Feed A Paparazzi, Buy In Touch Weekly

Want to know the inside story on Ben and J. Lo’s relationship troubles? Want to find out how much the Olsen twins are worth? Or perhaps knowing which Hollywood starlets have real hooters is something you’re just dying to find out. If you answered yes to any of these questions then In Touch Weekly is the magazine for you.

As its title notes, this relatively new magazine is a weekly publication devoted to providing the latest news on the rich and famous in the entertainment world. In many respects, this magazine is not too unlike People magazine (only without the refined intellectual and philosophical content). Its byline is “Get Closer to the Stars!” and it does a pretty decent job keeping readers informed on the latest and greatest from our societal elite. In hand, I have three recent issues in hand for review, all dated sometime in the past two months.

The cover of each issue is much of what you’d expect from a glorified supermarket tabloid. You’ll have a mug shot of someone famous, like Demi Moore or Jennifer Anniston, with some attention-grabbing headline like, Real vs. Fake, or Secrets Revealed: Looking Young, But At What Cost? Each issue is approximately 100 pages in length, and is filled with short articles and advertisements. Each issue is laid out in a format that is perfect for a person to skim. There are very few (if any) articles that are more than two pages, as most of the content are photos and captions. If you’re looking for something to read while sitting on the john, this magazine will frustrate anyone who may be suffering from any degree of constipation. But at least you can make up for the quick read by using its pages to “do the paperwork”.

But I must admit, In Touch Weekly is a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s almost a compulsion, much like slowing down on the highway to see the details of a car accident. For some apparent reason, I find myself regularly browsing issues of the magazine, perhaps in effort to satisfy some morbid curiosity to find out things about people I don’t know. Some of the regular features of the magazine include:

Up Close - Here you’ll find some candid photos of top stars going about their business. The paparazzi make a lot of their money here.

People in the News - This section provides short blurbs about the careers of various celebrities.

Party hopping - More pictures of celebrities, taken at various events. I think this is where the bona fide photographers make their money.

Is It True - One of the truly best parts of the book, this section sets out to lay to rest the truth behind the latest rumors. Want to know if Madonna secretly wants Britney? Are Bruce Willis and Kim Cattrall secretly dating? Is there a missing Olsen twin? Does Colin Ferrell have a small penis? Find out here.

Reality TV Update - A tribute to modern society’s equivalent of Shakespeare.

Stars and Their Pets - Can you believe this?

Fashion and Beauty - At first, I wondered if someone took a few pages from Cosmo and stuck it in this magazine. But it wasn’t true. This section takes a look at the fashion trends among the stars. Find out what kind of perfume, makeup, and shoes the stars are wearing. This will help you to become a better person.

Last Words - The final page has some one-liners from a various stars.

All these columns, and more, can be found in each issue. The cover price tag is a super cheap $1.99. Not bad considering what other magazines of its size run. I’m not sure how to go about getting a subscription, since there were not any of those annoying blow in subscriber cards that fall out by the dozen in every other magazine. The masthead of the magazine seems to indicate that a one-year subscription of 52 issues runs about $139. If so, then I can’t see the point of subscribing, other than to have the convenience of having one delivered to you on a regular basis.

Overall, In Touch Weekly is a pretty good magazine that has it’s usefulness. It’s exactly the type of magazine you may find in a doctor’s office or a barbershop, which would allow you to pass the time while waiting to be serviced. I would recommend it to anyone, as its very accessible. Buying it, however, may be only for those who are absolutely obsessed with celebrities, and those people who have no life. (But I repeat myself). Of course, I read it because I really have no life.


Visit their website at: www.intouchweekly.com

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And because I'm that self centered, read vodkaboy's review on getting to know Yours Truly - http://www.epinions.com/content_3490095236