I just have one question that I wish someone would answer. Can someone please tell me why in the world we need special zoomed in cameras to view celebrity’s manicures at awards shows? That’s it.
2013 has been the year of nail art (which is in my opinion, gross- but that’s another post entirely) and American society’s obsession with all things celebrity, which continues to grow exponentially. But combine these two, and you’re forced to face superficiality at its most extreme. Think of the mani-cam as a microcosm of the demise of society. Too extreme? Introduced to red carpets by E! Entertainment in 2012, The Washington Post went so far as to claim that it revolutionized the Emmys Red Carpet. The mani-cam represents a much larger issue.
In 2011 Newsweek polled 1,000 U.S. citizens to take America’s official citizenship test. Twenty-nine percent couldn’t name the vice president. Seventy-three percent couldn’t correctly say why we fought the Cold War. Forty-four percent were unable to define the Bill of Rights. Now, our civic ignorance isn’t really anything new, but I can no longer idly stand by and live in a world where we have mani-cams. This is coming from a girl that wanted to dye her puppy’s belly red and name him Louboutin. Disclaimer I was sixteen, but feel free to judge.
I’ve seen more news segments and print articles about Miley Cyrus’s VMA performance, Rolling Stone cover, Wrecking Ball video, and broken engagement in a week than I have about Syria the past month. Yes celebrities are artists so we’re fascinated by their lives (and their blah, blah), but we do not need to be fascinated with their nails.
I’m all for excess. My favorite quote in the world is, “Moderation is fatal. Everything succeeds in excess.” – Oscar Wilde
But I have to draw the line somewhere. For me it’s mani-cams.
Not only do they just show celebrity’s choice of nail color- but they’ve even made a mini faux red carpet for their hands to trot down. Really, where does it go from here? We’ve already had vajazzling. I don’t want to imagine what comes next.
If you can name what color Zooey Deschanel’s nails were at this past Emmys, but you can’t spell Bashar al-Assad, it’s time to rethink your priorities. Revolutionize your whole way of thinking even.
Please join me and just say no to mani-cams.
