With the majority of the awards telecasts behind us this season, entertainment journalists and movie critics are left to dissect the awards themselves and then predict what’s next for the big winners. Jennifer Lawrence has become America’s Sweetheart, quite accidentally by being one of us when she tripped on her dress talking up on stage and then was so damned real during her post-award interview at the Oscars. The debate over the reality, validity, and factual missteps of Argo was the subject of many debates, though I’d say Ben Affleck’s mention of his wife and working at their marriage is what most remember from the Oscar win.
What makes us love the actors, singers, and directors we do? What makes some of them stand out above the rest?
Betty-Ann Heggie, a mentor of my own whose work and thoughts I’ve been sharing regularly with Feisty Frugal & Fabulous readers, often delves into pop-culture when examining gender physics and mentorship in her blog posts and keynote speeches. While I love when she gets to the meat of issues in her posts about gender physics and dissecting Masculine and Feminine Energy, I have to admit that I love her posts on pop-culture, if only because I can completely wrap my brain around them and it gives me a different way to look at the exact same issues in her heavier posts.
Betty-Ann Heggie’s message on mentorship is that we all need mentors in our lives. She also explained, during a recent television interview, that we may need different mentors at different stages of our lives. A woman pregnant for the first time may look to other mothers for mentorship on the new world she’s about to embark on. However, 5 or so years later that same woman may look to an entirely different person as a mentor when she opens her first business. A young man entering the workforce for the first time may have a mentor in the same field to guide him, yet when he starts a family he will need to look to other men for examples of what it means to be a good father in 2013.
Hollywood, of course, is full of mentors and some undesirables as well that should not be looked up to. Betty Ann looks at the Mentorship spectrum in her post Mentorship Beat Goes On, where she examines the phenom Justin Bieber and how he has since mentored others like Carly Rae Jepsen. In one of my favorite posts of Betty Ann Heggie’s, Hunger Games Lessons, she looks at the role of Mentorship in The Hunger Games.
Betty-Ann applies the principals of Gender Physics and Masculine and Feminine Energy to pop culture as well in some thought-provoking blog posts.
In her recent post, Improving Our Gender in Hollywood, Betty-Ann examines how women are perceived by the industry. “Women are underrepresented in the movies and typically are portrayed as neurotic, pregnant or completely consumed with domestic chores. The movies are a mirror for our reality and it’s time we did our part to create the necessary change.”
And finally, in a post titled Experiencing Gender Physics at the Movies, Betty-Ann shares examples of Masculine and Feminine Energy in some of our favorite characters over the years.
This month, to celebrate the movies, Mentorship, and room for improvement in all, we’re partnering up for a fun giveaway for Feisty Frugal & Fabulous readers!
What better way to examine all these theories in your favorite movie and music than with a $100 Amazon.ca or Amazon.com Gift Card! To enter to win, just use the Rafflecopter form below! Read and comment on Betty-Ann Heggie’s posts for bonus entries too!
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Mentors i’ve had them all my left.My mom being the biggest one even if she passed away so young!
Some of us need a good mentor to find our way in life….
thank’s for the contest
Mentors are so important. I still look to my grandmother, posthumously, as a mentor to me. My amazing boss also is a mentor o me too. She leads by example and is incredible.
one thing I hate is that a lot of times young women think that they SHOULD look like a movie star (genetics don’t always allow this) I love movie stars that will do really weird roles (like Johnny Depp in that choc factory movie, he was creepy, and I loved that he sings and plays roles that are quite weird, not SEXY lol)
I think seeing someone lose it on twitter is not cool, no matter who rich they are. I think seeing Brown and Rhianna’s relationship could help more people out IF the media would explain how these women get sucked into abusive relationships over and over (I guess I could just go on and on LOL) When you are young you don’t really THINK of what media is tossing at you, but as you age you sure do)
Thought-provoking post. I know that I’ve had many “mentors” in my life, and at different stages. But my most constant and steadfast mentor will always be my mom, even though we’ve had some ups and downs.
I don’t necessarily feel women are underrepresented in the movies. It all depends on what kind of movie you’re watching. If I want to watch a strong-willed woman, I will seek out movies with that type of character.
I agree that we all need different mentors at different stages of our lives, just as our friends change, too.
Mentors can change your life.
Definitely great to have a mentor..someone in your life who can help focus you. Especially great in regards to career choices and advancement.
Mentors are very important in the growth of every human being. If only all mentors aided you into becoming a celebrity lol.
Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity…and for bringing up this topic…I think so many of us have needed a mentor or two along the way…someone who knew the ropes already…I can think of several scenarios in my life when it would have been so welcome.
Well said
We always need to be inspired by someone, mentorship is very important, it can change a life!
We do need better role models for girls in our culture. Even when girls have someone in their personal lives who acts as a mentor, that relationship can be defined or hampered by the constant stream of pop culture.
