By: Jason Scheer
For Dominick A. Miserandino, the menu contains some of the usual suspects. But intertwined with dad and the dry cleaners are some less common names, like Marlee Matlin, of NBC's West Wing, Goo Goo Doll's bassist Robby Takac, and Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner.
That's because Miserandino, a Malverne resident, is the founder of TheCelebrityCafe.com, a popular Internet destination for devotees of celebrity news.
Since 1995, he has been conducting interviews with celebrities and posting them on the site, which boasts a loyal readership of more than a million people per month.
Prior to starting the magazine, Miserandino had a well-paying job on Wall Street, but clung to his roots as a student reporter and editor. After graduating from Stony Brook University, he moonlighted as a freelance writer for various local and national publications.
In 1994, he received an assignment that would propel him into the world of entertainment. He was assigned to interview Milla Jovovich, star of the popular "Resident Evil" zombie movie series. At the time, Jovovich was a top fashion model, and also embarking on a music career. Miserandino was invited to her record release party, and found the atmosphere quite compelling.
"I enjoyed going to the events in the city, and going to the record release party," he said. "It was fun and exciting."
Though Jovovich's singing career didn't pan out, it helped lay the foundation for TheCelebrityCafe.com. After the Jovovich interview, Miserandino started self-syndicating an entertainment column to various publications.
He wanted to make sure his work stood apart from other gossip magazines and tabloids, and that his stories were based on truth, rather than gossip.
"I enjoyed not having a gossipy focus," he said. "It's more about what's really going on," he said.
Eventually, Miserandino realized his column could serve as the anchor of his own entertainment magazine. Thus, TheCelebrityCafe.com. was born.
Since starting the magazine, Miserandino has interviewed hundreds of celebrities from all corners of the entertainment world. It's difficult to pick out a favorite interview, but some resonate more than others, he said.
For example, during an interview with Penn Jillette, the bigger half of the comedy/magic act Penn and Teller, Jillette began discussing his atheistic beliefs. What began as a discussion of his television show eventually touched on everything from UFO sightings to nineteenth century journalism to nihilist Ambrose Bierce.
"He's mind blowing," Miserandino said of Jillette. "He's an utter genius. He changed my world after talking to him for only and hour on the phone."
Other interviews are memorable, but for less positive. reasons. During an interview with musician Ike Turner, the conversation turned to the movie, "What's Love Got To Do With It," a biography of singer Tina Turner that portrayed Ike, her ex-husband, in an unflattering light. Ike grew angry at the turn the interview took, and at Miserandino himself.
"Ike Turner threatened me as he was trying to tell me he wasn't a violent person," Miserandino said. "The best interviews, to me, are the ones where [you become a] good listener and you get people to say what they normally wouldn't say." .
Though interviews are still the primary focus of the Web site, TheCelebrityCafe.com now sells movies, books, CD reviews, trivia, and a contest section. The site has given away DVD players, motorcycles, and bundles of CDs and DVDs.
Though Miserandino is proud of his site's popularity grow, he admits to feeling occasionally overwhelmed.
"It almost expanded beyond my control," he said.
To cope with the site's expansion, and the increased demands of readers and advertisers, Miserandino now has a staff of 10.
"If readers want it, and the publicists need it, then I had to get people to do it," he said."
Miserandino said he works hard to keep TheCelebrityCafe.com's standards high, and is not a fan of many online publications. Readers on the Web generally accept and expect a lower journalistic standard, and he criticizes the lax editing, poor writing and internet vernacular such as "lol" and "bbl" substituting for real words, that he finds in many "Webzines."
"I'm trying my best to make sure we keep the standard of a print magazine," he said. "Just because we're online doesn't mean that we should drop our standard."
Miserandino says integrity has been an important factor in the magazine's success. Other online publications are more concerned with selling product than providing a quality publication, Miserandino said.
It appears that his readers appreciate his efforts. There are some days, according to Internet ratings indexes, that The CelebrityCafe.com magazine gets more "hits" than Entertainment Weekly Online and E! Online.
"That's mind boggling," he said.
