Re: Narcissism Works For You
Tori Spelling is the author of three books: sTORI Telling, Mommywood and Uncharted TerriTORI. As you may have guessed from the use of her name in two of the titles, the books are about various phases of her life. The first is an autobiography that debuted at the top of the New York Times Best Seller list in 2009. The second is about her life as a mother and the third is the first plus the second plus how she’s dealing with being a “mini-mogul” whose job is to be Tori Spelling. Put simply, Tori has a lot to say. About herself.
Unlike other celebrities whose personal revelations either make me want to roll my eyes (Dear Kristen Stewart: Obsessive fans + mega movie=extreme paparazzi attention. Please get used to it) or take a shower (John Mayer anyone?), Tori’s inward gaze makes me want to give her a little hug.
Here’s an excerpt from Uncharted TerriTORI where she talks about her relationship with husband Dean:
I’ve noticed that the more I advance professionally, the more I retreat in my personal life. I apologize to Dean constantly. It drives him crazy and rightfully so. But I can’t stop saying it. It’s like I’m saying, “Look, I don’t have power! Don’t worry! I’m just a weak little girl!”
She also tells a story about being too tired to have sex with Dean after co-hosting the Today Show for three days. Upset over the rejection, Dean tells her that it’s “the beginning of the end” and that she is “more in love with the bed” than him.
My usual reaction to these types of celebrity “See! I have ordinary problems too!” anecdotes is a cynical “whatever.” Yet, to my surprise, I don’t dislike Tori for telling me her problems. Sure, her attempt at self-analysis is full of pop psychology cliches and her ordinary appeal is most likely a calculated exercise in image management but I still find myself wanting to have a coffee with her to lament the state of the sisterhood. She feels compelled to diminish herself to make Dean feel better! Seriously. I could give her a pep talk over skim mocha’s.
I also like her for talking about the fear she felt after seeing a recent photo of herself looking anorexic (a result of swine flu, she claims), the nasty public battles with her mom and the insecurities she has over Dean’s potential for cheating. But why? What makes these problems more interesting to me than other celebrities’ issues? Maybe it’s that her non-train wreck approach to dealing with life in the public eye is refreshing. Tori’s problems are not sex (tape), drugs and rock-n-roll. They are body image, family feuds and fear of losing her husband to another woman–issues over which many women worry. She might be insecure and self-important but she’s not trying to shock me, ask for my sympathy or provide updates for a future edition of her E! True Hollywood Story.
I fully expect another book from Tori as she experiences life’s ups and downs. Perhaps the next one could be about her struggle to age gracefully as a mini-mogul in Hollywood. She could call it Plastic SurgeTORI.
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