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[[quoteright:250:[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/5f9b416ce8763593a37f20fd3a556093.jpg]]]]

->''"Private investigator Emerson Cod was enjoying the latest issue of ''Knit Wit Magazine'', his literary outlet for knitting humor, when he received a phone call from the mother of one Anita Gray."''
-->-- '''The Narrator''', ''Series/PushingDaisies''

''There's a magazine for everything.''

A character subscribes to a weirdly specific fandom magazine or trade publication you would never expect to stay in business, or that [[PastimesProvePersonality speaks volumes about their character]]. This is usually either a joke about how they have such a niche hobby, or shows that something is SeriousBusiness to them. If it's a trade publication, they probably belong to a WeirdTradeUnion. The magazine will usually be named "[subject] Digest/Monthly/Gazette" so that the audience quickly understands it.

As the magazine industry declines in many parts of the world (particularly the niche magazines that this trope parodies), this trope is becoming increasingly less common, but still maintains some ground. A more modern version might be "There's a forum/SNS group for everything."

Named after TheWikiRule, its online equivalent. Related to CollectorOfTheStrange and PastimesProvePersonality. If a [[TestosteronePoisoning Manly Man]] subscribes to ''[[TextileWorkIsFeminine Cross-stitch Quarterly]]'', it's RealMenWearPink, and if a NightmareFetishist has managed to find a publication of ''Cross-stitch Bondage Babes'', it's Rule Thirty Six.

See also SeverelySpecializedStore, NicheNetwork, SpecificSituationBooks.

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
* A Snickers commercial had a man who subscribes to ''Panda Fancy'', a magazine for those with pet pandas.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/FrankenFran'': Fran apparently subscribes to ''[[MadScientist Science Blood]]'' magazine.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Medabots}}'' anime episode "Welcome to Ninja World!" has the title theme park apparently being "recently rated 1# by ''Ninja Theme Park Magazine''."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comedy]]
* Creator/GeorgeCarlin discussed this trope in his HBO special ''Jammin' in New York'', saying that "any activity engaged in by more than four people in this country has got a fucking magazine devoted to it." In particular, he railed against the fact that there's a magazine for ''walking''.
* Creator/PattonOswalt used this trope to mock individual or societal shame regarding a person's particular fetish, that right now a magazine exists featuring that particular kink and nothing else. Illustrated with a magazine that his friends once brought to him from a trip in England: ''[[{{Squick}} Piss Drinkers]]''.
-->'''Patton:''' Here's the sick thing: this is Issue 7, '''Volume 20''' of ''Piss Drinkers''! [[LongRunner It's a 20-year-old magazine!]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* On Creator/DCComics' Htrae (a.k.a. BizarroWorld) during the Silver Age, one of the most popular newspapers is ''The Yearly Planet''. It's what you get when you employ Bizarros who only work during the weekend.
* ''ComicBook/NewAvengers2015'' gives us "CHTTT!!! weekly". ComicBook/SquirrelGirl reads it, we can't imagine anybody else being interested in it. Except for squirrels. Maybe.
* Rocky from ''ComicBook/{{Rocky}}'' once saw a man check out a new magazine for people who are into hermit crabs.
* In ''ComicBook/KnightAndSquire'' #2, Beryl picks up a copy of ''Total Castle'' for Cyril, who does in fact live in a castle. Who buys the other copies on the shelf, since even in Britain few locations run to more than one castle, is unexplored.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* In ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', Calvin subscribes to ''Chewing'', a magazine devoted entirely to chewing gum. Calvin describes it as "high-gloss, literate, and sophisticated" in comparison to ''Gum Action'', targeted more to the "Gonzo" demographic, and ''Chewers Illustrated'' which targets vintage gum collectors. WordOfGod says that these were direct parodies of the half-dozen biking magazines Watterson himself subscribed to, and his thoughts on the matter were pretty clear, judging by Hobbes' reaction:
-->'''Hobbes:''' What kind of nut would ''care'' about all this?!\\
'''Calvin:''' Everyone! This is hard data. It lets you quantify your enjoyment.\\
'''Hobbes:''' I thought fun was supposed to be ''fun.''\\
'''Calvin:''' Well, ''I'' prefer to trust the experts.
* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'''s Wally is once seen speculating on the content of his ''Sitting There'' magazine.
* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'': [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2022/04/23 Garfield is reading a magazine until he gets too tired to stay awake]]. Jon says, "He can never make it through an entire issue of ''Napping Gazette''."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/ADiplomaticVisit'': In chapter 23, Rainbow Dash mentions an incident with an annoying magazine salesman who kept trying to get her to buy a subscription to ''Sponge Illustrated''. Pinkie Pie chimes in and says she has a ten-year subscription.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'':
** Wallace is a devotee of many cheese connoisseur mags.
** In ''WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit'', the local priest has a subscription to a magazine about nun wrestling.
* ''WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour'': Barb got her list of bounty hunters from a ''Bounty Hunter Weekly''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/{{Airplane}}''. [[NunTooHoly A nun is shown reading]] the RealLife magazine ''Boys' Life'', while a boy is reading a copy of ''Nuns' Life''.
* ''Obscure Sports Quarterly'' in ''Film/DodgeballATrueUnderdogStory''.
* In ''Film/{{Mercenaries}}'', Mei-Lin reads a publication called ''Cold War Architectural Digest''.
* The independent film ''Film/NeverBeenThawed'' has many scenes that prominently feature fake magazines like ''Christian Entrepreneur'' and ''Apathy''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/TheAreasOfMyExpertise'', John Hodgman provides a list of (mostly) fake periodicals where writers of short stories can submit their work for a variety of increasingly esoteric literary genres.
-->"If you are a writer of AlternateHistory, why not try the ''[[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity New Amsterdamer]]''? Or how about the ''Pacific Monthly''?"
* {{Lampshaded}} in ''Literature/AutobiographyOfRed'' when Geryon looks over the magazines at a newsstand:
-->Architecture, geology, surfing,\\
weight lifting, knitting, politics, sex. ''Balling from Behind'' caught his eye\\
(a whole magazine devoted to this?\\
issue after issue? year after year?)
* Literature/{{Discworld}}:
** ''Literature/GoingPostal'' has various publications for [[CollectorOfTheStrange pin collectors]] (or "pin heads" as they call themselves). Then, they invented stamps...
** In ''Literature/LordsAndLadies'', Hodgesaargh the falconer reads ''Beaks & Talons'', while Shawn Ogg reads ''Bows & Ammo''.
** InvertedTrope in ''Literature/TheTruth'', where William finds it hard to believe there's a market for a magazine about cats.
* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', there is ''Which Broomstick?'', a magazine devoted to FlyingBroomstick reviews. Although it is not a niche topic in-universe, since broomsticks both are a common means of transportation and used in a popular sport.
* In David Feldman's ''Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses?'', a cartoon accompanying the entry on why many magazine subscription orders are sent to Boulder, Colorado depicts a man and woman reading copies of ''Feldspar Quarterly'' and ''Schist Digest''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* At one point on ''Series/ThirtyRock'', when Jack has a major business meeting coming up, he stresses to Liz its importance by mentioning its coverage in a magazine exclusively about meetings. The second time he does it, Liz is baffled to note that there's ''more than one'' magazine about meetings.
* In one episode of ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'', Eric subscribes to 26 different magazines, each one's title beginning with a different letter of the alphabet, as part of poorly thought-out attempt to game the Publisher's Clearing House contest. Among these magazines is ''Chester'', a magazine for people named Chester (Eric had to lie about his name to get the subscription).
* Parodied in ''Series/{{Community}}'' with ''Dean Magazine'', which at one point plans to do a cover feature about Dean Pelton. Subverted, however, in that it's canceled after two issues (before the aforementioned cover feature can appear), presumably because, as Jeff points out, it's "the worst idea for a magazine ever". ''Double'' subverted in that the publication which informs us of the cancellation of ''Dean Magazine'' is none other than ''Magazine Monthly''.
