''Jem'' was a magazine founded by

Joe Weider Josef Weider (; November 29, 1919 – March 23, 2013) was a Canadian bodybuilder and entrepreneur who co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) alongside his brother Ben Weider. He was also the creator of Mr. Olympia, Ms. Ol ...

in the 1950s as entertainment for heterosexual men. The first issue was released in November 1956, featuring

Candy Barr Juanita Dale Slusher (July 6, 1935 – December 30, 2005), better known by her stage name Candy Barr, was an American stripper, burlesque dancer, actress, and adult model in men's magazines of the mid-20th century. During the 1950s, she receive ...

on the cover. The monthly periodical was encouraged by American News distributors, which asked Weider to start a competitor publication to rival the success

Hugh Hefner Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of ''Playboy'' magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles. Hefner extended the ''Playboy ...

had achieved with ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...

''. ''Jem'' published photos of topless

model A model is an informative representation of an object, person, or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin , . Models can be divided in ...

s and featured articles about dining, nightlife, and wine. Its companion magazine was ''Monsieur''. ''Jem'' was quickly successful, although Weider says that he was never very interested in its viability. A number of ''Jem'' issues feature Weider's wife, model

Betty Brosmer Betty Brosmer (born Betty Chloe Brosemer; August 6, 1929), later known by her married name Betty Weider, is an American former bodybuilder and physical fitness expert. During the 1950s, she was a popular commercial model and pin-up girl. After ...

, on their covers. The February 1960 issue of ''Jem'' featured fiction, humor, article, and models.

Gypsy Rose Lee Gypsy Rose Lee (born Rose Louise Hovick, January 8, 1911 – April 26, 1970) was an American burlesque entertainer, stripper, actress, author, playwright and vedette, famous for her striptease act. Her 1957 memoir, '' Gypsy: A Memoir'', was a ...

was the feature interview. Fiction pieces were titled "The Girl From

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

", "The Nude On The Beach", and "This Guy". The magazine ceased publication in 1968. The magazine is referenced in

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...

's novel '' It'', where Richie Tozier peeks at "the half-undressed girls" in his father's magazines. In the book, it is called ''Gem''.

References

Men's magazines published in the United States Monthly magazines published in the United States Defunct magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1956 Magazines disestablished in 1968 Pornographic men's magazines {{mens-mag-stub