Stars: They're Nothing Like Us (The Scar Jo Soapbox Edition)

Believe it or not, there is a dark side to celebrity gossip. Shocking! Right? While famous people get to attend fancy parties and have designers gift them expensive, fabulous dresses, sometimes these people who make careers out of looking good on film are photographed when they're not on their A game. The rest of us should take comfort in the fact that even beautiful people look bad if a photographer slyly snaps one off when they aren't paying attention. We should realize that the wrong angles or lighting or personal struggles can make anyone look too thin or too fat or too ugly for their own good, etc. But instead, we hate on them. The thought process goes a little something like this:

-- Ok, I gained a little weight this year, but at least I'm not Jessica Simpson. Look at her being all fat in those high-waisted pants. Ha.

-- Oh, crap. Jessica Simpson lost the weight. Now I'm the fatty.

-- You know what, I think Jessica Simpson is too skinny. She needs to put some meat on those bones.

Yeah, we revel in celebrity low points and envy their high points. It's only natural. So when I read that Scarlett Johansson was upset that she recently came under fire for losing too much weight for her upcoming role in Iron Man 2, I initially thought, "Oh, poor Scar Jo. She doesn't like people calling her skinny, huh? That must be sooo tough." Not a whole lot of sympathy from me at first...but she actually has a surprisingly well-written article in the Huffington Post about the whole thing. She writes:

How are we supposed to view articles highlighting celebrity cellulite and not sulk in the mirror, imagining a big red arrow pointing to various parts of our bodies? The media has packaged for us an unhealthy idea that one must suffer loss, be in the middle of a nervous breakdown, feel pressure from friends or coworkers, battle divorce or have a bitter dispute with an ex in order to get into acceptable bikini shape.

Good point. Of course I agree with her, but it's difficult hear a Hollywood Hottie tell us regular folks not to hate our bodies. I mean, when Oprah tells me I'm beautiful no matter what I look like, I believe her. She's been there; she knows where I'm coming from. It's freakin' Oprah. But when an A-list eye-candy starlet does it, it's a bit harder to believe. I mean, if you make money by posing nude on the cover of Vanity Fair because you've got the perfect body, can you really get mad that the paparazzi is obsessed with your weight loss? Discuss...

This entry was posted by Lady Amy, on Tuesday, April 14, 2009. You can leave your response.