What's With The Heigl Hate?

A vitriolic response to Katherine Heigl's new television show State of Affairs shows an ugly penchant for online lynching when viewers decide a high profile actress is no longer "nice".

The trailers looked promising, but interest in the series was sidelined by horror at the rampant anti-Heiglism on display. Online reviews dripping with scathing (and often personal) sentiments started breeding like Tribbles. Opinions on the program itself seemed secondary, reviewers reveling in the opportunity to go Mean Girls on Heigl's ass.

Heigl Hate is in full effect, and from what I can gather the vitriol is fueled (and defined acceptable) by the American viewer’s belief Heigl isn't a "nice" person. From sweetheart to bitch in the public eye, Heigl’s no longer allowed a seat at the A table.

The "nice" issue that women face in today's world is often pondered; regardless of how you wile away the years, being "nice" is (more often than not) paramount. Fail to be perceived as nice, especially in the public eye, and you will invariably professionally suffer. Nothing highlights this more than Heigl's online takedown when she dared step back into the public eye after a brief hiatus. 

 Scroll through the comments on reviews of her new television show online and you'll see Heigl's makeup, hair, and clothing criticized. You'll see her face criticized. She's criticized for wearing heels on the show. Then criticized for wearing flats. And that's before you even hit twitter, where the Heigl Hate really amps up... Boy, do they get personal.

It’s okay, though. We might never have met the woman, and it seems kind of weird some of her past castmates stand firmly by her (I mean, if she was so awful, wouldn't they all shunning the she-devil?), but the media's made it clear she is not nice. Saying horrible things about an actress is totally excusable if she’s, you know, not friendly. Or something. Continue lynching without qualm.

 The form her "bad character" takes, for those who are curious, is a penchant for expressing opinions. Intelligent and articulate, Heigl chose to leave popular television series Grey's Anatomy and was known for commenting on the quality of the scripts. (Something I agreed with wholeheartedly, unlike the majority.) She described a film she appeared in, Knocked Up, as sexist. She's also cited as being difficult and demanding on set. (To be fair, many actors are described as divas at some stage; these kind of claims make for spicy press.)

To my mind, the hate for Heigl doesn't quite match the reasoning. Aside from having an "outspoken" reputation, her record's clean. No kitten kicking or yelling at other people's kids. As a star of romantic comedies, was projecting a "sweet" demeanor implied in her job description? If so, it appears she didn’t get the memo, and the fallout’s lasting YEARS. 

I won't lie; I like Katherine Heigl (although even holding this opinion feels slightly risque right now). In past interviews it appeared she was speaking honestly, possibly too bluntly for the PR machine, but that was part of the allure. She sounded intelligent, funny, and had opinions she wanted to express that were interesting (and that I often agreed with). 

 Remember when, in the Heigl Heyday, she refused to lose weight to suit the standard Hollywood starlet requirements, standing firm on positive body issue endorsement in response to veiled (and not so veiled) comments? Ah, those were the days.

Now, of course, Camp Heigl's been forced into damage control. All they can do is try to rebrand. Not surprisingly, these attempts aren't going too well. Once the audience has a villain in sight, they're not letting go of the idea, however misguided. Recent photos of the actress on set with her kids were met with condescending sneers all over the web. The general consensus? Online sniggering as Heigl "tried" to "prove" she was a "nice" person. As if it's too late; as if we, the viewing public, are now in the know, and cannot be fooled again. 

There's a sad lesson to be learned here. For a pretty actress in Hollywood (especially one with a rom-com history), being perceived as nice is apparently the most important "skill" on your resume. Criticizing elements of the process of your craft is strictly prohibited.

Just smile for the cameras, Katherine, dim that impression of intelligence right down, start pretending you love everything about every script you come across, and maybe one day (if you're lucky), America will forgive you.