Esquire's survey of American women

The current issue of Esquire magazine includes survey results from their polling nearly 10,000 women on politics, sex, finances and, of course, men.  The average age of the respondents was 27.6 and 72% had at least a college degree.

Here are some of the more interesting findings:

- 54% consider themselves underpaid while 44% consider themselves appropriately paid.
- 61% believe in God.
- 42% have been to a strip club.
- 29% cite Hillary Clinton as the most admirable woman in America, followed by Michelle Obama at 19% and Ellen DeGeneres at 16%.  (Oprah was next at 12%, signaling the change in daytime TV dynamics which we wrote about here a few weeks ago.)
- 50% cite Barack Obama as the most admirable man in American followed by Bill Gates (21%), George Clooney (7%) and Mitt Romney (7%.)
- The best looking man in America, according to the respondents, is Johnny Depp (29%) in a slight edge over Clooney (28%.)  Following these two are Missouri boys Jon Hamm (21%) and Brad Pitt (12%.)
- In perhaps a surprise, Christina Hendricks (the voluptuous Joan on Mad Men) was chosen as the best-looking woman in America followed by Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima (17%), and actresses Jessica Alba (15%) and Megan Fox (14%.)  Thirty percent thought Hendricks was best, thus proving that being a rail thin, size zero model does not equate to the admiration of one's gender and/or peers.
- And, in the category of men, 49% said "eyes" are the first thing they look at "when you see a man," followed by "body" (17%), "his clothes" (15%) and "hair" (14%.)  Forty seven percent want we men to be clean shaven and 58% believe that men should wear cologne.
- Finally, in the category of "duh!", 89% believe that Elin Nordegren should dump Tiger Woods.

Speaking of Esquire, the once famous literary and fashion magazine continues to struggle to find an audience, and an identity.  Today's Esquire is an older version of the magazines targeted at young males, and is a far cry from the medium which offered a forum for great writers like Hemingway, Mailer, Talese and Wolfe, and designers and art directors like Dean, Delgado and Lois.  For me, picking up an issue of Esquire is an effort to try to regain what once was--an attempt to remember the notable features and articles from the early-to-mid 1970's.  Unfortunately, those days of this magazine's excellence--and influence--are gone.