It's the final day of 2009, and I've been thinking about beauty. And reality TV: Real Housewives, Jersey Shore, Real World, more. The women who star (or their stylists) have gotten beauty down to a shorthand of straightened hair and smokey eyes. These people are not beautiful, mind you. They spend every moment of air time acting as ugly as possible. They smirk instead of smile (see above), and a curtain of weave and a boob job are their signifiers: "Check me out! I'M GOODLOOKIN!" I don't think you could ever convince them otherwise.And all this has made me realize that I'm a big hypocrite. I always have thought that you should do whatever you want to do, beauty-wise. Don't follow rules if those rules don't make you happy. It's nobody's business if it makes you feel pretty. I've also always thought that people, in general, don't do enough, often because they lack the confidence. Then when I see these very ugly reality TV folk so very confident of their appeal, I am all-of-a-sudden appalled. But why? Don't they have the right to overdose on self-tanner if they so choose? Who says hair shouldn't be crunchy? Who am I to judge?
Ugh. This year I'm going to try to be a nicer person. Happy New Year, everybody!
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6 comments:
We don't read your blog because you're nice. We read it because you're truthful and funny.
I second what Jenny said!
I think the object lesson here is that all the make up and confidence in the world can't camouflage ugly on the inside.
There's a difference between being brassy and being abrasive. I mean, look at Dolly Parton. She's got more fake hair, nails, and boobs than all those reality folk combined. The difference is, Dolly Parton is a delightful, intelligent, down to earth human being.
So no need to change your ways. Carry on.
Carry on, indeed.
Here's to a better 2010...if 2009 was good, 2010 can be even better. If 2009 sucked...you deserve a great 2010!
Of course they have the RIGHT to look like skeezy whores and greasy pimps, dear. And you--and I--have the right to JUDGE that they are presenting themselves publicly as skeezy whores and greasy pimps, and conduct ourselves, with respect to the fact of their existence, in full knowledge of their cheap trashiness.
Don't gotta shoot 'em, or gas 'em. But don't gotta invite 'em to dinner, or let your kids associate with their kids, either. Everybody makes choices. And they all count. So says me... but then, I haven't resolved to be nicer this year ;)
If you're going to be nice then I will be snarky: the guy on the right's hair paired with the shadow behind him makes him look like a Stegosaurus. There.
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