Heidi Reveals New Face to Family..And It's Just Sad

If you watch the clip above from the season premiere of The Hills, you can take a look at Heidi Montag having dinner in her hometown of Crested Butte, CO with her family. In this episode, Heidi comes home to reveal what she looks like after her 10-procedure surgery. With a swollen face and a sore jaw leaving her with a quiet voice and the inability to chew food properly, it is no surprise that her mother, along with the rest of her family is shocked, disappointed, and sad. The short clip reveals much of what I suspected of Heidi-that she is a clear example of the negative effects the Hollywood scene can have on a young woman. Heidi's mother and sister said it best, reminding her that before the fame, she was confident, secure, and most of all herself.

It was sad watching the episode, not only for the Montag family, but because Heidi, along with all other women do suffer to varying degrees from the pressures of Hollywood. Although Heidi's actions shock and horrify me, and I mock her for being who she is, I think a big reason why I and the rest of America continue to feed her desire for fame is because we all see a little bit of ourselves there. Maybe Heidi is the extreme version of us, and as much as we claim to dislike her, we continue to tune in to see what we could be if we followed her path.

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health estimates that 1 in 200 women suffer from Anorexia, and that of the 8 million Americans who suffer from a reported eating disorder, 7 million are women. Those are scary statistics that reveal just how much the media really embeds itself in our personal lives. We all know that the media and the content produced and presented to the public all helps to perpetuate stereotypes, drives the consumption of more and more unnecessary goods, and in the case of women; helps give rise to insecurity and image issues. Heidi is simply the result of the extreme effects Hollywood has on women.

However, I can say that in my years of watching The Hills, this conversation between the Montag family members seemed genuine. Maybe her mother felt the need to clear the air with the public in an effort to say, "I don't support this!" Maybe besides trying to comfort her daughter, she was sending a message to all young women watching the show. Whatever the case may be, clips from the show featuring Heidi definitely sent a message out there, one totally unexpected on a show like The Hills.

Surprise! Heidi Drops Charges Against Divello

According to celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Heidi Montag has decided to drop the sexual harassment charges against The Hills producer, Adam Divello that she alleged last week. Heidi and Spencer have decided to "move on" from the case. The creation of sexual harassment charges and the manner in which Heidi handled this situation is a clear demonstration of the misuse of celebrity status. Montag made serious accusations against Divello, and although they will not be persued further, his name is tarnished. Although MTV and even other Hills stars supported Divello throughout the whole ordeal, it is not easy to completely erase a projected image.

In previous posts about the alleged sexual harassment I completely doubted Heidi's claims against Divello. Knowing full well her background and tendency to perform outlandish acts and involve herself in sensational events just made this entire scenario completely doubtful. Although I made it clear that I believed Heidi's intentions were anything but legitimate and genuine, somehow she still managed to pull me in! I hate to say it, but as long as we keep paying attention to "celebrities" like Heidi, or Michelle McGee, or Omarosa they will continue pumping out these crazy accusations and stories because they know we will keep watching. It's sad that Montag had to drag another person into her celebritization process, let's just hope that her next stunt won't involve someone else's integrity...

Celebrity Mistresses Get a Gig

We knew it would happen eventually. It was only time before Jesse James' mistress, Michelle McGee, and Tiger Woods' mistress, Jamie Unger got their own television show. As the focuses of two scandals that seemed to truly rock the public, it seems only natural that in this day and age, they would become celebrities.

Allegedly, "Cheaters" producer Bobby Goldstein is looking to create a "Celebrity Cheaters" edition. The new show would follow suit with the original, in hoping to catch infidelity via secret cameras and set ups, but this time, with celebrities. The "Cheaters" program itself is already quite vulgar and sad, but adding in McGee and Unger as hosts of the program just adds a satirical and somewhat cruel aspect to this new edition. I can only imagine how this show could spiral and completely shatter all hopes of romantic relationships succeeding in Hollywood. These are people too everyone!

New Details Emerge of the Accusations Against Divello

Sources from www.perezhilton.com have revealed details of the alleged sexual assault that took place on set of The Hills:

"Adam came up to her from behind and grabbed her with one hand on her stomach and one hand directly on her butt cheek. Heidi had six bodyguards with her. They took his hand off her and moved him away from the situation. Heidi started bringing security to the set because she felt Adam was getting a little creepy. He was very touchy-feely and she insisted he wouldn't stop asking her to strip down to a bikini for scenes. Adam wasn't on set much for six seasons until Heidi got her new boobs. And now he shows up everywhere. Heidi and Spencer e-mailed the production team and asked to talk about what happened. But after three weeks they'd gotten no response other than to say Heidi was allowed to bring only one bodyguard on set. Heidi's been in tears about it and really upset because she says she doesn't feel safe. Heidi says she wanted to solve the issue behind closed doors but The Hills just wouldn't talk about it. You have to stroke his ego to get a big role on his shows."

