A sad day for prom-going tweens, some slight glee for beefy stew

By this point I'm sure you're all well aware that Hearst has announced CosmoGirl will be folding, thus diverting their focus to the publication of Seventeen. And if you haven't, don't miss today's 80 Hours where the marvelous DI Arts reporter Meryn Fluker discusses the tragedy openly with you, our wonderful readers.

And while I feel Meryn's sadness — and Clara (shout out!) I really am sorry about the stringer deal — I'm just a tiny bit happy inside. For two reasons.

1. Hidden at the bottom of the release from Hearst confirmed one rumor floating around the food blogs lately:

[CosmoGirl] Publisher Vicki Wellington will become publisher of Food Network Magazine, which officially rolls out in 2009.

That's effing right. FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE. I'm melting inside right now. Please, tell me we get Rachel Ray FHM-style pics?



It's a scary fact that the magazine industry isn't doing so well. The New York Times reported earlier this year that newsstand sales of mags fell 6.3 percent in the first half of the year. Experts say the "wtf economy" (my words, but I wanted the quotation marks anyway, so deal) is partly to blame, deterring people from making impulse buys.

Here's the kicker: While 8 of the 10 top selling magazines suffered significant drops in circulation during the first part of 2008, food magazines aren't really dropping.

"Everyday Food's newsstand sales rose 8.9% in the first half of the year, while sales of Everyday with Rachael Ray gained 6.2%, and Gourmet was up 3.5%, even as overall newsstand sales for consumer magazines fell 6.3%."

The same experts are blaming this on, again, the economy. Here's a formula I've created to help you understand:

Less money = not able to eat out as much = more home cooking = people want to learn how to cook good meals at home. Simple enough.
So, tack another foodie mag to my subscriptions. (PS - Adam from The Amateur Gourmet just stopped with the "FN Dish" to pursue another Food Network project according to his blog. Could he be on board with the magazine? I'm willing to bet on it...)

Oh, I almost forgot — I have two happy announcements!

2. More rumors are being confirmed, and it looks like the wonderful Samantha Bee and Jason Jones (you know, of "Daily Show" fame) are getting a chef-centered sitcom. Holy Emeril Lagasse, I don't see how that one could go wrong.

(Aren't they lovely people?)

Kind of reminds me of the short lived "Kitchen Confidential" based on Anthony Bourdain's drug/sex/food-filled life. By measure of the show's ratings (and it's quick demise) I'm apparently the only one who loved it.

The pair are co-creating and co-writing the sitcom, which will focus on "the behind-the-scenes world of a celebrity chef (played by Jones) and the two women who run his cooking empire (one of whom will be played by Bee)."

One thing's for sure: it's bound to be funnier than "Confidential." But, can it beat "Top Chef" in the B Stew annual list? It stands a pretty fair chance.

Ready? Break! (I never played sports...I like to pretend. Time for a sandwich!)

—B. James Stewart