We can smack-talk Lena Dunham all we want, but the fact of the matter is that the world needs more Lena Dunhams. By that I mean “women who look like your next-door-neighbor who also have an extreme drive to create and succeed.” More little girls should be saying to themselves, “If Lena Dunham can do it, why can’t I write, direct, produce and star in my own show too?” I bring this up because I sincerely hope – and I think this is probably the case – that Lena is secure and self-aware enough to know that this National Enquirer story is a good thing. The Enquirer is calling Lena a diva and “sources” claim that she’s “gone Hollywood” and forgotten about the little people who help her out, like the production assistant who manually puts food into her mouth and the production assistant who holds her umbrella. It’s a compliment – this story means that Lena has “arrived”.
Lena Dunham has turned into a huge diva in real life! An insider says Lena’s sudden success has gone straight to her head – and she’s become a demanding control freak on the set of ‘Girls’.
“On hot days, Lena make a production assistant act as her personal ‘umbrella technician’,” a source revealed. “He’s in charge of waiting outside her trailer and following her everywhere on set to protect her fair skin from the sun. Lena also demands that an assistant fetch her lunch and hand-feed it to her. She says she doesn’t want to break a sweat in her show clothes or ruin her makeup. On top of that, Lean has someone read all three of the New York daily newspapers every day and write up a synopsis so she can always be up on current affairs.”
Lean has received a lot of body criticism for her part in ‘Girls’ but “the nasty comments bothered Lena at first, but now she feels like success is the best revenge.”
In addition to her award-winning show, she signed a $3.7 million book deal to write her memoir earlier this year.
“Lena always swore she’d keep her street cred, but she’s gone totally Hollywood. If she doesn’t get her ego in check, she’s going to find out the hard way that it’s very lonely at the top.”
[From The Enquirer, print edition]
Blah blah misogyny double standard blah. Do I think some of this stuff is outrageous? Yes. I was fine with the umbrella person and the “put the food directly in my mouth” person, but the idea that Lena would get an assistant to write up a synopsis of the newspapers? That’s what bugged me. JUST READ A NEWSPAPER. Just flip through it. Or get your news online while your hands are free because you’re making an adult hand-feed you. But Lena should feel honored – she’s now one of those ballbusting “diva” archetypes used as cautionary tale by the tabloids. Lena is a diva! Angelina Jolie is a villainess! Julia Roberts is a shrew! Etc.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Women in power positions always get the demanding diva label. If David Fincher did the same stuff on one of his sets, no one would blink or say anything. Team Lena.
Yeah right, because every little girl has a loaded daddy with all the right connections to put Dunham right where she is.
But it’s ok, she can treat people like shit, as long as she is a woman who cares right? yay feminism!
What a load of crap.
let’s not forget lena’s show is about whining, spoiled, lazy “girls” who care about nothing but themselves. nothing feminist about lena or her show. if aspiring writer/actresses want a real role model there are better women than lena; tina fey and the sublime jennifer saunders are two who come to mind.
You said it, F. Strong women are treated differently than strong men, but Lena DOES NOT represent for strong women.
Lena is following in the footsteps of all other divas. She lost some weight and got more glam and went Hoollywood. Just like Jennifer Lawerence. I thought she would never change, but she did. The next one will That huge arm tattoo is such a turn off for me.
You have virtually NO IDEA what you’re talking about. Please educate yourself.
This is NOT about feminism or nepotism or elitism. It’s about the fact that a media outlet makes a big deal out of a FEMALE doing X,Y, and Z while simultaneously looking the other way when a MALE does the same things.
“He’s in charge of waiting outside her trailer and following her everywhere on set to protect her fair skin from the sun. Lena also demands that an assistant fetch her lunch and hand-feed it to her.”
Give me a break, ALG. A male actor would be just as heavily criticized for behavior this absurd, and even if he wouldn’t be, that doesn’t excuse her clueless, entitled attitude – nor the fact that she’s more successful than hordes of more talented people from less wealthy, influential families. Also, maybe look up the term “virtually.”
I agree! Something about Lena (no matter how talented and business Davy she is I can’t deny that) has always annoyed me! Much like Zooey Deschanel…I really think it’s that “OMG pay attention to me look how quirky and different and not like anyone else I am!” Part of their personalities. “Look I’m a diva now!”
THANK YOU. The idea that Dunham didn’t get a huge leg up from her connected parents and their friends is utterly disingenuous. Anyone who looks like and is as marginally talented as Dunham is going to have an extremely tough time trying to attain the “success” that was virtually handed to Dunham.
