During last nights MTV Movie Awards, America's so-called sweetheart Reese Witherspoon received the Generation Award.
First thing coming to mind might be Robert Pattinson dropping the F-bomb in his awkward yet hilarious ad lib opening remarks about working with Reese on "Water For Elephants" between comments by McDreamy Patrick Dempsey (Reese's fiance in "Sweet Home Alabama," although I especially loved him as Ronald Miller in "Can't Buy Me Love") and the always funny Chelsea Lately. Although entertaining, I found Witherspoon's remarks on Hollywood starlets even more so.
She said, "I just wanna say to all the girls out there, it's cool to be bad, I get it ... but it's also possible to make it in Hollywood without a reality show."
She added, "When I came up in this business, if you made a sex tape, you were embarrassed and you hid it under your bed and if you took naked pictures of yourself on your cell phone, you hide your face."
Times sure changed since the days of Witherspoon as Dani Trant in "The Man in the Moon" -- times as in kids and what's acceptable.
She should be praised for her honesty and for being a role model. Of course, gossip rags across the web are shouting Witherspoon attacked Kim Kardashian (sex tape, reality star) and slammed Blake Lively (recent naked photo scandal) with her comments but they obviously missed the point. Or, more likely, they know the point but love stirring up trouble! Cough cough speculation cough cough stirring up drama cough cough ... I must be coming down with a summer cold!
Although she isn't as pure as the driven snow, Witherspoon is trying to show young, impressionable girls everywhere, the same ones in the audience at the movie awards, the same ones voting for Twilight and screaming hysterically as they catch a glimpse of Justin Bieber and Nikki Minaj and her big ole booty ... she is trying to show these girls that good examples are not being set, although these examples are being thrust into their wee little faces as if that's how it is.
You need to be like the adults pretending to be kids on "The Jersey Shore" or "Skins" or any of the "Real World" series. Sex tapes, naked photos ... they aren't a big deal anymore because everyone is doing it. Heck, oral sex isn't even sex anymore to a lot of kids.
Actions speak louder than words, which is obvious because I'm sure no one listened to Witherspoon (well hopefully at least one girl did). Well, many listened but that doesn't mean they came to any groundbreaking, life changing conclusions.
As I look back on my life it's easy to laugh at the younger versions of me. The impressionable me, the wild me, the I-am-going-to-pretend-I-don't-care-what-other-people-think-although-deep-down-I-really-do me. You learn by falling down over and over again and then, finally, one day getting with the program (hopefully), failing at the program but then, over time, growing up (finally!). However, it's a process. Life isn't easy and with the media following young starlets and stars around like stalkers, spreading the news of anything from fashion, to hookups to drama on the Internet, TV or in magazines, it's easy for young kids to get the wrong idea.
Boys want to be like The Situation and bang DTF chicks at the club and girls want to be like Kim Kardashian, fake boobs, fake smile, fake I'm-so-innocent (i.e. I am so upset W Magazine printed those nude pictures of me, I had no idea even though I had them taken in a studio with my consent. I'm not that kind of girl!), no talent yet making millions and living the high life. They don't want to work hard, get an education so they can get a good job because no one is showing them that's cool. Why do that when you can get a reality show ... you know, maybe be a teenage mom? What a great example.
I'm all for freedom of speech but I, as an older person who has fallen down a lot and learned the hard way, well I am able to watch "The Jersey Shore" and laugh at the exploits of Snooki and Sammi and the gang. It's funny. The most it ever does is make me want to have a drink or cause me to be happy I'm not so deluded.
So, I figure Witherspoon's comments were lost among a sea of nonsense the MTV Movie Awards brings every year (give the kids what they want) but it was really nice to hear a celebrity say it and mean the words. Maybe all hope isn't lost after all ... or it's the beginning of the end of social decency.
No comments:
Post a Comment