Mags: Madison gossip girls

This month in Madison, Helen Kirwan-Taylor asks, 'Is it okay to gossip?'. I put the question to my mother-in-law, the wife of a preacher. I can't imagine Jesus ever sat around chin-wagging about what an a-hole Judas was for stabbing him in the back, yet Christian people can be notorious gossips. She seemed to think gossip could be used for good and evil, though the occasional chat to friends about so-and-so or such-and-such helped her get perspective on situations and affirm her place in the community. Essentially, she uses gossip to negotiate her place in society and affirm (or negate) her thoughts about a situation or person.

From the Bible, James 3: "No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing... these things ought not be so... If you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth... For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy... the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

With the proliferation of celebrity gossip blogs (good morning, Perez) and the like (our own 4inchheelsonly deals in locally branded mag gossip), it's hard to escape the constant chatter. Blogs, by their very nature, are breeding grounds for gossip (GWAS is not gossip devoid). There's no doubt celebrities – and all their frailties – are open for discussion (though the argument about the intrusiveness of the press/paparazzi and whether celebs should be protected from the world's gaze goes on). Still, there's a difference between bitchy, self-satisfying gossip with malicious intent (i.e. Schadenfreude) and sharing news (did you hear so-and-so got a promotion?).

Kirwan-Taylor defines gossip as "a conversation between two or more people about another person not present." She suggests it serves three functions: a marker of where we stand (another woman's failure is our success); influence (maintaining our status in the eyes of others); and alliances (staying in the loop). Kirwan-Taylor sees gossip as the evolutionary manifestation of storytelling, which "oils the wheels of our everyday existence", "favours our prurient desire for comparisons and competition" and "is as important as breathing."

Like alcohol, gossip is a social lubricant. But, like excessive alcohol consumption, I don't think any good can come from gossip-mongering: particularly the type with ill intent. While I don't think there's much harm in sharing 'girl news' (see: 'Mag Land Musical Chairs'), gossip with the wrong motives is what we should keep a check on. I've personally felt dirty and guilty in the past when I've been privy to a goss session: you just know in your gut when something doesn't feel right. And if you're known as a gossip, people are much less likely to share intimate details with you, which, in turn, isolates you (and thus your hunger to be in-the-know grows). Then again, if you choose not to participate in gossip – particularly in the workplace – people grow suspect or get frustrated with you. Where does a girl draw the line? Can gossip ever be used for good? (Going to leave this hanging here, Carrie-style, for your contemplation).
From gossip to perving, crime, sexual desire, murder, ambition, icon worship and materialism, Madison has all the controversial moralistic issues covered this month. Male columnist Dan Rookwood reminds us that all men perve on other women, no matter how devoted they are to their girlfriends/wives; Roberta Williams, "poster girl for gangland glamour", is profiled by Adam Shand (ACP is doing a good job of helping Underbelly rise to Sopranos heights); Jack Marx takes us to the "sexual blackout" of the 80s, when androgyny, AIDS and untouchable supermodels coexisted; model/heiress/designer/student Lydia Hearst justifies her existence ("It's almost degrading to be called a socialite. I'm not a party girl... I went to college – granted, I'm still working towards my degree..."); the Virgina Tech Massacre is remembered through the eyes of survivor Derek O'Dell; we meet a bunch of people who've made careers out of impersonating celebrities (our culture has created an entirely new genre for employment); pushy sports parents suffering from "toxic parent syndrome" come under fire for their unethical practises (poisioning opponents and the like); relatively innocuous icon worship comes in the form of 'I want that hair!', a beauty makeover story, and the seven-page 'Icons' feature 'Fashion Fatales', which praises the muses of leading designers (eye candy galore); and women are vox-popped about how much they've spent on their handbags (there are a lot of $1000+ baggies being toted around).

After all this, it was super-refreshing to read 'Secrets of Healthy Women'. I do get tired of reading diet and body-image features, but this one has a really positive, feel-good spin, further enhanced by the photography and easygoing, non-freakish personalities of the 'real women' Madison has found to profile. Each woman shares with writer Katrina Lawrence her health secrets – PR boss Debbie Coffey (40s) would rather spend time with her family than workout, though gets plenty of incidental exercise through her busy schedule (she and her husband also serve up regular dinners of steamed fish and vegies); catering company owner Robbie Blaney, 32, comes from a food-loving Italian family, but never goes back for seconds – her exercise is also keeping busy; pregnant makeup artist Elsa Morgan, 34, packs a lot of nutrition into her salads and practises yoga; Sam Sample, 28, thinks about food "almost all the time", exercises every day, meditates and has a super-smoothie for brekkie every day; and nutritionist Cherie Lyden, 35, is committed to ayurveda and ashtanga yoga. Editor Paula Joye also shares her troubled health history in the month's editor's letter, something I think will endear the superwoman to readers.
Further feel-goodness comes in the form of a travel story on Hawaii, the Madison Manual (bridge the generation gap at work; read your body; add value to your home), the Living section (welcome to Lyn Gardener's shabby chic home), the yummy recipes in 'Entertaining' and in the form of yummy-mummy/Madonna BFF Gwyneth Paltrow, who is far more relaxed in herself these days (less tight-hair-in-a-bun; more loose waves).
The fashion section dishes up brights, ankle boots, leather jackets and skirts, plus interviews with Kate Sylvester and Jayson Brundson (backstage in New York), while the shoots have captured 'Tuxedo Luxe' (Pania Rose looks 7-feet tall), 'Mixed Prints' (love the Scanlan and Theodore frock!), 'Perfectly Suited' (Madison recruits Australia's Next Top Model winner and Vogue covergirl Alice Burdeu) and 'The Great White Shirt', styled to nice effect by Fiona Lane.





Overall excitement factor: 7
Feel-good factor: 5/6 (plenty of food for thought; loved the health story)
Eye-candy rating: 4

The Stats
Issue: April 2008
Book size: 268 pages
Cover price: $8.20
Inside front cover: Estee Lauder
Back cover: Chanel Allure
FOB ads: Clinique, Dior, Lancome, DKNY, L'Oreal, Chanel, Clarins, Revlon...
Editor: Paula Joye
Publisher: ACP Magazines/PBL Media
Website: www.madisonmag.com.au

Yours truly,
Girl With a Satchel