Talk Magazine
17 articlesFeatures & Essays
5 articles I Bought the Wrong Birkin Bag! She ponied up $6,000 for the world's most elusive accessory, only to be made fashion's fool. Marc Rich Billionaire scoundrel Marc Rich spent 17 years on the U.S. government's Most Wanted lists. In January he was cleared of all charges—by presidential pardon. This is Rich's story, as told by those who tried to bring him to justice and those who encountered him along the way. Analyze This! An oral history of that craaaazy election—by the men and women inside the race, and those who tried to cover it. Barak Under Fire He is a fearsome warrior who became Israel's most popular politician. Now Ehud Barak fights for political survival—another struggle in a life filled with battles. Jack Welch How did Jack Welch, General Electric's chairman of 20 years, turn a sluggish behemoth into America's most valuable company, and himself into a corporate legend? As he prepares to cap off his career, insiders and competitors portray a titan in motion.
Money Talks
11 articles Bill Blass Bill Blass, for 40 years the favorite designer of the world's richest women, reflects on celebrity designers, being a snob, and a life well lived. Kate Spade Kate Spade says that the success of her handbag line is no big thing. But let's call a spade a spade—it's a remarkable story. Bob Davis A year before AOL hooked up with Time Warner, Lycos founder and former CEO Bob Davis struck a deal to merge his new media portal with Barry Diller's media empire. But Davis says another Internet mogul's greed got in the way. Mort Zuckerman Whether developing the Citicorp Center in Manhattan or writing editorials for his U.S. News & World Report, Mort Zuckerman doesn't think of work as toil—it's passion commodified. Felix Rohatyn Felix Rohatyn fled the Nazis, saved New York, reshaped corporate America, and, as U.S. ambassador, charmed the French. You want to talk about tough? Lowell Paxson Lowell Paxson, creator of the Home Shopping Network, forbids sex and violence on his Christian TV network. Profits, however, are strongly encouraged. Joel Schumacher Director Joel Schumacher grew up poor and wild on the streets of Queens. It was a long, rough road to mastering the Hollywood deal. Bijan Pakzad A season's worth of clothes from Bijan's boutique on Rodeo Drive can run $1 million. For the royal family of Brunei, a single design was $10 million. Style? Taste? Not cheap. Alan Grubman Superlawyer Alan Grubman makes deals for pop music's biggest stars, from Madonna to Bruce Springsteen. And he always picks up the check. Pete Peterson Wall Street wizard and budget guru Peter G. Peterson, chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, is not shy about delivering hard economic facts to the nation—nor, as Talk found out, to those closest to him. Bernie Brillstein Bernie Brillstein is very rich. Here the mogul answers Talk's questions about failure, success, and the best sandwich money can buy.