Toby and those Condé Nasties

The film based on Toby Young's memoirs released on Friday, but it's a far cry from the Condé Nast-prodding memoir

Title a book How To Lose Friends & Alienate People and grubby little fingers will be reaching for it across the globe. At least, that's probably what the journalist Toby Young hoped when he penned his memoir in 2001. Now anyone who's read Young's column in The Spectator, or the book itself, knows that he's not one to take himself too seriously. His problem is that he seems to extend that frivolity to everyone else too.

The memoir is rip-roaring fun and any journalist worth his weight in grog, will find himself cringing in recognition of every alcohol-fuelled mishap Young puts himself through. And every time he tickles his tonsils with his toes, a journalist somewhere will snigger, turn beet red, and then hold his head in his hands, as the memories - quite like fools - rush in.

The book charts Young's disastrous attempt to reach the pinnacle of 'high-brow' New York celebrity journalism via the society bible, Vanity Fair. His warm digs at VF's top dog Graydon Carter are hilarious, as are his not-so-subtle jibes at the "Condé Nasties" that traipse through the halls of VF and Vogue, dressed to the nines with noses rubbing the underbelly of the International Space Station.

The movie, of course, deviates from the book…and that's well-documented. Why it deviates, however, is not. Names have been changed, the magazine and publishing house in question are different, and the plot spun through the Hollywood PR wringer. Whether Messers Carter and Newhouse felt the book and hence the prospective film would hit too close to home, is anyone's guess. But our advice to everyone is read the book first.

Condé Nast India is going from strength to strength, with the inaugural GQ issue creating as much buzz in Mumbai's newspaper offices as it probably is in the hallowed halls at 4 Times Square. One wonders how many Toby Young's are currently sitting behind computer screens watching the demi-gods walk by, and wondering when they too will share the rarefied air.

Of course they could always contact Toby (howtolose@hotmail.com) and get some tips. Whatever you do, don't bring a stripper to the office and for heavens' sake never refer to Vanity Fair as "People magazine for those who can read without moving their lips".  
w_dean@dnaindia.net

The book How To Lose Friends & Alienate People is available at all major bookstores and should be read by all journalists.