Standards of Beauty

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Originally Posted by berries

:I think a lot of us (who may or may not be as attractive as these women) just like to pick apart everything about these contestants, simply because they are putting themselves out there (by coming into our livingrooms!) and they're fair game... It's got nothing to do with them personally, because we don't know them (usually) - we just do it because WE CAN! :yay

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:yeahthat
Once again, ITA with Berries. In "real life" I am truly an upbeat, positive woman, who places a lot more emphasis on a strong sense of humor than a strong bone structure . I personally haven't voiced any opinions on the ladies (good or bad), but I readily admit I have enjoyed every and all snarks swiped at them, just because like Berries said, "they are putting themselves out there", and it's all in the game. Don't get on the court with your basketball, if you don't want to be elbowed occassionally! Right, team?!?!?!!?!?!? :hiya

Oh wait, forgot to add. . . .

[/QUOTE]I also think these women are putting themselves out into the public domain in a show that really is all about superficial stuff, so I don't feel too bad criticizing their appearances OR their behavior...that's the price they pay for going on this kind of show. I hope I wouldn't hold them to these standards in real life, but I WILL hold their "characters" to these standards on TV.[/QUOTE]

:yeahthat , too!!!

roseskid & I have great minds, because we think alike!! :lol
I'm really a nice person too, rose... I would never be as openly critical of people in real life as I am of people on these shows... (Well, I might THINK it, but I'd never SAY it!)
Anyway, I just wanted to say there is no deep psychological reason that we're snarky on these boards... it's just all in fun! :yay

People have differing opinions on what or who is beautiful. Beauty in women and men may vary according to the prevailing standards of the time. Marilyn Monroe was thought to have the most perfect body and Elizabeth Taylor the most beautiful face during the 1950's. Today, Monroe's body would not meet the reigning ideal, but Taylor's face would still be considered beautiful. What is beauty in men, however, has remained pretty much the same over the changing times. Paul Newman would still be considered gorgeous and Brad Pitt would have been a hunk in Newman's day. Conclusion: Women's body shapes seem to be only consistently changing ideal. Now - tall, slender women with long legs, flat stomachs and "C" cup breasts seem to be the standard for female body-type beauty.

The girls on this show are all at least cute, some are pretty and a few are maybe beautiful (depending on taste) - but none are "average". Personalities, however, are another thing - spiteful, nasty girls, bimbettes, and cheerleader types are NOT what I consider to have good personalities. Unfortunately, most of these ladies seem to fit at least one of those three molds.

Something else just occurred to me. I think Candybar assumes that the snarking is directed only at the women, and that's just not necessarily so. I have seen great swipes taken at Rob Campos (meh), Blob Guiney (hearing high-pitched male-giggling with machine-gun speed as I type this), and not-in-the-athletic-shape-you-would-assume and couldn't string two words together, Jesse, from the Bachelor show. I know there are more but they just all seem to run together and fade away after a while. :zzz A lot of the men took some pretty good hits from viewers, so I think it is safe to say, we are an equal snarking opportunity group, and most reality tv folks will come out "reviewed", right Berries?!?! :lol

Exactly, roseskid!!!! Men... women... dogs... we'll snark 'em all! That's what they get for coming into our living rooms! :lol

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Originally Posted by berries

Exactly, roseskid!!!! Men... women... dogs... we'll snark 'em all! That's what they get for coming into our living rooms! :lol

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:nono
Oh, no, Berries. Men... women.... fine, but leave dogs out of it! OK? This is the first time I have ever disagreed with you. How could you ever snark at this? :dog

P.S. You're still my favorite poster, though! You always bring a smile to my face!!! :hiya :lol

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Originally Posted by berries

I'm really a nice person too, rose... I would never be as openly critical of people in real life as I am of people on these shows... (Well, I might THINK it, but I'd never SAY it!)
Anyway, I just wanted to say there is no deep psychological reason that we're snarky on these boards... it's just all in fun! :yay

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I'm a nice person too (mostly); however, I am as openly critical in real life when it's warranted. :lol

You know you're going on national television and you are being filmed pretty much 24/7 and you KNOW they are looking for garbage to put on our tv screen. It is not our fault if you embarass yourself or say something so monumentally stupid it's replayed over and over again. We just make sure that we catch it and capitalize on your inability to maintain your composure 24/7 on national television while looking for the man of your dreams. :rofl

THIS is entertainment people not the show.

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Originally Posted by roseskid

Blob Guiney (hearing high-pitched male-giggling with machine-gun speed as I type this), and not-in-the-athletic-shape-you-would-assume and couldn't string two words together, Jesse, from the Bachelor show.

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Love the description of these two! Very accurate. Bob I could not stand and Jesse was a disappointment. Speaking of the females - my husband thought Jessica (Jesse's choice) was plain.

Nope, I don't think you are only discussing the women. It may be helpful to understand my perspective on this topic as it directly relates to this type of R tv show. It is unlikely with all the posts on the boards here that you would have read the ones where I have discussed that I worked in reality tv and that is relevant to my feelings on this topic.

I know the contestants don't fully know what they are getting into, don't understand the way the material that is later edited into the show is obtained. Editing has been discussed on many forums and threads so I won't do a rehash. What is relevant here is that guests on the shows are very reluctant to acknowledge that they were manipulated/trapped/ tricked into making the statements that are later used. I don't think many people want to believe they were manipulated.

Even the people who are actor wannabees are often still very naieve and will go along with outrageous activities to get thier camera time. The ones who aren't in the business are so flattered that they are good looking enough to be chosen feel special about being on the show. Most of their families feel the same way, proud for them to be chosen. Then they all find themselves being judged on what is at best only a tiny fraction of who they are and is a huge percentage of who the producer sees them and styles them as. I saw some people who were really nice, hurt and some who were arrogant pushed further into unhealthy behaviors in a system where they were no more than a commodity to be used up for the next show. You know the producers in the shows are used and abused in the same way in order to get the show the executive producers expect them to turn out. You think it is good for anyone to be paid to manipulate another person into making statements that are a distortion of what they wanted to say. Nobody gets healthy doing this.

I don't think we can actually separate our criticism of people on R TV from our criticism of people in real life. These people are not fictional characters but are intentionally being portrayed as "real " people. They are however being criticized as though they were fictional characters. It is probably always dangerous for us to dehumanize other people. It may well shape in subtle but cumulative ways who we are and how we see the world.

I wish I had a sociologist nearby to help me explain what I think I am witnessing.

There you have a few more of my thoughts, stuff thats been percolating for some time now. Sorry, I think I went way off topic. It is late and I didn't reread my original post. Something to think about if you like.

As always, take what you like and leave the rest.