Pique Publishes Smut and Loses My Readership

I am not amused. At all. In fact, I am frustrated to the point where I had to write a letter to the Editor of the Pique Newsmagazine in Whistler.

"Dear Bob,

With regard to Carlucci's smut article -what were you thinking?

I have been reading the Pique since 1997 with great enthusiasm. The articles and news have cheered me up, educated me and kept me involved in our local community.Last Thursday, February 5, 2009, was the first time in these 12 years that I slammed the Pique down and swore to only use it as fire kindle in the future.

The Pique, as everybody knows, is a FREE local newsmagazine. It is available at the Library, in Hotel lobbies, next to all watering holes and coffee shops. It is very easily accessible to our children. I was disgusted to see Carlucci's article, and accompanying photos as the feature story. Carlucci's column, at a push, may have been appropriate in Penthouse, Playboy, Maxim or Sports Illustrated, NOT in a freely and easily accessible local news mag.

My daughter and her friends browse through the Pique, SNAP and the Whistler Question quite often to see if their friends, teachers or anyone of interest features. I balked at the idea of our children coming across this smut. Thankfully I was the first and last person to read it in our family. My husband agrees with me and encouraged me to write this letter.

I have noticed, over the past few months, that your publication has become more liberal when using colourful colloquial idiom to describe men and women, but your publication of Carlucci's article is unacceptable.Unless you make some commitment to keeping the Pique clean, my friends, colleagues and peers are going to refuse to read it or make it accessible to our families.

I hope you publish this because I know how many other parents agree with me. I will be copying this letter on my blog and I look forward to some form of response from you.

Sincerely,

Lisa Haeck

Whistler Mom and Long-time Resident"

My beef wasn't with the article itself, although it left much to be desired, but with the fact that the Editor thought it was remotely appropriate for the thousands of families in Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton. What Editor in his right mind thinks it is appropriate to have photographs of dildos and leather whips in a news magazine that lies around most family homes in the Sea to Sky corridor?

Best the Pique cleans up its act or it will be used on a massive scale to light our fires in winter and swat flies in summer.