At this point, I think it’s safe to assume that — thanks to that douchebag, Matt Lauer — the fourth hour of “The Today Show” contains its most entertaining moments. Sure, a lot of this hour features Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb getting lit while “sampling cocktails,” but the two co-hosts share a nice chemistry, and I sort of enjoy watching this fourth hour, which plays in my city during my gym hour.
Friday’s episode, however, got hilariously out of hand when Hoda introduced the topic of grooming “down there.” It seems that Kathie Lee actually has something in common with Walton Goggins (who finds pubic hair to be “so beautiful, so feminine“), Janeane Garofalo (who thinks an absence of hair is a problem), and Daniel Radcliffe (who finds a clean slate on a lady is “f***ing creepy“). Everyone is entitled to their own opinions on the subject, of course, and now Kathie Lee reveals herself to be a fan of as little grooming as possible in that region: “I have friends who have landing strips, and some of you are in this room right now, and it’s just wrong. It’s just wrong.” When Hoda went on to reveal that she’s a big landing-strip fan, Kathie Lee’s reaction is priceless. Here’s a video clip of the discussion:
Kathie Lee does make a good point about the vajazzling. We perpetuated our species for millions of years without gluing jewels down there, and there’s simply no need to entice a dude with vajazzling, which probably has the opposite effect. Just ask Jennifer Love Hewitt. Regardless of such extreme measures on behalf of JLH, I found this conversation between Kathie Lee and Hoda to be quite amusing. You know that this television moment would have never gone off without a hitch if Regis Philbin had been involved. Poor Reeg.
These photos are from the 11/12 after party of Scandalous: The Musical. This image in particular creeps me out because Liza Minnelli is looking all righteous, and then Kris Jenner has to ruin the photo by lurking in the background.
Photos courtesy of WENN
I would say that it’s the PRESSURE on teenage girls and women to (painfully!) whip off all their pubic hair to confirm to the porn aesthetic that guys seem to be growing up with these days that’s wrong, rather than any particular style.
I would challenge any guy who wants me bald – rather than “neat” – to a sack wax!
Sadly, I think you are exactly right about the reasons for this trend.
But I did have to laugh at the picture of Kris appearing to sneak in to the picture with Liza Minnelli. Wonder if Liza saw that picture later and thought to herself ‘who the heck is that woman?’
Kathie Lee and Kris are best friends KL is one of Kris’ daughters’ godmother
See, I never understood that. There are many cultures that sort of have this whole ‘remove ALL of your pubic hair, everything, leave nothing’ for centuries and centuries. It was a combination of cleanliness (although that claim is arguable) and religious reasons.
so yeah I grew up in that culture, everyone removed everything, whether you were married, single, in a relationship, virgin, non-virgin, sexually active, whatnot. It’s a tradition and a common thing to do when you hit of age.
Which is why I kind of got taken aback with the whole debate on it and how ugly it can get. Also I get really annoyed when its always associatede with porn, that women remove their pubic hair because of ‘porn’.
As an Esthetician, brazillian waxes are a big part of my job. I see ladies of ALL ages all sizes with all types of hair growth. Technically, a brazillian is everyhing off the sides with a strip in the front and most women do stick wih that. But some clients go for everything gone from the front to up the crack in the back and thats called the full monty or the sphinx or something along those lines. Most of my clients get waxed because they like the feeling of being ‘clean and tidy’ down there. The removal of hair in that area can also allow for more sensation for you during intimate relations. I dont give brazillians to anyone under 16 (other waxes are ok) as it is uncomfortable for me.
I did actually have one woman tell me, after having a connversation of the different types of waxing and services i offer, that I have something wrong with me psychologically if I prefer to look like a ‘little girl’ down there. Sometimes people leave me not knowing exsctly what to say. But I couldnt disagree that point more.
I think its a slippery slope to say that something should be acceptable because its common in some cultures. Removal of a girls clitoris is normal for some cultures but that doesn’t make it something that should be acceptable.
As for pubic hair grooming, I say to each his own. I don’t feel attractive looking like I did at 9 years old so I prefer to leave some evidence of my adulthood. If you feel better fully bare, then good for you.
And as for men, they get no opinion on this in my book. They’re priviledged to be invited to the party, so don’t act like the host should care what you think of her decorations!
kixendawn, I think that’s what it is for the majority of women I know who like going bare that they feel ‘clean’ more than anything. And I also dislike it when people say that it is ‘creepy’ or there must be something wrong with you wanting to look like a little girl. I mean I don’t know why pubic hair is such a divisive issue.
sirsnarksalot, I think comparing female genital mutilation to going bare is extreme. For one, FGM causes permanent damage and painful, no health benefits (while going bare actually reduces the risk to develop certain STDS such as crabs) it is also a crime, a human right violation, has been commissioned by the UN to eliminate FGM globally and is often done forcibly. Removal of pubic hair is none of these things (unless you wax, removing your pubic hair is not painful).
