First of all, I am only glad that Joe Jonas, of the Disney teeny bopper band, 'Jonas Brothers' is finally looking hot. I have never fancied the brothers though some of their songs were interesting to listen to ('S.O.S', 'Lovebug' and 'Burnin' Up').
It's been a trend in Hollywood that the macho is being replaced by the geek, thus, bringing in more goof ups, humour, laughter as well as bucks. George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Paul Newman and Hugh Jackman types are a thing of the Stone Age now. (OK, so Clooney and Depp still manage to 'burn' everytime.) The hunk is in the bin and the skinny/fatso geek is reigning supreme.
I do not know exactly what started this trend. Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman, Billy Crystal... who were the funny guys who brought the anti-typical hero image to the fore? Whoever, it was, may the Force bless you.
Back to the present times. Among the geeks, I must say I quite dig Jack Black (School of Rock, Kung Fu Panda, Shallow Hal, nacho Libre, Be Kind Rewind, Tropic Thunder... GOD! I won't stop!), Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland, Zombieland), David Henrie (Wizards Of Waverly Place), Rupert Grint (Harry Potter, Driving Lessons), Seth Rogen, (Pineapple Express, Knocked Up, Observe & Report), and the most wealthy of them all, Shia LaBeouf (Transformer 1&2, Disturbia).
Among the girl geeks are a couple of my favourites. There's Anna Faris on the top of the list. Man, this female rocks out comedy like anything! She has been hilarious in all the 'Scary Movie' franchises, played a Play Boy Bunny to the T in 'The House Bunny' as well others comic parts in couple of movies. Then there's Zooey Deschanel whom I loved in 'Yes, Man' as well as 'Bridge To Terabithia'. Her eyes are mesmerising enough to stop at that.
Drew Barrymore has kept up the funny factor along with another comic wonder Cameron Diaz, and managed to play super spies 'Charlie's Angels'. Though the movies weren't exceptional, Barrymore did some good stuff in 'Music & Lyrics', 'Riding In Cars With Boys' apart from 'E.T.'. (Ok, she was a baby, literally in that!) Cameron Diaz scores with guys and gals. She a surfer chick and an avid fashionista - an interesting mix.
The thing, I like geeks because I can relate to them. I was thankful to god that excellent actors like Kate Winslet existed to tell people that curves are an important part of your body--be it male or female. We need such people to balance out the Keira Knightelys and kate Moss' who famously declared "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels".
Part of this is also because I am doing a dissertation on masculinity and images of superheroes in comics. Academics aside, I would like to look at it as a fashion sense. Achieving perfection through expensive clothes and skinniness is not what I aim at. I like to wear my sweatshirts and loose T-shirts more often than figure hugging clothes. I wear glasses and had braces. And maybe I do not fit the 'Girly Girl' image by even one bit but that's OK.
That is why I am glad to see more and more people accept the fact that a Jack Black is better than candy boys Robert Pattinson or Daniel Radcliffe any day. And Joe Jonas stands up for being quirly-but-comfortable-in-my-skin. That's one Disney convert. I only wish for more. After all, normal people do exist in this world too!
Anita
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