Guest dicktracy Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 People Magazine Still Has a Bikini Body by MICHAEL WINERIP Published: May 22, 2009 EVERY week, the multimillion-dollar question for Larry Hackett, the editor of People magazine, is whom to put on the cover. “The cover sells the magazine,” he said. “The cover brings people into the big tent.” The difference between the top-selling People cover of 2008 (Angelina, Brad and their twins) and a bottom seller of 2008 (Madonna divorcing another husband) was 1.5 million newsstand copies and $6 million in revenue. So Mr. Hackett, 49, and his staff choose their covers wisely. Some weeks the winning formula calls for breaking reality-show news: Will Jon and Kate Gosselin, parents of eight children under the age of 9 and the stars of TLC’s “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” split up over Jon’s alleged affair with a 23-year-old third-grade teacher in Reading, Pa.? “Kate Gosselin Talks to People: ‘I Have a Lot of Anger,’ ” (May 25, 2009). Other weeks, it’s a bit of crafty enterprise ginned up by People’s body editor. “Yes, we have a body editor,” Mr. Hackett said. “She’s the one who alerted me that Valerie Bertinelli was offering to pose for us in a bikini.” Mr. Hackett wasn’t sure a teenage star from a 1970s sitcom would sell, until he saw the photos. “Valerie looked amazing,” he said. “She looked fantastic.” His instincts were good: “Valerie Bertinelli Lost 50 LBs. Bikini Body at 48!” (April 6) is the second-best-selling People cover this year, beaten out only by the Obama inauguration cover. Twenty- and 30-somethings falling in and out of love. Aging boomers growing out of and into their clothes. All part of a demographic formula that has kept People prospering while so many publications are reeling in these hard times. Most celebrity coverage skews young, but People has attained something unusual, attracting the young (18- to-34-year-olds are its biggest constituency, 38 percent of readership) while holding on to aging boomers (45 to 59 are second, 28 percent of readership). “We need to satisfy both,” Mr. Hackett said. There’s a good economic reason. “Compared to most, boomers remain economically sound,” he said. And so, People is having a boomer year: there have been 10 covers featuring boomers in the first five months of 2009, compared with 11 in all for 2007. While circulation at most celebrity magazines was down in the second half of 2008 — In Touch Weekly (down 29 percent, to 899,000); Life & Style Weekly (down 31 percent, to 472,000); Us Weekly ( down 1.3 percent, to 1.9 million) — People grew 2 percent to 3.7 million. The latest 2009 figures show the magazine’s readership up 1.2 percent. OF course, it’s tricky business as to which boomers will still sell and not chase away the young. “We’re constantly asking, ‘Is this person going to vibe too old?’ ” Mr. Hackett said. When People made its debut 35 years ago, as the magazine of mainstream American pop culture, boomer cover celebs were young, beautiful and in their prime. The annual top-selling covers in those years: Cher and Gregg (1975); Cher, Gregg and baby (1976); Olivia Newton-John (1978); Farrah Fawcett (1979). Today? “Boomers are at an age when certain things happen to them,” Mr. Hackett said. And they do. Take the all-boomer May 18 cover. In the left-hand corner was Elizabeth Edwards, cheated upon. In the right-hand corner, Farrah’s final cancer fight. And smack in the center: Kirstie Alley, “Yes, I Gained 83 LBS!” It’s still possible for boomer men to get a cover just for being a hunk, but hardly ever true for women. In the last 10 years, five of People’s annual “sexiest men alive” covers were boomers: George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Pierce Brosnan, Brad Pitt, Richard Gere. Not one of the annual 10 most beautiful women covers during that time was a boomer. The last “most beautiful woman” boomer cover? Michelle Pfeiffer in 1999 at 41. People editors were slow to realize how well death sells. When Elvis died in 1977, he got one paragraph on the Star Tracks page. Since then, five of the six all-time best-selling covers on the newsstands have been about deaths: Sept. 11, 2001 (4.1 million); Goodbye Diana (2.9 million); John F. Kennedy Jr. (2.8 million); John Lennon (2.64 million); Princess Grace (2.62 million). It has been said that the three great cover moments are match, hatch and dispatch, and that does not leave boomers in a good spot. The 2006 cover of Steve Irwin, 44, the Animal Planet star killed by a stingray, sold over two million copies. (“It wouldn’t have been as big if he’d been hit by a bus,” Mr. Hackett said.) The cover on Tim Russert’s death at 58 was a top-10 seller of 2008. In contrast, that week, In Touch did “Angelina Speaks About Their Crisis at Home.” Against Ms. Bertinelli’s bikini, In Touch did “Angelina and Brad the Break Up.” Against Ms. Alley’s 83 unwanted pounds, In Touch did “Jen and Brad Together Again.” “The culture has not thrown up enough new celebrities,” Mr. Hackett said. “And if you keep going to the same ones over and over, you get reader fatigue.” Mr. Hackett has found multigenerational, multicover appeal to roller-coaster weight sagas like Ms. Alley’s. “It’s like Kirstie’s out there again,” he said. “She’s like family — we have traveled this road with Kirstie.” But Madonna, who is tied for 10th on the all-time list of People cover appearances with 13 (Princess Di ranks first with 54), was a case of going to a boomer once too often. “People don’t care anymore,” Mr. Hackett said. “They never bonded with her husband Guy Ritchie. There’s a tsk, tsk and inappropriateness to her behavior.” Last week, for the June 1 cover, Mr. Hackett had four possibilities, including an exclusive interview with Bristol Palin, accompanied by photos of her in a high school graduation robe holding her baby. “We’re also on Farrah watch,” he said. “At this point Farrah has to die. It’s the only cover left for her.” They were considering