How is beauty represented within the media? Making particular reference to ‘Ugly Betty’.
'Ugly Betty' is an American comedy-drama series, based in New York ‘fashion "bible"’ Mode magazine which was adapted by Academy Award-nominated actress Salma Hayek (Frida) with
Ben Silverman, who acquired the rights and scripts from the
Colombian ‘Telenovela ‘
Yo Soy Betty, La Fea’ in 2001’
[1]. This show became an instant hit in Colombia as well as the USA and definitely in the U.K. When it was first brought to the U.K on January 5, 2007 by Channel 4, it was publicized everywhere by Channel 4, as something of such was never brought to the U.K before. ‘Ugly Betty’ was different compared to other shows because it showed an ‘ugly’ representation of women also she was the main character; the show was about her and her lifestyle. As well as this ‘Ugly Betty’ covered issues such as obesity within women, appearance and beauty. It was known as ‘one of the season's best new shows.’ by Los Angeles Times.
[2] ‘It won a Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series earlier this year’.
[3] The Colombian Telenovela 'Yo Soy Betty, La Fea' has a similar narrative to 'Ugly Betty'. It is also about the life of a Latino girl, who is an efficient assistant working for a fashion design company 'Ecomodo', in America; both the main characters within the dramas have the same name Betty. This show has not only been developed into an English show but there is also been ‘different versions in Indian, German and many more languages.’
[4].‘Ugly Betty’ is about Betty Suarez (played by America Ferrera) who is an ‘insecure young woman with a mouthful of dental ironmongery and the fashion sense of a Morris dance troupe on acid’
[5], she is appointed as Daniel Meade (played by Eric Mabius), the editor of chief of MODE’s secretary. ‘Ugly Betty’ shows the life of Betty and her struggles to 'fit in', within the world of fashion, but she is faced with many hurdles and objects along the way, may it be from her private life or her high maintenance job or even her love life. ‘[As the] producers [themselves describe the show to be set] in the superficial world of high fashion [where] image is everything [and where] the only constants are the super thin beauties.’
[6] This informs the audience how ‘Ugly Betty’ purposely covers the issue of beauty, and asks its audience is beauty defined by appearance, as media highlights it to be or is what’s on the inside that counts the most. If looked at carefully the viewers would notice that the only difference between Betty and the other characters is the need for Betty to ‘take of [her] glasses, let down [her] hair and suddenly [she’ll be] beautiful.’
[7] ‘[This] show [is] clever on how [it presents] a working-class girl from the Bronx bringing dignity to the hard-knocks world of fashion. Has been a huge success attracting 16 million viewers a night [in the US]’
[8]. When it was first introduced to the U.K it attracted 4.5 million viewers, over 2 weeks the show became so popular it had a staggering 5.5 million viewers watching and since then the number has just been rising. In short ‘ugly betty’ is ‘the classic tale of an ugly duckling thrusted into the daunting surroundings of the beauty industry’.
[9] Betty is the protagonist and gives her female audience someone they can relate to, may it be because of her looks, weight or even occupation. Even though the audience get to know Betty to be a sweet intelligent girl, yet ‘in the world of high fashion Betty is the oversized peg in a petite round hole.’
[10] However 'Ugly Betty' is a sitcom, it has many different genres in term of the issues and debates that are carried out through the drama, many having relevance to the media; paparazzi and the fashion industry such as; size 0 models and the main genre- Beauty. It fights the conventions of a fashion related drama, example being the main character she is not the most ‘beautiful’ women within the sit-com; instead she’s the ‘ugly duckling of the show’. The comedy that is presented in 'Ugly Betty’ is not highlighted so much, due to the serious issues that are covered in the sitcom. This sitcom also has many themes and ideas that convey the idea of zeitgeist, such as fashion, beauty, capitalism, celebrities as so forth. Also ‘Ugly Betty’ covers the issue of status, the difference between the rich; the Meade family and the poor; the Suarez family. This sit-com also covers issues of a materialistic society, where luxurious items such as designer clothes and accessories, flash cars are a necessity. Representation of women has been changed immensely through 'Ugly Betty'. As women are shown to be acting and men are shown to be appearing, this can be related to Berger’s argument ‘men act and women appear’
[11]; roles seem to have swapped compared to the old representation of women. This is done purposely as 'Ugly Betty' is a portrayal of the modern society where men and women are equal to each other. Another text which is related to my study is the 2006 film ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. There have been many critics arguing that ‘Ugly Betty’ is a re-make of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ as there are many similarities within the two texts. The opening sequence within the film and the TV series is very comparable, as both Betty and Andy (played by Anne Hathaway) are both appointed as assistants to editors in chief of big fashion magazines. On their first day to work they both are portrayed to be wearing costumes which are a ‘no no’ in the fashion industry; they’re shown in ‘ridiculously lumpy ponchos’
[12] also both these media texts have similar scripts, an example of this being when the snotty receptionist Amanda (played by Becki Newton) meets Betty for the first time she says ‘‘you the ‘before?’… she means the before and after (for) the photo shoot?’
