Candace Bushnell
Encyclopedia
Candace Bushnell is an American
author
and columnist
based in New York City
. She is best known for writing a column that was anthologized in a book, Sex and the City
, which in turn became the basis for a popular television series and its subsequent film adaptations.
, Connecticut
. While attending high school there, she was accompanied to her senior prom by Mike O'Meara
, now a nationally syndicated radio host, who also dated Candace's sister, "Lolly". She attended Rice University
and New York University
in the 1970s, and became known in New York City as a socialite and party-goer. She often frequented Studio 54
. In 1995, she met publishing executive Ron Galotti, who became the inspiration for Sex and The City
s Mr. Big
.
In 2002, Bushnell married Charles Askegard, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet
. The couple lives in Manhattan
.
in 1993. She created a humorous column for the paper, which appeared from 1994 through 1996. Called "Sex and the City," the column was based on her own personal dating experiences and those of her friends. In 1997, Bushnell's columns were published in an anthology, also called Sex and the City
, and soon after became the basis for the popular HBO
television series sharing the same name
. The series aired from 1998 through 2004, and starred Sarah Jessica Parker
as Carrie Bradshaw
, a sex and lifestyles columnist partaking in and enjoying New York City nightlife, a character which Bushnell has stated was her alter ego
. The series is now in syndication and was adapted for and made into two motion pictures, released in 2008 and 2010.
In 2005, Bushnell served as one of three judges for the reality television
show Wickedly Perfect on CBS
. Bushnell began hosting a live weekly talk show on Sirius Satellite Radio
in 2007. The show, called "Sex, Success and Sensibility," was canceled in late 2008 after the merger of Sirius and XM Satellite Radio
, when Bushnell was asked to continue the show with a 50% pay cut she refused.
NBC
's 2008 television series Lipstick Jungle
, starring Brooke Shields
, was adapted from Bushnell's 2005 novel of the same name. The series aired in 2008 and was canceled after 20 episodes. In 2009, Bushnell announced a partnership with the magazine publisher Meredith Corporation
's Meredith 360 division, for which she will write several "webisode
s" of an online
comedic series about women over 40 dealing with workplace issues. The deal includes writing articles for Meredith's More magazine
.
Bushnell was contracted by HarperCollins
in 2008 to write a series of two books for young adults, which will focus on the high school years of the Sex and the City
character Carrie Bradshaw. The first of these, The Carrie Diaries
, was published in April 2010. Next in the series, Summer and the City (Carrie Diaries Series #2), was published in April 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She is best known for writing a column that was anthologized in a book, Sex and the City
Sex and the City (book)
Sex and the City is a collection of essays by Candace Bushnell based on her and her friends' lifestyles. It was first published in 1997, and re-published in 2001, 2006, and in 2008 as a 10th anniversary movie tie-in edition....
, which in turn became the basis for a popular television series and its subsequent film adaptations.
Personal life
Bushnell was born in GlastonburyGlastonbury, Connecticut
Glastonbury is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, founded in 1693. The population was 31,876 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Glastonbury in Somerset, England. Glastonbury is located on the banks of the Connecticut River, 7 miles southeast of Hartford. The town...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. While attending high school there, she was accompanied to her senior prom by Mike O'Meara
Mike O'Meara
Michael Sean Patrick "Mike" O'Meara is the host of The Mike O'Meara Show, previously a nationally syndicated radio show which returned as a podcast. Previously he was the co-host of the nationally syndicated The Don and Mike Show...
, now a nationally syndicated radio host, who also dated Candace's sister, "Lolly". She attended Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
and New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in the 1970s, and became known in New York City as a socialite and party-goer. She often frequented Studio 54
Studio 54
Studio 54 was a highly popular discotheque from 1977 until 1991, located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan, New York, USA. It was originally the Gallo Opera House, opening in 1927, after which it changed names several times, eventually becoming a CBS radio and television studio. In 1977 it...
. In 1995, she met publishing executive Ron Galotti, who became the inspiration for Sex and The City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
s Mr. Big
Mr. Big (Sex and the City)
"Mr. Big" is a fictional character in the HBO series Sex and the City, portrayed by Chris Noth. The character's name is mentioned in the pilot episode but not used throughout the series until the last episode, when his first name is shown on Carries mobile. His full name is John James Preston...
.