a second cover in a row on the troubled reality show couple, the Gosselins. “If I could Hoover up some decent news,” he said. “They’re on the boil.” The body editor had a story on a onetime teenage TV star in her 30’s who’d put on the pounds, but was now ready to pose in a bikini for People. (“I’d appreciate if you don’t use the name,” Mr. Hackett said to me. “I don’t want to lose the element of surprise.”) AT a daily staff meeting, editors noted the Palin story’s multigenerational appeal. They discussed ways to advance the Gosselin story. “Anything about how the kids are doing?” Mr. Hackett asked. “Not going to their soccer games? Shows we’re paying attention to the right things.” He wanted a reporter watching the house. “Let’s be there when the guy goes to buy groceries.” They discussed the former teenage star now in her 30s, and an editor said: “Speaking of bikini, should we catch up with Valerie Bertinelli? It’s been two months.” “Has it been that long?” Mr. Hackett asked. Over the weekend, Mr. Hackett made the final cover call. There was no news on Farrah. “Out of my control,” he said. There was no big Gosselin breakthrough. “Just drive-by reportage not worthy of a cover.” The former teenage star now in her 30’s and ready to pose in a bikini could hold a week. “Bristol Palin,” Mr. Hackett said. The photos were great, the appeal multigenerational: a baby, a proud grandmother, a young woman graduating high school and on the boil. 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Guest harbors Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 ouch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pud Whacker Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest joliepast Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 that is gross what he said about farrah....uuuuuuuugggh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Umm... wow. I never saw that cover. Was she the WHOLE cover? (Do you know what I mean? Was she the dominant cover image, or was she just a corner photo or something?) I mean, I usually buy the magazines if I know she's on the cover. I must have missed that somehow. (I don't know that I'd want to immortalize a sad moment in her life, though. I prefer the happier ones and the editorial shoots, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest harbors Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Umm... wow. I never saw that cover. Was she the WHOLE cover? (Do you know what I mean? Was she the dominant cover image, or was she just a corner photo or something?) I mean, I usually buy the magazines if I know she's on the cover. I must have missed that somehow. (I don't know that I'd want to immortalize a sad moment in her life, though. I prefer the happier ones and the editorial shoots, etc.) yup! she was on the cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest harbors Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pud Whacker Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 that is gross what he said about farrah....uuuuuuuugggh magazine talk, sweetie... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nothingfails0603 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 maybe it failed to sell because of The Palins, who the hell wants to buy something with them? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt420 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I have to say I'm surprised that she was at the VERY bottom of the list. However, Madonna & Guy were never a "hot" couple to talk about here in the States. The only time they were ever headliners for the gossip rags was at the very end of the marriage and had A-Rod not been involved I'm not so sure it would've been the media frenzy it was. I don't even recall a full cover when they got hitched....of course that was 8 years ago so my memory could be fuzzy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOUR2008 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dicktracy Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Does anybody think that her pic and the Chihuahua pic by each other was coincidence or some sort of planned joke? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertogerard Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I remember when I bought that issue of People magazine (along with In Touch & US), while waiting in line to pay there were some women behind me who commented on Madonna. One lady mentioned the cover and 2 of them replied very digustedly, "She is so gross, I can't stand her" and "She's just trying to be like Cher, but at least Cher can sing and act". I so badly wanted to say something. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattress Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I have to say I'm surprised that she was at the VERY bottom of the list. The difference between the top-selling People cover of 2008 (Angelina, Brad and their twins) and a bottom seller of 2008 (Madonna divorcing another husband) was 1.5 million newsstand copies and $6 million in revenue. Notice that it says a "bottom seller", not the. The lowest selling issue last year more than likely was one that few would blink at, hence why they tried to angle it as though Madonna --someone people obviously still do care about-- took the, um, honor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I don't even recall a full cover when they got hitched....of course that was 8 years ago so my memory could be fuzzy. Yeah, there was one... It had a pic of her waving good-bye through the car window (I think) after Rocco's baptism. She was wearing that netting/veil. The cover was mostly a metallic gold color. I think I bought that one. I don't know where I was when all these mag covers hit (about the divorce). Maybe I was reading news sites that refused to post negative stories or something -- and I must have been living under a rock at the time, evidently. Oh well. I won't lose any sleep over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest harbors Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Notice that it says a "bottom seller", not the. watever, dear. even pud didnt buy it, who would? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightshade Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I really think it has more to do with the fact that she basically lived in England with him for 8 years and they were a relatively low-drama couple until 2006. The British tabloids obviously made a lot of money because she was all over those. The March issue of W Magazine sold out instantly. You can't even get back issues from them anymore for that one. Obviously people WILL pay for Madonna - when she's acting like Madonna and not an English lady of the manor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattress Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 watever, dear. even pud didnt buy it, who would? That was in response to I have to say I'm surprised that she was at the VERY bottom of the list., dear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afrolito Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 What he said abut Farrah was just awful and gross. He's the one who needs to die. I do agree with him about no one ever bonding with her and Guy as a couple. She could have been married to a poodle for the last 8 years, as far as the amerocan public was concerned. Absolutely no one cared about Guy Ritchie, so why be interested in the divorce? People is lame anyway, it's all about Us weekly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Coked Up Baby Boy Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Aside from the A-Rod stories, the tabloid stuff that's been circling her this past year as been really boring imo. The divorce, Jesus ect..........i'm a fan and even i didn't care all that much, i can imagine how boring it would be for casual tabloid readers. I was surprised her and Guy divorced though, i honesty thought they'd make it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest harbors Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Madonna is bottom, at last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pud Whacker Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 ^ harbors pull it out of your bung. youve been a little twatola lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernatural Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 all the look-alike madonna/guy covers were out at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hot revolver Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I remember when I bought that issue of People magazine (along with In Touch & US), while waiting in line to pay there were some women behind me who commented on Madonna. One lady mentioned the cover and 2 of them replied very digustedly, "She is so gross, I can't stand her" and "She's just trying to be like Cher, but at least Cher can sing and act". I so badly wanted to say something. Oh well. Thats what people think of madonna nowadays its sad but true. I think these low sales are evident of that becuz people just dont like her and dont care about her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horn Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 “We’re also on Farrah watch,” he said. “At this point Farrah has to die. It’s the only cover left for her.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lori Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Madonna may not sell People, Star, US and other supermarket rags but she sells a lot of Vanity Fair, Vogue, W and the like. I think that speaks well for her and her fans. People may be sick of tabloid stories about her but they are still interested in what she has to say and what her latest provocations are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horn Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Bottom selling cover so what? does it mean they will STOP using Madge on cover? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daizy1 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Madonna and Guy kept their personal life very low in the media. They both seemed very down to earth and non glamouros in their everyday life so they were not so "hot" couple like some other couples out there .I think some Americans just did not like the fact that Madonna actually married a british man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 its not had to figure that out. its the "angel" vs "devil" here; the angel being angelina. fuck, even her name says it. i wish she and brad would just go away for a few years. i cant stand all the positivity, gushing, cant do no wrong attitude towards them. its pure discrimination to madonna; heck, they even call their adopted kids by their last name and theyre not even married. they still call david "david banda" its all in the details.. and it seems that this is an image the press wants to create of her, the image we now see of people walking down the street, or queuing in a line to buy a magazine... they got exactly what they want, another american sweetheart and the american devil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GimmeSomeMo Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 its not had to figure that out. its the "angel" vs "devil" here; the angel being angelina. fuck, even her name says it. i wish she and brad would just go away for a few years. i cant stand all the positivity, gushing, cant do no wrong attitude towards them. its pure discrimination to madonna; heck, they even call their adopted kids by their last name and theyre not even married. they still call david "david banda" its all in the details.. and it seems that this is an image the press wants to create of her, the image we now see of people walking down the street, or queuing in a line to buy a magazine... they got exactly what they want, another american sweetheart and the american devil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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