By Mike Madrid
History was made this past May when Rima Fakih of Michigan was crowned Miss USA. Miss Fakih has the distinction of being the first Arab-American and the first Muslim to win the title of Miss USA. It seems perfectly appropriate, overdue in fact, that a nation of immigrants should be represented in the Miss Universe competition by the dark-haired, dark-eyed Miss Fakih, born in Lebanon and raised in the United States. Is she not the modern day equivalent of a fair-skinned Puritan lass who set sail for the New World in the 17th century to (as we were taught in school) find a new life and freely practice her religious beliefs? But then, perhaps Miss Fakih doesn’t fit the description of what most still think of as an “American beauty.”
The same week that Miss Fakih was crowned Miss USA, the June issue of Vogue magazine hit the newsstands. Featured on the cover was Blake Lively, the blonde and leggy star of TV’s Gossip Girl. Vogue describes her as the “quintessential American golden girl,” and editor Anna Wintour calls Miss Lively a “terrific role model for young women: sporty, healthy, family-minded, and effortlessly lovely.” In short, the ideal American female as she’s been presented for the last 70 years. In 2008, W magazine featured Miss Lively on the cover of its December issue as a triumphant, über-glamorous blonde goddess in a red gown, clutching an American flag. The perfect blonde, more so than the new brunette Miss USA perhaps, is still the image that most people have of the classic “American beauty.”
The American beauty is supposed to represent what is best about our great nation. She’s the “Breck Girl” of yore, with shining hair and eyes that brim with cheery optimism but hold no mystery behind them. A nice girl from a good family, suitably educated but not overly intellectual, the product of a free and prosperous society. We’ve seen her face, or at least the face that the media has sold us, for the past several decades. Suzy Parker, Lauren Hutton, Cheryl Tiegs, and Christy Brinkley all represented what is considered the classic All-American beauty. Blake Lively is her latest incarnation. Happy and blonde.
But being an American Beauty does not guarantee one will be awarded with that other coveted position in our national consciousness—America’s Sweetheart. Grace Kelly is considered by many to be the classic American beauty. But she was an ideal of unattainable beauty too perfect and Olympian to claim the title of America’s Sweetheart. She seemed too well bred and pristine to eat an ear of corn with us at a church barbecue, or join in an impromptu game of touch football. Lovely, but not really one of us. Grace Kelly was too perfect, too unlike anyone we might know. America could never embrace her as its Sweetheart, she might break in our enthusiastic bear hug. It was better that she ascended from her humble homeland to a storybook palace, a more suitable setting for her icy perfection.
America’s Sweetheart was in great part an invention of the 20th century, when mass media united the nation. By 1920, Hollywood had been established as the center of the new motion picture industry. And in those early silent films, movies were creating stars that attained national, and later international, fame. Hollywood crafted an image of the ideal American woman. Stars like Lillian Gish and Mary Pickford were America’s Sweethearts then—fair-haired, long-locked virgins in big hats; virtuous maidens in need of rescuing by strapping, virtuous heroes. During the Great Depression, Hollywood gave us wholesome lasses like Shirley Temple and hoofer Ruby Keeler, whose plucky natures inspired America through hard times. Judy Garland was the ideal dewy-eyed daughter of the war years, a gutsy gal with a quiver in her voice who reminded us of the honest American values we were fighting to uphold. And the nation basked in the glow radiated by chipper Doris Day as the symbol of well-mannered composure for the more conservative postwar years. There has been a parade of others to follow, all hailed as the flower of American womanhood: Debbie Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, Meg Ryan, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and Julia Roberts. But what has America loved so much about all of its Sweethearts?
First off, the comfort factor is key. America’s Sweetheart can’t make us feel inferior or alienate us in any way. She has to be likable and friendly. Like someone you might know, but a little bit better. Not too much better though. So Grace Kelly was just a little too perfect. America’s Sweetheart has to be down-to-earth, honest, and unassuming, with all of the qualities of a good future mother, which she’ll be to raise another generation of fine Americans. But for all her good qualities, we also want her be humble. She may possess a considerable talent, like the singing talent of a young Judy Garland or Doris Day. But she has to use it in the “Aw, shucks, this is just what I do,” way, rather than treat her voice like a divine gift from God, á la a diva like Maria Callas. America’s Sweetheart has to seem like someone any of us might know who was plucked from obscurity and raised to the level of stardom as a reward for being talented, and nice. She can’t have schemed and plotted to ascend the heights of fame. Sorry, Madonna, that raw ambition is too darn unladylike for us to admire. America’s Sweetheart can’t have any dark behavior in her past, or put us off with a cold, imperious manner. Sorry, Angelina Jolie, you’ve got too much going against you.
