The MJ Virus

We've all seen the before-and-after pics of Michael Jackson's face. Once a young attractive black man, he's morphed himself into a hideous grey alien-looking freak. I'm just wondering if maybe we've seen those pictures a bit too often, because lately it seems as if everybody is getting a freak face put on and nobody seems to notice anymore. Please allow me to list two examples.

A few weeks ago I was channel surfing while making supper and my trigger finger froze when I landed on Oprah - not my usual TV choice, but read on. Saint Winfrey's special guest was where-is-she-now actress Meg Ryan. Now I've never been a big fan of her movies (except possibly "Courage Under Fire"), but I've always found her to be an attractive woman. Lo and behold, she's contracted the cruel MJ virus which has turned her lips into some sort of appendage that immediately reminded me of Jack Nicholson's incarnation of The Joker in Batman: The Movie. Words fail me other than: DAMN! I don't want to diminish the excellent work she does for CARE in some of the world's poorest and most underpriviledged countries, as I admire her for taking up such a noble cause. But what was she thinking when she asked the surgeon to butcher her face?

Another case in point: country legend and poster child for breast reduction Dolly Parton. Her figure makes her look like a Barbie Doll through an acid-induced haze. Her recent performance at the Oscars, although very good, was overshadowed by her deformed face. I think the producers did a good job of keeping the camera angles wide so we wouldn't see some of the ugly details. It's a shame about Dolly, although I'm not a big fan of her music, I've always admired her strength and determination as a performer considering the rough ride her life has been.

I suppose it's hard to judge without having walked a few miles in their shoes. It must be very difficult accepting that your face - a trademark to your career - is changing. But I still believe that it would be better to grow old gracefully, than to slip into the abyss of being a comedian's punchline.

"Thou who hast the fatal gist of beauty." - Lord Byron