On the inside looking in…

Gawker, New York’s newest trend transmitter and celebrity cyclotron, premiers tomorrow.

Crafted by Elizabether Spiers, Nick Denton and Jason Kottke, Gawker is addictive as popcorn and infinitely cheaper.

I’ve been watching site’s dress rehearsal this week with a mixture of envy and glee. Envy because I wish I’d had the idea. Glee, because at least I’m not a gossip professional and therefore don’t have to chew my toes with envy.

Some choice early lines include “On a scale of one to evil, we give that idea four-and-a-half Kissingers!” and this imagined speed-dating introduction “Nice to meet you, John. I’m Rachel. I’m 32. I have narcissistic personality disorder and a mother that makes Joan Crawford look like Mary Poppins. By the way, I just estimated your annual income from the ostensible quality and retail price of your shoes. Is that tie Ferragamo?” Despite the fervent fun, lots of calculation has gone into Gawker; the logo is gorgeous and the daily sections — including a “To-Do List” and “Gossip roundup” — are well pitched.

Tina Brown wishes she thought of Gawker first. As it is, she can only join the rest of us in gawking. On second thought, don’t chew your toes too hard Tina, ’cause there are lots of thin media niches left to invent. Get to work!