So all you need to do to make a person unattractive is to put them in glasses and a goofy outfit? Wow, then I must be one of the most attractive people in the world when I’m in my reading glasses and Star Wars t-shirts. Hollywood has this weird way of telling us what’s attractive and what’s not, like with Lainey Boggs from She’s All That. You look at the cover and she’s all done up in her makeup, a nice dress, and she looks absolutely stunning. But then they put her in glasses, attempt to dull her looks a bit, and expect people to think “oh my God she’s just hideous”. Nice try Hollywood, but unless you think you’re catering to a blind audience, no offense to blind people, then you’re just insulting an entire viewing populace. It’s no wonder why streaming is becoming more and more popular if that’s the case.
It’s also no wonder why Not Another Teen Movie spoofed She’s All That so hard and with such obvious pleasure. Chyler Leigh as Janey Briggs was a riot as she went on to spoof the part of Lainey Boggs. I mean she’s got glasses and a ponytail and, oh my God she’s got paint on her overalls! I mean what is that?!
That, Hollywood, is a lot of us mashing our thumb on the BS button for using the smallest personality defects in a way that ostracizes people and forces them to think that anyone who is a little different is inherently unpopular and uncool. It’s not the first time this stereotype has been used either, and unfortunately while it is used in real life it tends to be used by those that are ignorant enough to think that this kind of division in society is something that’s needed and expected by everyone.
It’s not the first time this has happened either. Remember Superman? Remember how Clark Kent was made to look like a total dork in front of his boss? If you don’t, I happen to have a clip right here to remind you.
Even the legendary man of steel was made to look foolish a time or two during his tenure. Yet if you look closely enough, not too closely, you can see that yes, oh my goodness go tell it on the mountain, that’s the super-sexy Christoper Reeves behind those rims! Nice try Hollywood, but we got you on that one.
Whether it’s Lainey Boggs or Clark Kent the issue isn’t so much that their looks have been dialed down and their attractive nature handed over to a mediocre appearance, it’s that this makes them in some way less than everyone else. In truth they’re still the hottest people on screen at that point and all the dialing down in the world won’t make it any different. Hitting them with the ugly stick a few times won’t even make a permanent mark that would keep people from wanting to see them.
Sadly Christopher Reeves is no longer with us, and Rachael Leigh Cook has slipped out of the limelight and into straight to DVD and TV movies. But she’s still a knockout, and he is still considered to be one of the best ever.
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