Glad that she’s turned into an insufferable douchebag, though. Makes it even more easy to dislike her.
It’s dickish behavior regardless of the gender.
I do think the “guy to put food in my mouth” is atrocious but a personal secretary who gives summaries and an umbrella dude are pretty common and may even be justified in the context that she may have to read a lot of scripts or write. I would love one newspaper summarizer myself.
I don’t like the girl but even if its true, people don’t have to have jobs they don’t want.
One of my many jobs used to be clipping newspapers and writing synopsis – my first PR job. My hands were always black, I learned I had an allergy to the chemical they use to use to print but I was well informed!
I agree with both your points. I really wouldn’t mind the newspaper reading job–seems easy enough plus I would stay on top of current events in return. And it does take a lot of time to truly be well-informed of world affairs and form intelligible opinions of what’s going on in the world. Actually the most offensive task to me was the umbrella holding which requires almost no competency whatsoever, I would get so bored. Also, she should just wear sunblock and get her makeup artists to fix her makeup. You’re on set anyway, they’re gonna be checking it constantly either way.
The newspaper one would be my dream job. Hi Lena, call me!
“People don’t have to have jobs they don’t want?” Whoa you are so lucky you’ve never struggled a day in your life! Everything must have happened so easily for you. Some lady probably doesn’t want to hand feed Lena Dunham but maybe just maybe it’s the only job she could find and when you’ve got rent, a student loan, a need for running water and heat you will most likely especially during a recession be at a job you don’t want but have to have. Ask the Managers at McDonalds, Taco Bell, or any other retail/service job of they “want to be there” chances are they’ll say no they’d rather be using the degree they worked their butts off for…finding a job is not easy…so yes people do have to be in jobs they don’t want mostly because they want to eat and live somewhere other than a shelter.
@ Sunny. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! I really wish I thought the show Girls was good. I really think its boring. Even the sex stuff is just boring. I dont know how Lena is famous.
@Sunny, agreed. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry at that line.
@Sunny – I absolutely agree. For most people, especially during a recession, life isn’t handing out a lot of options. Whether someone is a man or a woman, that doesn’t make it acceptable for them to treat their employees like dirt, or crush them under the sole of your designer shoe/pump, simply because you’re their superior.
I don’t give a shit if she’s Mother Theresa, at least treat those working for you with a *little* common respect, & maintain an ability to put yourself in their position, no matter how far away from it you are currently.
I honestly didn’t find the newspaper thing to be the worst aspect… I thought having to hand-feed a grown woman *completely capable* of doing so herself…for the insane reason of not wanting to ‘smudge her makeup’… was the more ridiculous/disgusting demand.
Seriously, for what it’s worth, I thought the newspaper one was the most ‘normal.’ A lot of my friends are executive assistants and that’s pretty standard work for them. My company sends out a similar summary to all of us every day. When you work in a field where a lot of stuff happens, it’s a good way to keep track of it all and stay informed. In fact, as much as I am not a particular fan of hers, I appreciate that she’s keeping up with the industry in which she works. (I can’t be bothered to do that sometimes, it’s tedious, haha)
I hate to disagree with you but I must. The world does NOT need more Lenas! She so goddam annoying. I can’t believe she’s being continuously awarded for her poor-me adults who whine like babies show. It’s the definition of vapid first world problems.
Exactly. I don’t get this new idea that because she’s a woman we have to hop on board with her mediocrity. And from what I’ve heard it’s not like she went through this tortuous struggle.
That you find her to be mediocre is not a good argument, there are plenty of mediocre men who do the same as her, not so much women. If her show is not your thing, its not a good argument that we dont need more women like her in hollywood. Its not like all the men who do this are geniuses. Look at the broader picture.
So….you’re assuming im ok with mediocre men? And I’m sorry, but im sick of this idea that I should support a woman just because we both have a clit. If the quality of her work is only average anddoesnt truly represent me what am I giving her a pat on the back for? Should I cheet for E. L. James too cuz she made a lot of money on a shit product?
I am not saying you are ok with it. I just dont get the hate for her. I am not a stan but the more women with the power to write and direct and star for that matter, the better, sure some of them will be mediocre and some will be great just like the men. i dont think the writer literally meant just like lena and the product she puts out, i thought she meant women who are empowered and that all leading ladies doesnt have to look like Angelina. Just my two cents.
@Side-Eye I agree with you completely. As we have the option to like or not, I choose not. I don’t know her personally, so I have no personal gripe against her. I saw her in one movie and I did not care for her performance and I have no interest in seeing her show. I think mediocrity is a very apt word to describe her.
