# The Swan...anyone catch it last night?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-swan-anyone-catch-it-last-night/239190>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 9, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-swan-anyone-catch-it-last-night/239190 "2004-04-09T16:15:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-swan-anyone-catch-it-last-night/239190/1 "2004-04-09T16:15:03Z")

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So, I watched The Swan, which is the ultimate makover program. Each contestant goes up against another woman to get thousands of dollars of plastic surgery, diet and workout advice, and make-up and clothes. All the previously “ugly ducklings” will then compete in a beauty pageant.

This show kind of freaked me out. The concept of taking a bunch of women, who have been told they’re ugly, and re-making them into what amounted to window-dressing, was bizarre in itself.

But the worst part was when they listened in on the husband treating his wife like a side-dish he didn’t order. She was obviously hurt by his lack of interest.

And when the contestants saw themselves for the first time in three months, it truly appeared like they didn’t recognize themselves.

I know these women were thrilled with the outcomes – hair, make-up, new faces, new bodies – but it just seemed to me that it’s a sign of our ever-crumbling society. We are a strange species, indeed. Looking for ugly people and then creating cookie-cutter beauty queens. What was your take?

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**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-swan-anyone-catch-it-last-night/239190/2 "2004-04-09T16:24:32Z")

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We’ve been discussing it over here.

> **[The Swan (spoilers)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=249800)**
>
> What was up with Kelly? She’s only humped her boyfriend 7 or 8 times in the past three years?! Not because he doesn’t want to do her, but because she felt “unsexy”?!? Sheesh. And I thought I had self-esteem problems. Why bother having a...

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**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-swan-anyone-catch-it-last-night/239190/3 "2004-04-09T16:34:51Z")

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Oops. Nevermind.