IP Democracy: TMZ Headed to DC

The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz has this scoop today on TMZ.com’s plans to launch a DC edition of its gossip-mongering site called TMZDC. For those not familiar with TMZ (stands for the “thirty-mile zone” around Hollywood), it’s a great celebrity gossip site, filled with videos and photos that capture all-things celebrity, from the mundane (a photo of Will Ferrell teaching his son soccer) to the headline-grabbing (TMZ broke the arrest of Mel Gibson and the details of his anti-semitic outbursts.)

But, will this work in DC? Tabloid TV reporter Harvey Levin, who started TMZ.com, thinks so and has been meeting with folks and recruiting freelancers in the nation’s capital.

I don’t know…DC is not Hollywood and despite their power, the people who live here are kind of nerdy, but not in a hip way. DC is the kind of place that attracts people who were captains of their high school debate teams and is filled with attorneys — serious attorneys — who are not known for their colorful behavior.

As Kurtz puts it:

Thus we could see a Washington version of those “Stars — They’re Just Like Us” shots in Us Weekly and Star that show the likes of Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz shopping and schlepping.

But who would qualify for the D.C. equivalent of TMZ’s “Star Catcher” videos? Nancy Pelosi at the dry cleaners? Karl Rove juggling his cellphone and latte at Starbucks? Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Safeway?

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on March 15, 2007 10:28 AM to IP Democracy