Okay flame me... But, I like the Swan

[MrScorpio]

Free extreme makeovers, corrective surgery, with psychological counseling and the support of friends and family.

The Pageant is gravy

I can't see where this is wrong.

There's more to this show than it's apparent superficiality.

I love the reactions by the women once they're revealed their makeovers.

A far a reality shows go, I think that it's heads above heals in classiness when compared to shows like Fear Factor, that thrive on humiliating its contestants.

The Swan is a good show.

[Krupskaya]

1. The premise is flawed.

The premise is that these women look substandard. They believe it, the audience believes it, the show promotes it.

[MrScorpio]

3. I disagree

Some of these women had some serious issues in regards to dental and fitness.

The show provided them with expensive corrective surgery that they otherwise couldn't afford.

Others on the other hand had let their fitness, weight and general appearance deteriorate dramatically over the years. In a way it was a tune up.

And other women clearly had serious self esteem issues all of their lives.
For them the transformation was not just physical but emotional as well.

To me, the show represents a lot more than just taking a few plain janes and slapping some make up and a fancy dress on them.

Needless to say, all of them are volunteers and the show goes out of its way to not make itself a clown show.

[Krupskaya]

5. Your mention of self-esteem is what gets me.

Living in the beauty myth culture that we do, I find it sad that these women feel the need to change themselves instead of working to change the culture.

And "tune up"? People change as they get older. It's often more noticeable on women. Again, do we change the women or change the expectations?

I have to admit I'm talking out of one side of my ass -- I haven't seen the show, only the ads, and those look pretty exploitative: Shot of "ugly" woman, shot of surgeons opening up "ugly" woman and going "OH MY GOD!!!!!"; shot of "ugly" woman in pain and bandages ("It hurts so bad!"), shot of hotties in bikinis. I mean, really. :p

[MrScorpio]

7. You have to see their reactions to their makeovers

In order to have everything come together

The promos don't tell the whole story.

And some of these women have concrete reasons why they have self esteem issues.

Imagine, for some, they've lived entire lifetimes where they're always the losers. In many ways it's because of their appearance.

The show is just one way for them to remove that obstacle, all on the network's dime. All they have to do is go through a somewhat difficult transformation process.

But in the end, they come out much better for it.

Their reactions and the reactions of their families tell the real story.

[Krupskaya]

8. Again, I disagree.

Imagine, for some, they've lived entire lifetimes where they're always the losers. In many ways it's because of their appearance.

But whose fault is that? Theirs, because they look bad? Or society's, because we've been telling them all their lives that they just aren't good enough, simply because of how they look? Who, really, should change?

Their reactions and the reactions of their families tell the real story.

"You know, honey, I said I loved you before. But now I really do, because you're hawt."

Again, I haven't seen the show. And I realize that wanting to change society's attitude toward beauty isn't going to happen overnight. Nor should people, if they feel so terribly burdened by their looks, be the vanguard in the beauty myth revolution if they don't want to. But I'd rather watch a show about that beauty myth than watch people -- excuse me, women -- fall victim to it.

[miss_kitty]

2. No flame ME

I like America's next top model. and I watch no reality shows. I don't know what happened or how it happened :shrug:

I actually start rooting for them. And at the end, the last 3 or 4-I want them all to win

and I hate that collagen lipped Janice Dickinson. she is a bitch, and is in no way the first 'Top Model' unless she is a contemporary of Evelyn Nesbit or Lillie Langtry. and I think she may do substances, but I only think that based on her bizarre behaviour on last week's show.

[MrScorpio]

4. I have some issues with Top Model

It's almost like Road Rules with models.

Sure, in the end, one of them will be declared TOP MODEL

But it's a show that thrives on embarassing the models and encouraging conflict.

It's a dog-eat-dog world, for sure.

[miss_kitty]

6. I know

I am very ashamed about this illness of mine. I don't know about Road Rules though. Never saw it.
:spank: