Spring Break
The Daily OrangeStuff magazine editor shares insight on cover girl choices
By Jean Stevens
Posted: 12/1/04, 2:03 AM EST Section: Pulp
Unlike Maxim or rival magazine FHM, Stuff also looks for celebrities who are a bit on the fringe of the culture, or about to break through, like Kelly Carlson from "Nip/Tuck." Celebrities such as Kirsten Dunst or Mischa Barton of "The O.C." would never agree to do a Stuff or Maxim cover, Hammer said, because they're trying to promote a sophisticated image of being the next Audrey Hepburn. The women who pose for Stuff, or any magazine, have some sort of career interest in mind in making the decision. Sheryl Crow, who normally would not pose for a publication like Stuff, agreed to the cover shoot to attract younger listeners.
For women like Crow, who are not "super hot," Hammer said, photographers need to make them appear far more sexually attractive, Hammer said.
"The strategy here is: make guys go up to the magazine and go, 'Shit, is that really Sheryl Crow?'" Hammer said.
Often, Hammer said, celebrities will create major headaches for the magazine. Jennifer Lopez once postponed her interview many times after the reporter flew out to meet with her. Then she secretly flew to Miami without letting him know. The magazine was forced to send the reporter to Miami, who waited a few more days before finally getting the interview.
"She's a sweet person," Hammer said, raising his eyebrows.
Women like Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra are always popular with the magazine's audiences, and, when other cover shoots fall through, they are the perennial backup, Hammer said.
"They're like smart bombs in Fallujah," Hammer said. "They're not going to fail."
Melissa Peterson, a junior public relations major, said she was impressed with Hammer's explanations and enjoyed hearing from an actual editor in the field.
"It was interesting to hear an editor in chief offer his point of view," Peterson said.
In response to one student question, Hammer said that slightly altering cover photos of the women is an accepted process in the magazine industry. After doing so, editors check with the celebrity's publicist and the celebrity, and if they like it, the photo runs. Stuff will not enlarge breasts because that is often far too obvious a change, but it does tend to shave in the hips.
But Stuff is not misogynistic and does not objectify women, Hammer said. The entire culture features images of women in the same way, even in women's magazines like Cosmopolitan and Glamour, Hammer said, so Stuff is not acting unusually.
"We try to feature women who have something more relevant than lingerie," Hammer said.
For women like Crow, who are not "super hot," Hammer said, photographers need to make them appear far more sexually attractive, Hammer said.
"The strategy here is: make guys go up to the magazine and go, 'Shit, is that really Sheryl Crow?'" Hammer said.
Often, Hammer said, celebrities will create major headaches for the magazine. Jennifer Lopez once postponed her interview many times after the reporter flew out to meet with her. Then she secretly flew to Miami without letting him know. The magazine was forced to send the reporter to Miami, who waited a few more days before finally getting the interview.
"She's a sweet person," Hammer said, raising his eyebrows.
Women like Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra are always popular with the magazine's audiences, and, when other cover shoots fall through, they are the perennial backup, Hammer said.
"They're like smart bombs in Fallujah," Hammer said. "They're not going to fail."
Melissa Peterson, a junior public relations major, said she was impressed with Hammer's explanations and enjoyed hearing from an actual editor in the field.
"It was interesting to hear an editor in chief offer his point of view," Peterson said.
In response to one student question, Hammer said that slightly altering cover photos of the women is an accepted process in the magazine industry. After doing so, editors check with the celebrity's publicist and the celebrity, and if they like it, the photo runs. Stuff will not enlarge breasts because that is often far too obvious a change, but it does tend to shave in the hips.
But Stuff is not misogynistic and does not objectify women, Hammer said. The entire culture features images of women in the same way, even in women's magazines like Cosmopolitan and Glamour, Hammer said, so Stuff is not acting unusually.
"We try to feature women who have something more relevant than lingerie," Hammer said.
