I have a true confession – I’m not a “looks” person. It’s not to say that I don’t enjoy looking good. I do. My Wifesy can also attest to the fact that I own more shoes than the average bear. I believe in looking the best that I can look, as ME, in a natural sort of way.
Don’t look at my face. Look at this classy tie instead.
Even from the time I was a child, I always enjoyed people from the inside-out more. Let’s be clear, I’m not some saint. Lord knows I DO see some outward appearance stuff and judge. I am not without fault in that arena. However, I DO lean towards who a person IS more than what they look like on the outside and I always have.
I do that less out of a feeling of morality and fairness and more out of a sense or a need for WHAT IS INTERESTING.
The insides are usually far more interesting to me.
I like to be interested.
So, why am I bringing this all up? Here’s the bridge:
I remember, way back, a cousin of mine said to me, “I only enjoy watching hot looking people in movies.”
WHHHAAAAATTTTT???!!!
Her comment was an outrage for me.
I look back upon why it upset me so much and I think the answer was two-fold. One – I was trying to make it in the entertainment industry and I KNEW I could never be one of the “hot” people. Two – THE OVERLY HOT PEOPLE WERE USUALLY FECKIN’ BORING!!
If I have a choice between an Angelina Jolie and a Holly Hunter or a Judi Dench, well, I’m going Judi Dench because she is interesting as feck. Dench could make reading the phone book look interesting. If the movie stars Brad Pitt alongside William Macy and Robert Duvall – my eyes are on Duvall and Macy. Okay, if Pitt takes his shirt off, I’m still looking. I have eyes after all. But, I’m talking about the craft here.
When I watch a movie or a tv show I want to escape. So, for me, I like the changeling actor. I like the actor that can dissolve so much into a character so entirely that you forget who they were before. They are nothing, but what you see before you. THAT is what I enjoy watching.
But, am I alone? Does the rest of the world only revel in the beautiful people?
Hollywood says yes, that’s what the public likes. The mere fact that Kathy Bates had to fight (in court) for a role that she played on the stage for years when it was re-cast in favor of a beautiful person for filming purposes, well, when that happens I’d say the case is made and the verdict is in – PRETTY PEOPLE RULE.
Yet, my tastes hold true. I like the regular people. The odd ones. The average Joe on the outside with the swirling inner life about to explode right out of his chest.
I like to watch people that are RELATABLE.
Recently, I read this slightly disturbing article that says Youtube is going the same way. (Click here to read.) Youtube is now the online den of the beautiful people. They are the ones that rise to popularity based somewhat on content, but mostly on beauty and youth. It depresses me. I want my regular-looking, cyclones of the interesting. And especially on Youtube. After all, Youtube is supposed to be entertainment made democratic. But, is it? Really?
I’m cute, young, pretty, and I might even be ethnic. Where’s my feckin’ youtube channel?
Perhaps, it truly is just another vehicle where our drone-like natures will default to staring at the beautiful people and wishing we were something more. Wishing we were them.
Maybe blogs and the written word are TRULY the last places where you can appreciate someone for their utterly interesting insides. I don’t know. What do you think?
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Photo credits:
cute-girl, tie-man, red-carpet
Sweet Mother 
