Salon - Mar-a-Lago Face... What is it? The look that took over Trumpworld Standing Room Only

[ihaveaquestion]

[hlthe2b]

1. ??? Does Amanda Marcotte know that her background is a 16 yo girl's room with pastels & hot pink kitsch?

Last edited Sat Jun 7, 2025, 11:14 AM - Edit history (3)

While her video makes a point, I was too distracted by the dissonance between what she was saying, her own look, and her background--which screams the opposite--that it was impossible to take her seriously. Am I the ONLY one who noticed that?!

I am talking about 1:22 or so into it where she is surrounded by teeny bopper paraphernalia--not when she is seen sitting on a brown sofa with pink curtains...

Still shaking my head...

[ChazInAz]

2. That's an amazingly condescending post.

Are you serious?

[hlthe2b]

3. I am absolutely serious. I get her point about the idiocy of MAGA women but how to take HER seriously

when she likewise has all the stereotypical paraphernalia of a sixteen-year-old girl in her video? She's only doing the same stereotypical thing she complains about--sans the plastic surgery and makeup.

And don't dare tell THIS decades after decades after decades-long feminist that I am being condescending to tell the damned truth, CHAZINAZ. I assume this is Salon's Amanda Marcotte--who I've read and liked in the past, but this is a disgusting lack of judgment. If she wants to be "cutesy" and have everyone take her as such then perhaps she needs to hang out on Tik Tok instead.

[ihaveaquestion]

38. Wow! Your's is an extremely judgmental and condescending point of view..............

Women must present themselves in 'such and such a way' to be taken seriously? This is what women have fought against for eons. Where is your support of women to present themselves as they like?

[hlthe2b]

39. I have a right to my opinion as do you. You do NOT have the right to ATTACK me for mine even if they differ

from YOURS. As I clearly stated, I like this Salon reporter. I think she missed the boat by choosing such a ridiculous background as she does at 1:22 and interspersed therein within the video if she meant to make he point about these Mar-a-Lago women giving up their own independence and self-respect to please the MAGA men in their orbit. As Ocelot II suggested, she might have been doing it in parody and that may well be true. If so, Amanda Marcotte herself is aware of what I'm saying.

Someone else on this thread posted that they "gave her permission to use whatever background she might choose." Well, THIS FEMINIST does not condescend to SUGGEST Amanda Marcotte or ANY woman needs permission. I was shocked to see that posted. This journalist has the right to make her videos any way she wants without permission from ANYONE. I, likewise, have the right to critique it if I see something I think works AGAINST the point being made.

I respect YOUR opinions and your right to make them, but NOT your attacks on me or others for merely disagreeing with your assessments. That is something you would do well to consider next time you attack another woman's opinion or right to critique a presentation-- and claim your approach to be that of the "superior" feminist.

[ihaveaquestion]

40. And it IS my opinion that your comments are judgmental and condescending.

Take that as an attack if you like, but IMO that means you also can't take criticism of your statements.

[hlthe2b]

41. Right back at you. Let me know if you decide you can be civil in your discourse in the future. Otherwise I

am done with you and your attacks.

[niyad]

4. Marcotte.

[hlthe2b]

6. Yes. Corrected. Thank you.

[mwmisses4289]

10. That is the point.

Idjit wants all the women who get sucked into his orbit to look like ivanka when she was sixteen. Notice that he gives priority to women who are blond, tall and slender. That horrible pic of sixteen year old ivanka doing a lap dance for him at a party, that's the look he wants the women around him to emulate.

[hlthe2b]

12. You do know the video is mocking these women, right? (not meaning to emulate? )

[ananda]

19. I remember that.

Good catch.

[Bettie]

13. Because she painted her living room pink

and has a painting and a couch? From your comment, I was expecting a child's bedroom set, not what is probably her actual living room.

My only note would be for her to sit a little to one side or the other, because the painting directly behind her is a bit of a distraction, but having a couch and liking pink doesn't make you a teenage girl.

If it did....well, I like pink, so people would think I'm much younger than I am.

[hlthe2b]

14. Are you a professional reporter for Salon trying to do a video report, rather than facebook with family & friends?

Then your pink background is great. She's trying to be taken seriously as a journalist so from 1:22 onward and interspersed throughout the video her surrounding herself (not on the brown sofa--pink curtains or no) but in front of shelves of pink teeny bopper kitsch with the pink mini suitcases and other stuffed or ceramic animals around her is damned unprofessional. You made my point. Thank you.

[hlthe2b]

23. Kindly reread my post. I added for you specifcally since you totally missed the point;.

and I will NOT let you reframe my comments in a strawman argument. That is beyond reprehensible, Bettie.

[Karch]

15. The only thing

"feminine" are the pink curtains. The dark abstract picture, a brown leather couch and black chandelier are not feminine. I think it is the pink curtain that may be throwing you off.

[hlthe2b]

18. That is the start of the video. 1:22 in is where she is seated in front of a rack full of teeny bopper paraphernalia

and pink kitsch everywhere. That background repeats throughout the video--albeit not continuously. I have no problem with the alternate setting of her being seated on a brown sofa as you say--pink curtains or no.


Apparently some are only watching the first of the video and seemingly may be missing my point.

[Mossfern]

21. I did notice

that both women were wearing short, tights skirts to the point that they seemed self conscious to a point that they needed to keep a hand in their lap. Yes, I'm serious in this contradiction. While I do agree with much of what they're saying, it just seemed more like "sour grapes" to me....shaming other women about how they look.

