Am I the only one who thinks it's ok for celebrities to have boobs, love handles and cellulite?
It's a question I've been pondering myself this week after reading an article from the Sydney Morning Herald online about Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai and the apparent disgust from the general population of India that she hasn't "bothered" to shed her baby weight after the birth of her six-month old daughter. You can find the article here: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/it-is-her-duty-to-look-good-and-fit-bollywood-star-and-former-miss-world-targeted-over-failure-to-lose-postpregnancy-weight-20120517-1ysg1.html
For those who aren't familiar with Ms Rai ("Bride and Prejudice" would be one of the more westernised movies she's been in), she's India's version of Angelina Jolie: stunningly beautiful with a talent to match.
Apparently Ms Rai has a duty to the Indian people to be the epitome of her former Miss World self at all times, and the fact she's preparing to walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film festival bigger than a size zero will bring shame upon the entire country. As one quoted observer noted: "She needs to learn from people like Victoria Beckham who are back to size zero weeks after their delivery."
Excuse me, but what the F$%K?? What is happening in the world when a glowing new mother can't enjoy the first few months of her child's life without worrying about what she looks like?
Is this "our" fault? And by "our" I mean the magazine buying populous who hang on every word published on the glossy pages? Some will argue it's the journalist and paparazzi's fault because they're the ones who seek the stories, but folks if we don't buy it why would they seek it?
I think it's a another chicken/egg scenario.
Sure, when a actor has a movie coming out they need the media to publicise it and go to great lengths to get the most flattering of coverage for them, their film and in come circumstances, their co-stars. But does that mean they lose their right to privacy in their downtime? And if they are out and about getting their piccie taken while getting their morning coffee, why do we care that they look a little bloated, haven't washed their hair, or heaven forbid, have ventured outside without make-up?
And let's not forget the eleventh commandment: though shalt not gain weight
Why can we tell our best friend who's carrying a few extra kilos that they look beautiful regardless, and bitch about Jessica Simpson's double chin at the same time?
And it isn't just aesthetic issues either. Celebs having breakdowns, divorcing, having affairs and throwing temper tantrums often make the front pages of magazines and the entertainment sections and suddenly they're "unprofessional," "total divas," and "vile."
Why can't we accept - happily - that celebrities are going to have bad hair days, lose their cool and gain weight when they eat too much ice-cream?
My first 19 days without Hollywood-related news - and honestly, I'm surprised at how much of it I was reading - has had me questioning about what I find fascinating about the private lives of celebrities in the first place, and I haven't come up with an answer yet.
One thing I do know though, is the next time I see a headline extolling the virtues of the latest celebrity-diet, or asking "why has such-and-such let herself go" I'll brush right on past and not give it another thought.
Afterall, if a beauty such as Aishwarya Rai can accept post-baby fat and still rock a designer frock than bloody oath I'm going to do it one day too.
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