Rouilard Resigns as Advocate Editor : Media: Surprise and shock follow the announcement that the leader of L.A.’s best-known alternative paper has left his post.

Gay activists expressed surprise--and in some cases shock--Thursday over the resignation of Richard Rouilard as editor-in-chief of the Advocate, the news-making magazine that gained a national reputation for its coverage of gay and lesbian issues during his two-year stint at the helm.

Rouilard, formerly an editor and writer at the now-defunct Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, said he resigned late Wednesday over longstanding differences of opinion with management about the future of the 120,000 circulation magazine.

“It’s time to move on. We have differences about how to go on with the continuation with this company,” said Rouilard, declining to be specific. He said his resignation is effective immediately and joked that he is taking his extensive list of contacts with him. “My Rolodex left before I did,” he said.

Publisher Niles Merton professed surprise at the resignation. “I honestly don’t know (why Rouilard resigned). . . . I’m kind of stunned,” he said. Merton also praised Rouilard as “a brilliant agent of change” who had taken the Los Angeles-based magazine “out of the ghetto” of strictly gay journalism and given it national prominence.

Jeff Yarbrough--the Advocate’s senior editor, a former contributing editor to Interview magazine and West Coast editor of the Forbes publication egg--was named to replace Rouilard.

A friend said Rouilard had battled frequently with management during his two-year tenure, adding, “This is a tragedy.”

Rouilard, 41, said he had no definite plans, although he is considering “a couple of offers” from East Coast publications. Rouilard added that he will not return to gay journalism, preferring to return to the “straight press,” where he worked most of his career. Rouilard was style editor at the Herald-Examiner and one of the first editors of L.A. Style magazine. His work also has appeared widely in national magazines.

Political and gay activist David Mixner called Rouilard’s departure “a great loss to the community.” As the Advocate’s editor, Rouilard had made the magazine “clearly the authoritative publication nationally in the gay and lesbian community,” Mixner said. “He’s taken that magazine from a good paper representing our community to a product of excellence.”

Under Rouilard, the Advocate expanded staff and opened bureaus in Washington and Chicago. It was named the Best Alternative Magazine by the trade publication Magazine Week and was nominated for mainstream journalism awards.

While Rouilard directed the magazine, it generated attention and controversy with articles that “outed” public figures, explored the extent of homophobia in Hollywood and raised eyebrows with the frank talk of stars like Roseanne Barr and Madonna.