Hot off the press
Walmart recently yanked Cosmo
politan from its checkout counters under pressure from born-again publishing heiress Victoria Hearst, who branded the women’s monthly “pornographic.” So, exactly how filthy is it? We decided to pry one open, while also checking out a rival that just got a new editor.
True to form, Cosmo’s May issue is hawking “56 Hot Sex Tips! Naughty New Ways to Do it (Pace Yourself ),” with a cover that features “Big Bang Theory” star Kaley Cuoco flashing a thigh from under a belted dress.
It must be said, locating these tips inside can be challenging, especially if you’re standing at the checkout counter. According to the table of contents, the steamy guide was supposed to start on page 120. Instead, after thumbing through countless ads, we found a hodgepodge of items including a Sex Q&A and stories on sex dreams and seduction. It’s hard to deter- mine if there are even 56 tips.
What we did find include where to have sex outside the bedroom (the kitchen, outside, or — gasp — at a friend’s house party), as well as how to conjure up a “steamy sex dream.” For the latter, Cosmo suggests getting into position: “Lie on your stom- ach. People who do are more likely to have visions of being tied up or getting it on with a smoking celeb,” the magazine advises.
If this issue is any indication, women’s mags are indeed toning down content about orgasms, sex toys and ways to pleasure your man, in a nod to the #MeToo movement.
which just tapped a new, Twitter-savvy editor, Samantha Barry, also has cleaned up its covers of late. Instead of a sex listicle, the April issue promises “134 best products for all skin tones & hair types.” We’ll let you decide whether that sounds like a better read, although it does make us a bit more comfortable leaving it on the family coffee.
Inside, the magazine showcases a trio of bare-faced, relatively unknown starlets, Camila Cabello, Elle Fanning and Aja Naomi King. The glossy puts on its serious face with the feature, “The #MeToo Leader Who Could Become President,” but did stow inside a few steamy stories, including “I Don’t Want Anything Serious,” and “How Far Would You Go For an Orgasm,” the latter of which basically amounts to a product guide, hawking weed lube ($76) and “sex saddles” that sell for as much as $2,000.