Comments on: UK Orthodontists: Down With Betty!

By: Meg

Meg — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:04:00 +0000

I really, really don’t get why people get their undies in such a twist about the lack of realism on “Ugly Betty.” It’s based on a Spanish soap-opera, for the love of Pete. If I want a gritty imitation of realism, I’ll watch old episodes of “Law and Order”

And I happen to agree with Tom. The entire driving force behind the show is taking what society, like it or not, dubs as “unattractive” and turning it on its head through the strength of Betty’s character. Apparently the show needs to open with a disclaimer: “You’re watching ‘Ugly (the title is ironic) Betty’”!

By: Mina

Mina — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:47:34 +0000

I wore permanent braces until last week for a bit more than a year and a half, and the only drawback I found is that people look at you as much younger than you are… I used to have trouble getting into some clubs (I’m 23) and I had to show my ID because they thought I looked younger than 18… but no one ever considered me less intelligent or competent because of my braces, in fact, I work as an English teacher and my students respected me the same way.
I think Betty portrays a stereotype, because it’s not only braces that make her ‘not as beautiful as so and so’ (I don’t believe there are ugly people, every one has their own good and bad things) it’s the whole thing, she wears glasses AND braces, her hair is most of the time unkempt, she’s clumsy, etc. I think that orthodontists got a bit touchy about the subject… lol

By: Stiletto

Stiletto — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:44:50 +0000

I myself had a schoolmate who had braces for six years, so it does happen sometimes. The first orthodontist I consulted wanted to put me in braces all through high school, and my teeth weren’t especially horrible (I wound up spending two years in Invisaligns).

Of course *British* orthodontists are pissy about Betty’s braces…British orthodontists have a hard enough time convincing patients to get their teeth straightened! According to my friends in England, very few Brits go beyond cleanings, having the occasional cavity filled, and absolutely necessary extractions – it’s seen as “vain”, and no one wants that.

By: SirLizard

SirLizard — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:17:58 +0000

I just got off the phone with my niece and, coincidentally, she told me that she just got her braces off yesterday. Thinking back, I realized that it seems that she had them for a loooong time, so I asked her when she got them and she said six years ago. I found that surprising, considering it is much longer than the average, so I guess it wouldn’t be extremely unusual if Betty had her braces on for as many as six seasons, if it weren’t for the fact that they have already established that Betty got her braces a while before she started working at Mode. My niece thought it was funny when I congratulated her for getting her braces off before “Ugly Betty”.

By: SirLizard

SirLizard — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:45:58 +0000

I just noticed that the part about the other international Bettys was not in the original article, so I guess you wrote that, right Tom? Anyway, as I said in my previous post, all of the Bettys have worn braces. There was talk that Brazil’s Betty (in “Bela, a Feia”, which premieres in August) would not have braces or glasses, but I doubt that this is true.

By: SirLizard

SirLizard — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:40:07 +0000

First of all, these orthodontists are taking it all waaaaay too seriously. Betty’s braces are just one thing about her appearance that makes her stand out from everyone else around her at Mode. Second of all, there is a major factual error in the article where they state, “It should be noted that most “Bettys” in the various incarnations of the show do not have braces.” Absolutely EVERY one of the international Bettys has worn braces, as well as glasses. Each and every one of them.

By: OMG-UB

OMG-UB — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:14:33 +0000

Ooh! Maybe they will bring Farkas back when Betty gets her braces off! I hope they do. I loved him!