The playing field is getting a bit more level: Spanx for men are selling like hot cakes (and they work to hide that paunch grown out of hot cake consumption).

Jimmy Kimmel has broached the subject on his show and Steve Carell hinted at wearing an early sample of the men’s T-shirt during an interview at the Golden Globes, but all jokes aside, real men are shaping up and retailers are taking note.

Nick Wooster, men’s fashion director at Neiman Marcus says, “We are selling them as quickly as Spanx can make them. Men may not be talking about it, but they’re buying it.”  Sales so far seem to be more substantial online where a self-conscious man can shop with anonymity.

In addition to popular paunch smoothing T-shirts, brands are producing profile-enhancing underwear.  Profile enhancing underwear are the equivalent of the push-up bra.   (Is that Spanx you’re wearing or are you just happy to see me?)

The founder of Spanx, Sara Blakely, is quick to explain that her products are not for weight loss and not aimed at beer bellies and muffin tops, but for anyone trying to smooth over small problem areas.  She sites the perpetually slim and fit (size 2) Gwyneth Paltrow as a client and fan. 

The problem with all these smoke and mirrors is that when it comes time to strip of our Spanx, we may all be in for a shock.  As comedian Wanday Sykes explains, “It’s so funny that when you take them off you just become a blob. You look in the mirror, and it’s like, hey, now I’m an amoeba.”  At least now they’re will be two amoeba’s…

AFTER