Is anyone else disturbed by this hair?

[Sola]

I usually just lurk around these parts, but this picture was too good to pass up. If ever anyone looked ready to boil a rabbit...

Those White House staffers better lock up their pets.

OK the first photo was bad enough, but that one is scary!

[Austin]

I never really get into talking about anyone's looks because largely it doesn't matter. But with Callista Gingrich, her appearance has all kinds of really negative signifiers.

What does it say about a woman who is my age peer, who was in college when Nirvana was still a band, who has had access to abortion during her entire fertile life, who came of age during a time when women had so many options, who decides to turn herself woman we see today.

She has a music degree, when younger she looked like Tilda Swinton with a Muffy haircut, and she had and still has many options available to her, yet with all those choices before her, she decides to become this woman, this strange carapace that evokes the uncanny valley more than a character from Tim Burton movie about Martians.

Think about what all of this says about her, and the conclusion you are forced to reach is scary.

At 26 she decided to become the long-term mistress of a man who had already left a terminally-ill wife. Pushing 50, he didn't look much different then than he does now. So a slim, handsome, educated woman decided to become a long term mistress of a fat, unattractive, philandering, heartless man not known for having much in the way of charisma AND she married him when he left his second very ill wife. She did this while maintaining a facade of being a devout Roman Catholic, encouraging Newt, twice-divorced, censured for fraud and the sort of man who leaves sick women for a newer model, to convert to Catholicism as if it even mattered at that point. If the couple really does have an open marriage it is all the more confounding. These are decisions that do not make sense on the most basic levels given who both of these people are.

It can't just be money. There are richer men out there who would have fallen for the young Callista. And it certainly isn't looks. More important, Newt was washed up politically when she married him (and he still is - if he gets the GOP nomination Obama will win in a landslide). Is it because Newt is easily manipulated by her? Who knows.

The woman's face and hair and clothes all are a part of how she does not make a lick of sense. Turning herself into that bizarre automaton is no different logically to me than pursuing a man like Newt when she was a young woman. No more sense than being a devout Catholic and marrying a twice-divorced man with ethics violations and a wake of sick women behind him. No more sense than taking that lovely Tilda face and turning it into something that does not ping as wholly human when you look at it.

Callista is scary to me because she simply makes no damn sense. Visually, she is confusing. In an age where youth, for better or worse, sets the tone for appearance, why has she decided that looking like my mother rather than my sister is a good idea? And it's not even the fact that she has chosen to age herself at least 20 years into the future. Even the woman she is most compared to - Cindy McCain - did not evoke this reaction. When looking at Cindy McCain, one could say, "She's pretty, but wow, that's a lot of surgery!" When you look at Callista, the immediate reaction of the average person regardless of age is to recoil. Not because she is ugly, not because she looks so old, but because she does not look entirely human.

I think you've nailed it.

[duplessis3]

"As a couple, the Gingriches are a bit like Jack Sprat and his wife in reverse: he is pudgy and soft-featured, with droopy jowls and hooded eyes, while she is slender, with a sharply angled nose and bright-blue eyes that are always wide open. Her hair is platinum blond and very stiff, with one remarkable lock styled into an immobile, upward swoosh.

“Where do you get your hair done?†a red-haired woman asked as she got her book signed.

“At Sugar House in Old Town,†Mrs. Gingrich said quietly, referring to a salon in Alexandria. (Her stylist, Tatjana Belajic, told me she has yet to get a request for “the Callista,†though that would surely change if Mrs. Gingrich became First Lady.)"

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012 ... z1kJSPGcut

[Austin]

Sugar House, huh? Hair salon does not immediately come to mind. . .

[virginmojito]

I am not scared by the hair. I'm scared by that crazy look.

TBH... I would not mind having my husband leave for another woman right when he starts aging and leave me with a truckload of money. Good riddance. Good luck with him, crazy lady...

[margiebargie]

I never really get into talking about anyone's looks because largely it doesn't matter. But with Callista Gingrich, her appearance has all kinds of really negative signifiers.

What does it say about a woman who is my age peer, who was in college when Nirvana was still a band, who has had access to abortion during her entire fertile life, who came of age during a time when women had so many options, who decides to turn herself woman we see today.

She has a music degree, when younger she looked like Tilda Swinton with a Muffy haircut, and she had and still has many options available to her, yet with all those choices before her, she decides to become this woman, this strange carapace that evokes the uncanny valley more than a character from Tim Burton movie about Martians.

Think about what all of this says about her, and the conclusion you are forced to reach is scary.

At 26 she decided to become the long-term mistress of a man who had already left a terminally-ill wife. Pushing 50, he didn't look much different then than he does now. So a slim, handsome, educated woman decided to become a long term mistress of a fat, unattractive, philandering, heartless man not known for having much in the way of charisma AND she married him when he left his second very ill wife. She did this while maintaining a facade of being a devout Roman Catholic, encouraging Newt, twice-divorced, censured for fraud and the sort of man who leaves sick women for a newer model, to convert to Catholicism as if it even mattered at that point. If the couple really does have an open marriage it is all the more confounding. These are decisions that do not make sense on the most basic levels given who both of these people are.

It can't just be money. There are richer men out there who would have fallen for the young Callista. And it certainly isn't looks. More important, Newt was washed up politically when she married him (and he still is - if he gets the GOP nomination Obama will win in a landslide). Is it because Newt is easily manipulated by her? Who knows.

The woman's face and hair and clothes all are a part of how she does not make a lick of sense. Turning herself into that bizarre automaton is no different logically to me than pursuing a man like Newt when she was a young woman. No more sense than being a devout Catholic and marrying a twice-divorced man with ethics violations and a wake of sick women behind him. No more sense than taking that lovely Tilda face and turning it into something that does not ping as wholly human when you look at it.

