View Full Version : Tabloids: what's the use?


Deb25
12th April 2003, 02:25 AM
What is the point and purpose of supermarket tabloids? Yesterday, the headline on the cover of the Weekly World News read: "Oil Found on Moon! Gas prices to plummet to 10¢ per gallon now that there is no need for Middle East oil"

Who believes this stuff? I believe in the principles of the First Amendment of the US Constitution (freedom of speech), but when these rags pass their rants off as real news, I am bugged.

Shell
12th April 2003, 02:42 AM
The crazy thing about it all is that people actually buy that crap! Since I work in retail, I see so many people with every magazine and tabloid in their cart! For instance, this one woman (I believe she's slightly off her rocker...if ya know what I mean!) comes in every week and stocks up on every tabloid that is even sold at our store. She easily drops $50 in magazines every week and these are the people that are supporting this trash.
Just my 2 cents...

katl8e
12th April 2003, 03:05 AM
Do you mean to tell me, that don't believe that some woman ACTUALLY had an alien's baby? Or that the Bat Boy has a plan for peace in the Middle East? What's next- Santa Claus is a myth?;)

sherral46
12th April 2003, 03:17 AM
I do not buy this crap! I will read the head line when I am in line waiting to check out and laugh as I am rolling my eyes!:rolleyes:

valanhb
12th April 2003, 04:48 AM
I know a lot of people said that they wouldn't buy those rags after Princess Diana's death. I wonder how many of those people have since forgotten that promise? I've never bought them myself.

Lorie D.
12th April 2003, 05:45 PM
I like to read the tabloid headlines while I'm waiting to check out at the supermarket, but I NEVER actually buy any of them. I remember one headline from quite a few years ago that said a woman had given birth to 10 baby bunnies. Yeah, right!!!
I think the tabloids do have some entertainment value. Sometimes people bring stacks of old tabloids to work, and then it's fun to read all the weird stories.

katl8e
12th April 2003, 06:27 PM
I read them, if they're in a waiting room. They're good for laughs.

nunny
12th April 2003, 06:37 PM
You know what, here we don't have these kind of magazines, so everything is SO serious...
Sometimes I wish we had some Bul***t magazines, to cheer everyone up!

I agree though, that they are very annoying at times... When Im at the States, and reading the headlines on the line (like a few of you mentioned), the "eye-rolling" is the immediate response :rolleyes:

krazy kat2
12th April 2003, 09:11 PM
I don't buy them, but I read them in the long lines at the grocery store. I think they are hysterical! I love the headlines.
CHOCOHOLIC MOM GIVES BIRTH TO SUGAR COATED BABY!
ELVIS WORSHIIPING TRIBE FOUND IN RAIN FOREST! WEAR ELVIS WIGS AND SING HOUND DOG!
MAN KILLED BY STATIC CLING IN BIZARRE DRYER ACCIDENT!
:lol2: :lol3: :lol2: :lol3: :lol2: :lol3: :lol2: :lol3: :lol2:

katl8e
13th April 2003, 12:05 AM
CHOCOHOLIC MOM GIVES BIRTH TO SUGAR-COATED BABY!

THAT explains why my kids were so sweet!;)

jcat
13th April 2003, 12:58 AM
Obviously there is a demand for such papers - otherwise they wouldn't be printed. But don't you think that there are a lot of people who would find US strange, because we talk about cats? Two weeks ago I was reading a cat magazine in the train on the way home from work. An acquaintance found it strange, and said, "I can't believe that you're reading such c--p about such useless creatures! All they do is sleep and eat." I told him I found cats and cat magazines relaxing. Maybe tabloid readers want to escape from reality!?? We all need a couple of laughs (cf. "Baghdad Bob" in IMO!)

Kiwideus
13th April 2003, 04:54 AM
LMAO
I dont read those magazines but I look at the headlines like you guys do. I did catch someone I know buying them today and I thought to myself, what the heck for? Next tiem I see her, Im going to ask her why. ;)

hissy
13th April 2003, 05:03 AM
I don't mind people buying them- the ones I have a problem with are the people who after reading it, believe the articles!

