Dial 911 For Newell Rubbermaid

What an appropriate announcement on September 11, 2006. . . Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL), makers of Sharpie, Paper Mate, Waterman, EXPO, Rubbermaid, Calphalon, Graco, Goody, BernzOmatic, IRWIN and LENOX, announced today they hired Magnus Nicolin as President of Newell Rubbermaid Europe. As far as I am concerned, you can kiss all of these brands goodbye...or at least their business on the other side of the Ocean.

HWH worked for this guy in the United States along with his henchwoman Helena Wong at Esselte, the worldwide office products company, they managed to ....er..........."let's just say the company is a shadow of its former self." We worked for Esselte long before Magnus and that little snot Helena showed up.

It probably won't be too long before Magnus hires his crony whom he met at P&G. He did that at Esselte. They like to work together as a team flashing their P&G backgrounds around because, in my opinion, they are totally clueless, socially and professionally.

Nicolin is very handsome, and his movie star good looks cover up for other weaknesses. The picture of Magnus here doesn't make him look like the debonair devil that he is. But trust me, he is very tall and distinguished looking. He is one of those people that make you stop and stare.

Helena is just the opposite. I don't know what her talents are but in my experience she had about as much authority being the Chief Marketing Officer for Esselte as I have being Miss USA. In all my years working (40 years this past Sept 9th), I have never met someone so condescending and misinformed than she.

One day she decided that Esselte needed a big idea to make the company famous. She asked HWH and two other agencies to present creative ideas. I don't know what happened at the other presentations, but during ours she spent the entire time telling us we were worthless. I have never experienced this before and the only reason why I didn't wipe the walls with her is because I thought I owed some respect to her two lieutenants, Chris Ang and Chris Curran.They applauded our ideas in a preview meeting but disassociated themselves when she mouthed off. I have never forgiven myself for not putting her in her place, especially when she announced that Samsung, one of our other clients, was not a good example of the great work we were doing. Samsung, as far as she was concerned, was an inferior brand stuck in a garage some place. The Chris' slid down in their chairs from embarrassment.

The meeting got even worse but I will save those details for anyone who wants a first hand account of the dragon lady. When I tried to contact Magnus to tell him that Helena was a disaster, he never returned phone calls. He was off globetrotting. Why sweat the small stuff and HWH obviously fell in that category. That's okay. We went on to bigger and better things while Esselte fell apart. Perhaps it was the big idea Helena fell in love with:

She selected an agency that told her to drop a sizeable paper plane branded with the name Esselte on it off the Empire State Building to generate big news.

Needless to say that idea was never executed but the company was.

PETER COOK NEEDS A SPIN DOCTOR

Even the Men Don’t Believe Him

And I know just the person……me. The only person who believes him now is his lawyer. And Peter pays his lawyer to believe him. I thought it was touching yesterday when Cindy Adams of the Post wrote a front-page column that quoted Peter’s lawyer. "Peter wants Christie back. He is so sorry. He made a careless mistake."

I thought to myself "Okay, this is a honest statement and the guy came to his senses."

When I mentioned this to my husband Eliot he laughed and replied, "All he is doing is protecting his money. They have about $60 million in Hamptons real estate that he doesn’t want to part with."

I thought that was an interesting statement from my husband who is also my business partner. He must have given this subject some thought ……hmmmmm.

I qualify as the spin doctor because I hate bad cheats. I need to set this guy straight.

He knew he was going to get caught. He may have even planned it. No one goes parading around the Hamptons with another woman (and in this case, another girl) without getting caught.

Christie would have to be nuts to go back to him. I don’t care what kind of so-called bitch she may be. Not only did he cheat on her; he was a lousy cheat at that. She is so humiliated that the only retribution is getting Cook to cough up a lot of dough.

Cook, dough, get it?

The only answer for Peter is to call me. I don’t cook so I know how to cure this whole thing. But if you think I am going to spill (another pun) it out here you are nuts (here we go again).

