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Well, we started our Women in Power series for Women's History Month with a legendary editor-in-chief and we're going to end the series with one, too. Today on the show I have Kate Betts, former editor-in-chief at Harper's Bazaar, a longtime colleague of Anna Wintour's at Vogue, and the author of one of my all-time favorite memoirs, My Paris Dream: An Education in Style, Slang, and Seduction in the Great City on the Seine. In addition to My Paris Dream, Kate also wrote the book Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style and reveals in our chat today that she's working on a third book, which I will devour when it comes out. I first interacted with Kate when I interviewed her for an oral history piece I did in Vanity Fair on Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's wedding dress back in 2021—I love that piece, and I'll link it below. Of course, I'd known of Kate and her work for 25 years prior to us speaking three years ago. After graduating from Princeton, one of Kate's first big roles was at Fairchild Publications' European office in Paris, a period of her career that she calls essential to her development as a fashion journalist. Kate was a features writer for the Paris bureau of Fairchild, overseeing fashion coverage for Women's Wear Daily, W, and M magazines. In this role, she also helped launch W Europe. After two years, she became the bureau chief, and in 1991, she left Paris and Fairchild for New York City and Conde Nast, where she took over as fashion news director at Vogue. She created Vogue's Index section, and in 1999 took over as editor-in-chief at Harper's Bazaar. In a testament to Kate's ferocity, three days after starting at Bazaar, she gave birth to her first child. Kate was a new mom, and the youngest editor ever at America's oldest fashion magazine. She hired two writers I adore, Bret Easton Ellis and Lynn Hirschberg, and after leaving Bazaar in 2001, Kate freelanced for The New York Times, specifically its Styles section. In 2004, she became the editor of Time's Style and Design section, and she remains a contributing editor there still today. In addition to freelancing and writing books (as if that's not enough!), she reports on fashion for CNN, and today we talk about her formative career experiences, her books, what she'd tell her younger self, and she leaves us with incredible book recommendations to add to our “To Be Read” pile. By Kate Betts: My Paris Dream: An Education in Style, Slang, and Seduction in the Great City on the Seine Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style “25 Years Later, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's Wedding Dress Still Stuns,” written by me for Vanity Fair and featuring Kate as a source + Kate's picks Devotion by Dani Shapiro A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Fierce Attachments by Vivian Gornick Ideas of Heaven: A Ring of Stories by Joan Silber The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Mary Karr collection + more picks from me! Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything by Geneen Roth Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Actress, Screenwriter, and now Director, Brit Marling, speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor-at-Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about a peculiar acting coach in Los Angeles, working on set, the radically feminine works of photographer Francesca Woodman, the cancellation of her first show, The OA, and a powerful lightning storm that left Marling feeling inspired. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wmagazine/message
Emmy nominated actress Margaret Qualley speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor-at-Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about her sister, New York City, a special beach house she shares with a loved one, the time she decided to quit her lifelong passion of dance, and finding the love of her life, Jack Antonoff. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wmagazine/message
Emmy nominated actress Keke Palmer speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor-at-Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about her Grandmother, Robbins Illinois, her collection of journals, the first talkshow she hosted, and the simple joy that her family gives her. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wmagazine/message
Grammy nominated country singer and songwriter, Kelsea Ballerini, speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor-at-Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about her mother, Central High School in Knoxville Tennessee, a mailbox, divorce, and becoming a disrupter. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wmagazine/message
It's possibly the most contentious profile of all time. M.I.A, writer extraordinaire Lynn Hirschberg and the truffle fries that spawned an all-out war. At the height of M.I.A's American takeover, the pop rebel is in her post-Diplo era and happier than ever...kind of. Come for the geopolitical fact-check, stay for a read so brutal M.I.A tweeted out the writer's personal number. Subscribe to our Patreon HEREFollow us on Instagram HEREFollow us on Tiktok HEREFollow Beatrice HEREFollow Ivana HERE
Grammy nominated singer, songwriter, producer, and, most importantly, pop-star Charli XCX speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about being a workaholic, traveling to Los Angeles as a teenager to make music, a wall in her house that features art by her friends, that time she fired her management team, and what it felt like to finally take a vacation where she felt relaxed. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Emmy nominated actress and producer Natasha Lyonne speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about Nora Ephron, Film Forum, obsessing over The New York Times crossword puzzle, listening to quantum physics audio books, the time Chloë Sevigny helped her get out of a bad relationship, and going to the beach with her dog Rootbeer. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Emmy nominated actor, Colman Domingo, speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about his longtime friend, Michelle Lloyd Maya, Vaya De Guadalupe, a song by The Spinners, negotiating a well overdue salary raise, and a bad bout with bronchitis. