Magazine review #4

People 3/14/11 with Mr. Duh Winning on the cover

A reader writes in the MailBag that she is disappointed that People included "the phrase WTF in the Jennifer Aniston interview." The reader states that "her use of the vulgar term desensitizes a violent word and sets a poor example for our children." I am sorry, Elizabeth Myers from Westminster MD, but JA has no obligation whatsoever to set any examples for "our children". That is the job of parents. And since when is "fuck" a violent word? Get over yourself and police your kids.
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There is yet another ad for a new tennis/exercise/running shoe called REEZIG. Its tagline is "more energy." Reebok says, "Try the shoe with the energy boost. Its unique low profile sole is designed to transfer each step into a wave of energy." Really. So all I have to do is wear a pair of shoes for more energy? Couldn't I just wear any low-soled shoe and get the same benefit? I call bull$hit. And hooking the naive and uninformed consumer. Boo Reebok.
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There is a little snippet catching up with the Bee Girl from the Blind Melon video, No Rain. I remember hearing that song and seeing its video for the first time and loving it and thinking the Bee Girl was so cute and carefree. It is neat to see her grownup. She doesn't have the costume because it is hanging in a Hard Rock cafe somewhere!
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Okay, this is the Oscar recap issue so this is for Jenny- I knew Bale and Firth would win, I suspected Portman would, and I really wasn't sure about Melissa Leo's chances. I loved these dresses- Natalie, Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Williams, Hilary Swank, Mila Kunis, Cate, Amy Adams, Hayley Steinfeld. I did not like- Claire Danes, Penelope, Nicole, Scarlett, Marisa Tomei, J. Hud, Sandra. I thought Helena BC looked great for her- she wasn't wacky like she usually is. I thought Anne Hathaway was a little too excited and giddy and that Franco was off beat but not horrible and certainly not stoned- I think he is just too busy and was super tired. Oh yeah- one more outfit that was absolutely HORRID- Madonna. No one wants to see your 50 year old ass, no matter how toned it is.
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People 3/21/11 with Mr. Tiger blood and his sons on the cover

There is a picture of Taylor Momsen in the StarTracks. She is wearing a Tshirt, no bottoms, thigh high stockings with a garter on one leg, and multi-buckle, knee high platform boots. Oh yeah, and one of the stockings has a hole. I wore stuff my mom didn't like when I was a teenager, like shirts with buttons safety pinned on (I did not and still do not like to sew) and shoes she thought were not fit for public viewing. And my mother would not let me wear black pants because they were, in her opinion, too mature. I have to wonder what Taylor's mom and dad think about her clothing choices? Granted, she is a celebrity and in a rock band, however, if she were my star singer daughter, she would have to wear decent clothes in public. She is 17, for crying out loud!!
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In the music section, we find ourselves "Catching up with Trent Reznor"- he has won an Oscar (Cool!!), is scoring the American version of Girl with a Dragon Tattoo (Cool!!), and says he will monitor, when the time comes, his baby son's music choices, including the NIN song Closer. "I want to F@#K you like an animal!!!!!" Maybe he could change the lyrics to "I want to tuck you into bed!"
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There has been so much Charlie Sheen stuff lately, including in this issue. I will just say that I feel sorry for his sons and his daughters. I miss the Charlie from Platoon and Ferris Bueller. I am grossed out that he has 2 girlfriends. I think he is nuts. I think that he is actually, duh, losing. He just doesn't realize it and when he does it will be too late. It is already too late for 4 of his 5 children to ever have a normal remembrance of their dad.
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There is a story about Michael Flatley (Lord of the Dance) and his huge-ass castle-home in Ireland. The place is 40,000 square feet, has a bar, a screening room, a 6,000 book library, 16 suites, a whiskey room, and wine cellars. I guarantee a reader will write in and get his/her letter published in the MailBag, complaining how over-the-top, garish, inappropriate, and greedy Mr. Flatley is for owning this "home" and how the money he spent on his palace should have been donated to charity instead. And I can guarantee I will disagree with the writer. Good for him, I say. He earned the money and should be able to spend it as he pleases.
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The last page of People for a while has been to feature a celebrity and have them tell us "5 Facts About Me." Amanda Seyfried states she was "in the IN crowd but I was the outcast, the loser of the crowd." While that may be true, I have a hard time believing most of these stars who say they were "ugly", "nerds", "losers", or "wallflowers." Be honest! Tell us you were popular, attractive, talented! Even the loser of the in crowd is in.

