Could it be over before it began?
Olivia Nuzzi allegedly didn’t even get to pick up her Conde Nast laptop yet, as rumors swirl that she’s going to be out at Vanity Fair. But sources say no decision has yet been made on her fate.
One source told Page Six, “It looks like they are getting rid of her,” while another said, “I will not be surprised if they drop Olivia.”
Another source sniffed, “Even before this broke, she didn’t have a single story in the next two issues of the magazine. She never picked up her Condé Nast computer, never came to a meeting, never responded to an email she was cc’d on.”
The insider added, “The only thing she ‘edited’ in the Hollywood issue got cut.”
(An excerpt from her book does appear in the issue.)
The former New York Magazine star — who exited the mag after her alleged affair with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came to light — is releasing her new book, “American Canto,” this week, detailing her dalliance with the onetime presidential hopeful and its messy fallout.
Nuzzi, 32, was brought on as West Coast editor of Vanity Fair in September.
Now it appears Nuzzi may have lost her chance to resurrect her magazine career at Condé Nast.
At the same time as her book was about to drop, Nuzzi’s ex-fiancé, fellow political reporter Ryan Lizza, has been publishing his own serialized scorched-earth essays via Substack filled with wild accusations.
We hear Nuzzi’s alleged exit is unlikely to have any effect on the magazine that’s headed by new editorial boss Mark Guiducci, who has been trying to put his stamp on the publication.
Another source tells us Nuzzi’s role “was always going to be a vanity title,” no pun intended.
“She was never going to be an actual editor,” says another source. “It was going to be all about her looking glam at the Oscars party.”
Semafor’s Max Tani reported that VF is likely to just let Nuzzi’s new contract run out.
Said the report: “Two Condé Nast insiders said the publication and Condé Nast execs have been disturbed by the allegations in their totality, and are likely to let her temporary contract expire.”
We further hear that staff are “embarrassed” and want Nuzzi off the masthead.
“Everyone wants her out, with the possible exception of Mark [Guiducci],” says the source. “Everyone is constantly texting about how embarrassing this is.”
“Keeping her at this point would be suicidal,” says a source.
But another source tells us Nuzzi’s status on the masthead has not changed — and there has been no final decision. “Everything is still unfolding,” says the source. “They are still reviewing everything.”
The New York Times reported that Nuzzi and Guiducci met at the exclusive San Vicente Bungalows, and the Sunset Tower, last July, staying late and “talking about the old glamour of magazines and how to reinvent that in the digital era.”
It was not until after he was granted permission by the Condé Nast execs to hire her “that they learned she was about to land back in the news with the publication of ‘American Canto,’” added the report.
Lizza has also claimed Nuzzi had an affair with former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.
Nuzzi’s lawyer, Ari Wilkenfeld, said in a statement: “In ‘American Canto,’ Ms. Nuzzi discusses the only instance in her long career as a journalist in which she had an improper relationship with someone she was covering.”
A rep for Vanity Fair said at the time, “We were taken by surprise, and we are looking at all the facts.”
Nuzzi’s book is out from Avid Press on Dec. 2.
Vanity Fair and Nuzzi did not respond to requests for comment. Sources said Nuzzi would have been making “over $200K” for the gig.
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