Ben Widdicombe is joining The New York Observer as a contributing editor. The Observer reports that Widdicombe will pen a regular column for the paper. He will also remain editor of Gilt City.

Widdicombe was the founder of the Daily News’ popular gossip column, GateCrasher. He wrote the column from 2004 to 2008.

“This is just the latest good news for the Observer,” said Rafi Kohan, the Observer’s deputy edior, in a statement. “Ben is the best, so obviously we’re excited to have him.”

The Daily News is putting a p.r. push behind the heir to Lloyd Grove‘s gossip throne, Ben Widdicombe, whose Gatecrasher columns have gone daily. We like to think of Widdicombe as the Owen Wilson to our Luke, at least on the media party circuit. This well-meaning Daily News flack apparently agrees:

From: [FLACK REDACTED]
To: dylan@mediabistro.com
CC:
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:56:34-0500
Subject: DAILY NEWS: Ben Widdicombe’s Gatecrasher hits the stands Sundays through Thursdays

——————————————————————————–
CONVERT BREAKS: __default__

The Daily News is putting a p.r. push behind the heir to Lloyd Grove‘s gossip throne, Ben Widdicombe, whose Gatecrasher columns have gone daily. We like to think of Widdicombe as the Owen Wilson to our Luke, at least on the media party circuit. This well-meaning Daily News flack apparently agrees:

From: [FLACK REDACTED]
To: dylan@mediabistro.com
CC:
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:56:34-0500
Subject: DAILY NEWS: Ben Widdicombe’s Gatecrasher hits the stands Sundays through Thursdays

——————————————————————————–

For those of you not familiar with our columnist, Ben Widdicombe, or his good news here is the latest. Please consider booking him for your show. He is witty, charming, funny …

Gatecrasher [Daily News]