talk about informed consent!! did the show not give her one? or was it in the contract that the producers were basically allowed to do whatever they want? i feel so horrible for her 😭
I can promise you that not recognizing your own face is just as terrifying as you think, maybe even worse. :( I have it happen with my own face, the same one I’ve had my whole life. AWFUL. The magnitude of not recognizing your own face *after not seeing it for months* is enough to send anybody on a grippy sock vacation…
The concept of literally cutting people apart through irreversible and serious cosmetic surgeries solely for the purpose of TV views is so completely dystopian and predatory that it is actually almost unbelievable.
Ugly people sometimes hate themselves so much that they feel they've been given a golden ticket getting onto one of those shows though. Can't blame them really.. who'd prefer to live looking like something that belongs under a bridge?
Maybe not so fun fact: my high school chemistry teacher was nominated to go on The Swan. She rejected the nomination and was apparently pissed she’d been nominated at all.
I remember a show talking about ambush makeovers and saying something like, “We’re going to make them look beautiful again!” What in blazes was that!? “We believe these people were beautiful at one point. They’re just a bunch of hit-looking biscuit-heads now, but we’re going to change that!”
My mom watched these shows and always talked about all the procedures she wanted, and I was very young at the time. It made me so sad because I thought she was beautiful, and everyone always told me I looked so much like her. So of course I started to think, maybe I needed those surgeries too. These kinds of shows are so toxic and have contributed to a lot of the body dysmorphia in our society.
I never thought of it from this perspective. I’m going to be even more watchful of how I talk about myself when I’m in my daughters’ presence now. Also realizing I should probably start being a little kinder to myself in my own head too because my girls are literally a copy-paste of precisely my features - and there is nothing in this world that I love more than them. I wouldn’t change a single thing.
@@CatharsisByProxy I’m glad you’ve come to this realization. Only talk yourself and your girls up. It does soooo much for a higher self esteem. They probably think you are beautiful and are so confused when you put yourself down ❤.
I relate to this so much! My mom is always criticizing her own looks and body shape and Always did. I look so much like her and even though she always told me I’m beautiful it really affects the way you see yourself. Because how could I be beautiful if she isn’t ?
I worked with Beth who was on "The Swan" She was always beautiful and kind, so that show depresses me to no end. None of these women were "ugly ducklings". They had their insecurities preyed upon.
@@StKissa no, definitely not as bad as it was back then. Yes right now there are obviously some people with freakish proportions that can't really be achieved without surgery but there are also people like Ashley Graham, Barbie ferreira and so many other people with different sizes, different ethnicities and different type of beauties. Back then you had to be white and skinny and that was it, no other thing would be appreciated.
The one I remember being most horrified about (even at the time where these types of shoes were normal) is Bridalplasty. Women who were getting married competed to win plastic surgery for their wedding day. Even the tag line for women who got eliminated was something along the lines of “you’ll still get married but it just won’t be perfect”. W.T.F.
Sweet Lord. There's ALREADY so much craziness going on because women are told their wedding have to be "perfect". We really need to start raising girls with the dark side of having a perfect wedding.
Oooooh goodness, I binged that on Netflix years ago and could not look away 😳. Hard-core train wreck. Those women were willing to do anything and suffer more in recovery for more surgery, I'm still shook from just watching it.
I watched one episode of The swan and Extreme weight loss and was horrified… The way they were describing those human beings with such disrespect, exploiting and making millions with vulnerable people then throwing them back into their life without support is beyond my understanding 🤷♀️
@@JamesWelsh The early 2000s was a different time, it’s hard to understand if you weren’t there - but I was and totally get it. Our perspective on this stuff has shifted massively in the last decade, but back then this stuff was aspirational.
@@chupaxf I really hope it doesn’t come back the way 2000s fashion and stick-thin models are coming back :( It’s surreal reliving the trends of that decade but as an adult
Looking back on it, my mom was super observant and saved me a ton of grief. My friends at school were all obsessed with these shows so I watched some ANTM and one episode of Biggest Loser before my mom caught me. She tried to explain how these shows were predatory and actually bad for the contestants(mentally at least), but I just didn't get it. All these years later as someone who developed issues with self worth and body image, I can say I'm grateful that she shielded me as best she could even when I thought she was just being a typical mom who didn't like the cool TV shows I was watching.
I'm the opposite. I'm the only body positive one in my family and I would complain when mom had those shows on for "inspiration" cause they were just making her more depressed
As a therapist, I knew the general direction this story was going. I did not expect to audibly gasp when you stated ABC canceled the contestant's surgeries. I have hit pause. This is SO SO bad. Every SINGLE person involved in the conception, creation, and production of this show has blood on their hands! I do not know if I can not watch anymore. As painful and as uncomfortable as these topics are, they need to be told. And I 100% believe you are the person who needs to be telling them.
You said it perfectly. I gasped as well, not only at them canceling everything but also them saying they'd have to break her jaw! No! Braces would do that job it would just take a lot longer. Then her sister dying almost made me cry. I agree, it's hard to watch but this HAS to be out in the open.
@@fleetwoodmacncheese4159 a chin implant wouldn’t suffice in correcting her major overbite. It likely causes other health issues for her as well. That being said, jaw surgery is a very long recovery. An example of someone who did other cosmetic procedures when they needed jaw surgery is Lorry Hill here on YT. She regrets not going for jaw surgery as there are a cascade of negative effects that she talks about openly.
I can’t imagine the soul crushing disappointment when you are hyped up by everyone that you’re about to transform into a “beautiful swan”.. and then get told nvm. go back home.
@@fleetwoodmacncheese4159 I need a round of braces + jaw surgery + another round of braces to fix my underbite. It would also require breaking my jaw. Not for cosmetic reasons, purely to prevent excessive teeth wearing. I don't think I will do that though. Not only is it extremely expensive, but also has a long recovery period and my jaw shape would change. I don't want my face to look different and I don't think my teeth will wear out
A girl who lived the town over from me was on it. Went far in it. She LOVED it. She did later say tho, that some family and friends tried to drag her back down after the show was over. They were uncomfortable with her confidence, and attention she was getting. So she did end up with a very different life, new friends, no more toxic marriage etc. But she never smiled so much in her life. She was gorgeous too. Stunning.
I took diet pills when I was a teenager. I actually stopped because a couple of my friends talked to me and told me I was changing because of the pills, and they were worried about me. I'm so grateful to them til this day, I was in a really bad mind set at the time, and them doing that showed me that people do care about me, and omg it helped more than they'll ever know.
@@JamesWelsh yeah, I was super paranoid, and also had an attitude problem, when I've always been the nice person. I also have ADHD and was on medication for that at the time as well, which was probably idiotic tbh😬 I'm so glad I don't feel the need to be stick thin anymore🙌 I remember being so jittery and jumpy all the time
I took a diet pill that was trendy years ago, but I believe has since been banned. It made me hyperactive and jittery, I was pacing the floor of my room convinced I would die. I never took a diet pill again.
@@AKbaby89 I took diet pills as a teen, too, and I remember being excited whenever I tried a brand that would make me feel jittery because "That must mean it's working!" I was always disappointed because I rarely felt jittery on them, or it would go away after a couple days. Then 15 years later I got diagnosed with ADHD so it turns out I was just self-medicating with unregulated OTC stimulants the whole time😀 Do you remember just the sheer amount of diet pill products that used to be on the shelf? God, there used to be like half of an entire aisle in every pharmacy. Shit was ridiculous.
@@TBone4983 yeah I was diagnosed with ADHD in elementary school, so I had been on meds for years, and also drank several energy drinks every day. I don't know how I even did it, im 33 now and just thinking about it makes me nervous🤣🤣 and yeah, diet pills were like multivitamins🤣
I used to love America's Next Top Model. It's only been in the last year or so when I've seen some clips online that I realize how problematic it was. Those extreme makeover shows, especially the weight loss ones, are so dangerous. Not only for the contestants, but also the viewers. It makes people think that they should be able to achieve these results but they can't because it's fake. People go to extreme and dangerous measures to try to achieve these results and then feel like it's their fault when they fail. It's really heartbreaking.
Same here!! I actually remember gasping at some of the things they did back then but never knew how bad they were until the world started recognizing that these things were actually problematic and disgusting and so glad they did!
I swear they did some of those makeovers on antm to purposely make the models look worse or purposely upset them to make eliminating them easier. Some really shade stuff.
@@JamesWelsh I remember watching a new episode of that show with my parents every week as a kid and it's so completely wild to me now. Look how easy it is for these people to lose weight! And all they had to do was be privileged enough to take months away from jobs and family, get flown out to a controlled environment with no outside stress or distractions, work out for hours a day while getting yelled at by trainers, have healthy meals prepared for you, and let the amount of weight you lost at the end of every week determine whether you're a success or a failure! So easy!
I have a friend who is dangerously anorexic. I don't know if its anything to do with shows like these. I don't think bulemia should count as an eating disorder. It seems to be kinda in fashion at the moment.. I know loads of people who claim to be bulemic but are still quite porky. Maybe they forgot to throw up 🤣 seriously though I don't think bulemics starve themselves to death like anorexics do
@@itsruckaswife7036 there are bulimics who have died from purging because their stomachs exploded. it’s an eating disorder with deadly consequences like anorexia. I know plenty of fat people who claim to be anorexic because they do IF, so by that logic because some ppl fake ana that means it doesn’t exist? be real
Imagine getting a full extreme surgical makeover, to then have to compete and be told you're still not pretty enough. Ouch. I never watched these shows - I only ever watched How To Look Good Naked lol. I always liked that because, like you said, it focused on building confidence.
That one actually helped me. It helped me realize that models are skinny because it's easier for designers to put them in clothes, not because it's healthier.
