Glamour

The name Matthew Perry sounded vaguely familiar, so I indulged the first article on BBC to figure out who this was. I'd never seen Friends.

The article described the familiar "clown with a broken heart" and "trapped by drugs" themes that seem to haunt entertainers--possibly because we know their stories better than that of the fellow on the next block. He seemed t have a hopeless view of himself. I don't say "low self-esteem," which is too much of a protean phrase.

One phrase stood out: "a string of glamorous girlfriends." That word glamorous--glamour means illusion, trickery, unreal.

After a few such friends, I'd think he'd notice that something was wrong, but perhaps he blamed himself. I wonder who the glamour is supposed to fool--the mate, or the rest of the world (arm candy)?

The glamourous are an extreme case--the pros--at something we all try to do at some level. I want to be better than I am, and I start by trying to look better than I am.

"Ginger or MaryAnn?" If somebody had asked me at the time the show aired, my answer would have been "Yes." The characters are fictional and incapable of surprising you, but sticking to the rules of the question, my adult answer is "No to illusions; no to high maintenance."