It seems that these allegations are going pretty far. With details like this, it makes you wonder if the events did in fact take place, or if the slandering and scheming is just another source of publicity. Staying objective and unbiased is a little difficult however. While I find myself leaning towards the Divello/MTV camp, I could imagine just how difficult it must be for her to deal with if the allegations are true. While I would like to sympathize with her, the timing could not be any better...

Heidi Alleges Sexual Harassment

Heidi Montag has accused The Hills producer, Adam Divello, of sexual assault. She claims that Divello touched her "inappropriately" while filming and during photo shoots, forcing her to increase the amount of security personnel she has on hand, and further motivating her to leave the popular MTV reality show that launched her career.

Many are doubtful of the merit behind Montag's claim, believing it to be another publicity stunt. MTV is supporting Divello,and former Hills star, Lauren Conrad has released this statement:

“Similar to most of my fellow MTV cast mates, I am in utter shock at the allegations made against Adam DiVello. Not only are they completely absurd but they are 100% without merit. Adam is a true professional and a wonderful person to work for."

Heidi's camp say, "Adam can get away with it with [Audrina Patridge and Kristin Cavallari] but not with Heidi! He is a pervert and a creep. The other girls dont feel they can't defend themselves because they are afraid they will lose their job."

So after all the stunts and the crazy stories, can we really believe Heidi? Is this another way to get more people talking about her, or is she truly standing up against sexual assault in the workplace? As of right now, I find it hard to believe that Divello did in fact overstep his bounds with Heidi. Can you really blame me though? Everything Heidi does is for publicity and this "cry wolf" scenario seems just to be another antic. I hope for the sake of Heidi and Divello that these allegations are false. However I worry that people like Heidi, who allege abuse on false grounds, will learn from this and further cause problems for others in the future. Who knows, maybe it will shed light on Montag's apparent "do anything for fame" attitude? Whatever the outcome is, this is a lose-lose situation for all.

I Think I've Seen This Movie Before....

Last week, Nicholas Sparks' latest novel turned movie, The Last Song, premiered, reeling in big bucks for its opening weekend. It stars former Disney tween star Miley Cyrus in her first real movie role drawing in even more fans (or haters) who want to see what kind of talent she has really got. While Sparks' latest romantic film goes along the same premise as all of his other films, people will still watch because of two reasons: 1. Everyone loves a good romance and 2. Miley. All of Nicholas Sparks' movies follow a certain formula as pointed out on cracked.com. He starts with a man and a woman, he creates an obstacle that makes their love impossible, he has them fall in love anyway, he throws in some sort of disaster (like illness) that turns their romance into a tragedy, and finally he counts his money. It's a clear and striking pattern really. If we look back at some of his films like A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, and Dear John, they all follow this formula. In fact, the film posters and imagery are all alike as well:


It's kind of silly to think that although the endings are all the same we just keep coming back for more. What is clear however is that Nicholas Sparks has some definite business savvy in him. He knows that by featuring the "It" girl or guy of the moment he will gain plenty of publicity and cash. A Walk to Remember starred popstar Mandy Moore in her first big film, The Notebook and Dear John featured rising stars Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfreid respectively, and now the torch is being passed to Miley Cyrus. I guess transitioning from popstar to actress requires a Nicholas Sparks film prerequisite? Miley has been getting plenty of media attention lately for her transition from a sweet Disney Star to a serious singer/actress with no qualms of hiding her "wildside". Sparks understands the concept of celebrity and publicity and really uses it to his advantage. In fact, he's already is in the works of creating another one of his books into a film. All in all though, The Last Song sounds like a perfect combination to me: sappy romance + ex Disney starlet; what's not to love? I know I'll be watching...

More Nip and Tuck

To not outdo her ridiculous 10-procedure surgery in one day fiasco, Heidi Montag revealed today that she also had two more surgeries done. On Ryan Seacrest's radio show based in Los Angeles, she told Ryan of getting her waist cinched and her back scooped. Yes, scooped, a procedure that Heidi herself is confused about, and quipps, "I might be the first one to try it."