I was a senior in high school when the swan premiered - I recall I was incredibly judgmental and thought they were all incredibly shallow. I haven’t thought about the show or contestants since - I’ve thankfully grown and empathize with these women - what a hard spot to be in during a time when this type of thought process wasn’t as easy to talk about
Back then, I felt sorry for the women who participated. My sister has always been overweight/obese and was bullied in her high school years. The contestors reminded me of my sister and it didn’t feel good that they were torn down. But everything was so normalized back then, I really thought I was being overly sensitive and tried to think of those shows as ‘normal’ because everybody else thought they were normal (or so I thought).
Having just gone through a breast reduction and excess skin removal myself, I can't imagine the hell these women went through with all of those procedures. It would have been horrific! And that many changes in such a short period of time would be extremely shocking and jarring. Mental health support is crucial and should have been available to the "contestants" throughout and after.
Extreme Makeover; Home Edition never fails to make me smile though. The personalised bedrooms are horribly tacky 80% of the time but the fact that it's a community project and they bring in friends, neighbours and family to help out on the project is lovely. Super wholesome and heartwarming.
@@misty6026 and on top of being too expensive to live in, a lot of their work was really shoddy. I remember reading about things breaking and falling apart a few months after the camera crews left. It's the same problem with missionaries (well, one of them) construction requires specific knowledge that most people don't have. Unless your family and friends and neighbors are carpenters, they're not going to know how to build a house and they're going to get in the way of the professionals who _do._
When Beauty turns ugly is rapidly becoming my favourite content. I used to LOVE these makeover shows, I loved the idea of being transformed, fascinated by the techniques etc....but also now I feel like part of why I loved them is because I didn't like myself very much.
the mirror thing on the swan is wild too cuz ive heard ppl whove had facial surgery talk abt how even when they get the results they want, it can cause a severe mental health reaction seeing a face you don't recognize in the mirror at first
I used to use these shows as “inspiration” during my eating disorder days which is so problematic in so many ways. I look back on them now (really all of 2000’s-2010’s) with sadness and disgust at how shallow it all was. Though the past few years have been rough for so many I feel like we have actually progressed as a society despite the challenges we still face
I can only imagine how awful it would be to no longer recognize your face due to some extreme makeover. It’s one thing to tweak a nose or brow or fix an overbite that you’ve looked forward to but not to look unrecognizable
It must have been so traumatic for the lady who lost her husband two years prior, to suddenly see a face that her husband never knew; she doesn't look like her love's wife anymore. It would be a huge grief trigger. 💔❤️
I didn’t think about that, but I see what you mean. To me, it would be massively upsetting if my kids didn’t recognize me. When your kids are young, a few months is a really, really long time. Plus, you come back looking unrecognizable and your kids and family probably have different schedules because they’ve had to move forward without you for months. Sounds like a nightmare.
I had a somewhat similar experience - my school prom was televised and I was chosen as the "shy wallflower" to be remade. I was told the dress I chose was not suitable, crammed into dresses intentionally too small while they pointed out my "back butt" and "bingo wings" - I was 16. They told me I needed to change my hair routine (it was "too dry") and skin routine (I was "too spotty"). I had scars on my arm they said were unsightly so they gave me long black gloves. Looking back it was really scarring to my self image and they really do manipulate you to guide you on what to say on camera.
That’s bloody horrifying! I’m so sorry that was done to you. You were abused & manipulated for the benefit of others whose plan was to make money from your ‘remake’. God even the word remake is just so offensive in this situation. Where were the adults who were responsible for caring for you? I’m just so furious this happened to you.
Oh man. I've struggled with depression my whole life, and ive had a few people in my life decide to end their lives, and its such a different type of pain, one that never really goes away. I hope anyone out there who's struggling, reaches out and get help. You're worth it. You matter. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Weak minded people it's a cowards way out staying alive and facing problems is the bravest thing anyone can do jeez why is the human race cowards these days
According to a report by Page 6, the suit with Deleese Williams was settled out of court in the fall of 2006. Still heartbreaking though, your life used for drama, being told you can be fixed and then going, oh we don't have time to fix you. I used to like Extreme Makeover too but now I really see how destructive it was.
The Extreme Weight loss show drove me nuts because everyone would just look at me and my fat body and say I just needed to try harder “like they do on that show”.
I remember loving these shows and thinking how wonderful for these people that they were given these opportunities, I was around 12-13 at the time, now I look back in horror, how did these shows were even allowed to exist?! It’s all so wrong. No wonder so many women around my age (myself included) struggle with self image and confidence, this kind of bs was so normalized during such formative years of our lives.
I completely agree on your take with TV preying on insecurities for profit but at 19:57 I do have to say being conventionally attractive *does* afford privileges in your quality of life; mainly prison time, the bias of being perceived as kinder, more generous, having a higher intellectual capacity than others, as well as strangers being friendlier towards you, so your approachability bias and ability to be hired goes up as well
Pretty privilege. Not to bash on James, he is so sweet and genuine and I want to hug him, but as someone who is not conventionally attractive and has struggled in life, I don't think he, being so darn cute, quite understands how it feels on the "ugly" side. But I appreciate that he's trying, and I love when he says "Perfection doesn't exist."
It would still depends on the intention of the other party in any situation. For example, being a person of POC gets a person a number of varying responses from anyone. Either a person is festishizing you based on stereotypes, looking down on you or trying to spit on you, etc. Even if the person is conventionally attractive, doesn't mean they won't face a number of precontrued biases.
I think he meant good looks doesn't make all your problems go away. There are plenty of people who are good looking that are depressed and hate their looks.
Omg! The Swan… it was like an early noughties fever dream. I watched it when I lived in S Korea. I was there for almost 20 years… they had their own extreme beauty makeover called “let me in”. Me-in is a play on words because it also means beautiful woman in Korean. They gave the participants plastic surgery, weight loss etc. Korean beauty standards are toxic. I’m a size 10/12 but I’m considered fat in Korea
@@avrilpinto3262 honestly it’s concerning how extreme they are. I lived in Singapore for a few years when I was younger and I’m still recovering from the societal pressure to be this stick thin pale model when I’m just not genetically built that way. I had a crippling Ed at 12 that I’ve not fully recovered from yet because of it. I’m a size 16 for tops and a size 12 for trousers now, but back then I was a size 10 tops and size 8 trousers, but I was still not thin enough. It’s tragic that this standard is making a comeback
The introduction of these shows, unrealistic beauty expectations and the use of photo shop, filters, plastic surgery etc., have absolutely contributed to the rise of depression, eating disorders, body dysmorphia and suicide. As a therapist, I continue to treat young men and women who struggle daily to meet impossible beauty standards, that are almost inescapable. These types of shows, IG and Snapchat filters and the like, create a false reality that is virtually everywhere. You cannot turn on the TV, use the internet, read a magazine or social media, without it being insinuated that you need to change your appearance. I am so grateful that you're using your platform to show the darker side of this industry and how mental health care is imperative for self love and emotional health. Abruptly changing your physical appearance, will not heal trauma, or mental illness. From this therapist, THANK YOU James!
Looking back it really is no wonder why I grew up feeling like I absolutely couldn't be pretty unless I was obsessively exercising, restricting my eating, having procedures etc. I thought there was some perfect routine out there someone had that if I could imitate it I'd achieve being pretty. What a nightmare Era we grew up in. I hope the body positivity and related movements continue and get even stronger. Ironically being a str!pper was the thing to open my eyes to natural beauty cause I worked with real life women in a "low end" club who had obvious real life flaws that couldn't be photoshopped away and learned to see how beautiful and desirable and amazing they were.
I 100% agree with the "we grew up in a shallow time". I hated the fashions, because they were so revealing, and the kind of popular tanned, blonde, worldy girl was opposite to pale, dirty blond-red headed music nerd me. I felt ostracised painfully, and when my mum found out I liked dressing up and taking pictures of myself on my camera (yes an actual camera I got in christmas 2007) she called me a "vain wannabe slag" because it was self-centred to take sooooi many pictures of myself. Even now, she jokes that I have to take 100 pictures of myself, to show no one anyway, and I can't help but feel like of scarred from that era where I felt so very unattractive, unfashionable and unlikeable. And now people dress in the way I always dressed and it's fashionable, and I feel like even that part of my identity has been stolen and commodified..... it's messed up, it really is.
This actually still happens! I was looking for a certain kind of picture of myself (it had to be full body and I had to be jumping, don't ask) and I complained that I didn't take enough pictures of myself. What I meant was that I didn't take enough full-body pictures. My friend said "Good that means you're not narcissistic" which actually made me feel really weird. I do take a lot of pictures, when I'm feeling pretty I'll take 20 selfies altogether, and I don't believe that taking lots of selfies makes me narcissistic.
I know this is an old comment but please don’t be too hard on yourself over what your friend said. Back in the day rich people would pay good money and sit still for HOURS to get a painting of themselves. And it’s not like they only got one every 15 years. If they had been able to take 20 photos of themselves in a matter of seconds they would have!!!
Omg I loved The Swan too🙈 I never realised how horrible it actually was then, but looking back it’s insane, really😬 I will say tho, as someone who’s had 6 surgeries to remove excess skin after weightloss, that I totally get why Lorrie Arias would sign up for that show in regards to that - and I think I saw a different show where they did plastic surgeries that are more neccessary due to health problems/extreme situations, and I’m all for that, cause it’s expensive af.
I remember a few makeover shows and i did find them a little horrifying, but my favourite one was "How To Look Good Naked?" or something. They had that lovely host, Gok Wan, who helped women gain confidence and love their bodies as they are! It was very heartwarming!
Thank you James for addressing this - it is SO SO SO important! We all need to stop letting others tell us what's "wrong" with us. There is nothing wrong with us...we are all beautiful and unique and sadly, societal "norms" at large love to convince us we are lacking or corrupt in physical beauty. Look in the mirror - you are beautiful and you deserve love. DO IT NOW and do it every day. Love yourself FIRST and you'll be surrounded by love because you can accept yourself for everything you are and embody.
