All That Glitters is not Gold
Once upon a time, there were these super rich, super famous, super beautiful actresses who seemed to have the whole world at their feet. But sad to say, nothing was what it seemed, and all that glitters was not gold, not even in cloud 9 where they seemingly reside.
Quote from Harrison Ford:
AAH, vanity:
[When asked: If heaven exists, what would you want God to say to you at the pearly gates] "You're a lot better looking in person."
1. At all cost, project a glamorous image
“Where do you think you’re going, young lady?” said Mdm. Mao, her arms akimbo.
“Out for some fresh air. Do you have a problem with that?” said Bactress, insolently.
“Yes, I do, especially dressed like that. Look at that hair, and no makeup to boot. What were you thinking,” Mdm. Mao shot back. “The paparazzi will have a field day with that get-up.”
“So let the sleazy goons snap away. I don’t care. I’m tired of wearing a public mask everytime, everywhere – a gracious one – no? Maybe a happy one? No? Pensive maybe, or God forbid, a ‘Me’ mask? Hah, that would be scary, won’t it? Wearing my very own natural face?” said Bactress, sarcastically.
Mdm. Mao sighed at another one of her superrich, super famous superstar’s defiant outbursts. Her gold mine of a protégée had been rather uncooperative lately these days. But she was an old hand at dealing with temperamental superstars; after all, she had been in the entertainment circle far longer than these super moody, flash- in-the-pan celebrities. Wearily, Mdm. Mao walked over to Bactress, draped an arm around her, and in her most syrupy voice, placated, “I know, I know, dearie, it’s tough being a celebrity. Always having to care about your appearance, but do you really want your unadorned self gracing the web and newspapers tomorrow with these headlines: “Bactress: Before and After photos." Do you truly want that?”
“Do I really look all that different without make-up?” asked Bactress in a small voice, her defiance quickly quelled by her insecurity.
“You are naturally beautiful, but what your public want and expect from you at all times is, ‘glamour’, that extra glow that could only come from cosmetics and careful grooming. Look around you; beautiful women are a-plenty in China, each more beautiful, more talented, and some even younger than you. Your stardom could be gone tomorrow, snuffed just like that,” Mdm. Mao stubbed her cigarette into the ashtray to emphasize her words.
“You’ve an image to upkeep, to protect, and that’s my job. Remember we’ve talked about this before. Come, let’s go get the glamour kit and put some colors on you.”
Bactress felt a scream rising deep within her soul; all she wanted was to breathe in the fresh air outside, to go out as herself, not as a superstar. All she wanted was the freedom to explore the world, as herself, not as a celebrity, was that too much to ask for. She reached into her jacket pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes, her very action, defiant.
“Oh, my God, cigarettes? Are you out of your mind? Don’t you know a picture of you puffing away on a cigarette will destroy your ingénue image? Your young fans will be devastated and …….,” fumed Mdm. Mao.
Bactress slowly flicked her lighter, lit her cigarette, took a deep drag and exhaled the smoke onto her manager’s face, now bloated with anger. In a honey-dripped voice, Bactress cut off her manager’s rant, “But we’re not in the public eye right now, are we?”
They glared at each other; Mdm. Mao broke off the eye contest first. She went for a different tack as she said nonchalantly, “Oh, by the way, Director Zhang phoned and said you need to loose a pound or so. Your face look far too chubby on the screen.”
Mdm. Mao took a sadistic pleasure at seeing Bactress’s defiant face crumbled into dismay. “Yep, you’d better pop some more of those diet pills. Wholesome looks are out, super thin is in.”
In times, Bactress became adept at making glamorous and sensational public appearances, the perfect mask always in place. Whereas before, she had cringed at wearing revealing gowns, now no necklines, front or back, were too low to show off her sculptured body. Whereas before, her face had felt stiff with thick make-up, now she felt naked without them on. Whereas before, she had liked windswept hair, now she liked it elegantly coiffed or teased, and colored. Whereas before she couldn’t careless about her looks, now she wore her ‘image’ everywhere she went. Her “me’ mask had long since forgotten, for a book is indeed judged by its cover, at least, in showbiz.
Superstar Bactress was imprisoned on cloud 9 by glamour