So if you're skimming through Media Monday in the Times, you'll note an adorable article sandwiched in-between two full-pages ads taken out by Conde Nast to celebrate a couple of rewards awards the company's titles recently received from AdWeek. The article notes that Vanity Fair head Graydon Carter recently penned an introduction to Good magazine's "51 best magazines ever" list.

As it turns out,

Two magazines, Wired (No. 8) and Details (No. 17), are pointedly included only for the eras preceding their acquisitions by Cond Nast. According to Good, the publisher's 1998 purchase of Wired "gradually sapped the infectious energy that so characterized Wired's early years," while Details "went on to have countless identity crises, and no longer comes even close to downtown cool."

Also they were mean about Vogue. It's the ultimate non-news item, as even the Times notes that all Carter did was write (or dictate to a harried assistant) the opener; he had no voice in the list's composition.

Which brings forth our favorite line of the day: "When asked to comment on the list and its criticisms of his current employer, Mr. Carter replied by e-mail, 'Why are you wasting my time?'"

We make fun of him sometimes, to be sure, but, really, we kind of wish Graydon was our surly grandpa.

Cheers and Jeers for Cond Nast [NYT]
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