People Magazine is doing its bit for our republic, and a thankless task it must be. Imagine trying to get People readers to telephone their senators or representatives, as Editorial Director Jess Cagle urges in the June 27 issue, to make sure they “know how you feel about their approach our nation’s epidemic of gun violence.”
It can't be easy to coax civic engagement from people who willingly consume articles about Miley Cyrus's latest beach vacation or the Gilmore Girls reunion. So People gets a star for trying.
People helpfully published the numbers of all 535 national legislators after its mawkish coverage of the Orlando shooting and the unrelated murder of a reality show singer. But there’s that article on how Kim Kardashian got her body back! And that look inside Joan Rivers’ private world. And some guy telling ladies how to get “effortless waves” in their hair.
OK, time to call my senator about gun control … right after I read Star Designer Nate Berkus’ Summer party Tips (“Have all your linens pressed and ready to roll way before the day of.”)
It’s the second time People has issued its gun-control Call to Action. It’s hard to believe last year’s Call could have failed to move Congress. Unless maybe that was in the issue that detailed Sophia Vergara’s hot date, or how Katie Perry learned to love again.
People really needs to up its game if it wants to catch up to Cosmo in the chick-mag anti-gun race. Last February, Cosmopolitan warned readers about dating “gunsplainers.” It turns out that Cosmo had partnered with gun-grabbing group Everytown (Cosmo Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles is besties with Everytown founder Mike “The Soda Scourge” Bloomberg.)
More recently, Cosmo (AKA The Journal of New Sex Moves to Drive Him Wild!) explained to readers how infringing on Second Amendment rights is just like allergy medication regulation. Perhaps People should stick to beach bodies, and Cosmo to edible underwear.
Cagle and People pulled out this same "call Congress" campaign last October after the community-college shooting in Roseburg, Oregon. (NBC hailed it.)
