History Main / IReadItForTheArticles

* ''Series/ThePartridgeFamily'': When Keith is caught looking at Playpen Magazine, he says, "These magazines have some great short stories!"

* In one sketch, the French comedian trio "Les Inconnus" mentioned the magazine ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_%28French_magazine%29 Photo]]'', an art photography magazine featuring naked models, which can "provide a good alibi" when in society:

* Early in ''Manga/DeathNote'' manga, Light's younger sister found a dirty magazine is his room, which he claims he only read for the article about Kira.

* In ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI", upon reaching the Royal Library in Snifleheim, Party Talk will show Rab being engrossed in what he call a "spellbook". After acquiring the Blue Org, Rab goes into an rousing speech about finally reaching the WorldTree, finger pointing at the sky and everything... and drops the "grimoire" i.e., ''a porno magazine''. The party's disgusted reaction is side-splitting, with Jade noting that the old man has not gave up on his "obsession" and Veronica pointing out how [[MoodWhiplash weird this is after his speech]]. While the company leaves him in his shame, Rab desperately tries to convince them the he only reads it for the articles.

The reason that particular joke became ubiquitous is that, at least in TheSixties and TheSeventies, the excuse had a kernel of truth to it. ''Playboy'' paid writers nearly three times as much as other publications, meaning that it drew considerable talent, such as Creator/JackKerouac, Creator/StephenKing and Creator/ArthurCClarke, and interviewed interesting people like [[UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement Martin Luther King]] and UsefulNotes/FidelCastro. It used to feature a variety of short stories, snippets, and interviews that wouldn't be out of place in ''Magazine/TheNewYorker''... just surrounded by pictures of naked women. In fact, ''Playboy'' is one of the top selling Braille magazines, even though it completely lacks [[BowChickaWowWow its usual selling point.]]

Changing social mores have rendered this something of an outdated trope, as audiences have shown they have no problem with explicit sexual content in TV and film. To whit: someone who watches a critically acclaimed or sexually explicit show like ''Series/{{Girls}}'', ''Series/MastersOfSex'' has seen more than 70's magazine readers ever saw in ''Playboy.'' And with a staggering amount of pornography always just a few keystrokes away on the Internet, the idea of being scandalized by a few naked pictures is almost quaint.

I Read It for the Articles is the StockPhrase people use to avoid catching any flak over liking a media product which has parts to it that are not popular or socially acceptable. It still allows them to watch or read it as a GuiltyPleasure -- after all, they can't say they actually ''like'' it without facing widespread ridicule. Some have actually said "I watch it ironically" unironically.

[[TropeNamer Name comes from]] a common justification for reading ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' magazine, which an incredible number of people claim to only read for the articles. While certainly [[DiscreditedTrope discredited]] today as a ''legitimate'' excuse, this could have reasonably been TruthInTelevision in TheSixties and TheSeventies; ''Playboy'' paid writers nearly three times as much as other publications, meaning that it drew considerable talent, such as Creator/JackKerouac and Creator/ArthurCClarke, and interviewed interesting people like [[UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement Martin Luther King]] and UsefulNotes/FidelCastro. It still features a variety of short stories, snippets, and interviews that wouldn't be out of place in ''Magazine/TheNewYorker''... just surrounded by pictures of naked women. This is true to the point that the Braille edition of ''Playboy'' is one of the top selling Braille magazines, even though it completely lacks [[BowChickaWowWow its usual selling point.]] To be honest, Playboy does have a startling amount of purely factual and text articles. It's either intellectual content with a pornographic bonus or [[UsefulNotes/{{Pornography}} pornography]] with an intellectual bonus. Writers will tell you that getting published in ''Playboy'' really is a big deal - and they're right. In 2015 ''Playboy'' announced they were dropping nudity (largely due to TheInternetIsForPorn destroying their business model, but also affected by accusations of MagazineDecay (next to no articles, almost all exploitative FanService). However, they later announced that they were bringing back nude photo shoots after a year-long absence starting in 2017.

