The former editor of Conde Nast’s Details Magazine admitted to years of chaotic leadership that included hiding an addiction to opioids, publishing articles with doctored quotations, and at least one instance of a column with a faked byline, in a new memoir and subsequent interview with the New York Times.
The story is laid out in a Times article that also details what she calls “chaos” throughout Details’ parent company, magazine publishing giant Condé Nast.
Among the notable lapses was doctoring quotes by actor Ben Affleck in a cover story in 2007 cover story that was fact-checked by Peres. Bart Blasengame, the author of the story who now runs a music club in Portland, Oregon, told the Times he “took quotes from different parts of the interview and made them cohesive,” said Mr. Blasengame.”
Peres was the last editor of Details; Condé Nast shut it down completely in 2015 and Peres was let go after 15 years with the company. His memoir, “As Needed for Pain: A Memoir of Addiction,” was published this week.
Peres, who says he got clean in 2007, writes in the book that at the peak of his addiction he was taking upwards of 60 Vicodins a day. He describes picking pills up from filthy restroom floors, traveling to Mexico or Los Angeles on Condé Nast’s dime to procure drugs and a pattern of absenteeism in the workplace.
Peres, Rosman writes, also essentially tricked one of his assistants into providing Condé Nast’s travel office with “a 30-day itinerary to Italy and Australia that he could show to doctors as evidence that he needed to fill prescriptions in advance.”
Speaking to the Times, Peres also admits to one especially notable ethical lapse. In 2002, Details published a column purportedly written by author Kurt Andersen, co-founder of spy magazine. Peres boasted about hiring Andersen in an editor’s note and Details even published what was billed as a short interview with Andersen.
None of that was true, however. Andersen tells the Times he first learned of “his” article after his wife saw it and asked him about it. “As well as the terrible piece attributed to me, there was an even worse, horrible, ‘Hey dude, it’s just gossip’ quote from me,” he told the Times. “It was mortifying. Not just mortifying. Grotesque.”
Speaking to the Times, Peres suggests he had nothing to do with the publication of the article attributed to Andersen; another former Details staffer who edited the piece denies writing it. Andersen didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to Rosman, the Times has reviewed a copy of an email sent by a fired employee to the Condé Nast executive who oversaw publishing, including details, during Peres’ tenure. According to the times, the email describes a pattern of unprofessional conduct such as “frequent absences” and “admissions about pill-taking.”
The executive, who no longer works for Condé Nast, told the Times she does not remember seeing the email.
Representatives for Condé Nast didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap, but a spokesperson for the company told the Times, “Since the time chronicled in Dan’s book, our company and our industry have evolved significantly, and we can’t comment on the way our company was run under prior leadership.”
All the Women on GQ's Men of the Year Covers, From Jennifer Lopez to Megan Thee Stallion (Photos)
One of GQ's 2011 Men of the Year covers was given to actress Mila Kunis. She had just starred in "Friends With Benefits" alongside Justin Timberlake and spoke with GQ about her then-20 year career.
"I love what I do, but my theory is that it’s people who doubt what they do and want to prove it to you, they’re like, 'It’s art. I create art. It’s art, art, art.’ I’m like, Holy shit, are you f--king kidding me? I run around and pretend I’m someone else for twelve hours," she said.
Emma McIntyre / Getty Images
Rihanna was featured as GQ's Men of the Year in 2012, just days before the release of her seventh album, "Unapologetic."
"I want to make music that’s hopeful, uplifting. Nothing corny or supersentimental," Rihanna told GQ. "I just want it to have the feeling that brings you out of whatever you’re going through. I want it to spark that fire. I want it to be real, authentic, and raw."
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
Actress and activist Shailene Woodley appeared on GQ's Men of the Year cover in 2014. Then 23 years old, Woodley had recently starred in "The Fault in Our Stars" and "Divergent." In her cover story, she discussed working with co-stars Miles Teller and Ansel Elgort, as well as the "hippie" persona she had been labeled with in Hollywood. "The weirdest adjustment was to sort of absorb the labeling the press loves to do," she said in 2014. "Oh, she’s this person or She’s that person."
"That’s the thing about me in this industry," she added. "I do my thing and then I’m like, 'Peace! See you later! I’m going to Europe, where I’m gonna do my own thing!’ You know? So I don’t really interact."
Jason Merritt / Getty Images for GQ
In 2017, actress Gal Gadot — fresh off her starring role in DC's "Wonder Woman" — was honored with a Men of the Year cover. In a Tel Aviv interview with Caity Weaver, Gadot discussed being "probably" the most famous person in Israel, aside from its current leader, and taking on the pressure of the Wonder Woman role.
Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images for GQ
Twenty-three time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams graced GQ's Men of the Year cover in 2018. In her cover story, Williams talked about the double standard when it comes to who is allowed to display anger and who isn't, her relationship with her sister Venus, and taking on the French Tennis Federation's dated standards for how women players must dress on court. "Tennis players in general didn't look like me. Especially the top players or anyone that ever won Grand Slams. Nothing like me. So it was, Can I win looking like this? Can I perform looking like this?" Williams told GQ. "And that was something that I realized that I could do."
Manny Carabel / Getty Images
Jennifer Lopez — the actress, producer, musician, and all-around pop culture icon — was honored with a cover for GQ's Men of the Year issue in 2019. The "Hustlers" star spoke with Jessica Pressler, the New York magazine writer who wrote the original story that "Hustlers" is based on, about her prolific career.
"There is no reason to ever be ashamed of where you're at. Not when you're doing your best. Not when you're in your best moment," Lopez told Pressler. "There's always gonna be people to tell you no. Or 'You can't.' Or 'You shouldn't.' It's gonna happen. No matter what anybody says, you just have to still be like, 'I'm still doing this. I'm still gonna succeed. I'm still gonna do my best.' Defy the odds. Why not?"
Getty Images
The rapper Megan Thee Stallion capped off a memorable 2020 by hitting the cover of GQ. The music star, whose hits include "Savage" and the raunchy "WAP" (with Cardi B), told the magazine: "I feel like a lot of men just get scared when they see women teaching other women to own sex for themselves."
GQ
1 of 10
Jennifer Lopez graced GQ’s Men of the Year issue on Monday as its Icon of the Year and is the eighth woman to get a cover for the magazine’s special issue