This month, CJR presents “Required Skimming,” a daily miniguide to our staffers’ beats and obsessions, ranging from finance to food. If we overlooked any of your must-read destinations, please tell us in the comments.
• Go Fug Yourself: Don’t tell Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan I said this, but I think they’re better at making fun of celebrity fashion than Joan Rivers.
• The Temp Diaries: If you really want to know what Hollywood is like, the anonymous Temp X will tell you. It’s not pretty, but it is pretty accurate.
• The Awl: Its motto is “be not bored!” There’s so much to read here that I don’t see how you could be. I’ve contributed to The Awl a few times, but don’t let that deter you from going there.
• Richard Lawson: I loved him when he wrote for Gawker. He’s still very funny in his new(ish) home at The Atlantic Wire. His twitter account (@rilaws) is also worth following.
• Gawker: I have mixed feelings about this site, because while I disagree with their usual method of “reporting” (find a story someone else did the work of reporting, rewrite it, maximize pageviews), I can’t deny the results: interesting articles written in a snarky and entertaining way. That keeps me coming back, even when I know I shouldn’t.
• Sue Simmons Curses: WNBC should never have fired Sue Simmons, anchorwoman extraordinaire and New York City news institution. When I’m in a bad mood, I like to look back on some of her finest work—it never fails to bring a smile to my face.
Sara Morrison is a former assistant editor at CJR. Follow her on Twitter @saramorrison.