TDB: Ashley Judd Slaps Media in the Face for Speculation over Her "Puffy" Appearance

[TheLongshot]

If you are a man, thank you so much for understanding this.

Just a married man who often has to help his wife shop for clothes from time to time, because clothes shopping for her is like pulling teeth.

[DjTj]

Is Ashley Judd no longer a beautiful woman? Of course not, she still is and noone would argue otherwise. Then why is the entertainment world obsessing over a miniscule weight gain that doesnt even make her significantly less attractive? Thats misogynism dude, obssessing over the most minor of flaws that an untrained eye cannot detect -- as if women were racehorses for sale.

Of course she's still a beautiful woman. I don't think there is anyone in this thread that has disagreed with that. I haven't read any of the commentary about her weight gain, but is it possible that people are obsessing about it because that's what people do about every aspect of everything these days? Why do we obsess about weight that Laron Landry may or may not have gained based on a photo he posts on Twitter? About Rex Grossman's gut? 40 times and Wonderlic scores? We live in an obsessive culture with an insatiable hunger for news about the most intimate details of celebrities' lives, and an unrelenting network of reporters and bloggers have sprung up to fill our needs. It is superficial and petty, and it is pervasive in modern society. I don't know why we do this. I don't think it's just for the purpose of subjugating women. Maybe people just have a tendency to be nasty and judgmental? Maybe it is jealousy? Maybe we're just bored? :whoknows:

[Jumbo]

I agree DjTj (with your response to the quote of my post), and usually have the same thoughts in my awareness when I read many such comments, but I allow myself a vent sometimes given all the dumbass crap (sorry but I stand firm on that) I read every day. And frankly, too often my vent isn't always that far off-target even in its own simplistic and exaggerated nature.

Such is also partly why I use words like "some" as a qualifier when referring to people.

---------- Post added April-10th-2012 at 02:01 PM ----------

Maybe people just have a tendency to be nasty and judgmental? Maybe it is jealousy? Maybe we're just bored? :whoknows:

Maybe it's often to fill lives that seem empty to the individual so involved or to have as endless a supply of distraction as possible to avoid other personal matters, at whatever level of awareness such may be occurring, and sometimes maybe it's the age-old practice of "feeling better about yourself by looking down on others" or, similarly, a continuing interest in focusing on others instead of taking your own inventory with an eye for what needs addressing. Maybe sometimes.

[Koala]

Of course she's still a beautiful woman. I don't think there is anyone in this thread that has disagreed with that. I haven't read any of the commentary about her weight gain, but is it possible that people are obsessing about it because that's what people do about every aspect of everything these days? Why do we obsess about weight that Laron Landry may or may not have gained based on a photo he posts on Twitter? About Rex Grossman's gut? 40 times and Wonderlic scores? We live in an obsessive culture with an insatiable hunger for news about the most intimate details of celebrities' lives, and an unrelenting network of reporters and bloggers have sprung up to fill our needs. It is superficial and petty, and it is pervasive in modern society. I don't know why we do this. I don't think it's just for the purpose of subjugating women. Maybe people just have a tendency to be nasty and judgmental? Maybe it is jealousy? Maybe we're just bored? :whoknows:

Because Laron Landrys playing weight affects his performance. Because Rex Grossmans gut indicates he is not in shape, which is problematic for an ATHLETE. Because Albert Haynsewoth gaining 20 pounds means he will not be able to do his job as affectively and will be even layzier than normal. It has nothing to do with their attractiveness...although this board's obsession with Laron's physique was borderline homo-erotic lol.

But you still make a good point. We do obssess about everything more these days and ahve become a supremely judgemental culture.

Absolutely true about our superficial and judgemental culture. BUT, I seriously disagree with the examples of athletes.

[zoony]

Because Laron Landrys playing weight affects his performance. Because Rex Grossmans gut indicates he is not in shape, which is problematic for an ATHLETE. Because Albert Haynsewoth gaining 20 pounds means he will not be able to do his job as affectively and will be even layzier than normal. It has nothing to do with their attractiveness...although this board's obsession with Laron's physique was borderline homo-erotic lol. .

