Shane Smith and Vice: The Collapse of a Media Empire

When Vice cofounder Shane Smith disappeared from public view five years ago, it seemed about time. By that time, Smith himself was set. He’d built an empire, become a boldface name, partied his head off and gotten filthy rich. The problem was none of it was built to last. So now, as Vice convulses its way forward out of bankruptcy — with Vice TV on life support, Vice.com