What is the allure of the beauty and the beast theme? Beautiful woman, (sure, who doesn't wanna put themeselves in that role), who falls in love with a hideous beast, (not your typical romantic hero), who is transformed by the love of aforementioned beautiful woman. Except every time I read or watch a version of Beauty and the Beast, I hate the ending whereby the beast is transformed into someone with a different face - a purty face. In the 1946 version of B&B, directed by Jean Cocteau...
during a preview, Greta Garbo was reported as having said at the end of the film, "Give me back my beast!", a sentiment shared by many viewers when the beast was transformed by the love of Belle into the handsome face of another.
My point being, it's not what's on the outside that matters in a great romance.
Case in point, an onslaught of Geek romances: Big Bang Theory. While comedic, it is essentially the same thing - a beauty and the beast story. Sheldon and Amy, Leonard and Penny, Howard and Bernadette. (Howard? Really?)
So I went in search of the rationale behind the "sexy geek". And low and behold! There's science behind this phenomenon! We are an evolving species! Striving to combine the brilliance of Leonard with the beauty of Penny! the beauty and brilliance of Bernadette with the brilliance of Howard! The brilliance of Sheldon with the beauty, (yes, I said beauty. The actress, Mayim Bialik - you know her as "Blossom"- is a looker and her character loves Sheldon anyway), Amy Farrah Fowler!
And here's the "math" behind it, as delivered by Juan Enriquez at a Ted Talk in 2012:
Enjoy the video and think about it the next time you see another stereotyped "Geek" playing the odd-man-out. He just might be the hero of your story.
On another note, I'm happy to announce the release of a new book, TWO MOONS OVER CEDAR HILL. It's slated to debut on Amazon and Kindle any minute now! 5-4-3-2-1. . . Blast off! (Feel free to share my joy with others by tweeting or facebook sharing.
My point being, it's not what's on the outside that matters in a great romance.
Case in point, an onslaught of Geek romances: Big Bang Theory. While comedic, it is essentially the same thing - a beauty and the beast story. Sheldon and Amy, Leonard and Penny, Howard and Bernadette. (Howard? Really?)
So I went in search of the rationale behind the "sexy geek". And low and behold! There's science behind this phenomenon! We are an evolving species! Striving to combine the brilliance of Leonard with the beauty of Penny! the beauty and brilliance of Bernadette with the brilliance of Howard! The brilliance of Sheldon with the beauty, (yes, I said beauty. The actress, Mayim Bialik - you know her as "Blossom"- is a looker and her character loves Sheldon anyway), Amy Farrah Fowler!
And here's the "math" behind it, as delivered by Juan Enriquez at a Ted Talk in 2012:
Enjoy the video and think about it the next time you see another stereotyped "Geek" playing the odd-man-out. He just might be the hero of your story.
On another note, I'm happy to announce the release of a new book, TWO MOONS OVER CEDAR HILL. It's slated to debut on Amazon and Kindle any minute now! 5-4-3-2-1. . . Blast off! (Feel free to share my joy with others by tweeting or facebook sharing.
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| TWO MOONS OVER CEDAR HILL, by Sofie Couch |
