10 Sep
The Paunch Heard Around The World
I could care less about Britney Spears! I need you to understand just how
much I don’t care about Britney Spears because it is the only way I can bring myself to talk about her. So now that we all know that I am not some closeted teeny bop idol lover I can get on to talking about Britney Spears.
Once again this morning, Britney is all of the news due to her “disastrous” performance at last nights MTV Video Music Awards. I happened to see part of the performance on the Today Show this morning while waiting for the weather report. I will agree, it did look bad and was probably an ill advised comeback attempt for someone not ready to be back in the spotlight. There is however one thing that is bugging me about all the media coverage.
Here is a quote from an AP article on Yahoo news this morning:
“As in most train wrecks, it was hard to focus on just one thing as the Britney Spears disaster unfolded. There was just so much that
went wrong.
Out-of-synch lip-synching. Lethargic movements that seemed choreographed by a dance instructor for a nursing home. The paunch in place of Spears’ once-taut belly.”
Can you guess which part of that quote I have a problem with? Nearly every news report I have seen on last nights VMA’s mentioned Britney Spears’ weight as one of the things she “did wrong” last night.
Ok, now take a good look at these pictures. Do you see the paunch? Sure it’s not a set of six-pack abs, but I think Britney has a lot more to worry about then being ten pounds overweight and a little soft in middle. To me, she looks incredibly healthy. The only hint of a “paunch” is in this final photo and that may just be because of her pose and the angle of the photo.
But, here is the message I hear going out to young girls. “Be skinny or else people will make fun of you.” Sure I am super sensitive to this issue due to my current obsession with my own body. But as a father of two little girls it worries me to see how nonchalantly we can call a 130 lb. woman paunchy merely because she is a celebrity who once had a rock hard body. She has had two kids for cripes sake.
So here is my point, if you have young daughters who read the newspaper or watch the news or listen to the radio or watch MTV, do me a favor. Let them know that while Britney Spears may be a little off her rocker, she is a healthy looking young woman who doesn’t need to lose any weight.
Encourage your kids to live healthy lifestyles but at the same time be sure they understand what it means to have a healthy body image. And for the betterment of us all buy them some Ani Difranco or Tori Amos or Cat Power CDs. Please!!!!
Tony
9/7: 236.4 lbs.
Goal: 220 lbs.
16.4 lbs. to go
Cross published at Guess How Much I Weigh.
p.s. Check out Tori Amos’ take on todays young female roll models.
Posted by john on 10.09.07 at 8:53 am
“Do you see the paunch?”
I don’t see it.
Posted by Israel on 10.09.07 at 8:53 am
excellent post. i too agree that the media and society is making it seem as though you need to be 90 lbs to be sexy and healthy. that is a crazy way to look at things.
britney looks great.
Posted by John T on 10.09.07 at 8:53 am
I’m going to add my voice in support of this post. Brittney looks good! This is a woman that has had 2 or 3 kids. (I want to be VERY careful here) How many of the women who read this blog would go into a public setting (much less on worldwide TV) after having 2-3 kids, in a bikini?
As the father of 3 girls, I have to be very careful in how I encourage them to be active w/o being a part of the chorus that they hear saying they aren’t adequate.
btw… there are a growing number of studies on the increase in ‘body dysmorphia’ in boys. Have you noticed the number of teen boys at the gym that look like they need to take a cup into the bathroom?
Posted by Summer on 10.09.07 at 8:53 am
Two things come to mind…
One: My body is closer to Britney Spears’ body right now than it ever has been. And I’m quite pleased about that. hehe
Two: Even if I were 110 pounds and 5′9″, I wouldn’t run around dressed like that. She’s making headlines for being tasteless and lazy, and I hate that.
Posted by Rusty Moore on 10.09.07 at 8:53 am
Yeah…I don’t think she looks too bad at all…she is definitely on the right track.
It is too bad that people find happiness in other people’s failures and struggles. I don’t like her music or anything like that, but I’m rooting for her. I hope she makes a big come-back. She is close to being in great shape…she will be there soon.
Posted by Jojo on 10.09.07 at 8:53 am
I wholeheartedly agree:
1) I don’t give a hoot about Britney’s latest shenanigans. As far as I’m concerned, she’s talentless and is famous only because of shameless publicity. But I digress. (Doesn’t it bug anyone else how many awful singers become famous singers???)
2) Her body at the time of this latest show is probably thinner than the average American woman’s body. I’d trade if they could siphon all the illegal chemicals out of it. The media picking on her for looking fat is ultimately lame. If they want to lambast her for her shortcomings, pick the real ones and leave her supposed fatness out of it.