February 12-18, 2004

city beat

Hook 'em Dano!

MAN AT WORK: One day into his stint as the Daily News' new gossip maven, Dan Gross works the phones for the next big scoop. Photo By: Michael T. Regan

An interview with Dan Gross, Daily News gossip columnist.

by Deborah Bolling

This week, Dan Gross, the nascent protégé of Daily News gossip columnist Stu Bykofsky, finally took over the reins of the Byko! column, a DN must-read for 17 years. City Paper caught up with the 25-year-old Wynnewood native via AOL Instant Messaging, after the budding scribe returned from watching the Philadelphia Soul’s inaugural loss Sunday night.

City Paper: You get tickets for everything now, right? Is this gig good for your personal life, too?

Dan Gross: What do you mean by that? Like girls?

CP: Yeah. Like girls.

DG: Totally. All of the hot, young numbers who used to throw themselves at Stu have immediately defected and transferred their love to me. I'm beating them off with a stick. Except not really at all.

CP: Did Stu take them with him? Or are you just the shy type?

DG: I don't think he took them with him. I'm not sure if gossip groupies exist. I'm not the shy type. But I'm probably trying harder to get items than get laid at the moment.

CP: What's the name of your column and did you have a hand in deciding what it would be?

DG: I think it's just gonna say Dan Gross next to a little picture of me. I don't think it's got its own name. My column is part of a larger spread called The Public Eye that consists of Tattle by Howard Gensler and a column written by Jenice Armstrong.

CP: Are you hoping to one day distinguish it with its own catchy name?

DG: I'm not too worried about it. I would be fine with people feeling like they had to read the Dan Gross portion of the section or whatever, but I'm not counting down the days till it becomes Grosso! or Danno!

CP: So, it's Sunday night and you're at the office. How demanding is this job going to be?

DG: It's pretty demanding. You're sort of always on, 'cause you could be anywhere and notice or hear something that you could or would want to use or check out. But I don't care really. It's something I'm willing to work hard at, and there's no wife and kids at home to miss me or anything, so I'm sure it's cool.

CP: You're only 25 and you're a gossip columnist for a major daily. Is this your "dream job"?

DG: I never really had a dream job, but I'm completely happy to be where I'm at right now.

CP: As a gossip columnist, you're often charged with digging up the dirt. Do you have limits?

DG: Personally and professionally, yes.

CP: Like what?

DG: I wouldn't out anybody, for example.

CP: Outing is getting passé. After all, gay marriage is already part of the presidential campaign platform. What about infidelity or corruption?

DG: Corruption is in the public interest, so that's totally fair game. As for infidelity, I wouldn't want to break up anybody's marriage, but if it breaks up and I know why, it's my job to report that.

CP: Is there anyone in this town that you're afraid of?

DG: Not yet.

CP: What does your youth add to the column? What does it compromise -- if anything?

DG: I'm hoping it adds a different perspective and some different, younger-skewing areas of coverage. Shit that Stu may not have been privy to. My guess is that some people will feel I'm just some kid who doesn't know what he's doing. If they feel that way, it sucks for them, and they'll soon be proven wrong.

CP: Stu leaves big shoes to fill. He knew everybody and had access to lots of information. How do you plan to keep the readers satisfied?

DG: I plan to offer them top quality gossip at competitive prices. Sixty cents a day? Shit, that's less than a cup of coffee.

CP: I've heard that you're not demanding exclusivity from your sources, as Stu did. To me, that means that you run the risk of getting scooped. Explain.

DG: Stu told PR folks he didn't want press releases. By telling people essentially to find him something special or fuck off, there was stuff he/we didn't always hear about. I'd like special angles myself, but I'd also like access to as much information that I can get, and then I can come up with how to handle it myself. Also, the really good stuff doesn't come from press releases or publicists anyway.

CP: What do you think the biggest problem was with Stu's column and how will yours be different?

DG: I don't really have any problems with Stu's column other than when we'd have to say the Noo Yawk Post and it just looked silly. I don't know how mine will be different or not different yet. I think we'll have to wait and see. I think it'll be changing all the time.

CP: Stu gave a lot of ink to the exploits of Harry Jay Katz. Will you continue the tradition?

DG: I will continue to give ink to any known local personality who's doing something interesting.

CP: Last question: What would be your dream scandal to scoop?

DG: I would like to be the one to break the story when the Inquirer calls it quits and the Daily News gets all its resources.

CP: Me too.