* The final round of ''Series/HaveIGotNewsForYou'' is the Missing Words round, where the panellists are shown newspaper headlines with words blanked out and have to fill in the gaps. Some of the headlines are taken from that week's "Guest Publication", which is almost invariably a little-known magazine on an extremely specialist issue. Examples include ''Llama Link'', ''The Doorknob Collector'' and ''The Barbed Wire Collector'' (the last of which team captain Paul Merton loudly insisted, for the entire round, couldn't possibly be a real magazine).
* ''Series/{{Infomania}}'' includes a segment called [[http://current.com/shows/infomania/magazine-cover/ We've Got You Covered]] in which Connor Knighton rounds up the week's mainstream magazines and tabloids. This ends up with a bit called "How the !*#@ Is This a Magazine?" which highlights magazines that are just plain bizarre and/or specialized. Past highlights include ''Pumper'' a magazine about the "liquid sanitation industry", ''Pizza Today'' and ''Parking Today''.
* On separate occasions Creator/DavidLetterman has presented segments showing both phony and real examples on ''Late Night/Late Show''.
* Vince in ''Series/TheMightyBoosh'' subscribes to hyper-cutting-edge fashion magazine ''Cheekbone'', which has to be delivered by {{ninja}}s to avoid being obsolete ''by the time it's read''.
* ''Series/{{Psych}}'' has Gus, the uptight one of the pair who is more concerned with breaking the law, subscribing to ''Safe-crackers Monthly'' or something along those lines. He's fascinated by locks and quite adept at opening them.
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Series/PushingDaisies''. If it wasn't absurd enough that Emerson Cod is a gruff, no-nonsense detective [[RealmenWearPink who enjoys knitting]], "Smell of Success" has him reading ''Knit Wit Magazine'', which the narrator confirms is a frequent "knitting humor" magazine.
* Rimmer in ''Series/RedDwarf'' subscribes to ''Fascist Dictator Monthly''. [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Hitler]] was the Mr. October centerfold, apparently. Also, when trying to break Lister, Cat, and Kryten's spirits during a period of Quarantine, Rimmer supplies them with one ''Knitting'' magazine as almost their only form of entertainment. Then, in the episode "Krytie TV", there's the issue of ''Morris Dancer Monthly'' ("That's mine!") that they plant in Ackerman's quarters.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* ''Music/TheyMightBeGiants'': "Renew My Subscription" references ''Desperate Bellowing Magazine'' and ''Miserable Freak Show Quarterly''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Podcasts]]
* On ''Radio/TheRickyGervaisShow'', Karl mentions in his diary that he saw someone reading a magazine called ''Carp''. Specifically, a "Carp of the Month" article. Later, he searches London for "[[InsistentTerminology UFO Data]]" but keeps getting distracted by gay pornography on the newsstand.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* Bert from ''Series/SesameStreet'' reads books such as ''Boring Stories'', ''Pigeons of the World'', ''The Pigeon Whisperer'' (and several other pigeon-themed works), and ''The Wonderful World of Paper Clips''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]
* In one ''Radio/BobAndRay'' interview, they're discussing hobbies with the editor of ''Wasting Time Magazine''.
* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': In "Miss Brooks Writes About a Hobo", Miss Brooks seeks out a hobo to write an article about "The Vanishing Hobo" to submit to a schoolteacher's magazine. It so turns out the titular hobo is also writing a magazine article. The hobo's article is entitled "The Vanishing Schoolteacher" and he is paid handsomely by a ''hobo magazine'' for its publication.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''All Hands Abandon Ship'' the magazine rack in the med bay, in addition to two sensible-sounding magazines, contains a copy of ''Brutalist Architecture Monthly''.
* One of the findable items in ''VideoGame/EvilDeadHailToTheKing'' is a magazine specialized for {{Hillbilly Moonshiner}}s, which provides tips to repurpose any undrinkable results (namely how to create fuel and healing items with mushrooms).
* In ''Homescapes'' when Katherine asks where Austin gets his decorating ideas from, he comments that he subscribes to ''Trendy Butler''.
* ''VideoGame/JaggedAlliance''. Never shown, but it's mentioned that Fox appeared in an issue of ''Babes & Bullets'' both as the centerfold and the author of a four-page article on treating hemorrhaging under battlefield conditions, and received glowing feedback from the readers on both.
