The negative prejudice against baldness in Hollywood is pissing me off

[VeprSuper]

I think some folks are going to the well a little too often with Diesel, Willis, and Statham. Same examples every time. One is old and the other two are getting there. Who then?

 

[ladysmanfelpz]

For the rest of my natural life the men and women endowed with full heads of hair will be perceived as most attractive. Hair was and still remains the personification of youth and virility. This stigma was entrenched in our genetic memory banks long before our own hair loss experiences occurred.

Didn't get a chance to read this whole thread, but I think this sums it up. Whatever is appeasing to the eye, our eyes will fall on. Just how you catch yourself always looking at the good looking girl in the room, regardless of a boyfriend or if you want to pursue. People tend to look at what is attractive and that can be a landscape, a nice fire, soft skin on a woman, nice red ferrari paint, whatever. It is tough with the stark contrast of a horseshoe shadow to a pale gleaming head, but that might be one angle. Nice wavy locks look better, but I think if you are a well developed male like willis or diesel that is even reflected in head shape. Even tho I pulled this quote for hair, I found most of the arguments in this thread pretty pathetic actually...

Jean marc Barr looks like a boss!! He was an attractive young man and aged by losing some hair, not got hit by a truck Jesus. Guarantee any woman around his age would want him. I think he looks good too. How I started the thread that slick bald is scary, I just want to preserve enough hair where I can maintain some hairline and have an older masculine look like him. Now if he tried to go chrome dome and shaved the sides, then it might be a different story.

I do agree with the stereotypes big time tho. It pisses me off how the only way you can be good looking bald is to be super masculine. When I started losing my hair I hated the axe styling cream commercials how a guy with a cool 'do could swoon a girl just by saying hi. Doesn't work sub 25 y/o when you are NW3 no matter what your facial features are. I just saw on yahoo today if they switched the attractive girls in commercials (like the carl's jr. burger commercials) with attractive men and of course they all had hair even tho they had weak builds and facial features.

I just wish one movie would break the stereotype like fred said and make a hairloss sufferer be a charmer in a romantic comedy and not like vin diesel who snowboards off cliffs and ****s hot russian women doggie style out the passenger side while double clutching his rx-7. I see now that as ridiculous as it is the media determines what people believe, and there is not one film, commercial, show I can think of where they have women swooning or fighting for the guy with visible hairloss. I mean hot tub time machine the bald guy gets hot chicks but even GQ magazine said rob corddry plays the "lovable loser" in hot tub time machine. If there can be romantic film with say a 26-32 y/o male as the LEAD role with visible hairloss and depicted as a charmer that goes thru love and heartbreak and shows emotion rather than **** puss hard with big muscles, that would be great....

 

[kingdomforhair]

Didn't get a chance to read this whole thread, but I think this sums it up. Whatever is appeasing to the eye, our eyes will fall on. Just how you catch yourself always looking at the good looking girl in the room, regardless of a boyfriend or if you want to pursue. People tend to look at what is attractive and that can be a landscape, a nice fire, soft skin on a woman, nice red ferrari paint, whatever. It is tough with the stark contrast of a horseshoe shadow to a pale gleaming head, but that might be one angle. Nice wavy locks look better, but I think if you are a well developed male like willis or diesel that is even reflected in head shape. Even tho I pulled this quote for hair, I found most of the arguments in this thread pretty pathetic actually...

Jean marc Barr looks like a boss!! He was an attractive young man and aged by losing some hair, not got hit by a truck Jesus. Guarantee any woman around his age would want him. I think he looks good too. How I started the thread that slick bald is scary, I just want to preserve enough hair where I can maintain some hairline and have an older masculine look like him. Now if he tried to go chrome dome and shaved the sides, then it might be a different story.

I do agree with the stereotypes big time tho. It pisses me off how the only way you can be good looking bald is to be super masculine. When I started losing my hair I hated the axe styling cream commercials how a guy with a cool 'do could swoon a girl just by saying hi. Doesn't work sub 25 y/o when you are NW3 no matter what your facial features are. I just saw on yahoo today if they switched the attractive girls in commercials (like the carl's jr. burger commercials) with attractive men and of course they all had hair even tho they had weak builds and facial features.

