although I do not pander to political correctness I still find the title (of the TV program,) Ugly Betty?

Question

distasteful not to say abusive - what do you think?

it is unnecessary to pick me up over the spelling of 'program' - I'm saving characters aren't I - as even in my 50 year old OED both spellings are acceptable. As for the irony I have never watched it so naturally it would be lost on me.

it is unnecessary to pick me up over the spelling of 'program' - I'm saving characters aren't I - as even in my 50 year old OED both spellings are acceptable. As for the irony I have never watched the "thing" so naturally the irony would be lost on me.

Answer 1

Well, her name's Betty and she's ugly.

Seems pretty fitting to me.

Answer 2

I don't like it either, but if the show's namers successfully made a beneficial point with the show title, I don't object to their intent. Still, any reference to anybody's personal appearance, particularly negative, seems to me offensive, since beauty or ugliness have nothing to do with ability, character, empathy, or people skills.

I've never watched that show either, so, just like you, have no idea if it's intended as irony, but would guess that it probably is. Dr. Isaac Asimov once wrote a very compassionate story in which a Neandertal child from 30,000 years ago was transported to the 20th century. The title of the story was "The Ugly Little Boy", but it was really a commentary on the ugliness of human "racism" directed at a rival human species that used to share the earth with us. Our ancestors may have clashed with them over territory and food resources, and despised them because they were competitors and different than us. The story was probably really aimed at terribly-real present-day instances of inhumanity toward members of our own species.

Ugliness is in the eye of the beholder, so, reading Asimov's story, I resolved to look at the unusual, the bizarre and the merely different with a less-ugly eye! There are no freaks, but we might freak out over things that shouldn't bother us. Perhaps the people who named the show "Ugly Betty" were trying to make a point along the same lines.

Answer 3

it's ironic. She's not ugly, the people who think she is are ugly. She's much cleverer and less shallow and she always comes out on top. Do you get it now? I love the show, it's sweet, funny and undemanding after a couple of glasses of wine on a friday night.

Answer 4

dont think it is offensive at the end of the day it is a tv programme and when you see the girl that play betty she is very pretty anyway who care what it is called cause she dont mind due to the amount off money that she has made from it... i love the programme...

Answer 5

It's a pity that you don't pander to British English and spell the word programme properly. You don't see the irony of the title "ugly" Betty.? "One man's meat is another's man's poison". Sometimes the seemingly ugly are the really beautiful people.

Answer 6

well for a start it's an American programmme and they don't have political correctness over there they can say what they like(oh what that must be like!!!) and of course it is ironic

and i think she isn't that ugly...quite pretty actually

Answer 7

I agree. It corrupts the moral values of our younger generation and society as a whole when value judgements about people are made to appear as normal or humorous. Just another nail in the coffin of our society's declining moral standards(even if the title is supposed to be Ironic).

Answer 8

It's a bad title, and the girl, sans costume makeup, is one of the prettiest girls around.

Answer 9

Well, if the actress doesn't mind (and the actress is really pretty in real life) and it attracts attention I really see no problem with it...
It's sometimes good to hear something different.

Answer 10

Unnecessary I would say. Most of TV is offencive anyway.
But they get away with it.

Answer 11

I dont like it either-there must be girls who look like her & have to take a lot of stick & teasing at school.