Ex-bimbo?

The power of the media. First, the line up of the nominated MPs - and Eunice Olsen is included in the 9. Well, the government wants 'fresh blood', and her blood's in her line up. She appears amongst executive chairpeople, lecturers, and 'successful' people in 'Ex-beauty queen in new line-up of NMPs' (Nov 13, 2004 Straits Times) (have to login in to read story I think). After reading today's article in The Sunday Times first, then yesterday's, I can't help but feel that her title is a hinderance to her. In the Nov 13's line up, it goes like this:

Mr Alex Chan Meng Wah, Executive Director, MMI Holdings
Dr Geh Min, Nature society president, Environmentalist
Mr Lawrence Leow Chin Hin, Executive Chairman, Cresendas Group
Dr Loo Choon Yong, Executive Chairman, Raffles Medical Group
Ms Eunice Elizabeth Olsen, Former co-host Wheel of Fortune
Ms Ong Soh Khim, Asst Prof, Mechanical Engineering Dept, NUS
Prof Ivan Png Paak Liang, Dept of Information Systems and Dept of Business Policy, NUS
Dr Tan Sze Wee, Managing Director Rockeby Biomed Corporation Ltd
Mr Teo Yock Ngee, General Secretary Amalgamated Union of Public Employees.

She's a political science and philosophy graduate. She volunteers 'one third' of her time... hmmm... 8 hrs a day?... with trouble youth etc. She's a former title holder. And co-host on the Wheel of Fortune. And the media chooses to focus on the most newsworthy angle - the Alphabet Flipper. Hmm. Maybe it's to do with the international fame of the programme. Maybe it's got something to do with Vanna White's 5 to 6 figure dresses she wears everyday on the show. Maybe it's got nothing to do with any of these at all... but just a weak attempt by the media to hit below the belt. If the paper wasn't that regulated by the government, they'd have put 'hotel pianist' as her description under her pretty photo. This only goes to show the level of respect the newspaper has for the youth that has been chosen to represent the youth of today. As expected, the next day, the newspaper runs a full-length article on her to put her on the showcase and let everyone come to their conclusion. With such an interesting headline that says "Who says an ex-beauty queen can't be an NMP?", some may say 'yes', others may say 'no', while my relative of mine comments, "Who says she can?" with such cynicism that smarts the eyes.

Being politically correct (no pun intended), I'd say this is the time to hone her potential and demonstrate to the rest of the world what she is made of. She has to overcome the treacherous stereotype the title has cast on her. If not, the stereotype is tragically further reinforced. She's got a tough journey ahead. For her views to be heard, she's gotta do more than just offer a couple of hours to community service. (I know of a couple of youths who are doing more community service work than her.) True, not many titleholders are able to do that, but her resume needs to be way more impressive for people to pay attention to her. Being a title-holder with a pretty face and a megawatt smile is not going to do the trick. Brigette Ow (Mrs S'pore Int'l 1998), who works with Eunice, has my respect though. She lost her husband to cancer recently and set up a relatives of cancer victims support group. (But then again, I don't really know much about the support group. It could simply be a yahoogroups thingey.)

I've learnt that these portfolios are just a facade. For instance, recently I was roped in to organise a fashion show for the elderly. I further roped Eve in coz I knew this was different from the last time, which was for the elderly only. This time, it's gramps and kids. Just a couple of hours of work and we're done. But that could also be termed as community work with the elderly and children, isn't it? Not Mother Theresa material, and honestly, I don't even think it's worth mentioning in any resume.

People only see with their physical eyes, but not their hearts. All the facades blind people. That's why I HATE to talk about 1997. Only after a long time when people get to really know me, then I am less anal if they find out about my deep dark secret. If people do find out before they know me sufficiently well, surely enough, "BIMBO" will automatically be carved on my forehead - Ally McBeal style.

I was just reflecting: imagine the headline - Paradox: Ex-beauty queen awarded Valedictorian". Then they'll think - gosh, either the whole cohort hasn't been working, or more naturally, the ex-beauty queen slept with the dean! Sigh. I wonder who the real bimbos and himbos are. Just wondering, if I had gone up stage as a valedictorian and was introduced as an ex-Miss Singapore, I wonder how insulted the rest of the cohort would feel. That would illustrate how intense the stereotype of this bloody title is.