This week, a couple new shows premiered. Two in particular that caught my eye
were “The Playboy Club”- a 1960s Mad Men rip off period piece about… well, you guessed it- The Playboy Club. And, “The New Girl” that stars every indie-chick’s go to fashionista, Zooey Deschanel.
Zooey plays quirky and cute Jess, who moves in with three guys she met on Craigslist after she walks in on her boyfriend sleeping with another girl. Jess also happens to be naked during this encounter (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, anyone?)
But there are a few things most of the shows that premiered this week, including the two mentioned above, have in common- they all star women, some have been created by women, and a lot of the writers are women. What we are experiencing here, ladies and gentlemen is a new wave in entertainment. Women, are funny. And we are in charge. However- there are some things that these brilliant writers and actresses have wrong.
In “The New Girl,” Jess is encouraged by her housemates to get her act together, change her crazy ass ways (singing to herself, making Lord of the Rings references, dancing, etc.) in order to find a “rebound.”
Excuse me?
I may not be your go-to-girl for dating advice, or for the opposite sex, but if there’s one thing my mom has taught me, it’s to just be yourself. The rest will follow. Granted, Jess is a little bit weirder than me- but not by much. I sing to myself. I have the same haircut as most 12 year old boys. I can burp louder than most men I know. I have an extensive amount of knowledge on The Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints and the Nightmare on Elm Street series. I collect post cards and love to sing Carly Simon in the shower. And I’m not shy about any of those things. And I’m not going to shut-up about Warren Jeffs just so some douchebag with a pulse will pay attention to me.
Even in “The Playboy Club,” the main characters are forced to suppress who they actually are in order to appease their male followers. They can’t wear wedding bands, canoodle with men who have access to the club, or dance when they like the song the band is playing. They’re forced to put up with sexist remarks in order to get tips. Granted, this was the 1960s- but how different is the scenario today?
We let guys call us bitches, claim “bros before hoes” and the like. We laugh at their jokes (even if they aren’t funny) and make sure our skirt is high, but not too high.
Sound like a TV show you’ve watched recently?
So, despite these female driven shows with punny comments and fun remarks- let’s get real here. They’re sending us a message underneath all that. Don’t be quirky. Don’t talk about Gandalf. If you have a boyfriend and want to make it in your job, make sure you keep it under wraps. Don’t sing to yourself when you’re upset. Don’t be yourself.
So can you all do me a favor? Turn the TV off. For like a second. And make those silly statements and sing songs and fall over in your heels. It’s okay. If I can’t promise you, a lot of other women can.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oswego chapter.