Jann Wenner: Not so fastidious about the lavatories, apparently

Last week, management at Wenner Media conducted its annual desk inspections in accordance with the wishes of Jann Wenner, who prefers that the workspace of his employees be crisp, tidy and uncluttered, just like the desks of most journalists. But Fishbowl has since learned from a a double-super-secret staffer on the inside that Jann’s stringent standards do not apply to the Wenner Media bathrooms.

“It’s disgusting,” said our source. “I’ve been in other media bathrooms and this is by far the worst. It’s awful.”

The bathroom in question is shared by Wenner Media staffers at Us Weekly and Rolling Stone (our source could only speak to the ladies’ room, so perhaps the state of the bathroom is due not to Wenner’s neglect but rather his blissful ignorance).

Even so, our source cops to being pretty repulsed by the bathrooms, which are less than sweet-smelling, often feature less-than-dry toilet seats, and do not reliably work. “The fourth toilet in doesn’t flush unless you know how, it’s like you need to find the secret button,” said our source.

She is not alone in noticing the state of affairs: “Someone took it upon themselves to make a sign that says ‘Please flush.’” So far, she says, it hasn’t really helped.

Gentlemen of Wenner Media, how is your bathroom? Ladies, anything to add? Feel free to let us know at fishbowl AT mediabistro DOT com. In the meantime, keep that workspace tidy.

Update: An anonymous tipster confirms that the men’s bathrooms are not exactly the most aromatically-pristine restrooms either. We know God is in the details but TMI, anonymous tipster, TMI.

Update: Another anonymous tipster weighs in from the other side: “As a Wenner Media employee, I have to disagree with this article. As far as the women’s bathrooms go – I never seem to have a problem and the women who work here are mature enough to keep a clean bathroom. Next time, please get both sides of the story…” Sorry to besmirch your bathrooms and happy to hear they are not as smirched as previously reported. Cleanliness is next to godliness!

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