Most people gradually began paying less attention to Pippa Middleton, which was good news for her after her a series of unfortunate incidents and career failures. Pippa quietly regrouped and relaunched herself as a writer/columnist for Vanity Fair, The Telegraph and Waitrose Kitchen (a magazine), writing about… well, not much. Her VF columns have been really budget, like she could barely muster 1,000 words about Wimbledon or whatever. VF has tried to cover it by doing lots and lots of photos, but there’s no there there, you know? So, just like the publishing failure of her disastrous book, Pippa’s career has stumbled again: Us Weekly says Pippa will no longer write for The Telegraph after her contract is up.
Poor old Pippa! Well-connected writer Pippa Middleton has been axed from her post at Britain’s respected Daily Telegraph — after just six months. A source at the national newspaper, where Kate Middleton’s little sister began her “Sport and Social” column in September of last year, confirms to Us Weekly that her contract is not being renewed.
Middleton’s Telegraph career began with a piece on her new passion, boxing, which she called “a pure but pleasing agony.” Her columns went on to depict a string of exciting antics, from flipping pancakes to cycling underwater.
A source at the newspaper tells Us, “The readers just weren’t into it. There was a lot of negative mail coming in after each column and there were too many off-limit subjects for her. They ran out of ideas.”
It’s a second literary disappointment for Middleton, who faced criticism for cashing in on her connections when she signed up with book publisher Viking Press in 2011. But after her debut party planning book “Celebration” reportedly sold a mere 18,000 copies, future publishing plans were shelved.
The middle Middleton sibling continues to write for upmarket supermarket magazine Waitrose Kitchen, and Vanity Fair.
If one wants to keep one’s job, try doing it better. #PippaTips
Being paid for doling out obvious statements is a great gig. #PippaTips
What does one wear to a firing? Clothes. #PippaTips
I’m not very sympathetic to this idea that Pippa is between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the subjects she can cover – she is the one who decided to brand herself as some kind of party-planning, advise-doling socialite after Kate married William. If it was just a naked money grab (she reportedly got mid-six figures for her book), that would be one thing and I would salute a hustler for getting that money. But Pippa actually wants to be known as this very dated concept of a “society columnist.” Anyway, I hope Waitrose fires her too. Vanity Fair probably won’t fire her for a while – they enjoy having Pippa on the payroll too much, I think.
PS… Her face is the same ham-like shade as Sean Penn’s face. Oh, and she recently got a haircut.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
#pippatips
If one is unemployed, one surely must find a job!
You’re giving her a lot more credit than I. I was thinking that she might be more keen to get married so her husband can pay her way.
I was thinking to the “rich husband” too.
I’m guessing her stuff was very “Well, durr” and not “eyes rolled into back of head like poltergeist” like GOOP?
Her stuff was fine, it was fluff–I don’t think it was ever meant to be more than that–and always accompanied by lots of photos of Pippa. That’s the key, I think, to people’s annoyance. Other writers of fluff generally don’t have themselves in the illustrations, I don’t think.
Haha!
You know, when Pippa first hit the scene, I felt sorry for her. I felt like the people were following her only because she was related to Kate and mildly attractive. I thought she actually worked for a living. Now that I’ve seen what she does as “work,” and fails at miserably, I’ve lost my sympathy for her.
I really hate to say this of a fellow female, but she needs to marry, as that is her only job option. And she needs to marry rich, because she’s going to fail at being a housewife, too.
Agree. Unless she can come up with a new “talent” that keeps her in the limelight (which I truly believe she loves), she might as well marry well and become one of those wealthy housewives who spend their days planning charity balls and luncheons.
I had no particular feelings about her – besides being puzzled by the admiration of her derriere – but I do feel sorry for her now. It is heartbreaking to be the less “successful” of two siblings, ESPECIALLY if they’re of the same sex.
(I am the “Catherine” to my sibling – a brother – and it has poisoned my life with sadness for him.)
I don’t blame her for taking the opportunities that come her way. Why shouldn’t she? But clearly she is not right for the jobs she lands.
I hardly know anything about her because.. well… she seems very uninteresting. But doesn’t the girl have some education? So why not work in that area? In a real job?
Edit: I just saw that she studied English literature. Ok, that’s maybe a problem lol… I mean, she doesn’t seem to be cut out for an academic career and English literature ist not exactly a professional training.
