"Unsexiest" Woman Holds Mirror Up To Judges
"Am I really the unsexiest woman in the world?"
That's the rhetorical question actress Sarah Jessica Parker posed to Grazia (which actually bills itself as Britain's "first glossy magazine"). She was responding to the title of "Unsexiest Woman Alive" bestowed upon her by a poll of the readers of another magazine, Maxim.
In questioning their choice, Ms. Parker fails to notice that she's acquiescing to the notion that there really is an unsexiest woman in the world. But she deserves credit for bravely admitting that it caused her significant pain, enhanced, in turn, by her husband's anger.
"Do I fit some ideals and standards of some men writing in a men's magazine?" she asked. "Maybe not." (Plaudits also for taking the trouble to Q & A herself, thus lightening the interviewer's work load.)
Again, Ms. Parker is on the right track, but only halfway there. She herself illustrated the point in the 1991 film LA Story. Playing SanDeE*, a dizzy, flirtatious young woman, she beguiles the middle-aged Steve Martin. (And, in the process, makes it impossible for girls to ever unselfconsciously twirl again.)
By parodying it in its most juvenile and blatant form to a T, Ms. Parker draped herself with the mantle of sexiness and the rest was history. It's indicative of her intelligence that her career was built on irony.
Maxim's readers likely weren't singling her out for a lack of sexiness, which no red-blooded man can dispute at this point. Arguably, it's her long face to which they object.
In fact, Ms. Parker is the latest in a long line of formidable women stretching from Cleopatra to Bette Davis to Madonna. Though lacking the symmetry of a classic beauty, they bent men -- and the world -- to their whims, whether by disposition, determination, or talent.
The case can be made that Maxim's readers object to having a sex symbol chosen for them on the basis of her success in a "women's" TV series. Also, there's no disputing that La Parker is ubiquitous -- besides TV, from billboards to magazine ads to commercials -- not to mention, much the richer for it.
But, as is too often the case with a poll, it reveals more about the voters than the subject. First, Maxim readers seem oblivious to the extent to which their tastes in women have been shaped by today's surgically enhanced models and actresses. Talk about an image being forced down their throats.
Second, conferring a title as vicious as unsexiest woman alive on anyone reflects a poverty of spirit that, in itself, cancels out a Maxim reader's qualifications to choose the winner of any poll.
Except for maybe which male mixed-martial-art star they'd most like to be in the ring with alone and naked.
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SJP's success is because of her appeal to other women, not to men. I'm sure some men find her sexy, but her face is not the type of face men typically find sexy. Women's sex appeal has more to do with their own comfort with their body and their own sexuality. SJP exudes a certain discomfort with her own physicality, unlike Madonna.
Every woman has the right, on or off TV, to conduct herself the way she sees fit. That said, I've never seen sex and the city. And I just hope that this is lots of free publicity for SJP and her future endeavors. She has always been attractive ever since I first saw her in Footloose especially because her enthusiasm is infectious. It's just the title sex in the city and image that has 'some' men [maxim] threatened. They still don't know what to do with it - so latch onto prepackaged sex with models on the cover (and inbetween) of magazines. Their attack on SJP is b/c she is a strong woman who is REAL enough to give them something they have to deal with, rather than just hiding in a closet somewhere.
It got them where they lived.
I enjoyed your article, very much. I truly believe "real" men do not work for Maxim.
I used to find her attractive before she turned in to her tv character. Now she just annoys me.
SJP is very VERY sexy because of WHO she is, her attitude. Objectively, just on the surface, she is not physically attractive, but her personality transforms that, it's kind of magic, alchemy, and obviously is a powerful force in her marriage. This magic she has, is sexier than merely being physically beautiful in an objective sense. Zillions of airheads can achieve that, but how many can achieve what SJP has done, to make millions of people believe she is beautiful? That power, that magic, is powerfully sexy.
Since when do Maxim readers look at a female face? Well, maybe for a second, in between bouts of furious masturbation while staring at silicone breasts. But let's face it, Maxim readers are mostly the guys who spend a romantic evening making out with a pillow a la George Costanza.
Yuck, yuck and more yuck. Don't those people turn out to be deviants? Maxim...ize what? Someone ought to pull the plug on this magazine, but then I'm afraid of where its readers will go to plug in. Just keep them away from us real women....they're better off plugged into Maxim and away from society.
I'm a guy... a young guy. The type of guy that should be reading Maxim and voting for Obama. I don't/won't ever do either.
I wouldn't equate Maxim with Obama, really. Maxim for a young guy is suicide. Obama we might just be able survive if it happens.
I bet that these guys who beat themselves to get a girlfriend half as pretty as Sarah Jessica Parker. They don't know sexy when they bump into it. The fact that they had time to answer a survey on who is sexy or not really hits rock bottom on how stupid one is.
I'm very irritated now because half my comment was cut off due to the use of a double-space break. Well, you live you learn.
