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The Dark Side of Cute

TresSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Kittens in casts. Babies nudged to laugh every five seconds. Stuffed teddy bears left at killing-spree sites. We are so surrounded by the tyranny of cute that even multibillion-dollar corporations have cute names like "Google" and "Twitter," and the uncute business of insurance is represented in ads by a cute lizard with an English accent. (And yes, I too am guilty of spreading cuteness.)

What's up with the cute? Writer Jim Windolf has had enough and decided to try to get to the bottom of what he calls the "self-infantalization" of Americans. His conclusion? There's a dark, manipulative side to cute. If you want to know what it is, read more.

In Daniel Harris's book Cute, Quaint, Hungry, and Romantic, he says that there's a hidden sadism to our love of cute, citing the barrage of images of cats falling, puppies slamming into mirrors, and even babies trapped in high chairs being prodded to laugh.

"The process of conveying cuteness to the viewer disempowers its objects," he writes, "forcing them into ridiculous situations and making them appear more ignorant and vulnerable than they really are. Adorable things are often most adorable in the middle of a pratfall or a blunder." In other words, they are cute insofar as they are helpless, and we, conferrers of cute, are all-powerful.

Becoming cute, conversely, is one way of disarming opponents or critics. It's not incidental, argues Windolf, that the cult of cute in the US emerged during the Bush years, when "the American image went from that of protector to invader, from defender of human rights to aggressor on the lookout for loopholes in the Geneva Conventions." Cuteness then, according to this theory, "came about as some sort of correction, as a way for us to convince ourselves and our friends that we're not as bad as our recent national actions have made us seem." (It reminds me of smiley emoticons at the end of passive-aggressive email messages and instant messages. In this case, American cute is like a ginormous cultural smiley face emoticon tacked on the end of dubious actions telling our allies we're not all that bad.)

Windolf traces American cute back to Japan's kawaii culture, which got huge 10 years ago but actually emerged at the end of WWII after it was "humiliated and emasculated." If you're interested in political and cultural psychoanalysis, I suggest reading this long essay. But whatever you do, remember - ~~sometimes a cigar is just a cigar~~ sometimes a cute kitten isn't just a cute kitten.

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Rob Covers Japan & Vanity Fair, Heidi's Halloween Party, & Jessica Bashes Melrose Place

PopSugarTV — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:10:41 -0800

Robert Pattinson lands in Japan and on the cover of Vanity Fair, Heidi Klum and Seal host another legendary Halloween party, and Jessica Simpson goes on the offensive against Melrose Place after Ashlee was dropped from the show.

VF Debuts Its Interview With Vampire Robert Pattinson

PopSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0800

Robert Pattinson headed to Japan this weekend, as the cast of New Moon begins to promote the film before its release on Nov. 20. Earlier this year, Robert took a break from work on Remember Me to pose at a photo shoot for December's Vanity Fair - and here's a peek at the final product! We also have a preview from Rob's interview, in which he opens up about Kristen, their rumored romance, and all the attention he receives. Here's more:

On Kristen: "She’s influenced how I've done all the Twilight stuff. It's quite nice to have someone who is genuinely indifferent to the whole spectacle of everything."
On rumors of their relationship: "It doesn't make any difference what you say. . . . I've literally been across the country [from Kristen], and it’s like 'Oh, they were on secret dates!' It's like 'Where? I can't get out of my hotel room!'"
On all the uproar surrounding him: "I guess I'm not the type of guy cut out to do a franchise . . . I'm not much of a crowd person."

View 3 Photos ›

The full issue hits newsstands next Tuesday, but the full article with photos will be on the magazine's site Wednesday. Plus, every Monday this month, the magazine will be posting more photos from the shoot on its site. For now, make sure to check out outtakes from Rob's shoot as well as more interviews with his costars.

Bilson Says "No Wedding Planning Yet," Bell Talks Halloween

Molly — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:30:30 -0700

Rachel Bilson and Kristen Bell slipped on their charity t-shirts and headed out to a Guess, Vanity Fair, and Invisible Children event in LA last night - check out how to get Kristen and Rachel's looks here. Rachel divulged a few details on her upcoming How I Met Your Mother appearance - stay tuned for that on PopSugar Rush - and how much she loves her new Philip Lim bag. When asked about tying the knot, Rachel just said there's "no planning. Not yet." Kristen chatted a bit about her Halloween plans, or lack thereof at this point, despite being a big fan of the holiday. Inside the bash, the girls hung out together and mingled with the crowd during their Thursday night out to support the cause.

For more photos of Rachel and Kristen just read more.

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Take a Trip Down Memory Lane With the Twilight Kids in Vanity Fair

PopSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:00:25 -0700

One of our very first posts on Twilight was last year when the whole gang struck a few poses for Vanity Fair. It was nearly 12 months ago that we had a peek at those photos, but a few of the outtakes are finding a second life on the Internet today - including one in which Robert and Kristen lovingly pose together and kiss. Soon we'll be seeing them together again on the upcoming Harper's Bazaar cover. It's a whole different world now that they're megastars and we spend so much time wondering if Rob and Kristen are truly together, but it's fun to take a look back at the actors as their wild ride was just beginning.