In some respects this has become an outdated trope as more people become used to sexual explicitness in TV and film. To whit: someone who watches a critically acclaimed or sexually explicit show like ''Series/{{Girls}}'', ''Series/MastersOfSex'', or 95% of other shows made today for cable or streaming, is unlikely to bother or be bothered by anyone reading something as innocuous as ''Playboy'' anymore.

* In ''Comicbook/BatgirlRebirth #25, Mad Hatter associate March Harriet, is explaining her backstory, which involves being a [[BlandNameProduct thinly-disguised]] Playboy bunny who discovered her boss was marketing stolen Hatter tech. Explaining why [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Not Hugh Hefner]] would even ''have'' a tech launch she says "''Some'' people ''do'' read ''Menagerie'' for the articles".

Just to be clear, this is in-universe examples only. Works that ''you or the fandom'' consider guilty pleasures are not examples of this trope.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''FanFic/ConversationWithACryptid''. When All for One finds out Izuku also reads the Conspiracy, a niche dark web news forum for criminals:

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Early in ''Manga/DeathNote'' manga Light's younger sister found a dirty magazine is his room, which he claims he only read for the article about Kira.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'': when asked by Miss Kitty in New Reno why you have some Cat's Paw magazines on you, you can reply that you read them for the articles.

[[quoteright:250:[[{{Pun}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/constitution_6330.jpg]]]]

* ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'': While investigating the murder of a magazine editor in "Traffic", Nichols comments that his father used to read it and remembers an article featuring Ursula Andress in a brassiere that fired bullets. When Steven wryly asks "Your father read it?", he admits it was shared, then adds there was always a fight over the crossword.

* Mao of ''VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice'' ''claims'' that his obsessive collection of comics and videogames is merely research on heroes... it's pretty obvious that he's one of TheKnightsWhoSaySquee.

* The [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-watch-it-for-the-plot "I watch it for the plot"]] image macro meme follows this line of thought. The text would mention common criticisms of the series, such as CharacterDevelopment, engaging storylines, and humor, while showing off images of (usually female) characters' chests and butts.

* In one sketch, the French comedian trio "Les Inconnus" mentioned the magazine ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_%28French_magazine%29 Photo]]'', an art photography magazine featuring naked models , which can "provide a good alibi" when in society:
-->''"...it looks very smart, you can read it in front of people: '- what are you reading ?' '- I'm reading ''Photo''... You know, I recently took interest in Photography...'"''

** In another one, Peter claims to have bought the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Edition for an article on marlin fishing off Bora Bora. His mother offers to cut the article out for him and his impassioned response is "And read it out of context?".

* ''ComicStrip/{{Alex}}'': In one strip Clive his shocked when he flicks through his boss's collection of leatherbound Victorian pornography and discovers how explicit they are. Penny remarks that he shouldn't be, as they were that era's equivalent of ''Playboy'' and ''Penthouse''. Clive responds that this is why he thought they would have the occassional article about Stephenson's Rocket or spinning jennys in them, so that a chap could claim to be reading them for that.

* In the Most Unperceptive Review Ever Written, ''Country Life'' magazine praised ''Literature/LadyChatterleysLover'' for its decription of the life and duties of a professional Gamekeeper, only noting that "regrettably, the reader has to wade through a great deal of extraneous material to reach the interesting passages....."

* ''Series/LifeOnMars2006'': Sam's excuse while hiding a tape recorder under Gene's copy of Jugs.

* One of ''Radio/RoundTheHorne''[='s=] running gags is Kenneth Horne mentioning some absurd and often vaguely smutty-sounding publication and claiming to read it for the crossword/spot the ball competion/etc.

* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'' has a [[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=35 comic]] where [[RobotBuddy Pintsize]] swears he is reading a Apple magazine for the benchmarks despite a suspicious can of [[ADateWithRosiePalms WD-40 lubricant]] nearby.