Now looks can play a big factor. We like our American Sweethearts pretty. But not perfect. Again, someone you might know, but a little better. She’s not the hottest girl at the party; she’s the pretty one who will actually talk to you. She’s Betty, not Veronica. America’s Sweetheart has to be the every guy’s ideal girlfriend, and the dream daughter of every dad. But the key to being America’s sweetheart is that she has to appeal equally to males and females. So she has to also be the ideal best friend to a woman. Someone whose good looks are impressive, but attainable. Any woman could look like America’s Sweetheart if she got the right haircut or changed her makeup. And America’s Sweetheart can’t feel like competition for a female. A woman wants to feel like America’s Sweetheart will be her best pal, but not steal her man away with her beguiling ways. Pamela Anderson? Sorry, no dice. Again, Angelina Jolie, you’re too sultry, and have a bad track record with men. Friends star Jennifer Aniston was the ideal American Sweetheart of the 90’s—the average looking girl from high school who grew up to be a hottie for guys to fantasize about, the best pal with the perfect hairstyle for women to copy.
Now, America’s Sweetheart has to have good values that we all can get behind. Family has to be important, and an interest in issues like education. She pitches in to help disaster victims. She’s concerned about the environment, but stays away from the finger pointing about hot topics like global warming. Instead, America’s Sweetheart is a good recycler. In short, she’s a role model for all of us about the things that are important, but not controversial. But here’s the good part. America’s Sweetheart doesn’t have to be that smart. In fact, we’d prefer it if she wasn’t. Jessica Simpson, you don’t know that Chicken of the Sea is actually fish. Isn’t that endearing? Cameron Diaz, you’re pushing 40 but still giggle like a giddy fourteen-year old girl. We love you anyway. You have such a nice smile, and you drive a Hybrid. Come on, Jodie Foster. The fact that you won two Academy Awards, went to Yale and are fluent in French is making us feel a little alienated. Most of us Americans don’t even have passports. Stop showing off.
Here’s the other thing. We support our American Sweethearts, and like it when they become successful. It’s great when a Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, or Sandra Bullock takes on a slightly meatier role so that the industry can give them an obligatory Oscar. But we want them to remember where they came from, and get back to some lighter fare. Meg Ryan, don’t try to stretch into a serious acting role. We adored you in Sleepless In Seattle and When Harry Met Sally. We’d rather see you play a cute lovelorn woman-child for the rest of your career. Please don’t ever change. And, America doesn’t like when our Sweethearts get highfalutin and try and leave us behind. America loved waking up to Katie Couric’s friendly face and perky persona on the Today show. But as the anchor on the CBS Evening News? Well, those are big shoes to fill, little lady. Walter Cronkite’s, in fact. We’re not sure if we’re comfortable with your career aspirations.
Now, some might say that a woman does not have to be an American Beauty to win the title of America’s Sweetheart. They would say that the nation has moved on from old-fashioned ideas that only the fair-skinned will win a place in our hearts. Well then, why isn’t Jennifer Lopez an American Sweetheart? Strictly speaking, doesn’t La Lopez, with her angular cheekbones and flat nose, brown skin, dark eyes and tresses, represent the beauty of the original “Americans”? Is she not a stylized, modern day version of the beauty not seen standing on the deck of the Mayflower, but rather waiting on the shore as that famous boat pulled in to the harbor? A 21st century Pocahontas? And that resourceful nature that propelled La Lopez to become a movie and music star, as well as the head of her own fashion and perfume empire? Isn’t that the kind of spirit, the “can do” attitude that made America great? Yet, Jennifer Lopez is always looked at with an air of suspicion, like the housemaid who sneaked into the party where she doesn’t belong. And I’ve found that many women in particular dislike her, and gleefully await her long-deserved fall from the heights of fame. Maybe she’s not enough like us?
Americans like to stay within our comfort zone, especially with their Sweethearts. Look at American Idol, that television talent show that set out to create music superstars. Which winners have actually become music industry royalty? Chubby brunette Kelly Clarkson? African American Fantasia Barrino? Mixed race and wholesome Jordin Sparks? No, it’s pretty, blonde, and toothy Carrie Underwood who has become a multi-platinum selling recording artist, and has awards heaped into her skinny arms. Yes, Carrie Underwood, who hit the music charts with her first hit, “Jesus, Take The Wheel.” She’s the kind of wholesome role model that America likes for its young girls. With a permanent smile on her pretty face and lots of shiny blonde hair, she’s like a living, singing Barbie doll. Now, she’s more like us, and that’s why she’s America’s Sweetheart.
All things considered, it could be considered amazing the brunette and Muslim Miss Fakih was ever crowned Miss USA in the first place. And almost immediately upon receiving her title, Miss Fakih was introduced to another time honored American tradition— celebrity bashing. The media accused the new Miss USA of having been a champion pole dancer three years ago. Although pageants officials tried quickly to clean up the scandal, the damage was done. The public perception of Miss Fakih was now firmly established as “the pole dancer.” Now America could have a valid reason for not embracing the new Miss USA as its Sweetheart.
See, she just wasn’t like us after all.