What did he do? Who is he? I like to know about people who are going to hell.

Harvey Levin

I disagree strongly.

First of all, I've worked for Levin several of the last few years. He doesn't kick puppies with his boot, and he doesn't steal candy from babies. He may make more money than you do, but there's zero, zero doubt that he works hard enough to earn it. He's courteous to his employees and pays them handsomely. He only insists that they do their jobs well.

It's important to remember that the people who buy his product seek it out. At the very least, they freely welcome it into their lives. He's about the same age I am, which is pretty fuckin' old. I've been to those editorial meetings of his, and I can testify that he has no supernatural insight into what, or who, is important. Heath Ledger died at half Levin's age. If Levin covered the death well, it's because he listened to sharp, younger people who told him it would matter to people in the midwest. People bought it from him; he didn't sell it to them.

Back when I worked for him a lot, I felt bad about the freaky amount of lens-time that the Levins of the world were pointing toward Britney and her cohort, children who were obviously not blessed with the superhuman constitution that would be required to survive the attention without being warped by it.

But remember, if you turn off your TV, Harvey Levin and Britney Spears cease to exist. You want him on that wall; you need him on that wall etc.

[sizzle]

Just because the public is willing to buy it doesn't mean Harvey's not a scumbag for selling it.