MEN’S Health’s David Zinczenko seems to have taken himself out of the derby for Art Cooper’s job at GQ yesterday.
But that has not stopped the handicappers from keeping his name in contention.
And most observers don’t feel the Cooper move to retire was voluntary at all – suggesting instead that he wanted one to five more years on the job.
“He probably did go into Conde Nast Chairman Si Newhouse’s office and say he was resigning – but that’s because he knew the handwriting was on the wall,” said one Cooper partisan.
Cooper took some long lunches Monday and yesterday in the Grill Room of the Four Seasons restaurant. And he continued to insist it was his call to step down.
At the same time, however, he seems determined to stay in the driver’s seat as long as possible. “I’m leaving on June 1 – that’s 20 years. That means I’ll probably be working through the October issue.
“I’m staying in my post,” he added. “I’m not going fishing.”
He offered no hints as to who his successor would be. “I have no horses in the race,” he said.
That would seem to be a tacit acknowledgement that his longtime deputies Marty Beiser, Jim Nelson and Michael Hainey will not get the nod.
So who is the favorite?
Media Ink’s handicapping places British GQ Editor-in-Chief Dylan Jones as the front-runner. He’s a 2-to-1 favorite in our book, helped in large measure because he’s said to be close to James Truman, the Conde Nast editorial director who will be hugely influential in picking the successor.
Zinczenko sent out a staff memo yesterday that seemed to rule out the possibility of his becoming the next GQ chief.
“There’s been a lot of speculation in the press the last few days regarding my future at Rodale,” he said. “I’d like to take this opportunity to put an end to those rumors, and to reaffirm my commitment to the Rodale family, to Men’s Health, and to the hard-working team that has made the first part of my tenure here such a pleasure.”
Put him at 5-to-1.
There’s nothing in his deal with Rodale that a few Si Newhouse greenbacks would not cure.
A slightly longer shot: Michael Hirschorn, now at VH1, is a past editor of Spin and a co-founder of Powerful Media. Put him at 10-to-1; he knows funny.
If they call Kurt Andersen, he’d probably talk – and he also does funny very well. His odds: 35-to-1.
David Kamp, now at Vanity Fair, once edited at GQ for Cooper. At the time, Cooper is said to have remarked that one day Kamp “will be editing this magazine.” Put him at 40-to-1.
Maer Roshan, founder of Radar, has his name on everyone’s lips. He’s the new Adam Moss (more on him later). Give him 50-to-1.
Simon Dumenco, an editor at New York, could be a player if some of the early candidates bog down. He’s also at 50-to-1.
Peter Kaplan, editor in chief of the New York Observer, is probably too disorganized to be the editor in chief of a monthly magazine – and besides, since when have men looked good in salmon? Let’s say 70-to-1.
David Granger, Esquire’s editor in chief, seems to have saved the Hearst-owned magazine and brought back some of its own luster. But in the end, Granger is still seen as a Cooper protégé – hardly the go-to guy if Conde Nast is trying to shake things up.
Also, Truman thinks he’s dull as dishwater. Put him at 75-to-1.
Maxim Editor-in-Chief Keith Blanchard would also get a look – but Si’s last disastrous appointment of a Maxim man – when he hired Mark Golin for Details – probably makes the Conde Nast chief a bit gun-shy. Put Blanchard at 100-to-1.
New York Times Sunday Magazine Editor Adam Moss seems to have survived his paper’s Howell Raines purge. But it’s been a long time since he’s been the “it” editor on everyone’s list. 200-to-1.
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On the humor front, Stuff Editor-in-Chief Greg Gutfeld yesterday sent a letter to Conde Nast’s James Truman with Gutfeld’s own picks.
“I got the names you wanted for Art’s replacement,” wrote Gutfeld in the note, which should be on Truman’s desk today.
His picks: Esquire’s Granger; Details’ Daniel Peres, Field & Stream’s Sid Evans; Vanity Fair’s Carter and Playboy retiring Editorial Director Arthur Kretchmer.
“Any of these guys will do fine at GQ, because they are all exactly the same as Art,” jibes Gutfeld. “In fact, they are interchangeable. The readers won’t know the difference, plus you’re likely to see a hefty reduction in expense bills.”
Media Ink’s conclusion: Gutfeld’s not on the short list.