Photo credit: Janet Donovan
“The best advice I can give – and I doubt you could do any of it now – is collect info sober, write drunk, and edit after coffee,” said Diana McLellan, former gossip columnist extraordinaire, who sent her personal tips via email to Emily Heil, newly appointed Reliable Source columnist for The Washington Post.
Photo courtesy of Diana McLellan – Washingtonian cover by Peter Garfield
“Also, keep expenses as high as possible or they won’t respect you,” the former EAR columnist added. “Only deal with the top editor so you don’t get nibbled to death by ducks.
Also, it’s easier to write seven columns a week (three on Fridays) than four. (The one for Monday was always funnier, because I was so desperate.)
In fact, my last column for the The Washington Times was ALL advice for future gossip columnists. I don’t think it included any of the above!”
Chuck Conconi, former Personalities Columnist, The Washington Post – Emily Heil – former Inside the Beltway, The Washington Times columnist John McCaslin
The occasion was the revival of the “Dine ‘n Dish” salon at CITIES – formerly Teatro Goldoni – hosted by owner Michael Kosmides and Hollywood on the Potomac – this night in honor of Heil.
“I was lucky at the Post,” admitted Conconi. “I had Ben Bradlee. Generally with him, he would chew me out and let me know when I did something really stupid and then walk me out the door and forget about it. They knew they needed to have you, but sometimes they felt they would be better off if they didn’t. When you go out to a dinner party, pay attention to the person sitting next to you. It may be someone who is totally unknown to you, but they may have the best gossip.”
“I haven’t had any wine yet,” said radio personality and political commentator Bill Press when asked to speak next.
Annie Groer
“I gave Emily some private advice,” said former Reliable Source columnist Annie Groer. “It’s best to make friends with people who are in a position to give you the best information. They may not be the most obvious people. My best moles for years were a catering waiter, a couple of valet parking guys and I would always walk through the kitchens. I did stop short of garbage though, I would not go through people’s garbage.”
In between the Veal Ravioli and Chocolate Lava Cake, guests discussed ‘crossing the line,’ blind items and how long it takes before burn out. “What do you think is lacking,” asked former Mediabistro/FishbowlDC‘s columnist Patrick Gavin, “that should be filled in columns about the city’s gossip or society’s coverage?” “I think that what might be lacking that I’m hoping to fill is to broaden the coverage a little bit more and get into worlds that I might not necessarily know anything about. So, I want to think a little bit more about celebrities who may not be ones that we know,” answered Heil.
Susan Davis of USA Today, Warren Rojas of CQ/RollCall, Kate Michael of K Street Kate and Patrick Tutwiler of Mediabistro/FishbowlDC
John McCaslin has been a columnist for eighteen years, stopping five years ago. “It’s funny. In 1992 when I started, Jerry O’Leary at the White House told me that I ought to sit down with Chuck Conconi, have lunch with him and learn everything you need to know about writing a column. So we ate at The Palm where he gave me tips like he is giving Emily now…. and Bill Press, we go way back. We were talking tonight about how much things have changed. We were pre-blogging. Today there are so many that weren’t there before. In those days, there were three of us so I would think now that your big hurdle in writing is to be able to find what nobody else has. Find the most humourus, most outrageous fodder you can find. People love it.”
John McCaslin and Chuck Conconi
Bill Press back in: “Sixteen years ago, the first thing I did was have lunch with Chuck Conconi too so am glad you are sitting next to him tonight Emily. He has the inside track. Here’s what I would say as a Washingtonian – my plea is (and this may piss some people off here) is that I really want to read Reliable Source as gossip about Washington,” he said to loud applause. “I don’t care to read about Hollywood, I can read about that somewhere else (presumably at Hollywood on the Potomac). I like to read about the inside scoop on people that are here and God knows there is plenty of fodder.”
Kate Michael, Patrick Tutwiler and Bill Press
“I think the biggest problem that you are going to have is that you will be inundated with invitations and opportunities and all sorts of things. If you learn how to discern between all of these invitations, and that’s going to take a long time, sorting them out will be a very important thing to do. And also, really take care to be nice to the people you think may not be that important because they’re the ones that are going to tell you the stuff – it’s not going to be the most important people who are micro managed by their handlers.” He then relayed the time he when to a non plus cultural event at the Russian Embassy. No big time reporters were there, but he went during the big scandal about the bugs and tunnels and got the scoop which was picked up by The New York Times. So, you never know.
ABC‘s Polson Kanneth and Washington Life‘s Kevin Chaffee
Former Mediabistro/FishbowlDC scribe Matt Dornic was among those who wanted to know if columnists should use blind items, which are pretty much not used anymore. There was a mixed response. Emily loves them. “It’s like a tease,” she said. “And I enjoy how it then starts the conversation. I think it creates interaction with the readers.” Dornic agrees.
CQ/RollCall‘s Warren Rojas wanted to know what stories got away in her previous gigs…..when you were so close, but couldn’t lock it in. “I tried to get an interview with the woman that cuts Paul Ryan’s hair (Anna) and thought I would get the interview by having her cut my hair and only got the worst hair cut of my life.” Apparently, Heil was asked to become a regular customer and then she might spill the beans on her famous clients. Heil decided the terrible hair cut was not worth it. At this point Bill Press jumped in to say he has an upcoming appointment with “Anna” who cuts my hair, if you please, at three o’clock tomorrow to which he invited Emily to come along and suggested they interview her together.
Susan Davis of USA Today wanted to know if there are any topics Heil feels are off limits. Most of us agreed with her: Children.
Chuck Conconi, Emily Heil and John McCaslin
The Hill‘s Emily Goodin, Washington Whispers‘ Nikki Schwab, Patrick Tutwiler (new Mediabistro/FishbowlDC), Mary Bird, The Georgetowner, Ben Terris of National Journal and Kate Michael of K Street Kate also participated but we’re sorry, the mic went out and we don’t want to misquote them. As for CITIES owner Michael Kosmides from whom we tried to extract what really went on in the restaurant behind closed doors, he had this to say: “After seven years in the restaurant business, what happens at CITIES, stays at CITIES.”
“Be careful of punching downward,” added Patrick Gavin. “Always punch upward…to avoid a disgruntled employee giving gossip on someone higher up. it might be just someone trying to make a name for himself.”
En fin: “I think the gossip columnists in this town are really nice. I don’t know about other cities.”
“So, when do you risk burning a relationship?” asked HOP’s Brendan Kownacki.
We’re about to find out.