Meanwhile, 20 lbs weight gain for cosmo covergirl is not fair game.

Really, for no other reason than you say so.

[Koala]

Meanwhile, 20 lbs weight gain for cosmo covergirl is not fair game.

Really, for no other reason than you say so.

More misogynism. She is not the cosmo cover-girl, way to reduce her there buddy. She is Ashley Judd, a person who happened to be a cosmo covergirl, among many other things, in the past. Her weight is not fair game once the photo-shoot is over. She does not owe it to the world to remain stick-thin for the rest of her life. This would be like complaining that Brian Mitchell has gained 20 pounds recently. How would that be anybody's business??? But a women's weight, for some reason, is everybody's business, even when shes not currently modeling??? Right now she is a private citizen, her weight and her looks are nobody's business but her husband's. If/when she wants to model again, then maybe it becomes the business of her prospective employers. Until then, Im just amazed that her husband hasnt lost it, cause most people would get very violent very quickly if people were out there making unsolicited comments about their wife's looks

Edit: I am operating under the assumption that Ashley is not currently modeling or shooting a movie, and that these complaints are not coming from a current employer as she is not currently employed. I could be wrong

[Madison Redskin]

But a women's weight, for some reason, is everybody's business, even when shes not currently modeling???

But she's not just any woman. She's not an engineer, an economist, or a pizza delivery woman. She's a famous actress and, like models, the majority of actors and actresses are famous, at least in large part, due to their looks. In my mind, that makes discussions about her appearance fair game.

[Koala]

But she's not just any woman. She's not an engineer, an economist, or a pizza delivery woman. She's a famous actress and, like models, the majority of actors and actresses are famous, at least in large part, due to their looks. In my mind, that makes discussions about her appearance fair game.

Evenn when she's not currently modeling, or shooting a movie??? And I still dont think its equal for actor and actresses. Nobody gives a damn what Brad Pitt looks like when he's not on the screen. Cant we extend that same courtesy to actresses? Are their looks, when not shooting a movie, in any way anybodys business?

[Califan007 The Constipated]

But she also said....

That part had zero to do with what I was talking about, though.

It absolutely is, what's more is that the discussion wasn't ONLY about her "puffy face" but the continued discussion about work that she "must have had done" on her face.

But you had said she's NOT "lashing out because her feelings are hurt because of what was said or written"...if her emotions/feelings played a role in her writing that article, then we can't simply dismiss the idea that her rant is not being dictated by those feelings you agree she must have had being affected.

Because she being the target of their misogyny which allows her the opportunity to respond and address the underlying themes regarding the superficial nature of our society that picks women apart based upon certain preconceived notions of beauty...BTW a size 4 is NOT puffy.

Every...single...female celebrity is the target of that same type of online crap. Ashley Judd isn't alone in that regard, nor were the comments aimed at her on a brand new scale of offensiveness. The ONLY difference, is that these comments were aimed at her.

And she is allowed an opportunity to talk on this subject every second of every day...it doesn't require her to FIRST be the target of some negative comments about a photo of her that's gone viral. She could have written this literally thousands of times over the last 20 years. Out of curiosity, why do you think she needed to be the target of those comments before she could write on this subject?

And yet an insider's voice is often valued most highly because they understand more than anyone else the damage that has been done and how they at times played a role in it as well.

Where does she mention HER role in this whole "puffy face" nonsense?...Maybe I missed it, because I didn't see it. No, I don't mean the part where she says she sometimes obsesses about "women’s faces and bodies"...I'm talking about her admitting that she used the same misogynistic mindset and process to her advantage when younger, and how doing so opened the door for continuous talks about her looks, good or bad.

And all the while your entire post attacked the messenger, seriously converts are some of the biggest advocates against the sins they once committed, and the attack the messenger is the retort of a 14 year old saying, "Yeah well Grandma said you used to do it, so who are you to say I shouldn't." She's learned, and now she wants to change things, but you would rather criticize her for her past rather than appreciate what she's saying now.

