Glossy Talk: bon appetit, Gwyneth!

Glossy Talk: bon appetit, Gwyneth!

"It’s tough for some people to accept Gwyneth Paltrow’s transformation from movie star to domestic goddess," writes The New Yorker this week. "Something about the combination of her willowy looks, her glam life style (she is married to Chris Martin, the Coldplay front man), and the unlikely food tips in her e-mail newsletter, Goop—“I was stationed at the deep fat fryer (Delight! Fried zucchini! Fried anchovies!)”—produces cognitive dissonance. But Paltrow takes it in her stride."

Like Our Cate (and Our Nicole), Gwynnie receives more than a Goldilocks helping of bad feedback, which she seems to take in her stride, so the reader reaction to her bon appetit cover will likely come as no surprise to her, or the bon appetit team. Fasten your bibs and hide the knife block, this is a bold move!

"The leaked cover started circulating on the web Tuesday by popular food blogger Chez Pim, showing a smiling Paltrow tucking into a bowl of pasta wearing an electric blue dress in her London kitchen," reported The Independent.
"In what could be interpreted as a pre-emptive way of defending his decision, Adam Rapoport wrote in his Letter from the Editor, "I realize that putting a movie star on the cover of a food magazine isn't typical...But the thing is, food is never just about food. It's about catching up with your friends over a good bottle of Nuits-Saint-Georges."  

Usually the cover is reserved for simple yet iconic images of food (a bowl of spaghetti for May; lamb chops for April; mac & cheese for March; a hamburger last September), accompanied by fuss-free coverlines to the tune of "Who needs prosciutto?", "Our snob-free guide to Paris", and "Best Ever Brownies: warning, you will eat the whole tray".

Those bloggers and readers who have sour-lemon faces over the cover can at least be appeased by the cover story confirmation that Gwyneth will not be starting her own food magazine. Poop, I say.

Girl With a Satchel

2 comments:

meg said...

fully aware of how daggy it is, i totally love my weekly GOOP mail. though ultra-privileged and on another planet of wealth to me, i appreciate Gwyneth's take on cooking, fashion, parenting and travel - at least her perspective is unique from the zillions of other blogs out there! haters gonna hate, but good on her for trying i reckon! x

Tammi @ Coveted Canvas Beauty Blog said...

I absolutely agree, Meg. I find her fascinating in a voyeuristic kind of way. Love her.