Pshaw!

[sam_tom_sam]

I decided not to attend the 20's-themed Club Bohemia tonight. Most of my friends aren't going, and I don't think I'm missing anything I would enjoy very much. The 20's aren't my favourite decade style-wise - I prefer the 30's and of course, the 80's - and the thought of the white Josephine Baker tribute act 'Baked!' was fairly off-putting to me.

Call me a politically-correct hysteric, but I find the idea of a gaggle of almost entirely white 'glamourites' being encouraged to celebrate what now seems an appallingly dated exercise in racial stereotyping, appears rather crass to me. Josephine Baker's line in banana-aided dance routines may have been seen as avant-garde back in the old days, but the fact is, it's not the old days any more, and this stuff doesn't wash with modern minds.

In fluffier news, I had a nice afternoon shopping today. I visited B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful and bought a sandy-coloured bar of soap with an orange lion embedded in it, for the leonine lovely Sarah.

I also went to Lush, which now proudly bears a sign saying none of its ingredients are tested on animals. This is presumably a sideswipe at the Body Shop. The latter has recently sold out to L'Oreal, who apparently use ingredients tested on animals and whose founder had nazi connections.

I was finding the Body Shop's self-righteous campaigns increasingly irritating, so am quite pleased that Lush presents an alternative. I agreed with the Body Shop's promotion of cruelty-free cosmetics and fair trade, but when they starting to campaign about self-esteem and body image, with the aid of window displays featuring fat, naked plastic Barbie-type dolls, it began to grate. Overweight people should of course be able to enjoy cosmetics like anyone else, but cosmetics advertising is supposed to be aspirational. I think most people know that pictures in ads are edited anyway. Who are they to say that a fat woman is more of a 'real' woman, anyway? Pshaw!

Comments

[dream-electric.livejournal.com]

Twenties Schmenties! Gimmie the 80's anyday ;o)

[sam-tom-sam.livejournal.com]

Word up! All that password nonsense too!

[tzarohell.livejournal.com]

Well I hope you enjoyed yourself and the acts!! I find the 20's to be a very interesting period.. the 'lost generation' had such a strange quality. Also, all of my favourite films came form that era, when pantomine was perfected.

I agree with the Josephine Baker thing though.. Much like Che Guevara, she is a very interesting historical figure who lost potency by becoming adopted as a pop icon. Shucks. Ah well.

Body Shop adverts

[vieannelyle.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the adverts but am reminded of something your papa was wont to say,"You can't get too much of a good thing.."
I recall JB left the stage to adopt numerous children: the banana routine was a laugh no doubt at the time, but her life evolved into something more worthwhile if less spectacular.

[joysilence.livejournal.com]

Oh Body Shop are owly anyway, I recently bought their strawberry shower scrub, only to find it smelt faintly of vomit and more faintly still of synthetic strawberry.

Re: Body Shop adverts

[joysilence.livejournal.com]

But Mrs Lyle, our papa was also wont to say "you can have a spoon like that when you can pay for it" and "Clint Eastwood is gay", so nobody quotes Old Man Lyle in this parish.

[sam-tom-sam.livejournal.com]

I didn't go in the end. I like some 20's silent films like The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, but I don't think these would have been the focus of the night, sadly. It would have been good if they could have projected some silent films at the nite, like they do at Stay Beautiful, but I don't think they have the necessary set-up for projections at Bohemia.

[sam-tom-sam.livejournal.com]

Ew minging! I shall be sticking to Lush from now on.

Re: Body Shop adverts

[sam-tom-sam.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying plump individuals can't be spruced up and made to look nice - look at Simon Le Bon - but I didn't like the crude, naked plastic dolls in the Body Shop window displays. It was a bit unnecessary, really.

[tzarohell.livejournal.com]

Aww well.

I performed with a group of players in a farce about prohibition, done with stylized expression, which was entirely based on silent film acting.

[sam-tom-sam.livejournal.com]

Aw, I didn't know you were performing or I might have come! I do like a bit of stylized expression. I hope it was well received.