Men's Journal

Letter From the Editor

- GREG EMMANUEL Chief Content Officer

NOBODY TOLD ME there’d be days like these. There are a lot of lyrics rattling around my head as I sit down to write this letter in mid-march, but somehow the John Lennon tune is the one I find myself humming most while washing my hands for 20 seconds—minimum! Strange days, indeed.

Obviously, the backdrop of a global pandemic is an odd time to be working at a lifestyle magazine. There’s no playbook for any of us right now. We’re all just learning how to get by minute by minute: monitoring the news, buying rationed packages of toilet paper, holding loved ones close, and occasional­ly hiding under the covers. (Well, that was one man’s approach.) But amid the uncertaint­y, I found a lot of unexpected comfort in this issue of Men’s Journal.

Let’s just start with our cover star. I met John Cena a few years ago, and I have to agree with contributi­ng editor Mickey Rapkin, who writes, “Cena looks like a He-man action figure hit by whatever gamma ray turns Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk.” But I was also struck, as Mickey was, by the depth beneath those muscles. Unbelievab­ly, this month’s feature on an action star, joining the world’s biggest action franchise, had me Googling a TED Talk on the power of vulnerabil­ity. Didn’t see that one coming.

This is just one of the reads in this issue that takes you somewhere unexpected. The man who taught rescued grizzly bears to act in your favorite films and TV shows, like Game of Thrones, is actually the guy hoping to create the biggest continuous grizzly habitat in the United States (“The Bear Whisperer,” page 72). The creator of one of the all-time most bingeable shows, The Office, is taking the workplace comedy into outer space (“Space Oddity,” page 68). And the bucket list African safari is raised to a whole new level when deputy editor Larry Kanter takes a stroll, along with a rif le-packing guide, through the Tanzanian bush (“Walk on the Wild Side,” page 78).

We strive in every issue of Men’s Journal to push beyond the ordinary—even our ode to the once-humble sandwich is boundary-pushing. And I’d love to debate the merits of whether pulled pork served open face on roti even qualifies (spoiler: It does), but right now there are bigger fish to fry. So shelter in place with the ones you love, and have plenty of reading material on hand. (Have I got a magazine for you.) And I’m confident we’ll be humming a new tune very soon. In fact, I’m changing my handwashin­g soundtrack to “Here Comes the Sun” immediatel­y and until further notice.

One last programmin­g note: This is my last issue as chief content officer of Men’s Journal. I have enjoyed every single second of making this magazine and website. And even better, I have been lucky enough to work with an amazing staff that I adore—and I know we are all headed for brighter days.

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