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THE MAXIM-IZATION of American society is out of control. Its spillover into marketing, while inevitable-advertising slavishly mirrors popular culture trends-is still disappointing.
There are, unfortunately, millions of people - sophomoric men mostly-who find this brand of lockerroom humor unbelievably funny. These frat boys are the ones who line up to see "American Pie," mail blow-in cards to Maxim by the hundreds of thousands and tune in religiously to Comedy Central's "The Man Show." Its a wonder they have the skills needed to fill out a subscription form, but let's assume they get help from their moms.
This is sure to frame me as the world's youngest prude, and I'm admittedly in the minority. But I just can't understand what anyone over age 12 finds funny about these magazines, films and TV shows. The current issue of Maxim includes a step-by-step guide to a party prank that involves covering a toilet seat in plastic wrap. "The first guy...