Culture practices are not all bad especially if they do not fall in any of the above characteristics mentioned. However there would be a serious problem with said cultural practice if it impose significant harm to the population AND was a violation of human rights.
I am not saying everyone should shave it all off, because it’s each to their own, but I was suggesting that it is not due to solely sexual pleasure and patriarchal pressure, nor did it pop out of obscurity because of pornography.
I grew up in that culture too– welcome to Near/Middle Eastern culture folks– and I don’t see what the big deal is. Do what thou wilt with thy bush, and donor judge the bushes of others.
Myself? I maintain a tidy landing strip, and wax only never shave. I’m half Irish so in addition to having really dark hair, I have sensitive easily irritated skin. So I speak from years of experience when I say this: if your aesthetician knows what she is doing, it is not painful at all. (My aesthetician laughs at me– my bikini area is a breeze, but my ankles are really ticklish).
Lets keep things in perspective guys: it’s just grooming, it’s only hair. Oh and this idea that it makes grown women look prepubescent? Only someone who has never seen her own genitalia can believe that.
Sorry for the tmi…..
Oh and FYI, in the near/middle east, the men also groom. I lived , a country where men shave their armpits, for two years. Those same men take their mouth he’s very personally. It’s not about looking like a porn star.
“They’re priviledged to be invited to the party, so don’t act like the host should care what you think of her decorations!”
Best comment ever!
Ergh. I hate autocorrect on my phone! I meant to say mustache.
Miss junipero – I grew up in the Middle East as well! And yes men take their grooming seriously as well (shaving armpits, plucking eyebrows). Lord knows in the heat it can get rough and we people have been blessed with more hair than usual, so we tend to go all out! And yes it’s true if you get a good waxer, usually it doesn’t hurt. I actually found waxing my shins hurts a lot more!
TMI, Kathie Lee. TMI.
I hate this subject – both sides of the argument tend to have such aggressive opinions, it always turns nasty. :/
sure, but I read something about this I always laugh : a older woman I know said something funny about this : it’s a bad idea because you know when you get older everything tends to fall, laws of gravity and by everything I mean everything imagine what it gives without some hair to hide it
YES! I just had this conversation with a work colleague who opted for full removal via laser ~ long & painful. I asked her specifically ~ but what about gravity ~ and she had to admit that she hadn’t considered it, gravity won & now it was too late!! (we are 50 btw).
If it helps, hair grows back usually with hormones changing (such as pregnancy, menopause or hormonal imbalance), unless it was electrolysis.
If it’s any consolation, it happens to men too. Just hope you’re around to hear it the first time his huevos land in the toilet. 😉
“Just hope you’re around to hear it the first time his huevos land in the toilet.”
LMAO!!!!!!!
😀
I think there’s no right or wrong way, every woman should be entitled to an opinion, and do whatever she wants. BUT I hate the pressure.
funny someone would be pro natural with a face like that!
Why oh why there has to be a fight on such a trivial matter as pubic hair? Nobody’s fighting about armpits. Nobody’s fighting about leg hair. Pubic hair is nothing different. I personally love shaving and I do it for me, not for anyone else. If that makes me creep then eff off, I couldn’t care less.
This woman has had a serious botoxing crime committed against one of her eyes. It is frozen so high that you can see her full iris – top and bottom. Disturbing!!
I’m with her.
Landing strips are awful. They’re the pubic equivalent of a Hitler moustache down there.
You’re not alone in that: In Brazil, what we call The Brazilian is called The Hitler.
Ever since I learned that I can’t help but laugh whenever landing strips are brought up.
I have been liking Kathie Lee of late. This just confirmed it. I thought it was pretty funny.
Why do so many people care what other people do to their pubic hair? Don’t they have anything else to think about?
I’ve sad this on here before But I will repeat. I think the rise in the number of men who sport beards is directly proportional to the number of women who over groom. I think they are protesting.
LMAO !!!! 🙂 🙂
Last time that topic came up on here, people who wax were told they must have been molested as children and their boyfriends were pedophiles. So yeah, that was a fun conversation.
I just want to say that age does is a factor. The pressure on the younger girls is infinitely higher than that on women of the previous generation. I think some people haven’t experienced this and thus downplay it because they don’t understand how omnipresent it is.
When you’re my age, if you don’t get rid of your pubic hair, it’s as if you didn’t wash : you’re considered dirty. Like a cavewoman, not civilised, not worth attention from males. It was a leading factor in making my teenage years a living hell. I hated myself. Removing my hair, with no guidance from an older girl since I had no one like that in my social circle, was excruciating torture and I could never get it right. I felt worthless because of it and had to find elaborate ways never to show my legs, belly (I have a small line of hair which I now realize is really nothing much) or wear a swimsuit.
