Gay Men's Health Crisis

The new Genre falls victim to something that plagues a lot of people these days—looks great but kind of empty inside. I don't want to unfairly trash something that obviously took a lot of effort, but my honest opinion is that it's got a terrific newsstand cover, but one that is a clear knock-off of Men's Health...which is weird in that new EIC Neal Boulton was once EIC at Men's Fitness, which got into hot water for knocking off Men's Health. (Boulton was not EIC of Men's Fitness at that time.)

I know from firsthand experience that magazines shamelessly copy other, more inspired (or more upwardly mobile) magazines' cover designs and interiors, but I think the strategy here—to turn Genre into a sort of fitness magazine that makes space for gay-lifestyle elements, is not a blueprint for triumph. I could be wrong, and I respect their risk-taking, but my thought is that gay men who are fitness buffs read fitness magazines and will not need a gay fitness magazine to add to the pile. Rather, what would lead a gay man to buy Genre would be a desire for an all-around, full-service gay-lifestyle read. We'll know soon enough if I'm right or wrong. We already know I'm not fitness maven.

Boulton was the source of a minor outcry (what's that, a whimper?) when he was announced as the new Chris Ciompi, since his status as a gay man was challenged. Bizarrely, a whimper also went up when Out's latest EIC, Aaron Hicklin, was said to be straight. He's not, and neither is Boulton, who is something even worse than not gay...he's post-gay. His editor's letter really turned me off, sorry to say. Isn't "post-gay" terribly 1999? I know that definitions are for old men like me (38), but post-gay counts as a definition. If you're truly without labels, you wouldn't even waste your brain cells on arguing that you're post-gay...and you damn sure would not be reading Genre.

Along with some post-gay gobbledygook, Boulton offers some strange, macho chest-beating:

"I'm gay—but I'm an American. And a damn proud one, too—one without the time for labels that have baggage...

"Labels aside, like any American, I like what Americans like.

"I like a hot car (actually, in my case, a hot motorcycle); I want to have a hot body (so I train at a boxing gym where I may not be hot, but I am working on it); and I want a walk-in closet full of hot clothes to put on that body (sadly, I live in Manhattan, so, the walk-in part is still only a fantasy). And sex. Can anyone ever really get enough?"

I've had enough. Look, I don't envy anyone the task of attempting to revitalize an ink-on-paper magazine—let alone a gay one!—in 2007-going-on-2008, so I'll hold back (besides, this dude knows how to box 'n' shit), but I really feel that an editorial letter with a bit more self-deprecation or at least humor would be more winning. This slop reads like "GREED IS GOOD!" except "greed" is code for "sucking a cock hanging out of a pair of pants no one outside a metropolitan area could ever, ever, ever afford" and "good" is code for "all you should ever hope for and screw any faggots who tell you otherwise."

I just don't think labeling is Boulton's root problem. Or rather, if "American" is the only label you feel you share with your readers, you might be working in the wrong genre.

I will say this for the new Genre—it has a beautiful, clean design (reminds me of Cargo, which of course died young, stayed prett-ay) and Boulton has assembled top-notch photographers.

Leather so hot the cows were proud to give it up.

"Leathermen" is badly titled but assertively shot by Rick Day, and not one of the leather goods looks silly or International Male-ish.

The cover story, much more creatively entitled "[short stories]," is also by Day—not sure what it is by night, but it's extremely sexy and exceptionally persuasive. It's written by an ex-roommate of mine, so I'll leave the text alone (it's good).

So the fash is good, the health is dominant—but the rest feels like filler. And I just hate that G Man feature, highlighting (I'm sure perfectly nice) guys from around the nation. It's a feature that wants to be a personals section and isn't. I think it's intended to be a nod to the small-town gays who think that New York and L.A. and San Francisco gays think we're all that (we do, shame on us). Good instinct (oops, that's another gay title) to counter those thoughts, but there must be a better solution.

I wish the staff well and will keep an eye out—you should pardon the expression—for the next installment.

The end.

Comments

[Ben]

Neal Boulton is a fraud and a jack ass. I used to work for him. He is a miserable human being. I loathe him. I hope he comes down with the clap.

