Last night I watched Barbara Walters' special on the ten most fascinating people of 2011. I didn't agree with anyone on her list: Steve Jobs, Simon Cowell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson & Eric Stonestreet, Derek Jeter, Donald Trump, Katy Perry, Pippa Middleton, Amanda Knox, Herman Cain, The Kardashians. Pippa Middleton? The Kardashians? Really? None of them fascinated me. I am, however, fascinated with the token male in the Kardashian family ~~ the once handsome Bruce Jenner. What in all that's wonderful has happened to his face? All evening I was trying to think of who he looked like, and then it came to me. He has managed to transform himself into Renee Richards, the tennis player and ophthalmologist, who was born Richard Raskind, and through sexual reassignment surgery, was transformed into a female. To my eye, Bruce Jenner's face looks more female than male as well.
Why do folks do this to themselves? Does anyone remember what Kenny Rogers looked like before he had *work* done? His smokey eyes were his main sex appeal. His face suited his voice, sort of husky, deep, a bit mysterious, and very sexy. Now? Well, sex appeal is not the first thing that comes to mind when we see his face today. He looks a bit like that creepy guy that all his friends try to set up with their wives' or girlfriends' friends. "Hey, I know this really nice guy..." Um ... no thanks.
Jane Fonda just keeps getting younger. This picture was taken four days ago, during her appearance on Piers Morgan's show. Fortunately, she has a great plastic surgeon and has managed to stay looking like ~~ Jane Fonda. On December 21st, this woman will be 74 years old, which means in six years, she will be 80. She is officially what is known as elderly, a senior. But through the miracle of modern science, she looks pretty much the same as she did when she filmed "Klute". Is this a good or a bad thing? I don't know. For me, the jury is still out on that one. Are these folks disillusioning themselves? Perhaps it's true that if people look younger on the outside, they feel younger on the inside too. In the alternative, I know folks in their 30s and 40s who claim to feel old, and their attitude about life is old as well. Perhaps age is just a number, and it's all about one's attitude towards life. The most important thing is to stayed hooked-in; don't let life pass you by.I guess the moral of the story is, if you're going to have some work done, make sure you find a plastic surgeon who has a *before* photograph of you on the wall beside the operating table. Otherwise, you might end up looking like Kenny Rogers, or, like the unfortunate Bruce Jenner, you might end up looking like Renee Richards.
I saw the Jane Fonda interview, and she looked so young I didn't recognize her! My husband asked me to switch the channel; he's a Viet Nam vet and he remembers when she was Hanoi Jane.
ReplyDeleteI had my eyes "done" last year because the droopy lids were causing a vision problem. I'd never touch my face otherwise - even though I do look "old" now that I'm getting older!
Jane Fonda does look fabulous. She looks better now than in her younger years.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely regarding Kenny Rogers, he was definitely much sexier before.
Bruce Jenner, wow...what can I say about him. Apparently being surrounded constantly by a life that consists only of what you look like would tend to make anyone a little uncomfortable with the aging process. He should just have allowed himself to age gracefully, he looks terrible now and doesn't appear to be particularly happy with his life.
Of the list you have in your first paragraph I would agree with Steve Jobs and the Kardashians. I know you don't see the appeal of the Kardashians but I love them. It's like a cartoon for adults. But the rest I can really do without, especially Herman Cain...Yuk!
That is an odd list. I wouldn't call Donald Trump fascinating either. Self-centered and self-deluded? Yes. Fascinating? No.
ReplyDeleteAs for the celebrities who have had work done, my theory is that the more someone looks like they NEED plastic surgery, the less likely it is to come out well. There's only so much a surgeon can do. ;-)
Actually, it's creepy. Wrinkles belong!
ReplyDeleteRenee Richardson is "prettier" than Bruce Jenner...lol I saw him almost every week when his son was dancing on DWTS and couldn't stop laughing at what he'd done to himself. Jane Fonda, as you say, looks the same, but it is a bit odd to feel like she's stopped the aging process at the prime of her life and we're still getting older - and droopier. Of course, makeup does help LOTS! I was disappointed in Babwa's show last night, too, and predicted it would be Steve Jobs. I'm sort of getting away from the American shows these days and turning more towards the British murder mysteries, the Food Channel, and BBCCanada. More real...and entertaining!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Jo. With the possible exception of Steve Jobs, who really has made a mostly positive impact on society, I didn't find anyone on the list the least bit interesting. The Kardashians?? Please!! Just shows that people with no talent whatsoever can be famous if they have skillful branding and marketing thanks to mama. I am so sick of all these pseudo-celebrities, I no longer watch regular t.v. Re cosmetic surgery: for some people -- like those in entertainment where how you look matters so much -- it can be a godsend. But many people just go too far and end up looking creepy. There's a lot to be said for accepting oneself as is.
ReplyDeleteexcellent advice, Jo!
ReplyDeleteAloha from Honolulu
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Steve Jobs is the only interesting person on that list, in my view. Amanda Knox? Pippa Middleton? One possibly got away with murder (or not) while the other is a sleazy social climber who is suddenly respectable because of her connection to royalty. Trump is detestable, not fascinating, and the Kardashians represent the lowest possible cultural level in America. Katy Perry? Seriously? We seem to worship vapidity to the point that I rarely turn on my TV. It's all too bizarre.
ReplyDeleteJane Fonda has an excellent plastic surgeon, it's true, but I've seen so many celebrities who have access to the best doctors but end up looking deformed. As I always say, I would rather look old. Old is part of life. It's unnatural to stay 30-something forever, and approaches the realm of sci-fi when all ones peers look like ones grandparents.
I saw Jane Fonda, too. I think the amount of eye makeup she was wearing was a bit over the top for a woman in her mid-seventies. She looked a bit bizarre to me.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I've had the same thoughts about the same people. Particular Bruce Jenner -- I kept seeing him in the audience on Dancing with the Stars and wondering who the ugly woman was.
ReplyDeleteJane Fonda is a freekin witch! My sources tell me she drinks the blood of virgins..... and man is it working.
ReplyDelete@ Linda I am with your old man, maybe she discovered the miracle cure when so many vets had her picture on their toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteBruce Jenner looks like that because he is an outer reflection of those Kardashian's inner being.
I didn't see the Walters special but I tend to agree, at least for me, none of them are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteStaying connected to the people and the world around you, is in my opinion, the best way to stay young.
Oh, I love this post, especially the Bruce Jenner/Renee Richards like-looking.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more. What about Cher? Or Farah Faucett before she passed away? Two incredibly beautiful women turned into a character of themselves. When will we evolve to the point of embracing who we are and work on the inside instead of the outside?
ReplyDeleteI think Jane also takes care of herself. I know for myself, it's a lot easier to look great when I eat well and sleep well. Go figure. ;)
ReplyDeleteBruce Jenner looks like a freak. But look what he's surrounded with. Very sad.
Santa doing a one-eighty:
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Josie!
I think Jane F looks like a relative of Camilla, Dutchess of Cornwall. I don't think she looks all that much younger than the Dutchess, either.
ReplyDeleteI want to know what was wrong with Kenny's eyes before some doc screwed them up.
ReplyDeleteBefore he looked non-Hollywood, which I liked...now, he looks Hollywood....which I don't like.