Mitchell Fink, Gossip Columnist, Author and Entertainment Broadcast Personality, Dies at 82

Mitchell Fink, the veteran celebrity gossip columnist and entertainment journalist, passed away on Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 82. The cause of death was not disclosed. Fink's prolific career spanned major publications on both coasts, including People magazine, the New York Daily News, and the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, where he became a fixture reporting on Hollywood's elite.

His entry into the entertainment news world began in the 1970s as the editor of Record World, a prominent music magazine. After shifting to the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, he initially wrote music criticism before moving into hard news. He eventually took the helm of the paper's influential "Page 2" column, a platform he used to chronicle the lives of celebrities. Following the Herald Examiner's closure in 1989, Fink joined People magazine, where he launched the widely read "Insider" column, bringing his brand of celebrity reporting to a national audience. His later move to the New York Daily News saw his gossip column become a direct competitor to the New York Post's famed Page Six, running until 2002.

Fink's reach extended beyond print, with regular television appearances that made him a familiar face to viewers. He was a contributor to CNN's "Showbiz Today" for six years and held positions with programs like "Access Hollywood," "Good Day New York," "CBS Morning News," and KTTV's "Fox Entertainment News." As one media historian noted, "Fink represented a bridge between the old-school newspaper gossip column and the rise of televised entertainment news, understanding the public's enduring fascination with celebrity culture."

He was also a published author. His most notable work, "Never Forget: An Oral History of September 11, 2001," co-authored with his wife Lois Mathias, became a New York Times bestseller. His other books included "The Last Days of Dead Celebrities," "Change of Heart," and "Frank Sinatra, Miriam and Me." In his later career, Fink transitioned into public relations, serving as CEO of 1on1 Public Relations, where he notably represented shoe designer Steve Madden. This professional relationship evolved into a personal project; at the time of his death, Fink had just completed writing "Second Chances," an oral history of Madden, and produced the documentary "Maddman: The Steve Madden Story."

Mitchell Fink is survived by his wife, Lois Mathias; his sons, Jesse and Brian; and his grandchildren, Samson, Alice, and Cameron.