[13]. I decided to look at this text in particular as it is very similar in comparison to ‘Ugly Betty’ in context to media language, as both the main characters (Andy and Betty) appear to be wearing similar costumes- ponchos. Also within this film Andy is the protagonist character for her audience, just like Betty. They are the ‘ugly ducklings’
[14] compared to the other characters present within the film and the sitcom. These actors are portrayed in such ways because the primary audience of this film is women, who do not have a lot of self esteem. They find themselves inferior to other women, may it be at work, or from what the media generates to them; example being the models we are shown walking on the cat walk ramps within the film and the in ‘Ugly Betty’. As well as this the main audience of these two texts can relate to the main characters as they may find themselves appear ‘ugly’ compared to other women, giving them a self esteem boost, because they see that Betty and Andy get what they want, by working hard and not changing themselves, effectively informing them that beauty is not an important factor, as it’s who you are inside that counts. This movie is very relevant to the question I want to answer what is beauty. What do the media portray beauty to be? May it be through magazines, fashion shows or even the people presenting on the news. According to these media examples a women’s appearance seems to be the most important factor. Characters such as Betty and Andy are made to fight the stereotype of all women specially, working within the fashion industry have to be ‘beautiful’ and what we as the consumers have always been shown to be beauty through the media is appearance; beauty lays within your appearance, your looks, and not forgetting your clothes. Yet Andy and Betty fight this stereotype they are all the ‘no’s’ in the fashion industry yet they are able to succeed within the careers and personal life because of their natural, generosity of spirit and inner beauty, helps them outshine everyone around them. Yet, it is important to mention, that ‘Ugly Betty’ is presented to have ‘added eyebrows and braces; the producers would not dare to actually have a rough looking heroine’.
[15] This tells how the producers, even though they want to change the media’s definition of ‘beauty’ they cannot take the chance ‘to go that extra step’.‘Desperate Housewives’ is also comparable to ‘Ugly Betty’ as this text is a prime example of what the media has been defining beauty to be since the past decades. ‘Desperate Housewives’ came to the UK in 2006. This drama is about the lives of 4women living on a particular street, the narrative is told through one of their dead friends. All the women, within ‘Desperate Housewives’ are shown to be ‘improbably groomed glamour pusses’
[16] they are all fit and in shape, size 4-8, with perfect face’s and so on; everything the media denote to be ‘beautiful’. Until ‘Ugly Betty’ was introduced this was the image of the ‘ladies of Wisteria Lane.’
[17] But the new series has changed! Gabrielle Solis (played by Eva Longoria) is shown ‘without makeup’ and ‘fat’, this can be a inspiration of ‘Ugly Betty’, Gabrielle who was a model in the previous series’ is shown to be the opposite to what was expected of her, being a model. This tells due to programmes such as ‘Ugly Betty’ the beauty definition media present to us has started to change. We are now shown real people. This change has not only appeared within sitcoms but also on cat walks now. Many fashion designers are choosing to have more ‘real size models.’ Upcoming artists such as Russell Marsh believe in ‘real size models’, he told The London Fashion Week Daily ‘[he] like reality, especially in times like these. [he said the world] needed a wake-up call [and] thinks its time people saw things for how they are.’