I just wish one movie would break the stereotype like fred said and make a hairloss sufferer be a charmer in a romantic comedy and not like vin diesel who snowboards off cliffs and ****s hot russian women doggie style out the passenger side while double clutching his rx-7. I see now that as ridiculous as it is the media determines what people believe, and there is not one film, commercial, show I can think of where they have women swooning or fighting for the guy with visible hairloss. I mean hot tub time machine the bald guy gets hot chicks but even GQ magazine said rob corddry plays the "lovable loser" in hot tub time machine. If there can be romantic film with say a 26-32 y/o male as the LEAD role with visible hairloss and depicted as a charmer that goes thru love and heartbreak and shows emotion rather than **** puss hard with big muscles, that would be great....

As you said people look at things they find attractive, this is the method marketers and Hollywood directors use to sell their products. There also has to be relatability with the icons used, a balding man is rare amongst the demographic used to for models or "sexy" actors (18-35). It's not congruent. People don't know what to think of a bald young man, certainly they have been trained not to see him as a sex object.

Then there's pure sex appeal matters. You can't have a romantic comedy if the leads don't inspire lust. No one wants to know about their parents ****ing, even if it's pure sex. It doesn't provoke envy like a beautiful person in love with another beautiful person does. A shallow society obsessed with idealized notions of love and beauty. That's the mouth which needs to be fed.

Unfortunately the only place bald men have in Hollywood or the public concious is this narrow image of a badass thug, either on the good side or not. Or altenativly as the lovable loser who is assumed to have disadvantages (his hair loss) that he must overcome, except this loser never wins, society won't have that. Instead he's a rat on a treadmill, told to keep dong tricks to keep people amused. Like that George Costanza from seinfeld.

 

[uncomfortable man]

Bringing up Hot Tub Time Machine... oh boy, I disagree with the way that movie portrayed the bald character by basically implying that he went bald because he chose to be a looser, not by genetics (you know, the truth). The direct correlation between baldness and being a looser is ridiculously obvious in that movie. HTTM blatantly ****s on the bald man and that is why I despise that ****in movie.

 

[swingline747]

who wants to do a documentary on baldness?

 

[CaptainForehead]

Once in a blue moon you get a movie/show which portrays normal bald dudes in a positive joy, when this happens I want to jump up in joy.

Eg. in "In a World" Rob Corddry's character is portrayed as a positive man. His wife comes close to cheating on him, regrets it profusely. He initially walks out on her, but then later comes back.
Interestingly, directed by a woman.

 

[CaptainForehead]

Saw this again on an episode of "New Girl". Only two bald guys in episodes. Both had the only role of being depicted as pervs. Its like Hollywood is saying that bald guys should become sexless.

 

[HairMagician]

I've read most (but not all) the thread. Anyone catch True Detective? Matthew M (who, like us, has taken stups to cover up his hairloss) gives a voiceover monolouge about the nature of time and death as Harrelson's character looks in the mirror frustrated with his thinning hair. The association of balding with aging and death is obvious if you watch the clip, which I will link to. Anyone else have thoughts on this scene:[video=youtube;7rfm3Iz92xA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rfm3Iz92xA[/video] to his credit, harrelson really captures the emotions a lot of us feel about our hair loss.

 

[uncomfortable man]

I remember in an episode of how I met your mother. One of the characters was portrayed as a looser by making him bald.

Everytime I see stuff like this it makes me think of Hellhouser's idea of an anti-smear bald campaign. A commercial or public service announcement that drives home the message that we not only human beings but productive members of society and NOT the creeps, villains and loosers that the media seems so determined to portray us as. We need to speak up against this slander against our kind!

 

[CaptainForehead]

I remember in an episode of how I met your mother. One of the characters was portrayed as a looser by making him bald.

Everytime I see stuff like this it makes me think of Hellhouser's idea of an anti-smear bald campaign. A commercial or public service announcement that drives home the message that we not only human beings but productive members of society and NOT the creeps, villains and loosers that the media seems so determined to portray us as. We need to speak up against this slander against our kind!

