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Friday, March 24, 2006Why Am I Paying for This?
So, the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly just arrived and I've thumbed through it and it's left me wondering: why the fuck do I still subscribe to this?
The big cover article this week? The 84 Best TV Shows. That's some hard-hitting journalism. Truly. American Idol and Without a Trace? Wow! Thanks for pointing me to shows outside the mainstream. I've been a subscriber for about thirteen years now and I imagine that there's got to be something about the magazine that's kept me hooked for that long, but I'm beginning to think that whatever it was has worn off and I'm left with only the weekly habit. What is in this magazine, anyway? Well, they do lists. They do a whole fucking lot of lists. Top 25 this, 101 most powerful that. I think they've truly done every single list that could possibly be compiled. Maybe they'll do a Top 1000 EW Lists list. That'd be great. They do profiles on entertainers about whom I do not care. The "Monitor" section tells me which celebrities are ailing, giving birth or having legal troubles and other shit that I just don't have any real need to know. I like the movie reviews. I've always liked them. I'm one of those putzes who lets critics influence whether or not he goes to see a film, and I've always found Lisa Schwarzbaum and Owen Gleiberman to be fairly reliable barometers of movie watchability. But I can get movie reviews anyplace. Are movie reviews enough to justify my shelling out fifty-four bucks a year for this? I think these days, I skip probably a good 2/5 of the magazine. I never read the music or book reviews unless I'm stuck on the toilet with nothing else to read. I find that a lot of the articles are basically puff press releases with nice pictures. They've got a section on theater that would be nice if they printed it more than four times a year. I forgot to send in a check for my renewal for awhile last year. I'm bad about that shit. If it requires me to get out my checkbook and track down some stamps and actually walk something to the mailbox, chances are I'm going to forget to do it. Consequently, they shut down my subscription for about a month. I have to say, I don't think my overall quality of life suffered much at all. I'm thinking the next time I get that extra card-stock cover on an issue that tells me this is my Last Chance to Renew!!! I might just not take advantage of this incredible opportunity.
Comments:
I do end up reading the whole thing, except for the book section, everything else I eat up.
The writing is simply better than People or Us, and it is a bit more informative about behind the scenes shenanigans. Whether that's worth $54/year, is a different q, though.
Yeah, but the writing of my sixth-graders is fucking better than the writing of People or Us, so that's not really saying that much.
Most magazines peak curiosity because they attention targets.Its sounds like youve been paying for boredom which isn't much fun, especially remembering to pay which reminds me of something but, Personally, I find they are good reads when browsing in the store and if you have to buy it make sure its a pleaser.
# posted by
 : 7:39 PM
EW is good if you just need a good catch up lesson...or your on the outs...or want to read the same things b/c they excite (hey, I love reading the academy award nom preview issue...nothing new, just want to see it in print)...
but yea...I say give up the EW. --RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com
EW is a great magazine. Better than Premiere. It keeps us up-to-date on pop culture and it's fun to read.
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