Are You Ready to Lay Off of Gwyneth Paltrow?

paltrow_goop225.jpgGwyneth Paltrow announced today that people are so mean to her. I mean, she's right: I've been mean to her. You've been mean to her. But are Ms. Paltrow's complaints enough to make you forgive her? Will you leave Goopney alone?

According to THR:

"Any time you do anything with any degree of sincerity, people make fun of you," she says in the [Goop] magazine. "That's totally fine. I don't care. I don't read any of it. My thing with Goop has always been, if you don't like it, then don't log onto it. There were a couple of times when I thought, 'I'm just gonna stop doing it. People are so mean to me. I don't want to do it.' But then I was like, 'Who cares what some lame person out there says?' I was in Italy once, and this old man came up to me and said, 'I had the best time in Nashville because of Goop.' And that is so worth it to me."

"In England, people are cool," she says. "They're really laid back and calm. Beyonce did the school run with me once, and everyone was fine. They also have really good anti-paparazzi rules. If you're driving in a car and they make you feel freaked out, that's against the law. They can't put you in a magazine unless they pixelate the kids' faces. I miss America, but I love living in the UK."

Now, see, Gwyneth, you messed up here. I don't think people dislike you because you're sincere -- it's because you don't understand why an average person would find a devout patrician/chronic namedropper's day-to-day living advice a little ridiculous. A little out of touch. I can't make a handmade leather bag, for instance, but you suggest we all can. Puzzling.

It's true that people often react cynically to sincere people, but I also think "sincerity" is a potential gateway drug that can lead to self-seriousness, cloying earnestness, and -- y'know -- a phony accent. That said, I loved Gwyneth in Proof. She's good at her job. I suppose if I liked Glee I'd have enjoyed in her that too. What do you think? Is the anti-Gwyneth crusade a moot one?

· Gwyneth Paltrow: People Are So Mean To Me [THR]



Comments

  • G says:

    If she didn't want people to be mean to her, she probably shouldn't have done "Shallow Hal." That movie is still her Norbit, 10 years later.

  • Jen Yamato says:

    Mental image of Gwyneth and Beyonce dropping the kids off at school together. If you know what I mean.

  • SunnydaZe says:

    In her defense, if most of your friends are famous how do you talk about your life without seeming like you are dropping names? I know it's the addition of a last name which makes it weird> "My wonderful and hilarious friend, Jessica SEINFELD". But I think when the person telling a story knows most people have a mental image of who they are talking about, making it clear which "Jessica" is merely a descriptive term. It is like saying "Bob, from Accounting".

  • Quirky- says:

    I think people that are in her orbit will say that it's because she's a giant See You Next Tuesday.

  • Louis Virtel says:

    I like to picture them both in a remake of the "Telephone" video, except with Gwyneth speak-singing about how telephones are catalysts for stress and isolation in a technology-addicted society.

  • Wellie says:

    Here's another great thing about the UK: they are not big on publicly whining about people being mean to them. Gwynnie may want to take a page from that playbook.
    When did it become so fashionable for famous people to take on a victim stance if they don't have universal adulation? Whether it's Sarah Palin or Paltrow - being rich and famous does not mean the entire country owes you a hug. If you are going to tweet or blog or whatever, guess what? You are going to be treated like a 'regular' person - which will mean snark, criticism, or kudos directed your way.
    I guess we can assume that her "Country Strong"-love-me-middle-America tour is over, since she is publicly touting the comparative awesomeness of being a famous person in England vs. the USA?

  • Louis Virtel says:

    Preeeeeeeeach.

  • SunnydaZe says:

    "Regular" people don't like it when people are mean to them, either. She says she has come to terms with what people say; that it hurt at first but she got over it. Anyone who puts themselves out there on the internet has had to develop thick skin. I don't see where she is whining. There are times when celebrities deserve to be made fun of (i.e. Charlie Sheen) but this doesn't seem like one of those times. This being based solely on her above remarks and not any other behavior.

  • LB says:

    For a second after seeing the headline, I had a moment of glee (yes I went there) and thought how cool it would be to really lay off Gwyneth from her job.

  • Samantha says:

    People can see through her phoniness. The website is not that great either. She is not approachable when being interviewed and it's common knowledge that she stole the script from Winonna for "Shakesphere in Love". It's been reported that in real life she's snobby.

  • Rosie says:

    Why are you guys making a big deal over hating Gwyneth Paltrow? It's seems so useless to me. Hell, I might as well hate George Clooney.