The problem is that men are supposed to be immune to criticism. Admitting that we do not want to be considered unsexy is unfortunately unsexy itself. It's like if a girl makes fun of our hairloss, we have to smile and take it, when internally we want to murder her and her family.

 

[uncomfortable man]

Being unsexy is one thing but being made out to be monsters is something else and drawing the line IMO. It's wrong! The slander goes beyond that. I feel like my human rights are being violated everyday.

 

[HairMagician]

Being unsexy is one thing but being made out to be monsters is something else and drawing the line IMO. It's wrong! The slander goes beyond that. I feel like my human rights are being violated everyday.

This is so true. Did you see Dallas Buyers Club? The villain is a doctor with an enormous bald-spot, and (as far as I remember) the only prominent bald character in the movie. He was definitely portrayed as an uncompassionate monster. Of course, the heroes, despite all dying of AIDS, have fantastic heads of hair (Matthew M. and Jared Leto... Damn what I wouldn't do for Leto's hair).

 

[I.D WALKER]

Yes Mcconaughey's hair piece is just another unspoken example confirming his and H'Wood's acknowledgement of the ubiquitous bias towards Androgenetic Alopecia.

 

[CaptainForehead]

And Matthew Mcconaughey is bald himself under his hair piece.

Says who?

 

[CaptainForehead]

Transplants?

 

[hellouser]

I remember in an episode of how I met your mother. One of the characters was portrayed as a looser by making him bald.

Everytime I see stuff like this it makes me think of Hellhouser's idea of an anti-smear bald campaign. A commercial or public service announcement that drives home the message that we not only human beings but productive members of society and NOT the creeps, villains and loosers that the media seems so determined to portray us as. We need to speak up against this slander against our kind!

Of course the media makes bald men out to be repulsive losers. But so do people in every day life. It's clear we're not deserving of respect or being accepted into society.

My mom's got some health issues as well. We we're talking about it and eventually I said... 'I hate people.'

I meant what I said then, and I mean it now. It's as if the only way youre supposed to be accepted is by living up to all the fvcking expectations of society; being physically attractive, 6 figure salary, playing the whole ALPHA male role thats recently been a trendy thing to say, etc.

Fvck all that.

 

[HairMagician]

And Matthew Mcconaughey is bald himself under his hair piece.

Wow it is a piece? I thought he had some kind of fantastic hair transplant, there is no denying he was thinning BAD like ten years ago. I know for a fact Enrique Iglesias wears. Can't say I blame him, look at what he has, but it really goes to show the power of hair. Does anyone think Enrique Iglesias would be where he is today rocking a horseshoe? He released a video a few months ago with him partying with hundreds of twerking 18 year old girls (lol). If you look at the comments, all the girls are in love with his hair- er, hairpiece

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Of course the media makes bald men out to be repulsive losers. But so do people in every day life. It's clear we're not deserving of respect or being accepted into society.

My mom's got some health issues as well. We we're talking about it and eventually I said... 'I hate people.'

I meant what I said then, and I mean it now. It's as if the only way youre supposed to be accepted is by living up to all the fvcking expectations of society; being physically attractive, 6 figure salary, playing the whole ALPHA male role thats recently been a trendy thing to say, etc.

Fvck all that.

Couldn't agree more about the expectations. I try not to let it get me down (but it does oftentimes). I've always been a huge film/Tv buff, but I getting pissed everytime I watch a movie.

Game of ****ing Thrones for example. I love it, loved the books before the shows even. Yet... fantastic hair on everyone, even though it is a Middle-Ages type setting. There is, of course, Varys (the only bald char that comes to mind), and he portrayed as a devious, snake-like man (they even call him the Spider).

The media sets the bar so very high. Sure, we can choose to look past that and ignore it (I often do), but the rest of society does not. Oddly enough, I have found, as Fred mentioned, I have actually become more compassionate, but the people I am around have their own issues. Almost everyone does, even if they seem like they have the perfect life. That's why I try my best to not let the "fake" world portrayed by the media get me down.

 

[kingdomforhair]

All these expectations are not new. It has always been the most blessed by birth who get by easier in society.

Being taller, more muscular, more handsome, high IQ, better parenting, better education, better environment, no hereditary diseases.