She's not a ****ing messenger! ...She was PART of the entire shindig that leads to the very thing she's railing against now. She's just not owning up to her part. You can not be that naive, can you? Your desire to stick up for her is admirable but causes you to completely sail over the points being made.

See there you go again on your adventures in missing the point. This isn't about seeing beauty in people, this is about looking at the same mountain view and saying, "Wow, this would be really pretty if we changed the entire look of this view, and got some skinnier and taller trees and some greener grass, and put some more snow on those mountains...hmmm...maybe even injected some silicone into the mountains to plump them up a bit more." Obviously, there is beauty in the world we'd be fools to deny that, but where we fail as a society is to see beauty in a certain few fictitious bodily characteristics rather than seeing beauty in life as a whole. We fail when beauty is defined as a perky co-ed or a MILF, or some stud.

Holy ****...talk about missing the point lol...

My point was to comment on what the world would be like withOUT an appreciation of beauty as part of it. Let me point out again the part of the post I was responding to:

"I don't think we're ever going to get to a society where beauty doesn't matter, and I don't think we want to get there."

I used an extreme scenario to make a joking, satirical comment about how the world would be if appreciating beauty was always seen as negative, to the point of eliminating that appreciation. Jeebus lol ...

Could you **** up my posts any more than you already have? lol

[Madison Redskin]

Evenn when she's not currently modeling, or shooting a movie???

Yes. The moment you become a famous actress, you should expect to be poked, prodded, followed, and scrutinized whether or not you are on the clock. If you thrust yourself into the spotlight, you forfeit the right to complain that the spotlight is too bright or has revealed a wrinkle or two.

I feel the same way about actors and actresses who complain about a lack of privacy. I'm not a big fan of the press hounding people in their daily lives, but everyone knows that comes with the territory. So, I'm not too sympathetic to those who signed up for that and are now upset that there are some downsides to being famous.

[roanoker]

It may be that Ashley received the media attention she sought...

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Anyone remember this movie?

Ignoring the actual storyline and plot of the movie...does anyone have a problem with the film's title?

[AsburySkinsFan]

It may be that Ashley received the media attention she sought...

Derp!

Media attention is about promotion of a movie or show, NOT about saying "Wow she looks good she must have had liposuction". How we ever got to the point where destructive, hurtful and sexist gossip is acceptable is beyond me, and I think it is pathetic that so many defend the practice, and say that celebrities forfeit their right to be treated like a human being.

[Predicto]

But she's not just any woman. She's not an engineer, an economist, or a pizza delivery woman. She's a famous actress and, like models, the majority of actors and actresses are famous, at least in large part, due to their looks. In my mind, that makes discussions about her appearance fair game.

Perhaps. But it happens to all women, not just actresses. And it happens for their entire lives.

How many times have you seen people rip on Nancy Pelosi's looks on here - the woman is 70 freaking years old.

[Renegade7]

People are going to say what they want to say no matter what.

There are aspects of the media that pressure women into doing things to themselves that really aren't that healthy when you think about it. My mother told me that a big reason models are so skinny is so that they don't distract from the designer clothes they are wearing on the runway (she was a former model and decided it wasn't the career for her). A lot of designer clothes aren't made in plus sizes, so to save on material costs, it's easier to just try to get everyone skinny instead. This is way bigger then just social perception, there's big money involved in this issue as well.

Being underweight can be just as dangerous to an extent as being overweight. Sure, you can always be like someone who can care less what people think about their body, they're awesome. But for those teenage girls (and grown women, too) still sticking fingers down their throat so that they can achieve what the world is dictating to them as to what "beauty" really is, that's the direction the national conversation needs to go at some point, imo. Really the world when you think about it...

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Perhaps. But it happens to all women, not just actresses. And it happens for their entire lives.

How many times have you seen people rip on Nancy Pelosi's looks on here - the woman is 70 freaking years old.

If Pelosi had written this article I think it would have packed far more of a wallop :yes:...

[Koala]

Yes. The moment you become a famous actress, you should expect to be poked, prodded, followed, and scrutinized whether or not you are on the clock. If you thrust yourself into the spotlight, you forfeit the right to complain that the spotlight is too bright or has revealed a wrinkle or two.

