Judith Regan Fired From HarperCollins
Posted on December 15, 2006
Publishing doyenne Judith Regan has been fired from HarperCollins by Rupert Murdoch. The termination follows the failed If I Did It title and her firing is likely directly linked to this book.
Reuters reports that no explanation was given for the firing but note the Simpson book issue.
The statement said her termination was effective immediately, both outlets reported. No explanation was given, and The New York Times said it was unclear if she was fired only from HarperCollins or from all News Corp. units.The state also said that the "Regan publishing program and staff will continue as part of the HarperCollins General Books Group."News Corp and HarperCollins representatives were not immediately available for comment. But the move followed ill-fated plans unveiled last month for a book, titled "If I Did It," and accompanying television interview featuring Simpson giving a hypothetical account of how he would have carried out the 1994 murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
The big News Corp holiday party is tonight, but it seems unlikely that Judith is attending. The O.J. book was a disaster, no question. But what about the ghastly planned fake memoir about baseball legend Mickey Mantle? Has that been cancelled, too?