We don't have to be perfect, I know it seems that way, but just look around when you're in the bus, a lot of people are ugly, or have at least one unattractive feature.

That doesn't mean they are screwed for life and will be forced to live pathetic lives.

If you have to listen to what society expects from you all the time, you're going to have a very unhappy life.

It's funny when you said you hate people. Right now, I often tell myself I love people. I guess it depends on who you surround yourself with and your outlook on life in general.

No Fred we won't have to be perfect but it sure does help that we are as perfect as possible. That's life there are winners and there are losers (yes they do exist, some people do get a **** card in life). Most people are in between, maybe they have 1 or 2 bad flaws, not more, otherwise society labels them rejects.

Everything matters, including hair. Every little advantage can improve your life. Which is why losing your hair is so disheartening. You're going backwards, losing privileges such as fitting in and being considered attractive by society. This is why we are all here, we want to maximise our potential, to get as close as possible to perfection (in the definition of society).

If you're a short, bald, pale, skinny dude then you will suffer and miss out on so much in this world, sorry that's reality. It's a competitive world never forget that, we are competing with other men (and women) for resources, opportunities, partners, for money.

And no having no hair doesn't mean you have 'lost' the genetic lottery but it doesn't help either, and you better hope you don't have too many other negative traits to compound the situation. This is a burden hanging over our heads, we can't just be ourselves, we have to be 'excellent' in every other area a man is judged on to compensate, even then we still lose to that guy with hair who also puts in the effort to maximise his potential. Many women even say so bluntly, perhaps not realizing how hurtful their comments are.

 

[uncomfortable man]

I hear what you are saying ^ when I had hair I wanted to be the buft alpha male. When I lost my hair I just wanted my hair back so I could just fit in... conform to the point where I am not meant to feel like a social pariah. **** perfection. You will never achieve it. There will always be someone more handsome. I don't need to sleep with a different supermodel each night. What I need is for people to not be such superficial, small minded pricks who actively shun me because I'm bald. I know it's important to change what you can and accept what you can't but I can't change other peoples ill perception of me and I can't get my hair back so I'm stuck here in this miserable pergatory and I don't see a way out other than death.

 

[kingdomforhair]

I hear what you are saying ^ when I had hair I wanted to be the buft alpha male. When I lost my hair I just wanted my hair back so I could just fit in... conform to the point where I am not meant to feel like a social pariah. **** perfection. You will never achieve it. There will always be someone more handsome. I don't need to sleep with a different supermodel each night. What I need is for people to not be such superficial, small minded pricks who actively shun me because I'm bald. I know it's important to change what you can and accept what you can't but I can't change other peoples ill perception of me and I can't get my hair back so I'm stuck here in this miserable pergatory and I don't see a way out other than death.

That is true, ucman. Perfection can never be obtained and you should not feel disappointed in being flawed. However, this doesn't make chasing perfection a bad thing, in fact it makes sense to maximise your potential. We just have to re-term what is 'failure': it ain't falling short of a lofty goal.

Privilege exists on a continuum: the taller you are (up to a point), the richer you are, the more handsome you are, the more opportunities you will have in life. Life is unfair and there's no point in denying some people have it better than others, often to immutable degrees. It doesn't help that the most beautiful/successful people of this world are being beamed into our houses every night. It also doesn't help that most of those celebrities have full-heads of hair.

I saw this very poignant story today in the Daily Mail, this quote really struck me as relevant (or maybe not!) to our situation (it's about a survival story):

'No matter what, he remains an inspiration to me – and a reminder, that life is fragile and no matter how much I fight to control its outcome, I am at the mercy of the universe. All we can do is live in the moment.'

Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ure-brave-father-lifted-safety-lions-jaw.html


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]You know what? We are all going to be dead one day soon, even if our life is ****ed, we have little control over the macro events that shape our lives (disasters, politics etc), or even the micro events (who our parents were, genes etc). All we can do is enjoy the ride and dismiss the unfairness and prejudice of this world as [/FONT]fait accompli. It's quite freeing thinking like this. You can only focus on things that you can control, at least in a rich country that leaves you so much freedom. No we'll never be that man we dreamed of being as a child but we can still make a damn good go of it. Grief moves to acceptance eventually.