According to the U.K.'s Marketing magazine, the British public's top five most beloved celebrities are all men -- Paul McCartney, Lewis Hamilton, Gary Lineker, Simon Cowell and David Beckham. The top four most hated are all women -- Heather Mills, Amy Winehouse, Victoria Beckham and Kerry Katona. Do you think the same gender split would hold true in American public opinion? It's easy to imagine it might, with Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and others of their ilk being despised. '
Consider, for example, how Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are portrayed differently in the tabloid media, with Jolie primarily blamed for the break-up of Pitt's marriage to Jennifer Aniston. And does the same hold true in our political culture? It's difficult to say, because no female politician has ever risen to the prominence of a JFK or a FDR. Outside of the First Lady role, there's just no model for a truly beloved female national political figure. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Hat tip: Echidne.
--Dana Goldstein
