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 21 Most Intriguing: Atoosa Rubenstein
President, Big Momma ProductionsJudge her by her own self deprecations—sideshow freak, cuckoo, built-in freak-a-saurus—and you would think Atoosa Rubenstein was a circus performer. Talk to her in person, and you’ll realize she actually is—a performer in what she calls the “insular circus of New York media,” that is. Or was, anyway. In November 2006, she gracefully bowed out of her Seventeen magazine editor-in-chief post to “reconnect with her girls” – the audience of women whom she nursed through their teens (as the founding editor of CosmoGIRL!), and on into their 20s – via her Web business Big Momma Productions (the umbrella concept for what will include a consultancy to help companies better reach and serve young adults). Her resignation came after three years of guiding Seventeen’s notable turn-around, not to mention a resumé that includes host of MTV reality series Miss Seventeen in 2005, Cosmo fashion editor and, of course, the youngest person (26) to be top editor of a Hearst publication. Not surprisingly, her decision was met with shock, resentment and a fair share of sneering, but she doesn’t listen to the haters, doubters or naysayers.“I don’t have to prove myself—I already have,” she says. “And anyway, I didn’t leave [Seventeen] to be mediocre.”
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Message BoardJennifer Steele, Cosmo, Intern; winner of MTV reality series Miss SeventeenAtoosa and I became much closer after Miss Seventeen. At first, when I started e-mailing and talking with her, I was very formal about it all. She was quick to say, ‘Hey! It’s just me, Atoosa.’ Like, ‘I'm one of you, you are one of me, let’s make things happen instead of skirting around formalities.’ I loved that. Atoosa is one big informality, a fun and visionary friend. I feel fortunate (I say fortunate instead of lucky because I don't totally believe in luck) to have her in my world. She is like the cool big sister I never had... if only I could borrow some of her clothes. Robert Smith, EVP/GMM, Macy’s East I met Atoosa in California when she was at Seventeen and I was at Macy’s West. She offered me the Pez Dispenser that was in her purse – a girl after my own heart. We share the same passions: fashion, improving the world and giggling about nonsense. She is my best girlfriend. She is a cat. She is my conscience. First American MomentI walked into my first American school one day early in the school year, and everyone was dressed up like superheroes. I was completely freaked out. One boy jumped up on a chair and shouted “I’m Superman!” I recognized his outfit with the big ‘S’ on the front, so I punched him. He flew backwards. As a superhero, I thought he’d be stronger. As it turns it, it was Halloween.What have you done this year?Resigned as Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen magazine, left Hearst after 13 years, launched Web business Big Momma Productions, renovated a bathroom, celebrated my ninth wedding anniversaryWhat do I like to do?Fanticizing (my life theme), socializing, creating, karaoke, pilates (until a recent fall down the stairs –envision hand prints of scented lotion all the way down the staircase, with serious skid marks at the bottom.), talking to God, snapping cell phone photos, mothering my cats Thirsten and Levi, and my friends [all 42,000 of them, according to a MySpace approximation] Stranger Than FictionWhen I was 20, a psychic … told me to stay with my current job [a fashion assistant at Cosmo] because, she said, a baby would be born and it was my job to be its mother. She also said my husband would be named Ari. Two years later, I met the man she would end up marrying – Ari Rubenstein – and six years later, I brought CosmoGIRL into the world.Famous Last WordsWhen I met with Cathie Black to discuss ideas for a new magazine, I walked into her office wearing pants slit up to my hips, metallic boots with a five-inch heel, a tube top and some feathery accessory. The first thing she said was “Nice outfit.” The last thing she said [two days and one CosmoGIRL! pitch later] was, “I think we have ourselves a magazine.”IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF MIN MAGAZINE
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