He’s also the latest subject to take part in the 92Y Culture Klatsch Q&A, our twelve questions that delve into the media and culture consumption habits of the interviewee. As you’ll learn below, Elliot is obsessed with staying up to date on “the progress of the Washington Square Park redesign,” and will occasionally daydream about cowboys and dinosaurs.
Where do you go for news when you start your day?
NY1 is the alpha and omega of news for me—I can wait to hear the national stories, but I absolutely must know about the progress of the Washington Square Park redesign RIGHT NOW.
What are your favorite websites?
I spend a lot of time at Talking Points Memo for political news and the Onion A.V. Club for entertainment news. Otherwise I’m mostly looking for information about obscure movies, comic books, or cartoons, so I head to Mike Sterling’s Progressive Ruin and Mark Evanier’s News From Me.
Dan Ain, 92YTribeca’s Rabbi in residence, prefers Twitter. But he thinks Facebook has its moments. “...it can be,” he told us in the latest 92Y Culture Klatsch, “an InTouch or a People Magazine for the people that you do care about.”
Speaking of Twitter, just a short while ago, Rabbi Dan Ain inquired there: “Can we find a space to talk about #God in this town?”
We can and will this Friday, when 92YTribeca Rabbi in residence Dan Ain and Bill McGarvey host a Shabbat dinner at 92YTribeca with discussion about faith and culture.
Where do you go for news when you start your day?
Certainly not Cable TV. Drudge, The New York Times, Zerohedge, Al Jazeera, Haaretz, Russia Today, The Huffington Post, Google News and local papers. I think it’s important to listen to as many sides as possible and try to get an understanding of what it is they believe (or want to believe or want us to believe that they believe) is going on.
When a story breaks, I try to find a news source that’s as close to the situation as possible and yet still somewhat reliable - like a local paper, blogger or radio station (which I get via the “tune-in radio” app).
Mel & El, “a modern day Laverne & Shirley, but dirtier,” are real life best friends who have known each other since they were 12 years old. “Some people think we have psychological issues,” Mel told us.
Mel & El host a hilarious monthly show and are bringing it to 92YTribeca for the first time next week on June 2, along with extra special guest comedian Sue Funke.
They are also the latest subjects in the 92Y Culture Klatsch Q&A. And just like the title of their blog, Mel & El have things to tell.
Where do you go for news when you start your day?
Mel: To be honest, the first place we go for news is each other.
El: Good point. Usually by 8am there is some email thread or text situation happening where we are alerting each other to “MEM”.
Mel: You have to explain that.
El: Oh. That means “My Every Move”. It doesn’t have to do with ACTUAL news, but to us, it’s essential information.
Mel: Some people think we have psychological issues but we embrace our Codefriendency.
Levy will be at 92YTribeca on May 25 with Steve Lohr, reporter at The New York Times, and David Kirkpatrick author of The Facebook Effect, for a panel discussion about Facebook and Google.
The companies are shaping up to be the greatest frenemies of this decade, as witnessed by the latest kerfuffle, which involved Facebook hiring a PR firm to place damaging stories about Google in the press. Fast Company called it an ”epic, escalating war.”
Without further adieu, here’s 92Y Culture Klatsch with Steven Levy:
Where do you go for news when you start your day?
I get The New York Times and WSJ on my Kindle. I used to get the printed Times, but I’m traveling a lot and the Kindle version follows me around, so I forgo the newsprint. After scanning those, I dive into the web. My Twitter feed gives me a good selection of links. Hacker News, TechCrunch and Techmeme provide the tech lowdown. Romanesko and MediaGazer cover media stuff.
The (Tentatively Named) 92Y Culture Diet Q&A With Constance Rosenblum
For New Yorkers, The New York Times‘ City section was once a favorite part of Sunday afternoons. Constance Rosenblum was editor of The New York Times‘ City section and is our latest subject of The (Tentatively Named) 92Y Culture Diet Q&A. That’s how we learned Constance does not use Twitter or Facebook and is “devastated that “Mad Men” hasn’t yet returned.” Read the full Q&A below.
Next Wednesday, May 18, she’ll join David Masello and Leslie Nipkow at 92YTribeca to share and discuss some of the best writing the City section inspired.
The (Tentatively Named) 92Y Culture Diet Q&A With Tom Blunt
Meet the Lady host Tom Blunt is today’s subject of the (Tentatively Named) 92Y Culture Diet Q&A*, where we pry into the media and cultural consumption habits of our friends! In this Q&A we’ve learned, among other things, that Mr. Blunt refreshes the Drudge Report all day and thinks Edith Zimmerman, editor of The Hairpin, is an evil genius.
The (Tentatively Named) 92Y Culture Diet Q&A With Tom Feyer
We introduced the (Tentatively Named) 92Y Culture Diet Q&A on April 21 with Drew Dernavich, cartoonist at The New Yorker and FISTICUFFS! co-creator.
Today we have another for you with The New York Times Letters Editor Thomas Feyer. The 92Y Culture Diet Q&A asks the same 12 questions, focusing on the subjects media and culture consumption habits, with questions like “What are your favorite websites?”, “What magazines do you subscribe to?” and “What’s the last music purchase you made?”
Feyer with be here this Thursday, May 5, with The New York Times deputy editorial page editor Trish Hall. They’ll share secrets to writing opinion pieces that get published and discuss the effectiveness of opinion pieces in shaping policy and public opinion. See below for Feyer’s Q&A.
Introducing The (Tentatively Named) 92Y Culture Diet Q&A
Drew Dernavich, cartoonist at The New Yorker and FISTICUFFS! co-creator, (where cartoonists battle the only way they know how—by drawing cartoons!) is the first subject of the new 92Y Culture Diet Q&A. Questions focus on discovering more about the subjects’ media and culture diet, for example, “What are your favorite websites?” and “What magazines do you subscribe to?”
Our friend Elliot Kalan, host of 
For New Yorkers, The New York Times‘ City section 
Today we have another for you with The New York Times Letters Editor Thomas Feyer. The 92Y Culture Diet Q&A asks the same 12 questions, focusing on the subjects media and culture consumption habits, with questions like “What are your favorite websites?”, “What magazines do you subscribe to?” and “What’s the last music purchase you made?”
