 Fifteen Minutes of Fame in Super Lady
Last night, I saw a graduate of the Bilkent Theater department on Super Lady. Television
is a magic box, which makes it possible to be famous in a matter of seconds. Like Andy
Warhol stated in 1968: "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes."
You can be famous, appear on television and be known by the whole world in one night. And
yet, forgotten the next day. The Bilkent graduate, a girl who graduated last year played
in many important roles, such as Shakespeare`s A Midsummer Night's Dream. She seemed to
me, mediocre in her talents, but I would not have been surprised if I saw her as an
actress on television. However, I was surprised to see her in Super Lady.
For those in the dark about Super Lady, I will do my best to explain the program, which
lacks a particular concept or a certain genius. Super Lady is just a simple TV program,
that collects beautiful girls from around Turkey and educates them in ways to of walking
and dancing to look elegant and beautiful. Each week in the show, there is a different
concept and each week the girls try to be successful and get the highest points from the
jury on these concepts. Girls try to show their talent and the ability to learn. The one
who gets the lowest mark, says goodbye to the contest.
A panel of famous judges such as a stylist and model, vote on the girls' performances each
week on live TV. The judges criticize the young women in the contest like they are buying
something from the market. They command them to "turn around, your hips are big, walk
here, turn again," then another judge says "it looks ugly or it is ok" or
humiliate the girls because of their size.
I am against all beauty contests because they turn women into objects of desire instead of
treating them as people. These contests tell us that society has particular expectations
of women including being pretty or elegant through dance classes, teaching women how to
walk, how to eat and so on. Women are not statues that can be put in your homes to look at
when you want to. Nobody needs to be pretty or elegant. Women of the 21st century should
do what they want to do, regardless of society's general expectations. Women should prove
themselves, with their skills by standing on their two own feet, having a good job, and
maybe by being a good mother.
And why not ask questions to the young women on Super Lady to give them a chance to show
how clever they are!? In fact, there shouldn't be any contests for women to prove what
they are. I am not complaining only about the producers or society's expectations. I am
also complaining about the girls dying to be on such television shows. It is as though
they want to be sold at a market. Can they see that point, and then sell themselves
willingly? I think women in beauty contests seem to be those who have no expectations or
nothing to do in life, no jobs, no education and who are trying to find something
interesting to do. Yet, the Bilkent girl is a university graduate. Maybe she is trying to
gain fame easily in this show. She looked pretty to me in the Shakespeare play… But
still, I am surprised to see a Bilkent graduate on Super Lady. I am sure she has the
potential to be an actress and perhaps she wanted to be famous and expected a role from
the producers after showing how pretty and talented she could be in front of millions.
In one of the weeks on Super Lady, the jury showed pictures of famous people and asked the
girls to identify them - maybe in order to determine the size of their brain. I think they
need it, because one of them, after seeing a picture of Einstein, identified him as
Aristotle. I have seen that same picture of Einstein even before primary school. Where
were these girls in primary school? Giving each other new hairstyles?
I do not know what will happen or what opportunities will be given to the winner of this
contest. Regardless, it seems that life for these women is about being famous, finding a
rich man and getting married. But come on girls, you do not need to prove your beauty or
your talent in these kinds of contests. Find a good job, enjoy a successful career and
stand on your own two feet!
Gülay Acar (COMD/IV)
howtoreachgulay@yahoo.com
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