An Open Letter to Michelle Obama: Beyonce is Not a Role Model- Page 5

[suestorm]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 11:01am

^^ STALKERS vv

Updated On: 5/2/13 at 11:01 AM

[mar6411]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 11:27am

[javero]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 9:39am

"Oh totally disagree. they want to be STARS. TOTALLY. Oy, why do you think hundreds of thousands of people show up to the AI auditions, for one hint?"

Jane, I believe it's quite possible for someone outside of pro sports or show business to be inspired by a highly successful athlete or entertainer. For the past 15 years no one on this planet has inspired me more than pro tennis champion Serena Williams.

She has overcome all sorts of obstacles to retain the #1 ranking at 31 yrs of age, including her own anatomy and a US tennis establishment that has always been overanxious to promote some Jannie-come-lately at her expense. She's been defiant and committed to silencing her critics, on the tennis court. And she's not the least bit apologetic about her body type, background, or fashion sense.

In short, she's inspired me to not worry about where I "belong" but instead focus on where I aim to land. Both Beyonce and Serena have reached the pinnacle of success in their respective professions on their own terms shaped in part by their common heritage and aesthetic. I'm never comfortable bringing race into any discussion on this board but "black" is more than a color for some of us.

Updated On: 5/3/13 at 09:39 AM

[suestorm]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 9:47am

""And she's not the least bit apologetic about her body type, background, or fashion sense.""

She is a great athlete no doubt, but her disrespect for the game, officials, opponents is dreadful and offputting.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 9:50am

Great post, Javero; very interesting points.

[javero]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 10:01am

"She is a great athlete no doubt, but her disrespect for the game, officials, opponents is dreadful and offputting."

Early in her career she had racial epithets hurled at her from the stands at more than one tournament. The one that got some media attention before the USTA leadership rushed in to whitewash it was the tournament at Indian Wells. I was subjected to much of the same treatment when I played the junior circuit in the late 70/early 80s.

Much of the Willamses issues with the USTA establishement has not come to light because the family has finally learned to take the high road. I'm no Serena apologist but will suggest that she had a much harder row to hoe than Chrissie Evert, Tracy Austin, Jennifer Capriati once she set foot on court, along with her sister and Lindsay Davenport. Neither the USTA nor the US media elite knew how to package Serena, Venus, Lindsay, and Martina N. before them, who weren't cut from the same mold as Chrissie appearance-wise.

Sadly, looks matter in pro sport especially for women and the numbers don't seem to play in Serena's favor. Long before Serena's unfortunate outburst at the US Open she was not the player on tour with the biggest endorsement deals despited holding the top ranking and more titles at the majors than her contemporaries. So on balance, I would suggest that she's been a good ambassador for the sport stateside.

[suestorm]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 10:08am

i dont doubt she had a tough road. but lots of players do... sharapova and all the russian girls that are filling the ranks spoke little if any english and came to a culture they knew little about. laugh about kournikova if you want, but she came to america at 10 and lived at the tennis academy, and no one else spoke russiann.

more than that though, i am referring to her threatening the lives of tennis judges, bumping opponents during change overs, and her unfortunate habit of never giving opponents credit when they beat her... its seems like its always, an injury or some other excuse.

I like Venus a lot better, shes way classier and paved the way for Serena

Updated On: 5/3/13 at 10:08 AM

[javero]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 10:19am

@suestorm

I concede you the point that Serena's sportswomanship has not always been stellar.

You also clearly made a point to which I only alluded to earlier. That is, since Chrissie left the sport the players who've dominated the women's tour have been the ones who've arguably overcomed the most odds, e.g. Serena, Venus, Monica Seles, Lindsay, Justine Henin, Sharapova and the other Russian titleholders. I'm not going to include Anna K. because imho she's what's wrong with the women's tour right now in that a not-so-talented player with the right looks can win enough matches to land a sponsorship deal based mainly on the looks.

I sorta agree with Martina Navratilova when she suggested years ago that Anna and her ilk should decide if they're athletes or sports models and comment to one path. But hey, I'm a Libertarian who couldn't hate on the chick for capitalizing on her money maker which clearly wasn't her tennis LOL.

Back to Beyonce, she too picked up on certain trends early in her career and capitalized on her image to capture her target audience look before the global success which is gravy. SEX still sells!

