beauty and the geek

The WB network is introducing a new reality show tonight from executive producer ashton kutcher called beauty and the geek where they pair up a series of incredibly geeky men with beautiful dumb supermodels and watch the hilarity ensue...

where do i begin?

first of all i am remarkably offended by the program. it only reinforces the binary that geeks can not be beautiful. it perpetuates the beautiful dumb blonde stereotype, blonde brunette or otherwise, of women. women are never given the chance to be beautiful AND intelligent. i just feel frustrated by the fact that sexy smart women don't exist in our mediated televisual reality.

and they seem to have gotten some of the geekiest men to be a part of this project, not to mention that everyone involved is white. i guess that ethnic individuals are cursed with an atavistic sexuality that cannot be considered geeky.

the most frustrating thing to me is the fact that i really enjoy ashton kutcher's work. i own dude where's my car, i have watched that seventies show since the beginning and have shared my critical thoughts on the direction of the program and its use of race and the absent father. granted i didn't shell out money for 'just married' or 'a lot like love' but i did see the butterfly effect in theaters, which i thought was a great movie for his star persona. either way, i have a great amount of respect for kutcher, and his executive producer credit on this program hurts in my soul.

i figure as a stereotypical pretty boy who has performed in projects that both ironically embrace and deny it, i would expect him to recognize the disgusting stereotypes and clichés that are continued with this program.

but then again, ratings are money and maybe its just television. plus extreme individuals create extreme situations, which breeds humor, not intelligent messages and behavior. but i can assure you that any intelligent individual, more importantly any intelligent woman, will be offended and disgusted with the program.

shame on you ashton. you know better.

although i think it would make me smile to see the exact same program with the gender roles switch, sexy Abercrombie and Fitch men paired up with female phd’s and ceo’s.


Beauty and the Geek