# Walmart drops Cosmopolitan from checkouts **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 28, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356 "2018-03-28T15:35:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/1 "2018-03-28T15:35:12Z")
> **[Walmart to remove 'Cosmopolitan' from checkout lines, says it's a 'business...](https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2018/03/27/walmart-remove-cosmopolitan-magazine-checkout-lines-amid-me-too-movement/462328002/)** > > Retail giant Walmart will remove the women's fashion magazine 'Cosmo' from checkout lines at 5,000 stores across the country. They will remain for sale but not in the highly prized checkout counter location. Where am I going to read up on “14 new ways to drive him crazy with lust - using nothing but your tongue and a spatula” while buying my Geritol? If you added up all those cover blurbs over the years I wonder how many ‘new’ ways they wrote about? Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/2 "2018-03-28T15:50:51Z")
In a strange intersection of SDMB posts and real life, **Starving Artist** had recently posted (several times, in fact) on how he thought such magazines were poisoning the minds of our youth. [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20866860&postcount=27](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20866860&postcount=27) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/3 "2018-03-28T16:14:25Z")
They probably sell a lot more jerky and candy than Mags/Rags and the check-out areas are already small; periodicals gotta go. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/4 "2018-03-28T17:19:21Z")
I’ve thought for a long time that in Cosmopolitan and similar magazines, especially the teen ones, the content never changes. Rather, it’s the _audience_ that changes. As the years go by, one generation gets old enough to buy them, then grows up and leaves them behind, and meanwhile the next generation is growing into them… ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/5 "2018-03-28T18:06:32Z")
^ “Here’s your magazines. How many of these guys are named Corey?” ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/6 "2018-03-28T18:07:56Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I’ve thought for a long time that in Cosmopolitan and similar magazines, especially the teen ones, the content never changes. Rather, it’s the _audience_ that changes. As the years go by, one generation gets old enough to buy them, then grows up and leaves them behind, and meanwhile the next generation is growing into them… The ultimate example of this being Bridal magazines. In theory, you’d only ever need to produce one or two issues. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/7 "2018-03-28T19:04:28Z")
Apparently, John Ashcroft was just ahead of his time… ---
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/8 "2018-03-28T19:34:21Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > They probably sell a lot more jerky and candy than Mags/Rags and the check-out areas are already small; periodicals gotta go. This post reminded me that way back in the day when I worked at 7-Eleven, we had a fair amount of magazines, comics and tabloids that we sold. These days, our local 7-Eleven sells not a single one. Candy and jerky aplenty (Who knew there were so many varieties of jerky?) but, other than a few newspapers, nothing you can read while noshing on your junk food. Don’t know if ours is this is typical of 7-Elevens these days but thought I’d mention it. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/9 "2018-03-28T19:49:58Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I’ve thought for a long time that in Cosmopolitan and similar magazines, especially the teen ones, the content never changes. Rather, it’s the _audience_ that changes. As the years go by, one generation gets old enough to buy them, then grows up and leaves them behind, and meanwhile the next generation is growing into them… Actually didn’t it happen with Cosmopolitan that the audience grew older with it–back when Helen Gurley Brown was the editor? So they dumped her as editor when she was 75. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/10 "2018-03-28T19:51:56Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Actually didn’t it happen with Cosmopolitan that the audience grew older with it–back when Helen Gurley Brown was the editor? So they dumped her as editor when she was 75. I knew _Cosmo_ was originally a Gurley magazine. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/11 "2018-03-29T01:19:25Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I’ve thought for a long time that in Cosmopolitan and similar magazines, especially the teen ones, the content never changes. The content changes constantly. Just the type of content doesn’t. Bobby Sherman, David (or Shaun) Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Donny Osmond, gave way to Rob Lowe, the teo Coreys, then River Phoenix, Scott Baio & the ever-changing Menudo cast, then the Hansons, Backstreet Boys, then One Direction and the crop of Youtubers like Justin Bieber, etc. The specific content changes regularly, but they end up all looking & acting the same. A 1970’s magazine article about Bobby Sherman could just change the name to Justin Bieber and run unchanged in the latest magazine. > [@TimeWinder](#): > > The ultimate example of this being Bridal magazines. In theory, you’d only ever need to produce one or two issues. No, the bridal fashions change fairly frequently. And the magazines help to push the newest fashions. (They have to, otherwise why would anyone buy the new magazines?) But you could probably reprint the 2 magazines in 10 years or so, when the fashions have gone around and are now back in style! ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/12 "2018-03-29T01:31:56Z")
I haven’t read Cosmo since the 80s when I was in my 20s, and it made me feel all edgy that I was reading it. It ran its’ course in my life and then we broke up. Over the years I have seen the same headlines on the cover over and over, with always the same heavily made up big-ratty-haired chick on the cover. Bridal Magazines get boring even quicker. I can’t imagine someone who isn’t planning a wedding buying one. The same articles about receptions and honeymoons and the origin of various wedding traditions over and over. And at least in the 80s the dresses were more interesting to look at with all the ginormous mutton chop sleeves and layers of ruffles that made you look like a living birthday cake. But at least it wasn’t the same strapless column over and over that every bride and her best friend’s sister’s cousin is wearing today. Talk about boring! I don’t care what Walmart does. I haven’t shopped there since 2000 anyway. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/13 "2018-03-29T01:41:51Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > The content changes constantly. Just the type of content doesn’t. > > Bobby Sherman, David (or Shaun) Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Donny Osmond, gave way to Rob Lowe, the teo Coreys, then River Phoenix, Scott Baio & the ever-changing Menudo cast, then the Hansons, Backstreet Boys, then One Direction and the crop of Youtubers like Justin Bieber, etc. \ I’m suspicious as to how you know so much about teeny-bopper-dom 😉 ; I’m going to have to check that box in the back of your closet, young man. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/14 "2018-03-29T02:44:40Z")
Many years ago, a customer in my area complained about the Cosmo at the checkout stand, and the manager agreed and moved them to the regular magazine rack. Some people cried “Censorship!” but c’mon; nobody was saying they couldn’t sell it. It was still available, just in a different location. On top of it, the woman who complained was in her 20s, lived with her boyfriend, and said she professed no specific religious beliefs, but she did think that some phrase on the front cover was a little too explicit for the checkout stand and the manager agreed. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/15 "2018-03-29T02:52:13Z")
^ Now that you mention it, what happened to the placards they used to have (particularly 7-11s) that the mags sat behind on the shelf? If the cover was risqué, you would see the title across the top, but not much else, unless you picked it up. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/16 "2018-03-29T03:47:12Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > The ultimate example of this being Bridal magazines. In theory, you’d only ever need to produce one or two issues. I once saw an issue of Modern Bride with the front-cover headline, “Special Wedding Issue!” ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/17 "2018-03-29T04:03:51Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > I once saw an issue of Modern Bride with the front-cover headline, “Special Wedding Issue!” I want to see one that says “Special Divorce Issue!” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-drops-cosmopolitan-from-checkouts/811356/18 "2018-03-29T04:10:42Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > ^ Now that you mention it, what happened to the placards they used to have (particularly 7-11s) that the mags sat behind on the shelf? If the cover was risqué, you would see the title across the top, but not much else, unless you picked it up. And really for that matter, if the cover is that cringey to somebody, they can just reach over nonchalantly and turn it around or put a Cooking Light in front of it so Junior doesn’t see it. I know it isn’t necessarily up to the customer to arrange magazine racks, but I believe in taking charge of my surroundings, so that’s what I would do in that situation. It’s not like it is a Hustler or a Oui.