Author: Jen Doll

Dan Brown Is the Anne Hathaway of Authors

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Allow me to present a hypothesis: Dan Brown is the Anne Hathaway of authors. Hard-working, serious about his craft (even if others aren't), with lots and lots of money to show for his work. And people love to hate him as much, and sometimes even more, than they love to love him.

By Jen Doll

Apr 16, 2012

Mad Women: Horrors of Domesticity and the Return of Pete Campbell

Sunday's Mad Men brought us a return of the Pete Campbell we all know and used to despise. And it was somewhat beauteous, in a horrors-of-domesticity sort of way. 

 

Comments | 2,586 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 13, 2012

The Terrifying Wedding Diets That Are All the Rage

There are stats to back up the fact that a majority of engaged women want to drop as much as 20 pounds before they walk down the aisle. But there's a newer, more disturbing ante-up at work. Pre-wedding diets have become extreme.

Comments | 6,583 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 13, 2012

How to Day Drink, from The New York Times

'Tis the season, apparently. The season for sitting outside in the sun, for long brunches or lunches, and especially, for long, boozy brunches or lunches. The season for day-drinking!

Comments | 2,539 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 13, 2012

Booker vs. Bloomberg: A Heroism Face-Off

As the tri-state area and beyond congratulate Cory Booker for saving a woman from a fire and basically out-superhero-ing the nonchalant snack man and hero Ryan Gosling, we wonder how New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg feels.

Comments | 384 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 13, 2012

Some Superstitions We Can Believe In (and Some We Can't)

Why does Friday the 13th, and not, say, Thursday the 12th, fill us with terror and a sense of impending doom? Is it possible that at least a few of our superstitions are in fact meaningful, even practical or helpful?

Comments | 1,792 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 12, 2012

Living Alone Really Is the New Shacking Up for Some Couples

Living alone just keeps getting more popular, with even committed couples deciding to live by themselves—albeit maybe in houses right next door to each other. We explore the phenomenon.

Comments | 4,865 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 12, 2012

Y.A. for Grownups

The Banned Books We Have Loved

The ironic and rather wonderful thing about banning books is that the act doesn't, actually, do much to keep the books from being read. If anything, it inspires further interest in them, and sometimes sales, too.

Comments | 15,512 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 12, 2012

Mani-Pedis Have Broken the Gender Barrier

Not only are nail polishes and lacquers reaching new heights in fashion, there are gender breakthroughs happening as we write: Men are going to nail salons.

Comments | 690 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 11, 2012

Is There Money to Be Made by Being a Fox News Mole?

When Gawker unveiled their "Fox Mole," an anonymous employee at Fox News who has been posting about the inner workings of Fox News and their bathrooms, our first thought was that this guy is going to get outed, fired, and then pitch a book. So how much can he hope to get?

Comments | 3,276 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 11, 2012

The Rise of the Accidental Dude Hero

In a matter of just a few days, we have two different yet oddly similar men competing for our attention in the world of memes, and also in real life.

Comments | 6,177 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 11, 2012

Overachieving High School Students Can't Stop Overachieving

High school. What we remember of it is generally fond, if slightly uncomfortable, sort of like the time we were shoved into a locker and left there until, happily, we were rescued by our best friend.

Comments | 2,270 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 11, 2012

'Tis the Season of the Titanic Trend Story

There is a question tugging at the hearts and minds of all stylish humans: How to re-live an epic tragedy in the fashion to which you have grown accustomed?

Comments | 616 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 10, 2012

A Thank You to Rick Santorum, from Women

It's been something of a rocky round between women and Rick Santorum in the past, as he seemed to have had a special way of offending some female or another at nearly every turn. And now that he's gracefully bowed out, we'd like to gracefully thank him.

Comments | 8,512 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 10, 2012

How Not to Afford Your Dream Wedding

"Dream wedding": Two special words, for two very special people.

Comments | 2,586 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 10, 2012

The Strange Former Lives of New York City Real Estate Brokers

New York City residents and their real estate brokers have a special kind of relationship. Is it any wonder that we're entranced by these fascinating creatures who wield such power?

 

Comments | 797 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 10, 2012

What We Know About Alec Baldwin's Alleged Stalker

Say what you will of Alec Baldwin; he makes great tabloid fodder. And so, the Post slaps him on their cover with the headline "Dirty Rock"—even though the story within is more about his alleged stalker than about Baldwin, himself. What do we know about this alleged stalker? 