Lois and Clark

It was quite the thrill to sit in an intimate setting with one of the most popular fiction writers ever, Mary Higgins Clark, and her successful daughter, Carol Higgins Clark. The two mystery storytellers were at the Mysterious Bookstore on Warren St. in Tribeca, NY for the debut of their new respective books, "Two Little Girls in Blue" and "Hitched".

The few fans who managed to show up, with the massive immigration demonstrations only a few blocks away, earned a real treat being able to converse with the authors practically one-on-one.

Mary said how she and Carol never actually read at these so-called "readings"; rather they enjoy sitting and talking with the audiences. A lot of behind-the-scenes material was discussed, but the one area that most people always want to talk about is how they get their plots. In mystery writing, Mary revealed there are only really seven plots that an author can extrapolate from.

Both writers build their stories from real life experiences. Whether going on a cruise, visiting friends, shopping, attending a party or simply watching television, something usually sparks a story idea.




That's one of the reasons why successful authors like Mary and Carol get sued so often. There is always that one reader claiming they stole his/her material or overheard a conversation and used it. "It costs a fortune to fight these false claims," Mary explained. "Most of these can never be substantiated and go away as fast as they surface, but they are nevertheless disturbing."

The more famous authors become, the more they attract people with too much time on their hands, one example being the guy who often writes to Mary and corrects her grammar. He claims she still doesn’t know the difference between "take" and "bring" in the construction of her sentences. "That's why I have a publisher and editor, but sometimes they don't catch it either."

THE DEATH OF OBITS AT THE NEW YORK TIMES

What is the story with the New York Times? They have no respect for the dead.

I’ve been meaning to complain about this for weeks. They recently redesigned their website, I believe, to make it more user friendly…not. I hate people and companies who make changes for the sake of it. The former NY Times website was just fine.

The new design gives me a headache, and I am suspicious of what they are trying to hide. In the past I could easily find the Obit section, which was prominently displayed above the fold on links to the left of my computer screen -- everything was easy to read. Now the Times only gives homage to World News, United States, New York, Business, Technology, Sports, Science, Health, Education, Opinion. The Obits have been banished to a shady plot under the classified section.

I don’t want to have to scroll so far down every morning to see if I am still alive. If my name is not listed there, I figure I better get dressed and get to work. I am not alone. I talk to so many people who check the Obits first thing everyday before they read anything else. It is like taking your pulse.

Reading the Obits is a great way to start the day. You read about the lives of prominent people and quickly decide if it was all worth it. It sets your tone for the day. If I read about someone who died of cancer after spending his or her entire career in cancer research, I feel like someone spiked the punch and I don’t work so hard. If I read about a young person who died just after he or she wrote a successful Broadway musical, I kick myself for being totally useless and unproductive because I am 20 years older. And if I read about someone who was philanthropic but divorced several spouses, I feel like I don’t have to be so generous just as long as I stay married to my present husband.

I always wanted to be an Obits writer but I think I would cry every time a death was called in. I would be so busy yenta-ing about who, what, why, I would never meet the deadline.

I love reading Obits but I don’t wish death on anyone. It is so final, so mysterious, so scary. No wonder the Times really buried it once and for all.

One Is A Lonely Number

Sometimes when I have to work late and no one is around I get the willies. The willies are something like the creeps. I am alone with my thoughts, which always get steered to "Why am I still working so hard at 58?" The answer is always the same: "I spend a lot of money and I have to keep the cash flowing." That is what I say when I am feeling sorry for myself. When I get past that I realize that without work, I would probably have no identity. But my identity is nothing compared to Cindy Adams and Liz Smith, both in their '80s. I am not anywhere near as famous, talented and driven. What makes these dames tick? Everyday, like mailmen, they deliver their columns filled with new and fascinating material. Day after day, year after year, they have been alive with copy. I like to think about them and then I don't feel so lonely at the computer when everyone else is asleep. Maybe if I work harder, I can be just like them at 80-plus.

The Kitchen at The Gilt...

