No idea. I, too look forward to hearing the answer to this curious question.

I read People magazine every morning while eating my breakfast. I hold a Master's degree, so obviously intelligent. I do not watch a lot of television, so reading about all of these shows and famous people keeps me somewhat updated. I teach high school English, so it is good to know what is going on in pop culture. I also find it fascinating from a sociological stand point. I read a lot of good fiction and cover a lot of literature in my classes. It 's nice to have a mindless break every now and then.

For me it's a guilty pleasure. I don't travel very frequently so I treat myself to the mental junk food that is People magazine when I do. By the end of the magazine, however, I feel dirty just for having it in my hands!

It's all about entertainment I suspect. That's the same reason I watch pro wrestling when I can. Is it stupid? Yes. Does it entertain me? Yes!

 I admit to having a subscription to People and fall into the category of women you described. Highly educated, etc. I read People when my mind needs to be cleared a little - the way that some of you have a glass of wine before dinner. I always have a "good" book going, but sometimes, I just want to read a few pages of something before going to sleep. One of life's harmless pleasures.

I don't buy People, but if I see one around I'll pick it up and read it. My mom has always read People, I think that's where I got the habit from. If she knows I'll be going home to visit, she'll save a few weeks worth for me to read.

I think People is a step up from US Weekly or Star magazine. It's not always about celebrities.

I am fascinated by how many people are fascinated by the lives of celebrities. I don't get that. My sister in law, a vice president of a company will drop what she's doing to hear/read the latest gossip. I will give her credit, she doesn't follow the teenies or the younger stars (Paris, Lindsay, etc.., just the older stars (Jodi Foster, Angelina).

I can certainly understand the desire for light reading. I often do this when traveling too. But why is this light reading so often People magazine and not something else like Readers Digest, Better Homes & Gardens, Sports Illustrated, etc?

I'd flip through all those too, but I really don't care (or know) about the majority of the sports Sports Illustrated writes about. I do read it during the Olympics though.

I've never seen a Reader's Digest sitting around anywhere except at my grandparetns house.

Better Homes and Gardens? There's nothing interesting in that one, I'll flip through it and look at the recipes, but the recipes aren't normally anything I'd eat.

People holds my 'interest' because I've at least heard of the celebrities and the personal interest stories are well, somewhat interesting.

The closest I get is maybe, maybe glancing at the pictures (and wondering who most of those people are) while I am standing in the checkout line of the supermarket. Not interested. Not even vaguely. I don't really understand the appeal. Of course I couldnt tell J Lo from ummmm well... from some other equivalent type person. I guess the celebrities are so far removed from my own personal reality that I just can't get into it. But if it is your thing - then go for it - read away.

I share a subscription with my mother-in-law. I like it because it's easy reading, and it's fun to look at what people are wearing and how they do their hair (I sometimes use it to get ideas for those times that I have to attend black tie events). People has articles about more than just the ridiculous celebrities (there are pictures of Paris, but I don't recall ever reading an article about her), and in the genre is a pretty reliable source of information. Don't worry, though, I can go through an issue in less than an hour, which leaves me plenty of time to read my Newsweek, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Popular Science, Economist, In Style, Wine Spectator etc. (I really need to cut down on my magazines!). I think that the commonality you'll find here is that successful women who read People tend to have a lot of different interests.

While I don't read People, I do look forward to Wednesday's Tribune. They have a regular article: "Celebrity Magazines - We Read 'Em So You Don't Have To." Its my guilty pleasure :) That, and Cosmo.

Easy to read, simple concepts, doesnt require much concentration. Just a way to pass the time while waiting in the Dr.s office.

My guilty pleasure is reading gossip on celebrities. I really got into the whole Britney drama and would keep my husband up to date even though he didn't want to be. Why, it is entertaining. Brain candy.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I like People, it's not as trashy as the other mags and People usually has some nice human interest stories as well. I typically only buy it when I fly and consider it a treat.

>> Readers Digest, Better Homes & Gardens, Sports Illustrated, etc? <<

BORING list above!

Do you expect everyone to read the same books you do too? Just asking.

People is ok. US Weekly or InTouch are better...more trash! I buy them in the airport when I travel or read them when I'm getting a pedicure.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I only read People and the like when I have to put in some hard time on the trainer at the gym. The guys typically have ESPN going on the tv which I couldn't care less about so I need something mindless to help me pass the time (that being said, while in grad school I used to do a "first pass" read of my cases while on the trainer). Course the only magazines that are available in the rack at the gym are months old so I find that my celebrity gossip tends to lag a good four months behind.

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http://smallfoodbiz.com
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I don't get People either. But I really love Entertainment Weekly showing up in my mailbox every Saturday.

Honestly, I love People mag for the same reason I find myself on Slowtwitch. Sometimes I need little mini vacations in my day/week/month. My brain needs a break. My life is go go go, all the time. I am constantly doing, accomplishing, learning, solving. Other magazines are great to help your vocabulary, your knowledge of gardening, household issues, politics, etc. People does none of the above. It is nice to take a small break in a busy life. I think of People magazine (and slowtwitch) like that easy 50 backstroke in the middle of a hard interval set in the pool. A little break...and then back to life.

Don't get it myself, but then again, I always look at the "hot sheets" in the check out lane at the grocery store. Fave is "weekly world news" - guaranteed laughter.

I graduated from a very good university and now am an attorney (thus have a JD), so I believe I'm fairly intelligent. I LOVE People and US Weekly and all the other trash magazines. It is a total guilty pleasure and something I can read without having to think. It is just a time for me to flip through and zone out I guess.