Man I would give anything for Supernatural to be switched to another network, perhaps Sci-Fi (or excuse me, Syfy), because I love that show so much and I loathe every other aspect of the CW.

Supernatural is just so different from everything else on that horrid network. (I know Gossip Girl is supposed to be a fun guilty pleasure, but I watched about 10 minutes of it once and couldn't stomach to watch any more.) SPN has talented actors, writers, and directors (RIP Kim Manners) working on it. It has a mostly classic rock and blues-based soundtrack and a blue-collar ethos. Money is not an issue. Fashion is not an issue. Romance and sex are barely touched on. So naturally, it gets practically zero media attention and I think Ms Ostroff forgets that it even exists part of the time. And yet I can't open a magazine without reading a reference to that fucking Gossip Girls show!!

Oh well...thank God for cult followings.

Even though I just spent so many words ripping on the network, I should add that it was once the home of Buffy which is my favorite show of all time (Veronica Mars is also fabulous) so there is that...why has it gone downhill so much, I wonder? (Except for SPN)

And on another note I just glanced at the page for the new Vampire Diaries....is just me or does that show have the most ridiculous promo pics ever??

Yes, I agree that Supernatural is a great show, but I gotta disagree with your gender stereotyping. The show does not draw me in because of the male stars (although I love them, they're very talented in their roles) or the hopes of romantic relationships--in fact, I hate shows that focus on romantic relationships. I watch it because of the monsters and the demon hunting, Eric Kripke's take on world folklore and urban legends, and the kick-ass classic rock soundtrack.

But that's just me. Just wanted to throw that out there.

I'm not so sure that the Supernatural fandom is primarily women--or at least let me put it this way--I'm not so sure that the Supernatural fandom is primarily women who hate other women as you say.

I have a friend who's a comic book artist and he knows a lot of people in the industry(also has met a lot of people who've worked on the show, which is cool)and we were talking about that exact topic one time, and he was like "you know there are lots of comics guys that are really into the show" and then basically went on to say that some of the more, er, opinionated fans are probably the "vocal minority".

So basically, there may be some fans who get overly fixated on the actors or characters of Sam and Dean and get way too "protective" but I really doubt that's the primary fanbase. Like me, for example, I'm female, but I don't watch the show because I have the hots for the actors--I watch it because I'm such a horror buff and I love folklore, and I think it's well made.

Although some of the kerfluffle may have come from the character of Bela in the third season. From what I understand, she was shoehorned into the season because Ostroff and the network thought the show needed some more hot female T and A to attract male viewers--which I find insulting to everyone involved, that network heads think so little of us that the only way we could enjoy a show is if there's eye candy.

And I read LJ Smith as a teen, but what it is up with Vampire Diaries' porny, Abercrombie & Fitch, teenage menage a trois ad campaign? Good lord!

I don't entirely agree with you. It is primarily up to the parents to instill confidence and self-esteem in their children, that's true. But you're fooling yourself if you geniunely believe that the media has no effect on the way people think about themselves.

I think it would be wonderful to show chunky people and people with acne and other imperfections on magazine covers. By hiding them we're essentially saying that there's something so shameful about these things that they must be kept hidden and away from the public eye.

And as to the person who said something about people not wanting their heroes and idols to be ordinary looking--I'm sorry but WTF? Do you choose the people you idolize based on their physical appearance? Supermodels are worthy of hero worship, but not scholars, writers, activists, and revolutionaries? I don't even know what else to say to that. Good Lord.

Wow, that so was not the point that I gathered from this article. The title is ridiculous, designed to be sensationalistic and attention-grabbing like many of Salon's pieces, but the actual article was rather thoughtful and not at all misogynistic IMO.

I see it as this--he's basically saying, "women, please don't try to be my best friend just because I'm gay. Be my friend because you appreciate me as a person."

I wonder if those who were offended actually read the piece or just the headline?

Hell fucking yes! I live in MO, Springfield MO for God's sakes home of the Blunt family and John Ashcroft, and trust me, I am not wealthy, and I adore this show.

Of course, I'm not the typical SW MO resident. I'm agnostic, liberal, decently well-educated with grad classes in literature and the like. But yes, I love this show so riciulously much.

So...how exactly did we end up talking about obesity? I thought the post was about whether or not fashion mags are going to start accepting more diverse forms of beauty that vary from the current ideal-thin white women who are scrawny to the point of emaciation.

A tall, athletic woman with muscular thighs and a belly roll is not an obese person, and I don't see how "the obesity epedemic" has any place in the discussion.