[18] Just recently, fashion designers have started to ask for ‘real size’ models as a recent inquiry by Baroness Kingsmill, a former deputy chairman of the Competition Commission, who told the ‘fashion industry is told to 'grow up.'’
[19] Another reason for such change’s to occur within the fashion industry is because the deaths of 2 Uruguayan model’s who died at a very young age. It appeared one of them ‘died of a heart failure caused by
anorexia nervosa’
[20], her sister died as well just within months of each other, ‘Eliana Ramos died of a heart failure aged just 18’
[21]. Another death which caused concern also the death of a Brazilian model, Ana Carolina Reston who suffered from ‘kidney malfunction due to
anorexia and
bulimia nervosa, which included a diet consisting only of
apples and
tomatoes, [her condition became] more serious and deteriorated into generalized
infection that led to her death at the age of 21.’
[22] The very interesting issue is that ‘even the world's most famous model [Kate Moss's is not] happy with her waif-like body, why on earth does this continue to be a desirable ideal.’
[23]In ‘Ugly Betty’, Betty fights the stereotype of being skinny, as she is represented as an ‘ordinary girl’ someone, all women can relate to. Yet this sit-com does cover the issue of size 0 models within the episode in series 1 which concentrates on Amanda’s dress, it shows how the dress does not fit her, hence causes her discomfort yet she wears it just because it’s designer. This just shows to what extent women would go to fit-in. Also the size of the dress looks so tiny, that it seems impossible that Amanda or anyone would be able to fit into it, yet she wears it and is not able to walk or move in it comfortably. This also informs the audience, what levels models especially would go just to have the latest fashion. This in addition brings to view the saying ‘no pain no gain’; as she wouldn’t be so popular at ‘The MODE’ if she wasn’t so fashionable. ‘Ugly Betty’ fights the stereotype that beauty is not by your size either, as she, may it be slowly is getting where she wants to be.An important episode which shows comparison between ‘Betty’ the girl from a working class family and Wilhelmina an upper class women living in the posh area of New-York, is when Betty goes for a ‘new look’ which will help her to fit in with the new job at ‘The MODE magazine’. The episode shows comparisons between their lives; the difference in their status, their definition of ‘beauty’, the different lifestyles they have and so forth. Betty’s lifestyle is shown to us first, we see her going into a ‘beauty salon’ which seems to be bright coloured and noisy, also it doesn’t seem so well presented as the colours clash and it isn’t very clean compared to Wilhelmina’s surroundings this may be a symbolic gesture towards Betty’s status; she’s not so fortunate as comparison to Wilhelmina. The lighting within the room seems to be very bright, furthermore the way the women, in the salon are dressed it doesn’t seem to be very professional. She is also shown to be very fat, this is opposite to what Wilhelmina’s stylists look like. Wilhelmina’s surrounding are presented to be very peaceful as it uses subtle earthy colours also the lighting used is dull which presents peacefulness, and the other colours set a calm atmosphere. The salon is also presented as being very professional, this can be seen from the costumes the staff working at the salon seem to be wearing also they seem to be well groomed and presented, with their matching colours and so forth. This shows how rich Wilhelmina is and how stylist she is.Through the costumes of Betty and Wilhelmina, there is a clear difference. Wilhelmina clothes are presented to be very dull, mostly browns this connotes sophistication and all her clothes are shown to be contrasting and matching, representing her to be smart, and simple. Compared to Betty’s costume which involves floral prints in addition they are very bright and colourful, the audience are given an image of her not being so smart, yet more casual also she has no colour contrast, showing that she does not care of what she looks like. Yet this can be criticized as she is in a salon, meaning she does care. Betty being presented in the salon can also gives the idea of her changing herself for others in order to ‘fit in’ MODE. The editing techniques used in this episode, whilst showing Wilhelmina and Betty is mostly jump cut from Wilhelmina to Betty and vice versa, this is done to signify the different types of lifestyles they both lead, also this indicate the difference between the ‘beautiful’; Wilhelmina and the ‘ugly’; Betty. There is a binary opposition here between the beautiful and the ugly.Through dialogue it is easy to recognise that it takes time for Betty to look ‘beautiful’ as the women in the salon says ‘we need the big tweezers’ emphasises there’s a lot of work to do in making Betty look pretty. When she looks ‘beautiful’ whilst walking down the road, the builder whistle’s at her, this emphasises how she looks beautiful now and people turn heads to look at her. This can be a relation to the ‘ugly duckling’ transforming into ‘Cinderella’. Yet Betty doesn’t believe she’s getting whistled at and says in shock ‘who me?’ things change when she enters ‘MODE’ instead of complimenting her people laugh behind her. Not only this but her clothes seem to be too bright and loud, compared to the other workers in MODE and MODE’s surroundings in overall. This may be done to show the difference between the rich and poor again as, most of the workers working in MODE are middle class, and Betty is working class, connoting that no matter how much she changes, she will never be able to be like them.Beauty doesn’t only affect the fashion industry; even within the work force appearance makes an effect. The ‘beautiful people are not just pleasing to the eye; it seems they are also wealthier, more successful and much easier to get on with’
[24]. ‘[So for those who [had] consoled [to] themselves that there is more to life than being really good-looking [will defiantly be] in for a shock!’
