Jan 16, 2008
Why I’m Not A TV Superstar
I got a message from an executive producer/friend of mine via Facebook this morning. It’s one of the most wonderful and flattering things that anyone has ever said to me. I thought I’d share.
I looked at all your photos on your Blog and a few things struck me…
Whether it was as I always think of you – with your red hair and crazy look or your more ‘mature’ look – you never once look the same and I think that’s why I think you are one of the most beautiful women I ever knew.
But I also think that might be why you aren’t a TV Superstar as you should be.
You see TV Producers need to know what they are getting. After all Jeremy Clarkson wouldn’t turn up in a suit – it isn’t him. And Cameron Diaz woudn’t appear in a pair of gardening trousers – it isn’t her.
Your problem, I have concluded, is you are able to be so many things no-one actually knows what they are getting.
There you have it, now you know why you are not earning $3 million a year!
But maybe the fact that I think you are so gorgeous makes up for it a bit…or maybe not!!
I know I never look the same. I’ve got one of those weird faces where I can kind of look like anything I want. Brian says he loves it because he feels like he’s always got a new girlfriend. :)
I’m used to people I know really, really well not recognising me. I’m comfortable with the fact that people I know fairly well will have no idea who I am when I see them. It happens constantly and has always happened to me. Like people mispronouncing both my names, it’s something I’ve got used to over the years…
Still, even I think my chameleon-like look is freaky. I look at my photos and even I can’t tell that it’s the same person… It’s not just that my hairstyle might be different, my whole entire face changes. Very odd.
I’m not quite sure what to do about it… other than work in an industry (teh ‘net) where it’s all about your brain not what you look like. :)
…And then Seesmic comes along. *sigh*


















Assuming you want to be a TV superstar, create a single, replicable TV superstar look that you can knock up in a relatively short time. It will serve as a psychological prompt to your TV superstar persona and its absence at other times means that you will not be mobbed in the street. That will be 10% please.
John, I’m not sure I have the vacuousness nor the desire to have my life run by a PR company that is required to be a “TV superstar” these days.
Once upon a time, being on telly required a brain, something to say and an ability to talk in front of a camera. These days it’s all about being seen in the ‘right’ places with the ‘right’ people and getting your photo taken falling down drunk coming out of the ‘coolest’ clubs.
I’m happy to stick to nerdland. It’s much more fun.
I think you rock girl – and who wants to be a tv superstar anyway – nice mail though – I would love to have the same appraisal in my mail every morning =)
*I* think you’re hot… and your husband is too. And I’m willing to spread the love, too.
Awwww. You’re lovely, Phil! Thanks!!
That’s exactly what I said to C.O., that you look so different in your photos, like a totally different person. He just shrugs and says, “It looks like Gia to me.” Your post has confirmed that I’m not crazy. I thought my problem was that I just didn’t know you.
I can absolutely vouch for this. Last time I met you I didn’t recognise you – I thought I covered it rather badly, myself – in part because as far as I could tell you’d changed *height*.
No kidding.
Jonathan, those are called ‘high heels’ ;)
Oh. Oh yeah. That… might be right.
Damn, I’m naïve.
Shit.