Robyn,

I apologize for the edit. It was midway through production when I realized, "Wait, IMAGE week is over" and I grasped at straws for a phrase to substitute. I failed to properly match the tone of your article and I apologize.

I think you misinterpreted the purpose of my commentary. I was expressing a complicated fascination and repulsion that I have with cosmetic surgery. I did not mean to ridicule celebrities who have had surgery--rather, I meant to lament the fact that they feel the need to get such surgery. I also wanted to question a society that seems to let such radical body modifications go unnoticed. In my opinion, there is something wrong when great looking people feel the need to make themselves look even more perfect. Instead of condemning or mocking it, though, I merely wanted to first make sure that people are aware that it is such a widespread phenomenon. It seems to me that most people don't even register how prevalent it is anymore. This is dangerous because people form unrealistic ideals of beauty.

I didn't mean to demean the intent of groups like IMAGE--in fact, I quite agree with them. We shouldn't expect people to look perfect, particularly if they then feel the need to undergo drastic and dangerous surgeries to acheive an unrealistic ideal. Someone on the Hustler staff edited my piece to say "we have just endured Image week at Vanderbilt," when in fact my original piece said "it is Image week at Vanderbilt," so I can see how it appears that I was criticizing IMAGE.

I agree with you that "It is a shame when celebrities are pushed to the surgical limit," and I'm confused as to why you thought my column was so reckless.