[Miscellany]

Ahh BB. I am writing reports which actually means that I'm procrastinating by watching tonnes of BB and poking around on the forums. This last week has seen Travis being bullied by the boys to the point of hospitalisation and Bianca being pressured by the girls to get a breast reduction. The whole thing reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Elaine just can't believe how barbaric it is for guys to give "atomic wedgies" to other guys they don't like. Jerry asks what girls do instead oh..we just tease someone until they develop an eating disorder, she deadpans. Indeed, with this in mind we have many eating disorders yet to come on the daily show. Bonus!



Firstly; Travis. I'd talked about him before - high pitched voice, everyone but him thinks he's gay, annoyingly nice. Since day one he has been the plaything of the other housemates. I'm going to explain it the best way that I know how, basically it's goes like this you're not cool enough to actually be a friend that we care about as another human being but since you're in here you can hang out with us if you let us treat you like shit, cut off your hair in chunks, make fun of you relentlessly and then squirt you in the eye with half a bottle of shower wash and laugh while you scream and try to wash out your eye. And so there we have the story of Travis and the other housemates (namely, the boys). Post hospitalisation (could have been serious eye damage) we see Travis re-enter the house all smiles and forgiveness. I don't know what to say. On the one hand he really needs to tell those bullies to back the fuck off. On the other hand I am certain Travis doesn't see it as bullying. He has probably been treated in similar ways by lots of people throughout his life - especially people like the alpha males we have present in the BB house - and maybe this is just a more intense extension of that. Either way it's getting uncomfortable to watch. I dislike people who pick on others for no higher purpose than...just because they can. It's pathetic.

It all brings up a good point though. If the victim doesn't see himself as one then IS he a victim at all? Who decides?



Now, Bianca. Bianca has humongous and rather magnificent knockers that would be hard to miss, even from outer space. The thing is, from day one girlfriend has been complaining that it's a curse rather than a blessing to have boobs such as hers. Then again, she doesn't cover them at all times either. Lady isn't a nun, after all.

The other night a fight developed between Bianca, Alice and Renee (it should be noted that neither A or R has boobs that would fill an A cup), whereby A and R became angry at B for complaining about her breasts when indeed all she does is "flaunt them" and that if she doesn't like her breasts that much she should get the breast reduction that she's been moaning about for the past few weeks and just shut up about them. If Bianca knew Judo I have a feeling A and R wouldn't have heads right now. She was livid that these two girls would tell HER what to do with HER body. B had explained on other occasions that she will probably get a breast reduction later on after having (and breastfeeding) children but not now and she's pissed that she even has to defend her point of view on the matter anyway.

"We’re talking about my life, my body. Do I go up to you Al, and say ‘You’ve got small tits, you should get big ones?’

“You’re sitting here, trying to convince me about this crap and you don’t have to live with them. You don’t have to f**ken live with them. How would you know how I feel? Or why I wanna choose what I choose? It’s my choice.”

The fight gets more heated until Bianca exits the van and continues to chuck the most spectacular hissy fit I've seen since on BB in a long time.

“I have to spend my whole f**king life defending [my breasts] and then I get two tossers that think that they know how I feel.

“If it was a physical f**king disability like a gammy arm or something, it wouldn’t be a story of ‘When do you want it fixed?’”

But Bianca wasn’t finished: “If I was born with a f**ken cleft lip …”

“It’s not a cleft lip Bianca!” Alice shot back.

“It’s still a physical thing man,” Bianca screamed. “It’s like me sitting there and going, ‘You’re insecure about your titties, why don’t you get fake ones?’”

“I’ve thought about it and I don’t want to ever,” Alice said in return.

“Exactly!” Bianca said passionately. “I’ve thought about it and I don’t want to until I meet a guy that accepts me with them.”

Later on Bianca explains her point of view on why she doesn't get the breast reduction now to Travis. She says she wants whoever she marries to know what it is like to go through life dealing with having such big boobs. Shes doesn't want to get them lopped off and then tell stories about what it was like, trying forever to explain something that no one who hasn't been through it can understand. She also wants to have children and breastfeed. Most importantly she doesn't want to be pressured into doing something she's not totally comfortable with until she's ready to do it for herself.

