According to D Magazine, Cynthia Smoot Has "It"

Imagine my surprise to be flipping through the July 2026 issue of D Magazine and see my picture on the last page in an article remembering The List… The author states, “The most esoteric of all front-of-book elements (published in D Magazine) was used to be The List, which appeared with some irregularity from the mid-aughts to early 2016 and comprised simply a list of local names, with zero explanation provided and seemingly no relation between listees. D regularly fielded phone calls from beleaguered assistants who were tasked with asking why their boss’s name had been included. Editors established a standard response: “The List is determined using a proprietary algorithm whose variables we do not disclose.” Inevitably, the flummoxed assistant would ask, “But is it a good thing or bad thing?” The editor would then assure them that The List was a celebration.”

It is a fun throwback to my 15-seconds of fame in the September 2013 issue. The author claims that the List went away because “the digital age changed everything. It became apparent that readers did not need a news-bite on a viral tattoo showing up in print two months after it had appeared on Instagram…. Where would The List go on D’s website now?” I highly disagree. If you want readers to continue to value the print product - make the pint product unique with some special features. - like The List! To read this article in its entirety and see who else made The List over the years, visit https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2026/july/the-name-game/.