Posted on 08/21/2002 2:08:43 PM PDT by cd jones
Hello. This Friday, I host "20/20." I'm doing the whole hour on what we call "lookism," giving examples of how good-looking people (and taller men) get better treatment.
We like to think of America as a meritocracy. We value people because of their character, or generosity, or intelligence ... but why then does 37th-ranked tennis player Anna Kournikova make hundreds of thousands of dollars more than other top woman athletes? Kournikova hasn't even won a major tournament.
Was JFK Jr. covered so relentlessly by the press solely because he was the son of a president? And would we have cared so much about Princess Di if she had looked like Princess Anne?
"20/20" hired actors -- some great-looking, some not -- and then had them ask for help with a car that ran out of gas, collect money for charity, and apply for jobs. Repeatedly, the "lookers" got the job, collected MORE money in their charity buckets, and got much more help with their car. Life isn't fair.
We confront those who favored the better-looking actor, and listen to their embarrassed explanations.
We also cruelly assembled a line-up of men, including some who were short, and then asked women, "whom would you rather date?" They always picked the taller men. Even when we told the women the shorter man was a doctor, or a best-selling author, or rich -- they picked the taller men. Life isn't fair.
I hope you'll watch the program, this Friday night at 10 p.m., and check out ABCNEWS.com, where you'll be able to test yourself and see if you have a tendency to favor good-looking people.
Now THAT's FUNNY. Brutal, too.
Looks (!) like John has hit another home run. Don't miss this one.
Michael
These studies go back as far as the 70's and probably further than that....Nothing ABC does is "breaking" anymore
Why does John Stossel need to make this report about Americans only? Showing favor to people who are pleasing to the eye is not news and certainly not un-American. Hillary Clinton figured it out when she finally threw away her thick glasses and hired a makeup artist.
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