Magazine Morons

[ChatOff]

AIBU to ask who these covers actually appeal to? I'm talking about the likes of Chat Magazine where there is always some inane looking woman with her mouth gaping open in the most alarming and unnatural fashion. Usually the photograph is accompanied by some horrific headline.

In terms of marketing they must work because these toilet paper alternatives are still selling but what is the thinking behind these photographs?

I'm trying to imagine the directions from the photographer..."Face forward. That's great now smile. No that doesn't work. I know, try smiling like there are fishhooks in both cheeks then open your mouth as wide as the Joker following a full lobotomy".

Isn't AIBU just a middle class "Chat," style mag?

(Also... can't believe that people sell stories about the abuse of their children like on one of those covers)

Oh my god, why are you obsessing over how OP saw the covers??? Why does it matter?

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but if your entering online competitions, these magazines are designed to appeal to people like you!

I think of AIBU more like Jeremy Kyle Show was, they are nearly always being unreasonable, you really shouldn't get involved but you do anyway.

I can absolutely understand wanting to read undemanding and gossipy fluff but I am amazed that people still want to buy it in paper form as opposed to read it online.

I assume its for very elderly people who aren’t comfortable using the internet.

It's the reports headlined on the front page that put me off. There's almost invariably something horrific or really weird, and invariably when you read the story it's blatantly ficititious or a non-story massively exaggerated, to say nothing of incredibly badly written, Why would you waste your money or time on it?

Say more, @AnneLovesGilbert? What was your role? When you were hired, were you told your target demographic was the intellectually challenged?

I love the juxtaposition of the models wide excitement and the horrific abuse stores!

I don't think it's that. I prefer paper magazines and I'm "only" in my 50s. It's because you can flick around them or read them not in order - for example, I always read 'Private Eye' starting from the back with the small adds, then flick back to Books and Bookmen, then Silvie Krin (if there is one), the letters and Street of Shame, then I work forwards at my leisure reading the bits in between I have missed, all over the course of a few days. You can leave it folded to where you are, no messing around scrolling and bookmarking, no squinting at a tiny phone or having a heavy laptop in front of you, you can hold a magazine in one hand while you are having lunch.

In many cases, the type of person who goes on online competition websites OP, is the type of person to read Chat

As the parent of two disabled children, both of whom have learning difficulties/differences, please may I respectfully challenge your use of the word ‘moron’? This is a highly offensive and ableist slur.

It's like red tops and their "news" accompanied by a couple with the sad " compo" face as they've had something mildly dire happen.

"Now luv, just look like you've got a bit of constipation..."

Lol I love reading these at the hairdresser.

And me!! 🚙

*drivel ;-)

That open mouth thing is a pose. My 19y and her friends take photos smiling with big open mouths. I can’t wait for that phase to end.

Why?! Do tell!
I felt that way about several teaching jobs but I'm sure you can understand why!

My relative won a criminal case against her abusive family member. Someone who writes for these magazines got in touch and wanted to publish her story.

The relative ignored it. The stories all read the same:

Doris, 82, and her husband Kevin, 47, murdered an innocent baby, 1, whilst on the phone to their neighbour Mike, 53, whose wife Eileen, 60, heard the plan and raised the alarm to local copper Dave, 37.

Why everyone's age?!

I call that Magazine ‘Shat’

covers similar to this and they have clothes models doing it too, so fake !

https://ridiculouslyinteresting.com/2011/11/07/women-laughing-alone-with-salad-2/

It’s the juxtaposition of the women gurning with excitement and the torrid storyline captioned under them!

It's funny

Horrific story about a three year old being raped and the woman above is smiling away! Awful really

Yeah that will have come from someone after a court case who received a letter promising a careful and sensitive retelling of the story. It's very sad, if the magazine presented itself more seriously it would be better in that respect.

I've only ever seen those magazines in dentists' waiting rooms.

Love these!