What a vivid portrait of a complicated, difficult and totally original force of nature. This really captured that quality that a lot of people who interacted with Nikki Finke seemed to have -- a combination of fear, admiration, anger and even awe. And I was glad to see those bits about Ed Koch almost remembering her. It's a shame that the Observer version of that interview doesn't seem to exist because the photos that Emily Epstein took of Koch for it, just weeks before he died, are some of the most evocative that were ever taken of him.
The Koch interview remains among the most memorable I have ever done. He's another one who could be described as complicated, but totally original.
That day, both Emily and I had the impression he really wanted to get a lot off his chest. I was in there like an hour and a half and it was scheduled for like twenty minutes. He kept asking staff to let it extend. WSJ came in right after for this quick back of the book feature where they asked like five questions so ours was really his last lengthy interview.
Even though he had been sick and seemed to have legacy on his mind when we spoke, I never could have imagined he would pass so quickly afterwards. I remember the morning the news broke so clearly. We'd run pieces on the interview but I still had so much in my recorder. I realized I had his final words and we all worked like crazy to get a longer cut up. Just an incredible New York experience I was so lucky to have!
Nikki Finke and I both had stints with Newsweek (I created a position for myself, courtesy of William Broyles, Jr. who assigned me to work with his Atlanta Bureau Chief, Vern Smith) but Stacy's Music Row Report was a decade ahead of Finke's online entertainment journalist presence.
Credited by the Nashville Business Journal (in its April 17-21, 1995 edition) for pioneering Music Row coverage on the Internet, I have spent the last 27 years offering "Nashville's only independent source of country-music news, reviews and informed opinion.”
And, it seems, Jay Penske wouldn't listen to neither Nikki nor me. Penske doesn't have the money to buy me out, but it would have been in keeping with the highest standards of journalism had he corrected factual reporting errors and plagiarism in his publications when properly-sourced as they were brought to his attention.
This is really lovely memorializing of someone very complicated, who nevertheless did a lot to shape how news works a decade plus later. Too many of the obits I read were really flat, I'm glad you wrote this. <3
Enjoyed this!
Franky, what a vapid, meaningless life.
There's a good bit of that in Hollywood
In great abundance. But she was just a silly person but, as you say, who isn't out there?
What a vivid portrait of a complicated, difficult and totally original force of nature. This really captured that quality that a lot of people who interacted with Nikki Finke seemed to have -- a combination of fear, admiration, anger and even awe. And I was glad to see those bits about Ed Koch almost remembering her. It's a shame that the Observer version of that interview doesn't seem to exist because the photos that Emily Epstein took of Koch for it, just weeks before he died, are some of the most evocative that were ever taken of him.
Thanks Ken! That really sums her up.
The Koch interview remains among the most memorable I have ever done. He's another one who could be described as complicated, but totally original.
That day, both Emily and I had the impression he really wanted to get a lot off his chest. I was in there like an hour and a half and it was scheduled for like twenty minutes. He kept asking staff to let it extend. WSJ came in right after for this quick back of the book feature where they asked like five questions so ours was really his last lengthy interview.
Even though he had been sick and seemed to have legacy on his mind when we spoke, I never could have imagined he would pass so quickly afterwards. I remember the morning the news broke so clearly. We'd run pieces on the interview but I still had so much in my recorder. I realized I had his final words and we all worked like crazy to get a longer cut up. Just an incredible New York experience I was so lucky to have!
Nikki Finke and I both had stints with Newsweek (I created a position for myself, courtesy of William Broyles, Jr. who assigned me to work with his Atlanta Bureau Chief, Vern Smith) but Stacy's Music Row Report was a decade ahead of Finke's online entertainment journalist presence.
Credited by the Nashville Business Journal (in its April 17-21, 1995 edition) for pioneering Music Row coverage on the Internet, I have spent the last 27 years offering "Nashville's only independent source of country-music news, reviews and informed opinion.”
And, it seems, Jay Penske wouldn't listen to neither Nikki nor me. Penske doesn't have the money to buy me out, but it would have been in keeping with the highest standards of journalism had he corrected factual reporting errors and plagiarism in his publications when properly-sourced as they were brought to his attention.
Terrific piece Hunter. You capture the agony and the ecstasy beautifully
This is really lovely memorializing of someone very complicated, who nevertheless did a lot to shape how news works a decade plus later. Too many of the obits I read were really flat, I'm glad you wrote this. <3