In 2002, Bushnell married Charles Askegard, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
. The couple lives in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Career
At age 19, Bushnell moved to New York City and sold a children’s story to Simon & Schuster, which was never published. She continued writing and worked as a freelance journalist for various publications, struggling to make ends meet for many years. Bushnell began writing for the New York ObserverNew York Observer
The New York Observer is a weekly newspaper first published in New York City on September 22, 1987, by Arthur L. Carter, a very successful former investment banker with publishing interests. The Observer focuses on the city's culture, real estate, the media, politics and the entertainment and...
in 1993. She created a humorous column for the paper, which appeared from 1994 through 1996. Called "Sex and the City," the column was based on her own personal dating experiences and those of her friends. In 1997, Bushnell's columns were published in an anthology, also called Sex and the City
Sex and the City (book)
Sex and the City is a collection of essays by Candace Bushnell based on her and her friends' lifestyles. It was first published in 1997, and re-published in 2001, 2006, and in 2008 as a 10th anniversary movie tie-in edition....
, and soon after became the basis for the popular HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
television series sharing the same name
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
. The series aired from 1998 through 2004, and starred Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
as Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Preston is the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker. She is a semi-autobiographical character created by Candace Bushnell, who published the book Sex and the City, based on her own columns in the New York...
, a sex and lifestyles columnist partaking in and enjoying New York City nightlife, a character which Bushnell has stated was her alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
. The series is now in syndication and was adapted for and made into two motion pictures, released in 2008 and 2010.
In 2005, Bushnell served as one of three judges for the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show Wickedly Perfect on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. Bushnell began hosting a live weekly talk show on Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
in 2007. The show, called "Sex, Success and Sensibility," was canceled in late 2008 after the merger of Sirius and XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
, when Bushnell was asked to continue the show with a 50% pay cut she refused.
NBC
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
's 2008 television series Lipstick Jungle
Lipstick Jungle (TV series)
Lipstick Jungle is an American comedy-drama television series created by DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler for NBC Universal Television Studio . The hour-long series was based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Candace Bushnell, who also served as executive producer alongside...
, starring Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
, was adapted from Bushnell's 2005 novel of the same name. The series aired in 2008 and was canceled after 20 episodes. In 2009, Bushnell announced a partnership with the magazine publisher Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation
The Meredith Corporation is a media conglomerate based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The company has two divisions, National Media and Local Media.-History:...
's Meredith 360 division, for which she will write several "webisode
Webisode
A webisode is a short episode which airs initially as Internet television, either download or stream as opposed to first airing on broadcast or cable television. The format can be used as a preview, a promotion, as part of a collection of shorts, or a commercial.A webisode can be an episode...
s" of an online
ONLINE
ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....
comedic series about women over 40 dealing with workplace issues. The deal includes writing articles for Meredith's More magazine
More (magazine)
More, launched in September 1998, is a women's lifestyle magazine published once a month by the Meredith Corporation with a rate base of 1.3 million and a circulation of 1.5 million...
.
Bushnell was contracted by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
in 2008 to write a series of two books for young adults, which will focus on the high school years of the Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
character Carrie Bradshaw. The first of these, The Carrie Diaries
The Carrie Diaries
The Carrie Diaries is a book series written by Candace Bushnell. The series is a prequel to Sex and the City, and will follow the character of Carrie Bradshaw during her senior year of High School during the early 1980s and part of her life in New York working as a writer...
, was published in April 2010. Next in the series, Summer and the City (Carrie Diaries Series #2), was published in April 2011.
Novel Bibliography
- Sex and the CitySex and the City (book)Sex and the City is a collection of essays by Candace Bushnell based on her and her friends' lifestyles. It was first published in 1997, and re-published in 2001, 2006, and in 2008 as a 10th anniversary movie tie-in edition....
(1997) - Four Blondes (2001)
- Trading UpTrading Up (novel)Trading Up, published in 2003, is a romance novel by Candace Bushnell. The novel continues the story of Janey Wilcox, an aging supermodel first featured in Bushnell's Four Blondes.-Synopsis:...
(2003) - Lipstick Jungle (2005)
- One Fifth AvenueOne Fifth AvenueOne Fifth Avenue is a 2008 novel by Candace Bushnell about the residents of the prestigious building. It includes a middle aged screen writer, a novelist with a bad marriage to his sour wife. Then there is the hedge fund manager's wife....
(2008) - The Carrie DiariesThe Carrie DiariesThe Carrie Diaries is a book series written by Candace Bushnell. The series is a prequel to Sex and the City, and will follow the character of Carrie Bradshaw during her senior year of High School during the early 1980s and part of her life in New York working as a writer...
(2010) - Summer and the CitySummer and the CitySummer and the City is a young-adult novel written by Candace Bushnell. The sequel to The Carrie Diaries, it was first released as a hardcover on April 26, 2011.-Synopsis:...
(2011)