Pop Culture Princess

Pop Culture Princess
especially welcome to extensive readers

Monday, August 29, 2005

Jennifer Weiner ain't no Hollaback Girl!

One of the trailers I saw this weekend was for In Her Shoes,starring Toni Collette,Cameron Diaz and Shirley Maclaine and it's based on Jennifer Weiner's second book. I like Weiner's books alot(even got a cool tote bag promoting her new novel,Goodnight Nobody,at this year's BEA)so
I'm looking forward to seeing this movie. However,the trailer and the poster/tie in movie book
cover art have me puzzled.

The story is about two sisters,one lonely and responsible and the other rather flighty. The only
thing they seem to share is a shoe size(hence the title). When they have a falling out over a guy,the younger sis takes off and finds their long lost grandmother to stay with. From the trailer,however,the focus is mainly on Cameron Diaz in revealing outfits(Little Sister said the title should be "Cameron Diaz's Ass) and the poster,while having all three of the star's names
in large print,only shows Diaz in a sideways pose bathed in an off white glow.


I felt that this was totally unfair to Toni Collette,one of my favorite actresses,so I went to Jennifer Weiner's site to find an e-mail addy to ask her opinion about this. I doubt that I'll
get a reply(the lady's not only promoting a new book and movie,she has a toddler to toilet train) but I thought it was worth a shot and she honestly tells you that she may not be able to answer you directly. She has a blog and while I persued it,there was mention of an article called"Eight
Reasons Why Chick Lit Authors Should Be Kicked to Death"(I linked this little ditty in the title).

It was apparently written by Curtis Sittenfeld,the author of "Prep",and it basically bitchslaps
chick lit authors,blaming them for the pink covers on the books and using Jane Austen's name in vain,amongst other things. This in-fighting has got to stop,ladies. You don't see Tom Clancy and Dan Brown sniping at each other,do you(and Clancy has a rep for being a major jerk)?

This is so Jerry Springer-whenever he has a love triangle with two women and one man who's sleeping with the both of them,who do the women go after first? That's right,each woman attacks the other instead of the two of them teaming up to kick the guy's sorry ass wee wee wee
all the way home. There is no need to do this,really. Fight the real power,girls!

Let's get real:Chick Lit is a marketing device-some of the books are good despite the cartoony covers(which the authors have no say in,9 times out of 10)and alot of them are not. The same
is true with Arthouse Literature-some of the books are good and alot of them are boring as hell.
Also,the whole Mean Girls vibe,where some woman writers refuse to acknowledge those who
they feel are putting out books that bring down feminism and won't let them play in their reindeer games,is repulsive. It would be nice to see some support and not just in a Victoria
Secret's bra(what the hell is an "Ipex",anyway?)

I'm glad that Jennifer Weiner is not taking this crap lying down but I wish there didn't have to be this feuding and fussing in the first place. I read "Prep" and liked it but I also enjoyed reading "Undomestic Goddess" by Sophie Kinsella and so will many other women. I think that Curtis
and Jen need to have a sit-down or atleast a meeting at the House of Blue Leaves with a pair of
Hanzo swords in hand. Don't player hate,player particpate!

2 comments:

lady t said...

Now,now,don't go picking on my girl Jennifer there-I would be gladly be her second in a duel:)

I am disappointed in Curtis-for someone who wrote a novel about trying to fit in with snobs to have this elitest attitude is so ironic,don't ya think?

Crossbows rule-I want one that's a wristband with instant refills like Poison Ivy had in Batman:The Animated Series.

lady t said...

I not only watched it but own all 3 seasons of B:TAS on DVD. Afraid I can't comply with your request but thanks for the thought:)