Fame & Glory
“Being a celebrity is probably the closest thing to being a beautiful woman as you can get.” – Kevin Costner
Yesterday at the gym, the weight loss advertisements were running aplenty during the morning news programs. Kirstie Alley was doing back flips for Jenny Craig, Cher was pumping up the ladies at WeightWatchers and Bally’s Fitness even got in on the action… something that I find ironic since I’m watching television at 24Hour Fitness. All ran multiple times during my 40 minutes of elliptical glide on the Precor.
So where were the SmithBarney, the Principal Group, and Ameriprise commercials? The top two New Year’s resolutions are weight loss and financial goals. Google both topics and finances win (103M vs. 68M). So why does weight loss get all the airtime?
One of my first posts back in July compared High Income Generation to being thin. Thin doesn’t necessarily mean healthy but this is what we reward and aspire to in our society. We care about how we look on the outside. It’s the 1950s mentality of keeping up appearances. Remember “Far From Heaven”?
Who will finally make financial planning cool? The advertising people need to come up with a celebrity to promote good financial choices. And Suze Orman doesn’t count. She’s all about self-promotion and selling books. I’m talking about a bona fide celebrity spokesperson for getting your finances in order. The closest thing we have to date is Ben Stein. Hollywood, you can do better! We need someone cool.
But here in lies the problem. Celebrities don’t manage their own money. When was the last time that Ellen or Tiger Woods even looked at their American Express bill? Their bills are not being sent to their home nor are they getting email alerts to pay online. Some firm with an office on Wilshire Blvd handles all of these details.
When Gary Coleman stars in television commercials to tell people how to “Get cash quick” these are just companies trying to cash in on his camp value. Are his employers trying to be funny? On LegalZoom.com, Karen Hartline list a few other celebrities that have fallen on hard times… Kim Basinger, Debbie Reynolds, Mike Tyson and Burt Reynolds. All has-beens. Why can’t Hollywood take someone popular today and make him or her our spokesperson?
Think about if Brad Pitt went on David Letterman and explained how much money he’s made rehabbing architecturally interesting properties in the Hollywood Hills. Or Oprah talking about the good investments she made before turning forty or Teri Hatcher explaining how she’s managing and multiplying her newfound wealth.
Until then, we get Ben Stein and Jenny Craig gets a thinning fat actress. Beauty is only skin deep. Finances have to last a lifetime.
Yesterday at the gym, the weight loss advertisements were running aplenty during the morning news programs. Kirstie Alley was doing back flips for Jenny Craig, Cher was pumping up the ladies at WeightWatchers and Bally’s Fitness even got in on the action… something that I find ironic since I’m watching television at 24Hour Fitness. All ran multiple times during my 40 minutes of elliptical glide on the Precor.
So where were the SmithBarney, the Principal Group, and Ameriprise commercials? The top two New Year’s resolutions are weight loss and financial goals. Google both topics and finances win (103M vs. 68M). So why does weight loss get all the airtime?
One of my first posts back in July compared High Income Generation to being thin. Thin doesn’t necessarily mean healthy but this is what we reward and aspire to in our society. We care about how we look on the outside. It’s the 1950s mentality of keeping up appearances. Remember “Far From Heaven”?
Who will finally make financial planning cool? The advertising people need to come up with a celebrity to promote good financial choices. And Suze Orman doesn’t count. She’s all about self-promotion and selling books. I’m talking about a bona fide celebrity spokesperson for getting your finances in order. The closest thing we have to date is Ben Stein. Hollywood, you can do better! We need someone cool.
But here in lies the problem. Celebrities don’t manage their own money. When was the last time that Ellen or Tiger Woods even looked at their American Express bill? Their bills are not being sent to their home nor are they getting email alerts to pay online. Some firm with an office on Wilshire Blvd handles all of these details.
When Gary Coleman stars in television commercials to tell people how to “Get cash quick” these are just companies trying to cash in on his camp value. Are his employers trying to be funny? On LegalZoom.com, Karen Hartline list a few other celebrities that have fallen on hard times… Kim Basinger, Debbie Reynolds, Mike Tyson and Burt Reynolds. All has-beens. Why can’t Hollywood take someone popular today and make him or her our spokesperson?
Think about if Brad Pitt went on David Letterman and explained how much money he’s made rehabbing architecturally interesting properties in the Hollywood Hills. Or Oprah talking about the good investments she made before turning forty or Teri Hatcher explaining how she’s managing and multiplying her newfound wealth.
Until then, we get Ben Stein and Jenny Craig gets a thinning fat actress. Beauty is only skin deep. Finances have to last a lifetime.
posted by Nina Smith at 6:04 AM
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home