On a podcast this week the hosts were talking about TV shows that were “based on real life” that show the actual people whose story was told during the closing credits. The host said, “I hope that’s never me because the actual people always look terrible compared to the actors who played them.”
Then his cohost said something profound. “That’s because actors are professionally good looking. It’s their job to be better looking than everyone else.”
I have a friend who works on movie production sets. His crew recently finished a project and were invited to a wrap party that was attended by the production crew members, the actors and the director. I asked him if he hung out with any of the actors. He told me he did not, but that they were easy to spot – they were all dressed to kill and so good looking compared to the non-actors that it was as if they had a spotlight on them.
I have never met an actor. I have met people who would be considered professionally good looking – models hired as trade show booth girls, a former Miami Dolphins cheerleader who worked in marketing, professional dancers, Hooters waitresses, and TV news anchors.
All of these people were extremely good looking looking compared to regular people. I can only imagine that the highly paid professionally good looking superstars take this a whole other level.
By the time you add in professional lighting, makeup, fitted wardrobes, cosmetic surgery, teeth whitening, CGI, filters and editing you’ve created an impossibly beautiful looking person.
That ain’t me.
No wonder when I was doing online online dating, I was disappointed in my pictures and my results were discouraging.
I imagine that the women who looked at my profile where thinking about the people they see on screen all the time – 20 and 30 something professionally attractive people.
Just like I was thinking when I looked at their photos.
It’s an impossible standard that is unattainable for most of us.
I am grateful that online dating didn’t exist when I was younger. Although I felt like I was above average average and decently attractive, I would have measured up to the plethora or minor and major professionally good looking people online.
As with most everything else, I find that limiting my options brings me the most satisfaction. With dating, my options are slim to none right now and I’m perfectly content.