Expression of the Day: Amy Schumer
MSN.com posted “54 Photos Of Inexplicable Celeb Friendships,” and in the grouping of photos there was a photo of Amy Schumer and Jennifer Lawrence.
Amy Schumer’s expression popped out at me immediately.
What universal facial expression is she making?
I am shocked at magazines, and publications that buy and print these “so-called” smile expressions that are anything but a smile. Do you think they print them because they don’t know any better, or they are looking for a response?
Disgust? I only question it a little, because to me it’s subtle and accompanied with a social smile. The nose area is scrunchy like disgust, but she’s throwing on a smile along with it. It’s obvious once I pause, but I didn’t see it off the bat. So, yeah, the photogs do try to get a reaction, and they’ll often use it, but they don’t know the difference generally. I’m pretty sure most don’t know any better. My first glance said, “joy,” and I’m a little more aware of expressions. “They” wouldn’t give it a second thought. They also probably don’t care. They had to get the shot on the carpet and get paid for it–that’s it. To them, it looks like she’s smiling.
I’m curious. Do you think it’s tougher for you, who has stuff like this “pop” out, to realize what others don’t see, hence the survey? The answer to me, and by the looks of it, the voters, is obvious. They don’t have a clue.
I think most people see the upturned corners of her mouth, teeth, and think “smile” and move on. It’s a years long formed habit.
Trying to be constantly aware and have this be your (meaning my) default, takes a lot of work. Just as learning anything new would, I guess.
I think her scrunched up nose shows disgust. I voted “…because they want a reaction” but now I think it’s much more likely that they don’t know or care as Paul F pointed out in the previous comment.
It’s a sneer with a fake smile thrown in. They see this kind of smile on the red carpet so often that they don’t know any better.
A fake frown on who?
They both have fake smiles, but Amy also has the sneer while Jennifer is otherwise neutral.
Actually, Amy doesn’t have a fake smile. It’s pure disgust. JLaw is not neutral, its a fake smile.
But what about her lip corners being pulled up?
The look in her eyes are so intense that it’s almost angry – how can they not notice this?
I immediately saw contempt because of her scrunched up nose and fake smile.
This is not contempt. This is disgust.
Aha. Thanks for pointing this out. I can see it now.
I don’t know if it’s that they don’t know, or more that they just don’t care (or don’t have any other options). I think in part (more at the publishing level) it’s that they don’t care. At the photographer level, probably a combination of not knowing and not caring about the difference. But on the whole, honestly it suggests such an unhealthy environment that it’s almost shocking. What would Hollywood and the American entertainment industry look like if we cared about the people’s health and well being before the money they make the industry? It makes me wonder.
On the note of celebrity photos that show them not being happy, I personally remember coming across a fan site with photos of Emma Watson, who played Hermoine Granger in the Harry Potter movies, and it was painful to look at them because she was so obviously not enjoying her life for quite a stretch of time. Then she found her way to the U.N. as a goodwill ambassador, and she’s really turned around. It’s so awesome seeing her starting to find her footing and feel like she’s started to find herself and start to enjoy her life more now. If people want a case study over time, she’s a great example to look at starting from near the end of the Harry Potter series to today. You can really see a difference over time.
Funny. I can only see it as disgust now. 🙂
It’s different for you after the class?
Yes. Before, I first saw–(weird)smile. Then I analyzed it, because you posted it, so there was obviously something to it. I saw disgust, but at that time it was sort of “hidden” for me. I could see it, but only when I “looked”. Now, I just see it right off. I think it was the drilling and the live reinforcement. It’s weird trying to create the feeling I had before the class when looking at and trying to see how I once saw a smile.
From interviews I have seen of her, she marks lots of statements with a disgust expression. This may mean this expression we see here is not necessarily a disgust expression.I have also seen her movie and he does that expression multiple times. If she marks statements with the disgust muscle, then a disgust expression cant be counted here.