<![CDATA[Gawker: defamer, new hires]]> http://tags.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gawker.com.png <![CDATA[Gawker: defamer, new hires]]> http://gawker.com/tag/defamer/newhires http://gawker.com/tag/defamer/newhires <![CDATA[A Quick Note About Our New And Improved Masthead]]> defamer08.jpgHappy 2008! Though we're still trying to pry off the confetti stubbornly cemented to various body parts by dried champagne (please, don't press us for details on the exact places we're having a hard time de-spangling), we're ready for whatever Hollywood nonsense the new year holds. But first, we have an announcement to make: Our Defamer family is expanding, as we've brought aboard an old friend to be our first Managing Editor. Please welcome Mark Graham to the fold, who'll be dealing with the administration of the site, spearheading the expansion of some features (photos and videos and what-have-you), and handling all the fun responsibilities that go along with growing our little part of the Gawker Media Worldwide Blogging Concern. Mark's a recent refugee from VH1's online operations, the proprietor of the seminal blogspot Whatevs, and, amazingly, still fascinated with at least one half of the post-conjoined Olsen twins. Please direct all well wishes and gift baskets (hint: he's a red-velvet cupcake guy) here.

OK, enough about our masthead. In the time it took us to type out this update, surely some once-virginal star of a tween-beloved cable series has been controversially impregnated, or the AMPTP has updated its website with a video of negotiating-averse leader Nick Counter setting ablaze an enormous pile of cash to show his greedy and unreasonable Writers Guild adversaries how much money they're wasting with each passing day of their misbegotten strike.

]]> http://gawker.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=339561&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ellen DeGeneres Still Not Over The DJ Who Stole Her Heart]]>
The Ellen DeGeneres Show's new season debuted this week from New York, where she introduced audiences to her new DJ, KROQ's and Loveline's Stryker— though the two seem to be suffering from a chemistry deficiency. On today's episode, Stryker made an off-color joke that involved the word "bitches," prompting an awkward, angry lecture about the differences between radio and TV standards and practices.

Of course, no one could ever take the place of beloved DJ Tony—whose children we suspect the comedian would gladly carry—but all Stryker probably needs is a few more weeks to work past the new job jitters and find his unthreatening-lesbian-sidekick voice. Still, should things not wind up gelling, we'd like to redirect producers to the discarded audition tape of DJ Evan Brand, who is clearly loved by the camera and has energy and charisma to spare. Certainly John "Wild Hog" Travolta would approve.

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