Yeah same, and it's so bad when you look back and the only thing the contestants did "wrong" was not be trendy. Like, it wasn't about how to be more flattering in their own style, but was all about how to conform to an approved trendy style. I just remember being a kid and my mom saying she wanted us to nominate her for the show when she had lost weight so she could dress nice and feel pretty. I don't think that would have been good for her at all tho.
All my friends swore by that show and I, the resident weird girl, got mad at how it was always "We made your hair boring and put you in a pencil skirt" That show actually made me hate my natural hair color and to this day I still hate pencil skirts (I want to be poofy and ridiculous!)
Thank you so much for covering this topic! It’s so important to highlight how destructive these shows can be to both the participants and audiences. I’m glad to see more and more creators and commentators talk about how damaging these productions can be. (If anyone is looking for more content/further listening, Behind the Bastards also covers the toxicity and dangers of reality tv in two of their podcast episodes.)
I remember when The Biggest Looser was super popular in Australia in the early 2000s, and even as a young kid I was worried that they were losing weight too quickly. It's not good for the body! The Swan sounds horrific 😱
I’ve been researching these shows, and the Xfactor is such an awful show, the lying and editing is so unbelievably, I feel like these shows are The Wizard of Oz in real life, you think you are going to get what you need but in reality it’s a man beside a curtain *’Cough…Simon Cowell’* you have to be careful talking negatively about him online 🙈
I thought u meant like how Judy Garland appeared so sweet and happy but really she must have suffered being forced to smoke PACKS of cigarettes a day to get that voice...oh, and the fake snow was made of asbestos. Like good movie/show idea, BUT the actors /contestants were treated like crap!
Only 1 makeover show ever had a positive impact on me and it was Gok's How to Look Good Naked. He was always so kind and also tried to find clothing styles the participants would be happy in. I vividly remember when he'd line people of different sizes up and ask the participant to stand where they thought their size was and it was always way off! Really made me realise howbwe do not see ourselves as other people do. Stuck with me for years!
I lost half my body weight and ended up getting a tummy tuck and an arm lift. At almost three years out, I’m only now starting to recognize my body as my own, and I had only a fraction of the work done that Lorrie had. Don’t get me wrong, I would need all the procedures she had to have a “normal” body, but the psychological aspect of not recognizing yourself is intense. I don’t know that I’ll have any more surgery if it means going through all that again. I would see myself in the mirror and get startled. I had to change the way I dressed, the makeup I wore, the way I wore my hair even to better suit my new size and figure. And in the back of my head, I was still there fast girl, even though I wasn’t anymore. I can’t imagine what Lorrie went through, and I hope she’s doing better today.
blepharoplasty is an eye lid lift type thing. it's where they do like a little surgery to get rid of hooded eyes, and can help with eyesight. Kirsty Meakin shows her blepharoplasty journey (she's a nail artist on here) in case anyone fancied looking at it more in depth.
Happy Sunday, James! I love this series, so please keep it going. As for those makeover shows, can you imagine the balls it takes for someone to say to another person, “You’re ugly and need to be fixed?” Excellent post this week. 💓💜💓💜💓💜💓💜
i watch one of your videos every night when i do my skin care and it’s like we’re having a sleepover and just talking while we do skin care. it’s so fun
I remember ANTM the most and What Not To Wear on TLC. The thing that always stuck with me was when ANTM had this girl going through dental work and she had a gap between her 2 front teeth. She only allowed them to close it to where she wanted it. She felt it was part of her / her look and she didn't want to close it entirely. I'm 99% sure she was kicked off next because of that. I definitely didn't understand it back then, but I absolutely do now.
I hated myself in high school. I was called ugly, a dog, bullied to change my look by “friends” and my mother wanted to keep me how she wanted me to be. Then as I got older I’ve was told I would look better is I lost weight or asked if I was pregnant. I hated myself and at times I still do. But I am in counselling and have help from my doctor. It’s learning to change the voice inside your head. You can get surgery and change your entire look but if you don’t get help none of those changes will matter. Thanks James for talking about this. You and Robert are my favourite UA-camrs.
Thank you so much for covering this. Shows that exploit people, that pretend to inspire people are the worst. If you can't get those results with a team of experts without having horrible unhealthy consequences then the average person at home shouldnt feel bad about struggling to get those results on their own. I love your delivery in all of these, such a wonderful voice , thank you.
I loooove the variety of content you are doing!! I wonder what youre gonna talk about next!! Also there is a "makeover" show where girls would compete for plastic surgery for their wedding days and i just feel so bad for those women because they would just talk so bad about themselves and their husbands were just-
Although some will disagree, the best show that boosted confidence was What Not To Wear. I loved Stacy London and Clinton Kelly. And the hair and makeup at the end with Nick Arrojo and Carmindy gave the women some easy tips on how to enhance what they already had. The show was funny, heartfelt, and you really felt like they cared (even though they were sassy and threw the clothes away but that was honestly always the best part of the show). And they would have all of their family and friends at the end with a "welcome home" party where everyone was loving and supportive. It wasn't a radical life-changer, but it seemed to send the right message to viewers. I remember Stacy and Clinton always saying that we needed to dress for the size we are now. A simple outfit can change your whole outlook on life. You don't need $100,000 worth of surgery to love yourself.
I was just going to mention this as one of the first. I found it horrible the way they picked through their clothes literally throwing them in the trash being extremely rude talking about their bodies. Clearly we had very different experiences with that show. lol
They were extremely demeaning and unkind to some contestants, many even cried. And the few contestants that stood up or asked to be spoken to kindly got insulted even worse. They made people feel like they were ugly and embarassing to be around.
I was a teenager and young adult in the US when this genre was in its heyday. I knew it was gross then, but even though I hated it and didn't watch it still deeply impacted my self-esteem. Knowing that my friends and family were watching and talking about these shows, seeing the ads...it was embedded in my subconscious whether or not I wanted it to be. It's not like I was a "better" person than the people watching the shows -- I just harshly judged the participants/contestants because I thought they were shallow or vain for participating. I never considered that they were the victims in the scenario.
I used to watch the Swan too! It was one of those shows that was so horrifying that I couldn't seem to look away. The final episode I watched (if I remember correctly) featured a woman who was probably legitimately depressed, and who basically said her husband had cheated on her, and he wouldn't have done it if she was prettier. Who in their right mind would push plastic surgery on her instead of therapy and a divorce lawyer?!? It was just gross.
I personally had a breast reduction, tummy tuck and liposuction all in one shot. Thank God I had my mother to help me recover. BTW, the liposuction was the most painful part. Today I am glad I had the surgery but have gained quite a bit of weight over the years, so no quick fixes are going to last without putting in the work to maintain it.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how toxic these shows were and how much they impacted so many women’s body image. What I’m also realising watching this video is how absolutely fine these women looked - the idea that they needed drastic surgeries is absolutely absurd.
I watched a few of these shows as a teen (not so available on South African TV) and I couldn't wait to get older to have these surgeries because it seemed normal and people always seemed happy afterwards. I obviously grew out of that phase and never did have surgery but I can totally understand how these programs also influence people at home into thinking they need unnecessary work. Sad.
Thanks for talking about this, James. It was very interesting. The psychology of these shows is pretty clear, but still, it's toxic entertainment. I really believe reality shows are responsible for a lot of the damaging attitudes we see today. IRL personal situations and even in politics. 😊😟
having body dysmorphia myself due to trauma i know what it feels like how dark a place it makes you im doing much better now than i was, i also watched these shows when i was younger when i started to feel negative towards my looks and body shape that with the trauma moulded this hatred towards myself, i wanted to hide away i was ashamed to look the way i did but accept myself now and proud of me, ❤ thank you for bringing awarness to this much love 💗
I was a preteen/young teen when these shows were huge and I always sat googly eyed in front of the TV thinking one day I'll get to go on and get a complete makeover. I'm not gonna lie, if someone asked me now if I wanted to go on a show and have a full body makeover I don't think I could turn it down. Plastic surgery is expensive! I'm in the middle of getting my teeth "fixed" both cosmetically and things that are actually negativity impacting my health, and by the time I'm done I will have spent about 15k, all of my life savings to this point. I still watch these shows (or moreso, youtubers reacting to these shows) and daydream a little about being able to go get all these surgeries and alterations and come out looking like a completely different person. As it is in working on the things I get the most negative feedback about first 🍻 I don't agree with you about looks not having an effect on your life. I've seen the difference in the way I'm treated in life as I've tried to improve my looks little by little. It's not as simple as someone holding the door open for you or buying you a drink, it can have effects on your career, how people like doctors and cops treat you, the opportunities you get. It's stupid, but it does effect a lot of little things in life that adds up to a lot. I completely understand the allure of these shows.
Do you remember the bridal themed show? These brides-to-be would compete in a different challenge in each episode to see who won a surgery and a thing for their wedding- so you could win a nose job and some wedding rings, for example. It was OUT OF CONTROL.
Thank you for addressing this/these issues. It’s so easy to think major surgeries will fix everything; but that’s just not realistic! Most people would need help navigating such drastic changes…even if they wanted them. There’s no getting around the hard inner work if you want to be truly healthy and happy.