MadFae, these problems have been driving me crazy! Tried several times to reply to the Aspinall article, but only my first line would show up. Something's really messed up around here.
There are two kinds of men in this world when it comes to sexiness in women...those who like mannequins, and those who like living breathing WOMEN. The former want a perfect body and a perfect face and nothing between the ears except maybe an axon and a dendrite that can form the words "you're the greatest!" The latter are much more forgiving about paunch, crooked teeth, a funny mole, small breasts, or a round bottom, because to them, it's what's inside that fills in the gaps in what's outside. Have none of you ever met a person (male or female) that was just so-so in the looks department, until you had an actual conversation with them--to find that they suddenly have a mysterious allure? And on the other side of that, who hasn't met someone who was drop-dead gorgeous physically, only to have them speak a few words that magically transform them into Quasimodo?
MadFae,
Just reading these shows me how brainwashed we are as a society. The same physical does not have to elicit the same response for everyone! It's about time that we recognized that what is beautiful for some is not beautiful for others!
here here, madfae! i have met plenty of men that were really good looking, but god don't let them open their mouths!! my wonderful squeeze did not strike me at first as someone that i would be attracted to, but i was hooked by the end of our first date. now he is the hottest thing out there!!
beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The problem with Sex and the City is that it is a gay man's view (that's the writing staff) of liberated womanhood living it up. As such it it is fantasy, not in the least based on NYC experience or even the original, sassy newspaper column that inspired the show. Not a problem in itself, but when the end-product is consumed ravenously by legions of women (around the world - I live in Germany!) who buy the fantasy lock, stock, and barrel, you have an incredibly annoying cultural institution. The 'sassy hot chick' as played by SJP is not, by most straight men's standards, sassy or hot: she's a gossip girl who hangs out with other gossip girls and 'bonds' over cosmos, etc.
To say that she anyone is ugly for no reason would be rude and insensitive. But to be cast for a part in a TV show that says she is a real head turner is ridiculous. She's in no way pretty. Being a head turner is based on being pretty. Not witty or funny. She's no head turner. She may be a good actress (I couldn't tell you,) she may be a nice person. But nothing about her is pretty.
Sex and the City has brain washed all of its fans into thinking that SJP is what every guy wants...shes not. Maxim puts out a Hot and Sexy 100 list every year ranking the hottest women in Hollywood and SJP will never be on that list. Kim Cattrall has been on that list but SJP would never be and thats why she made the Unsexiest list. Truth is guys don't fantasize about SJP (EVER!) so all you ladies need to un-bunch your bloomers and get over it. By all mens put out an unsexiest man list and see if guys care...we wouldn't. We don't care about Cosmo, Sex and the City or any of the other thousand or so types of fem-media that tries to tell women what guys find attractive. You wnat to know what guys like read Maxim and you'll find contrary to what all those female geared forms of media have to say guys don't care about designer dresses, or whether you're independant, or whether you're smart or stupid, all we care about is looks. SJP in a channel pants suit or Jessica Alba in a bikini...SJP loses everytime
Thank you for reminding me that I don't give a sh*t what "every guy wants" in a woman, or really I should say girl. The average Maxim reader is a lonely immature wanker. We "ladies" are well aware that you boys don't care about designer dresses-- we don't wear them for you! Get over yourself. Boys like you are not what real women are looking for so enjoy your airbrushed pictures.
Oh sure you do sugar! And if you don't then you're either one of the few exceptions, a lesbian, or married (and therfore no longer care until you get divorced)because I have plenty of female friends that say high heels are uncomfortable (and in some cases crippling), they say thongs are annoying, and that they would rather not spend so much time "putting their face on" but they do it to attract men. Men do what we do to attract women (get laid) and when we think about sexy it comes down to whether or not there is a nice package around the vagina. And no matter how sophisticated you think a guy is you put a Maxim in front of him and he will pick it up and flip through it. And women don't front, if you could pick between Brad Pitt and Jason Alexander for a one night romp Alexander wouldn't stand a chance. At least guys admit to being superficial.
Look at the themes Sex and the City perpetuates. Many women say this show is a broad mosaic of female sex. I hope not, giving the impression that women focus on minola blancs and melt at the sight of every attractive guy, is disrespectful, shallow and not representative of the women know. I dont think SJP is very attractive, but its not because the way she looks. Its what she represents. i dont know her, she might be a brilliantly intelligient and amazing person.
First, I'd like to point out that Peter Griffin of Family Guy nailed Sarah Jessica Parker to a tee: "Lois, that's like asking me to pick between Sarah Jessica Parker and Kirsten Dunst in a 'Hot Body, Weird Face' contest. It can't be done!"
You don't speak for all men, or even the majority.
She is not only unsexy, she is ugly. I know many will defend her, but anyone with 20/20 vision can see that she is ugly.
And how would you know?
That ain't no woman! It's a man, man!
SJP's a great-looking, talented woman.
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