Heidi continues on with her cosmetic procedures, gaining media attention for not only her physical transformation, but for the outrageous stunts she and her husband pull. Besides being a seemingly horrible role model because of her obvious physical insecurities that can only be cured via her plastic surgery addiction, it worries me that she does this all under the guise of being a good Christian. On her twitter account, she thanks God and Jesus every few days for their blessings and gifts. Does this make her a bad role model for young Christian girls in particular as well? If God loves you as you are and wants you to feel the same, Heidi's actions completely contradict her supposed beliefs, and run the risk of creating a whole breed of disingenuous Bible-thumpers. This just gives real Christians a bad name. Who knows, maybe Heidi's "Christianity" she so prominently expresses in interviews and on her Twitter account are all just a publicity stunt as well....

They Read and Write too!

Sometimes, we tend to forget that celebrities are talented people. These actors, musicians, and artists all worked hard to get where they are and have exceptional skills and talent. We get so caught up in all the gossip, the glamorous clothes, and their scandals, that we forget that deep down they are (for the most part) talented and intelligent individuals. They are also real people. Some celebrities may seem too strange and outrageous to be considered "normal", but for the most part they are just like you and me. The topic of conversation today is: SMART CELEBRITIES. These are the stars who have a head on their shoulders, who do more than look pretty and handsome in designer clothes, and are using their brains. These people are even more fascinating than their counterparts because many people question why? Who cares? Why are they going to college? Or contributing their time to this charity? Or in the case of film actor, James Franco (who has starred in Milk, Spiderman, and Pineapple Express)why is he pursuing a doctorate degree in English at Yale University?

When I first heard of the news my automatic reaction was to say, "Wow, I didn't know he was smart." Typically, the public do not see celebrities as also being intelligent. It is unfortunate but many actors, musicians, and artists get balled up and judged, and people automatically assume their level of intelligence to be sub-par. However, there are many who think the complete opposite. Some believe that celebrities are some of the smartest people in the world by mastering the art of capturing an audience and keeping us engaged.

However, today it seems that many stars pursue higher education to earn some form of creditability. We are bombarded with images and stories of drunken teen stars and rockers, and every once in a while comes an Emma Watson (Brown University freshmen), or an Anne Hathaway (NYU), and James Franco who seem to break the mold and strive to round out their already multi-talented careers. It's a smart move considering that these celebrities seem to be taken more seriously and are far more respected than their publicity-seeking counterparts. More than anything, I'm just impressed. Kudos James, and good luck!

Creating Drama

If there has ever been a celebrity that has been able to get people talking, either good or bad, constantly, that person would be Heidi Montag. Heidi, who is attached at the hip to her husband, Spencer Pratt, is better known as Speidi. More recently, Montag has been in the press regarding her multiple surgeries. So as not to outdo herself, she is in the press once again for another reason: the state of her marriage. Today, reports about the state of Heidi and Spencer's marriage went out, but only to relieve and quelch that news hours later by claiming it was a false rumor. Heidi and Spencer married last year to the horror and delight of millions of viewers in the public. Now with the media constantly on their tails, we are bombarded with news regarding these two seemingly talent-less celebrities as they galavant around Hollywood looking to get more and more press.

We watched as Heidi "accidentally" released her amateur music video for her unreleased music single: Higher. The video was ridiculous, silly, and clearly more of an advertisement for her physique rather than her music ability. However, what made the whole thing genius was that it got us watching and talking about her. Granted, what most were saying was not very nice, but the amount of hits the video first received after the "leak" were something. It even fueled a series of parody videos on youtube, which helped continue the discourse on Heidi Montag's ridiculousness even further. Spencer and Heidi also know how to play into current events to keep the press talking. During the summer, when everyone was worried about Swine Flu, they both jumped on the band wagon and made sure to be photographed with their face masks on, as they travelled through a Mexican airport. She and her husband have truly mastered the art of the press and getting it to work for them. After all, here I am, writing multiple blog posts about her, dedicating my time to comment on her life. What does that prove?

Montag, and her husband (and now ex-manager) know that any press is better than none. Every so often a new sensational story about Heidi and Spencer is in the press. This keeps us, the public, constantly aware of their presence. They capture an audience by constantly creating drama, and playing into scandalous stories and drama to keep us engaged in their lives. Heidi and her husband (more affectionately known as Speidi) have been effective in creating a different kind of fan. Speidi have, through their constant presence in the media doing ridiculous, astonishing, and confusing things, created a crop of fans unlike those we have studied thus far in class. No one actually likes Montag and Pratt. These fans, like myself, hate Montag and Pratt, and yet we feel a need to learn about their personal lives. Maybe people who hate Heidi and Spencer should just be called haters? What do we get out of this disgust? What is our true purpose in following the lives of Heidi and Spencer? Heidi and Spencer are exactly what I do not want to be, so perhaps my fandom serves as a point of comparison: NEVER BE LIKE THEM!!!!!