Most. overrated. Woman. In. The. History. of. the. World.
I Think that goes for most of the royals and their relatives, well, let’s just make that most celebrities to keep it fair, in my personal opinion.
What a life it would be to dress up in brand new clothes, shoes, and just stand and look pretty while getting paid to do so. Can someone direct me to where I can apply to the job?
It appears that although Pippa has a ton of high powered connections that she lacks the talent to stay or all the attention she was getting she thought she was a pedestal, and Could get away with having lackluster results. Who Knows for sure though.
PREACH!
I don’t mind Pippa’s hustle.
Afterall Tara PT became a millionaire for doing similar things.
What Pippa needs to do is find something that she can be paid megabucks for whilst maintaining her high profile that makes more sense than ‘writing’ when she’s so patently bad at it.
Failing that, get a ghost writer. Again, taking a page from Tara PT’s book!!
Pips has a lot of energy but she needs to find a way to channel it.
She’s obviously not a writer, so maybe she can start some type of of business, a la Carole Middleton. That may not work with her social schedule, though. She would have to adjust to the idea of being lower profile.
Although I guess her profile has lowered significantly in the last three years anyway.
This is what happens when your parents employ you for years. Everyone allows you to coast and you are never given a proper work review such that you begin to believe that you are good at your ‘job’ when you are not.
Ps: have you ever noticed that Kate’s speeches are also #pippatips? It’s a family trait!
I don’t know if Pippa is a bad writer or if she’s just constrained, which eventually leads to bad writing. Pippa doesn’t want to ruffle any feathers; she wants to bring some attention to herself, but not too much. It’s stifling, but I don’t feel bad because it’s self-imposed. She doesn’t want to write about certain subjects and she didn’t want to promote her book in the manner most authors do (and new authors would JUMP at the opportunity). Let’s be clear. We shouldn’t be mad at Pippa Middleton because she doesn’t wan to work a 9-5 (I don’t blame her), we should be mad at Pippa’s audacity to think that her name alone is enough to sustain her and to keep people interested. It gets her foot in the door, but then it just ends with her continually finding out she’s just a blip on the radar. This is the issue when people mistake media-hype and tabloid fodder for genuine interest.
I’m back to not really rooting for Pippa because she doesn’t want people to think she’s riding on her sister’s coattails, but then puts out mediocre work which she expects to do well due to “name recognition”.
That´s a perfect description of what she does.
I applaud her for hustling her way into these jobs, but i am continually frustrated that she can´t seem to do a better job or even show any improvement in said job.
Example: The spectator is a magazine full of clever, witty people who are great with words. How is she not ashamed that her ´articles´are so inferior next to everyone else´s articles?
we all know why VF hired her so i don´t expect anyone to give her an honest edit and as Kaiser says, they simply pad her copy with photographs.
I think it’s really hilarious how people just hand over these writing jobs like tokens like it is SO EASY to be a successful writer. OF COURSE she is struggling…you have to be able to WRITE in order to be a writer. Is she constrained? OF COURSE she is. But a good writer always works under certain constraints, whether it be SEO guidelines (search engine optimisation) or word count or a very specific field of focus. You have to get good at it by ACTUALLY DOING IT. VF will eventually fire her, just as soon as she is once and for all no longer fashionable. She could always spend her newfound free time toiling in obscurity like the rest of us who (sometimes) get paid to write.
HH – great summation! It is hard to know what the issue is with her writing, is it, the constraints or lack of skill. Could she highlight stories from different charities, people or animals that have been helped? Not sure she has the interest, but if she truly enjoys writing, this would be a nice avenue while she figures out a secondary profession or gets married.
Anyone watch Ladies of London on Bravo last night? OMG. The cattiness was awful and now I feel I have a glimpse of the hierarchy, the levels and keen awareness of the pecking order. I feel for Pippa and Kate a little more after watching that episode, serious!
Sharon Lea: OMG ladies of London is already on TV? It’s being advertised that it will be here in June.
I love some of the housewives shows, so I really want to see this show. Tell me, do the following things happen?
1. Caroline Stanbury reminds everybody she once had a date with Andrew (or as she spins it, is ‘close’ to royalty despite having just that one date)?
2. Is Caprice ’42’ again?
3. One lady is a professional ATM chaser whose current beau hid all his money from his ex-wife just so he wouldn’t have to pay her a penny. It’s a cause celeb over here even if the ex-wife is foolishly impractical about her current circumstances.
