But I am seriously starting to think that this country (and others) has an unhealthy obsession with makeovers/making people over, in person and in print.
Exhibit A: Susan Boyle, the erstwhile frumpy spinster/singing sensation from "Britain's Got Talent."
Seriously, who cares that the poor woman got her hair done, her eyebrows tweezed, and burned that frumpy beige frock? (Btw, I have a sneaking suspicion that Ms. Boyle's whole frumpy look was just an act and that the made over version was closer to the truth/what she really looks like.)
Exhibit B: Faith Hill
I totally missed the flap over Ms. Hill's Redbook cover back in July 2007, which was heavily retouched. But it is worth bringing up again.
I think we can all agree that Faith Hill is a beautiful, fit-looking woman, who actually looks amazing for someone who has birthed three children, is constantly on the road, and is over 40 (39 at the time of the Redbook shoot). Yet the folks at Redbook apparently didn't think Ms. Hill looked quite amazing enough. So, they retouched her into a human Barbie doll, or, in the words of Jezebel.com, "into something more befitting the cover of Cosmopolitan."
SIGH.
And we wonder why women are so obsessed with looks and plastic surgery...
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6 comments:
This is a very sticky subject....A man can't call a woman "ugly" -- but women can suggest other women get "made over"
Susan Boyle is still ugly; and tiresome.....
Good point, Tommy, though men had no trouble telling me I was overweight or unattractive when I was younger. (Despite that, I never considered liposuction or "enhancements.") And yes, I, too, am tired of Susan Boyle.
I think Simon and the gang knew. I think it was staged. Not sure-check out that 12 year old boy's audition. They had the second song right there. It is entertaining and we love rooting for the underdog.
J you certainly don't need a make over! SB did even if was to get back to the orginal.
All that lettering around her makes Faith Hill look fat.
I thought Susan Boyle looked just right in the YouTube video, especially when she shook her frumpy lace-clad butt. She was so real – so genuine in looks and in voice. In contrast, the makeover photo is dreadful. But what do I know?
Don't know about Susan Boyle (I don't watch TV), but boy did Redbook get carried away with Faith Hill. As a sometimes-photographer and a connoisseur of natural beauty, I really, really hate that crap. Really. IMO, retouching should only be used to cover up obvious or distracting flaws--period. If you're not happy with how the subject looks in the original photo, then you need to get a new photographer. I can't tell you how dispiriting it is to see yet another waxy-looking manenequin--that was once a living, breathing woman--on the cover of a major magazine. It's bad enough we're all beginning to merge with our electronics via iPods and Playstations and the like; do we need to start *looking* like robots, too? Grrr.
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