For once in my life I actually agree with Bianca. I never thought I'd see the day. I totally get her POV on them being a curse while still embracing them as part of her. Why isn't she allowed to do that? Why is it that she can't complain about her boobs yet the rest of the housemates can go on about their flabby arses (which are not flabby at all) and yet still flaunt THEM in extra short shorts? It's utter hypocrisy. Furthermore many of the flat chested girls have complained about having no boobs and yet are not pressured by the other housemates into getting implants. A point which Bianca brings up in her argument as well.

I found the whole argument mystifying and a little disturbing - do people not realise just how major the surgery is for a breast reduction? It's nothing like getting implants, it can be damaging to nerves and more often than not leave horrific scars. I don't think the other two girls were jealous of Bianca's boobs exactly. Anyone with shit for brains can see that they are impossible to miss and being this way means that no one is ever going to approach her as anything more than that girl with big boobs. It might get her certain places with certain people but when you think about the kind of people that would be willing to give a girl a break based on her boob size...well it's probably not the kind of break a girl would even want. So, I doubt Alice and Renee would want that, but maybe part of them doesn't want Bianca to get any attention for 'the ladies' at all. The thing is, all these girls have little things they do that get them attention around the house - whether it's being "tickle buddies" or "cuddle buddies" or flirting openly with the boys or just being bossy. Dude they're in the Big Brother house - they're all attention whores. Do they not understand how attention whores operate? Why begrudge Bianca the same for a couple of boobs? At least they're fucking real!


Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others - The Smiths



(couldn't resist - plus it's The Smiths!)

Labels: big brother, boobs, bullies, crap reality tele, mean girls, mean men, questions

posted by M at 12:06 am 10 comments

Something interesting is happening in the Big Brother house (yes of COURSE it's interesting!) - the boys have all gotten together and created the "Spa Mafia" - a men's group based on bitching about others, getting away from the girls and being a "real bloke", (whatever the fuck that means). The thing is, though the group is a "men's group" it has a notable absence:




For those not watching Travis is the guy who has a high pitched voice, wears heart shaped sunnies, is a self-confessed virgin, sets off every gay-dar within 100km radius off and yet insists he is straight.

The poor guy has been COPPING it from the blokes (and Brigitte) left right and centre. He's not a member of the Spa Mafia because they just can't trust him not to run off and tell the girls about all their secret business. On the flip-side, half the "Mafia" have admitted they don't trust Dave (the cult escaping fireman) either - but hey, there he is - creating his own bubbles in the spa with the rest of them. Very interesting.

Practically every day since they entered the house, people (mostly the other guys) have reacted with aggression towards Travis. His sexuality has been questioned straight out. He has been told to his face by a few of the guys that they would not associate with him in the outside world. His choice of fashion has been bagged both behind his back and to his face - and the guys have really seemed angry when they ask him why he would "wear something like that" (ie: his heart sunnies and hat). I've found it a little disturbing to watch actually. Who cares what he's wearing? Why do they hate him so much? He seems like an nice person who doesn't go out of his way to annoy others. He's just a guy. He's just a person like anyone else. It annoys the crap out of me that they would judge him based only on his looks. It's pathetic. Yes, that kind of thing is pathetic coming from anyone. I wouldn't associate with you because of the way you dress/weight/sexuality/attractiveness is pretty much the same as I wouldn't associate with you because you're Aboriginal/Asian/Italian/Indian/Sudanese in my book. It's so judgmental and a horrible attitude to have about someone else.

Last year when Zak (flaming gay, God love him) was in the house there was an initial reaction but no real aggression towards him. Did the housemates accept him more because he was gay? Is it because "gay" is a label that suggests a point of "difference" from the other men and something from which they could distance themselves from? He wasn't offensive because he was not like the rest of them. Personally I also find this attitude ridiculous but that's how I saw it being played out last year. This year however, we have this guy who has many of the mannerisms of being gay and yet he insists he is not. Maybe that is dangerous because it's subversive - because if he's not gay and he's ALSO not acting like the other blokes then ... what does that mean for the other straight men? It puts that whole idea of "real men" into question, doesn't it?