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Emmy nominated actress and producer, Kaley Cuoco, speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about John Ritter, her ranch in Hidden Valley, a special ring made of hair, her divorce, and her dog Norman. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Grammy award winning musician, Jack Antonoff, speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about his sister Rachel, Long Beach Island, the objects he keeps in his recording studio, the pandemic, and falling in love. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Oscar nominated director Maggie Gyllenhaal speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about her acting coach, why she decided to shoot her movie in Greece, how the film Silkwood (1983) influenced her, the time her children got whooping cough, and the day she married Peter Sarsgaard. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Oscar nominated director Denis Villeneuve speaks candidly with W Magazine's Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg, about working with his first mentor on a documentary, a secret island he likes to visit, his father's watch, the divorce from his first wife, and how the birth of his children allowed him to become the artist he is today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Oscar award winning actress, Penélope Cruz, speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about working with Pedro Almodóvar, the beach, pictures from a life-changing trip to Kolkata, learning to say no to projects that didn't feel right, and spending time with her Grandmother as a child. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Oscar award winning screenwriter and director, Pedro Almodóvar, speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about his photoshoot for W Magazine's 2022 Directors Issue, working with the ultimate muse, Penélope Cruz, his latest film, Parallel Mothers, and how he almost directed the 2005 classic, Brokeback Mountain. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
In a special bonus episode of 5 Things, Oscar award winning director Quentin Tarantino speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about the novelization of his 2019 film, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Grammy nominated singer songwriter Phoebe Bridgers speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about her mother's comedy career, crashing her car, the guitar she smashed on SNL, the tour she almost went on with Ryan Adams, and pure joy of making music with Boy Genius. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Emmy nominated actress and writer, Rashida Jones, speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large Lynn Hirschberg about her father, the beauty of Los Angeles, the paintings her grandmother made, how tinnitus has changed the way she sees the world, and her never ending love of dance. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Oscar award winning director Sofia Coppola speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large Lynn Hirschberg about her photography teacher Paul Jasmin, growing up in Napa, an inspiring telegram, her valiant attempt to direct The Little Mermaid, and marrying her husband Thomas Mars. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Oscar-nominated actor Riz Ahmed speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about his older brother, the city of London, the drum sticks he used while acting in The Sound of Metal, studying at Oxford, and finding out that The Sound of Metal received 6 Oscar nominations. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
In Part 2 of his podcast episode, Oscar-award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about addiction, the birth of his daughter, and giving up acting to become a writer. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
In Part 1 of his podcast episode, Oscar-award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about his father, New York City, Scarsdale, and a photograph that left a major impression on him. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Oscar-nominated director Emerald Fennell speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about her lifelong best friend, the house she grew up in Herefordshire England, shopping, a strange encounter with a "psychic," and marrying her husband. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about the process behind making his 2012 Paperboy, the magic of Jewel's Catch One in Los Angeles, and becoming the first same-sex couple alongside Billy Hopkins to adopt children in Pennsylvania. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Grammy and Oscar nominated star Andra Day speaks candidly with W Magazine's editor at large, Lynn Hirschberg, about wishing she had stage parents, losing her cherished cross necklace, auditioning for The United States Vs. Billie Holiday, and her beloved niece and nephew in the latest episode of W Magazine's podcast, 5 Things with Lynn Hirschberg. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
The relationship was the most talked about in Rock n Roll in the 1990’s. In September of 1992, Lynn Hirschberg wrote a piece for Vanity Fair where she set out to find out if this new pair were the grunge version Of John and Yoko or the next Sid and Nancy (eg. The next peace couple or the next horror show)? These two first met on Friday, January 12th, 1990 (some people say it was February 12th, so there is a bit of a discrepancy) at the Satyricon (a small and dimly light nightclub in Portland Oregon). Observers said that they were locking eyes that night and allegedly, within 30 minutes were literally tussling on the floor (not sure if that was like fighting but it feels more like this was a flirtation thing). He was there to play a set with his band and as he passed her table she told him that he looked like the lead singer of another local band “Soul Asylum” (which he didn’t look anything like). He then grabbed her and playfully threw her on the floor. The moment was over in a few seconds and he gave her a peace offering of a sticker of Chim Chim, the monkey from the cartoon “Speed Racer”. He had made this symbol his mascot…people my age will remember this cartoon…I remember watching it religiously along with “Kimba the White Lion”. All that aside, our couple this week is (and if you listening last time) none other than Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love.