Mentors are a great source of guidance throughout life and I believe the importance of them is not stressed enough in today’s society. Thanks for the good read !
Everyone needs someone to look up to…that’s why it’s so important to be a good person as you may be that mentor and not even know it!
Mentors can change the way your life is shaped.
Our kids really need mentors with the way the world is changing.
That’s great that you found your mentor. I’ve had a few people touch my life throughout the years but none I would consider a mentor. I guess I’m still looking.
love the post- well said
I agree. Women are underrepresented–and when there are a lot of women in movies, they’re generally “stupid”.
I wish there was a coin-flip mechanic in place when writers determine their character s’ genders. New character = coin flip. Heads = female, tails = male. (Or vice versa, doesn’t matter). For the vast majority of characters in fiction, switching the gender could be done with minimal disruption to the character’s arc or the plot. Instead, male is seen as a neutral character trait and female is seen as a descriptive character trait, one that carries baggage. It’s unfortunate. I’d like to see more writers challenge this. Coin flips moving forward, please.
I would have to say my daughter! yep, she is what I always wanted to be… calm, bright, happy, loves her job and enjoys life to the fullest. Never seen such a calm Mom with her newborn!
It’s true we look for different mentors at different times of our lives. Our circumstances dictate what kind of mentor we need. As our circumstances change, so too do our mentors.
I couldn’t agree more. However, I have a stubborn independent streak and I find it hard to ask for help from possible mentors. This post was helpful in reminding me that we ALL need mentors.
mentors help shape who we are
Interesting
I suppose someone getting into Hollywood would need someone to help them learn the ropes
I believe everyone who enters our lives somehow teach us.
Everyone can benefit from a mentor through out life – as we all need guidance at times!
I think everyone can benefit from having a mentor or being a mentor to someone else.
very thought provoking especially the point of having different mentors at various stages in your life!
Agreed, very interesting.
I’ve never had a mentor before but I think they’re wonderful.
I’ve had a mentor throughout my university education, and she has definitely helped me get to where I am now! This is an interesting post… off to read about mentorship in the Hunger Games now!! 🙂
I think that mentors can absolutely have a positive influence on children and teens, but I must say that I think it’s too bad that so many of these mentors come from pop culture (film and television). It would be nice to see young people looking up to scientists, politicians, and the like.
Well, Show business is certainly the place for mentorship.
nice post, everybody needs to have a mentor at least once in there life
I don’t have a mentor but my hsuband (self employed) is participating in a mentorship program right now – its the best thing to help grow the business.
It’s important to not only have mentors to help you through life but also to be a good mentor to others.
I wish I had a mentor when I was younger. I now seek out people to help me on my path to success.
When I was a teenager, I realized Hollywood was a bunch of bull. I hope that I can raise my children to understand the same. Celebrities cannot be mentors. You don’t actually know them, and have no idea how much of what they say or how they act is dictated to them by their coaches! Hell, seems like a lot of them don’t even choose their own wardrobe each morning! Only real people can be mentors. Thank you mom, L, and D. Love you guys :).
I think mentors in Hollywood have left a long time ago. I wouldn’t want my kids admiring people like Beiber or Rhianna, even though they do. We need better role models for our kids, STAT!
I thought it was very interesting about your mentor at that stage in your life can change when you get older . Example being pregnant for the first time my mother was my mentor
thanks
My older sister has been my mentor. She is always happy even though things in her life are not so happy. She is a very strong individual. I am not like her at all.
An interesting post you have written. Mentors are so important in our lives. I have had one in the past when I started my job/passion and have found his advice and wisdom beneficial in my growth. It is also valuable to give, share and mentor to others.
Cheers.
I think it’s a great post, mentors are very important! I don’t think Hollywood celebrities should be looked at as mentors, though.
My entire life, until about the age of 19 I had one mentor. A woman that I thought had hung the moon. As I am getting older, I realize I should’ve had much broader influences and wished that I had listened to other people in my life more, than just to her.
I definitely feel the lack of a mentor in certain areas of my life. That trusting supportive relationship is particularly meaningful to me when starting a new phase (career, motherhood).
There is certainly a lack of responsible female mentors altho it is improving
I definitely think we need more positive mentors in the pop culture industry. so many people look up to the celebrities and want to be just like them, although most of them couldn’t care less. I hope it changes!
reading the blog post got me thinking about my own life and how I could really use a mentor to support me in my work right now.
mentors are a fantastic thing for some people.. i think your blog is soo right!!
I think mentors are amazing. They spend extra time to help you out and guide you when you need that little extra push. I know I wouldn’t be where I am at my place of work without a good mentor helping me along every step.
I definitely do think mentors are important…but personally, I don’t look to pop culture and would prefer that my kids wouldn’t look to pop culture for their mentors. 🙂
Mentors are great people and their work is important! I can sure benefit and learn from a mentor in my life.