Callista is scary to me because she simply makes no damn sense. Visually, she is confusing. In an age where youth, for better or worse, sets the tone for appearance, why has she decided that looking like my mother rather than my sister is a good idea? And it's not even the fact that she has chosen to age herself at least 20 years into the future. Even the woman she is most compared to - Cindy McCain - did not evoke this reaction. When looking at Cindy McCain, one could say, "She's pretty, but wow, that's a lot of surgery!" When you look at Callista, the immediate reaction of the average person regardless of age is to recoil. Not because she is ugly, not because she looks so old, but because she does not look entirely human.

I had an immediate "ick" reaction when I saw the photo. You took my "ick" feeling and summed it up in words. Thanks.

Callista, what are you doing? And why are you doing it?

[mirele]

The hair is less disturbing than the crazy eyes and the tight-lipped smile.

The smile is tight-lipped because otherwise we'd see her pointy vampire teeth.

I'm proud to say that she is five years younger than me and looks much older.

[Almost Quiverfull]

Her smile looks forced and since she knew it wouldn't reach her eyes she widened them to try and look sincere. It gave her a creepy look instead.

[shrewlu]

I'd look older than my actual age if I were married to Newt.

[FrancineFishpaw]

She's 45? I call bullshit!

[FlorenceHamilton]

I am thinking that we should call her "Eyes of Newt". Aren't they always a part of a witches brew?

[divadivine]

Somebody needs a makeover if, God forbid, they make it to the WH!

I think she takes her hair off every night and puts it on a wig stand. Then, they pull out the retractable cord and plug her into the wall to recharge her.

Strangely, the necklace looks a little David Yurman or John Hardy-esque. However, those would be too common for Callista. I'm sure it's Tiffany and Co.

How could you marry someone named, Newt? Like a lizard?? Really, his parents must have hated him.

[Haligh the Liar]

OK the first photo was bad enough, but that one is scary!

I feel sort of icky defending her, based on what I know about her political and social beliefs, but I think I know what the deal is with the crazy eyes picture. I'm largely physically incapable of not blinking when someone takes my picture with a flash. One of the things that I do sometimes to try and keep my eyes open is to force them open really, really wide before the picture is taken. It's possible Callista is a blinker too, and is trying to combat it with this technique. Or, it's just some bad botox, who the hell knows?

[treemom]

Haligh, I get crazy eyes the same way.

[emmiedahl]

I have a tendency to squint in bright light, so I open my eyes really wide in preparation for the flash. I too have had a few crazy-eyes photos.

But her crazy never goes away. Exhibit A: she married a known philanderer with no compassion for anyone who cannot contribute to his campaign. So, while my crazy eyes are an anomaly, hers are genuine.

[xDreamerx]

It's not the hair for me, it's the crazy eyes. She's younger than my mother yet she looks 70. I would have thought she was close in age to Newt if no one had said otherwise.

[tropaka]

It looks like she's sprayed and dyed her hair into what she must see as "successful political wife/first lady hair", and she is sorely mistaken.

She not only married a known philanderer - she was his mistress for something like 6 years from when she was in her 20's - right there you know something's wrong.

[contrary]

wow. mrs. romney is gorgeous.

callista looks scary. and that one sprayed to death, perfectly placed swoopy curl thing on the side. scary. it's supposed to look like it just "fell that way", but when it never moves, it ruins the illusion.

[Clementine]

She's just 45? :o I thought she was in her 60's with a bad facelift and a lot of Botox.

[Kitty]

Now that I've gotten a better look at her, yeah, if it weren't for the hair and makeup she'd actually look a bit younger than 45.

You can see that the roots of her hair are a bit darker than the rest, and it looks to be a natural blonde. I don't see why she has to be the Blondest Republican Wife Ever. Also, she needs to get out in the sun. I know, we're all worried about her poofing into black smoke if that happens, but if she doesn't a tan won't kill her. Lighter lipstick and staying away from the black eyeliner won't hurt either.

[Haligh the Liar]

Here's what I don't get about those who marry serial philanderers- if he'll cheat WITH you, he'll cheat ON you. So many women justify their relationships by claiming they're so different than the previous wife, he would never do that to them, etc. Guess what- wife #1 said that as well...so did wife #2.

[Witsec7]

There is quite a contrast between the tiny reptilian slits that are the Newts eyes and Callista's :shock:

I think it all adds a bit of balance to the universe :lol:

[NurseNell]

Here's what I don't get about those who marry serial philanderers- if he'll cheat WITH you, he'll cheat ON you. So many women justify their relationships by claiming they're so different than the previous wife, he would never do that to them, etc. Guess what- wife #1 said that as well...so did wife #2.

So true, why don't they get that? My DH was a womanizer, I at least was his first wife. The others were so surprised when he cheated on them. It's like hello, do you really think you're so special he won't cheat on you!

[duplessis3]

They may possibly have an open relationship with an understanding.

[Austin]

Here's what I don't get about those who marry serial philanderers- if he'll cheat WITH you, he'll cheat ON you. So many women justify their relationships by claiming they're so different than the previous wife, he would never do that to them, etc. Guess what- wife #1 said that as well...so did wife #2.

This. So much this.

I don't care how dispicable someone's spouse is, no one deserves to be cheated on (not saying Gingrich's spouses were terrible, but just noting how cheaters justify this sort of thing). Be honest, get a freaking divorce, and then go screw anyone else who is free to do so (not married).

And to women like Callista, no, you're really not all that. If he has a whim to do so, he will cheat on you, too, in a NY second.

I hate cheaters - can you tell?