This week, Marth & Kait discuss the true artistry of M.I.A., why Lynn Hirschberg needs to get a life, Imperialism, and what's wrong with everyone, especially the Brits!
Saoirse Ronan sits down with Lynn Hirschberg to discuss pivotal moments in her life, ranging from early memories to professional milestones. The actress talks about working with filmmaker Greta Gerwig (whom she first met via Skype) on 2019's Little Women. She also highlights her favorite place in the world (the “heaven” that is New Zealand), gets into her love of the movie Dirty Dancing, and recalls how, when it came to dressing up when she was younger, she was more of a Tai than a Cher. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Greta Gerwig sits down with Lynn Hirschberg to discuss the process of adapting Little Women into her latest film, her relationship with her partner Noah Baumbach, and how getting “completely rejected by the world of academic art-making” pushed her to seek a broader education that ultimately brought her to where she is today. Gerwig tells Hirschberg about her love for Big Sur—a place that felt like “Brigadoon” to her while growing up—and how the day after attending the Academy Awards for Lady Bird, she packed up and retreated to a cabin in the woods to write. She also gets into the complex dynamics between the March sisters, the strangest part about making movies, and how she has a running list of future project ideas in the double digits. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Nicole Kidman sits down with Lynn Hirschberg to discuss everything from her early family life (including the fact that she was born in Hawaii) to how she met her husband, Keith Urban, at a get together in California for Australian-Americans called "G'Day L.A." (In fact, she and Urban had their picture taken together when they were first introduced—Kidman says they both look liked "stunned mullets.") The actress also shares deeply personal details about how she processes emotions, and how life, including childbirth, major shifts, and losses have fully informed her craft. She recalls her father's humble nature—including the fact that he refused to fly business class, even when Kidman offered—and, ultimately, concludes that her main inspiration is to "give, give, give artistically." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Awkwafina—the viral comedian-turned-actress—sits down with Lynn Hirschberg to talk about her role in The Farewell, the responsibility she feels when it comes to Asian representation in Hollywood, and growing up in Queens. She recalls the unconventional audition song she chose to play (on the trumpet, no less) when applying to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School (the performing arts school made famous by the film Fame). She also discusses how releasing her YouTube Hit “My Vag” was the scariest thing she’d ever done. It may have cost her a job at the time, but she describes the “full circle moment” she experienced on the set of Oceans 8, when filming on location in front of her former office. She also admits that, according to her grandmother, “My Vag” is the best thing she’s ever created. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Margot Robbie speaks candidly with Lynn Hirschberg about growing up on Australia’s Gold Coast and the people, places, and things that mean the most to her. The actress also talks about being blown away by the power of her costars Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron on the set of Bombshell, and reflects on working with Quentin Tarantino on the set of Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, in which she got to briefly reprise her role as a Pan Am flight attendant in addition to playing Sharon Tate. One of the highlights of her life, Robbie says, was being asked to join Frances McDormand on the Oscars stage during her acceptance speech. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
