(L to R: Genre's July 2005 issue; Out's September 2006 issue)
New Out editor Aaron Hicklin – known around Jossip Worldwide Headquarters as "that guy who skipped his own magazine's first party on his watch" – was supposedly the successful catch by publisher Joe Landry, who stole Hicklin from BlackBook after an eight month search. But many an insider are already wondering: Where's the payoff?
The "let's be David Bowie gay—not Cher gay" Hicklin isn't exactly proving himself, according to those with direct knowledge of the situation. With the September 2006 issue – the first edition fully under Hicklin's control – he's gone with Out's tradition of choosing straight coverboys who play to the gay audience, throwing Johnny Knoxville on his book. The coverline? "Is Jackass the gayest show on TV?" (Excuse our rather sloppy scan.)
Johnny Knoxville? How innovative, we know. Especially when you look back to July 2005, when competitor Genre magazine put Knoxville on its cover shortly after it launched its own revamped image, flashing its redesign alongside new editor Chris Ciompi and owner Window Media.
Meanwhile, in his March 2006 publisher's letter, Out's Landry wrote "We have many weighty requirements for this extraordinary role," and that "Out will help to uncover this voice—defining gay for a new generation. And for the United States itself." That, or copying the gay generation of last year.
Related: All Aaron Hicklin and Out coverage
Solution: Instinct magazine! They ony put gay guys (and an occasional diva) on their covers!
Is Jackass even still on? And Johnny Knoxxxville is still getting hired? Who?
Aaron Hicklin. This is the same man who, last month, ran a BS, apologist, piece on the awful hate bashing/ near-death assaults of two CBS newsmen (Ryan Smith and Dick Jefferson) in St. Maarten.
Apparently, Out was trying to play down what is happening to gays in the Caribbean because it has a cruise line that takes thousands of gay guys to that island all the time and makes lots of $$$$$$$$$$$.
Nice! Trying to make a GAY BASH look like it was a victims fault…when it was probably the mags ads. & news that got them to go in the first place.
Aaron Hicklin and his cheekbones can go fuck himself.
He and his mag need to decide who he is for. Gay men or gay bashers.
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