When I saw the front page of the RedEye edition this Friday, I became out-of-proportionally indignant. I wanted to stand up in the middle of the commuter train, wave the newspaper in front of people and scream at the top of my lung:
I am so fucking tired of this!
Yes I am.
I am so fucking tired of this. Stop trying to make “geeks” or “nerds” cooler! They are cool and adorable the way they are!!! You are trying to transform them so they can attract women who do not like them for who they are. Do you realize how fucked up that is? There are plenty insightful, smart women who are fans of these men. If some bimbo cannot look past the appearances, why are we trying to match these smart (and OMG also RICH!) men with these non-deserving females?! Fuck that! Paws off OUR geeks and freaks! They are perfect just the way they are!
I know I have shared this sentiment on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook. Sorry. I am a bit obsessive whenever I find a “cause”. I am repeating myself right here.
The story was about how 27-year-old Daniel Kibblesmith (who by the way works for Groupon. Remember Groupon? Google tried to them for $6 billion and they said “No, thanks”?) for some reason was featured in an upcoming episode in Millionaire Matchmaker on Bravo. And yes, the celebrity matchmaker did try to hook him up with the “gossip girl” city-stalking night-life-seeking type. Every single evidence listed to prove that Mr. Kibblesmith is in need of a transformation comes off as endearing, IMO, and I already like the kid and believe he is a hoot to hang out with without even meeting him:
Evidence #1: He mispronounced the Matchmaker’s name.
He said her last name reminded him of Egon Spengler, the parapsychology doctor in the 1984 movie “Ghostbusters” played by Harold Ramis. He went on to compare Stanger to Mothra, a giant insect that battles Godzilla, “but not in a monstrous way. She was like a goddess. But she was a goddess who happens to be a giant island moth.”
Evidence #2: He did not make a good first impression.
“I think that she saw me as a sort of a shambling scarecrow probably raised in the darkness of the video arcade,” Kibblesmith said. “There were a few [Facebook creator] Mark Zuckerberg references.” [This kid can definitely write, can’t he? After all, he is the senior copy writer at Groupon]
Evidence #3: He may have come off as inept.
“I hope I don’t come off as too inept,” he said. “I tried to be polite and follow all of the instructions I was given.”
Evidence #4: He works late and hangs out with his buddies.
Before the show, he would work late, then come home and watch “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” with roommates.
And for all of the above offences, he is in need of a makeover, a transformation because there is something wrong with him.
Even my 8-year-old saw this as problematic. He walked in the room and saw this picture, “Oh my goodness. That is so stereotyping people!” This frontpage headline along with millions of media messages continue to perpetuate the tendency of labeling people and thus putting people into little boxes and propagating preconceived notions associated with these labels. These labels are drilled into the minds of the youngsters day in and day out. They are everywhere you look, especially on the Disney channel. It is so pernicious that even the smart people, the so-called Geeks and Nerds believe in these labels themselves.
I call Bullshit.
I call If you cannot tell Clark Kent is Superman because of his dorky glasses you are as stupid and superficial as Lois Lane who does not deserve Superman/Clark Kent in the first place.
Leave the Nerds alone!
It’s Duckie all the way!
Paws off of the Geeks and the Nerds and the Dorks and the Freaks if you cannot appreciate them for who they are.
Actually, the above rules should apply to every other person.
Now go lip-sync to the chorus from F**kin’ Perfect by P!nk please. I am.
“Ok. Fine. You are sensitive like a bomb.”