Guest Writer
Tara M. O'Donnell
Corporate Communications Senior Manager
Samsung Electronics North America HQ



Stephen O'Donnell Surrounded By The Gilt Chefs


My husband built the kitchen at The Gilt and that’s the only way we would have even considered going there for dinner. We’re simple folk. I’m from the suburbs of NYC and I love food but spent most of my childhood eating liver. And my husband Stephen is from Donegal, Ireland. He’s a real mountain man who hadn’t tried most ethnic foods until about 5 years ago. Stephen’s company, JBS, has been working on the kitchen at The Gilt for a while, which is located in the former Le Cirque 2000 space in the Palace Hotel. Every night for months I heard about how Chef Paul, an Englishman with a sense of humor but a stubborn streak, fought with the hotel chef over where spice racks and pots should be hung. But until a few weeks ago, when I read the New York Times food review about The Gilt, I had no idea that Chef Paul was Paul Liebrandt, an infamous artist in the world of cooking. When we arrived, the very elegant setting made us feel a bit like two fish out of water. But the servers were overwhelmingly hospitable and it wasn’t long before we were settling in and sipping champagne. The Maitre’d suggested the tasting menu which sounded like the best way to experience the restaurant. There was something that Frank Bruni wrote in his NY Times article that came to mind as soon as the first course was served. He wrote that one of his dinner companions said, “I feel like I'm in my first class of organic chemistry." I felt like the servers were speaking Greek. Every new dish that came out was a surprise, even after the server carefully explained what it was. My husband doesn’t eat fish so that was a tricky obstacle for the kitchen to overcome. I think they truly earned their keep that night since they couldn’t give him the set tasting dishes found on the menu. They were very inventive….substituting beats for salmon and offering quail instead of sole. When I saw the size of the first dish, I expected to leave the restaurant and head straight to a pizza place. But, I was pleasantly surprised by my full stomach when I left. They paired each dish with the appropriate wine. That was amazing. But when they poured the first glass, or drop, my reaction was the same as the food. I won’t even get tipsy from these drops of wine. But, after several drops, I felt warm and cozy. My favorite dishes turned out to be food that I normally would never eat and in some cases, don’t even like. There was a small shell fish appetizer with one diver scallop and a craw fish that had peas on the side. The shell fish were tasty but the peas, which were infused with cilantro (I think), were delicious. I haven’t eaten peas in 20 years. There was a delicious foie gras served with bread and truffle butter. It melted in my mouth. I also really enjoyed the hare which when the server described , didn’t sound all that good, but it tasted wonderful. My husband really enjoyed the veal short sweetbreads. I was glad he didn’t know or ask what sweetbreads actually are. Talking about bread, the bread was to die for. There were many types infused with different ingredients such as chestnuts, olives and ham. As with anything, there are always a few items that didn’t impress me. The first appetizer was a poached quail egg with a thin, crisp slice of chorizo. It tasted a bit like taking a bite of a bacon and egg sandwich but the texture turned me off. A sorbet made of wasabi, green apples and salt was served before the main course. I wasn’t a fan. But I suppose it was just there to clean our palates, and it did the job. Overall the experience was an extraordinary one. We go out a lot but not to places like The Gilt. It was a little more formal than I would normally like (every time you go to the rest room, they “serve” you a new napkin with two forks – as if it were bread) but it was a rare treat for us to get to experience such a place. One of the best parts of the evening was getting to meet the team of hard working sous-chefs that put all of these intricate dishes together. My husband spends most of his days in the kitchen of The Gilt but he was amazed at how it transformed in the evening when all of the masters are at work. I would recommend checking out The Gilt for a very special occasion. But consider who you invite. It’s not a place my parents would have enjoyed. They would have felt gypped by the small portions and large price tag.

News about the state of Gov. George Pataki gives me the willies

Forty-one years ago, my cousin Eddie Guskind died of peritonitis. He was 32 years old. I have been watching the reports about our Governor and I am starting to get a little nervous. His hospital stay keeps getting longer and longer. Patients who usually have an appendectomy are out of the hospital in two or three days. The last time I saw the Governor on TV from his hospital bed he looked very pasty, drawn, sickly and weak.

Once peritonitis sets in anything can happen. From what I can remember, my cousin complained one weekend of a stomach ache, and went to his doctor twice. Each time the doctor gave him medicine and told him to go home to rest. When the pain become intolerable, his young wife (who is my first cousin) rushed him to the hospital only to find out that his appendix burst and this horrible poison set in. Irene was a few years younger than Eddie, had a daughter who was just three and was several months pregnant.

