Friday, August 15, 2008
Lads' Mags
'Anthony Gibson-Watt, buying director at media agency Zed Media....' I love that line. In a novel it would sound forced, too much worn-on-the-sleeve research and calculation (especially in that aristo surname), but in Guardian Media it could not be more at home. Anyway, AGW, as he is known by his embittered underlings ( I am making this bit up), says 'I don't think there are many blokes who would be happy to read Zoo or Nuts on public transport.' For delicately-souled readers of Thought Experiments, I should explain these are 'lads' mags' and AGW is trying to explain the huge decline in this market sector. Some say the drooling, smelly imbecile implied by these mags is no longer a viable male role model - surely not! Others say the drooling smellies find the internet less stressful than a trip to the newsagent. Yet more others believe the mags were just a flash in the pan, novelty products. I don't know what I believe. But I do think the mags were expressions of failure. In The War Between Men and Women the drooling smellies were the male response to rampant feminism. Basically, it was an 'okay, you win' posture. Does the decline of the mags mean men are now ready to get up off their knees? Unlikely.
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A blog about, among other things, imaginary ideas - What ifs? and Imagine thats. What if photographs looked nothing like what we see with our eyes? Imagine that the Berlin Wall had never come down. What if we were the punchline of an interminable joke? All contributions welcome.
I've never ever read one of these magazines! I may have looked at the pictures, I'm not saying. Anything to take the mind off travelling on public transport.
ReplyDelete"Zoo"? Is that a magazine about lads' having sex with four-legged females?
ReplyDeleteHmm...anybody noticed that as soon as something vaguely risque is posted, Susan B is out of the blocks like a Chinaman on steroids? There is a Welsh edition Susan, that deals with the union of men, and women, with quadrupedal ruminants, but the main thrust of Zoo, Nuts et al, is to transport male teens and pre-teens to a state of bliss in the absence of the real thing. The real thing is probably throwing-up in a precinct somewhere.
ReplyDeleteIts rumoured that elberrys garret is strewn with them like bibles among pews.
ReplyDeleteSusan, mainly about lads having sex with their right or left hand.
Mainly copies of The Chap, i'm afraid, Malty.
ReplyDeleteAh, The Chap. That'll be "no sex please, we're pipe-smokers" then, though there is a rather fetching spaniel on the front page of their website.
ReplyDeleteRisque am I? Think about it, Mahlerman: If I were Steven B. or Samuel B., you'd never make that comment. It's my being female that makes you think it's odd. But have you met Selena Dreamy? I am Mother Theresa in comparison, and long may she (Selena) prosper!
ReplyDeleteLet's ask the other boys: Should I refrain from ever commenting on one of Bryan's posts if it has something do with sex? If this is a problem for the rest of you dudes, I will (refrain, that is). Hope it ain't, though.
susan, you carry on pet, I just love women who talk dirty.
ReplyDeleteThe main problem with these mags is they are not good value for money as they are at least 50% just a TV listing magazine... personally I see nothing wrong with pretty half naked girls, dirty jokes and ... oh ... sport. Personally I stick with the on line editions...
ReplyDelete