what is our role? Should we accept responsibility?

[justaquestion]

food for thought.

Do you think as a society we are to blame for the likes of Nicole Ritchie and other such "skinny" celebs?

When she was on the first Simple Life, she was ripped apart in the media, on message boards, and just in general for her weight and appearance. (fat, pig, etc)

Is it any wonder she got so skinny? She probably read and heard about all the comments, and then her self-esteem probably took a blow from that and she lost all the weight.

Now we comment on how grossly skinny she is, and all her problems. Problems which probably stem from her insecurities, which the whole of society contributed to.

How much responsibility do we have when it comes to these issues? Don't our words hurt just as much?

I honestly feel sorry for her.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

Unfortunately that old adage comes to mind,

You can never be too skinny or too rich.

I have a personal theory about anorexia. I think that as your body breaks down its muscles etc., it gives off waste products. These waste products hurt your brain and distort your thinking, even to the point that you still think you're fat. This is just a theory.

 

[DawnCt1]

i do feel sorry for these young celebrities, particularly lindsay lohan and britney spears. i saw a letter that lindsay wrote that was full of misspellings, poor word usage, etc. it was written as a eulogy to robert altman so obviously she wanted it to be good. these kids grew up in front of the camera making money for whoever hired them, their agents, the producers, the advertizers and all of that came first and their childhood, development,and education was put on the back burner. their parents were the first to capitalize on them. it doesn't have to be like that. brook shields and jody foster are examples of two very well educated women who also grew up on the screen but had adults in their lives that put their development ahead of the quick fame and fortune.

 

[bicker]

There are many cases, too, where good parents raised actor-children who ended up still haven't problems (such as those we all anticipate for Lohan, Separs, Richie, etc.) throughout their lives, and even actor-children who's parents weren't especially good in this regard who ended up having stellar adulthoods. Perhaps that's the scariest aspect of this: What you do has effect on your children, but doesn't determine their destiny.

 

[ducklite]

Bottom line, it's a persons inner drive and spirit that makes or breaks them. Many stars grew up dirt poor and some have even experienced homelessness, not exactly condusive to a good education and mental stability, yet they have flourished and proven themselves intelligient, articulate, and seemingly of sound mind. Oprah Winfrey of course first and foremost.

I don't believe that pressure on celebrities is any greater than pressure on teenage girls in various sports, or even school in general. I see it as more of the New Brat Pack (with "Brat" being a very fitting term this time around)being catty and self-absorbed and in all honesty, everyone of them seems like a lost little girl. They change best friends like the rest of us change underwear. It's no wonder half of them have eating disorders--it's goes along with the rest of their emotional issues.

I do believe that there is too much emphasis on "skinny" as opposed to healthy in this country, but I also believe that much of that is fed by the spiraling obesity numbers in the news every day. There's a happy medium someplace in-between, and that is where we should all strive to be.

It pleases me to no end that Madrid's fashion industry banned underweight models at this years fall runway shows. IMHO the smackhead look some of those girls have is not at all attractive. It's funny, when you think about the "Super Models," none of them were bags of bones. They all had curves. Heidi, Christie, Paulina, Tyra, Elle, Cindy, etc.

BTW--If I could have any "stars" body, it would be Jennifer Anniston's. She's thin but not skinny, toned but not muscular, and has a nice shape with curves. Anniston obviously eats, but with good health in mind. I'd love to see her do a PSA against anorexia. She was at one point carrying extra weight, but she slimmed down to a healthy, fit look that she's been able to maintain for years now through a HEALTHY diet and EXCERCISE.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

brook shields and jody foster are examples of two very well educated women who also grew up on the screen but had adults in their lives that put their development ahead of the quick fame and fortune.

Three others (two are males, but same idea), Ron Howard, Richard Thomas, and DeeDee Magno.

Anne

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Three others (two are males, but same idea), Ron Howard, Richard Thomas, and DeeDee Magno.

Anne

I remember DeeDee!!! She was my fave on the Mickey Mouse Club!! What is she doing now? I haven't seen here anywhere.

 

[ducklite]

I remember DeeDee!!! She was my fave on the Mickey Mouse Club!! What is she doing now? I haven't seen here anywhere.

She's been in quite a few movies and plays, including a starring role in Miss Saigon on Broadway a few years back.

A little background, I worked on the touring crew for The Party. I always got a kick out of it--nine crew people plus four or five parents for five kids, and *some* of those kids were still able to find more trouble than their parents realized.

Not DeeDee though. Her dad was a very nice, but strict man. He kept her on a tight leash. If the other kids were going to the mall, DeeDee often stayed back in the hotel or on the bus to study. She was smart, and her dad made sure she stayed that way. She was never, ever allowed to be in any type of "compromising" position, especially where a male was concerned.

Of everyone in that act, she was by far the most talented, the one with the most inner spirit and drive to work hard and work her way up. I recall telling my then boyfriend--now husband--that DeeDee was the one that was going to "make it."

Anne

 

[JulyGirl]

Honestly, if my every move was photographed, picked apart and criticized, I'd probably be much thinner. There is an extra pressure to be skinny today for those celebs. The media has a lot to do with it. Even though everyone agrees that Nicole Richie is too skinny, she still ends up being photographed and put on the best dressed list for "looking great". Very mixed messages.

 

[shirleyb]

In a word, NO. There is such a thing as personal responsibility. And I don't accept responsibility for the parasites in the paparazzi (sp?) and the things they say.

 

[kjs1976]

In a word, NO. There is such a thing as personal responsibility. And I don't accept responsibility for the parasites in the paparazzi (sp?) and the things they say.

YES, YES!!!! I agree, shirleyb, well said!!!