Editing Rex Reed: A Memoir of Managing a Legendary Curmudgeon
Matt Zoller Seitz recounts his experience as the editor of Rex Reed, the legendary film critic who died at 87. Hired by The New York Observer in 2013, Seitz was tasked with managing Reed's provocative reviews and vetting his copy for offensive language. Reed, known for his scathing critiques and old-school style, often clashed with modern cinema and technology. Their relationship included dinners at classic New York restaurants, where Reed shared stories of Hollywood's golden age. Seitz reflects on Reed's legacy, his fabricated interview with Jean-Paul Belmondo, and his unyielding pessimism about the world.
Key facts
- Rex Reed died at age 87.
- Matt Zoller Seitz edited Reed at The New York Observer starting in 2013.
- Reed faced backlash for calling Melissa McCarthy a 'female hippo'.
- Reed fabricated quotes in a 1965 interview with Jean-Paul Belmondo.
- Reed purchased an apartment at The Dakota in 1969 for $30,000.
- Reed wrote for Esquire, Holiday, and The New York Observer.
- Reed's favorite piece was his profile of Tennessee Williams.
- Seitz last saw Reed in December 2023.
Entities
Artists
- Rex Reed
- Matt Zoller Seitz
- Melissa McCarthy
- Nora Ephron
- Ava Gardner
- Tennessee Williams
- Warren Beatty
- Jean-Paul Belmondo
- Raquel Welch
- Liza Minnelli
- Mel Tormé
- Johnny Hartman
- Gloria Vanderbilt
- Al Hirschfeld
- Dick Cavett
- Gene Siskel
- Roger Ebert
Institutions
- The New York Observer
- Esquire
- Holiday magazine
- The New York Herald Tribune
- The Dakota
- La Rivista
- Café Un Deux Trois
- Chez Napoleon
Locations
- New York City
- Venice Film Festival
- Times Square
- Hell's Kitchen
- Nile River
- Egypt
- New Orleans