November 16, 2001

By Lisa Bennett, Communications Director

By popular demand, NOW is bringing back its regular review of what's happening in the media. We are also looking for comments on what you're seeing, hearing and reading in the media--including TV, movies, radio, magazines, newspapers and the web. Send your praises and gripes to comm@now.org and you just might find your suggestions and thoughts in future columns.

Here's NOW's take on the good, the bad and the ugly in this week's media:

The Good
Women in Afghanistan (various news coverage)
Although media attention to the plight of women in Afghanistan since the 1996 Taliban takeover was long in coming, it has increased dramatically over the last two months. This week's photos and video clips of joyous Afghan women with uncovered faces were uplifting and inspiring. Prior to the retreat of the Taliban, documentaries like CNN's "Beneath the Veil" alerted people in the U.S. to the severe oppression these women experienced for five years. When the news media educate and inform us about truly important issues -- instead of say, the latest sex scandal -- they do a great service to viewers, listeners and readers.

The Bad
Shallow Hal (distributed by 20th Century Fox, in theaters)
The Farrelly brothers aren't exactly known for their sensitive filmmaking, and the movie trailer says it all. Man falls in love with obese woman but doesn't realize it because he sees her "inner beauty." Crude hilarity ensues. We can't resist asking: Why do so many unattractive men in movies date only young, conventionally gorgeous women? How come the Farrellys' concept of inner beauty looks just like our society's latest concept of outer beauty? Could a movie make such fun of any other group of people and still claim to be a "love letter" to them?

The Ugly
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (ABC 11/15/01)
Okay, we all knew this special -- hyped as the "sexiest night on television" -- was going to be exploitative and just plain cheesy. But the depths to which it sank were amazing for a major network "entertainment" program. Except for a few of the women, the supermodels were presented as virtually interchangeable. Predictably, they were all incredibly tall with the longest, skinniest legs around, prominent hip bones and unnaturally full breasts. The standard of "beauty" the show set for women is impossible to achieve. Not to mention that the models themselves were marketed like products. Oh, c'mon, who was supposed to be looking at the underwear? And between the stiletto heels and the giant angel wings the models wore, walking the runway looked downright dangerous. The show strolled right across the line from "sex sells" to selling sex. ABC and its parent-company Disney should be embarrassed. Not only did they provide an hour of free air time to a commercial venture, they also ventured into the world of broadcast strip shows.

Click here to write a letter to ABC/Disney to tell them what you think. And don't forget to send your ideas for future columns to us at comm@now.org.

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