I do concur with the argument that more balance in Hollywood is needed. Of course I’d rather the top-tier be a balance of high-quality men and woman; but as that is not the case and I believe that the double standard can be downright harmful to women, I suppose the balance in mediocrity is warranted.
I consider myself a die hard, card carrying, flag-waving, lipstick wearing, man loving feminist, but I have other concerns, as well. Lena Dunham is not my ally. I don’t like her portrayal of young women or young men. Is it realistic for her set? I don’t know, but it’s certainly not a representation of who I was at that age, nor who my male friends/lovers were. It is an even further cry from who I am now and who my male friends and one male lover is now. I don’t think portrayals of whiny young females and douchey young males really promotes anyone’s interests, and certainly not those of the youth I work with (none of whom come from her wold, but all of whom are amazing, strong individuals who seek to be more than what they were born in to). Ugh, I don’t even mean to be self-righteous here; I just dislike her New Yorker essays and her show so much.
I find Lena to be vapid, self-obsessed, and kind of obnoxious but I don’t think her work is mediocre. I hate Girls because I think the characters are, like Lena, vapid, self-obsessed, and obnoxious. Now, do I think this is an accurate representation of the many post-college, twenty-somethings I know (not necessarily excluding myself)? Absolutely. I don’t think Lena’s representation of this demographic is mediocre at all–I think it’s spot-on.
…BINGO…can’t wait to see this in 30 years…a bunch of aging, whining, unattractive (inside and out), naval gazing women kvetching the unfairness of life…oh wait…that’s TODAY…so riddle this… wouldn’t waste time on such parasites as friends…why WATCH them on TV…
@Grant & giddy Your arguments regarding her mediocrity have persuaded me, despite my previous comment above. Additionally, I agree regarding your current observation of girls/young women these days. It’s so sad and downright scary when you have girls you are trying to raise in this world.
Also girls shouldnt be going ” if she can do it, so can I” that is the negative sentiment here. Even if I am a blonde princess or homely person, I should be able to succeed in what I choose despite the various stereotypes people may associate with me
I’m the opposit…food and umbrella…whatever.
But writing a synopsis of the news? That’s good time management sense. She can’t really just ‘read a newspaper’, it’s highly likely Lena words 16-18 hour days. There IS no time to read a newspaper.
And yeah, when they say ‘going Hollywood’ what they mean is Lena is being organised and focused – which is what you need to do when you are a writer/producer/director.
So yeah, this is utterly non-news!
“Hollywood female who’s job is more then just looking pretty has to get other people to do stuff for her because she works long hours and doesn’t have the time” is not news!
This. A news synopsis is sensible, the food and umbrella handlers … not so much.
Damn, I wish someone would describe me as a bitchy diva. I suspect they think me a slacker, alas.
Maybe she can’t hold the newspapers due to the risk of fresh ink dirtying her fingertips.
Hmmmm?
Has anyone thought of THAT potential disaster?
you’re fine with the food in mouth bit? that’s the most disturbing to me, gross. I would imagine she is a bit of a control freak since the show is hers, I have no problem with that bit. My mom always taught me, if you want something done right then do it yourself.
I need to find a sexy umbrella holder that will work for peanuts (literal peanuts) since I have no money but don’t want to get burnt. I wonder if there’s a section for that in the paper, think I can ask Lena’s assistant?
Umbrella-holder who’ll work for peanuts? I’ve got just the candidate: http://www.kimballstock.com/pix/ELE/01/ELE-01-RK0075-08P.JPG
(Okay, you may need a LOT of peanuts.)
My people need to call their people and make this happen. I might need to look into buying stock in my local peanut farm though.
My gawd – if that guy can do a good synopsis of newspaper stories, I need him in my employ ASAP
Love the elephant!
A reader is a good thing – most execs have them. An umbrella holder is diva, but maybe directors want them to reduce risk of perspiration ->touch-ups, but a feeder?? Way too ott. What’s next? A personal wiper for potty breaks?
I haven’t seen pics of men with umbrella holders so maybe the shaded women haven’t reached equality after all.
Alicia Silverstone won’t be feeding her kid soon . . . .
Look at that eye shadow and tell me she hasn’t gone full diva.
There have long been rumors about how awful she is. I believe it.
This story is made up. They took a pic of Lena being fed a sandwich by someone and ran with it.
I gotta disagree that the world needs more LD’s. The world has enough white centric, naval gazing mid 20 somethings demanding more allowence as it is. Just because she is a writer, producer girl next door actress does not make her a good thing for society. Her products and the message they send are mostly bad. The good ones (body image namely) are lost in the self serving attitude they are put across in.
