Desperate Youth: Vanity Fair (and Bill Bradley) Need Facebook Fans

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This is what happened. While checking out the "Who’s Up? Hollywood’s Next Wave" article on Vanity Fair's site this morning, we were taken to VF's Facebook page to look at behind-the-scenes photos. Our thoughts? Even VF is on Facebook? But, of course it is. Moved on. Later in the day we went back, as we were initially only taken directly to the photos. That's where we ran into Bill Bradley, not the basketball hall-of-famer-slash- politician, but Bill Bradley, VF Editorial Assistant-slash-Facebook page manager. He was entrusted by his superiors to get 10,000 VF Facebook fans by August 5. Current fan base? 3,644. Needless to say, he has a ways to go.

If Racked had a Facebook page, we would certainly become a fan, not so much because of VF, but because Bill entertained us with his plight. From a post on June 2:

"Five weeks ago, when I started working as as editorial assistant here at VF.com, my boss casually mentioned that he was giving me until August 5 to attract 10,000 fans to the Vanity Fair Facebook page. It was an onerous and epic assignment, and I responded to it the way any sensible person would: I brightly answered 'Yes, sir,' and then did nothing, hoping he would forget about it. Instead, he followed up with an email, which was copied to several of my coworkers. And still I did nothing...In short, I’m screwed."

"Today, therefore, begins my foray into shameless self-promotion for the sake of more Web site traffic and better job security. It will be as aggravating and intrusive as everything else on Facebook. I will exploit all the technologies at mankind’s disposal, not to mention my close friends and family members. I will befriend people that I clearly don’t know. I will hand out fliers in Times Square. And I will paste my sorry, hopeless face, pale with desperation, on telephone poles around New York City. I will doubtless squander what little self-respect I have left."

Thanks, Bill! Become a fan.
· Vanity Fair on Facebook [facebook.com]