Is anyone surprised that the ‘hotel’ magazine Game has stayed so prominent since its inception in 1980? The genre itself wasn’t even labeled as such till 1982, making it one of the more recent examples of long-lived magazine games.
The enduring appeal of the game is easy to understand. As a player, you get to interrogate famous – and sometimes infamous – people about everything from fashion and celebrity to politics and current events. You also get to follow the ups and downs of these figures’ often turbulent lives, resulting in some surprisingly fascinating stories.
The Game’s Influential Years
If you’re an avid reader of history, you’ll note that the 1980s was a decade of enormous transition – for better and for worse. The advent of modern entertainment – such as Cinemax, HBO, and Showtime – ushered in a new era that continues to this day.
The 1980s was a time of great change and uncertainty. The popular culture of the era reflected this societal unrest. While the decade was often chaotic and violent, it was also a time of great artistic and social creativity. Along with a rise in popularity of low-budget, independent films came a resurgence of interest in all things classic. This is apparent from the music scene, which had largely shifted to pop and rock in the late 1960s, to a whole new wave of classic rock revivals – like the ‘80s pop music phenomena known as “new wave classicism.”
With the renewed appreciation for all things classic came the classic magazine game. Published monthly during the week of the U.S. National Football League (NFL) games, gamers could bet on which team, the Chicago Bears or the Detroit Lions, would score the most points in a given contest. Game had originally planned to call itself ‘SportsFan,’ but the name was deemed too similar to Sports Illustrated.
It’s not hard to see why Game was influenced by the changing times. Like other magazines of the era, it covered the latest trends and reported on the various entertainments that fans could enjoy (often focusing on films and television shows rather than sports events themselves). One of the most interesting aspects of Game is its ability to track the trends of the day and predict which celebrities would be famous in 20 or 30 years – with a lot of help from fans.
The Future of the Game Is Now
These days, the magazine game is enjoyed by a younger audience than ever before. Today’s gamers grew up idolizing the people and events profiled in Game, resulting in an older audience of Gen-Xers and millennials who grew up playing it. They continue to enjoy the game because of its cultural significance and because it’s still innovative and fun to play.
However, as with any game or pop culture trend, it’s important to remember that none of this would have been possible without someone (or someones) behind the scenes who were responsible for bringing this all to life.
Who is Behind the Scenes of the Game?
The game we know and love wouldn’t be possible without decades of hard work by many talented individuals who had the good fortune of working at a magazine called Game. So who exactly is behind the scenes of Game? Let’s take a look.
Joey Skaggs
Game was started by Steve Rosenbaum and John F. Walsh in 1980. Rosenbaum was previously the editor of Crawdaddy!, a popular music magazine, and Walsh was the editor of Creative Arts, a magazine published by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s). Additionally, Rosenbaum and Walsh had both been involved in the creation of the popular music magazine Circus, which was eventually absorbed by Creative Arts.
They decided to start their own magazine because they wanted to experiment with the format. Since they couldn’t pitch the idea of a music magazine to their already-established contacts at Creative Arts and 4A’s, they decided to pitch an idea for a ‘general interest’ magazine instead. After the two editors pitched the idea of a general interest magazine to their contact at 4A’s, the head of the agency, Ralph Andrews, replied, “Ahhh…that’s a grand idea. Let’s have a look at what’s available.” And so, Game was born.
The magazine’s first issue was published in June 1980 and featured an in-depth interview with David Bowie – one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century – and a spread on new wave music. Since then, Game has continued to be the definitive voice of pop culture, featuring some of the biggest names in movies, music, and fashion.
Terry Jones
Terry Jones is the creator of the BBC series, The Office, which follows the lives of various staff members in the modern-day working environment of an office. He’s also acted in numerous TV movies and commercials, and starred in the film Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). He was the announcer for the Tony Awards in 1971 and 1972, and has hosted the ceremony a total of five times. Most recently, Jones hosted the 69th Annual Tony Awards in 2019.
Jones became involved with Game in 1985, when he was asked to be the fashion editor. After a brief period of time, he became the editor of the magazine in 1988. Jones was responsible for bringing some of the biggest names in fashion to the magazine, from photographers such as Peter Lindehoff and Patrick Demarchelier to stylists such as Vera Wang, Joe Ebernostro, and Thierry Despont. Jones also played a key role in Game’s revival in recent years, as the magazine gained a younger audience due to his influence.
Peter Lindbergh
Peter Lindbergh is the founder and editor of Interview. He began his career in 1976 at The New York Times Magazine, where he served as the assistant to the editor in chief, Lynn Nordick, and later worked as a freelance journalist for several publications. He is also the co-author of the book Conversations With Artists: Gabriel García Márquez, Quentin Tarantulll, J.M. WESTON, and more. (The New York Times Company, 2003).
Lindbergh became the editor of Interview in 1988 and oversaw the publication’s expansion to a print magazine. It was during his editorship that Interview entered its most successful era, featuring numerous covers (often featuring multiple celebrities) and numerous interviews with some of the biggest names in entertainment and fashion. Although Interview has largely maintained its status as a leading pop culture publication, Lindbergh stepped down as editor in 2018, after 25 years in the role.
Samantha Weinberg
Samantha Weinberg is the founder and editor-in-chief of Bust. She was previously the editor of Rolling Stone magazine and The New York Times Magazine. Additionally, she has been featured on the cover of every major American magazine at one point or another. Most recently, she was featured on the magazine covers of Vogue, Elle, and W Magazine.
Weinberg started her career at Rolling Stone in 1991 and was named editor in chief in 2012. Under her tenure, the magazine saw an increase in staff (from 75 to 125 people) and won numerous awards. Most notably, the magazine was a finalist for the National Magazine Award in both 2015 and 2019. In 2019, Rolling Stone was named Magazine of the Year by the American Institute of Stress Management.
As the founder and editor-in-chief of Bust, Weinberg has focused on expanding the magazine’s coverage to include more lifestyle content. She has also made a concerted effort to diversify the magazine’s staff, both in terms of gender and ethnic background, and to find the best possible writers for her publication. The magazine now includes content from various perspectives, including fashion, beauty, food, travel, and lifestyle.
Kevin LaMarque
Kevin LaMarque is the editor-in-chief of Elle Magazine and has been with the publication for more than 20 years. Most recently, he was the editor for Elle’s “Beauty” section and has overseen numerous awards and accolades for the magazine. Additionally, he has been the subject of numerous magazine covers and was named “Best Health & Fitness Editor” by the American Association of Advertising Agencies in 2016. LaMarque has also been featured in numerous television shows, including Vogue’s upcoming docu-series, The Fashionistas, on which he serves as an advisor.
Born and raised in Texas, LaMarque began his career in journalism at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 1990. He then moved to the Miami Herald following a brief period at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 1996, he joined Elle Magazine as a fashion reporter. In 2002, he was promoted to editor-in-chief, a position he holds today.