Rita Wilson dubbed new editor of Huff/Post 40

The new Huffington Post site will focus on topics relevant to over-40 readers

Consistent with HuffPo’s habit of catching readers’ attention by bringing in big celebrity names, Arianna Huffington has announced that she has dubbed actress Rita Wilson the new Editor-at-Large for an upcoming Huffington Post segment for the boomer generation titled “Huff/Post 40.” Does Wilson have any prior editorial experience that would recommend her for this position? Of course not.

Well, not entirely. Wilson is apparently a very versatile performer who has not only appeared on the silver screen, penned a screenplay, and sang and danced on Broadway, but was also a style columnist for Harper’s Bazaar and contributed a number of articles to Oprah Magazine.

In her new position, Wilson will be overseeing the direction and vision of the site, which includes hiring the editor and team, in addition to assigning features, videos, and more. Because apparently, when you’re a celebrity, you suddenly know how to do these things without any prior training. (My insecurity has reduced me to pettiness, but it’s all I have.)

Arianna Huffington explained it thusly: “As a talented actress and producer, she knows how to engage audiences and bring passion and a sense of humor to everything she does – whether it’s producing, writing, or making her singing and dancing Broadway debut in her 40s. I’m really looking forward to working with her to bring to life our shared Greek culture’s emphasis on honoring age and wisdom, and on celebrating life at every stage.”

Among her many acting and writing credits, Wilson has also been an honorary chairman of the Women’s Cancer Research Fund for the last fifteen years, a position she shares with Steven Spielberg, Kate Capshaw, and her husband, Tom Hanks. And for the last 20 years, she has been on the board of The Shakespeare Center, a non-profit theater group in Los Angeles.

On her own appointment to the role of Editor-at-Large, Wilson remarked: "Issues related to being over forty have always intrigued me. My mom and dad always used to say, 'life begins at forty.' The idea that we boomers are somehow supposed to wind things down as we get older has completely escaped me. The Over 40s I have met are some of the most interesting, vibrant, curious, courageous, sexy, energetic people I know. Exploring the minds and hearts of this group of people is exciting.”

Other than its focus on issues and topics specific to over-40 readers, few other details have emerged regarding Huff/Post 40, other than the fact that it will debut in August.

Image source: womensconference.org