Judith Regan

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Judith Regan (born 17 August 1953 in Massachusetts) is an American editor and book publisher, who became famous for pioneering the publishing of celebrity autobiographies.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Regan grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Bay Shore High School in 1971.[1] She then attended Vassar College, receiving her A.B. degree in 1975. Then in 1978, while working as a secretary at Harvard University, Regan answered a newspaper ad for a reporter for The National Enquirer and got the job. In the early 1980s, Regan relocated to New York City, where she continues to live. She is divorced and has two children, Lara and Patrick.

[edit] Publishing career: 1987-2006

In 1987, Regan approached Simon & Schuster with an idea for a book, a study of the average American family, with Ozzie and Harriet as its centerpiece. The editor at Pocket Books did not want the book. The President of Pocket Books hired Regan to work for the company as a consultant, Editor at Large. She soon had a string of successes: Drew Barrymore's Little Girl Lost, Kathie Lee Gifford's I Can't Believe I Said That!, and celebrity autobiographies such as those of Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern. In doing so she contraindicated the conventional wisdom of the somewhat staid New York publishing industry that there was a readership and marketplace for such works.

In 1994 Charlie Rose invited her to his program on the date January 7. News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch gave Regan her own imprint at HarperCollins called ReganBooks. She later had a show on News Corp's Fox News Channel called Judith Regan Tonight, which is no longer on air. In 2005 Regan co-executive produced, along with HBO Docu-maven Sheila Nevins and screenwriter Christopher Gambale, HBO's House Arrest starring Chris Colombo; it chronicled the life of an organized crime scion and his quest to remain a free man. In March 2006, she signed a niece of Osama bin Laden, Wafah Dufour (née Bin Laden) to star in a reality television show.[2]It was reported that Regan would be producing the next installment of House Arrest, entitled "[Pinched]", which continues the saga of the self proclaimed bookie, Chris Colombo.

[edit] Publishing troubles: 2006-2007

[edit] O.J. Simpson book

In 2006, Regan announced that she would publish O.J. Simpson's book, If I Did It, issuing an eight-page defense of the deal in which she claimed to be a battered wife and claimed that she felt the "spirit" of the victims in the room with her as she spoke to Simpson.[3] MSNBC reported on her decision to publish If I Did It:

She did it to help victims of violence. As a young woman, she wrote, she was abused by a boyfriend and believes Simpson's confession to the murders—even hypothetically—will heal the wounds of victims everywhere. (The former boyfriend denied the abuse allegations.) "I made the decision to publish this book, and to sit face to face with the killer", Regan said, "because I wanted him, and the men who broke my heart and your hearts, to tell the truth, to confess their sins, to do penance and to amend their lives. Amen."[4]

In her statement, Regan insisted that she didn't want Simpson to see any of the profits. She said she gave the cash to a third party, "and I was told the money would go to his children. That much I could live with."[5]

After harsh criticism, on 20 November 2006, News Corporation announced that it was canceling its publication and an interview with Simpson that was to air on the FOX Network.[6][7]

[edit] Mickey Mantle book

On December 14, 2006, the New York Daily News reported that ReganBooks would publish a "fictional biography" of New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle titled 7: The Mickey Mantle Novel written by sportswriter Peter Golenbock, who had previously written The Bronx Zoo with Yankee relief pitcher Sparky Lyle.

The book has sparked controversy resulting from the fact that, by Golenbock's own admission, it describes events that are not verifiable (such as Mantle having an affair with Marilyn Monroe while she was dating Joe DiMaggio), and conversations that Golenbock imagines having with the late Yankees slugger. The Mantle family has strongly objected to the book, while former teammate Whitey Ford dismisses the notion of Mantle being intimate with Monroe as "the stupidest thing" he had ever heard. However, former teammate Jim Bouton told Golenbock "that he had Mickey's voice down pretty well." And while not defending the book, Syracuse University journalism professor and pop culture expert Bob Thompson said what Golenbock has done "has a long literary tradition".[8]

[edit] Firing from HarperCollins

On December 15, 2006 Regan was fired from HarperCollins, allegedly over anti-Semitic comments that she might have made,[9] and the staff at ReganBooks reassigned within the HarperCollins General Book Group.[10] The New York Times reported that, "a stunned Ms. Regan was confronted by security guards who arrived with boxes and ordered her to leave."[9]

