The Swan:Should be called The Clone

Published on November 19, 2004 By JillUser In Movies & TV & Books

I have seen a couple of episodes of The Swan and find the show very disturbing. I don't mind the extreme makeover show because they are usually helping people that have real problems. The women on The Swan don't have big problems. They take normal women and make them into clones!

They make all of these women into skinny blondes with perfect noses and big boobs. Last episode they had two sisters compete against each other. One was brunette and they made the other blonde....you guessed it, they picked the blonde to go on to the pageant.

This show is just perpetuating the idea that women have to be skinny, blonde and have big boobs to be considered beautiful. What a boring world we would have if that were the case! I personally think Halle Berry is one of the most beautiful women out there. What about Selma Hayek? Some of the most beautiful people I know don't have big boobs or blonde hair.

What an awful show!

Comments

SSG Geezer

on Nov 19, 2004

Bing! Bing! Bing! You win the prize for truth today Jill. I hate most broadcast TV these days and pretty much just watch Geographic TV.

iamheather

on Nov 19, 2004

Have you ever noticed that they all have this really tight fake looking smile when the surgeons are done? I have seen women on there that had the most beautiful smiles when they were "ugly ducklings." After the surgery, I am reminded of Joan Rivers in the area of their mouth and cheeks.

The formula:

eyebrow lift
cheek lift
full set of Davinci Veneers
lip implants
rhinoplasty
breast implants
tummy tuck
liposuction on the hips and thighs

Everyone goes through the same surgery. No wonder they all come out looking like squished-faced Barbie dolls. I think it is truly sad.

Ravenblack

on Nov 19, 2004

My mum said the same thing about it. I think that most of them don't really have problems at all. Nothing a little diet and makeup can't fix. I like extreme makeover because they actually help people, but The Swan has different intentions.

What I find disturbing in the Swan is that the women, who usually have loving husbands and families, are saying things like how they just can't be happy because of this and that physical aspects of themselves. I think it's more their self esteem than their physical appearance that needs fixing. (And they included a psychologist in the show, but how much help is she I wonder, when the women say things like, "now I can be happy because I look beautiful.". It's great to see them so happy in front of the mirror, but for how long?

It is bad show that it seems to be giving the message that being you is not good enough. You have to have a pointing high bridge nose, you have to boobs, you have to this kind of eyes, that sort of lips etc.

I don't think the beauty peagent thing is such a good idea. I don't see the point in that. You would be saying to the woman who doesn't win, yeah you are beautiful but you are not the most beautiful. What does it do to the women who aren't qualified for their stupid little peagent? See she looks better than you. You can go home with your new body, but you aren't good enough to be on the peagent, goodbye. I think that just sucks if your self esteem is low.

SSG Geezer

on Nov 20, 2004

When I had skin cancer removed from the bridge of my nose, they did some major re-arranging and in my opinion, anyone who has plastic surgery for vanity is an IDIOT! It is not very pleasant.

JillUser

on Nov 20, 2004

anyone who has plastic surgery for vanity is an IDIOT! It is not very pleasant.

Couldn't agree with that more! Plus, these women are actually risking very dangerous complications just to look like these fake, stretched barbie dolls. I just don't get it!

messybuu

on Nov 20, 2004

The Swan's such a bad show. Even Jackass has more humanity in it. I'm all for cosmetic surgery if necessary or subtle, but these women don't need plastic surgery. They need a psychiatrist.

Dan Kaschel

on Nov 20, 2004

It's easy to state an opinion like that and have it reaffirmed, but my lack of experience leads me to wonder if, under similar circumstances, most of the people condemning the practice now might not try it themselves. When your life has led you to two conclusions - 1) that a certain degree of beauty is not just helpful but essential to develop relationships and 2) that you don't have that degree of beauty - it doesn't strike me as that amazing that people are willing to undergo this surgery.

I'm not saying I support it. I'm just saying that denying a person nearly dead of lung cancer their last cigarette really isn't that helpful. These women are already emotionally dead- and that's the tragedy, not that they all end up looking like barbies at the end.

Dan

PS. I don't think Halle Berry is pretty... but that's just me.

Sugar High Elf

on Nov 20, 2004

Barbie Dolls? More like porn stars. One woman said, "I want to be a double D at least." At LEAST? Those knockers are HUGE!! (forgive the language) I've had several friends who are DD and they want less. Then, they took this woman, fixed her teeth (which she needed, they were rotten), gave her the boobs, and then, I'm not sure how they stole Dolly Parton's wig... but this chick looked like she'd be listening to bad music with the cameras rolling. She was not bad looking before, she just needed her teeth fixed. Everything else made her look fake, plastic, and ridiculous.

iamheather

on Nov 21, 2004

More power to REAL women...

Sorry, I got carried away with empowerment there.

alison watkins

on Nov 21, 2004

Love the article Jill! As you know, I also commented on this poor excuse for prime time television. I am 5`2, 120 lbs, with brunette hair and glasses...how am i supposed to feel about myself?!

Kaulani

on Nov 22, 2004

I agree with you, because not only is most of the women in the world these days not skinny or blonde, but God made us all different for a reason and he wants us all to look different not try to look like or be some one else! I hope that everyone will learn this!
Aloha!

JillUser

on Nov 23, 2004

Barbie Dolls? More like porn stars

You have a good point there Elf! I just don't see them doing the right thing for these ladies. Instead of helping them be the best version of themselves they can be, they make them into something completely artificial.

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