TELEVISION

Why Men Love 'Gossip Girl'

Yeah, it's a chick show—but with fully rounded male characters.

By Joshua Alston | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Sep 5, 2008 | Updated: 9:43  a.m. ET Sep 5, 2008

« Return to Article

Discuss

Member Comments

  • Posted By: JamesLatero @ 10/01/2008 6:55:50 PM

    There's a whole site dedicated to Men & Gossip Girl. One of the best blogs on the web.

    iamchuckbass.com

  • Posted By: packmentality @ 09/15/2008 12:52:12 PM

    Wow.
    I guess he's right.
    Thank God they flesh out the male characters!
    It doesn't matter that they provide shallow, catty, and insipid imitations of women. No, never mind that they portray the women as pathetic excuses for humanity.
    Maybe it's just me. I've read some of the Gossip Girl books...and I couldn't get through them. They made me sick. How could anyone write such vacuous, insensitive material?
    I couldn't relate. I couldn't even believe it. Does anyone seriously make social status the epicenter of their lives? How could anyone be so shallow?
    It's probably just me, but I was offended. As a young woman, I am appalled that society at large allows writers and producers to continue spitting out such absolute trash. Am I the only one who's bothered by this offensive portrayal of women?
    This article isn't much better.

    "It's my girlfriend's show defense....have you seen Sandra Oh? More like Sandra Oh Yeah!"

    Granted, this could have been satire. But that doesn't stop it from being piggish.

    And the conclusion?

    "And if it helps get chicks, that couldn't hurt, right?"

    YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME!
    "Chicks"?
    Since when did men decide refraining from calling us "women" and substitute such condescending terms instead? Especially in a magazine like Newsweek?

    And one more thing. Any woman who goes home with a guy because he compares her to a character on Desperate Housewives is pathetic. Desperate Housewives a shallow and offensive excuse for entertainment. And to be compared to one of those bimbos? I should think you would be offended.

    Here's an idea. Let's make a show where the men AND the women have substance. A show where they have a little bit of dignity and some morals.

    Oh wait. That would never sell. Well, back to the drawing board, where all the women are portrayed as shallow, promiscuous bimbos and the men are portrayed as either unbearably brutish or shameless harem-gatherers.
    Yeah, that sounds good.

    Bravo, Gossip Girls!

    Classy comment, rderaedt! Way to go, champ!

    • Posted By: highnoon777 @ 09/15/2008 3:36:56 PM

      Real women do exist! Are you single? ;)

  • Posted By: georgesedward @ 09/15/2008 3:33:47 PM

    am gerorges i like beautiful girls i justb need onwe arround me now

  • Posted By: BAshley @ 09/15/2008 3:23:22 PM

    Hmmm...where to start...basically, if a "guy" is watchin crap like this he's either pre-pubescent, gay, or has never been laid...or just perverted. What a poor soul to have to resort to writing crap like this. Try again when your second ball drops.

  • Posted By: BAshley @ 09/15/2008 3:19:15 PM

    Uhhh...wow...where to start. Let's just say if a "guy" is watchin this show he's either pre-pubescent, gay, or hasn't gotten laid in, well, ever...or a perv. What a poor soul to spend your life writing articles like this. Try again when your second ball drops. -ESPN

  • Posted By: sama1 @ 09/15/2008 3:17:56 PM

    If Stephen Baldwin says this is trash, then it very well could be. Why can't you get it correct? Clean it up and keep the morals clean. What is it that you cannot see about keeping your personality and good morals until you are ready for the 'MARITAL ACT' at whatever age one decides and be married? We need a license to drive, don'e we?

  • Posted By: sama1 @ 09/15/2008 3:14:19 PM

    If Stephen Baldwin says this is trash, then I am going to go with his evaluation.
    Why can't we get this right??? Clean it up and give young people the opportunity to hang onto their own personality and morals until they choose (at whatever age) that they are ready for the MARITAL ACT AND BE MARRIED. We need a license to drive.

  • Posted By: \/!C+()R!()U$ @ 09/15/2008 2:23:35 PM

    Stop hatin on Gossip Girl!! Dat show is da ish!!! If u don't like it, flip da damn channel and stop "wasting ur time" reading articles about it!! U all hate it so much but u can't stop talking about it. That don't make no sense at all! XOXO GOSSIP GIRL U gotta luv it!!

    • Posted By: julespatters @ 09/15/2008 3:08:33 PM

      Can you NOT understand written English? Hmm, probably not, by the looks of this, you can't understand it, speak it or write it. Where do you read that we're 'hatin' Gossip Girl?
      Sorry,

    • Posted By: julespatters @ 09/15/2008 3:07:13 PM

      hmmm,

  • Posted By: Big DDDDD @ 09/15/2008 12:19:23 PM

    Leighton Meester - enough said!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Posted By: \/!C+()R!()U$ @ 09/15/2008 2:04:19 PM

      HELL 2 DA MF'N YEAH!! She's even on the new season of Entourage lookin ever soo sexy!!

      • Posted By: Big DDDDD @ 09/15/2008 2:53:16 PM

        Did you ever see her on Surface??? Smoking hot.

    • Posted By: \/!C+()R!()U$ @ 09/15/2008 2:02:54 PM

      HELL 2 DA YEAH SON!!!! SHE'S EVEN ON THE NEW SEASON OF ENTOURAGE LOOKIN EVER SO BEAUTIFUL!!

