The Four Seasons

While many of you may immediately think of the upscale hotel chain as I often do; or just the usual spring, summer, winter and fall, I am thinking this morning of the four seasons that occur in Los Angeles: the Rainy season (which often doesn’t happen), Pilot season (when all the new television shows get shot), Sun, Sun and more Sun; and my personal favorite: Red Carpet Season.

As I am writing this, it is also free Onion Ring weekend at Burger King – like WOW – what a juxtaposition.  It’s like the ladies of RHOA in South Africa proclaiming over and over again that they are in the mother land.  Well, if you have ever been to Cape Town or Johannesburg, you know that those cities are a far cry from A. Where slaving began and B. what the real Africa is like.

But I digress as usual.  While the rest of America is indulging in free onion rings, our celebrities, our royal families are exercising, eating extra carefully, getting whatever cosmetic procedures they need done so that they look their best as we watch and critique them (welcome back Fashion Police) from the Golden Globes (Go Madonna – congrats on your win for best song; and, I am sure the Super Bowl will simply be the opening act for her Madgejesty to reclaim her world domination of the music charts) to the DGA, SAG, Critics Choice, Grammys, People’s Choice leading all up to the Academy Awards.

I was watching Joan and Melissa the other night (did I actually just admit that?) and Joan was about to get another face lift. It was rather poignant as Melissa was afraid for her mother to have another elective surgical procedure because of her mother’s age, so she staged a skintervention.  She gathered Joan’s staff as they proceeded to tell her not to get it done.  Joan turned the tables on them and said what would you get done if I paid for it – each one of them named a number of procedures they would get done.

I was kind of amazed but not really – I mean there are things we would all like to change about ourselves if we had enough money to do it and we live in a culture that prizes physical beauty so much that we are willing to do most anything to attain that except diet and exercise in a consistent manner.  Now, I am not saying that we will be able to totally stop aging in its tracks; but, we will have a huge head start if we take care of ourselves from the inside out as well as just the outside.

Joan was very nervous the day of the surgery but the sad part was that she felt she had no choice being in the industry that she is in and that she must look good at any cost – even if it meant risking her life.

It’s kind of how everyone but NeNe felt when she asked Marlo, a convicted felon to accompany them on their trip to Africa.  As Phaedra who is my absolute favorite housewife of them all, no matter what city, said, “The only person I hang out with who has a rap sheet is my husband.”

When they arrive in Africa and then I promise, I will leave the RHOA alone for a few paragraphs – maybe more – Marlo starts to teach the girls proper etiquette.  Sheree couldn’t’ have said it more perfectly when she said, “that bitch has a rap sheet and a criminal past, I doubt very seriously if Emily Post has a chapter in her book about aggravated assault.” Love! Right?

But, they bring up a good point that screams volumes about American culture – people gloss over who they are; what they have done that they don’t like and try to change the veneer of who they are; when underneath the surface is what controls our behaviors – especially when it comes to eating in a healthy way.

Self loathing, insecurities and the inability or the fact that we don’t want to face these facts about how we feel about ourselves drive us to poor choices and poor eating habits.

Don’t get me wrong, the narcissism that makes Hollywood tick has its own cross to bear; but, it does give people the incentive to look good, eat well, exercise and at least attempt to live a healthier lifestyle – if you take away the booze, pills, coke, and all the other excesses from the Left Coast.

Why aren’t more people interested in taking care of their life by taking care of their health?  It doesn’t make any sense to me as it is a sure investment in your future but what I would recommend is a different type of award season – how about an award show for people who have lost weight; an award show for those who have kept it off; an award show for people who have started and stuck with their exercise program; or even an awards show for those who are managing to stay afloat during this prolonged recession?  How about a Real People Awards Show – it may not be as glamorous but it will certainly have more impact.

Until next time…


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