Wow, that is certainly some steaming hot tea! I would love to know some more behind the scenes because it is quite interesting to compare the differences in time period as far as reality shows now versus then. Unfortunately though I think there is one key thing which is that your looks really do actually mean a lot when it comes to interacting with the world. People who are not conventionally attractive have on average a more difficult time navigating the world simply because of other people's prejudices. It is sad but true that the more attractive person with the same qualifications will get a job over a less conventionally attractive person. Heck, even if that person has better qualifications and is better suited for the job. Hopefully this will change one day.
lol at the Swan reality show winner calling all the other contestants "cry babies" for sustaining lasting emotional devastation. She sounds like a real gem *eye roll*
Thanks so much for this video! I watched these extreme weight loss shows as inspiration and never really realized how toxic they were then. There was even one with teenagers (“I used to be fat”). There are a few good videos that helped me realize how toxic those shows were, like on Biggest Loser, eg Obese To Beasts videos☺️
There was one episode that just stuck with me from a makeover show that they aired on TLC in my country. It was more about teaching people how to choose flattering clothes, do their hair and makeup etc. And while I hated the two presenters who did the fashion segment, the man who was the hairdresser was always so sweet with the clients, he didn't give them a cookie-cutter style nor did he transform them into completely different people and he really listened to their requests. So in this episode the client was a disabled lady who before her hair makeover said that she stopped caring about her appearance after she became disabled. The hairdresser asked her why and she replied that she didn't want people looking at her. Then he said that people are going to look at her anyway, because she was beautiful (and I remember the lady was just so happy to hear a compliment like that!). So yeah, thank you random hairdresser guy for representing what makeover shows should be about :D
So when the swan came out here in the states, I was in high school and I actually was in radio class! That's where you learn how to basically work in a radio station it was a vocational program. Part of our homework was actually to watch reality TV at the time, and talk about various media tricks and how it plays in the media! I remember being completely horrified by this one, like out of all the trashy reality shows I had to watch for school ( which seems very weird now to say out loud) this one seemed to completely disgust me the most and I think it's why up until recently I had such a block towards reality shows.
James this is such a good video! I’ve never seen a video like this before and it’s so interesting to see that things that we thought were legitimate 20 years ago are not anymore, this is a good change
I too, was obsessed with the Swan. I wanted to go on that show. 😞 I ended up paying for my own rhinoplasty, breast reduction and lift, liposuction and tummy tuck. I've had botox and filler which are fine but I can honestly say, I wouldn't do the surgery part again. I got sick with cellulitis and was hospitalized 3 times. I have chronic pain and gained weight afterwards bc I was unable to do things. Basically my health deteriorated after my surgeries.
Shows like "The Biggest Loser" are absolutely horrible. They destroyed people and convinced everyone that your bmi was more important than everything else. There were people with PTSD on the show and they basically told them to walk it off. The mental abuse they endured was inexcusable. The overwhelming majority gained the weight back and they were left worse off mentally and physically. That show and others like it are absolutely horrendous and they are a public health hazard.
I do think a makeover can improve your quality in life in some cases. But I want a show where it is done naturally. Through sculpting exercises for face and body. Skincare, haircare, style tips. How to make the individual look their personal best, and bringing out the beauty of their natural features. And habits to maintain it.
Its not the same concept, but there's also bad and damaging "makeunder" shows where they essentially take people with aesthetics that don't fit the norm and criticize and berate them for their style choices on the basis that they should want to look normal. They also almost always feature a section where they bring in members of the opposite sex to tell them how unattractive and un-dateable they are. The show "snog marry avoid" even featured a goth couple at one point but still brought in strangers to tell them their style made them unattractive and that nobody would marry them. In the 80s there was also a segment on a show called Jenny Jones which took some teenage girls with a goth/street/revealing styles and predominantly had grown men in the audience get on the mic and tell them them horrible things calling them "white trash" and "freaks" while a studio applauded over these girls trying to defend themselves. It's just horrifying to watch as people cheer on a nearly 30 year old men screaming at 15-19 year old girls.
I remember there was all the controversy with the TV show, The Biggest Loser, and that lady that lost so much weight, the hosts looked uncomfortable when they did the big reveal
OK who remembers that show where ppl would stand in a sound proof clear box and random ppl on the street would be interviewed to talk about how ugly they were and guess their age and it was always way older than they actually were and then the person would get a makeover and go back in the box for random ppl to critique again lol the mid-late 2000s were WILD
There was this show (not sure if it was a Canadian exclusive) but basically you get rated/judged by your looks where the audience makes several comments about what makes the person unattractive. Then by plastic surgery, dentistry, makeup and clothes the person "fixes" themselves. After they become "their perfect form" they are faced with a new audience who shower the person with compliments. I just remembered the name of the show is Style by Jury
I was OBSESSED with Americas Next Top Model (and all the other countries versions). But looking back now I see how wrong it could be. I think now that the famous makeover episodes were done purely for ratings and I'm 100% sure all the extreme makeovers done on ANTM were done or one reason and one reason only, to make "good tv".
I really think beauty all starts in your mindset. When you learn to love yourself however you are, you take the necessary steps to take care of yourself and keep yourself healthy, which ultimately makes you look more physically attractive
I think everyone at one point absolutely loved these makeover shows. I'm definitely guilty of that obsession. I thought it was so satisfying seeing these "ugly ducklings" turned into a beautiful swan... looking at it again, at this day and age, it's so awfully problematic. I'm so glad a lot of us are past that!!
Thank you for posting this James I’ve been horrified by the show since their inception as well as my 600 pound life 16 and pregnant Dr. Phil show and all these shows just use people as a side show for profit sort of the way Barnum and Bailey did with their Freakshow it’s very upsetting to me. And you know those psychologist they use in Hollywood are bullshit. As always thanks for your program and raising awareness grandma loves you
Love your refreshing, real videos. The beauty community needs more people like you. P.s. Intimate Silhouette by Christian Siriano is an amazing affordable alternative for Milk by Commodity. Discovered it recently and love it! Smells so niche!
Love these types of videos, really enjoyed it and made some very important and valid points, these shows don't understand how triggering and damaging they can be and lives/mental health is permanently affected xx
I’m just thinking about how when i had ear surgery to get them pinned back, the first time i saw my ears i couldn’t look at myself and felt physically sick looking in the mirror. It was such a minor change compared to these women getting their entire face and body modified i can not even understand how they must’ve felt:/
I remember "The Swan"; it was frightening yet grotesquely fascinating. I always wondered what happened behind the scenes and how the former participants are doing now!
I wanted to be on The Swan so badly…because I had body dysmorphia. All I really needed at that time, was a breast reduction, as being a 34J made me feel so incredibly obese. I also have a cartilage issue on one side of my nose, that I still want repaired, but realize under the circumstances they were doing procedures on The Swan, I likely would have lost the cartilage. They probably would have praised the breasts, as well, just like everyone else who didn’t understand I was a rape survivor and raised in a toxic family that were fixated on weight.
23:23 I've lost 130 pounds. It has taken 8 years. I lost the first 70 pounds too quickly. I didn't even do anything particularly excessive. But I got super sick. So it's been a slow process. For years after my initial 70 pounds of loss I was very sickly. Losing weight is great if it's for your health, but I legit have to get my heart checked every year and have vitamin and mineral panels every 6 months to make sure everything is still working properly. I have to do weight loss in bursts to prevent getting sick. My right ovary is no longer functional because of the rapid weight loss. It triggers me when I hear unhealthy numbers for weight loss because it is so dangerous.
Imagine going for a tummy tuck and then someone changing your whole face. Her yelling that she wanted her face back terrified me.
I feel so bad for that poor girl. I hope she’s OK today.
My thoughts exactly after hearing her say that!! 😣
talk about informed consent!! did the show not give her one? or was it in the contract that the producers were basically allowed to do whatever they want? i feel so horrible for her 😭
Me too, it's horrible
I can promise you that not recognizing your own face is just as terrifying as you think, maybe even worse. :( I have it happen with my own face, the same one I’ve had my whole life. AWFUL. The magnitude of not recognizing your own face *after not seeing it for months* is enough to send anybody on a grippy sock vacation…
The concept of literally cutting people apart through irreversible and serious cosmetic surgeries solely for the purpose of TV views is so completely dystopian and predatory that it is actually almost unbelievable.
Believe it, and it played for more than one year, crazy fucking people
Exactly my thoughts! I never knew these shows existed and was absolutely shocked
Yet here we are.
Ugly people sometimes hate themselves so much that they feel they've been given a golden ticket getting onto one of those shows though. Can't blame them really.. who'd prefer to live looking like something that belongs under a bridge?
We as humans do this routinely to animals , so its not a huge leap that we would end up doing it to people
Maybe not so fun fact: my high school chemistry teacher was nominated to go on The Swan. She rejected the nomination and was apparently pissed she’d been nominated at all.
Honestly, I don't blame her I'd be pissed too 💀
Lmao nooo
How do you nominate a person, admitting you think they are ugly? Speedrunning ruining a friendship.
I remember a show talking about ambush makeovers and saying something like, “We’re going to make them look beautiful again!” What in blazes was that!? “We believe these people were beautiful at one point. They’re just a bunch of hit-looking biscuit-heads now, but we’re going to change that!”
Meanwhile then there was 10yo me who wanted nothing more than to be on the show so I could not be ugly anymore. 🤷🏻♀️
My mom watched these shows and always talked about all the procedures she wanted, and I was very young at the time. It made me so sad because I thought she was beautiful, and everyone always told me I looked so much like her. So of course I started to think, maybe I needed those surgeries too. These kinds of shows are so toxic and have contributed to a lot of the body dysmorphia in our society.
I never thought of it from this perspective. I’m going to be even more watchful of how I talk about myself when I’m in my daughters’ presence now.
Also realizing I should probably start being a little kinder to myself in my own head too because my girls are literally a copy-paste of precisely my features - and there is nothing in this world that I love more than them. I wouldn’t change a single thing.
@@CatharsisByProxy *this* good for you ❤️🥰🙌🏼 & based of your pic you look beautiful
Oh no!!!
Hope both of you are better now!
@@CatharsisByProxy I’m glad you’ve come to this realization. Only talk yourself and your girls up. It does soooo much for a higher self esteem. They probably think you are beautiful and are so confused when you put yourself down ❤.
I relate to this so much! My mom is always criticizing her own looks and body shape and Always did. I look so much like her and even though she always told me I’m beautiful it really affects the way you see yourself. Because how could I be beautiful if she isn’t ?
I worked with Beth who was on "The Swan" She was always beautiful and kind, so that show depresses me to no end. None of these women were "ugly ducklings". They had their insecurities preyed upon.
