Jessica Simpson's "The Price of Beauty" Fails to Deliver
by Anjuli Velazquez
Jessica Simpson is known around the world not only for her musical talents but also for her beauty. So when she got blasted last year for her weight gain and her relationship with John Mayer that didn’t end so well, Simpson wanted to travel around the world and see what it means to be “beautiful” to women in other countries. Along with her two best friends (and a television crew), she visits Thailand, France, Morocco, Japan, Brazil, Uganda, and India to find “The Price of Beauty.”
This is really good idea and could be a really powerful movement for women to see how trivial the stakes are that we go through just to look “beautiful.” Being beautiful, as we learn on this show, has many different points of view, depending on where in the world you’re coming from. I had high hopes for this show when I saw Simpson on Oprah promoting it a few weeks ago, and thought that it should be an eye-opening, rich, and insightful experience, but instead it’s dumb-downed by Simpson’s immaturity. I read a Ms. blog about the first episode of “The Price of Beauty” that aired on VH1 on March 15th. Courtney Young’s blog was less than impressed by the series premiere.
Young says, “I had felt a bit optimistic about this show’s potential, although the network’s track history in its reality shows–and in its treatment of women, particularly women of color–made this wishful thinking. In fact, Jessica and pals were immature at best and offensive at worst.” And she’s right. I know that eating bugs is not the norm here in the Unites States but apparently, it’s what they do in Thailand, so go with it, Jessica. Simpson and her friends gagged and made a huge scene at the market when their “beauty ambassador” told them that that’s what they eat there to speed up your metabolism. Simpson also couldn’t hold her composure during a Buddhist meditation, giggling like a child. I know these things are foreign to westerners but it was her idea to do this show and embark on this journey, so shouldn’t we expect a little more respect for others?
I think the show is a great concept and could be really good for women, but unfortunately it is poorly executed. Although I don’t feel as negatively about it as Young does, I do feel let down. I know we’ve seen Simpson at her ditziest on MTV’s Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, but this time she’s on a mission – she’s trying to understand what beauty means to women of various cultures. I am going to continue to watch but I do hope she’s a little more respectful in the next episodes.
References
Young, Courtney. “Thumbs down on Jessica Simpson’s ‘Beauty’.” Ms. Blog. http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2010/03/19/thumbs-down-on-jessica-simpsons-beauty/ Retrieved 20 March 2010.
Jessica Simpson’s The Price of Beauty.” VH1. http://www.vh1.com/video/jessica-simpsons-the-price-of-beauty/full-episodes/thailand/1633795/playlist.jhtml. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