Eddie died three days later. The family went nuts. The funeral was horrible and my cousin Irene was in shock for many years. She gave birth to a son, named him after his father and now my little cousin Eddie (41 years old) is married, the father of two fabulous sons, but has to be somewhat haunted that he never met his father.

We all are. How can this happen? Now turn the clock to today and I am watching this horror unfold again. This time to a political figure who has all the wherewithal, the money and the power not to let this happen. I truly believe Gov Pataki will be okay, but at this point I am sure the doctors are freaking because this serious infection can run amok.

I am picturing Gov Pataki standing next to then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani during the World Trade Center turmoil. He looked like the pillar of strength. I can't wait to see him like that again.

Lois in the Far East - Part 1

Hello from the South Asian Seas. I am aboard one of the ships in the Oceania Cruise Line -- the Nautica -- sailing from Singapore to Hong Kong with stops in Cambodia, Bangkok, Saigon, Hanoi and Canton. This is the first time in 29 years of business that I dared to be physically away from the office for so long. The “what will be, will be” attitude was involuntarily casted on me after several close friends and dear family members died all too early in 2004-2005. The final straw was losing my mother last June. Still trying to put the pieces together after that.

I fear airplanes and boats so naturally my husband Eliot and I, along with two friends, Ruth and Howard Greenberg, decided to fly 24 hours to our first destination, Singapore, spend a few days and then board the ship. Most people on the cruise are 60 plus. While at first I thought I entered Del Boca Vista (Seinfeld’s parents condo in Boca Raton), it turns out that this crowd defines the new meaning of Active Adults. I imagine that most of the 450 people aboard the ship are very accomplished, and I would love to know what they do. I will probably find out more as the days go by. Most of the passengers are from the west coast of United States, a big group from Ft. Lauderdale, and lots from England, Australia and Canada.

I am just starting to get used to not being on email 24/7. I am paying 60 cents a minute for email so I am typing fast. I also have an expensive satellite phone with me so if you hear from me I will be talking fast.

I want to write often because I would like some of my impression logged somewhere so I guess this blog is the best place. My next installment will be my thoughts about the journey here and my impressions of Singapore. We stayed at the Singapore Oriental for four days before cruising so I am going to go backwards before I go forward. The story of my life.

A Conversation With Steve Madden

Even if I had planned to interview the famed shoe designer, circumstances couldn’t have worked out better. We were sitting at a Starbucks kiosk right outside a Steve Madden store in Aventura Mall in North Miami Beach, FL. I looked up and there he was. You can’t miss him. He wears the same thing all the time -- baseball hat, white shirt and jeans.

I watched as he ordered his coffee, and then paced while sipping, blowing the hot drink. A fancy cell phone constantly glued to his ear. My husband questioned whether it was really he. I was confident that it was; I had seen his photo many times before.

As he walked by I waved a hearty hello letting him know he we were big fans. While I only own one pair of Steve Madden shoes, I felt a kinship. He, a famous designer. Me, a publicist always in search of famous people.

The minute he saw my hand go up, he came over to say hello. By this time my daughter who was shopping nearby joined us. It was a real celeb spotting experience.

Lois: “What are you doing here?”

Steve: “Visiting my mother in Boca.”

Lois: “Are you checking out your store here?”

Steve: “Not really. I leave that up to others. That doesn’t mean that I'm not always looking, thinking.”

Lois: “Yes, I saw you walk into Nine West across the way to check it out.”

Steve: “You can’t break old habits."

Lois: “Their current collection is shit. I was in there too.”

Steve: “I agree, they've had better.”

Lois: “So what have you been up to lately?”

Steve: “You know that I've been away for a while. Just got out seven months ago. I'm enjoying myself. I just got engaged. Going to get married January 15th in New York City."

He told me where, but I won't reveal till after the wedding.

Lois: “Is she Jewish?”

Steve: “No, a real shiksa. I am like Larry David and she is my Cheryl Hines.”