And in the end they all looked practically the same.
@@jmicha91 yeah cuz back then there was only 1 idea of beauty unfortunately
@@StKissa no, definitely not as bad as it was back then. Yes right now there are obviously some people with freakish proportions that can't really be achieved without surgery but there are also people like Ashley Graham, Barbie ferreira and so many other people with different sizes, different ethnicities and different type of beauties. Back then you had to be white and skinny and that was it, no other thing would be appreciated.
@@tinycindy2977 White and skinny, but with the perfect tan, too... god forbid someone be super pale.
@@jmicha91 Attack of the clones
The one I remember being most horrified about (even at the time where these types of shoes were normal) is Bridalplasty. Women who were getting married competed to win plastic surgery for their wedding day. Even the tag line for women who got eliminated was something along the lines of “you’ll still get married but it just won’t be perfect”. W.T.F.
Sweet Lord.
There's ALREADY so much craziness going on because women are told their wedding have to be "perfect".
We really need to start raising girls with the dark side of having a perfect wedding.
Oooooh goodness, I binged that on Netflix years ago and could not look away 😳. Hard-core train wreck. Those women were willing to do anything and suffer more in recovery for more surgery, I'm still shook from just watching it.
That line, wtf
Yes!! I loved that shit and now I'm like holy fuck that was such a disgusting show
WOW WTF??
I watched one episode of The swan and Extreme weight loss and was horrified… The way they were describing those human beings with such disrespect, exploiting and making millions with vulnerable people then throwing them back into their life without support is beyond my understanding 🤷♀️
They spoke to them and about them like actually trash. Watching it back now, it’s hard to see why I ever liked the show
I can only watch it with Luxeria's commentary to balance out the abuse and insanity 😳 smh
@@JamesWelsh The early 2000s was a different time, it’s hard to understand if you weren’t there - but I was and totally get it. Our perspective on this stuff has shifted massively in the last decade, but back then this stuff was aspirational.
@@chupaxf I really hope it doesn’t come back the way 2000s fashion and stick-thin models are coming back :( It’s surreal reliving the trends of that decade but as an adult
@@chupaxf we all were their at least those of us 32+ age group
Looking back on it, my mom was super observant and saved me a ton of grief. My friends at school were all obsessed with these shows so I watched some ANTM and one episode of Biggest Loser before my mom caught me. She tried to explain how these shows were predatory and actually bad for the contestants(mentally at least), but I just didn't get it. All these years later as someone who developed issues with self worth and body image, I can say I'm grateful that she shielded me as best she could even when I thought she was just being a typical mom who didn't like the cool TV shows I was watching.
I'm the opposite. I'm the only body positive one in my family and I would complain when mom had those shows on for "inspiration" cause they were just making her more depressed
As a therapist, I knew the general direction this story was going. I did not expect to audibly gasp when you stated ABC canceled the contestant's surgeries. I have hit pause. This is SO SO bad. Every SINGLE person involved in the conception, creation, and production of this show has blood on their hands! I do not know if I can not watch anymore.
As painful and as uncomfortable as these topics are, they need to be told. And I 100% believe you are the person who needs to be telling them.
You said it perfectly. I gasped as well, not only at them canceling everything but also them saying they'd have to break her jaw! No! Braces would do that job it would just take a lot longer. Then her sister dying almost made me cry. I agree, it's hard to watch but this HAS to be out in the open.
@@fleetwoodmacncheese4159 a chin implant wouldn’t suffice in correcting her major overbite. It likely causes other health issues for her as well. That being said, jaw surgery is a very long recovery. An example of someone who did other cosmetic procedures when they needed jaw surgery is Lorry Hill here on YT. She regrets not going for jaw surgery as there are a cascade of negative effects that she talks about openly.
I can’t imagine the soul crushing disappointment when you are hyped up by everyone that you’re about to transform into a “beautiful swan”.. and then get told nvm. go back home.
@@fleetwoodmacncheese4159 I need a round of braces + jaw surgery + another round of braces to fix my underbite. It would also require breaking my jaw. Not for cosmetic reasons, purely to prevent excessive teeth wearing. I don't think I will do that though. Not only is it extremely expensive, but also has a long recovery period and my jaw shape would change. I don't want my face to look different and I don't think my teeth will wear out
@@fleetwoodmacncheese4159 yes you have to break the jaw to fix certain dental issues. Braces can not fix every type of issue.
A girl who lived the town over from me was on it. Went far in it. She LOVED it. She did later say tho, that some family and friends tried to drag her back down after the show was over. They were uncomfortable with her confidence, and attention she was getting. So she did end up with a very different life, new friends, no more toxic marriage etc. But she never smiled so much in her life. She was gorgeous too. Stunning.
Glad that there's some good outcomes. Unfortunately you don't realize how much people are toxic until you're at a good place.
I took diet pills when I was a teenager. I actually stopped because a couple of my friends talked to me and told me I was changing because of the pills, and they were worried about me. I'm so grateful to them til this day, I was in a really bad mind set at the time, and them doing that showed me that people do care about me, and omg it helped more than they'll ever know.
Yeah I remember when me and my colleagues took diet pills, my manager pulled us aside and asked if we were in drugs because we were acting so weird
@@JamesWelsh yeah, I was super paranoid, and also had an attitude problem, when I've always been the nice person. I also have ADHD and was on medication for that at the time as well, which was probably idiotic tbh😬 I'm so glad I don't feel the need to be stick thin anymore🙌 I remember being so jittery and jumpy all the time
I took a diet pill that was trendy years ago, but I believe has since been banned. It made me hyperactive and jittery, I was pacing the floor of my room convinced I would die. I never took a diet pill again.
@@AKbaby89 I took diet pills as a teen, too, and I remember being excited whenever I tried a brand that would make me feel jittery because "That must mean it's working!" I was always disappointed because I rarely felt jittery on them, or it would go away after a couple days. Then 15 years later I got diagnosed with ADHD so it turns out I was just self-medicating with unregulated OTC stimulants the whole time😀
Do you remember just the sheer amount of diet pill products that used to be on the shelf? God, there used to be like half of an entire aisle in every pharmacy. Shit was ridiculous.
@@TBone4983 yeah I was diagnosed with ADHD in elementary school, so I had been on meds for years, and also drank several energy drinks every day. I don't know how I even did it, im 33 now and just thinking about it makes me nervous🤣🤣 and yeah, diet pills were like multivitamins🤣
I used to love America's Next Top Model. It's only been in the last year or so when I've seen some clips online that I realize how problematic it was. Those extreme makeover shows, especially the weight loss ones, are so dangerous. Not only for the contestants, but also the viewers. It makes people think that they should be able to achieve these results but they can't because it's fake. People go to extreme and dangerous measures to try to achieve these results and then feel like it's their fault when they fail. It's really heartbreaking.
Same here!! I actually remember gasping at some of the things they did back then but never knew how bad they were until the world started recognizing that these things were actually problematic and disgusting and so glad they did!
Tyra is a delusional monster and so problematic from ANTM to her talk show to her MLM scheme it never ends w her 😵💫
I grew up loving that show. I went to rewatch a few years ago and I can't believe what I couldn't see as a teen. Tyra is so gross to me now.
I swear they did some of those makeovers on antm to purposely make the models look worse or purposely upset them to make eliminating them easier. Some really shade stuff.
Jessica Kobeissi is a photographer who does reaction videos to the ANTM programs. It's funny but she provides a great prospective.
Biggest Loser had a huge impact on me and watching it at such a young age definitely impacted the eating disorder I grew to have
It was all so unrealistic despite them making it look healthy and easy
@@JamesWelsh I remember watching a new episode of that show with my parents every week as a kid and it's so completely wild to me now. Look how easy it is for these people to lose weight! And all they had to do was be privileged enough to take months away from jobs and family, get flown out to a controlled environment with no outside stress or distractions, work out for hours a day while getting yelled at by trainers, have healthy meals prepared for you, and let the amount of weight you lost at the end of every week determine whether you're a success or a failure! So easy!
@@TBone4983 Unfortunately, a lot of people still haven't gotten the memo that it's not easy :(
I have a friend who is dangerously anorexic. I don't know if its anything to do with shows like these.
I don't think bulemia should count as an eating disorder. It seems to be kinda in fashion at the moment.. I know loads of people who claim to be bulemic but are still quite porky. Maybe they forgot to throw up 🤣 seriously though I don't think bulemics starve themselves to death like anorexics do
@@itsruckaswife7036 there are bulimics who have died from purging because their stomachs exploded. it’s an eating disorder with deadly consequences like anorexia. I know plenty of fat people who claim to be anorexic because they do IF, so by that logic because some ppl fake ana that means it doesn’t exist? be real
As someone who’s had a depersonalization episode before, not recognizing your own face is terrifying. Ich sympathize so much with this girl…
Imagine getting a full extreme surgical makeover, to then have to compete and be told you're still not pretty enough. Ouch. I never watched these shows - I only ever watched How To Look Good Naked lol. I always liked that because, like you said, it focused on building confidence.
That one actually helped me. It helped me realize that models are skinny because it's easier for designers to put them in clothes, not because it's healthier.
I was a senior in high school when the swan premiered - I recall I was incredibly judgmental and thought they were all incredibly shallow. I haven’t thought about the show or contestants since - I’ve thankfully grown and empathize with these women - what a hard spot to be in during a time when this type of thought process wasn’t as easy to talk about
Me too, 2004! Or if it was fall 2004 I just started college
Well, at least you didn't buy the hype and develop body dismorphia
Back then, I felt sorry for the women who participated. My sister has always been overweight/obese and was bullied in her high school years. The contestors reminded me of my sister and it didn’t feel good that they were torn down. But everything was so normalized back then, I really thought I was being overly sensitive and tried to think of those shows as ‘normal’ because everybody else thought they were normal (or so I thought).