I feel the same way about actors and actresses who complain about a lack of privacy. I'm not a big fan of the press hounding people in their daily lives, but everyone knows that comes with the territory. So, I'm not too sympathetic to those who signed up for that and are now upset that there are some downsides to being famous.

We'll have to agree to disagree. As AshburySkinsFan said, I just find it pathetic that sexist gossip is considered acceptable just because a woman has decided to become a celebrity....

[Predicto]

If Pelosi had written this article I think it would have packed far more of a wallop :yes:...

Maybe for you. But it also would have gotten a hostile response from the usual suspects.

[Koala]

Perhaps. But it happens to all women, not just actresses. And it happens for their entire lives.

How many times have you seen people rip on Nancy Pelosi's looks on here - the woman is 70 freaking years old.

Or do you remember when people were making fun of Chelsea Clinton's looks, as early as her fathers first term? She was literally just a kid at the time. Misogyny knows no age limit.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Maybe for you. But it also would have gotten a hostile response from the usual suspects.

The reason it would have been more effective is because Pelosi has never based any of her career on promoting herself as beautiful and sexy...yet her looks are still considered part of the convo about her, and in ways that severely trump anything Ashley Judd has had to deal with.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Anyone remember this movie?

Ignoring the actual storyline and plot of the movie...does anyone have a problem with the film's title?

I have a problem with it, because it makes the same mistake but in the opposite direction.

---------- Post added April-10th-2012 at 07:19 PM ----------

Yes. The moment you become a famous actress, you should expect to be poked, prodded, followed, and scrutinized whether or not you are on the clock. If you thrust yourself into the spotlight, you forfeit the right to complain that the spotlight is too bright or has revealed a wrinkle or two.

Again, she is NOT complaining that the spotlight revealed a wrinkle, she is complaining about the fact that people treat her as an object and not as a person, and measure beauty based on a mythology all of which devalues women and shows hatred of women. What's more is you NEVER forfeit the right to complain when people devalue you as a human being, nor do you forfeit the right to speak out against the same attributes seen across our society. Your thinking would limit "legitimate" voices to those people who would never have a platform from which to be heard by society.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

I have a problem with it, because it makes the same mistake but in the opposite direction.

:yes: :yes: :yes:

I tried saying that when the movie came out--well, the women I was saying it to were saying things like "Bravo! I hate how you have to be skinny to be considered sexy! Those women look pathetic! REAL women blah blah, yadda yadda..."...When I said that a woman with "curves" is no more a "real woman" than one who's damn near anorexic--ended up looking at me with utter shock lol...

Thankfully the movie doesn't promote that mindset (or if it does, it does so very subtly).

[roanoker]

Derp!

Media attention is about promotion of a movie or show, NOT about saying "Wow she looks good she must have had liposuction". How we ever got to the point where destructive, hurtful and sexist gossip is acceptable is beyond me, and I think it is pathetic that so many defend the practice, and say that celebrities forfeit their right to be treated like a human being.

Derp? So when one does not agree with the all knowing, all being, supreme ruler of the universe, he/she is called a derp. That's real class, Give it a rest. Hail.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Derp? So when one does not agree with the all knowing, all being, supreme ruler of the universe, he/she is called a derp. That's real class, Give it a rest. Hail.

Wait, what's "derp" mean? lol...I always thought it was another way of saying "D'oh!" ...

---------- Post added April-10th-2012 at 04:28 PM ----------

Another question for the ES masses: do you think the reaction--both yours individually and the public at large--to this article and the points it's trying to make would be different if it had been written by Britney Spears?

[roanoker]

Wait, what's "derp" mean? lol...I always thought it was another way of saying "D'oh!" ...

---------- Post added April-10th-2012 at 04:28 PM ----------

Another question for the ES masses: do you think the reaction--both yours individually and the public at large--to this article and the points it's trying to make would be different if it had been written by Britney Spears?

Derp is an expression associated with stupidity, much like the earlier forms of interjections like “duh” and “dur.”