Lois: “Is your mother upset that you're marrying out of your religion?”

Steve: “No, I'm 48 years old. This is my first marriage. My mother and everyone else thought I was gay. I just couldn’t find anyone.”

Lois: “Where do you live?”

Steve: “The Upper East Side in a townhouse. I used to live in the Village on Mercer for almost 30 years, but my fiancée really likes the Upper East Side.”

Lois: “Is she after you for your money?”

Steve: “No, we've known each other for years. She's an office manager for Steve Madden. She's busy shopping right now. I expect her here any minute.”

Lois: “That is so funny. I would expect you with a girl who shops on Madison Avenue.”

Steve: “That is what is so great about her. She's comfortable shopping here, she's comfortable on Madison Avenue. Where do you work?”

Lois: "On 58th and Sixth.”

Steve: “My office is two blocks away on Sixth.”

Lois: “Here is my card. Maybe I can help you someday.”

Steve: “We use PMK.”

Lois: “They’re great. Oh well, if you ever need PR for something else related to cause marketing, charity work or anything extra, please call me.”

Steve: “Thanks. I'll be in touch.”

I feel like I am back in the dating game. I want him to call!

Made in USA, Exported to China

Julie Gaynin, daughter of HWH PR Executive Karen Gaynin, worked at our PR agency for a few weeks this summer. Julie is a Senior at Stuyvesant High School and spent last summer traveling in China. Since HWH is very involved in promoting many Asian products and services, I thought it would be interesting to read about Julie’s travels and her perceptions. Americans everywhere are reading Ted Fishman’s book, China Inc. and corporations/organizations are paying big bucks to hear him speak. We give you Julie Gaynin first hand for free.




Lois Whitman: Why did you decide to go to China?

Julie Gaynin: For a while now I have had a growing interest in the “Asian world.” I spent the summer before my Junior year of high school traveling in China and this past year (Junior year) I became very involved with a program called the “Chinatown Literacy Project,” a free ESL class for Chinese immigrants. Then this past summer, I participated in a series of workshops geared at empowering the youth of the Asian American community in New York City. I didn’t actually intend to get so involved in the Chinese community. It just sort of happened. I guess it began with my father’s business trips to China back when I was in sixth grade. He went on average three times a year and each time he would bring back a heavy load of unusual, not to mention bizarre, gifts accompanied by an equally intangible story. Flash forward to high school when I heard from a friend about a company, “Where There Be Dragons,” that runs teenage-led trips to the Far East. Dragons (as the program is referred to) had one particular trip that took youths across China from the West border to the East, exploring the minority cultures and varying landscapes. As I flipped through the brochure I was immediately interested in a particular trip called “Silk Road” (because it traveled along the ancient Silk Road) and in the Spring of my Sophomore year signed up.


LW: What was the trip all about?

JG: The company took students to developing countries in Asia and South America with the premise that introducing young minds to different cultures leads to a more accepting and peaceful relationship between the two cultures.



LW: How long was the trip and what cities did you visit?

JG: The program lasted for six weeks during the summer. We traveled across China beginning in Kashgar and ending in Beijing. In between we saw Urumqi (capital of Xinjiang Province), Dunhuang (an oasis in the Gobi Desert), Lanzhou (Capital of Gansu Province), Xiahe (a small town in the Greater Tibetan Region), Xining (also a small town in the Greater Tibetan Region, yet more commercialized and exploited than Xiahe), Xian (famous for the Terracotta Soldiers) and Beijing. We traveled mostly by overnight trains, though on a few occasions we took very long bus rides. The idea behind this was that we would travel the way the common Chinese man or woman would travel and thus avoid any contribution to the exploitation that tourism has brought to each area. Almost each of the cities that we visited had some sort of attraction that degraded the city. For example, in Kashgar, peasants drank from the sprinklers on the sliver of grass next to the sidewalk because they did not have running water in their own homes. Another example is the Christmas lights that the Government placed on the rooftops of Buddhist monasteries to anger the monks while Tibetan schools lacked essential learning materials.



LW: Who else was on the trip?