** [[spoiler:[[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] about ten seconds later when Francine comes barging in and thinks that Tangueray has stolen all the jewelry and silverware. Which [[ZigZaggedTrope Stan then admits ]] that he sold to finance his latest schemes]]

* One commercial for the {{fanservice}}-ridden ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive 3'' for has a player insisting he only plays if for the fighting.

* The Discovery Channel used this trope to market the show ''SmashLab'' when it premiered.

** Playboy actually sold compilations of all its articles. You can get the last Playboy John Lennon interview as a book too.
** The founder actually stated that, without the naughty pictures, Playboy would have been a literary magazine.

[[TropeNamer Name comes from]] a common justification for reading ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' magazine, which an incredible number of people claim to only read for the articles. While certainly [[DiscreditedTrope discredited]] today as a ''legitimate'' excuse, this could have reasonably been TruthInTelevision in TheSixties and TheSeventies; ''Playboy'' paid writers nearly three times as much as other publications, meaning that it drew considerable talent, such as Creator/JackKerouac and Creator/ArthurCClarke, and interviewed interesting people like [[UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement Martin Luther King]] and UsefulNotes/FidelCastro. It still features a variety of short stories, snippets, and interviews that wouldn't be out of place in ''Magazine/TheNewYorker''... Just with naked women. This is true to the point that the Braille edition of ''Playboy'' is one of the top selling Braille magazines, even though it completely lacks [[BowChickaWowWow its usual selling point.]] To be honest, Playboy does have a startling amount of purely factual and text articles. It's either intellectual content with a pornographic bonus or [[UsefulNotes/{{Pornography}} pornography]] with an intellectual bonus. Writers will tell you that getting published in ''Playboy'' really is a big deal - and they're right. In 2015 ''Playboy'' announced they were dropping nudity (largely due to TheInternetIsForPorn destroying their business model, but also affected by accusations of MagazineDecay (next to no articles, almost all exploitative FanService). However, they later announced that they were bringing back nude photo shoots after a year-long absence starting in 2017.

[[TropeNamer Name comes from]] a common justification for reading ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' magazine, which an incredible number of people claim to only read for the articles. While certainly [[DiscreditedTrope discredited]] today as a ''legitimate'' excuse, this could have reasonably been TruthInTelevision in TheSixties and TheSeventies. Playboy paid writers nearly three times as much as other publications, meaning that it drew considerable talent, such as Creator/JackKerouac and Creator/ArthurCClarke, and interviewed interesting people like [[UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement Martin Luther King]] and UsefulNotes/FidelCastro. It still features a variety of short stories, snippets, and interviews that wouldn't be out of place in ''Magazine/TheNewYorker''... Just with naked women. This is true to the point that the Braille edition of ''Playboy'' is one of the top selling Braille magazines, even though it completely lacks [[BowChickaWowWow its usual selling point.]] To be honest, Playboy does have a startling amount of purely factual and text articles. It's either intellectual content with a pornographic bonus or [[UsefulNotes/{{Pornography}} pornography]] with an intellectual bonus. Writers will tell you that getting published in ''Playboy'' really is a big deal - and they're right. In 2015 ''Playboy'' announced they were dropping nudity (largely due to TheInternetIsForPorn destroying their business model, but also affected by accusations of MagazineDecay (next to no articles, almost all exploitative FanService). However, they later announced that they were bringing back nude photo shoots after a year-long absence starting in 2017.

Compare OrSoIHeard. Contrast with UnconventionalLearningExperience. Also see JustForFun/ComeForTheXStayForTheY.

Compare OrSoIHeard. Contrast with UnconventionalLearningExperience. Also see ComeForTheXStayForTheY.

* Referenced in ''VideoGame/MafiaII'': The game contains a number of "Playboy" centerfolds as collectibles. The games stats menu shows the amount of time looking at said collectibles as "Time spent on Playboy articles."