A transcript of Regan's telephone conversation with a HarperCollins lawyer, Mark Jackson, based on Jackson's handwritten notes, stated that among the reported anti-Semitic comments that resulted in her dismissal was “Of all people, the Jews should know about ganging up, finding common enemies and telling the big lie." She also reportedly said that "a Jewish cabal" was working against her at the company.[11] Her lawyer, Bert Fields denied she said "Jewish cabal" although he did say she used the word "cabal". Andrew Butcher, a spokesman for Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., said the remarks were made during a conversation between Regan and HarperCollins lawyer Mark Jackson. He said Regan was referring to Jackson, CEO Jane Friedman, Executive Editor David Hirshey and longtime literary agent Esther Newberg with her statement.[12]

Additionally, in a December 22 article Fields reports that a new witness has come forward backing Regan's claim. Carmen del Toro, who worked as Regan’s temporary assistant for one week, heard the conversation and also recounts the use of the word cabal, but agrees that the word Jewish was not used. In response Butch said, “We stand by Mark Jackson’s memory and his detailed notes.”[13]

[edit] Lawsuit

In November 2007, Regan filed a $100 million lawsuit against News Corporation protesting her dismissal.[14] Her lawyer, Brian C. Kerr said, "We are fully confident that the evidence will show that Judith Regan was the victim of a vicious smear campaign engineered by News Corporation and HarperCollins."

Her allegations include that she was ordered to lie to federal investigators regarding the controversy over Bernard Kerik, with whom she was having an affair, to protect Rudy Giuliani's bid for president,[15] as Rudy Giuliani promotions of Bernard Kerik were likely to become a negatively-accruing burden on the presumed future campaign. According to The New York Times, "The assertion that the News Corporation has sought to protect Mr. Giuliani appears in the opening page of the filing. The document later revisits aspects of the assertion without providing a full account of what is alleged to have occurred or how it might be substantiated in court."[16] The bulk of the remainder of her plaintiff actions include alleged refutations of the above charges regarding the Simpson book, the Mantle book, and allegations that the "cabal" charge was one she did not make.

In January 2008 the defamation suit was settled on terms described as confidential and equitable(30 million). In a joint statement News Corp conceded that Regan had not uttered anti-semitic statements and that Regan was not anti-semitic.[17]

[edit] In Popular Culture

Regan's in-your-face personality has made and kept her a favorite of New York gossip columnists.

An episode of Law & Order titled "Murder Book" contains a character (Serena Darby) who is based on Regan.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hall Of Fame 2003. Bay Shore High School Alumni Association, Inc. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
  2. ^ Kimberly Maul, "Judith Regan, Not Content with Just Celebs and Tell-Alls, Joins the bin Laden Family" "The Book Standard" March 9, 2006 http://www.thebookstandard.com/bookstandard/news/publisher/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002156058
  3. ^ FOXNews.com - Raw Data: Judith Regan Statement: 'Why I Did It' - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment
  4. ^ Inside O.J.’s New ‘Confessional’ - Newsweek Society - MSNBC.com
  5. ^ Inside O.J.’s New ‘Confessional’ - Newsweek Society - MSNBC.com
  6. ^ Fox News
  7. ^ Roberts, Johnnie (December 2006). "Publishing: No More Free Rein For Regan". Newsweek. 
  8. ^ http://nydailynews.com/front/story/480022p-403822c.html/
  9. ^ a b "Fired Editor’s Remarks Said to Have Provoked Murdoch", New York Times, December 18, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-12-18. 
  10. ^ Wyatt, Edward. "Judith Regan Is Fired After O. J. Simpson Book", New York Times, December 15, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-12-16. 
  11. ^ Sharon Waxman and Richard Siklos, "News Corp. Describes Fired Editor's Remarks", The New York Times, 18 December 2006
  12. ^ ADL Condemns Judith Regan
  13. ^ Eyewitness backs ousted O.J. publisher
  14. ^ If She Did It.
  15. ^ Wall Street Journal
  16. ^ Ex-Publisher’s Suit Plays a Giuliani-Kerik Angle.
  17. ^ Judith Regan Lawsuit Is Settled

[edit] External links