* Used for a joke in ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'': when passing by a magazine stand, [[DeadpanSnarker Zoey]] may teasingly tell [[AccentuateTheNegative Francis]] that they have the latest issue of ''Hating Everything Magazine''. Francis' reply? "I hate latest issues!"
* ''VideoGame/MegaMan11'' has a magazine publication called "Boom Monthly" that talks about explosions around the world. Blast Man, one of the Robot Masters you fight, is a regular writer for the magazine, and "not a month goes by where his articles don't blow the pages to bits".
* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam'': Mario, Luigi, and Prince Dreambert collect ancient Pi'illo artifacts and show them to a Pi'illo history fanatic named Pi'illoper. Upon seeing each item, he is completely overwhelmed, relating it to the exact issue and page of one of many Pi'illo magazines he's subscribed to. Additionally, Pi'illoper's Dream World version writes articles for one of the magazines he reads.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' allows you to purchase an issue of ''Fornax'', a titillating alien magazine. Featuring a [[StarfishAliens hanar]] on the cover.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* In an EasterEgg in the ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' short [[http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail101.html "car"]], Strong Sad is seen reading the magazine ''Nerdular Nerdence''. As a matter of fact, strange magazines are a RunningGag in the HR toons.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/BrunoTheBandit'':
** Uncle Lucius was once seen reading ''Hypochondriac Monthly'', while Bruno himself favored ''Pilfer! The Thieves' Magazine''.
** Shub-Megawrath once appeared on the cover of ''Pregnant Shambling Horror Magazine''.
* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Tedd reads ''[[http://egscomics.com/comic/2003-04-24 Cat Chicks]]''.
* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'':
** Dabbler the Succubus is seen reading the ''Pornews Journal'' at several points.
** There is apparently an ''A-Cup Aficionado Quarterly'' publication, which voted [[ACupAngst Sydney]] "Sexiest Superheroine". Though given that she's the only non-BadassNormal heroine in the series who doesn't have the MostCommonSuperpower, that sort of makes winning an OverlyNarrowSuperlative for the magazine's demographic.
* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Dad subscribes to ''The Serious Jester''.
* ''Webcomic/MountainTime'':
** At least one character has a subscription to ''[[http://mountaincomics.com/comic/mountain-time-543/ Tumbleweed Enthusiast]]'' magazine.
** A stranger example is ''Are You Thinking About Cows?'' magazine.
* In ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'', May reads ''[[https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2960 Prolapse Monthly]]''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' comedy-special ''Recap/TheFiveishDoctorsReboot'', three Dalek prop-operators can be seen reading copies of ''Dalek Operator's Gazette''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Joint Custody" has a brief shot of a convenience store clerk reading ''Magazine Enthusiast''.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'' is a reader of ''Bitter Crazed Loner Monthly''.
* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'':
** Ed owns a copy of ''Chicks Galore''... which is about baby chickens, not girls, much to Eddy's dismay.
--->'''Edd:''' [[LampshadeHanging I didn't even know they made magazines like that.]]
** Another episode features the Kanker Sisters reading ''Tire Iron Weekly''.
* Seen as part of a SpinningPaper montage in the episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' where Timmy wishes for Chester to be unbeatable at baseball. The first two magazines are fairly conventional sports mags, but the third is dedicated to ''braces'', and the fourth is focused on [[ItMakesSenseInContext pack mules]].
** Another episode features a comic book writer who subscribes to ''Nerds Who Live With Their Mothers Monthly''.
* In ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', we learn that Cleveland subscribes to black-guy magazines like ''Grape Soda Today''.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' has Jon harassed by a magazine salesman, who forces him to purchase a subscription of ''Sponge Illustrated''. Then the salesman starts following Jon to get him to renew (despite the issues having not even arrived yet!)...
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' has several of these, starting with Grunkle Stan's ''Gold Chains for Old Men Magazine'', and later ''Fully Clothed Women''.
** In a later episode, Wendy tries to avoid answering an uncomfortable question by burying her face in a copy of ''Avoiding Eye Contact Monthly''.
* In a few episodes of ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'', the male characters (especially Mr. Cat) are seen reading the magazine "Oh La La", which has pictures of girls in skimpy costumes.
