I would never have thought to subscribe to Star Magazine. However, Country Weekly Magazine sent me notification that they were ceasing their mailed subscriptions (selling on newsstands only) ... and they offered me the option of finishing my subscription with them by receiving Star Magazine. So here I am rubbing elbows with the Stars.
Description
This magazine is printed on typical glossy magazine paper. Each issue is filled with a lot of color photographs and pieces featuring today's celebrities. Issues generally run about 96 pages.
The Table of Contents at the front of each issue breaks out the content by: Star Shots, Star News, and Cover Stories. There are also regular features such as: Tell Star, Normal/Not Normal, Hot Sheet, Double Takes, Worst of the Week, StarScope (horoscope), Overheard, and a variety of puzzles.
As you would expect, there are also advertisements. These usually feature weight loss products, ads for psychic readings, and beauty products to name a few. The ads are scattered throughout the publication as well as appear in a dedicated advertisement section at the back of the magazine.
My Impressions
Star Magazine is trying to lift itself out of the tabloid arena and compete with the likes of People Magazine. If you like revealing and unflattering photographs of celebrities (some of them in questionable taste) ... or if you enjoy stories with the words "Tell All" and "Homewrecker", then this magazine is for you. If you want a magazine that soars above gossip and innuendo, then search elsewhere.
This magazine is not all bad, though. I'll begin with what I like best. Puzzles ... I was surprised that this publication offers so many. All of them are entertaining, too. Each issue includes two different crossword puzzles; one of them quite large. Also, one of the puzzles (featuring celebrity related clues) can be entered into a contest (I finish them but never enter the contest). There is also a word search puzzle as well as some sudoku puzzles. A challenge is also offered where you need to fill in the blanks to media questions and unscramble letters in the answers to solve a final question. Plus each issue contains a Star Quiz; answer multiple choice questions to learn more about your personality.
My next favorite feature is "Double Take". Star Magazine finds two or three celebrities who are wearing the same outfit. They place the photos side-by-side and briefly discuss why one celebrity "Rocked It" over the others. It is interesting to see the differences in how an outfit is accessorized or altered. On the opposite side of this is the "Worst Dressed" section. Celebrities are shown in outfits that leave one wondering to their taste or why the opted to wear a certain fashion. The photos include nasty captions from fashion observers. What the photographs never include is where the photographs were taken or if there was a reason why the celebrity was dressed that way.
The magazine, for me, goes downhill from there. For months I have been receiving issues that concentrate on swimsuit clad celebrities. How many issues can one fill with swimsuit features? Plus, it is obvious that this publication searches for highly unflattering photographs to compare with other celebrities who are more fit and can wear a swimsuit well. Not everyone has a swimsuit body, and it's aggravating to see celebrities exploited so negatively. Other photographs in this issue smack of paparazzi and spy-photo assaults. The photos have a "see what I snapped on the sly" appearance. Not all of them come across this way, though.
There are feature articles in each issue. As you can guess, they are all celebrity related. Some of them are interesting, while others come across as prying and intrusive into people's lives. There are also pieces that present information as provided by unnamed friends, chauffeurs, or anonymous sources.
Other sections of Star Magazine include a Question-and-Answer session with featured celebrities. There are also some television and movie reviews. Pages follow what products the stars are using. Plus, each issue has some sweepstakes style contests in it to win products.
What About the Star Website?
The website offers some of the magazine's content, but I don't like the way the website presents the information. The magazine is better. You can also sign up to receive an email newsletter (I have not done this so I don't know what it contains). Also, the website does not offer the puzzles online.
Purchasing
Inside each weekly magazine is a postcard to subscribe. The current offer is to receive 52 issues for $1.19 each, or 26 issues for $1.39 each within the United States. The website also offers the same subscription information, expect in also includes details regarding international subscriptions.
Summary
Will I be renewing my subscription to Star Magazine? No. Absolutely not. I am not one to explore rumor and speculation about someone's life based on "anonymous" sources. While some of the articles are interesting, too much of this magazine is based on negativity. I don't want to explore revealing and unflattering celebrity photographs. I don't want to know what the star's "friends" or spies have to say. The section I most enjoy is the variety of puzzles. However, I can buy puzzle magazines without having to endure the hype and gossip that Star provides. No, I won't be renewing this magazine.
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