It has often been said that a woman is a woman’s worst enemy. When it comes to ageism, lower payscales, calling each other out in public, judging and perhaps judging viciously, the mantra ‘women supporting women’ becomes a laughable misnomer. In this deconstruct of where our celebrity talk shows are heading, carry on reading and have your take.
It all began when a well respected actor was invited on a talk show, obviously, to talk – ahem, no rocket science there! But the question required her to rate female actors on their natural beauty – yes, you heard that right. It is 2025 though, gentle reminder. While the host proceeded to list a string of well known Pakistani celebrities – female actors who are loved for their talent and the roles they have taken on, the guest launched into an unfazed rating moment which we wish we could unsee, and unhear, even as we heard the accompanying chuckles from the live audience.
Sigh… sometimes we wonder, is there even a crane big enough to dig us out of the deep chasm we dive into, eyes wide open, yet blurred with the bright lights, big feels and even bigger gaffes of live talk shows???
When a seasoned actor is seated on a public stage and happily rates the appearance of a host of other women, instead of calling out the host and the producers for such a questionable line of questioning, one wonders, where did we go wrong as a society?
These are the same faces we shower respect upon, the icons many young girls and boys look up to, who become household names, who set examples or should be setting examples for the masses who view them as influencers to follow and take advice from.
The term celebrity seemed to carry so much more in its day. But at the time, a celebrity did not have to be an influencer, because, thankfully there was no social media per se. So when a celebrity performed, acted, sang, or recited poetry, onscreen or live onstage, we applauded his or her art, talent and skill. Celebrities rarely if ever appeared onscreen to give interviews. And when they did, the conversation was angled to reveal more about their experiences on the job.
But today, celebrities are everywhere. They adorn our TV screens, social media feeds, public events, commercial adverts, and also serve as official mouthpieces, often social messaging and broadcasting their personal take on critical social conversations. Celebrities endorse products, they give advice on relationships, family, work, home-cooking, beauty and even products they have never tried or used before till they ahem, received a request for a collaboration, (with a money tag attached of course). Who’s to criticize them, after all, if a public persona has a lifetime of experience, sharing some pearls of wisdom with all their fans and onlookers who receive the net gains from their life experiences is a win-win too – if one shares the advice with wisdom and responsibility.
Key words: Wisdom and Responsibility.
And while we’re in it to win it, celebrity talk shows also joined the bandwagon, more exposure, more success, of course.
But with great power comes great responsibility, and the one thing we do expect these celebrities to do, especially those who have a lifetime of experience behind them, is know when to separate questionable, inane and clickbait content from the real stuff. Because, after all, dhoop mein tau baal nahi safed kiye. With all that experience, should come wisdom, maturity, responsibility and sensitivity to know the difference between what needs to be broadcast as watch-worthy content and what needs to be called out, scrapped and finished off before it sees the light of day, or deserve a response.
Responsible influenc-ing, shall we say?
However, with the nature of viral content doing the rounds, celebrities (and influencers), have often responded to irresponsible content in a light, jovial manner, not reflecting the wisdom and foresight to respond responsibly. Rating the perceived beauty of female Pakistani actors on national television and assuming it is all for good fun, crosses the line regarding mature, responsible and sensitive content. Is it not simply a no-brainer to expect that women must support women in present times where working women, especially in the entertainment industry, have had it so hard, and yet given us the best examples of our time. These women are trailblazers for many others who will enter the industry in times to come. From battling misogyny to equal payscales and screen time, demanding meaningful storylines and character roles, these women have had it tough, but because of sheer grit and determination, they are making sure they stand out and stand tall. So the least our senior actors can do is to ‘read the room’ when it comes to understanding that feminism, ageism, beauty standards, colorism, gender discrimination, and ‘women supporting women’ is not just a woke mantra but a given on every public platform.
When you diminish all that hard work into a rating game on perceived ‘beauty standards’, you know there’s something seriously wrong in the formula.
As women, we say this, that if you do not stand up for her now, if you do not discern between trite, inane talkshows and content that has more to do with sensationalism than sense, you need to take a long hard look at the battles you and every woman you know has fought to reach where you are.
It is not by rating a woman’s beauty, but appreciating her talent, her skill, and her courage, it is in supporting her and applauding her ability to stand tall when everyone is busy pulling her down, and in learning to say ‘no’ to questions on a live talk show that only serve to pit her against her own.
It is when we know feep down inside our heart that ‘Women Supporting Women’ is not just a phrase that sounds beautiful, it is beautiful, but only if we truly believe in it and follow up with our actions and words.