Comments | 1,154 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 9, 2012

Putting the Question of the Male-Female Platonic Friendship to Rest

For as long as men and women have been being friends, people have been asking, can men and women be friends?

Comments | 5,737 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 9, 2012

Reviewing the 'Mad Men' World by Someone Who Was There

We've enlisted the help of a former '60s-era ad exec to run down the factual inaccuracies and anachronisms of Mad Men. 

Comments | 15,747 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 9, 2012

The Hamptons Is Ruining Lives Earlier Than Usual This Year

Terrible, terrible news: East Hampton's 2,900 non-resident beach parking permits have sold out completely in record time this year. What are beach-going New Yorkers to do? 

Comments | 1,428 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 9, 2012

Mad Women: 'I Want You to Go and Never Come Back'

Sunday's Mad Men took a darker than usual turn, set against the backdrop of the actual story of Richard Speck's rape and murder of 8 student nurses in 1966.

Comments | 7,008 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 6, 2012

Anonymous Kansas Mega Millions Winner Is More Laid Back Than You

 One of the three mystery Mega Millions lottery winners has finally come forward, and it's not Mirlande Wilson.

Comments | 4,415 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 6, 2012

Adding Up the Costs of Being a Woman

Inspired by the ongoing debates and misunderstandings about birth control and women's health care, Jezebel's Tracie Egan Morrissey has run down the general cost of being a woman.

Comments | 7,749 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 6, 2012

How Not to Pretend to Win the Lottery

The truly weird story that has captivated our attention for some unknown reason this week is that of McDonald's employee Mirlande Wilson, who on Monday claimed she won Maryland's Mega Millions Lottery ticket.

Comments | 5,901 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 6, 2012

The War on Women and Augusta National

The seemingly placid world of golf continues to invite criticism and commentary over the Masters Tournament—in particular, the fact that no woman has been offered membership into Georgia's Augusta National, where the Masters is held.

Comments | 1,395 Views

By Jen Doll and Richard Lawson

Apr 6, 2012

Remembering the Titanic, All Over Again

We were so much older then. We're younger than that now. 

Comments | 2,134 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 5, 2012

Y.A. for Grownups

The Greatest Girl Characters of Young Adult Literature

This kicks off our new series, Y.A. for Grownups, in which we talk about Y.A. literature—from the now nostalgia-infused stories we devoured as kids to more contemporary tomes being read by young people today. Despite what Joel Stein wants, grownups are reading Y.A. Let's embrace it.

Comments | 49,944 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 5, 2012

What It Takes to Get Kicked Out of the Park Slope Coop

Is it really that easy to get booted from the Park Slope Food Coop?

Comments | 2,662 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 5, 2012

Golf Is Having Woman Troubles Again

The world of golf is placid. Calm. Manicured. Largely white and male, and apparently happy to be so. But every once in a while someone stops and says, Wait a minute, is this really how it should be? 

Comments | 1,552 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 5, 2012

The Urban Myth of the City Girl and the Country Cowboy

A quarter of the cover of The New York Post is devoted to the kind of story that pops up regularly as a warning screed, or perhaps a reminder, to the women of New York.

Comments | 2,939 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 4, 2012

What Would the Internet Look Like If Trolling Were Illegal?

Imagine an Internet on which haters didn't hate. 

Comments | 5,444 Views

By Jen Doll and Matt Haber

Apr 4, 2012

Cocktail Crossfire: Is Ryan Gosling a Hero or Fraud?

As another tale of Ryan Gosling super-hero-dom makes its way across the Internet, we ask ourselves: Is Gosling too good to be true? 

Comments | 3,765 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 4, 2012

New York City's Russian Real Estate Boom

While the U.S. housing market continues to struggle, there is one bright spot for those who sell apartments: Russians are investing plenty of money in high-end real estate, especially in New York City.

Comments | 2,225 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 4, 2012

Is the Winning Mega Millions Ticket Hidden in a McDonald's?

While we wait breathlessly for the announcement of who actually won the Mega Millions lottery, there's plenty to keep us entertained

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 3, 2012

What Does It Mean That the Majority of ASME Finalists Are Men?

The National Magazine Award finalists have been announced, and women are not represented at all in reporting, feature writing, profile writing, essays and criticism, columns and commentary, or feature photography. 

