Dana Brown discusses "Dilettante" with Buzz Bissinger

3/22/22
Dana Brown was a twenty-one-year-old college dropout playing in punk bands and partying his way through downtown New York's early-nineties milieu when he first encountered Graydon Carter, the legendary editor of Vanity Fair. After the two had a handful of brief interactions (mostly with Brown in the role of cater waiter at Carter's famous cultural salons he hosted at his home), Carter saw what he believed to be Brown's untapped potential, and on a whim, hired him as his assistant. Brown instantly became a trusted confidante and witness to all of the biggest parties, blowups, and takedowns. From inside the famed Vanity Fair Oscar parties to the emerging world of the tech elite, Brown's job offered him access to some of the most exclusive gatherings and powerful people in the world, and the chance to learn in real time what exactly a magazine editor does--all while trying to stay sober enough from the required party scene attendance to get the job done. Against all odds, he rose up the ranks to eventually become the magazine's deputy editor, spending a quarter century curating tastes at one of the most storied cultural shops ever assembled.
Dilettante reveals Brown's most memorable moments from the halcyon days of the magazine business, explores his own journey as an unpedigreed outsider to established editor, and shares glimpses of some of the famous and infamous stories (and people) that tracked the magazine's extraordinary run all keenly observed by Brown. He recounts tales from the trenches, including encounters with everyone from Anna Wintour, Lee Radziwill, and Condé Nast owner Si Newhouse, to Seth Rogen, Caitlyn Jenner, and acclaimed journalists Dominick Dunne and Christopher Hitchens.
Written with equal parts affection, cultural exploration, and nostalgia, Dilettante is a defining story within that most magical time and place in the culture of media. It is also a highly readable memoir that skillfully delivers a universal coming-of-age story about growing up and finding your place in the world. (Ballantine Books)
Buzz Bissinger is among the nation's most honored and distinguished writers. A native of New York City, Buzz is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the Livingston Award, the American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award and the National Headliners Award, among others. He was also a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. He’s the author of the highly acclaimed nonfiction books Friday Night Lights, A Prayer for the City, Three Nights in August, Shooting Stars, and Father’s Day. Buzz has been a contributing editor at Vanity Fair magazine since 1996.
His latest book, The Mosquito Bowl, will be published by HarperCollins this Fall. Five years in the making, the book enters around an improbable football game played on the island of Guadalcanal on Christmas Eve of 1944 between two regiments of the Marine Corps, each of which were loaded with some of the best college football players in the country (sixteen were drafted by the pros). Several months later, 15 of the 65 who played were killed at Okinawa.
He teaches advanced narrative non-fiction at the University of Pennsylvania. He is married to Lisa C. Smith. In addition to twins Gerry and Zach, they have another son, 30-year-old Caleb.

[@lenorman5375]

Dana, I loved your book so much I didn’t want it to end, just like the old Vanity Fair! Bravo and continued success. Just as a little sidenote I wrote Dominick Dunne a thank you letter for his articles in the mid 90s., Don’t know who it was but I received a type letter thanking me for enjoying his work that I still have to this day.🥰

[@Annie-kx3cr]

I LOVED your book so much that I couldn't put it down until I finished it. I miss the Graydon Carter/Dana Brown era of Vanity Fair. I was the target audience during your tenure and couldn't get enough. VF covered topics and introduced me to people I wouldn't have otherwise known about. One of the most poignant parts of the book for me was your insight that your job had become obsolescent. Everyone is looking for short sound bites and videos today whereas I enjoyed the lengthy indepth stories, especially Dominick Dunne's. I've become obsolescent too. The subscriber they no longer cater to. Wish you all the best, you're a superstar.

[@ericfisher7635]

Dana, you are a great wordsmith. One small thing. At least five times in Audible Dilettante, Dana pronounces mischievous in four syllables. Note
/ˈmisCHivəs/ , not mischevious.