The blonde stereotype is that they’re dumb and carefree. They’re always having fun and don’t take life too seriously.
In this special issue of Celebrity Studies we have commissioned a number of new pieces that investigate the way blonde celebrities are depicted in popular culture. They range from textual analysis of classic stars such as Veronica Lake and Marilyn Monroe (Phullar) to an examination of the role blondes play in contemporary celebrity culture via the work of blond-haired paparazzi (Fossard De Almeida). These essays also extend the debates to other national contexts (Stephanie Dennison on blondness in Brazil, Julie Lobalzo Wright on Robert Redford) and gender (Kourelou on the actresses Gigi Mercouri and Maria Vincendeau), and consider both black-and-white and colour films.
One of the big issues that we wanted to tackle in this special issue was the use of the word blonde and its spelling conventions. English doesn’t usually add an E to feminine words, so it’s normal to say She is a blond rather than She is a blond girl or She is a blond woman. But the French form of the adjective blonde has retained its E, and a few style guides advise adding it to refer to males and men: Blond boy or blond man.
This difference can create confusion when referring to multiple people with the same hair color. It can also be problematic when the person has a different name. Understanding when to spell blond and blonds correctly will help you avoid any possible misunderstandings, especially when describing nonhumans like animals or plants. Blonde