Now I am in my early twenties and I have learned to love myself, I have learned that I don’t need to inflict such pain to remove what is a part of myself. It’s written in my DNA, that’s how I am, it’s a sign that I’m an adult female. I’m not ashamed anymore. But how many girls still are ?
The point that people seem to be missing here, is that this isn’t a debate on which style of grooming is best. It’s a debate on whether we can accept that we will be pressured to conform, robbed of our choice.
I don’t give a sh*t about what you do with your pubic hair. It’s none of my business. I definitely won’t judge anyone about that.
What I do care about is that no one has to feel that crushing pressure to conform to an artificial ideal, which does on a cultural level carry questionable undertones. That no one is conditioned by society to hate what they are. That no other vulnerable young girl goes through what I did.
Then if it is your personal choice to have a brazilian wax or a landing strip or whatever, then good for you ! But the problem here is that it is not a personal choice but one where our culture heavily weighs and that can have dire effects on vulnerable people.
The reason why I am happy when a celebrity speaks out about their acceptance of pubic hair is that they are rare voices against the strong current of our cultural norm. We need more people to normalize all types of grooming, not just the socially accepted ones.
I had those same feelings of inadequacy about my body hair growing up.
Same here. While I’m not caveman and don’t grow a beard, my hair is very thick. So if I don’t shave, I’ll get a crustache, chin hairs, I have very thick leg, arm, and armpit hairs, as well as a dark line down my stomach…which sucks. In my family we only get one female or so, per generation to get it, and I’m that lucky one. I absolutely hate it. I hate shaving, I just hate my hair. It drives me crazy.
Exactly, Ruby!
I think the “un-natural” and “paedophile” remarks are push-back to the “unclean” comments from the other side. (And vice-versa.)
It’s like people can’t have a simple personal preference … they’ve got to defend it by insulting the other options.
Sad really.
I like you. 😀
Well said!
LMMFAO @ min 2:30 when KLG goes off:
“…SHA-VIN, DYE-IN, BA-JAZZ-LIN, MOW-IN…BRRRRRRRR”
keep that tipsy clause in her contract NBC…she’s the drunky aunt i’ve always wanted! 😆
“she’s the drunky aunt i’ve always wanted” – perfect description. Can we call her Auntie KLee?
tell you what…i betcha that’s one helluva party with those 4 together. between the ever flowing liquor, Liza & laughs…i’d pay to be a fly on ‘that’ wall. lol 😉
I don’t understand why people care about how much hair other women decide to keep on their hooha’s. I didn’t like that Kathy Lee made it seem like everyone that shaves at all is a total perv. What’s it to her?
Jeez, I literally had to bite back a scream when I saw that pic of Kathie Lee. WHAT has happened to her face? It’s…. made of wax? I don’t understand.
I can do without the pain. I don’t tweeze my eyebrows either. But then, I come from a rather “hairless” breed to begin with. I feel lucky quite frankly to not have any idea what a wax job feels like. The thought just plain gives me the heebee jeebes.
I just went to one of those brow bars where they use the thread – yee-ouch. The girl sweetly said “your hair seems to want to stay with you.”
Lucky. Wish I had that problem lol. Right now I have ti get my eyebrows done because they are overgrown…and I have a unibrow ala helga g pataki. I’m also getting my whole face lasered be ause I have so many dark hairs growing on my chin and a few on my cheeks. It’s to severly lessen the growth. And no I don’t have a hormone imbalance, just bad genes. I have ti have my legs and arms waxed once a month so Im just thinking I’ll laser those eventually. I lived my entire life with hair and now I wanna live some of my life without it.
I surpised she didn’t asked Regis how he groomed himself down there…..love the Rege.
I’m totally about the pubic hair! shaved when I was younger, because that’s what I thought people did. Then I realized that not everyone needs or wants to look like porn stars. Doesn’t itch anymore either!
i dont want to know what is in kathy lee’s pants and she shouldnt judge. having more choices is just that, not having to pick the “right” choice
Just, yuck. Yuck. TMI.
What in the name of botched plastic surgery hell has she done to her face?? I barely recognized her!
Can’t wait for the Kathy chea pet..
I shave just for myself. My boyfriend would love for me to grow a full bush, but I just feel better naked down there. I think every woman is entitled to do what makes her feel beautiful (minus, you know, bathing in the blood of virgins, snorting rhino horn powder, etc.).
He had elicited a promise from me to grow it out before I ever do anything permanent, just so he can see it once. I think the reason he’s so excited is because I’m a redhead. Lol.