Comments | 1,035 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 3, 2012

The Cursed Life of a Beautiful Woman

Being pretty is so, so hard. We know this because the the world's largest news site Daily Mail has a feature on it!

Comments | 14,447 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 3, 2012

Mega Millions Remain Unclaimed for Some Unknown Reason

The Mega Millions is already tearing people apart, and its biggest winners have yet to come forward.

Comments | 11,480 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 3, 2012

The Mommy Madam Had to Evict Her Pigs

Due to financial complications related to her continued stay in Rikers and the charge of promoting prostitution that's keeping her there, Anna Gristina has been forced to give up the majority of her much-adored pigs. 

Comments | 345 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 2, 2012

The 22 Outstanding (Women) Journalists in the Last 100 Years

The first thing a lot of people do whenever a new list of "most outstandings" comes down the pike is check to see what the male to female breakdown is.

Comments | 2,414 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 2, 2012

Dispatches from the Parenting Wars Against the Ice Cream Man

It's that time of year: The seasonal shots have been fired; dormant for the winter, it's now time for the war against the ice cream man again. 

Comments | 2,069 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 2, 2012

Mad Men's Women: Fat Betty Francis, Competition for Peggy

The second installment in Mad Men's fifth season aired Sunday night, and while it was only an hour compared to the premiere's two (and, alas, there was no Zou Bisou Bisou), many of the themes set up in the first episode carried through, including a focus on female-driven plots. But there were some surprises too!

Comments | 7,125 Views

By Jen Doll

Apr 2, 2012

Has the New York Post Unfriended the Mommy Madam?

There's another article about Anna Gristina in the paper that makes us wonder if the editors have decided to go a bit harder on the Mommy Madam—and if that's the case, if it has anything to do with the claims of last week that the paper and the madam are friends. 

Comments | 1,823 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 30, 2012

And the New York Post Employee with the 'Mommy Madam' Relationship Is...

The New York Post's Jeane MacIntosh has come forward to admit that "Anna Gristina, the notorious soccer mom madam, does have a relationship with someone at the New York Post. It's me."

 

Comments | 1,852 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 30, 2012

A Treasury of Terribly Sad Stories of Lotto Winners

As America continues in its frenzy over the now $640-million jackpot up for grabs in tonight's Mega Millions lottery, we feel it is our duty to inform you that actually, you really probably don't want to win the lottery.

Comments | 93,108 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 30, 2012

A Jury's Strange Reason for Refusing to Convict on Rape Charges

After a compelling, stark cover Thursday asking the question "What Does a Woman Have to Do to Prove She Was Raped?" the Daily News puts forth what they call the shocking answer on Friday's cover, along with the word "Rage!" in giant type. 

Comments | 15,019 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 29, 2012

New York Does Convict Rapists, But They Don't Make the Front Page

The uniquely stark cover of Thursday's New York Daily News asks a question that seems to keep coming up in highly publicized rape cases—publicized, generally, because they involve powerful men, including cops, accused, but not convicted, of rape.

Comments | 2,519 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 29, 2012

Report: Mommy Madam Claimed to Be Friends with New York Post Editor

Reading the New York Post's coverage of the Mommy Madam case, one might've been tempted to say that the editors of that paper are in her campThe New York Observer's Foster Kamer has suggested an explanation:  Col Allan, editor of the New York Post, is friends with the Mommy Madam herself.

Comments | 862 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 29, 2012

When Food Mascots Get Makeovers

The beloved and cozily familiar Quaker Oats man looks a tad different these days. Larry—did you know his name is Larry?—has been put on a Photoshop diet.

Comments | 6,258 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 29, 2012

The Not-So-Secret Lives of New Yorkers Who See Psychics

It's not every day that you wake up to an article in the New York Post about how powerful New Yorkers are seeking out the assistance of psychics to live better lives, but today is that day.

Comments | 1,071 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 29, 2012

Does The Hunger Games Soundtrack Measure Up to the Movie?

Benefiting from the Midas touch of the label "The Hunger Games"—the movie raked in $155 million in its opening weekend for Lionsgate—is the soundtrack, titled The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond, which reached number 1 on the album chart this week.

Comments | 5,213 Views

By Jen Doll

Mar 28, 2012

Kindergarten Student Loans Are a Sad Reality of Our Time

Parents are taking out loans to pay for their children's educations. That's been happening for years, you say? Well, yes. Except now the loans are being taken out for high school educations—and even kindergarten. 

Comments | 5,260 Views

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