Carolyn Robertson
posted in Celebrities
If you listened to the radio this past summer, you probably know who Ariana Grande is. The permanently pony-tailed pop star had a few massive hits - 'Problem,' 'Break Free' and 'Bang Bang' were all on heavy rotation.
It seems not everyone's an Ariana Grande fan, though. Big Bang Theory actress Mayim Bialik says she wasn't too happy when she saw the Nickelodeon star's image plastered on a giant billboard while out with her sons Miles, 9, and Frederick, 6.
"There is [a billboard] for Ariana Grande, and I will go ahead and admit I have no idea who she is or what she does," Mayim writes at Kveller.com. "Based on the billboard, she sells lingerie. Or stiletto heels. Or plastic surgery, because every woman over 22 wishes she has that body, I'm sure. Why is she in her underwear on this billboard though? And if she has a talent (is she a singer?), then why does she have to sell herself in lingerie? I mean, I know that society is patriarchal and women are expected to be sexy and sexually available no matter what we do in society, but I guess now I need to explain that to my sons?"
Ariana can take solace in the fact that she's not Mayim's only target - the mom-of-two also takes aim at Levi's ads and lingerie giant Victoria's Secret ("The secret is that when there is no camera around, Victoria probably likes a cozy robe, a cup of tea, and Jean-Paul Sartre’s autobiography," she writes. "OK, maybe that’s just me, but still.")
I think Mayim's tone is a little disingenuous - if she really has "no idea" who Ariana is, a quick Google search would quickly enlighten her - but I do get some of her "crochety old lady" concerns. I admit that I also cringe when I see my 8-year-old daughter staring wide-eyed at the larger-than-life, half naked VS videos that play on a constant loop at the mall.
That being said, this particular rant seems a bit misplaced. I mean, Jennifer Aniston goes topless to shill bottled water. Scott Foley clenches his abs to sell luxury towels. A 15-storey poster of David Beckham in his undies was erected in New York City. When it comes to pushing sex appeal, Ariana Grande seems far from the worst offender.
In fact, just last month a New York Daily News article about the 21-year-old praised her image, saying, "You won’t find her swinging naked on a wrecking ball. She’s unlikely to make a signature move of grinding her hips. And her album covers could never be mistaken for the cover of Booty Call magazine."
We all know that in Hollywood, sex sells. I absolutely think it's sometimes taken to extremes, but I'm also wary of condemning an adult woman for wanting to look or feel or be sexy. I'm sure we all have our bathrobe and Earl Grey nights, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to throw on a pair of stilettos either.
Do you agree with Mayim Bialik on this one?
Should celebrities be role models, anyways? Hear what they have to say.
Photos: PR Photos
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