Get All Access for $5/mo

As Criticism and Comparisons Abound, Gwyneth Paltrow's 'Goop' Gets the Last Laugh In a biting new blog post, the site pokes fun at its elitist reputation -- and also thoughtfully illuminates a perceived double standard.

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

DFree | Shutterstock.com
Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow's fiercely polarizing lifestyle brand Goop looks to be steaming mad as criticism and comparisons surrounding the site have reached a fever pitch.

And on the heels of news that Snoop Dogg and Stephen Colbert are launching their own lifestyle brands -- the former a cannabis-themed media hub called Merry Jane and the latter a parody called Covetton House for The Late Show -- Goop has fired off a deliciously venomous blog post welcoming each of the guys to the space.

"It's about time someone brought a sausage or two to this clam bake," begins the biting entry, entitled "6 Fail-Proof Tips For Launching a Men's Lifestyle Site.'

Many of Goop's suggestions poke fun at its own reputation for being elitist and out of touch. After getting burned for a past post about vaginal steaming, for instance, Goop suggests that Snoop and Colbert "get ahead of the curve and write about a growing craze among men, anal bleaching" -- recommending a treatment at New York's Face to Face spa, where "gentle fruit acids will be applied to your balloon tie."

Related: How Reese Witherspoon's New Lifestyle Brand Stacks Up Against Goop, Honest and Preserve

"Evergreen beauty content is SEO gold -- and you can link-bait the shit out of it," Goop adds, suggesting that the guys author a six-page slideshow about man-buns. "We style ours with Psssssst Dry Shampoo and Abilene oil from sharks."

But if there is a hint of truth in every joke, some of the quips seem to echo Paltrow's rather sober responses to past criticisms surrounding Goop. She told Time magazine in June, for instance, that comparisons with other actress-entrepreneurs like Jessica Alba, Blake Lively and Reese Witherspoon were "slightly misogynistic" given the different nature of each of their businesses.

"I wonder if George Clooney would be asked about Puff Daddy's ancillary liquor line," she said. (It should be noted that Entrepreneur drew precisely this comparison last June when Justin Timberlake and P. Diddy announced competing artisanal tequila brands.)

But Goop's blog post tackles this perceived double standard in a stinging tone that also, for the first time, suggests that the company doesn't take itself so seriously: "Stephen, why not try to shark some of Snoop Dogg's readers? After all, the media world will be eagerly awaiting a cat fight from you two lifestyle doyennes!"

Props to Goop for shrewdly flipping the script, and for finally realizing that, if you're going to evangelize the virtues of $5,000 gold-plated juicers and the emotional layers of "conscious uncoupling," it helps to have a sense of humor.

Related: Timberlake, Diddy Throw Down in Artisanal Tequila Battle

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

Visionaries or Vague Promises? Why Companies Fail Without Leaders Who See Beyond the Bottom Line

Visionary leaders turn bold ideas into lasting impact by building resilience, clarity and future-ready teams.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Green Entrepreneur®

How Global Business Leaders Can Build a Sustainable Supply Chain

Businesses can build sustainable supply chains by leveraging technology to reduce environmental impact, optimize resources and track emissions while balancing operational efficiency and sustainability goals.