Word!

[valis2]

scatteredlogic was just talking about the state of the American sitcom, and how it seems like really attractive, thin women are paired off with average guys.

I would take this a step further. For the last few years I've been really noticing that this even extends to commercials. You almost always see a geeky, slightly overweight guy with a fairly attractive, thin woman. In nearly every commercial. Not so attractive that they're scary, just pretty in a generic way.

I can't remember the last time I saw a commercial featuring a married couple who were both on the plus side, or with an attractive man and a not-quite-as-attractive woman. Yeah, I'm sure y'all will pull exceptions out of your hats, but still, they're the exceptions, not the rules. In most commercials with goofy-looking guys, the wife is nearly a knockout.

I do remember that I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw a KIA commercial with actors/actresses who appeared to represent the populace more realistically. That was a campaign from about two or three years ago. Even better, it had some sort of punchline involving one of the heavier woman actually (gasp!) having relations with a guy. (Even though you'd never know it from watching TV, plus-size people actually do fall in love, have sex, and do all of the things thin people do.)

Comments

[florence-craye.livejournal.com]

Yeah, things like this are ridiculous. I don't watch much tv (besides dvds of House), and this sort of stereotype is why. I wish they'd have more plus-size actors everywhere, doing normal things! Hello, we do exist, have good relationships, and are sometimes quite funny.

Here's a story about sitcom idiot husbands and supermodel wives: http://www.slate.com/id/2111762/

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I never even noticed until a few years ago, and then suddenly I saw it everywhere, and it really bummed me out. Especially the dweeby guy/lovely woman scenario...it's kind of amazing how many times I've seen that.

[snegurochka_lee]

Oh god, yes. Same for movies. How do we know that dorky-looking guys are the ones making these sitcoms/commercials/movies? *eyeroll* So, so obvious.

This is a point of constant irritation with the lesbians I hang out with. :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

If TV is a mirror of society, then we are pretty ugly on the inside, I'd say. *sigh* Thank goodness it is a distorted mirror.

[gina-r-snape.livejournal.com]

Ugh. What's even worse is that a lot of sitcoms seem to pair thin smart attractive women with overweight men who are either assholes or idiots or both. wtf?!?!

I am at least amused by the Doritos ad that ran for the Stuporbowl and is now on tv in regular ad circulation. The woman at the check out counter flirting with the guy with the mutton chop facial hair buying bags of chips. They are both overweight and clearly flirting and into both one another and chips in a twist on food lust. You know the one?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Ugh. What's even worse is that a lot of sitcoms seem to pair thin smart attractive women with overweight men who are either assholes or idiots or both. wtf?!?!

Oh yeah, don't even get me started on how this generation of TV husbands seems to be spelling out a fantasy of reverting back to babyhood.

You know the one?

Hmm. Nope, haven't seen that one. :(

[blackletter]

That reminds me of an article/survey. (I wish I remembered it well enough to cite it, but I don't.) It said that, in general, men didn't like women who were smarter than they were, but liked women who were prettier than they were. And women accepted men who were smarter than they were, but didn't much like them to be prettier.

If this is true, it says something rather frightening about our society. Girls are raised to think that being pretty is more important than being smart, and boys are raised to distrust girls who are smarter than they are. (Hence, the smart, geeky, but average-looking guy with a thin, pretty girl in the commercials.)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Now that's an interesting thought. It really makes sense, too. Advertisers and show producers want to appeal to everyone, after all.

Food for thought. Thanks!

[scatteredlogic.livejournal.com]

In most commercials with goofy-looking guys, the wife is nearly a knockout.

~nods~ I wouldn't even been so offended if the men were presented as being intelligent, but it's usually some rude, arrogant, dim-witted jackass paired with smart, pretty (and yes, thin) wife.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I don't know why the commercials are getting to me so much. I guess I realized when I watched that KIA commercial just how programmed I was, and it kind of shocked me, and now it makes me crazy to see commercial after commercial with this pairing.

[kaiz.livejournal.com]

It all started with Woody Allen. Feh.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

*snort* ;)

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

(Even though you'd never know it from watching TV, plus-size people actually do fall in love, have sex, and do all of the things thin people do.)

We do!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Definitely. And there are a lot of us! It baffles me why no one advertises to us. Thank goodness for Dove!

[mingbutterfly.livejournal.com]

Wow, everyone has posted such insightful comments... For me, this ties into some other issues, too.

I'd like to see more people of color, for example... and not in a token way. There's been some progress but I don't think anyone can kid themselves, it's not that great.

And I'd like to see more disabled people, in a way that this was not the focus of their character. Our culture's value judgments are trained by seeing only certain (very few) traits reflected back in the media... And that's really sad.

You're quite right there's another phenomenon of not putting women in TV shows or ads unless they're thin and conventionally beautiful. When I was young I loved Margaret Cho's sitcom. I was completely abashed to find out, years later, she was taken off the air for not being thin enough, and replaced with Drew Carey (!).

