QUICK CHANGE ARTISTS: THE EXTREME MAKEOVER OF AMERICAN LIFE by Elaine Hanson Cardenas A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of George Mason University in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Cultural Studies Committee: ___________________________________________ Director ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Program Director ___________________________________________ Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Date: _____________________________________ Spring Semester 2013 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Quick Change Artists: The Extreme Makeover of American Life A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at George Mason University by Elaine Hanson Cardenas Master of Business Administration George Mason University, 1988 Bachelor of Arts California State University, 1975 Director: Dina Copelman, Professor Departments of History and Cultural Studies Spring Semester 2013 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Copyright 2013 Elaine Cardenas All Rights Reserved ii DEDICATION This is dedicated to my mother, who shaped my beliefs about femininity, beauty and so much more. Emily Carolyn Erhard, February 2, 1939 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My heartfelt appreciation goes to Dr. Dina Copelman, my committee chair, who gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going when I was ready to quit. I will forever be grateful for her sage advice and guidance, keen insights, and moral support. Some of her written comments made me laugh out loud when I least expected it. Others steered me in new directions that enriched my thinking and work. As my first professor in the Cultural Studies program, she provided me with the theoretical foundation needed for the rest of my studies. I am astounded at how much information she crammed into that one-semester class! It pleases me that she has seen me through to the end, adding her final touch to my graduate education. My other committee members, Dr. Hugh Gusterson and Dr. Paul Smith, have also provided invaluable guidance, suggesting authors who could strengthen and support my argument, and giving clear advice and feedback on the direction I was taking. Their comments were always helpful and thought-provoking. My husband, Rene F. Cardenas, has earned my deep gratitude and enduring love for his ongoing support through the many years of my doctoral program, and the MBA before that. My admiration and respect for him and his accomplishments have made me want to do more myself. As one of my biggest fans, he has read every word of every draft of my dissertation, and every paper I have written, offering encouragement throughout. I have often been surprised to find email messages from him with articles attached that he thought would be interesting or relevant to my studies. He has been a great sounding board, a comfort, and a constant source of inspiration. I could not have done it without him. If I could share the doctorate with him, I would. (Fortunately, he has his own.) Special thanks go to Kenna DuBose who has graciously allowed me to use her story as the lynchpin for the dissertation. She and her family members—son Kenton, sister Diane Schwede, and parents gave very generously of their time sharing their impressions and recollections with me. Her story gives life and coherence to the tale. I cannot thank her enough. I am also very grateful for the help I received from Dr. James Wells, a California plastic surgeon who spent hours on the phone with me, confirming information about the practice of cosmetic and plastic surgery, and clarifying things I had heard from others. He put me in touch with many colleagues who participated in my research and provided valuable background information on such topics as ethical standards and board iv certification. His assistance ensured I had the cooperation I needed to complete my research. His colleagues were a great help, too, giving generously of their time. Howard Schultz, creator and original executive producer of Extreme Makeover, literally made my dissertation possible. He spent several hours on the phone with me, gave me contact information to reach contestants, surgeons, and production staff members, and sent me DVDs of episodes, which are now out of circulation. His openness, charm and affability gave me a good start and convinced me to change my focus to Extreme Makeover, instead of covering the entire genre of cosmetic makeover reality shows. I am indebted to him for his cooperation. I was also fortunate to have a circle of friends at GMU and elsewhere who listened patiently to my concerns, provided suggestions, offered help, and gave me encouragement when I badly needed it. Ellen Gorman, Tracy McLoone, Katy Razzano, Joanne Clarke Dillman, Lisa Rhein, Rhonda Byrnes, Holly Korda, Joanna Edwards—I am so privileged to have so many intelligent, accomplished women friends around me! They have been a help and an inspiration. Michelle Carr, who keeps the Cultural Studies departmental office running and all of the students in line, deserves a special note of thanks for her critical intervention and her masterful navigation of the GMU administrative system. She has a permanent place in my heart for the many ways she has helped me over the years. No list of acknowledgements would be complete without recognizing the support I received from Sharon Payne. She saved me hours of worry and frustration by applying her expert document production skills to the dissertation, putting it into the proper format so that it sailed through the GMU formatting compliance check without a hitch. I am indebted to her for her efficiency, responsiveness, and skill. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix List of Figures ......................................................................................................................x List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................... xi Abstract ............................................................................................................................ xiii Prologue: Kenna’s Story ......................................................................................................1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................23 The Social and Economic Backdrop ............................................................................. 26 Makeover Television: The Convergence of Cosmetic Surgery and RTV..................... 37 RTV’s Use of the American Mythos to Promote Citizenship and Opportunity ................................................................................................................... 37 Postmodern Surgery: Aesthetics as a Tool for Shaping and Safeguarding the Future ............................................................................................................................ 54 Methods ......................................................................................................................... 70 Creator/Executive Producer ....................................................................................... 71 ASPS and ASAPS Representatives ........................................................................... 72 Production Staff ......................................................................................................... 72 Contestants................................................................................................................. 72 Cast—Surgeons, Trainers .......................................................................................... 73 Others......................................................................................................................... 73 Overview of Remaining Chapters ................................................................................. 76 Chapter 1. Speed, Magic and Self-Discipline: the Extreme Makeover of Daily Life in America ..................................................................................................................78 Instantaneity and the Acquisition of Identity through Lifestyle Choices ...................... 80 The Media and Genre Context: The American Dream as Fairytale .............................. 89 The Socioeconomic Context: Body Makeovers and the Transformation of Business ....................................................................................................................... 102 Right Reasons and the Market for Pathos ................................................................... 118 vi Performances of Femininity and Masculinity ............................................................. 124 Before and After, Past and Present .............................................................................. 129 Chapter 2. The Art of Plastic Surgery and the Reconstruction of Medical Expertise on Extreme Makeover ......................................................................................132 Décor ........................................................................................................................... 139 Image and the Social Context .....................................................................................