Glossy Covers: Reese and Jim for Who

Glossy Covers: Reese and Jim for Who (and who is on your celebrity affinity list?)

As with Nicole and Joel's wedding, there are certain celebrity events that are best celebrated in gloss, particularly if they involve a girl for whom I have some deep-seated (though from a vast distance) affection. One of those gals is Reese Witherspoon. 

Delta Goodrem, Mandy Moore and Jessica Simpson feature high on that list, too – there are certain celebrities for whom we simply share a greater affinity; in whose happiness we invest more interest – and thus discretionary glossy spending money – than most.

Speaking to author Emily Maguire recently, she told me, "Long-time [gossip magazine] readers form real emotional attachment to certain 'characters' and follow their trials and tribulations as their lives progress... I think readers create compassion even (especially?) when there's none in the text."


While I'm not necessarily a fan of Witherspoon's rom-com films, nor can I relate to her mother or divorcee status (and obviously not her immense fame, wealth and blonde hair), there's something every-girl and wholesome about her that makes her stand out; I think she's made pretty good life choices. It helps that her new guy's name is Jim, as is mine. And his hair is shaved down to a number one (as is my Jim's). And he wore a charcoal grey suit to the wedding (trifecta!). Oh, and she's kinda short. It's a really complex algorithm, this celebrity affinity thing!

There seems to be a mildly narcissistic relatability element (i.e. I see part of myself in you), but also an aspirational element (ie I wish I was more like you) to a celebrity with whom you invest more interest than others. Which is healthy, so long as you're quite content not literally being that person; more particularly when that celebrity is a five-year-old with an impressive wardrobe of shoes like Suri Cruise, who plays a celebratory cameo role on the cover of Who. 

Girl With a Satchel