Having just gone through a breast reduction and excess skin removal myself, I can't imagine the hell these women went through with all of those procedures. It would have been horrific! And that many changes in such a short period of time would be extremely shocking and jarring. Mental health support is crucial and should have been available to the "contestants" throughout and after.
Extreme Makeover; Home Edition never fails to make me smile though. The personalised bedrooms are horribly tacky 80% of the time but the fact that it's a community project and they bring in friends, neighbours and family to help out on the project is lovely. Super wholesome and heartwarming.
until you realize it jacks up the taxes and maintenance and most people cant afford their own homes after they’re flipped😢
@@misty6026 and on top of being too expensive to live in, a lot of their work was really shoddy. I remember reading about things breaking and falling apart a few months after the camera crews left. It's the same problem with missionaries (well, one of them) construction requires specific knowledge that most people don't have. Unless your family and friends and neighbors are carpenters, they're not going to know how to build a house and they're going to get in the way of the professionals who _do._
When Beauty turns ugly is rapidly becoming my favourite content. I used to LOVE these makeover shows, I loved the idea of being transformed, fascinated by the techniques etc....but also now I feel like part of why I loved them is because I didn't like myself very much.
the mirror thing on the swan is wild too cuz ive heard ppl whove had facial surgery talk abt how even when they get the results they want, it can cause a severe mental health reaction seeing a face you don't recognize in the mirror at first
Look back at it, this was especially cruel.
I used to use these shows as “inspiration” during my eating disorder days which is so problematic in so many ways. I look back on them now (really all of 2000’s-2010’s) with sadness and disgust at how shallow it all was. Though the past few years have been rough for so many I feel like we have actually progressed as a society despite the challenges we still face
I can only imagine how awful it would be to no longer recognize your face due to some extreme makeover. It’s one thing to tweak a nose or brow or fix an overbite that you’ve looked forward to but not to look unrecognizable
It must have been so traumatic for the lady who lost her husband two years prior, to suddenly see a face that her husband never knew; she doesn't look like her love's wife anymore. It would be a huge grief trigger. 💔❤️
I didn’t think about that, but I see what you mean. To me, it would be massively upsetting if my kids didn’t recognize me. When your kids are young, a few months is a really, really long time. Plus, you come back looking unrecognizable and your kids and family probably have different schedules because they’ve had to move forward without you for months. Sounds like a nightmare.
I had a somewhat similar experience - my school prom was televised and I was chosen as the "shy wallflower" to be remade. I was told the dress I chose was not suitable, crammed into dresses intentionally too small while they pointed out my "back butt" and "bingo wings" - I was 16. They told me I needed to change my hair routine (it was "too dry") and skin routine (I was "too spotty"). I had scars on my arm they said were unsightly so they gave me long black gloves. Looking back it was really scarring to my self image and they really do manipulate you to guide you on what to say on camera.
That’s awful and I’m so sorry!
Omg. I don't think anybody would be ok with that. I'm so sorry
That’s bloody horrifying! I’m so sorry that was done to you. You were abused & manipulated for the benefit of others whose plan was to make money from your ‘remake’. God even the word remake is just so offensive in this situation. Where were the adults who were responsible for caring for you? I’m just so furious this happened to you.
The book “Reality Bites Back” changed my whole perception about these shows and I’m so happy you’re bringing this to light!
Oh man. I've struggled with depression my whole life, and ive had a few people in my life decide to end their lives, and its such a different type of pain, one that never really goes away.
I hope anyone out there who's struggling, reaches out and get help. You're worth it. You matter. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Weak minded people it's a cowards way out staying alive and facing problems is the bravest thing anyone can do jeez why is the human race cowards these days
According to a report by Page 6, the suit with Deleese Williams was settled out of court in the fall of 2006. Still heartbreaking though, your life used for drama, being told you can be fixed and then going, oh we don't have time to fix you. I used to like Extreme Makeover too but now I really see how destructive it was.
The Extreme Weight loss show drove me nuts because everyone would just look at me and my fat body and say I just needed to try harder “like they do on that show”.
Which they were right big time
I remember loving these shows and thinking how wonderful for these people that they were given these opportunities, I was around 12-13 at the time, now I look back in horror, how did these shows were even allowed to exist?! It’s all so wrong. No wonder so many women around my age (myself included) struggle with self image and confidence, this kind of bs was so normalized during such formative years of our lives.
You should watch "We've Outgrown the ugly duckling transformation"
I completely agree on your take with TV preying on insecurities for profit but at 19:57 I do have to say being conventionally attractive *does* afford privileges in your quality of life; mainly prison time, the bias of being perceived as kinder, more generous, having a higher intellectual capacity than others, as well as strangers being friendlier towards you, so your approachability bias and ability to be hired goes up as well
Pretty privilege. Not to bash on James, he is so sweet and genuine and I want to hug him, but as someone who is not conventionally attractive and has struggled in life, I don't think he, being so darn cute, quite understands how it feels on the "ugly" side. But I appreciate that he's trying, and I love when he says "Perfection doesn't exist."
It would still depends on the intention of the other party in any situation. For example, being a person of POC gets a person a number of varying responses from anyone. Either a person is festishizing you based on stereotypes, looking down on you or trying to spit on you, etc. Even if the person is conventionally attractive, doesn't mean they won't face a number of precontrued biases.
I think he meant good looks doesn't make all your problems go away. There are plenty of people who are good looking that are depressed and hate their looks.
Yeah I have a psychology degree and I agree with you. For more scientific information, people can look up the "halo effect" and "horn effect".
Omg! The Swan… it was like an early noughties fever dream. I watched it when I lived in S Korea. I was there for almost 20 years… they had their own extreme beauty makeover called “let me in”. Me-in is a play on words because it also means beautiful woman in Korean. They gave the participants plastic surgery, weight loss etc. Korean beauty standards are toxic. I’m a size 10/12 but I’m considered fat in Korea
East Asian beauty standards are crazy
@@avrilpinto3262 honestly it’s concerning how extreme they are. I lived in Singapore for a few years when I was younger and I’m still recovering from the societal pressure to be this stick thin pale model when I’m just not genetically built that way. I had a crippling Ed at 12 that I’ve not fully recovered from yet because of it. I’m a size 16 for tops and a size 12 for trousers now, but back then I was a size 10 tops and size 8 trousers, but I was still not thin enough. It’s tragic that this standard is making a comeback
The introduction of these shows, unrealistic beauty expectations and the use of photo shop, filters, plastic surgery etc., have absolutely contributed to the rise of depression, eating disorders, body dysmorphia and suicide. As a therapist, I continue to treat young men and women who struggle daily to meet impossible beauty standards, that are almost inescapable. These types of shows, IG and Snapchat filters and the like, create a false reality that is virtually everywhere. You cannot turn on the TV, use the internet, read a magazine or social media, without it being insinuated that you need to change your appearance. I am so grateful that you're using your platform to show the darker side of this industry and how mental health care is imperative for self love and emotional health. Abruptly changing your physical appearance, will not heal trauma, or mental illness. From this therapist, THANK YOU James!
Looking back it really is no wonder why I grew up feeling like I absolutely couldn't be pretty unless I was obsessively exercising, restricting my eating, having procedures etc. I thought there was some perfect routine out there someone had that if I could imitate it I'd achieve being pretty. What a nightmare Era we grew up in. I hope the body positivity and related movements continue and get even stronger. Ironically being a str!pper was the thing to open my eyes to natural beauty cause I worked with real life women in a "low end" club who had obvious real life flaws that couldn't be photoshopped away and learned to see how beautiful and desirable and amazing they were.
I normally don’t like this genre, but I love queer eye. The fab five are amazing people. Their shows are heart warming.
I watched one episode of queer eye and cried so much I couldn’t bring myself to watch more haha
I 100% agree with the "we grew up in a shallow time". I hated the fashions, because they were so revealing, and the kind of popular tanned, blonde, worldy girl was opposite to pale, dirty blond-red headed music nerd me. I felt ostracised painfully, and when my mum found out I liked dressing up and taking pictures of myself on my camera (yes an actual camera I got in christmas 2007) she called me a "vain wannabe slag" because it was self-centred to take sooooi many pictures of myself. Even now, she jokes that I have to take 100 pictures of myself, to show no one anyway, and I can't help but feel like of scarred from that era where I felt so very unattractive, unfashionable and unlikeable. And now people dress in the way I always dressed and it's fashionable, and I feel like even that part of my identity has been stolen and commodified..... it's messed up, it really is.
I feel this in my heart bc it's my story too.
This actually still happens! I was looking for a certain kind of picture of myself (it had to be full body and I had to be jumping, don't ask) and I complained that I didn't take enough pictures of myself. What I meant was that I didn't take enough full-body pictures. My friend said "Good that means you're not narcissistic" which actually made me feel really weird. I do take a lot of pictures, when I'm feeling pretty I'll take 20 selfies altogether, and I don't believe that taking lots of selfies makes me narcissistic.
The 00s were horrible and I don't understand what the adults were thinking
I know this is an old comment but please don’t be too hard on yourself over what your friend said. Back in the day rich people would pay good money and sit still for HOURS to get a painting of themselves. And it’s not like they only got one every 15 years. If they had been able to take 20 photos of themselves in a matter of seconds they would have!!!
Omg I loved The Swan too🙈 I never realised how horrible it actually was then, but looking back it’s insane, really😬
I will say tho, as someone who’s had 6 surgeries to remove excess skin after weightloss, that I totally get why Lorrie Arias would sign up for that show in regards to that - and I think I saw a different show where they did plastic surgeries that are more neccessary due to health problems/extreme situations, and I’m all for that, cause it’s expensive af.
Yeah see I get that completely! You’ve changed your life and just need a nip or tuck here and there!
I remember a few makeover shows and i did find them a little horrifying, but my favourite one was "How To Look Good Naked?" or something. They had that lovely host, Gok Wan, who helped women gain confidence and love their bodies as they are! It was very heartwarming!
