Is Sandra Bullock America’s sweetheart, or should another actress hold the title? With her adopting baby Louis and divorcing Jesse James, everybody seems to be on Sandra Bullock’s side lately, but does she deserve the title of the ultimate America’s sweetheart? What happened to Jennifer Aniston? And Betty White was being called America’s sweetheart long before any of these young whippersnappers were (and long before SNL even existed). So let’s decide who the ultimate America’s sweetheart is once and for all by comparing 5 of the women who currently hold the title:
Jennifer Aniston
Why She’s America’s Sweetheart Material
Her road to becoming America’s sweetheart started out on the show ‘Friends’, where she played Rachel, the bestie that every woman wanted to be, in the role that launched a thousand haircuts. But while the success of her quirky, loveable character endeared her in the hearts of women everywhere, she temporarily lost favor with them by taking Brad Pitt off the market. However, when he left her for Angie, she was elevated from America’s favorite friend to its BFF and America’s sweetheart as a woman scorned and sympathized with.
Knocks Against Her Being America’s Sweetheart
She’s displayed questionable taste in men (John Mayer); is getting on up there in years and doesn’t have a kid; and keeps starring in terrible romantic comedies. However, ‘The Switch’ is sounding so terrible that it could be good, and she will at least have an onscreen child (she impregnates herself with a turkey baster in the movie). Plus she may not get any love from the mothers out there, but the single ladies got to love her sexy swinging lifestyle.
Taylor Swift
Why She’s America’s Sweetheart Material
For her cutesy country pop songs about modern day (and not as tragic) Romeos and Juliets and geeky girls beating out the cheerleaders, Taylor Swift is definitely America’s sweetheart for a new generation. And like Jennifer Aniston, she suffered an indignation that endeared her with everyone: she got Kanyed at the VMA’s. So even those that don’t like her music have her to thank for one of the best internet meme’s of all time.
Knocks Against Her Being America’s Sweetheart
Well, perhaps Taylor Swift is too young to handle the responsibility of bearing this title, and maybe she’s just too darn innocent and perfect for- I’mma let you finish, but Julia Roberts is the best America’s sweetheart of all time.
Julia Roberts
Why She’s America’s Sweetheart Material
By playing a hooker with a heart of gold, Julia Roberts inexplicably became one of every woman’s favorite women, further cementing her place in their hearts by later playing heroine Erin Brockovich, a powerful woman with a powerful push-up bra. Add to that starring in a movie called ‘America’s Sweethearts’, and it’s easy to see why she deserves the title.
Knocks Against Her Being America’s Sweetheart
Well, she doesn’t do much that is tabloid-worthy, which makes her sort of boring. Plus she made a move that wasn’t so sweet: turning down the role that Sandra Bullock stole the show with in ‘The Blind Side’. And Julia Roberts just can’t beat Sandra Bullock; on a recent cover of ‘People’ magazine, Julia Robert’s moment to shine was once again snagged by Sandy and her new baby boy Louis, as this year’s Most Beautiful People in the World winner was forced into a small corner of the magazine’s cover. Which brings us to:
Sandra Bullock
Why She’s America’s Sweetheart Material
Whether she’s driving a bus or graciously showing up to accept a Razzie award, Sandra Bullock and her down-to-earth personality have made her an actress that’s very easy to fall in love with. And the Oscar winner definitely knows how to make lemonade out of life’s lemons: even though she lost her man Jesse James to some tattooed temptresses enjoying their fifteen minutes, she managed to turn America’s pity into applause by debuting her new adopted son on said cover of ‘People’ magazine.
Knocks Against Her Being America’s Sweetheart
Like Jennifer Aniston, she apparently doesn’t have the best taste in guys. Plus it’s pretty hard to trust someone that is that good at keeping secrets; I mean, she did hide an entire human from the paprazzi for months!
Betty White
Why She’s America’s Sweetheart Material
Sandra Bullock’s costar in ‘The Proposal’ was actually dubbed America’s sweetheart back in the day, and she’s making a big comeback to reclaim her crown. Before she was raising a gigantic crocodile in ‘Lake Placid’, this animal-lover was playing the loveable but naive Rose on ‘The Golden Girls’, and it might surprise those that know her most as America’s sweetheart from St. Olaf to learn that she once played a Blanche-like maneater on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’, while Rue McClanahan portrayed scatterbrained Vivian on ‘Maude’ (the two sort of reversed roles for ‘The Golden Girls’). Her voice is as sweet as honey, but she definitely can bring the filthy funny, and a huge push to get her on the SNL Mother’s Day special recently paid off big for her growing number of Facebook fans.
Knocks Against Her Being America’s Sweetheart
Well, she doesn’t have Taylor Swift’s singing voice, Sandra Bullock’s Oscar, Julia Roberts’ smile, or Jennifer Aniston’s body.
So Who is the Ultimate America’s Sweetheart?
Sorry, Sandy; Betty White wins by a mile. She may actually make SNL worth watching once more for the Mother’s Day special; she has one of America’s flag colors in her name; and she’s experienced the most American history. Plus it’s nice for all of us to have a woman that isn’t super thin with super-taut skin as a role model for once.
So enjoy watching the ultimate America’s sweetheart on SNL for Mother’s Day, and enjoy the irony that Betty White isn’t actually a mother herself (but choosing not to bring one more mouth to feed into this overpopulated world is just something that scores more points with me, although that’s a whole other argument).
SOURCES:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1637999/20100428/story.jhtml
http://www.tmz.com/2010/04/28/julia-blind-sided-by-sandra-again-people-cover/
http://www.nndb.com/people/887/000022821/
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1638062/20100429/story.jhtml
