I haven’t done an “Interesting Irony” post in some time. This works, and doesn’t stretch the grey cells too far.
Irony epitomized is when a magazine titled Self photoshops pounds off, and reshapes, Kelly Clarkson. All this while publishing an interview in which Kelly tells them she is “comfortable with her weight, her looks, and herself, and it’s others who are more concerned about it than she is”.
The editor-in-chief of defending the “retouching” as she called it.
“Yes. Of course we do retouching,” Danziger writes in a post on Self.com. “Did we alter her appearance? Only to make her look her personal best.”
Is there some logic in there that I am missing?
Getty Images July 2009
Please do tell.
Well, I suppose if she and the magazine really wanted to prove her point they could have left the photos unedited. But I don’t know if there’s any celebrity brave enough to let a cover picture go unretouched, and I definitely don’t think the trailblazer for that achievement will be Kelly Clarkson.
.-= mojo shivers´s last blog ..And When You Start Afresh You Still Think of Days Gone By, And When A Heart Is Broken It Still Goes On Pumping =-.
She prefers them untouched is what I understand, it’s the magazines that refuse to do so.
ahhh yes the pros and cons of a virtual world eh Cooper…
I’m waiting for virtual marriages and virtual children ;)
.-= laketrees´s last blog ..Progress on the Mini Portraits =-.
Easier to maintain that is for sure. ;)
The irony winner of the month it is. You don’t look your personaL best until the real person is taken out of it.
.-= kait´s last blog ..Black Coats =-.
exactly.
Because you’re rarely this plebeian, and because of the caliber of the preceding two posts, I’ll forgive you for this.
Points down by 2 for the comments off in the last post.
I like the interesting irony theme though, and think there would be a lot of fodder for that.
I like a Kelly Clarkson better in her natural state.
.-= johnm´s last blog ..The Christian Mafia: Bill Maher & Jeff Sharlet =-.
Um, OK.
This phenomena was first brought to my attention a few years ago when in Britain Kate Winslet made public complaints about a magazine that had touched up photos of her body. She was personally offended because she obviously loves her body the way it is, and regardless the magazine felt giving her a tummy tuck, thinner thighs, & tighter butt was the polite thing to do.
Jamie Lee Curtis has also complained by having photos of herself published without touch up as a result.
The lines between what’s art, & real has been blurred.
It’s not right, but then I see how these magazines compete to attract readers, so I’m not certain where I stand. If Magazine promotes it won’t do touch ups, and falls in sales, you can bet they’ll go back to touch ups quick.
Sorry. I don’t know. Lots of typing to say that too. Sorry.
.-= Bennet´s last blog ..I like that I’m not the only person thinking about these ideas =-.
No, sticky???
.-= Bennet´s last blog ..I like that I’m not the only person thinking about these ideas =-.
It’s good to see that irony is alive and well – I was afraid it might be a dead art, or at least slimmed down a lot.
Inde…only you would write that comment…
Virtual work. Everything is becoming virtual nowadays. Expecting alot.
First peace of spam that has gotten through in some time. They usually don’t even let OC or Bennet in. lol
Her “personal best?” I suppose you’re too young to remember when TV Guide put Oprah Winfrey’s head on Ann-Margret’s body.
.-= Doug´s last blog ..Shamrock =-.
I thik I might have missed that one. And the point of doing that was what? To make her thinner or to make her whiter?
Cooper you miss a point? I have been told that many bloggers photoshop their pictures then freak when they actually meet other bloggers
.-= pia´s last blog ..My five year blogiversary =-.
It’s almost impossible in this day and age to not eventually run into someone, so it’s pretty stupid, but given the state of what is done routinely on mags it’s not surprising.
If the magazine wasn’t titled “self” and the interview wasn’t about her “being ok” with who she is and what she looks like, the irony wouldn’t be as strong, but this fits the bill.
If I didn’t know you I’d wouldn’t be sure that was you because your teeth are so nice, fortunately I’ve seen them before. ;)
The other thing, and it’s off the topic, is people who have avatars of women breasts – and they are men. What is up with that?
.-= g´s last blog ..More Robots =-.
Yeah if you ever become a woman’s breast I won’t be able to talk to you online or off.
I wonder if they do the same to male covers? Of the top magazines sold to males at least half have female covers most of the time, all of them photo manipulated.
You’d think Self would be taking a different path.
.-= jacob´s last blog ..William Powell, Distinguished Service Award Winner. =-.
I’m sure they cover the blemishes and do some shaving off here or there.
I think it’s a testament to the shallowness of today’s society that all celebrities are photoshopped on magazine covers. Even someone like Kelly Clarkson, who is so comfortable in her own skin (ask any supermodel if they feel that way about themselves) is ridiculed for being herself. Thanks for posting about this!
I guess the question is is there anything to be done about it?
Magazine editors do not seem to realize that while they alter things in pursuit of the almighty dollar that they give every appearance of being dishonest asshats.
hmmm… redundancy there somewhere.
My question is whether Clarkson gave her approval for the dishonest depiction of herself.
btw, Pia. I look exactly like the picture on my masthead.
.-= sauerkraut´s last blog ..Cheerleading coach Tommie Hill earns Asshat of the Week Award =-.
I think they realize it but it’s a matter of routine and expectations at this point and money of course.
I know the health care issue is driving you mad, and this is a nice break to a simpler topic. It is ironic, and I’ll never read “Self” again, never have read it, but I won’t read it in my doctor or dentist’s office.
Haven’t listened much to Clarkson; she seems to have her head on right.
Kinder simpler me in mid week. That is what I aim for?
I expect the covers of magazines to be fake. The food they photograph for covers isn’t real either. Food never looks that good in real life, even when prepared by the best chefs.
.-= caseyjake´s last blog ..Quick Hit =-.
And that is why my food never comes out like Martha Stewart shows it?
It’ ridiculous people purchasing things with covers that are not real and then wanting to be the not real thing…no wonder we are fucked.
You know, I wonder what the general public’s response would be if say, a magazine like Sport’s Illustrated or ESPN the mag did these touch ups on their magazine covers. Something tells me people wouldn’t even give it a seconds thought.