You’re Really Pretty. Want To Do PR?

11 Mar

The Real World: Brooklyn is one of the first seasons I’ve kept up with in a while. So, I’m totally going to girl-out on you here, but I’d be completely lying if I said that the funny, small-town, adorable, trucker hat-wearing, guitar-playing, complicated war vet wasn’t a major factor in why I’m tuning in.

Um, hai Ryan.

Um, hai Ryan.

Now that that’s over…I’m taking The Real World: Brooklyn to task.

The roommates get to do their own jobs this season, which I think is great. What’s even cooler is that the one girl, Devyn, landed a job in fashion PR. Nice.

Want to see how she did it? Here’s the link. (The scene happens at 4:10. You’re welcome.)

In the episode, Devyn visits a designer’s showroom and tries on some dresses. Later, she sits down with the big boss man and talks about her dreams of becoming an actress, restaurateur, and owner of her own fashion line. He tells her that he could use some help with public relations, and that because of her “personality and beauty” she’d be a great fit for the job. So she was hired.

Really? Really? So if I’m really really pretty I’ll get a job? Gosh, aren’t I the fool. This whole time I’ve been interning and writing and networking and – apparently wasting my time. Duh! I should have spent all that time getting my makeup done and my nails done and getting extra super pretty.

How about no. You’re right, Derek Zoolander. There is more to life than being really, really ridiculously good looking.

I think it’s sad that even in this day and age public relations still has this image of just being an industry for really pretty party planners (or even so much worse, Sp*n Artists.) We work hard! Not that we all aren’t just gooooorrrgeous dawling. But you’ve got to be talented, smart, unique, and saavy to hack it in PR town. Beauty might be…an added bonus? But not one that carries much weight.

I’m not going to lie, Devyn is beautiful. I just want to see her hammer out a clip report before lunch, a press release by 2 p.m., and follow up on those pitches by 3 p.m.

In conclusion, I know it’s just TV. I may not know the full story. She might have a degree or some type of experience that would qualify her for the position. However, as someone who is working pretty hard to get a PR job, I thought the way the show portrayed the simplicity of that PR hire was kind of condescending. I don’t think it’s a positive reflection of the field. I’m annoyed at the stigma that PR is just a fluff industry and that anyone with the right measurements can do it.

I was obviously irritated by this. But don’t worry, MTV. Ryan probably played a really stupid/cute prank or sang a really pretty song or smiled at the camera and convinced me to watch the rest of the episode. Don’t you just love/hate reality TV?

Until next time,

If you choose a job you love, you never have to work a day in your life.

-JNA

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  • Leah

    There’s a video on youtube called “POV: Hot Girl” and it just is a good looking girl walking around talking about her point of view. It’s humourous and fictional, but I had to laugh when she says she works for a PR firm. It’s so stereotypical of the field.

  • http://www.codygardner.com Cody

    Fun post, Janet! Keep up the online activity – I appreciate having someone in my Twitter network that updates regularly AND has interesting things to say. :)

  • Jessica

    “How about no.”

    you totally cracked me up w/this! love your blog! loved this post! coming back for more! yours truly, lunchat1130

  • http://mengelmusings.wordpress.com amymengel

    Janet – I liked your fun take on a topic that frustrates me greatly. Not only do portrayals like this “cheapen” the PR profession, but I think they also keep a lot of young men from considering it as an option – my undergrad PR classes were 90 percent female. Guys end up majoring in marketing in the business school because they want to be taken seriously!

    Unfortunately, the ‘ditzy PR girl’ stereotype probably isn’t going anywhere any time soon. The best we can do is to just represent our profession by being smart, hard-working practitioners and try to educate our co-workers on what PR really is!

    @amymengel

  • fisherjanet

    Thanks so much for the comments! (And so nice to see you last night, Cody!) I almost feel like the ditzy PR girl is a cultural archetype. The evil blond trying to steal Nicholas Quaid in The Parent Trap was a publicist. Darcy, the ditzy, self-absorbed best friend from Emily Griffin’s novels (Something Borrowed and Something Blue) was also a publicist. And Samantha from Sex and the City (although I love me some Kim Cattrall) wasn’t the best image for us, either. I mean, did she work? Thanks for reading and commenting.

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