Not that all women in powee positions have ro be nice and easy to get along with, I’m not saying that. But her attitude without the diva antics sucks. I am a mid 20s something female, and i despise the set she represents. The entitlement, the seeming unwillingness to grow up and be a woman not a teenager with their own place. Shes being put on a pedistal simply for being a girl, and somehow ahe made it somewhere! I dont respect people soley because we share the same gender. Ww dont give mwn attoboys for simply having a show. We grade the product too. / rant
And let’s not forget she’s not exactly the girl next door either. She was born into great privilege and has had her family’s connections helping her “succeed” every step of the way.
EXACTLY – along with the other cast members! It It is like a vehicle to keep the girls with famous parents employed. Not exactly a rags to riches story!
I know I will get flack for this and it is solely my opinion but the only reason this girl is in the position she is stems from her annoying ass kissing Judd (not funny) Apatow.
On a slightly related note, tried to watch This is 40 last night and found myself angry at the stupidity of that movie.
One day I’ll watch that movie, so I can ‘fill my hump of hate’.
So far, I look at it and think “If that’s your idea of what being 40 is, I want no part of it!”
I’d have been happier if ‘This is 40’ was a two hour shot of Helena Bonham Carter back-combing her hair.
Lenas response to this was funny. She posted the story on instagram and joked that her mum was the source.
Yes I saw that, it was awesome! I don’t understand the vitriol directed at LD, really I don’t. Yes she comes from a priveleged background and was given more than a helping hand. That doesn’t negate her hard work, or her talent. I think she deserves the praise she gets for being a strong, funny, unique and successful voice in a male-dominated arena.
+1
I have never watched ‘Girls’, though, and I guess I’ll probably hate it.
But, I only really like Lena because she looks how I feel.
I think it was very easy for LD to succeed given who her parents are: downtown New York artists who are besties with people like Meryl Streep and her husband. I think Diablo Cody is far more original than LD, and she did not have her parents and their rich friends funding her “art.”
I think that’s true, her parents connections and her background for sure helped LD. But as I said above, that does not negate either her talent or her hard work.
I get a “I’m a hipster and oh so cool” vibe from Lena–but then again, I don’t watch her show, and haven’t seen very many interviews.
Plus, isn’t she the director? Of course she’s going to be a control freak….
Street cred? What street is that, Park Avenue? Give me a break!
Duh.
I tried watching it for a bit but I think I am too old to care about whiney 20 somethings. Some of it was funny but not funny enough for me to tune in week after week
Get it Lena.
homegirl needs to learn to pose for photos without looking like a moron.
She posted a picture of this article on her Instagram with the caption, “my mom is def the one who leaked this to enquirer.” I think she’s good with it 🙂
Ha ha..that’s awesome 🙂
Yes, ha! I have to say I don’t get the Lena hate. I found season 1 of her show refreshing, and hope it gets back to form in the upcoming season.
Wow I love that eye make-up on her, it’s really flattering!
On the other hand, I hate, hate, hate that dress!
All this, and the show is terrible. While the first season was actually funny and felt like it really was attempting to make a commentary on the charactera, but the second season was just unwatchable. I have such a hard time with the fact that I’m supposed to root for Ms. Dunham in her male-dominated industry, knowing that if she fails it may very well make it harder for other women to break in, while she herself is in this position not based on her own merits but her parents’ connections.
THIS exactly.
Yeah I also disagree the world needs more Lenas… the world needs more Mindys.
I can’t say I think this article means she’s arrived. It’s like a bait piece, either more stories will surface and it will be confirmed she is a PITA or like the one on Lawrence it will fail miserably. She (Dunham) gets this treatment because she’s already polarising and as many people will be be nodding their heads going, Yep, I KNEW it!! As there will be going Oh, no now she’s successful she has to put up with this shit.
i believe this shit..a few months ago that cutie who plays marnie’s boyfriend quit the show because he couldn’t deal with lena.
I don’t think the world needs more Lenas. She is a racist, spoiled brat who does not recognize how privileged she is. Yes, i read all those articles she wrote when she was travelling across Japan. It was so offensive. What’s worse is that Lena never apologizes for her mistakes. So no, the world does not need more of her.
Never fear~Tina Fey’s “Blerta” from SNL will come and sort her out. 🙂
Do you have a link to the Japanese articles? I need an example for some of my friends about how not to behave in a foreign country.
http://thisrecording.com/today/2011/3/19/in-which-we-regularly-play-ping-pong-with-the-princess-masak.html
There you go! It’s pretty repulsive stuff but i hope it will serve your purpose!
