Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Many macho matters

Who says that all it takes to make a man happy is a beer, a couch and the remote control? Um, lots of people. Even so, these mags would beg to differ.

America’s in a protracted tennis drought, and fans should not expect to find a Roger Federer-like savior anytime soon, according to GQ magazine. With the US Open a week away, a small feature poses the query “Why does America suck at Tennis?” Outspoken racket legend John McEnroe says there’s “no one coming out in the next year or two where we’ll say, ‘Oh, my God, here he is.’” Elsewhere, there’s a piece on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who the magazine declares “is back” and has his swagger again after 544 days in prison on charges that he led a dog-fighting ring. Similarly in the spirit of the gridiron, Jets star quarterback Mark Sanchez offers his best portrayal of Jets 1960s legend Broadway Joe Namath, down to a flashy fur coat. Namath famously predicted a championship in upsetting the then-Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III in 1969. Jets fans are hoping Sanchez can deliver the same results.

For those who haven’t read enough “how I hit rock-bottom and almost died” confessionals from the former members of Guns n’ Roses, Maxim comes to the rescue. “Please, kill me,” bassist Duff McKagan says he told a doctor after learning that his pancreas had literally exploded following years of overzealous alcohol consumption. “Just kill me. Kill me. Please.” In other cautionary matters, the magazine advises its semi-comatose readers to avoid “zoning out” when trying to score with a lady at a bar. “Pay attention to what she’s saying. It’s necessary if you want to get her into bed.”

Ryan Gosling is joined on the cover of Esquire by what at first appears to be a twin gay lover, who is smiling and leaning his head affectionately on the actor’s shoulder. Inside, however, we learn this is actually part of an artsy idea for a photo spread that Gosling had, in which his photoshopped doppelganger observes him cavorting with a beautiful nude woman who is painted up like a voodoo priestess. We’re not sure this qualifies as art, but we must admit we’re hard pressed to imagine how one could have a more enjoyable time while making oneself look totally ridiculous.

Ashton Kutcher guest edits the latest edition of Details. We’re not sure how much work that might have taken. Details is very light on copy with just a few Q&As, including one with Kutcher himself. Still, lots of clothing ideas for the young stylish man, and good page design. Beware, though: the men profiled in Details are as fashion-conscious as women who read Vogue. One who is an aspiring film maker seems very aware about having his hip sneakers untied and wearing the right socks. Cut!

President Obama is on a collision course not only with the Republican Presidential nominee but also with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas over nationalized health care, according to the New Yorker. The 11-page cover story focusing on how his wife, who works for the Heritage Foundation, has spoken out against the plan, and how her husband’s power is growing, is compelling reading. A short piece on new Republican Presidential nominee Rick Perry is also revealing.

New York’s Fall Preview issue is more than a thorough calendar of coming events. There are articles on relatively unexplored subjects: the on and off-again Meadowlands Mall project that would include an indoor ski slope and Hawaii-like pool; and the increasing trend of women who give birth eating their own placentas in pill form to battle postpartum depression. It also includes some sharp short profiles: Brad Pitt playing the lead role in Moneyball, and Samuel L. Jackson appearing in a play as Martin Luther King Jr. We also liked a piece about how the Brooklyn Philharmonic has no home.

Time likes to go deep with articles instead of simply recapping the week’s events. Sometimes it works; this week not really. A cover story on how next generation war veterans are becoming community leaders feels a little too breezy. The other lead story on how one professor views autism seems like a decent attempt that raises more questions than it answers. The mag likewise makes a good effort in showing how all the leading Republican presidential candidates pushed and received pork from the government, and are therefore being hypocrites. However, this is not much of a surprise.

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Nypost.com

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