to find love, or at least like, in these perilous, dreadful times? —Choire Sicha