AAR

[bookmark]

shows or movies?

I know I asked a similar question a while back in regards to hero & heroines in our romance novels.

When I was younger, I would say that seeing a main character, especially if it was a male, lol, who I thought was attractive would influence my interest in wanting to watch a tv show or movie.

Now, I don't know if it's because I'm older and my tastes have changed, but I do get a little tired of the "perfect looking" characters, well compared to the general population, who, don't get me wrong, are attractive, but in a different way. I find myself not watching new shows or showing less interest if the main characters are the stereotypical model looking types. They're all starting to look the same to me, usually tall or taller than average, thin, mostly blond, etc... women and tall, dark haired, and fit men.

I do realize that tv, like books, is escapism and would depict fictional characters who are supposed to be larger than life, more attractive, more good, etc...

At least with books, I can form an image based on the writer's description but kind of add my own interpretation, since my imagination isn't that great or exacting.

Do you think, in reality, viewers aren't that picky about attractiveness as the media seem to think we are?

Don't get me wrong, I'm as appreciative of beauty and vain as the next person, but I don't know....I just wish there was different representations of beauty in males and females (especially) in the media. After all, they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But I sense the media has a certain standard of beauty that they go by. *sighs*

Any thoughts?

[ChrisReader]

I think it's definitely true that TV/Movie executives have a cookie cutter type idea of beauty.

For men now, it's that boyish model type face and a super thin/defined body. For women it's similar, that ultra thin and toned body, even the hairdo seem the same (is there one female TV star with curly hair right now? Even Juliana Margulies straightens hers now.)

I believe that is why Mad Men was such a big hit and style influence. John Hamm is an incredibly good looking guy, but he looks like a man not like a boy. He is fit but not super muscly/ripped. He looks different than all the other guys on TV. Ditto with Christina Hendricks who plays Joan. There is no other woman on TV with her look and physique. It's nice to see people who look unique. There are lots of different kinds of beauty.

One thing I really enjoy about British shows it that not everyone on them looks like a supermodel. There is a range of people from super good looking to average every day. There are stars who are attractive but not necessarily perfect looking and I find I enjoy it more. The female star of Torchwood is very attractive but has a noticeable gap in her front teeth. I keep wondering now that the show is moving to Starz, if she will have new "Hollywood" teeth.

[bookmark]

I noticed that too about the few British shows that I've seen. They're refreshing because a lot of the actors or actresses have real life ranges in attractiveness.

I do wonder if cosmetic surgery or obsession with beauty is as big in the UK, or maybe in Europe in general, as it is in the US. It's too much. Even when talking about teeth, I remember when I visited England for about a week or so, I noticed that they actually have normal colored teeth and not blinding white teeth that I'm used to seeing in California. Same in Spain too. The reason I notice about teeth is because my sister is a fanatic about white teeth. I shake my head at her all the time because she will keeping saying her teeth is "yellow" even they're not.