[anthoine]

It's just amazing how easy it is for people to just find joy in putting people down. I know nothing about this Neal guy, but come on, give him a break.

You can criticize him all you want, bitch and moan, but while you're completely wasting your time trashing him, he's probably somewhere having a great time, as he should.

Genre looks the best it has ever looked and I have been a reader for the past 6 years. Sure it could be a little better, content wise, but for the first time I can say that a gay men magazine does have the potential, at least visually, to compete with other mainstream magazines. Isn't anyone proud about that? Talk about self hatred. How can we expect straight people to treat us fear if we ourselves trash each other???

[DrMedia411]

Fortunately, Boulton is not with Men's Fitness, as the rating by the American Council of Science and Health -- one of my clients -- came out after Boulton separated from Men's Fitness. I would hope that he would bring some of his history and flavor of his old mag to his new gig— one would imagine that the new magazine hired him for his past successes? They would be stupid not to have asked him to tap into a proven track record. I am sure they are thrilled with the success and the promises - be them recycled or new. Sounds like a $$$4 maker. Good for Genre.
By DrMedia411

[GirlWithClap]

Do people still get the clap? What a dumb comment? Didn't that go out with high-buckled-boots?

[Matthew Rettenmund]

People not only still get the clap, they get full on APPLAUSE these days, sister...so watch out!

I appreciate Dr. Media & Anthoine's comments to an extent—I'm sure Genre hired him to replicate any past successes he's had, and I don't like piling on to criticize something out of hand.

However, my criticism—which was carefully thought out and in no way resembling self-loathing (I'm sorry, but we are allowed to love, like, dislike and loathe art and commerce produced by other gay people without it directly relating to our self-esteem and gay pride)—is that I do not find the exercise angle to be a great fit for Genre. I even said I could be wrong about that.

It will be interesting to see if this title can be reinvigorated to survive incursion from the 'Net. As I said in my "review," it certainly looks beautiful.

[anthoine]

Hi, Matthew.

I just got a bit upset because I've seen such negativity surrounding this topic everywhere.

It seems as though there are just a bunch of Neal haters out there, possibly ex employees or something covering themselves under pseudonyms that have made it their business to just talk crap about this guy and forget about the bigger picture.

This magazine could become something great and we as readers and as the demographic Genre represents should just be a little more proactive and helpful, critical, but in a constructive way and or sarcastic if that's your preference.

You did mention that it looks beautiful. But I guess the title of this post was the last drop. It kind of stroke the wrong chord with me so I finally decided to make a comment and be part of this discussion.

To me it is perfectly OK to have fitness be part of this magazine. It has not been turned into a fitness only magazine, it's just part of it. Why spend money in another magazine just because you want to read about fitness? Isn't it better you make one purchase only, one that is completely catered to us?

[Matthew Rettenmund]

I think one reason gay people criticize gay output is purely out of nastiness—obviously, the 'Net brings out the worst in many of us and that applies to non-gays, too. But in this case, I was giving the mag a good, hard look, and I think this is an example of another reason why gay people criticize gay output—high expectations. You still wind up criticized, but it's coming from a place of wanting anything undeniably gay to be undeniably great. Probably the expectations are too high, but better that than low. I felt "Gay Men's Health Crisis" was a clever mixture of the fact that this gay men's mag looks like Men's Health and therefore is having a bit of an identity crisis, and I still feel that way. I will continue to buy it, however, as I have forever since it came out, because even if it isn't my be-all, end-all, it's not offensive or negative or annoyingly bad; I'm rooting for it. I don't know Boulton except for the rather negative things I'd read in the press, but you seem to be right that people dislike him, or that a number of people do. Perhaps there is a reason for that, or perhaps it's just meow-mix time, not sure. As for the idea of buying gay, I would rather Genre remained balanced, but the concept of a gay-targeted fitness mag is not out of the question...there used to be two called Gym and Burn, though I'm uncertain as to whether Richard Perez-Feria presented them as openly gay or they were just sort of obviously in the closet. Thanks for commenting.

[roger leighton]

i m interesting in subscribe to ur magazine