Why do I care that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are splitting up? Well, maybe it's because the end of their relationship means that we'll never get to see the child that the union of two such beautiful people would have created.
But seriously, I think it's sad any time a marriage dissolves, even if it's between two celebrities that I know only through their images on screens and in magazines.
I did find one quote that disturbed me, if it is indeed true. From a Fox News
story:
"A pal said Aniston doesn't want to take the time off to have a kid — and she doesn't want to endure the physical effects that giving birth will have on her sexy body.
"It's about the children," the pal said. "She just doesn't want kids right now — and he wants kids."
Of course, the "pal" goes un-named, and I don't know how much credence to give that comment. But if it's true, it's really, really sad.
Jennifer's perfect sexy body is going to deteriorate at some point. There comes a point when all the plastic surgery or vigorous exercise in the world is not going to halt the inevitable effects of age and gravity.
Look at Elizabeth Taylor--easily one of the most beautiful women in the world for a long time. Say what you will about her lifestyle, but there is one thing that seems to be true of her, from all the accounts I've read: she adores her children, and they adore her.
I'm willing to bet that now that Liz is a senior citizen, in bad health and having lost most of the looks that made her a screen goddess in her day--well, I'm willing to bet that now she's really, really happy she had children who are around to love her and care for her in her old age. She is probably not regretting the decision to mar her sexy body in order to give birth.
(One other thing--a slew of Hollywood movie stars have had babies in the past year, and most have regained their girlish figures through their own hard work and discipline along with the expert advice and resources at their disposal. Having a baby doesn't have to mean you can never be beautiful or sexy again.)
Of course, whether or not to have children is a highly personal decision. Other reports say Aniston put off having kids because of the shaky condition of her marriage--a wise decision, if that's the case.
All I'm saying is, deciding not to have children because it will ruin your perfect body is shallow and sad. But then again, if a person is that shallow, maybe they shouldn't be having children at this point anyway.
Speaking of Jennifer Aniston...
Some Hollywood actresses are actually decrying the out-of-control plastic surgery that seems to be the prevailing trend. I don't know about you, but it alarms me when I see a favorite actress of-a-certain-age who is practically unrecognizable due to such surgery.
And I think the whole culture sends such dangerous messages to young women and girls...the message that you have to be physically perfect, that that's what's important.
Apparently I'm not alone.
Culture Clips
has this quote from Renee Zellweger: "I saw [a picture] in an open magazine at a hair salon recently. Of Jennifer Aniston. A gorgeous photograph—she was perfection. And they have these arrows pointing to what she could change with plastic surgery: How about this? Look at this thing, and look at this. It made my heart sink. What does that teach a girl who’s looking through the magazine? It teaches her that if there’s something wrong with this incredibly beautiful woman, then what’s wrong with me? It saddens me that I’m involuntarily a part of that.”
"The Passion of the Christ" wins People's Choice Award...I'm confused, though...
It's kind of puzzling to me that the "people" gave best drama to "The Passion of the Christ," but the "people" also gave best picture to Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" and best TV comedy to "Will and Grace."
I didn't watch the show, but Charmel tells me that the "Will and Grace" clip was one in which a gay character quipped about some "hot pictures" of Jesus in an art museum. Yeeccch.
I'm glad "The Passion" is getting some kudos, but it was snubbed by the Golden Globes and I doubt seriously if the Oscars will recognize it.
Meantime, another Culture Clips quote--this one from Christian film critic
Steve Beard: “The Passion [of the Christ] reminds viewers that Christianity was born out of blood, pain and tears—a far more gritty reality than a Thomas Kinkade painting or a Precious Moments nativity scene. This is no small lesson to a culture whose crosses are studded with diamonds instead of splinters. The Passion is the Sunday school flannel board lesson for a generation that grew up on violent video games, skipped church and stood in line to watch Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol. 1.”
