Are We Obsessed with Beauty?
America the Beautiful is my 2 year journey into the world of beauty obsession, pop culture and plastic surgery. Leading up to this sadistic epiphany, you couldn't turn on the TV without seeing some new television show about someone trying to be a top model or someone getting nipped or tucked. That's when it hit me - we're on a quest for physical perfection. That's our "latest craze."
I remember as a 12-year-old boy seeing a scene in a movie, where a beautiful woman was glamorized in such a way, that on that very day, I decided that I had to have someone that looked just like her. I spent most of my teen and early adult life, seeking a very beautiful woman for a mate. I actually accomplished my goal on a couple of occasions. But the same thing happened every time, I wasn't really happy. This may sound like a cliché, and of course, I'm not saying that you can't be happy with a very attractive mate, but I learned quickly that it takes much more than that to make a great relationship.
Was it just me? Or is all of America obsessed with beauty?
I went into production on America the Beautiful in January of 2003 to find out. My journey initially consisted of interviewing some of the most beautiful people that our team could find. One of the things that I noticed was that the so-called beautiful people didn't feel beautiful themselves. Most of them measure themselves by the same standards that so-called "average" people do. What is the standard of beauty that we sometimes try so hard to achieve and why is it so important? What gains do you really get from being beautiful? Who sets the standard? These questions lead to some of the interesting findings in the upcoming documentary America the Beautiful, that yes, advertisers are selling us a very unrealistic view of beauty and we're buying it, with every penny that we have.
We've shot 280 hours of footage including interviews with Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson. One of the highlights of my journey has been meeting 12 year old Gerren Taylor. Observing how kids want "famous faces" at alarming rates, made me dig hard to see who could possibly profit from a society of teens that don't feel good about themselves. I've interviewed many people from other countries that feel perfectly fine about them selves until they come to America. Why is that?
The film will be done in a couple of months and soon thereafter I'll be able to tell you when it'll be at your local multiplex.
All in all, this is a film that I'm very proud to bring you and I'm sure that you'll find it very entertaining and thought provoking. I'll post often so you can follow the progress of what I hope to be, one of the most entertaining, talked about documentaries of 2007.
Until next time,
Darryl Roberts - Director of "America the Beautiful"
posted by friedart at
7:02 AM
1 Comments:
I first met Darryl Roberts as he was editing America The Beautiful. I literally responded to a service call at his home.
Our conversation varied between the work that I was their to do and who Darryl was. It became clear to me that I was in the presence of a Writer, Director, Producer and Classy Dude.
I am a Black American Conservative with a variety of opinions, very political but not divisive! Of course, I always look for opportunity to visit historical facts about Black America and the conservative movement that always supported freedom for our people!
As we chatted Darryl began to share more about what he was doing and why. Our conversation became less political and more poignant and relevant.
(One of daughters, who is gifted, beautiful, very outgoing and a genuine performer in my opinion, has a flawed concept of feminine beauty.) She is just now 15, and living in the MTV,BET generation!
[I detest the visual representation of what is women in a rap video....Bull sh_it is more apropos]
Darryl began to express his reasons for doing this film. I was overwhelmed because, unknowingly he was offering to me a unique reality check via, "America The Beautiful Movie" for this father to use! I have anticipated this film for 2 years now in order to confront the beauty industry as it attempts to rob my daughter of her inherent beauty through imagery that is not natural with in my home. Darryl was offering a remarkably counter balance to the tummy tuck, or poisonous injections!
I have always told my wife and daughters that, "men make things out of rocks, women make it beautiful!"
Women have never needed anything at all to resemble beauty, they are all that is BEAUTY, in this world. I have tried to represent this truth in my home to the ladies in my life, especially my daughters. I open doors and pull out chairs, I stand when a woman greets me, I take off my hat when she draws near.
Thanks to Darryl and everyone who supported this project and work, I have a visual representation to use as I continue to help my daughters embrace natural beauty, the RESPECT and freedom it offers and how it intrinsically, turns on men...real men!
I look forward to seeing the documentary with my wife and daughters....
I have no reservation about being disappointed, apprehension about the films content or expectations outside of the reason this documentary came to fruition.
For every man who reads this and has forgotten the natural beauty of his woman... shame on you for not being Gentlemen or "Classy Dudes"
Max factor was not in between my sheets when my daughters were conceived
I solved Darryl's problem on our initial meeting and two years later, he is about to solve mine!
See ya at the Los Angeles premiere!
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