Not watching TV or looking at women's magazines anymore has greatly improved my inner calm! :-)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I know we have a long way to go, but I do think we are starting to move forward. If we can get to the point where we are just people, all of us...well, that would be great. ;)

Of course, I must say that I do maintain a rather elitist attitude about rude people who hang up on me...heh.

[mingbutterfly.livejournal.com]

BTW, I don't mean to turn your journal into a soapbox! I'd just love to see like, real people on TV... Not exaggerated cartoony baby-blob husbands and cheerleader wives, and not all same-ish.

P.S. I tried to reply to your comment the other day about h/c recs, but only to say that I didn't bookmark anything. But then my computer kept freezing up everytime I tried to reply. These kinds of technology problems are likely why I don't trust bookmarks in the first place... ;-)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

BTW, I don't mean to turn your journal into a soapbox!

Too late, I've already done so! ha!

Aw, it's too bad about the bookmarks. Let me know, though, if you remember any fave h/c authors' names. I'd love to hear them! :)

*hugs*

[cafemercury.livejournal.com]

Not watching TV or looking at women's magazines anymore has greatly improved my inner calm! :-)

Amen, sister.

[morricone1900.livejournal.com]

I happened to run across this and it made me think of you! ;) If you don't find it as amusing as I did, don't blame me!! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O97h4_xlkJA

[morricone1900.livejournal.com]

Oh, and...I know this doesn't have anything to do with your thread, but I just posted it into the most recent of your threads that came up! :/

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks! I'll watch it ASAP. ;)

And no problem about the thread...I've done the same thing myself. heh.

I was thinking of you today...was working on the iPod and found your music in my iTunes program...I still love the Mary Stuart music, it rocks.

[artystone.livejournal.com]

There's a commercial for Kentucky Fried Chicken on right now that every time I see it my blood pressure shoots up 100 pts. Have you seen the one where The Perfect Family invites A Teenage Friend over for dinner? The kid calls his mom and has to explain that, Why yes! Everyone's having dinner together. He then says to Perfect Mom, "She doesn't believe me!" so Perfect Mom gets that Condescending Look and takes the phone to explain to That Other Mom (who is probably smack in the middle of making dinner after wracking her brains trying to come up with something Teenage Son will deign to eat) that, "Yes! We're all having dinner! Yes, together!" Because I'm a better mother than you, that's why!. She hangs up and gives the kid a conspiratorial eyeroll which just screams out, "WHAT'S HER PROBLEM, DOESN'T HER FAMILY EAT TOGETHER?" completely ignoring the fact that the reason Bad Mom's family is scattered at dinner time is..Oh! Because Teenage Son is eating at her house!

/rant

*Runs to put a cold cloth on back of neck*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I have not seen this yet. Argh! It sounds terribly vexacious.

And I love that this perfect heavenly meal of togetherness involves KFC. The irony is complete.

[artystone.livejournal.com]

You see? It's so wrong on so many levels. Every time I think of it I get hives.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Ever looked in Backstage at calls for movie casting calls? Especially non-SAG? They're hilarious. Usually some form of:

Carmen: sexy, voluptuous brunette, large-breasted, Latin beauty. Exotic.

Kelly: blond, pretty/beautiful, innocent face but a knockout body.

Julie: gorgeous red-head, athletic, but very feminine.

Jed: 25-30. Filmmaker. Unsure of his place in the world, great guy, but sometimes not confident. Funny. Still getting over a bad break-up. Easy-going, sometimes lazy, but has something to offer.

Send resumes to: Jeff Kalikowski, NYU

That is not an exaggeration. I've never forgotten the classic character description of "pretty/beautiful." Wow! You mean you would possibly settle for just pretty if the actress wasn't beautiful? Or is pretty/beautiful just meant to distinguish her from exotic/beautiful or gorgeous/beautiful?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Holy cow. That's quite frightening.

Recently I've been obsessed with the concept that there are some singer/songwriters who are talented, but will never make it in the music business in front of the camera because they're not attractive enough by society's modern standards. You have to hit the genetic lottery twice, I think (talent and beauty), which makes it amazing when someone does. The other option is having only the beauty side of the equation, and adding a great production team. But if you only have the talent, I think the cards are stacked against you.

heh...come in for one rant, have another while you're stopping by!

[whitemunin.livejournal.com]

SLogic and I were talking about this on the phone yesterday. I ranted about the same aspect that she and Gina did. It's no so much that the guys are these really sloppy, not-so-attractive spouses of pretty, slender wives. It's that they're also stoooopid, obnoxious, whining, lazy loser spouses of pretty, slender, patient, highly intelligent wives with great jobs. It's a male pipe dream. A gorgeous woman who'll put up with all his bitching, moaning and beer-swilling while supporting him with her awesome paycheck.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

It just totally makes me wonder about the human race, y'know?

I was reading a book called Scriptwriting for Dummies once, and it said, basically, that if you were over 30 you could not write for television shows. (Unless you're legendary somehow, I guess.) And that makes me wonder how TV is impacted. There has to be some effect, after all; having all of those people with lower levels of life experience and perspective must do something, I'd say.

And it definitely seems like we see one adolescent fantasy after another. I miss Roseanne. At least the characters on her show had real problems, and looked real.