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Popstar!, a popular magazine for teen girls that Planet Hollywood International founder Robert Earl sold in May, was bought by a New Jersey publisher alleged to have ties to the hard-core adult magazine empire headed by Louis and Stephen Perretta.
The Perrettas, through their Paramus-based Magna Publishing, own a host of X-rated magazines with titles including Swank, Playgirl, Lesbian Licks, Cherry Pop, Just 18, Celebrity Skin and Fox — which is billed as “home of the world’s dirtiest porn stars.”
The brothers Perretta were involved in the acquisition of Popstar!, sources said, although the acquiring company was officially listed as eNoble Media.
Scott Figman, who identified himself as the president of eNoble, claims there is no link between the porn empire and his squeaky clean teen mag.
The office address, however, listed for Popstar! magazine on Route 4 East in Paramus is the exact same one listed for Magna. Both HQs are in Suite 211.
“We’re in the same building, we’re not in the same office,” insisted Figman.
The executive said he is the president and publisher. Asked for the names of the other officers, he declined to name them.
“I am not in the adult publishing world, never have been,” he said before declining further comment, except to say: “You’re on a fishing expedition, why should I talk to you?”
Earl, reached by phone at Planet Hollywood HQ in Orlando, Fla., yesterday, said he was “at a lunch” and would call back when it was over.
It must be one heckuva meal because we’re still waiting.
David Crabtree, CEO of Planet Hollywood International, also said that much of our information is “incorrect” — but he refused to identify who bought Popstar!
Later, Steve Perretta did call back and said he is the in-house counsel to both Magna and eNoble, but insisted there is no other link — despite the shared offices in Paramus.
“I admit, it’s an odd relationship, but it’s a big space and we all have our own cluster of offices. A lot of doors are closed,” he said. “We stay out of each other’s way.”
Perretta said he’s an officer in Magna — but not in eNoble. He said brother Louis stepped down as the head of Magna 18 months ago but said he could not disclose who the new Magna CEO is.
Louis did not return a call.
Other sources find the claim that Louis Perretta stepped down surprising since he was said to have personally fired some Popstar! staffers when they were laid off in June post-sale.
A new editorial staff put out the September issue, the latest edition.
The ties between Magna and eNoble are much deeper than shared office space and include mingled ownership, another source close to the situation said.
“A Perretta is a Perretta is a Perretta,” said the source. “Scott is the guy running the teen arm, but it is all Perretta-owned. Same address. Perrettas make all decisions, make the money and own the presses.”
The ownership conundrum isn’t the only issue for Popstar!, which has seen circulation erode. The title left behind unpaid vendor bills that some sources said total more than $1 million.
As recently as four years ago, the monthly had circulation over 250,000, and during its 13 years of existence was credited with being the first to showcase many of the boy-band stars and to push the wild color palettes that later became a staple in the world of celebrity magazines.
In the first half of 2012, its newsstand sales slipped to just over 100,000.
In the spring, as the newsstand slump continued to alarm the Planet Hollywood owners, the editorial staff was moved into American Media Inc.’s offices, and many thought a sale to AMI was afoot.
AMI CEO David Pecker, however, said he was only supplying back-shop operations for circulation and distribution services to Popstar! — for a fee.
“We had them here for a few months on a publishing services contract and then Robert Earl said he sold it to a new owner,” said Pecker, who added, “Robert Earl still owes me some money.”
Pecker said he never met the new owners.
The AMI boss, apparently, is not alone in being owed money. A wide number of photo agencies, photographers and freelance writers who were with the old Popstar! before it was sold also claim they have not been paid for many months.
“Popstar! has just given me a lot of problems,” said Diane Abapo, at Pacific Coast News, a photo agency. “The new owners did not feel like they had to deal with the old invoices.”
And the old owners have not paid up either, she said.
Planet Hollywood officials did not return calls regarding the unpaid vendors.
Hot cover
Niall Ferguson triggered a storm of controversy two weeks ago with his Newsweek cover story, “Hit the Road Barack.” But unlike past controversial covers, this one seems to be paying off for beleaguered Editor-In-Chief Tina Brown.
Newsstand sales and single-copy tablet sales for the issue surged, a Newsweek spokesman said. It is likely to be among the three best-selling issues in the past two years, he added.
The article was widely criticized by, among others, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, for flawed economic statistics and deliberate inaccuracies.
But Newsweek shrugged, said no corrections were needed and seemed to enjoy the fray.
Brown recently called Ferguson a “strong and swashbuckling polemicist” and said a cover on Mitt Romney’s “Wimp Factor” several weeks earlier triggered similar howls — from the right.
Next week, Brown is teaming up with Ferguson to run an advertiser luncheon built around the question, “Can Obama be re-elected with the economy tanking?”
Meanwhile, GEICO, which pulled its ads immediately after IAC/InterActiveCorp Chairman Barry Diller let it slip that he thinks a digital-only future is inevitable for many magazines, including Newsweek, is apparently back in this week’s issue, at least for a cameo.