[25] This research was conducted by researcher from ‘University of California, who reported their research in the journal of Economic Psychology’
[26]. Who found out that "Attractive people make more money than middle attractive people, who in turn make more money than unattractive people,"
[27] from this information it can be clearly decided that not only is the fashion industry obsessed with looks but even within the outside world of fashion, even within our everyday lives we are judged by our appearance. As well as that it also indicates that Betty has done good as she has got herself a job which other people would die for.In conclusion, throughout my independent study, I have put forward what I have obtained from my research. Through my research, this was mainly acquired from the internet. I found out, that ‘Ugly Betty’ was originally a Telenovela production, and it was ‘so popular in Colombia that when the lead character; Betty was offered a bribe in one episode, newspapers ran headlines urging her not to be corrupted.’
[28] ‘Ugly Betty’ was designed to have an impact on its audience; it was to view the fashion industry in a more humorous light yet covering the important issues raised within the fashion industry. Therefore ‘Ugly Betty’ was presented in such a ‘hideous’ appeal; compared to what other lead characters within TV series look like such as- Desperate Housewives, where there is no actual main character yet, all the character’s are presented to be average sized, if not skinny, with beautiful faces, where they don’t have and bushy eyebrows like Betty’s, or have braces like betty, they have white, straight teeth. Overall, Beauty is represented within ‘Ugly Betty’ through the props used example being Betty having braces, having no sense of fashion and generally being an individual. It is a clear thing to see, that Betty stands out within the fashion industry because of her appearance, this is done to show how she is different, she’s not within the fashion industry because she wants to meet fashion designers and be famous. It’s more because she wants to fulfil her life time dream to become a writer, and working within the ‘MODE’ magazine she can fulfil this dream, quicker then working anywhere else. Yet again, she is not presented to be selfish, like Amanda, or Wilhelmina is presented, she’s shown to the viewers as a more helpful, and kind person. The ideology behind this is to show beauty is not within the looks of a person, it’s within the beholders eye. Betty may be known as ‘Ugly Betty’ yet the person she is, is ‘Beautiful Betty’ as her personality is what shines out and over comes the fact that she may not be appealing as other workers within ‘MODE’ yet she is more helpful and more needed then the other workers within ‘MODE’. Betty gives beauty a new definition within the media, this series has made major changes within the fashion industry; with designers becoming anti-0 size models. There has been a difference within the way, women look at themselves; accepting themselves for who they are. I think personally, ‘Ugly Betty’ has given the world a more realistic view of the world and its people. It’s covered issues which we knew about yet never talked about be it within media or just the world itself. It’s made everyone except themselves for who they are and not change to become someone else who you see on TV, because it’s personality that matters not looks. Even America Ferrera who play’s betty herself believes when she’s playing the role of ‘Ugly Betty’ ‘[she] feels more beautiful’
[29] just tells us that beauty is from within not from the outside.Bibliography:Works Cited:Books:· Benavides, O. Hugo. Drugs, Thugs, and Divas: Telenovelas and Narco-Dramas in Latin America. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2008.· Gauntlett, David. Media, Gender and Identity: An Introduction. New York: Routledge, 2008.· Harrison, Lawrence E. Developing Cultures: Essays on Cultural Change. London: CRC Press, 2006.· Simpson, Philip. Critical Dictionary of Film and Television Theory. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis, 2007.Websites:[22]/ [23]
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/after-the-beautiful-people-of-friends-channel-4-turns-to-betty-the-ugly-404228.html by Ciar Byrne (This website involved a article about how, after friends ‘Ugly Betty’ was the next series, which was going to boost up Channel 4’s audience).[18]/ [19]/[20]/[21]
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/beautiful-people-earn-12-more-than-ugly-bettys-461261.html By Roger Dobson( this article was about how even within the office’s and other fields of work besides media, appearance made a difference).[4]
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ugly-betty-star-backs-clinton-in-bid-to-attract-key-hispanic-vote-770546.html by Leonard Doyle (This articles was about, ‘Ugly Bettys’ lead character America who had joint with Clinton in the votes)[12]
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/real-women-the-latest-fashion-936170.html by Susannah Frankel ( this wbsite involved a article which informed about the changes within the fashion industry, and how fashion designers wanted more ‘real women’ on the ramp).[5]/[9]
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/a-hit-us-series-starring-brit-ashley-jensen-of-extras-mixes-satire-amp-shopping-423965.html by Andrew Gumbel ( this articles had references to ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ as well as ‘Ugly Betty’ it covered and talked about the similarities these two had).[1]/[3]
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/inside-story-the-media--as-seen-on-tv-453539.html by Bill Hagerty (this article informed about ‘Ugly Betty’ and what the story line was about as well as who produce’s it).[2]
http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/uglybetty( this website included reviews about ‘Ugly Betty’ from newspapers, and websites).[13]
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/sizezero-debate-fashion-industry-is-told-to-grow-up-449862.html by
Jeremy Laurance[17]
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/carola-long-why-fashion-loves-the-superthin-912205.html by Carola Long[14]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luisel_Ramos[16]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_Carolina_Reston[6]Critical Dictionary of film and television theory by Roberta E. Pearson, Philip Simpson[7] http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-09-25-devil-vs-betty_x.htm[8] http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-09-25-devil-vs-betty_x.html[10]
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20081017/ai_n30923769?tag=content;col1[11]
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http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-135006071.html[1] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/inside-story-the-media--as-seen-on-tv-453539.html[2] http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/uglybetty[3] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/inside-story-the-media--as-seen-on-tv-453539.html [4] Media, Gender and Identity
[5] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ugly-betty-star-backs-clinton-in-bid-to-attract-key-hispanic-vote-770546.html[6] Media Gender and identity
[7] Developing Cultures
[8] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/a-hit-us-series-starring-brit-ashley-jensen-of-extras-mixes-satire-amp-shopping-423965.html[9] Critical Dictionary of film and television theory
[10] Media Gender and identity
[11] http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-09-25-devil-vs-betty_x.htm
[12] http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-09-25-devil-vs-betty_x.html
[13] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/a-hit-us-series-starring-brit-ashley-jensen-of-extras-mixes-satire-amp-shopping-423965.html[14] http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20081017/ai_n30923769?tag=content;col1[15] Media Gender and identity
[16] http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20081017/ai_n30923769?tag=content;col1[17] http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/real-women-the-latest-fashion-936170.html [18] http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/sizezero-debate-fashion-industry-is-told-to-grow-up-449862.html[19] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luisel_Ramos[20] http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-135006071.html[21] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_Carolina_Reston[22] http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/carola-long-why-fashion-loves-the-superthin-912205.html[23] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/beautiful-people-earn-12-more-than-ugly-bettys-461261.html [24] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/beautiful-people-earn-12-more-than-ugly-bettys-461261.html[25] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/beautiful-people-earn-12-more-than-ugly-bettys-461261.html[26] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/beautiful-people-earn-12-more-than-ugly-bettys-461261.html[27] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/after-the-beautiful-people-of-friends-channel-4-turns-to-betty-the-ugly-404228.html[28] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/after-the-beautiful-people-of-friends-channel-4-turns-to-betty-the-ugly-404228.html[29] Drugs, Thugs and Divas
