Blogging FOR Celeb?

NYT reports Arianna Huffington, the columnist and onetime candidate for governor of California, is about to move blogging from the realm of the anonymous individual to the realm of the celebrity collective.

She has lined up more than 250 of what she calls "the most creative minds" in the country to write a group blog that will range over topics from politics and entertainment to sports and religion. It is essentially a nonstop virtual talk show that will be part of a Web site that will also serve up breaking news around the clock. It is to be introduced May 9.

Having prominent people join the blogosphere, Ms. Huffington said in an interview, "is an affirmation of its success and will only enrich and strengthen its impact on the national conversation." Among those signed up to contribute are Walter Cronkite, David Mamet, Nora Ephron, Warren Beatty, James Fallows, Vernon E. Jordan Jr., Maggie Gyllenhaal, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Diane Keaton, Norman Mailer and Mortimer B. Zuckerman.

"This gives me a chance to sound off with a few words or a long editorial," said Mr. Cronkite, 88, the longtime "CBS Evening News" anchorman. "It's a medium that is new and interesting, and I thought I'd have some fun."

Walter, if you decided to start your own blog, I would probably check it out, but I doubt that I would be interested in a group Arianna sets up (to be called the Huffington Post). I suspect the entries from the big names will be few and far apart, and most of the volume will just be rants from the Left.

Dr. Steven Taylor blogged Actually it looks like yet another attempt by Arianna to get her name in the spotlight. Further: this again proves many in the MSM don’t “get” blogs, as if what Arianna is proposing is, indeed, a blog (I am somewhat unclear as to whether it really will be), then Drudge isn’t the direct competition.

I expect that this will generate a lot of initial attention, but I have a hard time imagining that it will be possible to actually get the famous folks in question to actually blog on a regular basis.

Ann Althouse blogged Of course, if they're writing, how do we know it's really them and not some assistant or P.R. person or joke-writer?

Ogged @Unfogged blogged If other famous-before-they-start blogs are any guide, this one will suck, because blogging takes practice, and the famous folks don't get a chance to find an appropriate blog voice. Who knows though, enough of those people are writers that they might figure it out quickly. Anyway, I don't care. What I want to know is whether she's going to use the blogroll from her current blog, which, through some mysterious cosmic happenings, includes Unfogged. How awesome would it be if this site were blogrolled by Walter Cronkite?

Ed Cone blogged My hypeometer just threw up. The big story is about...a celebrity collective headed by Arianna Huffington that is starting a group blog. Hey, maybe it will be good, but maybe we should wait and see before we declare it the "next level." Then again, the next level could be a step down, so I guess Seelye is covered either way...

JoelF @SouthernAppeal blogged Thank you, Arianna, for a promising source of post fodder. If we ever want for things to spar about here at SA (as unlikely as that may be), we're sure to find something absurd to pan at the Huffington Post.