Pretty, political and pilloried
Nov 09, 2011 Posted by Martha Drezin
Nancy Pelosi appeared on CNBC, October 28th, 2011 to talk about a sizable chunk of change – a 1.25 trillion dollar budget cut. But that is not what interested the media. A Detroit-based plastic surgeon told the Washington Times, on November 7th, “A woman her age shouldn’t look that good. It appears that she has had a good amount of surgery.”
Nancy Pelosi is, for her age, an uncommonly pretty woman and we’re not letting her get away with it. But she’s not the only one under attack. Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman can’t get away with being pretty either. In a perfect world, these overly-scrutinized ladies could form a support group for women who suffer from the “3 Ps”: pretty, political and pilloried.
Politics notwithstanding, Bachman’s nails and hair have been getting a lot of press too. The hair has been getting rave reviews, but not the French manicure with thick, squared-off acrylic tips clacking against the podium. Now, Nancy Pelosi has unwittingly stolen Bachman’s thunder. The press is once again speculating about whether or not Pelosi, age 71, has had a facelift and/or other cosmetic procedures.
There is a place in the universe for celebrity plastic surgery outings and bizarre reality TV. They are great adjuncts to folding laundry and ironing (a fading pastime). They are also great distractions from the job you may not have and the Christmas gifts you may not be able to afford. With recession, unemployment and the holiday season looming, you need some light relief.
Anyone in the public eye is fair game, but with Nancy Pelosi, we are really scraping the bottom of the barrel. Not that she’s unworthy. She’s very worthy, and that’s just the problem. Pelosi began as a volunteer and slowly and steadily worked her way up to become the first female Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives and the first female Speaker of the House. She also raised five children. We should be fascinated by these achievements. Instead, we wonder, “What’s different about her face?” Such musings are part of human nature, but so are jealousy, greed and gluttony, traits that we try to keep under wraps.
After her CNBC TV appearance, Pelosi is accused of undergoing plastic surgery and Botox and filler injections (as if plastic surgery was illegal in San Francisco). Alternative-type websites sport cartoon pictures of her, her skin blowing off her face as if in a wind tunnel, her unblinking eyes rotating rapidly. Other more traditional media outlets ignore budget deficits but address her surgeries in a scholarly manner. A celebrity plastic surgeon speculates, “Looking at recent pictures of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, I believe she had Botox and fillers like Juvederm injected in her marionette lines. Further, she definitely underwent a facelift a few years ago. The reason she looks different now is because she used to look pulled and tight.”
The Washington Times article spins out the Pelosi cosmetic surgery debacle politely, contending that in the rush to look young, politicians forget that they need to express emotion convincingly; Botox impedes facial expression. Paul Ekman, psychology professor at the University Of California Medical School, says that Botox may get rid of some wrinkles and may make you look a little younger, but you will not get votes if your face doesn’t move. He says you need your facial muscles to punctuate speech, for example, adding emphasis with widened eyes.
I wonder if he ever considered Obama’s facial expressions, which range from slim to none. Obama won us over with a dazzling smile and a graceful, panther-like economy of movement. As for his facial expressions……………he’s clearly a poker face. Inscrutable. He likes it like that and it may be a source of his strength.
We want our cake and we want to eat it too. Drew Weston, an Emory University professor who studies emotion in politics says, “We want our politicians to be fresh-faced but expect them to come by their good looks naturally.” Further, a politician who undergoes plastic surgery is considered vain and frivolous. Conclusion: if you’re a political figure of a certain age, you’re between a rock and a hard place. Pelosi’s best bet may be to get cosmetic surgery help and deny it every step of the way.
As for the nasty press and cartoon images, “Nancy, ignore them. They’re just angry because their Oil of Olay is not working.”
Nancy Pelosi is, for her age, an uncommonly pretty woman and we’re not letting her get away with it. But she’s not the only one under attack. Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman can’t get away with being pretty either. In a perfect world, these overly-scrutinized ladies could form a support group for women who suffer from the “3 Ps”: pretty, political and pilloried.
Politics notwithstanding, Bachman’s nails and hair have been getting a lot of press too. The hair has been getting rave reviews, but not the French manicure with thick, squared-off acrylic tips clacking against the podium. Now, Nancy Pelosi has unwittingly stolen Bachman’s thunder. The press is once again speculating about whether or not Pelosi, age 71, has had a facelift and/or other cosmetic procedures.
There is a place in the universe for celebrity plastic surgery outings and bizarre reality TV. They are great adjuncts to folding laundry and ironing (a fading pastime). They are also great distractions from the job you may not have and the Christmas gifts you may not be able to afford. With recession, unemployment and the holiday season looming, you need some light relief.
Anyone in the public eye is fair game, but with Nancy Pelosi, we are really scraping the bottom of the barrel. Not that she’s unworthy. She’s very worthy, and that’s just the problem. Pelosi began as a volunteer and slowly and steadily worked her way up to become the first female Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives and the first female Speaker of the House. She also raised five children. We should be fascinated by these achievements. Instead, we wonder, “What’s different about her face?” Such musings are part of human nature, but so are jealousy, greed and gluttony, traits that we try to keep under wraps.
After her CNBC TV appearance, Pelosi is accused of undergoing plastic surgery and Botox and filler injections (as if plastic surgery was illegal in San Francisco). Alternative-type websites sport cartoon pictures of her, her skin blowing off her face as if in a wind tunnel, her unblinking eyes rotating rapidly. Other more traditional media outlets ignore budget deficits but address her surgeries in a scholarly manner. A celebrity plastic surgeon speculates, “Looking at recent pictures of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, I believe she had Botox and fillers like Juvederm injected in her marionette lines. Further, she definitely underwent a facelift a few years ago. The reason she looks different now is because she used to look pulled and tight.”
The Washington Times article spins out the Pelosi cosmetic surgery debacle politely, contending that in the rush to look young, politicians forget that they need to express emotion convincingly; Botox impedes facial expression. Paul Ekman, psychology professor at the University Of California Medical School, says that Botox may get rid of some wrinkles and may make you look a little younger, but you will not get votes if your face doesn’t move. He says you need your facial muscles to punctuate speech, for example, adding emphasis with widened eyes.
I wonder if he ever considered Obama’s facial expressions, which range from slim to none. Obama won us over with a dazzling smile and a graceful, panther-like economy of movement. As for his facial expressions……………he’s clearly a poker face. Inscrutable. He likes it like that and it may be a source of his strength.
We want our cake and we want to eat it too. Drew Weston, an Emory University professor who studies emotion in politics says, “We want our politicians to be fresh-faced but expect them to come by their good looks naturally.” Further, a politician who undergoes plastic surgery is considered vain and frivolous. Conclusion: if you’re a political figure of a certain age, you’re between a rock and a hard place. Pelosi’s best bet may be to get cosmetic surgery help and deny it every step of the way.
As for the nasty press and cartoon images, “Nancy, ignore them. They’re just angry because their Oil of Olay is not working.”