Tifzlan
She wrote that? HS, it’s so bland.
I don’t see much racist about it, one or two mildly uncomfortable sentences aside.
What’s more offensive is that the anecdotes were just interesting enough to keep me reading her unwaveringly mediocre writing.
so when stories come out about lena, it’s BS but if it’s julia roberts its totally true?
I’m the opposite. I like the idea of newspaper synopses! Not so much the putting-food-in-mouth thing. If I had a personal assistant, part of their job would be to find me cool new music, compile a book list for me, go with me to used book fairs (I can spend hours and hours in book stores/fairs– my friends have caught on to this), and teach me how to do complex braids and makeup looks. Said personal assistant gets bonus points for being a polyglot so I can learn and practice new languages. Oh, to be a diva… yes please!
Eh, I don’t watch her show but I hear a lot about her and her success. So, I agree that she is a target due to that success in basically a man’s domain in Hollywood. I see that this dynamic is changing and I’m all for it! We definitely need to see different types of women on TV and film and different, more realistic story lines. As for the article, I’ve seen so many photos on this site of the PUH that I didn’t even blink! And the “assistant that hand feeds her” made me laugh. As for the photo…what is up with that gown? That is not remotely flattering to her. She should get a new “assistant” stylist!
So just like any other writer-producer, then.
ha, yeah. this was basically my reaction. I mean, I love Dan Harmon and Community a whole lot more than I like Lena or Girls, but that man is a control freak diva if there ever was one. Yet we mostly use the term ‘genius’ and comment on his unusual methods.
sometimes I like Girls, sometimes I don’t and I completely understand many of the arguments against Lena, but I do think we could use more women in those types of positions of creative power regardless of what stories they choose to tell. if we had more women creating and telling stories, we wouldn’t feel it was so necessary to tear down the ones who create stories we dislike or feel don’t represent us.
A feminist is not someone who is rude nor a man eater nor an alone b!ittch who only cares about herself or someone who only cares about a career. It is interesting how so many people including some in the media don’t understand what feminism is all about. I never see Lena as a feminist. She tries really hard but ends up being a clown who can fool few people.
There is not one way to be a feminist. her way may not be your way, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t valid.
And this is the point at which the word “feminism” loses any meaning.
Have you ever made a pie? Do you think you made it the exact same way I would make a pie? Regardless of this, were we not still both making pie?
This is where this conversation devolves into nonsense. And yet if people understood that we can dislike one another and our individual actions, but we can still be working towards the same end, it wouldn’t be necessary to resort to ridiculous metaphors.
So no, this is not where feminism(s) lose any meaning.
What? I can’t believe anyone actually believes this stuff. They’re so ridiculously funny! Those things sound like a script on SNL. Seriously, people!
Who cares? Put out a show that I want to watch and you can be the Queen of Sheba. (How vague is THAT reference???)
Non-issue. I worked on films and TV shows for 20 years and everyone is a diva (in their own mind.)
She was laughing about this on her instagram. I don’t think it’s true and I don’t think she cares.
With Lena’s ego now. I have not doubt it is true but I bet she does find it flattering.
I honestly don’t see what the big deal with her is. I watched her show (several episodes as I was trying to get into it) and I don’t think its funny or cute or clever.
I almost feel like If she did have the stereotypical look she wouldn’t get nearly as much attention as she’s getting and the perception of her as some kind of courageous pioneer and breaker of the mold is making everybody sit up and pay attention when there’s nothing worth seeing.
“More little girls should be saying to themselves, “If Lena Dunham can do it, why can’t I write, direct, produce and star in my own show too?”______Because, little girl, you live in Iowa, and Lena Dunham’s mommy and daddy were already part of the New York industry scene and friends with Judd Apatow, so they were perfectly placed for their marginally-talented, very unattractive (inside and out) daughter to get her barely-watchable show on the air. Your parents, on the other hand, are well placed to get you a job at Walmart. If you’re lucky. This is called “life being unfair.” It’s an important lesson for you to learn.
And sadly enough – this is totally true to a certain extend.
Thank you for that comment. Let’s keep it real. You can only produce a movie when you’re 23 years old because you’re a little rich kid. I’m sure there are a lot of very talented women out there who could run circles around Lena, but don’t have the money and connections. I wish she would at least admit she was fortunate enough to come from money, go to the best schools, etc. It’s not like she’s saddled with student loans and struggling to make rent like most 20 somethings.
I just flat out don’t believe the enquirer. Never.