* CartoonishSupervillainy appears to be a whole culture in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', and Drakken and Shego are sometimes seen reading magazines like ''Villainess''.
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/MakingFiends'', Vendetta reads ''Evil Magazine''.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', Plagg is seen reading a magazine called ''[[TrademarkFavouriteFood Gentlemen's Camembert]]''.
* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'':
** In ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo'', Fred subscribes to a variety of conspiracy theorist magazines, the ''[[LuridTalesOfDoom National Exaggerator]]'' apparently being one of his favorites.
** In ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' Fred reads ''Traps Illustrated'' (just for the articles).
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
** Marge gets several magazines devoted to cleaning with titles like ''Sponge & Vacuum''.
** There is also a whole selection of "death sports" magazines Marge was looking at with titles like ''Glass Eater'', ''Bear Baiter'', and ''Danger Liker''.
** Homer Simpson is once shown napping on the couch with a copy of ''Modern Fart Denier'' on his stomach.
** Homer is also an avid reader of ''Blue Pants Monthly''.
** And in TheMovie, Grandpa is seen reading an issue of ''Oatmeal Enthusiast''.
** Sherri & Terri subscribe to ''First Born Twin'' and ''Second Born Twin'' magazines.
** The comics at one point had Bart perusing the mature section at the Kwik-E-Mart, containing ''Sensuous Single Moms'', ''Barely Senile'' and, most bizarrely, ''Hemp-Made Hot Rods''.
** In one episode Ralph Wiggum hid behind a copy of ''Booger Aficionado''. He is on the cover. Picking his nose.
* In ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' Cartman's mother apparently appeared on the cover of ''Crack Whore Magazine''.
* Seen in ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'', Buck Tuddrussel partakes in a few different magazine subscriptions, most of them focusing on "guns" and one in particular that featured a woman in a bikini on the cover with the title being ''Just Pictures''.
* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRescueBots'' has ''Emergency Rescue Illustrated''.
* ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'':
** In "Do Not Disturb", Sonic finds an issue of ''Sidekick Monthly'' in Tails' house.
--->'''Sonic''': I wonder who's number two this month.
** Knuckles mentions in "Nominatus Rising" to be a reader of ''Hulking Brute Magazine''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* TruthInTelevision: it's unbelievable how magazines exist about any number of specific interests. "[[http://www.lonympics.co.uk/new/Guest%20Publications.htm This Week's Guest Publications]]" on ''Series/HaveIGotNewsForYou'' are generally excellent examples of these, with magazines such as ''Parking Review'', ''Arthritis News'' and ''Miniature Donkey Talk'' providing some of the headlines.
* Similarly, ''Series/GoodNewsWeek'' featured an occasional round called "Magazine Mastermind", where two celebrities would be given a obscure magazine to study and then be quizzed on its contents. A particular favourite was ''Bacon Busters'', a magazine for people who go bow hunting for feral pigs.
* Anyone who has ever worked in a well-stocked academic library will quickly realize that there is a scholarly journal on every discipline, every subdiscipline within the discipline and so on down the line for a few dozen iterations, rounded out with a few interdisciplinary ones.
* Japan has a magazine only about Ramen. Also one for opossum fanciers.
* Ireland has one dedicated to sheep, goats and alpaca.
* In an online variant closer to magazines than wikis, Brazil has plenty of Twitter and blog accounts dedicated to UsefulNotes/EuroFooty teams/tournaments. Even second-tier Premier League squads or the championships of Romania and ''Cyprus''.
* Just about every industry has a trade journal. [[https://www.promonthly.com/magazine Including one for portapotty-operators]].
* There's a magazine for people who like to get drunk. It's called ''Modern Drunkard''.
* Many non-fans (or even fans who don't read the mag) find it hard to understand how ''Magazine/DoctorWhoMagazine'', ([[OverlyNarrowSuperlative the longest-running publication devoted to a single sci-fi franchise]]) remained in business for the more than a decade that the show was off the air, or what it found to publish in that time.
* There are many magazines dedicated to specific performers or pieces of media that don't really seem like they'd have enough audience to stay afloat. However, they're often not true magazines in the sense of being periodical, but rather just one-off publications in a magazine-esque format.
[[/folder]]
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