Oh I remember that one I used to love watching that
Thank you James for addressing this - it is SO SO SO important! We all need to stop letting others tell us what's "wrong" with us. There is nothing wrong with us...we are all beautiful and unique and sadly, societal "norms" at large love to convince us we are lacking or corrupt in physical beauty. Look in the mirror - you are beautiful and you deserve love. DO IT NOW and do it every day. Love yourself FIRST and you'll be surrounded by love because you can accept yourself for everything you are and embody.
I used to LOVE watching what not to wear on TLC but now I realize how horrific it was. To criticize people’s styles like that is so cringy.
Yeah same, and it's so bad when you look back and the only thing the contestants did "wrong" was not be trendy. Like, it wasn't about how to be more flattering in their own style, but was all about how to conform to an approved trendy style.
I just remember being a kid and my mom saying she wanted us to nominate her for the show when she had lost weight so she could dress nice and feel pretty. I don't think that would have been good for her at all tho.
All my friends swore by that show and I, the resident weird girl, got mad at how it was always "We made your hair boring and put you in a pencil skirt"
That show actually made me hate my natural hair color and to this day I still hate pencil skirts (I want to be poofy and ridiculous!)
Thank you so much for covering this topic! It’s so important to highlight how destructive these shows can be to both the participants and audiences. I’m glad to see more and more creators and commentators talk about how damaging these productions can be. (If anyone is looking for more content/further listening, Behind the Bastards also covers the toxicity and dangers of reality tv in two of their podcast episodes.)
I remember when The Biggest Looser was super popular in Australia in the early 2000s, and even as a young kid I was worried that they were losing weight too quickly. It's not good for the body! The Swan sounds horrific 😱
I’ve been researching these shows, and the Xfactor is such an awful show, the lying and editing is so unbelievably, I feel like these shows are The Wizard of Oz in real life, you think you are going to get what you need but in reality it’s a man beside a curtain *’Cough…Simon Cowell’* you have to be careful talking negatively about him online 🙈
I thought u meant like how Judy Garland appeared so sweet and happy but really she must have suffered being forced to smoke PACKS of cigarettes a day to get that voice...oh, and the fake snow was made of asbestos. Like good movie/show idea, BUT the actors /contestants were treated like crap!
Only 1 makeover show ever had a positive impact on me and it was Gok's How to Look Good Naked. He was always so kind and also tried to find clothing styles the participants would be happy in. I vividly remember when he'd line people of different sizes up and ask the participant to stand where they thought their size was and it was always way off! Really made me realise howbwe do not see ourselves as other people do. Stuck with me for years!
I lost half my body weight and ended up getting a tummy tuck and an arm lift. At almost three years out, I’m only now starting to recognize my body as my own, and I had only a fraction of the work done that Lorrie had. Don’t get me wrong, I would need all the procedures she had to have a “normal” body, but the psychological aspect of not recognizing yourself is intense. I don’t know that I’ll have any more surgery if it means going through all that again. I would see myself in the mirror and get startled. I had to change the way I dressed, the makeup I wore, the way I wore my hair even to better suit my new size and figure. And in the back of my head, I was still there fast girl, even though I wasn’t anymore. I can’t imagine what Lorrie went through, and I hope she’s doing better today.
blepharoplasty is an eye lid lift type thing. it's where they do like a little surgery to get rid of hooded eyes, and can help with eyesight. Kirsty Meakin shows her blepharoplasty journey (she's a nail artist on here) in case anyone fancied looking at it more in depth.
Omg I remember The Swan! Looking back at the show now I’m actually shocked that they produced something like this. Great content James.
Yeah I’m glad it got old quick and was cancelled!
I love how you just jump into explaining what you’re using next on your skin. 😂 …I’m following along like “Yes! Right! Skin care!” 💭
It gave me whiplash a couple times lmaoo I forgot why I was here!!
Me too! Me too! 😆
Happy Sunday, James! I love this series, so please keep it going. As for those makeover shows, can you imagine the balls it takes for someone to say to another person, “You’re ugly and need to be fixed?” Excellent post this week. 💓💜💓💜💓💜💓💜
Glad you like it! It’s so sad! The things the ‘experts’ would say to the ladies is horrifying
i watch one of your videos every night when i do my skin care and it’s like we’re having a sleepover and just talking while we do skin care. it’s so fun
Thank you for talking about how fucked this stuff was/is. I had no idea about the suicide situation, that's so tragic.
I remember ANTM the most and What Not To Wear on TLC. The thing that always stuck with me was when ANTM had this girl going through dental work and she had a gap between her 2 front teeth. She only allowed them to close it to where she wanted it. She felt it was part of her / her look and she didn't want to close it entirely. I'm 99% sure she was kicked off next because of that. I definitely didn't understand it back then, but I absolutely do now.
I hated myself in high school. I was called ugly, a dog, bullied to change my look by “friends” and my mother wanted to keep me how she wanted me to be. Then as I got older I’ve was told I would look better is I lost weight or asked if I was pregnant. I hated myself and at times I still do. But I am in counselling and have help from my doctor. It’s learning to change the voice inside your head. You can get surgery and change your entire look but if you don’t get help none of those changes will matter. Thanks James for talking about this. You and Robert are my favourite UA-camrs.
Thank you so much for covering this. Shows that exploit people, that pretend to inspire people are the worst. If you can't get those results with a team of experts without having horrible unhealthy consequences then the average person at home shouldnt feel bad about struggling to get those results on their own. I love your delivery in all of these, such a wonderful voice , thank you.
I loooove the variety of content you are doing!! I wonder what youre gonna talk about next!! Also there is a "makeover" show where girls would compete for plastic surgery for their wedding days and i just feel so bad for those women because they would just talk so bad about themselves and their husbands were just-
OMG! I completely forgot about that show! What was it called again?!
@@JamesWelsh Bridalplasty!
Although some will disagree, the best show that boosted confidence was What Not To Wear. I loved Stacy London and Clinton Kelly. And the hair and makeup at the end with Nick Arrojo and Carmindy gave the women some easy tips on how to enhance what they already had. The show was funny, heartfelt, and you really felt like they cared (even though they were sassy and threw the clothes away but that was honestly always the best part of the show). And they would have all of their family and friends at the end with a "welcome home" party where everyone was loving and supportive. It wasn't a radical life-changer, but it seemed to send the right message to viewers. I remember Stacy and Clinton always saying that we needed to dress for the size we are now. A simple outfit can change your whole outlook on life. You don't need $100,000 worth of surgery to love yourself.
I was just going to mention this as one of the first. I found it horrible the way they picked through their clothes literally throwing them in the trash being extremely rude talking about their bodies. Clearly we had very different experiences with that show. lol
They were extremely demeaning and unkind to some contestants, many even cried.
And the few contestants that stood up or asked to be spoken to kindly got insulted even worse.
They made people feel like they were ugly and embarassing to be around.
I agree with that
I love What Not to Wear
I only watched one episode with a girl that liked lolita. They were absolutely horrible to this girl
I was a teenager and young adult in the US when this genre was in its heyday. I knew it was gross then, but even though I hated it and didn't watch it still deeply impacted my self-esteem. Knowing that my friends and family were watching and talking about these shows, seeing the ads...it was embedded in my subconscious whether or not I wanted it to be.
It's not like I was a "better" person than the people watching the shows -- I just harshly judged the participants/contestants because I thought they were shallow or vain for participating. I never considered that they were the victims in the scenario.
I used to watch the Swan too! It was one of those shows that was so horrifying that I couldn't seem to look away. The final episode I watched (if I remember correctly) featured a woman who was probably legitimately depressed, and who basically said her husband had cheated on her, and he wouldn't have done it if she was prettier. Who in their right mind would push plastic surgery on her instead of therapy and a divorce lawyer?!? It was just gross.
I personally had a breast reduction, tummy tuck and liposuction all in one shot. Thank God I had my mother to help me recover. BTW, the liposuction was the most painful part. Today I am glad I had the surgery but have gained quite a bit of weight over the years, so no quick fixes are going to last without putting in the work to maintain it.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how toxic these shows were and how much they impacted so many women’s body image. What I’m also realising watching this video is how absolutely fine these women looked - the idea that they needed drastic surgeries is absolutely absurd.
I watched a few of these shows as a teen (not so available on South African TV) and I couldn't wait to get older to have these surgeries because it seemed normal and people always seemed happy afterwards.
I obviously grew out of that phase and never did have surgery but I can totally understand how these programs also influence people at home into thinking they need unnecessary work. Sad.
Thanks for delving into these makeovers. Sad for the people who feel they need a makeovers because of what other people think is wrong with them.
Thanks for talking about this, James. It was very interesting. The psychology of these shows is pretty clear, but still, it's toxic entertainment. I really believe reality shows are responsible for a lot of the damaging attitudes we see today. IRL personal situations and even in politics. 😊😟
The physical change is not the hardest part .. it's the psychological and emotional adjustment that is not seen or valued.
A quick message for everyone: Accept yourself the way you are. Accept others the way they are. It will make for a happier world ❤ x
having body dysmorphia myself due to trauma i know what it feels like how dark a place it makes you im doing much better now than i was, i also watched these shows when i was younger when i started to feel negative towards my looks and body shape that with the trauma moulded this hatred towards myself, i wanted to hide away i was ashamed to look the way i did but accept myself now and proud of me, ❤ thank you for bringing awarness to this much love 💗
I was a preteen/young teen when these shows were huge and I always sat googly eyed in front of the TV thinking one day I'll get to go on and get a complete makeover. I'm not gonna lie, if someone asked me now if I wanted to go on a show and have a full body makeover I don't think I could turn it down. Plastic surgery is expensive! I'm in the middle of getting my teeth "fixed" both cosmetically and things that are actually negativity impacting my health, and by the time I'm done I will have spent about 15k, all of my life savings to this point. I still watch these shows (or moreso, youtubers reacting to these shows) and daydream a little about being able to go get all these surgeries and alterations and come out looking like a completely different person. As it is in working on the things I get the most negative feedback about first 🍻 I don't agree with you about looks not having an effect on your life. I've seen the difference in the way I'm treated in life as I've tried to improve my looks little by little. It's not as simple as someone holding the door open for you or buying you a drink, it can have effects on your career, how people like doctors and cops treat you, the opportunities you get. It's stupid, but it does effect a lot of little things in life that adds up to a lot. I completely understand the allure of these shows.
