And it feels really bizarre to say that. (Lainey: Please note this article was written by Sarah.)

It all started with a radio interview with him and Jamie Bell during promotion for that Eagle movie they made. I listened and found myself thinking, You know, Channing Tatum isn't that bad. Since then, I've gained an appreciation for him. He's still a Cro Magnon and he doesn't ring my bell, but he's quite a likeable dude, and maybe not as dumb as many of us tend to think.

Or maybe he really is that dumb because the first still for Magic Mike, the male stripper movie conceived by Tatum from his own experiences as an exotic dancer, is f*cking hilarious. I saw this thing and laughed for five minutes straight. Granted, Steven Soderbergh is directing so it could turn out fine, but in still-image form, Magic Mike is spectacularly silly.

I can't decide what's funnier, the guys (Tatum, Alex “Pretty Face” Pettyfer--who plays the character inspired by Tatum--and Joe Manganiello) lined up looking so serious, or that OF COURSE Matthew McConaughey is the shirtless one. I wonder if it’s in his contract at this point--must be shirtless throughout production. (Lainey: you think he proposed shirtless?) McConaughey plays the "granddad of male strippers” who instructs the younger guys on how to properly wax and oil their chests.

Over the holiday a TV spot for GI Joe 2 came on and my brother asked me why Tatum wasn't in it (he does appear in a cameo in the movie). I told him, "His career has moved past that." Then I punched myself in the face for saying those words in that order. But it's true.  Channing Tatum, who once seemed like he would never be more than an action movie meathead, is increasingly known for a career built on romantic dramas and popular comedies (I hear early hopes for 21 Jump Street are very high). And now he's making movies with Steven Soderbergh. Channing Tatum is...the future of movies…?

Excuse me while I punch myself in the face.