  • Posted By: Little ole me @ 09/15/2008 2:51:51 PM

    It's truly amazing what straight men will go through just to score. I feel so sorry for all you guys. I thank my lucky stars every morning I was born gay.

  • Posted By: ducklin @ 09/15/2008 2:43:29 PM

    The guys on Gossip Girl are HOT! Take it off, take it off!. They dress so well that even with clothes on they look good. Yum. And yes, they are always going at it every 10 minutes LOL.

  • Posted By: trumpetgosu @ 09/15/2008 2:23:04 PM

    When my exchange student came over here a couple of years ago, she just had to watch the OC. When she came back to visit us this summer, she just had to watch GG, which is very similar to the OC, as far as the types of characters. I must say as a TV skeptic, and in a world of god-awful TV, its really not all that bad. Its something that a guy can watch w/ his significant other w/o feeling like he wants to shoot himself.

  • Posted By: Spockman @ 09/15/2008 2:19:42 PM

    Uh, guys like Gossip Girls because there is a girl having sex on it every other 10 mintues. Duh.

  • Posted By: trumpetgosu @ 09/15/2008 2:18:36 PM

    My exchange-student friend just had to watch the OC when she was here. When she visited us this summer, she just had to watch GG, so we went out and rented the seasons. I can honestly say as a pretty skeptical person, it held my attention. I made fun of it all the time, but its really not all that bad.

  • Posted By: riderzblock @ 09/09/2008 6:38:41 PM

    I came across this story on my front page of MSN. I only clicked on it to read it because my Boss sent it to me to read it. I actually write for this show which is on it's 3rd ride(season for ones who look blank). I always knew it had an audience. I hear it everyday with people I come into contact that find out I write for the show. Not only do they rave about it but they are true addicts of the show. I mean, come on guys.. it has heartbreak, love, frienship, rehab, deceit, loyalty, and yes... SEX. All things that make people turn on the t.v everyday. I hardly doubt anyone here can say they watch a show religiously and say that it does not have at least one of those topics if not all. he show just has a different delivery system to the public. Does it mean it's wrong to have a show like this? noo... just means it's not your cup of tea, so in that case.. change the flipping channel people. Thanks a bunch XOXO Gossip girl P.S Men will always be men but the real ones can see beyond the playing amongst the sheets.

    • Posted By: \/!C+()R!()U$ @ 09/15/2008 2:12:57 PM

      OMG!!! Thanks for writing for this show. It is soo good, and i only watched it initially cuz the creator of the OC produced it but from the first episode to just this last one, it has had me watching religiously. I've even gotten my brothers on this show!! It's good stuff

  • Posted By: NorahJ @ 09/09/2008 8:40:14 AM

    What's funny is the ratings for Gossip Girl are actually pretty lousy, but the CW PR department for the show has been so successful in pushing the show as a hit that now the media and everyone thinks of it as a hit. To the point where we now have Newsweek doing articles about it. Pretty good for a show that's suffered from mediocre ratings!

    • Posted By: \/!C+()R!()U$ @ 09/15/2008 2:10:22 PM

      Umm right, so i googled the ratings and they aren't bad at all. GG might not be number one, thanks 2 Deal or No F#+kin Deal! (talk about a waste of television) But they are still pretty good, follow this link 2 c urself http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/09/02/nielsen-ratings-monday-september-1-gossip-girl-prison-break-down/4878. GossipGirl is such a twisted drama of wealthy teenage life i could understand how some people just wouldn't appreciate. I do tho, its Hot!!!!

  • Posted By: chacko @ 09/15/2008 1:36:30 PM

    Gossip is basically a mean through which one can feel the feelings of the spirit that lies in that body. too much of gossiping, could be argued, is a reflection of the spirtual beauty which strenthens the whole concept of beauty. if some one is little pretty on the face, her spirtual beauty or intallectual strength negates that effect. no one speaks absurd or could be incoferent in gossiping, it is a discourse of ideas, expressions adn expereinces that one share with the one whom she feels like

  • Posted By: ducklin @ 09/15/2008 1:30:52 PM

    This show is okay, and the hot guys are well... HOT. I just don't understand why this show has little girls playing the roles of grown ups. It's like when kids try to imitate grown ups. IT'S CRAZY. They need to provide more age-appropriate plots and personalities for these girl characters. They have a drama going that is more real for when they are in their 30s. I can't relate to it.

  • Posted By: chacko @ 09/15/2008 1:29:54 PM

    here in this study it is generalised. Gossip however is a medium through which a men can enters into the beauty of mind. a girl is not that alone what she appears through her face cuts and style. her beauty is incomplete if she is not tasted through her intalectual aspect as well as emotional. and that could only be evaluated through the medium of " gossip". it is through the gossip one can evaluate the compatability. to my surprise i have seen many people making their marraige decision by just having a long chating on internet.

  • Posted By: LIBERALK @ 09/15/2008 1:25:30 PM

    OBAMA 08- Time for a change.....thank god. You are an ignorant, immature, and uneducated person Phelps McCain 08. Seems to me that if you have such a problem with men watching this tv show, you shouldn't have wanted to read this article, or even comment...

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse