Hard News: Onwards and upwards
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:rotfl:
"It's a lady with a moustache!"
And all of New Zealand is up in arms. Priceless. Between this and Jesse Ryder throwing his toys we'll have several weeks of contrary opinions on what people should or should not be able to say and do in given situations.
For me? This photo is funnier than the moustache man and not as funny as this one.
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Ms. Saunders may also be suffering from a dissociative disorders that deserve sympathy and understanding, not condemnation.
Failing that compassionate explanation, I'm afraid she's simply a bit dim and morally struggling (aint cognitive dissonance a bitch). Bridget doesn't seem a bad person but she should stick to commenting about clothes and whatever that limited tribe of bored rich folk who wear them said to each other at promotional waterfront parties. Somewhat harsh?
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You mis-spelled "dumb biotch"
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Ouch.
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Stephanie Mills quoted by Herald:
"It's trademark Paul Henry and there are bigger issues in the world to worry about - like people dying of leukaemia from French [nuclear] testing. I think he likes being controversial - that's a polite way to put it. This is who I am and people make choices about who they are.
"I have a really wonderful family, three gorgeous kids, a loving husband, great friends, really challenging job that I do part-time around all the other things I do in my life, and I love my life.
"I'm secure with myself and I feel sorry that these people are so insecure about either their own appearance or mine. This is not about me, it's about them."
She had not made a formal complaint, "at this stage".
"My main concern is I've committed a lot of my time and energy to helping stop nuclear testing and I'm really proud of that and I'd really like people to focus on those bigger picture issues. There's more to life than skin deep."
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"I'm secure with myself and I feel sorry that these people are so insecure about either their own appearance or mine. This is not about me, it's about them."
One big issue in this - and coming from both sides - is the idea that it is somehow wrong for women to have visible facial hair. Whether it's expressed as "Women shouldn't have moustaches! Paul was right to point it out!" or "Some poor women can't help that they have facial hair! Leave them alone, Paul!" the message is clear - lady mos are wrong.
So it's really cool that Stephanie Mills seems utterly comfortable with her facial hair (just like JD Samson of Le Tigre or Frida Kahlo) and is apparently not giving much of a damn about whether people have sympathy or contempt for her facial fuzz.
Over at the Herald's Your Views (sigh), readers have their own opinions on the matter:
Craig from Wellington says:
It is offensive for a man to look at a woman with glaring masculine features.
Just as well I keep my ladypenis in my pants, then.
While Jen from Thames wants all women to suffer as she does:
I have to get rid of my little bit of fluff on my upper lip so why can't other woman.
One can only hope one day Jen will be emancipated.
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the idea that it is somehow wrong for women to have visible facial hair
Some commenters have found it downright offensive of Stephanie to venture forth in public without meeting their safe socially-sanctioned gender stereotypes. Transgressive behaviour releases some fascinating corrective impulses - from women as well as men. Childish Paul Henry needs a good shrink - in his own time, not on screen.
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As someone who is -by virtue of their very being-" not of a socially-sanctioned gender" I so understand the "transgressive behaviour" thang.
I'm an asexual: I am physiologically & obviously female, but I belong in neuter territory. I have many 'male' traits, and I learned, very early on, to disguise these - but I cant do it really successfully. Social apes that we are, a lot of people pick, very quickly, that I'm an outsider, not one of their kind (whether they're gay or bisexual or male or female.)
Which is why I find juvenile behaviour by creeps like Paul Henry personally offensive.
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It is offensive for a man to look at a woman with glaring masculine features.
Jesus. An abomination unto the lord?
I have to get rid of my little bit of fluff on my upper lip so why can't other woman.
Not before she'd eliminated that little bit of fluff between her ears, obviously.
Thanks for filtering this stuff, Robyn. Doubt that I'd be able to take it unadulterated.
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There will always be schoolyard bullies. I guess that when they grow up, they continue to seek the same satisfaction. (which I note on "your views") If they got away with it as children why do we believe they should know better as adults?I imagine the parents weren't giving instruction on how to be a good child.That Henry looks like an attention seeker and he just got it. I don't watch TV much but I linked to that and it confirmed my expectation of the twit.
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There will always be schoolyard bullies.
But I'm told that the NZEI claims bullying in our schools is already being dealt to. Others disagree, and that's only from today's news. Gee, I wonder who to believe?
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If public figures like Mr Henry get away with bullying then grown ups who find it admirable behaviour are reinforced and will not correct their chldren's behaviour. Then those little shits will bully other children, maybe yours. Sure it's not the only factor but the behaviour of prominent public figures and its effect on public attitudes are bound to have an impact.
Holding public bullies to account is for the benefit of all of us, not just for those they have directly victimised. Bullies also deserve to confront their own unhappiness and may Mr Henry get the help he so clearly needs. That's about as compassionate as I'll get about this.
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Viva Frida Kahlo! And ta, Robyn -- I'd momentarily forgotten about JD. Hot as, and even more so in concert. "Watch it on a video!"
I did wonder, looking at the waves of forehead crashing upon the shores of Henry's steadily retreating coiffure, whether there wasn't perhaps a bit of thinly disguised hair envy going on there...
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Ta for le TKO, Jolisa. Morning rev-up. :)
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I find juvenile behaviour by creeps like Paul Henry personally offensive.
I'm just waiting for someone (Danyl?) to write a piece about how Paul Henry was breaking down gender stereotypes and attacking attitudes to various gender roles... by discussing women's facial hair... something about societal taboos etc.
If John Key had returned from his summer holiday in Hawai'i and turned up on Breakfast the following Monday sporting a mo' Paul would have had a field day. He'd have read out - against objection - emails calling Key a porn star, he'd have remarked himself PM of NZ, coming on a national TV show couldn't even bother to shave. Paul himself chooses to remove his facial hair, and were he not to, it would probably feature quite prominently in sideswipe, women's magazines and even the news pages. Viewing this as a double standard - men's facial hair choices fair game, women's off limits - he was striking out for gender equality.
That sort of thing.
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True. Because he's such an incisive social commentator and all.. :)
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I was trying to work up a syllogism to explain how he was actually performing gender ambiguity himself, as a subtle political statement. Something along the lines of:
"Ooh, a lady with a [physical characteristic we generally think of as exclusively male]" = "Ooh, a man who is a [physical characteristic we generally think of as exclusively female]."
Unfortunately, that would require using the words for various ladyparts in their demeaning sense, and that I cannot do, even in jest. At least not in polite mixed company.
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Ta for le TKO, Jolisa. Morning rev-up. :)
My 3 year old is bopping around, 100% convinced that the lyrics are T-O-B-Y!
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If you're wiling to apply a word describing behaviour typically stereotyped as female, can I suggest "bitchy" - which may also relate to Craig's observation that a gossip columnist weighing in was more than ironic. Strong women do bring out interesting tics in weak men.
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Um, unfortunate run-on effect - should clarify I meant Mr Henry, not Mr Ranapia.
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And if you haven't seen the actual 5 minute interview that so provoked lil Paulie, the clip is linked from this story along with the reaction one we've seen.
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I'm reviewing the Nintendo DSi on Breakfast on Wednesday morning. It has, among other things, the ability to make playfully silly adjustments to photos you take e.g. funhouse mirrors, or moustache overlays.
I'm scared.
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The things one has to do to eat...
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If public figures like Mr Henry get away with bullying then grown ups who find it admirable behaviour are reinforced and will not correct their chldren's behaviour. Then those little shits will bully other children,
They do. It was something I abhored in my youth and found myself often sticking up for others.Still happens but.Henry has got away with it. He is not nice I agree, he seems awfully naive which made me think of bullies. IMO I can see how someone so ignorant would consider his behaviour funny. I think he is an ignorant fool looking for attention. I think TVNZ should make their staff aware that some New Zealanders found his comment offensive therefore in the interests of all,curb it.That's as compassionate as I want to be.
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transgressive behaviour releases some fascinating corrective impulses - from women as well as men. Childish Paul Henry needs a good shrink - in his own time, not on screen.
I think you're right about this - it's prompted by the same impulses as homophobia: discomfort about one's own sexual identity.
The hilarious thing about Paul Henry's role in all of this is that the last time I saw him on air (at an airport, as someone guessed this show might be seen) my American friend Lisa (who was seeing him for the first time) looked puzzled and asked "why would a NZer in this day and age would be doing an imitation of Paul Lynde?" Paul Lynde played kittenish Uncle Arthur on the 1960s sitcom Bewitched.
Paul Lynde/Uncle Arthur was campily and gay, and sure enough, his speech pattern is eerily similar to Paul Henry's. He even punctuated his bitchy comments and double entendres with "mmmmm" and "oh dear" just the way Paul Henry does.
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