Jason Binn is a lot of things, the foremost being the owner of Niche Media, publisher of Gotham, Los Angeles Confidential, Capitol File, Hamptons, Boston Common, Aspen Peak, Mississippi Delta, Nodes of Scranton and other titles. The specific “Niche” is inanity, as Binn's magazines cover the cavorting and consumption of the wealthy.

Niche Media is set to merge with Las Vegas based Greenspun Media Group which publishes Vegas, Wynn, Venetian Style and Things You Didn’t Think Could Be Covered in Gold Monthly, and Ocean Drive Media Group which publishes Ocean Drive and Ocean Drive Espanol. The resulting media conglomerate will combine a bunch of regional media properties into a more national network of 16 publications with a circ of 750k and expected revenue of $100mm.

The real story here is not the new luxury media outlet but Jason Binn, who knows a lot of people and parties with them. Jason Binn doesn’t discriminate between old and new money, so he’s quite the innovator. His fame transcends mere hugs with John Lovitz (pictured) and knowing a bunch of other people in the publishing world. He has a laugh like Woody Woodpecker, he’s smallish in stature, he can’t say “no,” and his magazines “are less concerned with dour topics like income disparity than making sure you land on the right side of that divide,” all according to a severely man-crushing David Carr of the New York Times.

Carr compiles a list of Binnspired (if not Binnspirational) quotes:

“Watching him work a room is like watching Derek Jeter play baseball.” - Mark Edmiston, managing director of AdMedia Partners

“Jason Binn, you are a force of nature.” Cathleen Black, president of Hearst Magazines

“Jason is able to combine image, content and prestige, which is right up my alley.” – Benny Shabtai, president of Raymond Weil watches and owner of Di Modolo jewelers

“Jason has defined a place the publishing giants aren’t interested in, and he works it brilliantly. There is something very endearing about him — the chutzpah and lack of pretense.” – David Carey, president at Condé Nast and publishing director of Portfolio

“Jason Binn is the most overrated shortstop in publishing.” – Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

“Jason Binn raped me.” – Jar of Macadamia Nuts, room 528 mini-bar, Wynn Las Vegas Resort

Say ‘Cheese’ for the King of the A-List [New York Times]