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By alixana • 14 years ago

Eastwick Exec Producer not allowed to be angry?

I don’t watch the show Eastwick, which was just canceled by ABC, but I do read EW.com daily. EW columnist Michael Ausiello had interviewed Eastwick’s executive producer, Maggie Friedman, and let her know that fans were “furious” about the cancellation. She replied, “I’m pretty furious, too.” You can see the rest of her comments here.
Today, however, she has retracted her statement. As can be read here, she contacted Ausiello and said that she chose her words poorly, and that she’s not angry, and that ABC treated her well and she had fun making the show.
At first glance, I didn’t think too much about it, but then I started thinking about how society pressures women to be nice. I thought about how Katherine Heigl and Megan Fox have been demonized by the media for daring to express discontent with aspects of their jobs (even when in a flippant joke on a late night talk show), while similar comments by male actors went by unnoticed.
I thought about the choice words Joss Whedon had for the CW and Fox when his shows Angel and Firefly were canceled. I thought about how the male star of Southland recently laid the smackdown on NBC for axing his show (see his comments, which are filled with snark, here) and was cheered by fans in the comments. Contrast that to the comments on Maggie Friedman’s retraction, where some people admonish her for biting the ...
By alixana • 14 years ago

Why Lady GaGa Does Not Matter

I’ve been astounded lately by how many articles have been posted on the main page and on the community board about how Lady GaGa is not really a feminist.
I’ll expose my bias right away by admitting I do not understand the nature of looking up to celebrities. Lady GaGa’s job is to make music and sing and dance and entertain us with her glitter and her disco sticks. Somewhere along the way in the entertainment business, doing these sorts of things also became about obsessing over the person behind the music (or movies, or television shows, take your pick). For some reason, they’re considered role models and people who might say things worthy of our attention that have nothing ...

I’ve been astounded lately by how many articles have been posted on the main page and on the community board about how Lady GaGa is not really a feminist.
I’ll expose my bias right away by admitting ...
By alixana • 15 years ago

Teeth Whitening – Just Another Commercially Created Assault?

I’ve had this kicking around in my head for a while, and realized that the Feministing community is pretty damn good at dissecting societal expectations of how we look. My question is, what in the world is up with the obsession with teeth whitening?
It seems like a while ago, the only place you’d have your teeth whitened was at the dentist’s office for a hefty sum. Over the last handful of years, suddenly I feel like I can’t get away from teeth whitening products – whitening toothpastes, trays, sticky strips.
I find myself falling prey to it – I stare at my teeth in the mirror and wonder if they’re gross and yellow, despite the fact that I brush ...

I’ve had this kicking around in my head for a while, and realized that the Feministing community is pretty damn good at dissecting societal expectations of how we look. My question is, what in the world is ...
By alixana • 15 years ago

Wedding boudoir pictures – yikes

My good friend is getting married next month, and she’s had “boudoir pictures” taken. This is a wedding trend I’ve just become aware of, where women get glamorous pictures taken in lingerie for a wedding gift to their future husbands. My friend has spent the last year on Weight Watchers and becoming active at the gym, and she’s slowly dropped from a size 12 to a size 6. She’s thrilled with the change she’s made in herself and I know that the boudoir pictures are important to her now that she’s feeling comfortable in her skin.
Aside from all the squicky feelings the idea behind these boudoir pictures are giving me, and aside from the fact I’ve thought she was ...

My good friend is getting married next month, and she’s had “boudoir pictures” taken. This is a wedding trend I’ve just become aware of, where women get glamorous pictures taken in lingerie for a wedding gift to ...