# Anyone watching Ugly Betty? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 13, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-ugly-betty/376331 "2006-10-13T17:23:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-ugly-betty/376331/21 "2006-10-14T17:59:33Z")
**DianaG** , I like the way you explained Betty’s makeover. She knew her look wasn’t Mode-ish but it was fashionable in her neighborhood, so it was (to her) an improvement. It’d be like me switching from jeans to slacks and wondering why everyone at the opera was staring at me. “Hey, this is dressed up where I come from!” ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-ugly-betty/376331/22 "2006-10-15T01:25:30Z")
**Otto** - My thought about this episode is that it was all about children trying to confirm thier fathers’ love. Betty, the plain one, the one who (up until now) has been unsuccessful, is secure in the knowledge that her father loves her. Her boss knows his father doesn’t love him, doesn’t respect him. And Vanessa is desparate to win her father’s love in any way possible, knowing she never will be pretty eniugh, succesful her, etc. So really, Betty and Vanessa are opposite in every way. Poor/rich, homely/beautiful, under employed/successful. And caring/cold & heartless. StG ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-ugly-betty/376331/23 "2006-10-15T01:40:40Z")
[QUOTE=DianaG] I can believe that she would have thought her makeover was beautiful. What I \*can’t \* believe is that she would think it was “MODEish”. She’d spent enough time there to see the difference. Especially since Betty has been portrayed as lacking in confidence and fashion savvy and understanding of the ways of the beautiful people, but NOT in taste and discriminatory ability. See, for instance, her eye for photography, and fine child-labor-free shoes. [/QUOTE] Okay, just how long has she been working at the magazine? We’ve had three episodes, Daniel’s first issue just came out, she can’t have been in that office for more than three weeks, tops. Probably much less. I think it will take more than a few weeks for her to actually understand that her ideas of "beauty"won’t fly at MODE regardless of how comfortable she is with those ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-ugly-betty/376331/24 "2006-10-15T05:10:10Z")
A.) To be blunt, I think Betty is kinda hot. Something about the glasses and the begging. 🙂 B.) I find it hard to believe someone so plucky, resourceful and apparently intelligent can be so completely blind as to what clothes, makeovers, etc. would be appropriate for a business lunch, or even everyday work attire at a fashion magazine. C.) Whatever, still like the show. Don’t like her boss though, weiner should have spoke up at the meeting where Miss America kinda dumped on her. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-ugly-betty/376331/25 "2006-10-15T13:19:30Z")
[QUOTE=DrFidelius] Okay, just how long has she been working at the magazine? We’ve had three episodes, Daniel’s first issue just came out, she can’t have been in that office for more than three weeks, tops. Probably much less. I think it will take more than a few weeks for her to actually understand that her ideas of "beauty"won’t fly at MODE regardless of how comfortable she is with those ideas. [/QUOTE] Three \*minutes \* should be sufficient for someone with half a brain and any sense of discernment to recognize the difference between Betty’s makeover outfit and those of the people around her. Again, it’s not about being beautiful. And it’s certainly not about whose idea of beauty is more valid. It’s about being MODE. I feel beautiful in jeans, and I feel beautiful in a litle black dress, but I recognize that neither of those is appropriate to wear to my office. Like \*\*Operation Ripper \*\* said, I find it difficult to believe that someone as quick on the uptake as Betty wouldn’t be able to make that distinction. I think it would have worked much better had she shown up in something that was ALMOST right, but just off enough. Three seasons ago, or ill-fitting, or badly accessorized. It would have made Betty appear less clueless, and also would have made a much better point about Mode’s ruthlessly exacting sensibility. As it was, who could blame them for mocking a girl that “Queens threw up all over.”? And thanks, **AuntiePam**. I do agree that she should hold onto that outfit and wear it clubbing. In Queens. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-watching-ugly-betty/376331.md?page=1)