Overdue magazine review #3

It's been awhile and I have read many magazines since my last review. Here's a catch up.

February 7th PEOPLE with Reese W. on the cover:

Jesse James has asked Kat Von D to marry him and she has said yes- to a man who if he hadn't been busted cheating or had never cheated at all would presumably still be married to Sandra Bullock. Now he says that 2010 was a great year because "he fell in love with his best friend." Well, goody goody gumdrops for him, not. What a piece of shit! He states that "she is an amazing woman who stood behind me when the world turned their backs." Well, what did he expect? He humiliated and broke the heart of America's sweetheart. The world was supporting her and rightfully turning backs to him. I will not be surprised when I inevitably buy a PEOPLE in the future with a cover story about Mr. James cheating on his new Mrs.
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In the Passages section, there is a tidbit about Roger Ebert getting a prosthetic for his cancer ravaged face. I say thank God because his mug is scary lookin'!
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There is a new book out by a kid's dad (who is also a pastor) called Heaven Is For Real. The kid, after a surgical procedure, told his parents he had been to "the throne room of God" and had met his miscarried sister. The dad says, "A child is their wildest imagination could not invent that." Uh, yes they could, especially if he had heard stories about this deceased sister. The dad says his son's story was not lead by he and his wife, stating, "If this was your kid, what would you believe?" Umm, I would believe in his "wildest imagination." Give credit to the kid, not God.
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February 14th PEOPLE with Halle B. on the cover:

Halle and her ex are fighting for custody of their daughter Nahla. With my oft-used disclaimer that, of course, I know nothing about any celebrity except for what I read in magazines, it sure seems to me that Halle Berry has shit luck in the relationship department. And I am not convinced it is always the guy that is the problem. Everything about her split from Gabriel Aubry was fine until he went on a few dates with Kim Kardashian and now Halle "has serious concerns" when Nahla's dad takes care of her? I hope they work things out for the sake of the kid. And maybe Halle could take a break from her career and rebound relationship to focus on her daughter.
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There is an article in this issue about Princess Charlotte of Monaco, who is now 24 years old and I must say, absolutely beautiful. She is an accomplished equestrian with Olympic hopes who seems to be a grounded, modest person. Her grandmother and father would be proud, I am sure.
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February 21st PEOPLE with Jennifer A. on the cover:

New reality show alert!! Shedding for the Wedding. And no, it is not about making wedding dresses out of cat and dog hair.
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There is a pic in the Star Tracks section of Eva Longoria with her new boyfriend. She JUST got divorced!! I know there is no rule for when to start a new relationship after the end of a previous one, but Wow!! A la Jesse James, I would imagine that if it weren't for inappropriate texts by her now-ex Tony Parker, he and Eva would still be married?? People sure to tend to move on quickly these days!
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There is always a plethora of ads for medications in People. There are at least 2 for depression med-helper meds. Seroquel XR is one of the newest. Besides my many problems with advertising prescription meds, I have an even bigger issue: this ad says that if "you've been on an antidepressant for at least 6 weeks and still have unresolved symptoms of depression", you should ask your doctor for Seroquel. 6 weeks?? It took Paxil at least 4 before I felt better last fall. It definitely took more than 6 for my symptoms to really resolve. These med ads scare me: although I am definitely an advocate for medication, I am also an advocate for letting ONE medication try to do its job for at least 2 months before adding a new one. It bothers me that the pharm companies want so badly to make money off of other people's struggles.
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There is an article titled The Trials of Ruth Madoff. I am sorry that her son killed himself. I am not sorry that she is a "prisoner in her own world." I do not believe for one second that she didn't know what her slime bag, evil, piece of shit husband was up to. She is a "figure of hatred?" Yes! She is isolated from society? Too bad! Karma is a bitch.
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An ad for Quilted Northern TP claims that it is 50% percent stronger, holds up better, and helps your hands stay clean. Not to be too TMI, but I have been wiping myself for about 38 years now and HAVE NEVER had a problem with any toilet paper NOT keeping my hands clean. Are other people wiping with one square? Are they using their bare hands? Of all the many things we do not need in this society, we do not need toilet paper ads telling us we need thicker paper. But if you do use Quilted Northern and you do get pee or something worse on your hands, be assured, there is a Money Back Guarantee if you are not satisfied.
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That's it for now. I'll be back in a couple days for another review :)