The title of this post is not meant to be shocking. “How to Look Good Naked” is the name of a new show debuting tomorrow, January 4th at 9pm/8c on Lifetime. The purpose of the show is to teach average-sized women how to be comfortable with their bodies by finding clothes that flatter, applying better makeup techniques and changing their hairstyle, etc. In other words, a makeover without dieting or plastic surgery.
I was granted the privilege of viewing an advanced screening of the first episode in it’s entirety in hopes that I would promote the show on my blog. I watched it, thought about it and polled a couple of my closest friends to see what they thought about it. I sent them the link to the screening so they could see for themselves. To be quite honest, I couldn’t believe what I was watching.
I will be up front in my opinion that I think the intention of the show is fabulous. I did not like how they opened with a group of women parading across the room in their bras and panties. To me, that was completely unnecessary, however I am sure it’s there for shock value just as the title of the show is designed for ratings and attention. The first couple of segments were great in helping the first guest understand her strengths and weaknesses. They assisted her in finding a more comfortable and flattering bra, changing her hairstyle and making some lovely wardrobe changes. By the end of segment two I was thinking “wow, great job!” But then came segment three. And it disgusted me.
Let me preempt my next several statements by saying I find it poor taste that we have a man hosting this show. I don’t care if it is Carson Kressley and women are “not of interest” to him. I think a female host would have been a much nicer touch. Oprah does a fabulous job of covering these topics on her show and there’s not a single man in the room when she does it. I’ll even expand on my reasoning here. A female host would gain our trust a lot quicker, especially when dealing with such sensitive and intimate topics. A woman would relate to the guests on a much deeper level. I’m also hoping a woman would not do this to an already vulnerable person…
In segment three (yes this is a spoiler), Carson Kressley asked the guest (sorry her name escapes me and I am unable to log back in to the screening at this time) if she would promise to pose naked for her glamorous photo shoot. She looks genuinely shocked at the suggestion and immediately says no…quite emphatically I might add. Carson proceeds to shower her with compliments and eventually sweet-talks her into baring all for the camera. I kid you not! The look in her eye as she tried to argue with him was heartbreaking. She just looked trapped. She was clearly not comfortable with that idea, even if she did eventually agree to it.
Ok, yes I realize the name of the show is “How to Look Good NAKED,” but I see a bit of inconsistency here. First, the only changes being made are superficial…clothing, hairstyle, makeup…all of which do impact a person psychologically. Yes, they will boost her confidence and make her feel good about herself. But asking someone to pose naked is a whole other ballgame. What is the point of finding the perfect dress with matching pumps and the bra that reduces fat rolls if you’re going to be stripping them off anyway? All that work and she doesn’t get to show off what she will look like to those of us who will be seeing her in real life with her clothes ON! (Nudity is personal and private and not something to be shared with the world. That is entirely my opinion and I fully expect a few folks from the Hooters crowd to come after me, but so be it. My opinion is usually in the minority and I’m quite comfortable with that.)
And here was the clincher for me (more spoilers)…They took those pictures from the “bare it all” photo shoot and put them up on the side of a building in a busy metropolitan area (certain body parts were discretely covered). The guest was then asked to flag down passersby, point to the billboard and ask “do I look good naked?” Of course everyone said she looked great. So I ask, why couldn’t she have done the same thing in a flattering dress? I mean if it’s not going to be full nudity on the billboard anyway, why not put a dress on her and let us see her as we would see her on any given day walking down the street next to us? This show would have had high recommendations from me had they left out the nakedness. Again, Lifetime could learn a few lessons from Oprah on how to do this tastefully.
Feel free to post your opinions on “How to Look Good Naked” below.
14 comments
Bop
i semi agree with you. it WAS wrong for them to bamboozle the poor woman into posing naked…I agree with that TOTALLY. BUT if they did find an average sized woman that would be comfortable to pose naked without bamboozlement, then that would be fine.
lynnmonk
Whilst I suppose that there is a possibility that any episodes where the woman opts out of the naked bits are not screened, there is no doubt that of those I’ve watched, the women involved did feel much better after the experience.
Personally, it is not something that I would ever want or need to participate in. But it would be interesting to hear a genuine response from someone who has appeared on the show, before we make judgments as to whether or not it is necessary or demoralizing in any way.
gretchen
Brilliantly stated.
Kel
“In the current series they are now stripping off in a shop window in front of a crowd of shoppers. It’s all very discreetly done though. They are made to pose like an artist’s model.”
Ah, discreet voyeurism. How lovely. So, it wasn’t enough to do a tasteful photoshoot–now we must add “shock value” by having them do this LIVE in front of other people? Let’s just have them do a striptease next, complete with pole dance. (It’s probably on the agenda for NEXT season. ;) )
Surely that will “boost their confidence.” After all, anything to boost confidence! Heck, if men throw money at them, perhaps then they will feel even MORE valued! :D
*tongue firmly in cheek*
gretchen
Hmmm. I still find that very unnecessary. :-?
lynnmonk
Yes, they did. But it is a rear view and they have the other girls screening their exit side stage.
One series had them doing the naked photoshoot. This was usually done in a stately home with a professional photographer. In the current series they are now stripping off in a shop window in front of a crowd of shoppers. It’s all very discreetly done though. They are made to pose like an artist’s model.
gretchen
When you say they all “took the plunge” – do you mean they all got completely naked?
lynnmonk
This show has been screened in the UK for some time now. The presenter is different of course. It usually ends with a catwalk show in the centre of a busy shopping mall where the object of the makeover struts her stuff down the catwalk in various attire and ends with her displaying all (if she wants to). So far they have all taken the plunge and felt much better for it.
My only gripe is that they should have men on it too. I’m sure there must be a few men who have low self-esteem.
Jenna Bradley
I’ve seen the first two episodes and really appreciate the sentiment. It would be great to live in a world where women of all shapes and sizes are seen walking down runways and modeling victoria’s secret underwear. Though I understand how the nudity can seem distasteful, I think it could ultimately be empowering to see yourself on the side of a building on a busy street where ads featuring size 0 women are usually seen instead. I think the idea is great, if poorly executed for now. But who knows how they will improve the show in the future, perhaps thanks to viewer opinions like ours.
The Hunter's Wife
I didn’t watch the show but saw a few commercials. It wasn’t something I would be interested in watching. It is important to feel good about yourself but to be naked in front of a million people. I actually found it to be in poor taste.