The bloom is off at Rosie; magazine's future at risk

Associated Press ^ | 8-9-02 | MATTHEW ROSE, The Wall Street Journal

[Oldeconomybuyer]

After just 16 issues of her eponymous monthly magazine, talk-show host turned magazine editor Rosie O'Donnell and her publisher, Gruner + Jahr USA Publishing, are principals in a battle so heated that it threatens to scuttle the enterprise.

Having dumped her television show and come out of the closet, Ms. O'Donnell wants to further impose her will on what was intended to be a twist on a cake-and-crafts magazine that had had a long life as McCall's. Gruner + Jahr, a unit of Bertelsmann AG, wants Ms. O'Donnell to keep her opinions to herself.

[isthisnickcool]

Looks like Rosie's little rag is running towards the ground as fast as a recently flung lawn dart. And "licket-D-split" too. So to speak:)

[dighton]

Almost every aspect of the magazine is up for debate -- such as whether to put Boy George on a cover; whether to allow pictures of Ms. O'Donnell's friends and family -- including her pregnant partner -- to appear in the magazine; and whether to include low-calorie goodies in a proposed Valentine's Day section.

Ask the experts.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I used to read McCall's. It was basically wholesome, unlike Redbook and Cosmo. I was very disappointed when Rosie bought it, and wouldn't buy an issue now for anything.

I think it was a huge miscalculation on Rosie's part to even make public the fact that she was taking over the magazine, let alone change the name AND the format. She had no idea who McCall's readers were, and what their feelings are about gay/straight issues. I would say most of the readers of that magazine were to the right of center, and when she came out of the closet (I didn't know she was IN the closet to begin with) she dumped her readers and their opinions.

She now has to capture a whole new group of subscribers. And what self respecting mom wants to be seen picking up a copy of Rosie and putting that in her shopping cart at Walmart?

[Richard Kimball]

Her autobiography, "Find Me," released in April, included the information that she is gay, an announcement that set off a public-relations frenzy.

This should have surprised people nearly as much as the revelation that Hulk Hogan uses steroids.

BTW, there's a new lesbian construction company in Austin, TX. They don't use any studs. It's all tongue in groove construction.

[AppyPappy]

One was the "Cutie Patootie" interview Ms. O'Donnell conducts each month with a different child, which takes up the valuable back-page spot.

"So, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

[MotherSpector]

I really just can't imagine that anyone wants to read about a fat, loud-mouthed, drug-addicted, old, hyopocritical queer. Maybe the not-so-straight people do, but they represent a small percentage of the population, and not enough to carry her magazine.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think these militant queers will find they are no more than two or three percent of the American population.

[Orual]

O'Donnell retorted, "My people like to eat."

[stlrocket]

Did you see them auction off Rosies Undies on Ebay?

ROSIE'S UNDIES

[cousair]

Does anyone really care??

[Taliesan]

No. These are not interesting people.

[goodnesswins]

YES....I'd like to get HER face off the NEWSTANDS....SOON...and this sounds like maybe GOOD news coming.....

[Kermit]

Hey, Gruner + Jahr, Mr Brewster, you turned McCall's into Rosie, the next step is to turn it into Coulter's, with you know who.

[Caipirabob]

*BARF ALERT*

*CRASS ROSIE-BASHING ALERT*

Her autobiography, "Find Me," released in April, included the information that she is gay, an announcement that set off a public-relations frenzy.

"Find Me"?!? That's gonna take a whole lotta flour.

[general_re]

No truth to the rumors that Rosie abandoned her show rather than put up with the proposed new theme song...

[Orual]

No truth to the rumors that Rosie abandoned her show rather than put up with the proposed new theme song...

There's a talk show host, Lynne Samuels, that uses that song as her theme, poking fun at herself. It's a different version, but I don't know the band.

[general_re]

That figures - it's next-to-impossible to pull off irony or sarcasm in these cynical times ;)

[Orual]

I think it may be the version by QUEEN

It's the second clip, right after the harmonica riff.

[Thinkin' Gal]

whether to allow pictures of Ms. O'Donnell's friends and family -- including her pregnant partner -- to appear in the magazine

~SHUDDER~

Gotta give credit to the person who pushes this one through. It would put this hideous Rosie mag 6 feet under for good.