I saw it in People, and it did have her preface about Blake. Regardless, even if it was a leading question (I assumed it was), it could still have been answered in a far more diplomatic way but still get her point across.
Like, asshole reporter: Do you think that shows like Gossip Girl are a positive influence on girls today with all the backstabbing and rivalry that goes on between Blake and [insert the other star's name]?
Possible improved answer: I think there's an appalling dearth of positive female role model characters being written today in general. As a working actress, it makes it very difficult to find such meaty, positive roles while still paying the bills -- I've been very lucky myself with Ugly Betty.
That would have been a far more appropriate answer imho. A longer version would even have something about ethnic minorities and how they've been portrayed on TV, how such actors in the past would have to take stereotyped roles because that was all that was available -- but it made a difference because it at least created inroads for future generations, etc. etc.
I've never had much of an opinion of America Ferrara, but I agree that the things I've read have indicated to me that she's naive and possibly (though I can't imagine how) ignorant of exactly how lucky she is. Not everyone gets a show like Ugly Betty practically land in their laps giftwrapped.
And yeah, GG *is*, from what I know of it, representative of what teenage girls are like in RL. Exaggerated, of course, but it's TV, it has to be. But I bet nearly every teenage girl out there can relate to the tensions and subtle rivalries that go on. Whereas Betty is, I'm sorry, FAKE. It's an idealized version of what the real world is like, and while we need some form of that to move us forward, it's ultimately completely unrealistic and possibly even damaging for impressionable girls who see a show like that and find out one day that hey, I'm overweight and unattractive and go completely against the grain and yet I don't have 3 guys fighting over me and nothing works out completely in my favor?? But it works for Betty! Plus they just go overboard with Betty -- it's fine that she's the way she is and sometimes things go her way and sometimes they don't. But honestly? For her to constantly get new admirers and what not? It's like, yeah right. The morality tale part only works when there's still some semblance of truth to it. It's getting to the point where it's just turning reality on its head (and this is going beyond the outrageous subplots that have always been a cornerstone of the show).
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-10-01 09:39 pm (UTC)Like, asshole reporter: Do you think that shows like Gossip Girl are a positive influence on girls today with all the backstabbing and rivalry that goes on between Blake and [insert the other star's name]?
Possible improved answer: I think there's an appalling dearth of positive female role model characters being written today in general. As a working actress, it makes it very difficult to find such meaty, positive roles while still paying the bills -- I've been very lucky myself with Ugly Betty.
That would have been a far more appropriate answer imho. A longer version would even have something about ethnic minorities and how they've been portrayed on TV, how such actors in the past would have to take stereotyped roles because that was all that was available -- but it made a difference because it at least created inroads for future generations, etc. etc.
I've never had much of an opinion of America Ferrara, but I agree that the things I've read have indicated to me that she's naive and possibly (though I can't imagine how) ignorant of exactly how lucky she is. Not everyone gets a show like Ugly Betty practically land in their laps giftwrapped.
And yeah, GG *is*, from what I know of it, representative of what teenage girls are like in RL. Exaggerated, of course, but it's TV, it has to be. But I bet nearly every teenage girl out there can relate to the tensions and subtle rivalries that go on. Whereas Betty is, I'm sorry, FAKE. It's an idealized version of what the real world is like, and while we need some form of that to move us forward, it's ultimately completely unrealistic and possibly even damaging for impressionable girls who see a show like that and find out one day that hey, I'm overweight and unattractive and go completely against the grain and yet I don't have 3 guys fighting over me and nothing works out completely in my favor?? But it works for Betty! Plus they just go overboard with Betty -- it's fine that she's the way she is and sometimes things go her way and sometimes they don't. But honestly? For her to constantly get new admirers and what not? It's like, yeah right. The morality tale part only works when there's still some semblance of truth to it. It's getting to the point where it's just turning reality on its head (and this is going beyond the outrageous subplots that have always been a cornerstone of the show).