Out of the You-Know-What Can, Into the Workforce

It's barely a month old, but ASSME -- that would be the American Society of Shitcanned Media Elites, you'll recall -- already has its first scandal to contend with: Its president and spokesman is no longer among the ranks of the shitcanned.

Aaron Gell, who founded the fledgling support group-slash-drinking forum after Radar, where he was executive editor, went out of business, was recently appointed the new editor in chief of Hemispheres, the in-flight magazine of United Airlines.

"I'm thrilled to have a job, but I still have my scars from Radar's demise," Gell (whom I worked with at Radar) said when I asked him about his non-unemployed-ness. "Besides, ASSME has never been about one person. It's a movement."

In fact, Hemispheres has been making the most of the abundance of suddenly-available editorial talent as it gears up for a spring relaunch. It also has a new executive editor, Mike Guy (formerly of Details), and a new art director, Rob Hewitt (a veteran of New York and GQ). The title was published for many years by Pace Communications, but Ink Publishing, a London-based custom publisher, won the contract in December.

Asked if he'll be stepping down as ASSME's president, Gell says, "I've checked the bylaws, and there's nothing in there that says I can't continue to serve for years to come."