For the record my gay-dar is going off uncontrollably whenever he comes onto the screen however maybe he isn't gay at all, maybe he hasn't really explored that side of himself, maybe being deeply religious has something to do with rejecting potential gay tendencies (if there are any). In any case though, if in Travis' mind he doesn't believe he is gay then that's good enough for me. Who cares if he is or isn't? I MEAN WHO THE FUCK CARES? Jesus Christ! It's not like he's going to cop a feel of the men in the shower one morning is it? And yet, first night in, we have some of the other guys saying that they refuse to sleep next to any of the other men in the house ..god knows why, maybe they think that if your leg accidentally touches another man's leg then you get the gay disease or some shit.

So, in the BB house it's been all this AND keeping Travis out of the "Spa Mafia" - just because quite frankly (and this is what it's coming down to) they do not see Travis as a real man - as one of them. Why don't they see him as a real man? Well, because he wears heart shaped sunglasses and has a high pitched voice and doesn't admit he's gay. And yet, being homophobic, racist, sexist, shallow dickheads with more muscles than brains is okay because that's what they would define as characteristics worthy of qualifying entry into the "real mens" club.

WHAT THE FUCK? I can't believe these kinds of attitudes still exist.

What do YOU think makes a real man?
I'm all for being judgmental about people based on their attitude to life, based on their attitude towards others, based on their morals or values or how mean they are - but why are we so judgmental about other people based on their "look" (chosen or otherwise)? Is it okay for us to be like this?

Labels: big brother, crap reality tele, gender stuff, generalisations, gentlemen, mean men, mean women, musings, questions, TV, wonderings

posted by M at 4:23 pm 16 comments

You know what Kylie Minogue? I just don't get it. I just don't get you. You've got money, you have a bazillion gay fans, you can wear hot pants without a hint of irony and still make it work and you beat the big C over the head with spiky stick but you are still a magnet for deadbeat men.

There have been many though these were the lucky, lucky, lucky few that lasted longer than a few weeks.

1) Jason Donovan. Okay, there was nothing wrong with him except that he had a mullet but then again YOU had a mullet TOO! You were MFEO, goddamn you I'm still waiting for you two to walk down the isle while Suddenly plays in the background in a quaint little church in the Dandenong Mountains...fer real this time. I fully blame you for his addiction to drugs and foray into reeeeeally bad sappy pop music and finally into ugly land. Lady before you fucked with him he was every nice Smash Hits magazine reading young lass' wet dream. That is all.



2) Michael Hutchence. I totally get it - he was completely fucked up but sexy as hell. Maybe even being fucked up made him sexy as hell. It's a hard thing for a girl in her early 20s to resist, I know. Then again, he was a serial womanizer who was totally seeing other women the whole time he was with you. Then after dumping you the next thing you know he's married to a wacko and then...bam! Dead. I'm not saying you were to blame however, Jase up at #1 didn't fare so well after dealing with you either. Did I mention the words "serial womanizer"?





3) James Gooding - dude used you for sex and then sold your story to the tabloids in a simultaneous dump/humiliation move. Yeah, he was a real keeper. Again - serial womanizer






4) Pauly Shore - well I don't think he hurt YOU at all but my god woman it's PAULY SHORE, even Brendan Fraser in that cracker of a moive Encino Man was more articulate and 'human' like than him - what the fuck were you thinking? I mean jeez, I don't understand.