3:12 LMAO i wasn’t paying attention and i looked up & was NOT expecting that 😂😂😅
Do you remember the bridal themed show? These brides-to-be would compete in a different challenge in each episode to see who won a surgery and a thing for their wedding- so you could win a nose job and some wedding rings, for example. It was OUT OF CONTROL.
"Bridalplasty!" 🤢
Thank you for addressing this/these issues. It’s so easy to think major surgeries will fix everything; but that’s just not realistic! Most people would need help navigating such drastic changes…even if they wanted them. There’s no getting around the hard inner work if you want to be truly healthy and happy.
Wow, that is certainly some steaming hot tea! I would love to know some more behind the scenes because it is quite interesting to compare the differences in time period as far as reality shows now versus then. Unfortunately though I think there is one key thing which is that your looks really do actually mean a lot when it comes to interacting with the world. People who are not conventionally attractive have on average a more difficult time navigating the world simply because of other people's prejudices. It is sad but true that the more attractive person with the same qualifications will get a job over a less conventionally attractive person. Heck, even if that person has better qualifications and is better suited for the job. Hopefully this will change one day.
Your caring and genuine empathy really shows. Your skin looks marvelous, btw.
Please continue this seriesw. It is really helping me reprogram what I thought as a young kid and how it effects my view of myself as an adult
lol at the Swan reality show winner calling all the other contestants "cry babies" for sustaining lasting emotional devastation. She sounds like a real gem *eye roll*
Thanks so much for this video! I watched these extreme weight loss shows as inspiration and never really realized how toxic they were then. There was even one with teenagers (“I used to be fat”). There are a few good videos that helped me realize how toxic those shows were, like on Biggest Loser, eg Obese To Beasts videos☺️
There was one episode that just stuck with me from a makeover show that they aired on TLC in my country. It was more about teaching people how to choose flattering clothes, do their hair and makeup etc. And while I hated the two presenters who did the fashion segment, the man who was the hairdresser was always so sweet with the clients, he didn't give them a cookie-cutter style nor did he transform them into completely different people and he really listened to their requests. So in this episode the client was a disabled lady who before her hair makeover said that she stopped caring about her appearance after she became disabled. The hairdresser asked her why and she replied that she didn't want people looking at her. Then he said that people are going to look at her anyway, because she was beautiful (and I remember the lady was just so happy to hear a compliment like that!). So yeah, thank you random hairdresser guy for representing what makeover shows should be about :D
So when the swan came out here in the states, I was in high school and I actually was in radio class! That's where you learn how to basically work in a radio station it was a vocational program. Part of our homework was actually to watch reality TV at the time, and talk about various media tricks and how it plays in the media! I remember being completely horrified by this one, like out of all the trashy reality shows I had to watch for school ( which seems very weird now to say out loud) this one seemed to completely disgust me the most and I think it's why up until recently I had such a block towards reality shows.
James this is such a good video! I’ve never seen a video like this before and it’s so interesting to see that things that we thought were legitimate 20 years ago are not anymore, this is a good change
I too, was obsessed with the Swan. I wanted to go on that show. 😞 I ended up paying for my own rhinoplasty, breast reduction and lift, liposuction and tummy tuck. I've had botox and filler which are fine but I can honestly say, I wouldn't do the surgery part again. I got sick with cellulitis and was hospitalized 3 times. I have chronic pain and gained weight afterwards bc I was unable to do things. Basically my health deteriorated after my surgeries.
James I love the direction you’ve been taking your channel in!!
You have the wrong vial in the title. Vile is yucky, vial is a container (not being critical, just thought you'd want to know, friend!)
That's a nice way of letting him know and I'm sure he will appreciate it 🥰
@@mind-of-neo oh maybe! Obviously I haven't finished the video yet hahs
It could be referring to a vial of blood or something like that.
I noticed too, everyone makes mistakes, but just waiting through the show to see if it's a reference. I thought you phrased it sensitively :)
Maybe a vial of Botox?
Shows like "The Biggest Loser" are absolutely horrible. They destroyed people and convinced everyone that your bmi was more important than everything else. There were people with PTSD on the show and they basically told them to walk it off. The mental abuse they endured was inexcusable. The overwhelming majority gained the weight back and they were left worse off mentally and physically. That show and others like it are absolutely horrendous and they are a public health hazard.
I do think a makeover can improve your quality in life in some cases. But I want a show where it is done naturally. Through sculpting exercises for face and body. Skincare, haircare, style tips. How to make the individual look their personal best, and bringing out the beauty of their natural features. And habits to maintain it.
I would def watch that if it was a real show
Thank you, James! What a thought-provoking and sensitive video. The first story really saddened me,
Its not the same concept, but there's also bad and damaging "makeunder" shows where they essentially take people with aesthetics that don't fit the norm and criticize and berate them for their style choices on the basis that they should want to look normal. They also almost always feature a section where they bring in members of the opposite sex to tell them how unattractive and un-dateable they are. The show "snog marry avoid" even featured a goth couple at one point but still brought in strangers to tell them their style made them unattractive and that nobody would marry them.
In the 80s there was also a segment on a show called Jenny Jones which took some teenage girls with a goth/street/revealing styles and predominantly had grown men in the audience get on the mic and tell them them horrible things calling them "white trash" and "freaks" while a studio applauded over these girls trying to defend themselves. It's just horrifying to watch as people cheer on a nearly 30 year old men screaming at 15-19 year old girls.
I remember there was all the controversy with the TV show, The Biggest Loser, and that lady that lost so much weight, the hosts looked uncomfortable when they did the big reveal
It's scary to think we were watching shows like The Biggest Loser and The Swan as teenagers.. the early 2000s were something else.
Honestly reminded me of all the “Glow Up” videos/TikTok’s/post people make now a days looking for ‘extreme’ results in short period of time
OK who remembers that show where ppl would stand in a sound proof clear box and random ppl on the street would be interviewed to talk about how ugly they were and guess their age and it was always way older than they actually were and then the person would get a makeover and go back in the box for random ppl to critique again lol the mid-late 2000s were WILD
I think it was ten years younger on tlc
Omg I remember that show! What a horrible idea for a show 🤦🏻♀️
Wow.
What not to wear on TLC did that
There was this show (not sure if it was a Canadian exclusive) but basically you get rated/judged by your looks where the audience makes several comments about what makes the person unattractive. Then by plastic surgery, dentistry, makeup and clothes the person "fixes" themselves. After they become "their perfect form" they are faced with a new audience who shower the person with compliments. I just remembered the name of the show is Style by Jury
I was OBSESSED with Americas Next Top Model (and all the other countries versions). But looking back now I see how wrong it could be. I think now that the famous makeover episodes were done purely for ratings and I'm 100% sure all the extreme makeovers done on ANTM were done or one reason and one reason only, to make "good tv".
I really think beauty all starts in your mindset. When you learn to love yourself however you are, you take the necessary steps to take care of yourself and keep yourself healthy, which ultimately makes you look more physically attractive
I think everyone at one point absolutely loved these makeover shows. I'm definitely guilty of that obsession. I thought it was so satisfying seeing these "ugly ducklings" turned into a beautiful swan... looking at it again, at this day and age, it's so awfully problematic. I'm so glad a lot of us are past that!!
Thank you for posting this James I’ve been horrified by the show since their inception as well as my 600 pound life 16 and pregnant Dr. Phil show and all these shows just use people as a side show for profit sort of the way Barnum and Bailey did with their Freakshow it’s very upsetting to me. And you know those psychologist they use in Hollywood are bullshit. As always thanks for your program and raising awareness grandma loves you
Love your refreshing, real videos. The beauty community needs more people like you.
P.s. Intimate Silhouette by Christian Siriano is an amazing affordable alternative for Milk by Commodity. Discovered it recently and love it! Smells so niche!
Love these types of videos, really enjoyed it and made some very important and valid points, these shows don't understand how triggering and damaging they can be and lives/mental health is permanently affected xx
I’m just thinking about how when i had ear surgery to get them pinned back, the first time i saw my ears i couldn’t look at myself and felt physically sick looking in the mirror. It was such a minor change compared to these women getting their entire face and body modified i can not even understand how they must’ve felt:/
I remember "The Swan"; it was frightening yet grotesquely fascinating. I always wondered what happened behind the scenes and how the former participants are doing now!
I wanted to be on The Swan so badly…because I had body dysmorphia. All I really needed at that time, was a breast reduction, as being a 34J made me feel so incredibly obese. I also have a cartilage issue on one side of my nose, that I still want repaired, but realize under the circumstances they were doing procedures on The Swan, I likely would have lost the cartilage. They probably would have praised the breasts, as well, just like everyone else who didn’t understand I was a rape survivor and raised in a toxic family that were fixated on weight.
23:23 I've lost 130 pounds. It has taken 8 years. I lost the first 70 pounds too quickly. I didn't even do anything particularly excessive. But I got super sick. So it's been a slow process. For years after my initial 70 pounds of loss I was very sickly. Losing weight is great if it's for your health, but I legit have to get my heart checked every year and have vitamin and mineral panels every 6 months to make sure everything is still working properly. I have to do weight loss in bursts to prevent getting sick. My right ovary is no longer functional because of the rapid weight loss. It triggers me when I hear unhealthy numbers for weight loss because it is so dangerous.