Yesterday we covered Jennifer Aniston’s recent interview in Hello! Magazine, in which she claimed that she didn’t think much about her appearance, and wouldn’t say whether or not she was dating Gerard Butler, but called him “magical” and “fantastic.” Aniston’s rep clarified that Aniston gave those comments in a press conference, and not to Hello! exclusively. It’s a subtle difference, but it’s not like she didn’t say it. I think the problem is that when multiple outlets report quotes without giving the context it makes it look like the celebrity is repeating themselves. Aniston is often a victim of this, but she also throws a lot out for the wolves to gnaw on.

I was all for Aniston when she made the “uncool” statement to Vogue nine months ago, because it seemed to signify a new kind of candor from her. Now that she’s given many more interviews, I get the impression that she throws a lot out there, sees what sticks and then blames the media for focusing on what she says. She called the “lonely girl” headlines after her best friend interviewed her for Elle “bullsh*t,” but she did discuss that issue in detail. It’s like she plays the game and knows the rules but then calls it unfair.

In a recent interview in Parade Magazine, Aniston gave many more quotable statements, including the fact that she enjoys self help books and finds celebrity gossip embarrassing – for consumers like us who find it fun. She also loves cleaning toilets because it was her chore as a child. I love cleaning the bathroom for the same reason – is that weird? My husband doesn’t mind. (These are not presented in the same order as on Parade.com)

Keeping the lid on her personal life.
“I feel like it’s no one’s business. I don’t know about your life. I don’t want to, truthfully. It’s not my business. It’s a very strange thing. But somehow it’s like there was some clause somewhere that said, ‘Well, you’re a public person so we get to go into your house and search through your drawers.’ I don’t know who came up with it because I wouldn’t have signed on. I don’t think anybody would have.”

But fans can’t seem to get enough.
“It’s embarrassing that people are focused so much and putting so much money into gossip magazines to escape. The paparazzi and the magazines deserve their share of the blame, but they’re just supplying a demand. It’s unfortunate that people don’t care that they’ve been lied to, they don’t care that they’re being sort of messed with and not given the full truth. They buy them anyway.”

There’s nothing wrong with a little advice.
“I’m always going to be interested if somebody gives me a self-help book. I’ll at least give it the first couple of pages because sometimes they speak and sometimes they don’t. But they’re worth investigating.”

And don’t criticize her for it.
“I say to people who look down their noses at motivational books, ‘Screw them.’ I’m telling you, people have got to mind their own business. It just shows, so obviously, their own fear or resentment. They put down somebody else’s choice to sort of make themselves feel superior. They could probably use a little self-help themselves.”

Learning about romance from doing romantic movies.
“They probably don’t help because one is work and one is life. I certainly try to access my personal life when I’m doing my job. But you know what they say, ‘Art imitates life, life imitates art.'”

Her own prescription for living.
“I say, ‘Stay positive.’ It doesn’t mean that we can get through anything. But we have to recognize that it’s fear that sort of sets everything on fire and spreads until everybody kind of gets on the fear bandwagon. That’s just ridiculous.”

How to argue with someone you care about.
“I’m not a fighter, I’m a discusser. I could probably use more fight in me. I don’t yell. I talk. I can get dirty. I’ve been guilty of dirty fighting. But usually I don’t like to fight. I like it to be harmonious and fun. So the quicker we can discuss an issue and get through it, the sooner we get back to the fun.”

The rocky road to success.
“I made my allowance as a kid cleaning toilets. I’m actually pretty good at it. I grew up with absolutely no money at all. I struggled for a while, but I was happy with my life whether I was making this amount of money, or that amount of money. I always enjoyed where I was working. I loved being a waitress. OK, I didn’t like time-share selling, I hated that job. But people used to say to me, ‘You need to focus on having ambition.’ And I guess sort of following that advice allowed a lot to come to me. There’s just been a great ease with that evolvement in my life to being an actress. I didn’t change that much, but my bank account changed.”

[From Parade.com]

I like self help books too, but I realize they’re not for everyone and that they can be trite and oversimplified. If someone doesn’t agree I wouldn’t put them down or anything. Some of it is absolute drivel but I still enjoy it.

It’s hard to relate to the “gossip sucks” mentality, because it’s fun to know what’s going on with people. A lot of us know that much of it is made up, but we still like to read about it – just like Aniston enjoys self help books. I’m sure we’d all feel differently if our life experiences were twisted and fabricated to sell magazines. Maybe we’d change and start giving confusing and kind of defensive answers in interviews.

Does Aniston need to do all this press for her film? If it bothers her, maybe she should take a break. She can put movies out without making herself so vulnerable and uncomfortable if that’s what’s going on with her. I get the impression that she does press and just hates the aftermath. Is there any way she can escape the box she’s been placed in by the media? It’s like no matter what she says it doesn’t matter and she knows it.

Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart are shown at the premiere of Love Happens in LA last night. Credit: WENN.com