When I opened my mailbox today (the old-fashioned kind – at the front of my house) I went nuts. There on the cover of one of my favourite Canadian magazines, the April 2014 edition of Zoomer was the picture of Andie MacDowell, an American celebrity who has no place getting this kind of print space in an intelligent publication for and about people associated with the Canadian Association of Retired People. In a country of 35 million fascinating people, could Zoomer not find a single interesting Canadian to feature? How about me? I’m also “smokin’ haute at 66”!

The accompanying article, “earth angel” references the Canadian connection as being MacDowell’s role in Cedar Cove, a Hallmark adaptation of Debbie Macomber’s book series of the same name that was filmed in Vancouver—a somewhat tenuous connection to justify the space. Putting celebrities on the covers of magazines like Zoomer and my favourite women’s publication, MORE always annoys me to no end. Both mags are a cut above the usual print fare and I am disappointed when they go for the cheap shot. Celebrities like Andie MacDowell are perfect for gossip publications like People or Us or any number of other American celebrity rags but not Zoomer, despite the fact she’s 56 years old. I’m disappointed, angry and insulted that they would stoop to such cheap tactics as the picture of a common American celebrity to attract buyers on the newsstand. Shame on you. There are thousands of more interesting personalities I would prefer to see profiled.

As a snowbird, we find it impossible to get news about Canada and Canadians when we are in the United States. The American media is totally focused on what goes on only within the U.S. borders. The rest of the world is incidental  – unless its politics involve the United States. I’ve actually met people in Florida who had no idea where Toronto is. It’s hard to believe that in this shrinking world full of amazing, exciting and interesting characters, there is still so much focus on American celebrities. And if anyone shares my feelings, make yourself heard.

Footnote: I sent a version of this posting to Zoomer’s blog and they actually published it in the comments section. Here’s the link: http://www.everythingzoomer.com/behind-cover-andie-macdowell-april-2014/#.UxpM84V2je1