The only lady I truly want to know is Annabel because she was a close friend of Alexander McQueen so i’m curious…..
I am no Pippa apologist, but, knowing the print media world as I do, I am willing to bet that it’s the editors, not necessarily (but probably) Pippa herself, who feel – or felt – that her name would be enough to sustain the public’s interest… for awhile, anyway. And I am sure they were right.
@Sharon Lea/LAK – I didn’t know Ladies of London premiered!!! I need to catch a re-run.
RE: Pippa and constraints – Like the article points out, PIppa just wants to be a socialite. A society lady. I don’t think she will ever get better, because she doesn’t want to; writing is a hobby. It’s considered gauche to sit around and do nothing, but no doubt she wants to leave her schedule wide open for society invitations and vacations. That only leaves room for a BS career.
*Just to be clear, I don’t think writing is a BS career itself, just that Pippa is setting her “career” up in a BS manner.
LAK & HH – I think Bravo called it a ‘special premiere’ and I only watched the first 20? minutes. It was hard to watch because issues seemed so petty.
Annabel was interesting, she seems truly in a state of grief over McQueen’s death. #1 did not mention Andrew yet…OMG, yes to #3. The billionaire proposed after 3 months of dating, and he is still married and its been 2 years?! They showed a tabloid article that he hid ‘some’ money. A friend described her as a ‘hustler’, I’ll say! Not sure if #2 Caprice stated her age, but came across as the most neutral one (so far.) Seems there is a distain for American women in their society, ‘can’t move in certain circles’? Lots of American put downs, but then they cast type A ladies. Who knows!?
What are some of the things that are said about Americans and why?
I don’t mind it either but yes, she has the means to get support and help. as much as she needs. Writing is tough, to me at least. Especially when you have to write about topics defined in advance, it’s not like writing for your own pleasure.
BTW, while Pippa is out of one job, Prince William worked actually, tonight. LOL http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2627367/Its-Windsor-Wonderland-Prince-William-throws-open-doors-Castle-glitzy-ball-guests-include-Kate-Moss-Emma-Watson-Benedict-Cumberbatch-Kate-stays-home-baby.html
Very silly explanation of Kate’s absense. I didn’t realize her presence would limit or diminish their range of influence and that they should keep their charitable efforts separated. I have rarely heard something sillier, honestly. Whoever came up with this, should be dismissed too.
Otherwise, admirable effort. And some of my favorite and very stylish ladies there. 🙂 I also kind of like William with Emma, visually.
I always find myself rooting for this girl, but then I remember that she was mean to the York Princesses so I really don’t know what to think. But either way, I enjoy her hustle and I love seeing what she’s up to.
I quite like Pippa too. To me, it seems like all she has done, has been to get bad press. Is that because she sort of upstaged Kate with her bum? I don’t think she meant to. That was all press. So she was approached to do a book – it seems like Viking was the one to take advantage. That she is a poor writer…so…lots of people are, but she tries. Nothing wrong with trying and failing. I will say she has a lot more gumption than her sister when it comes to clothes, and I think that she definitely is not boring that way like her sister is. Yes, Kate has a different position, but there is little fun or imagination in the way she dresses. Kate is supposed to have more money and contacts than Pippa, but she takes absolutely no risks other than short skirts. She even wears the same skinny jean (different labels, perhaps) over and over and over… I am seriously bored with Kate.
Kate takes no fashion risks because she is not in a position to take risks – which is a very small price to pay for all the privileges she’s got. Yet she still manages to outrage people with her often silly choices.
She looks soooo much older than her actual age. I’m actually surprised that her book sold 18,000. I’d like to meet some of those people
Saw some of it on the sale bin so the price had to be marked down for one to consider buying it. It was sold in the same bargain rack along Hannah Montana items and Camp Rock sticker books. I’m tempted to buy one, hey it’s less than a dollar. I know it was heavily promoted so 18,000 isn’t really that much.
I know several people who bought it as a joke present.
I did. $5 Clearance Bin. Wasn’t the book originally $50 when it came out on Amazon?
You would think Pippa’s royal connections would help her, but it seems the connections help her get her foot in the door but her lack of skill gets her put out.
Which is why I always say that it’s a smidge unfair to judge people with connections because if you don’t have talent, no amount of connections will help you. Exception if your parents own the company meaning that you can’t be fired.
That’s a good point, LAK. Yes, Pippa should work to her strengths. She, what, runs marathons in her spare time for fun? She should have leveraged her butt. Literally. Why not do a BIG trip, like climb mount kilimanjaro for charity? Then document her training, week by week. She’s amazing at fitness. Her ego would never allow it, perhaps its too gauche, but she could get some qualifications in fitness training. Then help those struggling, not knowing where to begin, with the basics. Say you long to go running, where do you even start? Chronicle her training journey, then do a book. I’d read that. Only get some help with the writing. Pippa seems to think that writing consists of putting words on a page. She doesn’t appear to understand its telling a story/painting a picture, with words. I think she aspires to write the way she speaks. Jamie oliver does it but he is hella good at it. But Pippa isn’t. Its worrying that she doesn’t seem to have progressed as a writer. At all. I think she believes that her success in networking, in person, speaking, can translate to the page. If you read her sentences, they are basic because she does understand that ‘something’ needs to be added to them, to make them ‘work’. But she is accustomed to making faces, or using her tone of voice *in person* to do this. That is why she is good on camera. She seemed highly amusing in the video from her book opening. She even seemed pretty. But she cannot, yet, do this on the page. And no one is helping her to. They just take pictures of her (6 pages in Vanity Fair, who is she, Julia Roberts?!) and then fire her for being boring. Pippa needs to evolve, before the Kate-juice and the thrill of who-might-pippa-marry dissolves completely. Or next year we’ll hear about her being fired from VF and chased out of Waitrose’s kitchen. Oh, my dear, you simply MUST get a ghostwriter! ALL the best people do…
smara, exactly. Like so many sons and daughters of privilege, she has absolutely no idea what she is good at. In less then two minutes, you have outlined a more successful business plan for her than she could ever devise for herself. But you’re right. It’s probably too common for HRH Perkybum.
And if Pippa wants to hire a ghostwriter, she can call me. I’m VERY expensive.
Smara: that would be amazing.
She also does annual ski marathons. Working with a ghost writer she could turn that into a really good adventure odyssey.
I remember reading that during the writing process, when media was still talking UP her potential, that her editors wished to give her a ghost writer to help with the book, but she refused because she was a good writer who had worked on her parent’s company website for years who didn’t need any help.
Well, we can all see that she’s a terrible writer, but she persists and with no improvement. I can only conclude that everyone around her is a ‘yes’ person who will not tell her the truth.
And her failures are swept under the carpet with excuses that have nothing to do with her eg the Telegraph column has been terminated because ‘negative comments from the public’ or ‘palace restricted topics of discussion’
That is BS.
In the same BS file as Kate’s 8yrs’ long excuse for not working.
I think Pippa wanted to be a real life Bridget Jones. Perhaps we will see her on TV on assignment at a dog show or fire house or parasailing. 🙂
Agreed! But she’s not nearly as funny as Helen Fielding!
Her “society columnist” idea is basically flawed since she is connected to the royal family and probably had a lot of restrictions placed on her about what she can or can’t say, and what she can or can’t do.
Exactly. It was totally ridiculous.
She should have taken a leaf out of Tara PT’s book on how to cash in on your royal connections without telling the public about the goings on in the royal family.
I’m afraid our little Pippa isn’t clever enough for that.
It’s impossible to take her seriously as a purveyor of style and the niche circles when she insists on spray-tanning herself into a old, poorly-poorly-cared for handbag. Also, her style is pretty bad – those skinny jeans with the boots just make her look disheveled, not casual.
DAT HANDBAG!!! <3 drooooooooooool <3 I love Aspinal of London. But fuck this girl, she's so lame. AND SHE HAS NO BUTT!! How is she famous for having a good-looking posterior when it doesn't even exist. It's easy to look good in silk crepe when you're built like a 15 year old boy.
Since Waitrose has an official relationship with Prince Charles, I don’t see Pippa getting sacked. But I don’t hate her for her hustle. For better or worse she will always be in they public eye because of her sister. She may as well hustle it into something lucrative for herself.
Wow, two useless social-climbing sisters in one family. What’s a Carole to do now? Can’t manipulations and lies get people farther?
If Pippa and her padded arse can’t get anywhere, WHO can?