For the premiere season of W Magazine's Five Things, Lynn Hirschberg sits down with Margot Robbie, Awkwafina, Nicole Kidman, Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig, Saoirse Ronan, Charlize Theron, and Quentin Tarantino to discuss "five things" that have made them who they are. Subscribe to be the first to hear each new episode. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wmagazine/message
Adam Moss is the editor of New York Magazine. “I think [change] is good for journalism—it’s what journalism is about. You can’t write about something static. News is about what is new. So there’s plenty of new right now. I’m not saying it’s good for the citizenry or anything like that, but, yeah, for journalists it’s an extremely interesting time. There’s no denying that.” Thanks to MailChimp, BarkBox, Squarespace, and Sock Fancy for sponsoring this week's episode. [03:15] "Meet the Editor: Adam Moss" (Brian Lehrer Show • Dec 2013) [07:00] "America Has Never Been So Ripe for Tyranny" (Andrew Sullivan • New York • May 2016) [20:45] Rolling Stone College Papers [32:15] "The Media Business; Lack of Ads Kills 7 Days Magazine" (Kim Foltz • New York Times • Apr 1990) [36:30] "Why isn’t this man famous?" (Simon Houpt • Globe and Mail • Jun 2001) [38:15] "The Best of Michael Pollan for The New York Times" (New York Times Magazine • Oct 2016) [38:15] Michael Lewis’s New York Times archive [38:15] Lynn Hirschberg’s New York Times archive [40:15] "Saint Hillary" (Michael Kelly • New York Times Magazine • May 1993) [45:15] "A City Built of Clay" (Tom Wolfe • New York • Jul 2008) [48:30] Vulture [48:45] The Cut [52:15] Frank Rich’s New York archive [52:15] Andrew Sullivan’s New York archive [57:45] The Strategist
(Snippet taken from an article written by Lynn Hirschberg for Vanity Fair magazine in 1991) In 1990, Forbes estimated Madonna's pre-tax income to be $39 million (and her earnings since 1991 at $125 million); her Blond Ambition tour sold out in twenty – seven cities; her concert on HBO was the highest-rated non-sports event ever on that network; and her albums went double-platinum. “But at what cost?” asks Christopher Ciccone, who was the art director of Madonna's Blond Ambition tour that same year. “People who don’t think the controversies and the press affect her are wrong. She doesn’t work up a strategy for all this attention. It’s just who she is and what she does. And there is definitely a cost.” Which isn’t to say that Madonna has any real regrets. Or, to he exact, “I have so many,” she says, “and I have none. I wish I hadn’t done a lot of things, but, on the other hand, if I hadn’t I wouldn’t be here.” She pauses. “But, then again, nobody works the way I work.” It’s that discipline, matched with talent, drive and ambition, that propels her: “I have an iron will,” she says, eating her Caesar. “And all of my will has always been to conquer some horrible feeling of inadequacy. I’m always struggling with that fear. I push past one spell of it and discover myself as a special human being and then I get to another stage and think I’m mediocre and uninteresting. And I find a way to get myself out of that. Again and again. My drive in life is from this horrible fear of being mediocre. And that’s always pushing me, pushing me. Because even though I’ve become Somebody. I still have to prove that Somebody. My struggle has never ended and it probably never will.” Does this sound like ANYONE YOU KNOW? I've included a link to the full article in the supplementary materials section for those who'd like to read further.
This week I'm joined by Jeanne Sager. We're going to talk about journalism - Joe McGuinness, the guy who moved in next to Sarah Palin and is writing a book about the former Alaska governor, and M.I.A., who got so mad about an article about her in the New York Times magazine that she tweeted writer Lynn Hirschberg's phone number. The Times then admitted that some of the quotes may have been taken out of context, and it turns out that the infamous truffle fries were ordered by Lynn Hirschberg and NOT by M.I.A. That's right people -- truffle fries. It's come to this. Also: Helen Thomas hates the Jews, but doesn't everybody? And more! Tune in.
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