JG: The trip was composed of 12 students from all over the U.S. and three leaders. Our leaders were all college graduates who had an interest in travel or East Asian culture. Two of our leaders were fluent in Mandarin, but by mid-way through the trip they pushed us students to navigate on our own and only translated when we were near death.



LW: What was the most memorable part of the trip?

JG: I liked many of the places we traveled to but had especially fond feelings for Kashgar. The city, which is located in Xinjiang Province, is the western most city in all of China. It was a major stop on the historic ancient Silk Road and is the home of the Sunday Market, the largest outdoor market in the world. Kashgar was both the most exciting and the most difficult place to visit. It was the most exotic and different place I had ever been to as well as the most underdeveloped. Many areas of the city were full of poverty and it was a very difficult experience for me. Another thing about Kashgar is that it has a very defining feel to it. Many of the cities that we visited were large, industrial and unattractive. After a while they began to look the same. Kashgar on the other hand had a very vibrant culture, a mixture of Muslim, Indian and Han Chinese that dates back to its beginnings as a crossroads for travelers on the Silk Road.



LW: What is the most vital message you can tell Americans about China?

JG: The thing about China is that it is not all Lucy Lius and Jackie Chans and most Americans do not know this. Of course much of this naiveté comes from the Chinese themselves. The communist government is very tight on all tourist regulations and very strict about keeping visitors inside of the country’s cities. This way, the country’s heavily suppressed minorities and poor inhabitants are kept a secret from outsiders. It is important to realize that what you see in China, or in the media about China, is not what the country is necessarily like. Many stereotypes are fostered by this misrepresentation and the people of China are severely hurt by it. For example, the AIDS epidemic is growing in China at titanic amounts. However, the government denies the extent to which the disease has spread, which means that international organizations that fight the disease have made little effort, compared to what is needed, and more and more people continue to get infected because of this.



LW: How has this trip changed your life?

JG: The Dragons trip did more than just expose me to a new and different culture. It also taught me how to travel off the beaten path of a country in which I do not know the language (or even the exchange rate). They taught me how to be sensitive to a society’s culture, yet also cautious in regard to my safety and personal possessions (passport!). Most importantly they taught me the best time to use each attitude. I would like to say that going to China made me more knowledgeable on Chinese culture and language. Unfortunately it did not. Not really, no. What it did do though was teach me how to be open to different philosophies and viewpoints and how to keep my cool in overwhelming situations.



LW: Would you ever want to go back?

JG: Kashgar is definitely the first place I would go back to if I had the opportunity. China is modernizing so fast that a place in six months would be different from what it originally looked like. For example, when the SARS epidemic broke out, a major hospital for the disease was built in Beijing in just three days. I’d be curious to see how different each of the cities I visited have changed in five years.



LW: Why should Americans want to visit China?

JG: If you’ve ever been to Chinatown you know that Chinese culture stands out against any Western one. More than just a language, history, philosophy, Chinese culture has simply a different way about it. For example, in New York City, if you are walking down a street and asking for directions you might say “Excuse me, can you please tell me where the bank is?” In China, you would just say “Where’s the bank?” People are not as polite. At hotels they have buckets in the halls where people can spit into because spitting is something that the Chinese do publicly. I personally like this style a lot. It is much more honest and although they are blunt, the Chinese people are extremely friendly in a very sincere way. At the same time, the concept of Face is very important in Chinese culture. Face is about reputation and pride. You would never confess that you made a mistake nor would you tell someone that his or her cooking is awful because then he or she would lose Face with you. To lose Face is one of the worst things that can happen to a person in Chinese society. Of course, China does boast some famous tourist sites; The Great Wall, The Forbidden City, The Terracotta Soldiers, but it is more about visiting a country so different and so powerful.



LW: How will China influence the rest of the world over the next five to 10 years?

JG: In America, we would never believe that our economic success would exist without our Democratic politics. But China proves it doesn’t have to work that way. China’s government is Communist but it has many Capitalist properties. It is industrializing so fast that it literally builds over its past. The Government is very corrupt and it will be interesting to see how it will change as the country becomes more and more economically powerful.