Though she is arguably one of the least interesting characters to ever grace the screen of a reality TV show, Lauren Conrad -- star of MTV's increasingly vapid and increasingly fake, "The Hills" -- has managed to weasel her perfectly groomed, throaty-voiced self into my heart.
There are many reasons I love that girl, most of them embarrassingly superficial, but the main one is that contrary to most people's opinion and probably better judgment, I think she's a wonderful role model for young girls.
Bear with me.
Yes, she's on a reality show. And yes, said reality show features mulitple jobless 20-somethings who have fake breasts and/or fleshbeards, depending. And yes, said reality show is quite possibly the least "real" and most "fake" reality show to ever get funneled into your living room via the boob tube. But! Amidst the absolute dearth of worthy role models on television and taking into consideration the world's absolutely bonkers obsession with reality TV, as far as I'm concerned, Lauren Conrad gives good lesson.
1) Stand Up For Yourself. If there's one thing Ms. Conrad is famous for doing, it's sticking up for herself. Lauren doesn't mess around. You're her best friend but your boyfriend is a jerk who spreads rumors about non-existent sex tapes? She'll cut you out of her life so fast you'll spend the next 4 seasons (er, months) wondering what hit you.
2) Stand By Your Decisions. Having already made the decision to cut toxic people out of her life, Lauren is not the type to go back on her choices. And it's not about being stubborn; it's about sticking to your guns. A Heidi-Lauren reunion would have been ratings gold, and there's no doubt that producers begged for it, but LC wouldn't budge. The closest MTV got to a "Let's-Be-Besties-Again" episode was Lauren's most famous declaration: "I want to forgive you. And forget you." Which brings me to my next point.
3) Be Honest. Gotta give her credit, girl does not mince words. For example:
Heidi: You think I'm making a really big mistake [marrying Spencer], don't you?
Lauren: Yeah. I do.
Ooh, snap.
(Also, while on The View yesterday, she pulled the plug on MTV's whole "reality" racket. Remember that "apology" from Spencer? Turns out Lauren wasn't even on the other end of the phone!)
4) Keep Your Personal Life Personal. For the main character on one of the world's most famous reality shows, Lauren did manage to keep some modicum of privacy. After learning the hard way that docu-drama dating doesn't lead to much, Lauren made sure to keep her love life off-screen, and it appears to be working out in her favor. The MTV star has been reportedly dating "My Boys" star Kyle Howard for almost 9 months.
5) Avoid Drama. She's considered boring for a reason. In fact, I'm pretty sure the show itself gave up on her. When was the last time a story line (not involving Heidi and Spencer) had anything to do with her?
6) Don't Overpluck Your Eyebrows. Man, oh man, I love her Lauren's eyebrows. The prominence! The arch! The color! The definition! I could go on, but suffice it to say, they're perfect. And while we're on the topic, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: ladies, keep 'em lush. And lastly...
7) Never Choose A Man Over Your Career. It was the decision heard 'round the world--and the one that left Lauren forever known as the girl who didn't go to Paris. And all for who? Jason Wahler?! Sigh. At the very least, LC learns from her mistakes. Let's do the same.