Within the past two weeks yet another VH1 reality TV show has been born. However this show isn’t about dating, weight loss, or talent, it’s surprisingly about the concept of beauty on an international level. What is even more surprising is that this show, “The Price of Beauty,” is hosted by one of reality TV’s biggest airheads, Jessica Simpson. She travels the world investigating the definition of beauty according to different women around the world.
Seeing the previews and advertisements for this show I was definitely intrigued. Not only is this show unlike any other tacky, trashy program, it actually has meaning to it, and perhaps a little depth. This also reflects the thoughts and even the maturity of Jessica Simpson. We all remember her classic “blonde moments” on her previous reality show “Newlyweds” with ex-husband Nick Lachey. Years later, she’s grown up and is much more concerned with the views of the world around her and much less with petty, unintelligent things like the contents of her tuna can.
Along with two familiar faces from her previous reality show, Simpson is traveling the world speaking to women of all languages, cultures, and paths of life ranging from the high fashion world of Paris to small tribes and villages in Southeast Asia.
I will not be a faithful viewer of this show because I’ve been a Jessica Simpson fan for years or because I’m a reality TV junkie, but I will be watching this show because I believe in the message that it is portraying. Beauty is something that every woman strives for and will pay the “price” to achieve it. In different cultures, beauty is portrayed in many ways, and this show is revealing them. I think that “The Price of Beauty” is opening the eyes of close-minded, shallow women about beauty, ultimately proving that beauty comes in many shapes, sizes, colors and forms.
What is also remarkable about this show is the fact that Jessica Simpson is learning just as much as her viewers. Traveling around the world, in new environments “every week,” she is as vulnerable as the people she talks to, stepping out of her airbrushed celebrity world, and into the diverse lives of women around the globe.
The viewers of this show will definitely gain a valuable lesson. From just watching the premiere episode I have learned that beauty is not only what is accepted or trendy in an individual’s culture but also it is what women strive for to gain confidence. The physical beauty of these women ultimately reflects their inner beauty, which is revealed when Jessica talks to these women one-on-one. They talk about their life stories, their cultures, and most importantly what they do to be beautiful, which in most cases is very unique.
I have a good feeling that the lessons that this show has in store for the rest of the season will have a great impact on its viewers. Not only will we learn about the differences of the women around the world but we will learn that in a way we are all the same, doing what we can to be beautiful.