Kiwideus
13th April 2003, 05:05 AM
LOL good point Hissy

katl8e
13th April 2003, 05:58 AM
Shredded, they make good cat box filler.

TNCatFancier
13th April 2003, 06:11 AM
Some of the people who buy those rags are the same people who watch "The Man Show", listen to and buy from telemarketers, forward spam emails around the web, send chain letters, buy "fat reducer" pills,respond to Internet Pop UP ads, believe what they say in "Infomercials", and buy "Girls Gone Wild" videos. I don't do any of the above myself but I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go round and where would our economy be without all the silly spending??

Kiwideus
13th April 2003, 02:34 PM
LMAO Tncatfancier

adymarie
14th April 2003, 02:43 PM
There is no harm with a little "fluff" reading. The harm comes from people who believe some of the things that are written. But, the world does take all kinds of people to keep it an interesting place.

okeefecl
14th April 2003, 03:15 PM
Well, I'll be brave and admit I read those tabloids, especially The Weekly World News (of Batboy fame). For me, they are entertainment like reading a fiction novel or renting a movie. But, it is kinda scary that there are people out there who read these stories and believe them.

valanhb
14th April 2003, 09:28 PM
Speaking of Weekly World News.....

They have reported that Saddam Hussein starred in numerous gay porn films in the 60s. LOL It would be too funny if it were true! Here's the link to the "news" story on Yahoo (no pics from the film, sorry! ;) )

http://entertainment.yahoo.com/entnews/wwn/20030410/104998680005.html

The ones like WWN are so obviously ridiculous that they are funny. It's the ones like the Enquirer and Star that say horrible lies about celebrities and then try to hide behind the first amendment that just drive me nuts.

missygjo
16th April 2003, 03:45 AM
LOL! I must admit, I will pick up one of the trashy gossip mags once in awhile! Not to say that I beleive any of it, but its just fun. Plus, its a bad habit picked up from my mom!:tongue2: Never have been brave enough to actually buy that alien baby mags though!:lol3:

jgaruba
16th April 2003, 11:52 AM
So you're telling me that woman didn't give birth to a sugar-coated baby? And that other woman didn't give birth to a fully-grown man??? ;) I don't buy them, but I do glance at them while I'm checking out... always good for a chuckle. :)

krazy kat2
16th April 2003, 03:04 PM
I saw this headline yesterday!
AL QAEDA HAS NEW FLATULENCE WEAPON!

Luv Those Paws
16th April 2003, 05:03 PM
My Grandmother reads Star, and The Enquirer. If I go over there I will read them too, they are funny, and not everything in those two is made up. Although most is embellished. My Gram enjoys reading them, so I can't begrudge her that.

As for the Weekly World News...I have never read it, but the "headlines" make me laugh in the check outs.

katl8e
16th April 2003, 06:12 PM
All of those papers are owned by the same company, in Florida. I read a book, last year, that was a history of tabloids. It was interesting and funny.

krazy kat2
17th April 2003, 04:31 AM
I just can't resist! New headline today!
GEORGE BUSH AND TONY BLAIR SEND BAT BOY TO HUNT DOWN SADDAM HUSSEIN!!!!

katl8e
17th April 2003, 05:37 AM
I wondered where that little bugger was!

nunny
19th April 2003, 04:27 PM
Oh, that's just rumors! everyone knows that CatWoman is on the mission - and Saddam doesn't have a chance!!!

:D :cool: :D :cool: :D

sherral46
19th April 2003, 04:42 PM
I am catwomen!!!:D

sherral46
19th April 2003, 04:42 PM
Queen of spam!!:D

sherral46
19th April 2003, 04:43 PM
Hard drinking Pepsi catwomen!:D

katl8e
19th April 2003, 05:31 PM
We should have sent the kitty army!

TNCatFancier
20th April 2003, 03:45 AM
Yes, the kitty army would have worked because Saddam is the biggest RAT on EArth.