With magazines in a decade-long death spiral, there remains one magazine that still posts significant subscriptions and newsstand sales numbers. It's People magazine. Why is People still popular?
The answer is simple: People love to read about celebrity gossip. Now transfer that enthusiasm for celebrity gossip to the podcast world.
A new Spotify Original podcast from The Ringer, Just Like Us: The Tabloids That Changed America hosted by Clare Malone, debuts on Monday, February 14th.
The eight-episode series explores the 2000s media that created Bennifer, Brangelina, Britney Spears hysteria, and the celebrity industrial complex as we know it.
As we find ourselves in a nostalgic place in 2022 (Bennifer is back!, success of the Free Britney movement, etc.), the series host, New Yorker staff writer Clare Malone, takes listeners on a journey through the golden age of Hollywood.
Hear from and about the people who shaped the stories of that time, the stars on the receiving end of the media frenzy, and how celebrity media coverage then shaped the media industry today. The first two episodes drop together on Monday, followed by one episode a week through its conclusion.
Episode 1 covers the rise and fall of Bennifer, the media frenzy surrounding their relationship, and the emergence of a 2000s tabloid culture that put celebrities at the center of mainstream news. This includes the shift within Us Weekly under the leadership of Bonnie Fuller (e.g., creation of Fashion police, Stars Are Just Like Us section, paparazzi shots, juicy covers, etc.) and tabloid media’s ultimate rise to power (including a conversation between Fuller and Rob Shuter that encapsulates the shakeup).
Episode 2 takes a deep dive into the paparazzi – hear from influential paparazzi who worked during the tabloid heyday, the lengths they would go to for a good shot (e.g., staking out the grave of Nicole Brown Simpson for a month to capture an OJ visit), their treatment of Britney Spears, the democratization of the industry and its impact on celeb media coverage, and more. Featured voices include Randy Bauer (owner of the paparazzi agency Bauer Media), Peter Grossman (photo editor for Us Weekly), Peter & Francine Brandt (husband and wife paparazzi team that worked throughout the 2000’s), and more.
Check out Just Like Us and just roll in all the delicious gossip.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank You for your input and feedback. If you requested a response, we will do so as soon as possible.