My Cynical Take on Lauren Luke

Does anyone remember that fake story about eBay's origins? Here's wiki on that:
The frequently repeated story that eBay was founded to help Omidyar's fiancée trade Pez Candy dispensers was fabricated by a public relations manager in 1997 to interest the media. This was revealed in Adam Cohen's 2002 book, The Perfect Store, and confirmed by eBay.

Well, I am having a very cynical moment when it comes to internet media superstar Lauren Luke because of that kind of cynical and false pandering to the masses. I'm just not quite believing anything at face value anymore. But I'm still soft-hearted enough to recognize that maybe it's me and not her. Ah well...

Here are some Lauren Luke links to get on with what I am talking about:

The Julia Child of eyeliner
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2009/08/06/youtube_of_lipstick/

Panacea81's Channel YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/panacea81?ob=4

By Lauren Luke
http://www.bylaurenluke.com/

It would be great if everything about this young lady could be taken at face value. I'd like to think that some "commoner" has made it to the big time off the back of her YouTube vids and unabashed enthusiasm for makeup and a more glamorous outlook on everyday life. Everything about the girl seems genuine and sincere. I admire her confidence despite being handed generally an average appearance. Confidence is enormously attractive and can overcome many obstacles. I even like that a chubby young woman is being accepted this way into the upper level of the fashion world - that can only do good since the fashion industry has up to this point been absolutely obsessed with making women feel bad about themselves in order to sell more products that no woman really needs in exchange for the money with which most women cannot truly afford to part. The theater signage in my head reads: "Chubby Girl Radiates Confidence Under the Harsh Limelight!"

It's all good. All is well. I'm impressed.

Except that I don't quite believe it. Someone, whether it was Luke herself or some corporate bigwig, recognized that she has a very symmetrical face. In fact, if she dropped some "stones" she'd actually be worthy in some area of media either as a presenter or model or something like that. Something about her is simply too polished. It's been dumbed down and made "sincere" with Lauren's accent and so on. But her videos are clearly edited and something about it smacks of money and a deeper advertising purpose.

I blame advertisers. They have made it impossible to accept anything at first blush.

Maybe the big trick is simply how well Lauren Luke exploits herself.