Magazine Review: Shape, June 2010

I usually love SHAPE, but I didn't want to buy it this month.  Kim Kardashian, who now appears to be Asian, is on the cover.  I usually buy health and fitness magazines to get inspired or aspire to be the healthy people in the magazines.  If I aspired to be a knifed up media whore, I would have read Tila Tequila or Heidi Montag's blog - but even they have the balls to admit who and what they are.


But, I bought it anyway - and it'll be the last issue I buy.

picture courtesy of bittenandbound.com 

Kim, who is a spokeswoman for Carl's Jr. (a fast-food chain), a diet pill (QuickTrim), a skin care line and clearly has taken many trips to her mother's plastic surgeon's office - is not the prime candidate for the SHAPE cover.   SHAPE's Editor-in-Chief Valerie Latona says, "we've started to get a lot of negative feedback about the fact that Kim Kardashian admits to taking diet pills-and how could Shape EVER put someone like that on our cover??

Let me share my own story: When Kim Kardashian came to us about a cover (obviously - Kris knows their 15 minutes is almost up and working every angle possible), my knee-jerk response was similar: "Absolutely not. I don't want someone on the cover of Shape who takes diet pills and doesn't work out or eat healthy." But when I actually took the time to listen and find out more about Kim, about her dedication to working out (which started when she was young), and about how she really struggles with her weight and food-and particularly sweets (my own weakness)-I started slowly warming to her. And when I found out more about what Kim Kardashian actually does during her workouts, I was officially a fan.

Then Shape interviewed Kim-and her story was incredibly motivating and compelling...and real."

REALLY?  Just because she works out with Gunnar Peterson doesn't mean her belly and body don't stay taut due to a little nip tuck from the doctor.  I'm sorry, I thought I bought SHAPE and not US Weekly.  SHAPE clearly did this to boost their magazine sales, and while it was a good marketing tactic for them - I'm sure they did nothing but insult their audience. If Kim were to actually come out and tell the public the truth about her plastic surgeries and treatments, instead of promoting workout videos and diet pills, she might have some more credibility. 

SHAPE, if you feature someone who isn't an empty shell and has to rely on plastic surgery to make themselves pretty... perhaps someone I can relate to - maybe I'll come back to you. But until now, I'm good.


Did you read this edition of SHAPE? If so, what did you think? Comment here or hit me back on Twitter @Tastelookgood.