And that's why we laugh at Americans. Laugh more here - www.overheardinusa.com

laires, ireland,

It's great to see how one guy who writes an article on the comparison of American women (most notably LA & NY) and English women can get the back up of so many readers! It's actually pretty comical to see how irate an article can make people.

As someone who has lived on both sides of the Atlantic, I agree that there are differences between American and English women, but just like there will always be differences between women of any culture.

Sarah, London,

Your American friends spend £850 a month on their appearance? Good for them. Frankly, if they want to spend 120% of my monthly salary on that rubbish, then they can go ahead. I'm fine sans make-up, and with a little more disposable income.

Sam, Norwich,

Visit Nebraska? As a resident of Los Angeles I would like to inform you that we (on the West and East coasts) are the real Americans and Nebraskans (southerners and mid-westerners in general) are like our embarrassing, racists cousins we try to keep away from the neighbors. I'm sure you're embarrassed about Benny Hill; I will continue to think of Monty Python as quintessential British humor and you can think of the East and West coasts as quintessentially American.

Blue Stater, Los Angeles, USA/ California

Who does this guy think he is? The USA is the land of milk, honey and the morbidly obese. Americans are the fattest people in the world. They also have a pop culture that celebrates the unnaturally thin and unhealthy.

He comes across as vain, boring, chauvenistic and shallow.

What a loser...

Uni Girl, Auckland, New Zealand

hahahahahaha
how true

cb, singapore, singapore

The author should realize that the girls in LA and New York do NOT represent American women at large. Visit Nebraska sometime, then talk about who spends the most time and money looking good.

Also, "scrappy" is kinda Helena Bonham Carter's thing. Bad example.

Alex, Ann Arbor,

Bleugh. Not surprised this guy's single.

Tabbie, London, UK

Whoa!This guy may feel he has a point but castigating English women is not the way to get it across. He comes off as a chauvinist and a bit of a cad. He just alienates his audience and instead of listening to his point they will concentrate on how rude he is being. If I was an English woman I would be angry. Not to mention his unrealistic notions, "no self-respecting American girl consumes carbohydrates after 2pm", what world is he living in?!? America is ranked 9th on the World Health Organizations worlds fattest country list, the UK is ranked 28th. Someone buy this guy a clue. This article is in poor form indeed.

Amy, Chicago, Il

He's ugly, he's not particularly successful, and he writes with the panache and limited vocabulary of a school child. Why would you take him seriously?

Furrowbrow, Hamburg, Germany

He he he! Who cares? Really?

Deb, Manchester,

Maybe took it a lil tooooo far, but thats the only real way to get a point across

Mae, Phoenix, AZ

Forget the 1800s...just be a little understanding of this man, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Do you all expect men to sleep with your brain? When you walk on the street, do hear "Wow, check out that brain." Regarding our health, let's do something about that. Do you like to kiss an ashtray? No? Well, hello!!!! Be smart, don't smoke or abuse your health. Don't over eat the wrong things. Too much of a good thing can hurt too. - I know, I know it is insulting, but common, there is gotta be a balance...

Misstee, MEXICO, MEXICO

Clearly gay. Women are either too attentive to their looks or not enough? None of them are good enough for him, but none of them want him? He pays attention to fingernails and shoes and admires cattiness? Gay.

Renee, Bloomington, Indiana

Good lord, man! Why on earth would you write such an article??? Gay or devoutly married or hard-up to fund a script, I could almost understand, but still... you clearly were not thinking straight when you wrote this!

Having run in the same international circles, it is easy to conclude from your photograph that you'd be pretty thrilled to get the time of day from a good percentage of British women. Now, all you can expect is the rogue handbag broadsiding you out of nowhere on the King's Rd!

I can also conclude that your confidence in American women likely comes from the D list celebutards who get snapped sitting vacantly in your Merc SUV as you drive away from Katsuya on Hollywood. They're hot but they only hang around as long as you can provide bling, coke, and entertainment connections. And the conversation with these Paris Hilton clones is about as exciting as slow motion snail racing. Not to mention the fake breasts that can take out an eye if you're not careful!

IW, LA, NY, London,

Someone get this man a tardis back to the 1800s

Lashanthie Chandrapala, London , UK

I am appalled at this! I've never read such an offensive and untrue article!

