LOVE, Kloudiia

The radio DJ said something that startled me as I was reading my morning newspaper. Someone had called into the station to complain about the “lines of wisdom” (I prefer calling them this way) on the Queen of Caldecott’s face in the latest drama The Ultimatum, that had just wrapped up last week.

I’d indeed noticed some lines tracing the eyes of both Zoe Tay and Fann Wong when watching a certain episode.

The caller’s claim was as a top celebrity, Zoe should look perfect on-screen. Wrinkles are, apparently, not supposed to appear on this veteran actress’s face, despite she being over 40 years old already. Celebrities are meant to hold the magic wand (read: means botox, botox and more botox?), and whenever a pimple or wrinkle creeps up on their much-treasured faces, they’re supposed to wave the wand and viola! They look picture perfect once more. *applause please*

To be able to age gracefully isn’t something that anyone can do well. And I can feel more so for celebrities, whose job happens to pressurise them to look perfect each and every time they appear in public. Like it or not, they have to be scrutinised for how they look, what they say and what they do. It’s all in the package of glamour and popularity.

However, to the extent that they’re not allowed to show signs of aging is, simply put, ridiculous. Aren’t they normal human beings like the ones we see on the street? Of course they are, except that we are either too led to believe otherwise (by the too successfully done media publicity), or we really are thinking they are made exceptionally different from all of us and they - don’t - age.

Maybe I’m more sane, or rational. But seriously, I’d like to appreciate an artiste’s growing up (as we do, too!) and see the improvements they have in their work due to the richer life experiences. And if these experiences were to show in their physique, so be it!

I’d very much love the natural Zoe Tay with those lines of wisdom on her face, than a botoxed, ”chemicalised” Zoe Tay with a face that looks 2o years younger.

Natural beauty comes from confidence, a love for yourself (that includes your body of course!) and a passion in life. This is not any amount of money, or botox for the matter, can buy or fix. 

Well, that’s my opinion!

So Zoe, if I may tell you this: Age gracefully and naturally, please?