There’s a lot to be said for aging gracefully. Not so much in Hollywood, but as a general principle. In the entertainment industry, it seems to be a matter of extremes – people either age horrendously, or not at all. Joan Van Ark, of “Knots Landing” fame, seems to be the former. If she looked old and ragged because she’d resisted the pressures of Hollywood and hadn’t gotten any work done, I’d congratulate her. Instead she looks old, ragged, pulled, snipped, clipped, and tightened because it seems she gave in to every single pressure… and every single knife, scalpel, syringe, and toxin. Hooooooollllllleeeeee crap. How do you go out looking like that? I can’t imagine that the heavy white makeup makes it look any better. How could she possibly look worse?

If actress Joan Van Ark of Knots Landing fame could turn back time – it’s safe to say the actress might think twice before ruining her once stunning looks with cosmetic surgery Van Ark, 64, was seen at a benefit in Hollywood wearing a sober suit, and mask-like make-up which failed to hide the fact that she has appeared to have been under the surgeon’s knife. Several times.

The actress’ shocking appearance was not aided by her painted on eyebrows and heavy eye make-up which failed to conceal her blotchy skin. And bizarrely she appeared to have forgotten to add lipstick to her highly-plumped lips – which had the effect of making her look cadaverous.

Ironically, Van Ark, who clearly is not the poster girl for cosmetic surgery, has recently filmed a guest appearance on the plastic surgery based drama Nip/Tuck. According to an insider both actresses required hours of hair and makeup preparation, and rail-thin Joan was said to have only consumed several glasses of water with honey and one banana – all day. It also reportedly took four hours to set up the onset lighting to perfectionist Van Ark’s complete satisfaction.

[From the Daily Mail]

Um, if Joan Van Ark is a perfectionist, how in the world did she let herself walk out of her house looking like that? I wish you could hear my hysterical tone in which that’s meant to be said. I know Hollywood is a brutal place and lighting can be unkind, but there’s a limit. At some point, you’ve just messed your face up and there’s really no excusing it. I can’t help but wonder if she has body dysmorphic disorder. That could explain what appears to be a complete inability to stop with the surgery. I’ve always heard one of the keys to successful cosmetic surgery is to get things done one at a time, and before they become big problems. That way it’s less noticeable, and you can evaluate your progress. Maybe Van Ark went under the knife for several things all at once, and came out with tragic consequences. I’m just babbling here, in a desperate attempt to try and understand how anyone could make themselves look this way.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Joan Van Ark is shown on 12/1/07 at a Reading of A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” in Honor of AIDS Day at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, thanks to PRPhotos.