Charlotte, York,

I have the best of both worlds. I am a Yankee who married a beautiful Brit. She emigrated to the States and kept her looks. She is intelligent, frugal and fun without being loud and shallow.

Go to university in the UK and find one for yourself.

Peter, Memphis, USA/TN

has this guy ever watched shallow hal?
what an embarassment. maybe his mother didn't hug him enough as a child....

Jessica Star, London,

English girls suck. They are equally vein and image obsessed. I have found that US women tend to be more open and accepting and spiritual. Yes they are loud but they tell it like is. You have to go up to Englishwoman and work hard to get any kind of response. US women will come up to you.

I'm an Englishman BTW.

Rob, Douglas IOM, Isle of Man

He certainly has a point,having experienced both sides of the Atlanticn.American women win hands down.It is my experience that British women will buy a whole new outfit rather than moderate their diet or engage in exercise.Anyone who doubts the reality of American women Vs British women need only consult the profiles pages at aol or similar.As good a random example of different types of women as any available

andy byrne, kingston upon thames, surrey

Should we really listen to the rantings of a man who is shallow enough to discard an apparently gorgeous and lovely woman on the basis that her hands were too rough? Or a man who is ridiculous enough to suggest women shouldn't eat carbs after 2pm? What a wise opinion to display nationally with eating disorders as much of a problem as they are!
Tad says that American women "look after themselves more". Well, I find that a matter of opinion. Even if they do use more cosmetic procedures, it is still debatable whether procedures such as botox are actually "looking after yourself". Why can't we be natural and age gracefully?
I have no problem with people who choose to use surgery, cosmetic procedures or personal trainers, but why does Mr Safran feel the need to inflict these ideals on everybody? Indulge in beauty routines if you want to... but if not ,"look after yourselves" by knowing how to enjoy life; irrelevant of whether or not you've just had your nails done.

Kay, Merseyside,

He's Single? Really?


Now theres a surprise.

F., MAN, BRITAIN

I read Tad's article and thought he must be a very handsome man, to have such "high" standards for women. Then I saw his photo. I suppose the double chin might be considered "cute", but that is all he has going for him. Where does he get off, really, expecting women (American or British) to slave away before the mirror to amuse him? Shouldn't we just write off his type and look for someone with more character and warmth?

Annalisa, Boston, MA

Should have gone to specsavers

Sca, Bath, England

Tad has only interacted with superficial women in New York and LA. I went to college with several friends who were obsessed with all of the beauty treatments that Tad listed as an "investment in the future." My friends who always went to the gym, ate very little, and had 5,000 skin treatments used to put me down because I eat and do not have the "perfect figure." Unfortunately, I think Tad is so rude towards British women because he puts them down at every turn. Natural beauty is so much more glamorous than the fake beauty you find in New York and LA. By the way, the majority of women in the world could not afford the beauty treatments that Tad insisted are "an investment for the future." If Tad were to date women in San Bernardino, Ca, he probably would say the same horrible things he said about British women. I am sorry that he put anyone down because obiviously he does not realize you can make yourself beautiful on less than fifty dollars a month as opposed to $700.

Julia, Redlands, Ca

Poor Tad,

He feels sad because his friends thought a "plump" girl would be a match for him. I wonder if Tad will be getting lots of dates after this? I would not date him.

Becca, Tampa, Florida

Sienna Miller, Keira Knighley, Yasmin Le Bon?
I think it's a terrible mistake to assume that the majority of UK women under 50 resemble Rosie O'Donnell. I've known lovely British women and also have known slovenly American and French women.
I think if one is looking for a woman who puts a bit of effort into her appearance, you need:
1) A younger woman
2) A recent divorcee'
3) To be in a major urban area.
I'll also say that a hairy, overweight woman will likely not have a great career, nor be a particularly attentive housekeeper, nor will she put some effort into other considerably important areas. You can frequently see (and often, alarmingly enough, smell) these women coming.
But I certainly wouldn't say Britain has any more of them than the US, France, or Latin America. Neither would I say that many Western men aren't flabby, hirsuite, slovenly individuals themselves. (I blame, partially, labour socialism, but that'
s a different toipic.)

