Jackie Warner: Women want to be her, and women want to date her

This NYT story sums up the uber-appeal of Jackie Warner:

JACKIE WARNER, the lesbian fitness trainer whose seesaw love life is chronicled in the Bravo reality series “Work Out,” is maneuvering though a dark, half-built gym in Hollywood.

Already a minor celebrity thanks to her show, Ms. Warner has plans to renovate this equipment-strewn space and offer affordable group fitness classes.

The studios are silent now, but one could imagine them filled with “Work Out” fans, a number of whom, it turns out, are not necessarily fitness buffs.

“I think my top demographic are not the gay and lesbian community, but housewives,” said Ms. Warner, 39.

…

This, women of St. Louis, is not news to Ms. Warner.

“They get crushes,” she said in her office at Sky Sport & Spa, her penthouse gym in Beverly Hills with sweeping views of the city and the Hollywood sign. “I have hard-core women that get major crushes. I have women that send me — this is the weird thing — I have women that send me photos of themselves with their husbands and three teenage boys or whatever — I’m just giving you an example — with a love letter attached.”

Other women, said Ms. Warner, who has trained the likes of Paul McCartney and Anne Hathaway, hit on her during training sessions. Those who can’t afford the $400 an hour fee have joined social networking groups such as “If Jackie from ‘Workout’ hit on me, I’d definitely reconsider my sexuality.”

As a woman with the moniker LibbytheCute put it in the interactive magazine Zimbio.com. “I’m straight. Very straight, and even I would seriously consider batting for her team.”

What in Sappho’s name is going on?

MR. COHEN and others suggest it’s a combination of things: Ms. Warner’s sex appeal, business savvy and knack for connecting with different kinds of people. More important, perhaps, is the portrayal of Ms. Warner’s life — waking up with another women in her bed — which is done without judgment, in a matter-of-fact way.

“I think its very safe for women across the United States to watch this in their living room in St. Louis and think, ‘What if?’ or ‘Wow,’ ” he said.

And they can have those thoughts with their husbands sitting next to them. As Mr. Cohen put it: “Show me a straight guy that doesn’t love to watch women kiss.”

Graciela Meltzer, a mother of two — Marley, 5, and Sam, 2 — got into “Work Out” last season. “There’s a lot of good trainer drama,” said Ms. Meltzer, an acquaintance of Mr. Cohen. “There’s some really nice tear-jerker moments. And, of course, did I mention there’s Jackie Warner? Mind you I’m not willing to leave my fabulous, glorious husband for Jackie.”

But of course.

“My girl crush isn’t so much as I want to date Jackie as much as I want to get closer to that look,” Ms. Meltzer said. “She’s got fierce abs, a sexy voice and the most amazing lip gloss I have ever seen.”