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Deborah Schoeneman, New York Magazine

By

Gothamist Staff

Published Jun 10, 2004

Modified Mar 6, 2008

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By

Gothamist Staff

Published Jun 10, 2004

Modified Mar 6, 2008

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The Basics
Age and occupation. How long have you lived here, where did you come from, and where do you live now?
I'm 27 and a Contributing Editor at New York Magazine, where I write the Intelligencer column, features and short stories for the front of the magazine. I also cover real estate for the magazine.

I grew up in Larchmont, NY. While majoring in English at Cornell, I interned for the Village Voice and Paper Magazine. After graduation, I attended the Radcliffe Publishing Course, where I met Peter Kaplan, the editor in chief of the New York Observer. I started as his assistant in fall '99 and after about 6 months I became the real estate columnist even though I didn't know the difference between co-ops and condos. After two years, I jumped to the The New York Post features section. After a year I jumped to New York Magazine, where I was supposed to help Marc Malkin write the Intelligencer column and work on features. Then he jumped to US Weekly and—kicking and screaming— I became the main columnist.

My real estate broker would say I lived in Gramercy Park, my phone bill says Madison Square and my snobby friends call it Curry Hill.

Three for You
1. As a gossip columnist for New York Magazine, are you held to a higher journalistic standard (i.e. more thorough fact-checking) than your newspaper colleagues?
Yes! My column has really moved away from gossip and celebrity coverage under the new regime of Adam Moss/Bruce Wasserstein, which is just fine with me. It's more newsy and focused on Manhattan power figures than it has been in the past. Unlike newspaper gossip columns, my items are fact checked, screened by a lawyer and have to pass muster by a few editors, including Moss. And, I have to secure loyal, reliable sources so my items aren't scooped.

2. A recent item of yours reveals a problem with locks at the Soho House. Do you worry about having the front doors slammed in your face due to their recent attempts to establish rumor-control policy akin to those "What happens in..." Las Vegas tourism ads?
Lets just say I use a pseudonym at Soho House. And, I'd never allow a photograph of myself on my column. People tend to not put my name and face together--which is a good thing. If I'm working on an item, I'd often rather call the person the next day than barge up and ask them for a quote or comment in person. However, plenty of industry parties are potential mine fields and I have been known to crawl on the floor to escape an event undetected.

3. Can you share one piece of gossip so trashy that you wouldn't dare print it in the pages of New York?
Paris Hilton really supplies those amazingly well. She should be on the Page 6 payroll. But I tend to swap those with other columnists for something suitable for New York Magazine.

Proust-Krucoff Questionnaire
Please share a personal (and hopefully interesting) NYC taxi story.
I was recently on my way to a friend's dinner party in Tribeca and when I paid the fare, the sweaty smelly taxi driver offered to kick in some sexual favors. "I just want to make you happy, baby!" he said. "I'm so lonely. You can use me anyway you want." Although I am single, I politely declined and stiffed him on the tip.

Time travel question: What era, day or event in New York's history would you like to re-live?
I would have liked to hang out at Andy Warhol's factory, rolled around in some pills and worn aluminium foil or something.

9pm, Wednesday night - what are you doing?
Ordering a main course at dinner with a few friends.

What's your New York motto?
Straight from the movie "Heathers" where Heather #1 says something like: "Life sucks losers dry. If you're going to fuck with the eagles, you have to learn to fly."

Best celebrity sighting in New York, or personal experience with one if you're that type.
Well, I've been yelled at on the phone by a bunch of celebrities. When I worked at the Observer, Ad Rock from the Beastie Boys phoned to scream at me for printing the address of his new townhouse. He managed to reduce me to tears...I tend to mix up B-listers. I was once convinced Guy Oseary was David Blaine, who I needed to interview for a story.

Just after midnight on a Saturday - what are you doing?
Maybe I shouldn't admit this for fear of ruining a well earned reputation for being a party girl, but...I'm in bed reading magazines or anything by Joan Didion. I hate going out to public places on the weekends.

What's the most expensive thing in your wardrobe?
An $800 dress an ex-boyfriend's stylist picked out for me for my birthday one year. Probably the best thing I got out of that relationship. Other than that, I pretty much live in Hanes wife-beaters from Kmart.

Who do you consider to be the greatest New Yorker of all-time? (Name up to three if you must.)
Andy Warhol, Bill Clinton, Madonna.

What was your best dining experience in NYC?
There are a lot. Le Bernardin takes top honors. And I love Benihanna for really special occasions.

What happened the last time you went to L.A.?
I covered the Oscars and blew off a bunch of events to hang out in Venice and Malibu with Burning Man friends. I tried to go surfing in a wet suit and almost got frost bite on my toes. I managed to make it to Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg's annual lunch at their house. My favorite moment was when a bunch of moguls—I think Harvey Weinstein, Rupert Murdoch and Sumner Redstone—actually stopped talking and stared when Paris Hilton sauntered by.

Of all the movies made about (or highly associated with) New York, what role would you have liked to be cast in?
My parents say I look like a secretary in a Woody Allen movie whenever I wear my glasses, but I'm not sure that's a good thing.

The End of The World is finally happening. What are you going to do with your last 24 hours in NYC?
Throw a huge party on a fleet of hot air balloons.

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The Basics

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