PS: Gotta show some love for Jennifer Capriati too. I really became a fan when she returned to the tour after her troubles off the court. Wasn't a fan though at the start of her career when she was clearly getting the push from the USTA as the "latest it girl". After her fall from grace she was determined to conquer the sport on her terms, not her dad's or the USTA establishment's.

Updated On: 5/3/13 at 10:19 AM

[suestorm]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 10:33am

Ha Javero, i think we are 99% in agreement!!

""players who've dominated the women's tour have been the ones who've arguably overcomed the most odds""

i think this is true in much of the workplace. overcoming odds makes people stronger, more determined and ambitious. i think thats why a lot of young americans are soft... theyve been coddled and pandered too so when some problem or roadbblack comes, they whither and die

""'m not going to include Anna K. because imho she's what's wrong with the women's tour right now in that a not-so-talented player with the right looks""

I will defend annaK by suggesting she is responsible for the influx of all the russian girls into the sport. she was idolized back in the USSR. dont forget she went to the US when it was still the USSR, and was juniors player phenomenon. I do think coming from a communist country, her parents did see all the crazy money being thrown at her and couldnt resist. she was actually supporting her whole family at 13. anyway, her body which was such an advantage to madison ave, couldnt take the pounding of the sport, and couldnt compete against the monster serves of the williams and others. that was the biggest flaw in her game, no easy points. then her body, foot and back problems broke down.

Updated On: 5/3/13 at 10:33 AM

[javero]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 10:55am

"Ha Javero, i think we are 99% in agreement!!"

That's encouraging. Now can we agree to get Beyonce to stop already with song titles like "Bow Down". The title and lyrics are just wrong on so many levels. I much prefer Beyonce to her alter ego Sasha Fierce but gather that I don't match her target audience.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 11:36am

No, she covets the libertarian and suestorm market fragments.

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 11:43am

Javero, I believe we're on different pages here. The thread is about Beyonce being a good role model. One of my main points is that her success is due in great part to her looking good and acting sexy.

thanks for your enlightening post though.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 11:52am

How did this thread turn into a tennis conversation?

[suestorm]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 11:54am

"No, she covets the libertarian and suestorm market fragments."

yes, in NAMOS world, capitalism is bad, big govt good

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 12:03pm

"How did this thread turn into a tennis conversation?"

Because, there are some amateur thread-jackers who are trying to earn enough points to go pro.

[javero]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 12:07pm

Jane,

I don't mean to split hairs but I believe it boils down to how one defines a role model. In some ways, I can see how the FLOTUS might think of her as a good role model. However, I don't want my post to be redacted by the mods so I'm not going there. I introduced Serena as an analogy because I thought she'd be a safer character. I could draw all sorts of parallels between the two as both have been somewhat polarizing figures and both share some attributes with the FLOTUS which might not be altogether obvious to everyone here. My main aim was to point out that Beyonce is not a singularity.

Sex still sells and those in show business who aren't sexy are wise to find another gimmick to get top billing. That gimmick could be talent but talent alone doesn't guarantee success in that field.

And I encourage you to stay away from the Spanish-language networks because it's the rule rather than the exception that a young woman does not appear on camera unless she either looks like Miss Universe or sports a D cup. Much of Beyonce's stage getup is commonplace in that context.

Any threadjacking was unintentional.

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 2:49pm

Javero, I've given this topic a lot of thought (much too much to my chagrin) and I think it boils down to a matter of personal values.

If I had a daughter, my idea of a role model for her would not be a pop star who sells sex. Many in this thread and in real life, would, on the other hand, like that type of a role model for their kid.

that's all. We all have our own set of values. I respect everyone else's and would like the same!

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 3:00pm

I've never been a Beyonce fan and while I can't deny that she's wildly successful (though I don't think she's an overwhelming talent), I don't think she's a terrible good role model for young women. She was pretty much groomed and raised to be Beyonce and Run the [Pop] World. Her parents moved heaven and earth to get her into the pop world (we should all be so lucky) and make her a success. What kind of education does she have? Does she come across as particularly insightful in interviews, or is she just very good at keeping her persona gleaming?

But maybe my anti-Beyonce bias is showing.

[theaternut]

Posted: 3/4/14 at 2:50pm