5) Olivier Martinez. Two words: Love Rat. Here's another two words: serial womanizer. Lady, every single person who has ever picked up a copy of NW while waiting in the check out line at Safeway knew that he was cheating on you and we all groaned simultaneously when we found out that you took him back...again..and again..and again. Okay, Frenchy stayed by your side during your battle with cancer but I'm a cynical bitch and I'm going to say what we we've all been thinking but were too nice to say: The man didn't want to be publicly known as the bastard who dumped Kylie while she had cancer. So..he stayed with you through that and then waited until you were well again before he took up with some young thing..just like he always meant to (or always was). This doesn't make him a "good person for being by your side" but instead a "dickhead that needs his nuts kicked in good and proper".

(honorable mention: That married guy who took you out on hit yacht for a "friendly" trip. Yes, married. No, no one actually believed you were 'just friends').


Girlfriend do I really have to remind you that you are rich, famous, gorgeous and un-wrinkly? What more could a man want in a woman (well so they keep saying anyway)? And this is coming from someone who doesn't even like you. I think you're a vapid attention whore who sings shit songs that are only good for a bout of retro dancing and nostalgia - but even I; a member of the ever hurtful Kylie critics can see that you are automatically five thousand per cent better than any guy out there that has the privilege of being on your arm.

Honey, it's time to go lez.

What is it with fabulous girls who can manage mammoth careers and have it all but can't resist the charms of dead beat idiots? I know so, so many absolutely wonderful (and conventionally beautiful) women who are surrounded by deadbeats! What the hell is going on?

Labels: mean men, messy women, pop culture, relationships, what women want, wonderings

posted by M at 10:44 pm 12 comments

* Conversation: The other day I was eavesdropping on a conversation between two friends. They were discussing getting the flu and how shitty it makes you feel - you know mundane stuff. We've all had that riveting conversation I'm sure.

Then one girl brought up gastro - a painful and horrible affair it is. They started grumbling about that one but both admitted that they'd rather have gastro than the flu.

Why? Well to quote:

At least you loose a bit of weight! one proclaimed.

It's a kick start on the diet - the other readily agreed.

I'm not all that upset when I get gastro. At least it's doing something good for you she said.

I get secretly happy when I have it, even though it hurts the other finished up.

And there you have it. Conclusive evidence that girls are fucked up in the head and you know what? I couldn't in all honesty say that I totally disagreed with them either. I don't think it's a healthy way to think about ones body but it's how we do think about them nonetheless.

* In praise of good men: The other night I found myself in a spot of bother when I'd lost the lens cap of my camera in the middle of a pitch black park. Who forgot her torch I wonder? hmm. I made a comment about having to look for it when one of my fellow classmates gallantly braved the cold night air and boring conversation to stay with me and helped me look until I found it. Who else would do that? No one! This man; I've seen him do quite a few nice things for other people - including walking a woman to her car even though it was late and he must have been tired, and helping someone with instruction when no one else would and engaging in conversation with many different kinds of people - both men and women in a non-arrogant way. He's just a good guy and I'm sorry to say I haven't met a lot of those kinds of guys lately.

Some guys, are really nice sometimes. They're nice to only certain types of women or certain types of people. I don't want anything to do with those people. You can always tell the character of a person not exactly by how they treat only you but by how they treat all people and living creatures. Some people are just in it for themselves - I could say the same about women who are friendly and sweet to men but total bitches to other women. I've said it before but I'm extremely wary of women who don't get along with other women or who say 'I'm a boys girl'. Pfe.

In the same way, I'm wary of men who only treat certain women nicely and other women meanly or even ignore them - because they perceive these women as 'easy' or 'ugly' or 'dumb' or whatever doesn't make the grade. Some men treat women nicely only if they are the kind of women that man would go on a date with, even if they don't actually want to date them. You can smell the fake nice on these guys a mile away and it's not pretty. They will be friendly to someone because they want to impress them but not to another person because they don't care about impressing them. As humans we're all kind of selfish but this kind of behaviour is a bit rotten. We don't have to all be best friends but shouldn't we all be decent to each other?

So this good guy - wow. I had shamefully forgotten that some men are worth their weight in gold. Good men: Big tick!

Labels: bodies, good guys, mean men, men, vicious women, women

posted by M at 3:52 pm 24 comments