Most Hated Man in America

Fresh from her Oscar win for her role in The Blind Side, actress Sandra Bullock was in the limelight and the media darling of the moment. However, rather than focus on her acting abilities, the media has now turned to her love life, thanks to Michelle Gee, a stripper/webcam performer/tattoo artist, who told InTouch Magazine of her 11-month affair with Bullock's husband: Jesse James. While cheating husbands and wives are the norm in many Hollywood couples, this couple in particular seems to be hurting the public more than other scandals that have occurred.

Bullock has won the hearts of many fans due to her roles in several well-loved films, and is known as the "Queen of Romantic Comedies." As Barbara Walters says, "people like her." The public roots for Sandra Bullock because she never really wins awards and is the girl next door. The star of films like: Miss congeniality, The Proposal, Speed, and Crash finally won an Oscar, and the media and the public were proud and satisfied that she had finally gotten recognition for her talents. The irony with her public ordeal of her husband's infidelity makes it all the more disappointing and tragic. She met the tatoo-covered tough guy Jesse James in 2005 and initially, everyone thought it was a mismatch. However, after hearing her proclaim her love for him over and over again at various public events, interviews, and acceptance speeches, many (including me) were beginning to finally accept and like Jesse James.

The timing could not have been worse for Sandra, and in fact, Michelle Gee, James' mistress planned the big reveal and was paid $30,000. His cheating has created a firestorm in the public and the media, with gossip magazines covered with pictures of Sandra, and the pages filled with articles regarding the drama surrounding the events, and now, her upcoming divorce.

The public has rushed at Sandra's side because they truly feel for her. They finally felt as though she was doing well for herself and that she had everything she ever wanted: recognition for her talents, and a loving family life. Now, the public worries that she cannot bounce back. How will she deal with the heart break of the man who finally made her feel as though someone had her back?

Reality TV Stars as Celebrities

With the prevalence of reality show programming on most major networks on cable, it seems that over the years, a new crop of celebrities have emerged. These reality tv stars are famous from the shows they participated in, but do they really have the talent and skills that most celebrities have? While actors, musicians, and other artists have become famous and celebritized due to their skills and talent, reality stars from shows like Survivor, The Apprentice, The Real World, The Hills, or The Bachelor stand out and gain attention by calculating their moves and exploiting their "15 minutes" for everything there is. These stars create characters out of themselves, and play up their perceived roles in order to garner more media attention. In an effort to win fame, many of these stars go to great lengths, often altering their true personalities, creating relationships with certain people, and will even undergo plastic surgery for shock value or to simply "improve" their appearence.

We discussed in class how Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, of The Apprentice, played up her role as villain by constantly presenting herself in a nasty, rude, and up-front manner. She understand her role, and has deftly crafted her persona in the media to her advantage. So why do these stars work so hard for this? I believe psychological reasons are at the basis for their motivation-after all, who doesn't want attention on them? However, the economic benefits of fame I believe provide a very good incentive as well. Often times, these reality stars had intentions of being musicians or actors, and therefore capitalize on their fame to make their dreams come true.

One reality star who I find fascinating and quite sad, honestly is Heidi Montag. As Lauren Conrad's best friend and side-kick on The Hills, Montag first appeared to be sweet, ambitious, and fun. However, as the show grew in popularity, so did its characters, and Lauren, Heidi, and the rest of the cast became celebrities walking to red carpet at events with actors, musicians, and other artists, and they helped blur the line between reality star and "true" star.

As their fame grew, Montag became increasingly obsessed with her image, and on the next season revealed an entirely new image of herself: a Barbie Doll who ditches her best friends for a mean, back-stabbing boyfriend who would later become her husband. Spencer Pratt married Heidi Montag, and with enough press events, controversial news headlines, and appearence, "Speidi" began its reign in the reality tv star kingdom. Montag has been in the press most recently for her 10-surgery in one day nip and tuck session that left her a completely different person. When looking at before and after pictures, the extent of the work she has had done is quite evident and alludes to much deeper issues that she seems to be dealing with. Plastic surgery addiction anyone? I will be following her in the press and provide updates on Speidi and Heidi Montag in general. For now, as a point of reference, behold the before and after of Heidi Montag: