The'Sine Scene
From "Vanity Fair"
and "Elle" to
"Brills Content"
and Wew York"
lnagaAjne,
jib -me ear
Detroiters make their
mark on national
publications.
s
SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to The Jewish News
o you think working for a
high-power magazine while
living single in New York can
be fun?
Absolutely!
That's the take of five former Metro
Detroiters who help fill the pages of
Vanity Fair, Elle, Brill's Content and
New York magazine.
Oh, yes, the quality standards and
deadlines come tall and fast, but so
does the fulfillment when an article
attracts readers or an ad design draws
customers. And being in the middle of
the most dynamic city in the world
offers lots of ways to celebrate.
Ned Zeman, Lisa Kogan and
Katherine Rosman know what it
means to immerse themselves in the
lives of celebrities and give the public a
peek inside. Robyn Lash and Rachel
3/19
1999
80 Detroit Jewish News
Meltzer know what it means to express
a money-making concept artistically.
Here are their stories and some rem-
iniscences of growing up in Michigan.
Ned Zeman —
`Vanity Fair'
The woman posing
for a recent cover of
Vanity Fair is young,
attractive and defi-
nitely sexy in a see-
through top. The
writer posing the
headline question
about whether she's
Hollywood's new "It"
girl is Ned Zeman.
"Some would consider that a very
enviable assignment, but that was dif-
ficult to do," says Zeman, 33, who
worked at Newsweek and did some
free-lancing before joining Vanity Fair
two years ago as senior editor
Clockwise from top left:
and writer.
Lisa Kogan: "I like the sense of camaraderie."
"It's enviable because it's
Ned Zeman: "Its not nearly as glamorous as
kind of fun and it gets your
people think, but it is more An than most jobs."
name on the cover, but it's hard
to find extremely
Katherine Rosman: "Its really hard-core,
interesting things to
investigative journalism, which is what
say. At a certain point,
I always dreamed of doing"
celebrities all tend to
Rachel Meltzer and Robin Lash:
sound alike, and it's a
"Our styles are completely different,
challenge to make
but we love each other's work,"
something that could
says Lash. "I do feel I have a million
be very tedious and
opportunities," adds Meltzer.
boring into something
that's entertaining."
up by TV's "60 Minutes" and broad-
More to his liking is a
cast
later.
piece about a talented writer-
"About half the stories are my
actress who lied about her age
ideas," says Zeman, glad to be work-
and identity to get work.
ing for a general interest magazine
When producers thought the
that covers all sorts of subjects.
woman was 20, she was all the rage.
"Generally, if I have an idea that I'm
After they learned she was 32, she
very enthusiastic about, they'll let
became their target for outrage.
me do it, and I usually get the space
Incidentally, that story was picked