What is it about human beings that cause us to simultaneously seek ways to look up to people while at the same time finding ways to bring those people back down to our own level if we perceive them as getting too high?


Ever since I was a child, I have seen articles with thousands of photos of celebrities — actors, actresses, and people who are important for no real reason — not wearing makeup. I distinctly remember reading the articles as a child. They were just as void of content as they are today. The gist of any so-called article that has dozens of photos of makeup-free celebrities is that some celebrities still look good while wearing no makeup, and some celebrities look terrible.

As a child I wondered what the point of the articles was supposed to be. What was I to learn from seeing these celebrities in this state? Was it somehow going to make me a better person?

Year after year, numerous publications come out with these spreads. Celebrities without their makeup, celebrities when they were in their high school yearbook, celebrities while they are doing their grocery shopping, celebrities smoking while thinking that nobody can see them smoking. What’s next — celebrities using the toilet? I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s coming down the filthy celebrity obsessed pipeline.

As a child I did not realize that people are so pleased when they see others fail. I was amused by the television show “TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes” but to me these shows were amusing because they were not real and no real harm was done. Hiding in the bushes and taking photographs of people when they are vulnerable is what causes people to start wearing disguises and to hire look-alikes to distract photographers.

Incidentally, there are thousands of photos of me not wearing any makeup. Would anybody like to publish them? I can part with a few for the right price.

5 Comments

  1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    I wonder if the want for makeup goes back to the glory days of Hollywood, Gordon, when starlets were only seen in public after they’d been approved and vetted by their handlers and the studio to make sure the facade was always uncracked?

  2. The old gurl aint lookin’ so great there, Gordon. Not sure if the photos make your article or just make me sick. haha

  3. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    Gordon Davidescu says:

    David,
    That is an excellent point! I didn’t even think about that. I should watch “Singin’ in the Rain” for a reminder of how things used to be… well, somewhat like what they used to be.

  4. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    Gordon Davidescu says:

    I hear you, Anne. Interestingly enough, she is one of my favorite musicians of all time. 🙂

  5. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    I think we miss old world Hollywood, Gordon, but we can never had it back because the photos and the gossip columnists had deals with the stars to leave them alone in exchange for periodic exclusives. Now anyone with a camcorder is part of “The Press” and it degrades the commoner into celebrity status.

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