[ToxMarz]

26. Love it or hate it, it served it's intended purpose

as evidenced by your comment. It's called branding and you WILL remember her brand, clearly. Who knows, it may grow on you over time, particularly if the content is good (which is most important).

[Ocelot II]

28. I took it as kind of satirical - there's a skull on the shelf.

The decor wouldn't have been my choice because it's too cluttered, not because of the content (later she moved back to the couch, which was kind of ugly too). Maybe she just likes pink?

[hlthe2b]

29. If it is satirical, I give her credit. She proved my point. Perhaps she'll add a comment to the video.

[NBachers]

5. I give her permission to use whatever background she wants.

[hlthe2b]

7. I don't think she NEEDs either my or your permission. But, I do not need permission to critique it, either.

Do you not think it a teensy bit condescending to suggest she DOES need permission? Funny. My brand of feminism would absolutely say NO!!

[Iris]

8. "Nasty idiot" - that's an excellent description.

[NBachers]

9. This is turning into a parody thread.

[hlthe2b]

16. When you suggest the video journalist or ANY woman needs YOUR permission to do anything, then yes, certainly.

That is parody of the highest order--whether you meant it to be or not.

I respect your opinion and fully support your right to express it. I likewise have the right to my own opinion--whether YOU give me permission to have one or not.

[moniss]

25. I can see an option here that nobody has considered.

Did anybody consider that she may have included that background of trinkets etc. as a visual reinforcement to go along with the substance of her report? It is a common technique in video production to have images in the background that satirically support or otherwise give reference to what the words spoken are whether from a live person or a voice-over.

[BattleRow]

31. Surely those big red lips behind her signal that this was meant to be part of the satirical backdrop.

[moniss]

43. Yes I'm not familiar with her or her "rooms"

and what they look like so I don't know if this is standard in her other videos or not but these podcast people many times seem to use their backgrounds to convey either an image or message. I would sort of prefer if they just gave it to me "straight.....no chaser" and just let their words tell what they're trying to get across. It would allow focusing on that and then determining for myself what I take away without any added "messaging" from a background or music etc.

It's different for me if someone is making a "creative" video to portray a viewpoint and they want to use images and music but when it is political commentary I don't think it's necessary. I obviously make exception for satirical things like John Oliver etc.

[BattleRow]

46. Excellent observation.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

[Bettie]

22. Apparently women aren't allowed to

like brightly colored things...if it were all gray or black, maybe that would be 'serious enough'.

[hlthe2b]

27. Given THAT is not what I am discussing your strawman argument is null and void. Good try although not valid.

[DENVERPOPS]

11. LOL

If you look at these Hand Maidens in the Trump and Republican CABAL.........These Middle Aged women get a ton of plastic surgery, LIPO, Melania Hairdo, and most importantly what I call the pre-requisite "Republican Rack" and go to Washington..........Every time I see them, I think their outfit should include a belt pack with knee pads.........

Pretty soon, with AI, they will all remind you of the cult classic; CHERRY 2000 featuring Melanie Griffith.....

[sop]

30. Guns, let's not forget the guns.

[DENVERPOPS]

34. Yup, nothing that

gives a MAGA guy a turn on like fondling his gun......

I wonder if the MAGAot women or MAGA men with guns, realize just how infantile it makes them look as well as idiotic.....

[Delphinus]

24. Good grief

Watching those women she highlighted on TT makes me ill.

[MagickMuffin]

32. Shouldn't Matt Gaetz be included?

Why just pick on the girlie girls!

[Ocelot II]

35. Watch the whole thing; they did talk about Gaetz and other men.

Even made fun of his huge balloon head and pointy eyebrows.

[MagickMuffin]

42. Thanks for your reply, I hadn't watched it

But with your recommendation I watched to the end. I’m glad they brought up the men who are getting maralogo faces.

[Cirsium]

33. How ironic

People are focusing on the clothing and the decor.

"If that woman wants to be taken seriously, then she needs to (fill in the blank.)"

I guess if you want to be taken seriously, you need clothing and decor like this:

[Cirsium]

36. Too subtle, maybe?

My point was that when it is a man people don't obsess over the apparel and decor.

[Mossfern]

45. While discussing something that seems to be a parody of "feminism"

I think it would be helpful not to do it in an environment that's cutesy.
I just don't get it. Women want to be taken seriously - not objectified as Trumpian women seem to want.
The big red lips and bobble headed dolls and fuchsia luggage (make up case?) and other childish accoutrements don't add to the message, but are confusing.

BTW, I love pink - it's a very flattering color, but this is just kitsch.
The sofa looks more like a Merlot color than brown.

IMHO, the entire piece was just a bit catty....nothing I object to at times.

The arguments here are entertaining - there's no reason for anyone to be offended if others don't agree with their opinion.

[ShazzieB]

37. That was very interesting!

I have been noticing for a while how all the women in Schlump's orbit look alike, like they've all had the same set of plastic surgeries, their makeup is exaggerated in the same way, etc. I thought it was kind of gross and creepy but didn't really think about it much beyond that. I was fun to watch this video and get confirmation that I'm not the only one who thinks those women all look like they came off the assembly line in the same Stepford Wife factory.

As for the decor, I agree there were some off choices, but it felt more like a set to me than someone's living space. If it is a set, then I think Marcotte would benefit from hiring a better set designer, but I wasn't greatly bothered by it.

My two favorite takeaways were calling Noem "ICE Barbie" and comparing the "Mar-a-Lago face" to a Bratz doll!

[Ping Tung]

44. "What would men be without women? Scarce, sir...mighty scarce." Mark Twain