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Penelope Cruz Has Two Things to Talk About in Vanity Fair

PopSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:00:40 -0700

Penelope Cruz has made headlines lately due to speculation over her possible pregnancy, but she's on the cover of November's Vanity Fair to discuss her two upcoming films, Nine and Broken Embraces. She showed off her sexy back and even touched on Javier Bardem, revealing that he's the superior air guitarist in the relationship. Here's more:

On being a worrier: "I've always been a worrier. Since I was a little girl I've always felt that if I had a moment of peace I'd wonder: Are you sure you can afford to feel like this?"
On working with Almodovar again: "Pedro would push me to the limit. He really knows how to press all my buttons. You can only go into something like that when it's somebody you really trust. I always feel like he's my safety net. Like I can fly and go far, because he's going to catch me. The biggest [panic] attack I had during the movie was the scene where, for the first time, Lena [her character] makes the decision to try to become an actress. I don't know what happened to me that day, but before and after we filmed I could not breathe."
On hanging out at her mom Encarna's hair salon as a child: "It was my first acting school. I would pretend to be doing my homework, but I was really observing the women. I found their behavior mesmerizing - what they were hiding, how they left feeling a little different after they'd been helped to become a little more like whom they wanted to look like. They treated the place a little bit like a psychologist's office."
On comparing kissing Scarlett Johansson and Charlize Theron in movies: "No matter how I answer that I will be in trouble. Both were pretty beautiful partners."

Check out more photos and the full article on their website and when the issue hits newsstands in NY on Sept. 30 and nationwide on Oct. 6.

Photo courtesy Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott exclusively for Vanity Fair

Levi Spills the Beans on Sarah Palin's Parenting Style

babysugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:00:21 -0700

Nine months ago, the whole world would have eagerly listened to the utterances of Levi Johnston, the then fiancé of the daughter of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. But like a good boy, he kept his mouth shut. Now almost a year later, the new father has changed his ways. After posing shirtless in GQ, he started gabbing about his child's grandmother. Whether he speaks the truth is questionable, he told Vanity Fair the following:

There wasn’t much parenting in that house. Sarah doesn’t cook, Todd doesn’t cook-the kids would do it all themselves: cook, clean, do the laundry, and get ready for school. Most of the time Bristol would help her youngest sister with her homework, and I’d barbecue chicken or steak on the grill.

He also chatted up the rumor that Mrs. Palin asked him to hide Bristol's pregnancy so she could adopt their son. A case of "he said, she said," we'll likely never know what actually. While the former governor is not currently in the political limelight, these accusations may come back to haunt her should she make a bid for the White House in the future.

Do you believe Levi Johnston or think he's just trying to make a buck off of Sarah's fame?

Levi Johnston: Palin Wanted to Adopt Baby and Keep It Secret

TresSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:30:00 -0700

In October's Vanity Fair, Levi Johnston says Sarah Palin asked to adopt his and Bristol's baby and keep it as her own. According to Levi:

"Sarah told me she had a great idea: we would keep it a secret - nobody would know that Bristol was pregnant. She told me that once Bristol had the baby she and Todd would adopt him. That way, she said, Bristol and I didn’t have to worry about anything. Sarah kept mentioning this plan. She was nagging - she wouldn’t give up."

Does this make you, once again, possibly doubt the legitimacy of Sarah Palin's youngest, Tripp Palin, or could you not care less?

Either way, Vanity Fair has released a behind-the-scenes video from his NYC photo shoot, and it's kind of great. We see Levi's transformation from Wasilla casual to a guy in an expensive suit on a high-rise's ledge. Urban suicidal? See for yourself after the jump.

Penelope, Brad, and Michelle O Make Vanity Fair's International Best-Dressed List

FabSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:12:52 -0700

Vanity Fair's 2009 International Best-Dressed list has been released, and it includes actors, models, designers, politicians, royalty, and socialites. The ones who made the cut need not have one particular fashion forte - they only need perennial style. Representing Hollywood are red-carpet queens Penelope Cruz, Anne Hathaway, Reneé Zellweger, Kelly Ripa, and Alicia Keys. Angelina Jolie didn't make the list but her man Brad Pitt did. And rightfully so! Our favorite Power Couple Natalia Vodianova and her hubby Justin Portman made it on as a couple, while Rachel Roy and Tory Burch got on solo.

See some others who made the list.

Heath Ledger's Vanity Fair Cover - Interesting or Inappropriate?

PopSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:00:06 -0700

The August cover of Vanity Fair features an old photo of Heath Ledger with more quotes and information about the final days of his life. Heath's friends and colleagues reveal more about his medical and psychological states at the time of his death, while also suggesting that his breakup with Michelle Williams and their custody battle may have played a big role. The article is accompanied by a portfolio of photos of the actor. It's interesting timing to give Heath the cover story, but what do you think of bringing all this new information to light - interesting or inappropriate?