Plastic Surgery Will Not Land You the Job

What does it take to convince aspiring actors that it is better to be yourself than to remake who you are? The articles that help push this thought (“A little too ready for her close-up?” by Laura M. Holson of The New York Times, and “Montag is a ‘cheap, plastic pool float’ after surgery,” by Doug Camilli of The Montreal Gazette) really support the idled look that Hollywood is trying to get away from.

Holson decides to use a more conversational style in her writing, but stays away from using the word “I” in many opinion statements that are given. An example of a conversation would be the way she asks a question, but answers it herself: “Professional courtesy? Not exactly.” At the beginning of the article, Holson uses a lead that attracts the audience to continue reading: “It took years for Hollywood to create the perfect woman. Now it wants the old one back.” These two sentences point out that under Hollywood pressures many actresses have worked hard to become that ideal woman. The second sentence is almost stated as a surprise or a shock, revealing that the perfect woman is not what Hollywood wants after all. Some of the mentioned actresses are Heidi Montag (a star on MTV’s The Hills), who has recently had ten surgeries, and Jennifer Grey (famous for her role in Dirty Dancing), who in the past has had plastic surgery on her nose. The article further brings evidence to the table by quoting casting directors, who specifically look for women who have not gotten surgery. The casting directors point out that it is easy to see if someone has had plastic surgery, which hints at the title of the article: “A little too ready for her close-up?” Holson uses Mindy Marin’s (the casting director for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) experiences of meeting with actresses who look nothing like their “close-ups” because of the cosmetic surgery performed between the submission of their pictures and their actual face-to-face interview. Holson records Marin as saying, “I don’t mind if they do a tiny bit, but it can’t be obvious.” Holson uses this imagery and wordplay very well in the title and throughout the article. The example of actual close-ups being used to determine an actresses over preparedness for a close-up with a movie camera shows how Hollywood is almost disgusted with the image of being too beautiful, the image that does not last long. At the end of the article, Holson almost makes the reader believe that an actress that has had plastic surgery may get a job after all, with Montag claiming that her surgery has made her more successful. The last line, referring to Montag’s two latest jobs states, “Both parts poke fun at women who’ve had too much plastic surgery.” This last sentence gives the reader the indication that cosmetic surgery is considered a big joke to Hollywood and there is no respect for the people who have participated in such a procedure. It also sparks curiosity to know what types of jobs she will receive in the future due to her new look.

Heidi Montag before her 10 procedures and after.

Jennifer Grey before nose surgery and after.

Camilli decides to use the comical approach. She uses a quote from Paulina Porizkova, a supermodel who has recently joined the reality TV world. Porizkova comments on Montag’s recent surgeries by calling her a “cheap, plastic pool float,” a pretty funny metaphor that sticks to the idea of cosmetic surgeries making people “plastic.” Also, using Porizkova’s words “cheap, plastic pool float” in the title is hilarious and may spark imagery by prompting the audience into wondering if Montag could actually float in the pool after having ten surgeries. Camilli uses this celebrity’s thoughts on the topic as evidence that plastic surgery is not the way to keep your fame, especially if you hear it from a supermodel. Porizkova further points out that actress Kate Hudson did not enhance herself, but diminished her uniqueness by transforming herself into a normal Californian blond. By using the comical statements of other celebrities, Camilli makes this article more interesting to read.

Kate Hudson before surgery and after.

These articles specifically point out the different ways that one may go about writing an article. If I find a topic comical, like Camilli does, I would use comical language and find quotes to keep the audience reading my article. I like the way Holson uses the conversational style, and I, myself, think I write more conversationally. It seems to make the article more personal to the reader because they feel like they are being included in the discussion. Also used in these two articles are imagery, wordplay, metaphors, quotes, and experiences from the involved parties. These elements are important to add in an article to make it more interesting and eye catching.