"Stalin in high heels" named to U.S. Magazine Hall of Fame

The Magazine Publishers of America and the American Society of Magazine Editors last night named Tina Brown, formerly editor of The New Yorker and Talk magazine, to the (U.S.) Magazine Hall of Fame.

In presenting Brown, reported AdAge, IAC/InterActiveCorp chief Barry Diller recalled that Jamaica Kincaid used to refer to her as "Stalin in high heels." (We think he meant this to be taken as a compliment.)

Ms. Brown...summarized her magazine work, which included successful stints at Tatler, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker -- followed by the short-lived, much-hyped Talk magazine. "I think of my career in magazines," she said to some laughter, "as three weddings and a funeral."

The other honoree at the gala dinner was Jack Kliger, the president-CEO at Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (He is shown above with Brown.) He was given the Henry Johnson Fisher Award for contributions to the industry.

Mr. Kliger pronounced the magazine industry just about the coolest thing "a kid from Brooklyn," or anywhere else for that matter, could get into. He thanked departed industry legends such as Ruth Whitney, the longtime Glamour editor, and President-CEO Steven T. Florio, who led Conde Nast through some wild times.

Past recipients of the awards, from the Magazine Publishers of America and the American Society of Magazine Editors, include Thomas O. Ryder, Ms. Black, Hugh Hefner, Lewis Lapham, William F. Buckley Jr., Norman Pearlstine and Ellen Levine.