Andrew, new york, US

As many beauty supply stores as fast food drive thru's. So yes, we look good, eat awful and love English accents. I am due for my first visit in April'08. Wish me luck.....oh, by the way what kind of car do you drive ;o)

Jasmine, Dallas, US, Texas

£350 on 'standard' beauty?!
it sounds like all of your friends are the wives of very rich men to have all that money and time to spare on 'standard' beauty

Zoe, Salisbury,

Dear Tad,
You didn't say how you felt about moustaches. I have a moustache, perhaps we should meet? xx T

lager woman, London, UK

i reckon that you like kids.

louie, brighton, england

Growing up in an a private school system of middle-to-upper class girls... I can honestly say I don't picture any of them going into that kind of obsessive care over their looks. Not every American girl stepped right out of "The Devil Wears Prada".

Also, as a random addendum - what's with the paragraph about hands? At this point, aren't we falling into the category of 'personal pet peeves'?

Julie Gray, L.A.,

I checked Tad Safran out on http://imdb.com. What a fabulous body of work this man has put together. One of his credits, Doogal (2006), ranks as the 88th *worst* film in the database. The other is The Long Weekend, of which he is the sole writer. I have not seen the film, but the plot keywords intrigued me: "prison rape" and "scatological humor" are probably the most innocuous of the bunch. Do check him out.

Whoever Mr. Safran ends up with in his quest for romance will undoubtedly match him for brains and creative potential.

Mary Smith, New York, NY

People, people. Good god above!
An American screen writer with such parlance. Come on, kudos to the boy for entertaining us and making us his subjects of research.
You all have some kind of balance in your lives as to be able to read the Times online and and reply to it. This is obviously an issue that does not directly affect 90% of you replying.
Enjoy your life/work/depilatory balance and I am sure he will enjoy his balance of Airspace; humanoid or mechanical.

Abenaki, Saigon , Vietnam

Unless you're on some kind of drug-induced delusion, you need to kept away from society.

And American women aren't glamorous or skinny or 'well-maintained'. If you think you only see those types in this huge country, you definitely have big self-esteem issues.

Shwetika Baijal, Boston, United States/MA

Amabel from Winchester, I'm an American male and I have to admit I am not too familiar with the expression "wind up", (I'm just getting used to the expression "spot on" which is gaining momentum in pop culture here) but I understand your point. I have met plenty of attractive women from the UK who have maintained their good looks. What I want to know is, how often do you feel is it necessary for a women to shave their armpits?

George3, Concrod, Mass.

This argument is so sophmoric. I am an American male who has dated several british ladies and they were lovely, reserved, and intillectually superior to most US women. Having said that, I feel sorry for British women because they have lost the faith. This means more than all of the fancy dress and 70 (pound) hair treatments. What a shame that such a beautiful country has lost their Christian identity and spirit-the women are lovely!

Matthew, Chicago, USA/IL

This is a wind up, yes?

Or you have a truly unhealthy obsession with barbie dolls.

amabel, winchester,

What a pig you are. I've lived in New York for a decade- the women you are describing don't even exist on Sex and the City. $700/month on beauty? You have got to be joking. What sorry, pathetic, totally insecure, rich waste-of-oxygen type morons are you hanging out with? I spend less than $100 a month on beauty products and the only thing I have done is a haircut once every three months and the occasional pedicure. I look great!

Maybe you are still single because you are a shallow misogynist!

au naturel, new york, ny

I agree with Tad's comments to a degree. i'm certainly a little slovenly myself from time to time - don't shave my fair legs for weeks on end and trimming downstairs - if i leave it too long i turn around and its like the Jackson 5 back on tour!! I question why he is single? Is he judging the ladeez he meets by how many pedicures/manicures etc they have rather than the actual person they are?

the lovely Raquel, Cheltenham, UK

The writer should count his blessings he doesn't live in Eugene, Oregon. Hairy legs and underarms adorned with tie-dyed longjohns, candlestick breasts from years (decades) of going braless and the ubiquitous granny dresses most folks barely remember from the Woodstock movie are the uniform of the day. White women (and men I'm afraid) with Rastafarian dreads, which hasn't seen a shower head in months along with pungent smell of body odor compounded by stale pot smoke, clove cigarettes and the guilt-free, "organic" tobacco, rounds out the picture.
Celibacy is a reasonable alternative to these "beautues."

WBD, Eugene, US

Really, living in Washington, D.C, surrounded by American women and all their hangups, I would much rather have a average-looking English girl who made me laugh and enjoy that pint of lager. When you get them in the sack, they are both the same--it's the waking hours that matter to me.

American women are too darn boring--I like English women much, much more. And I'm a life-long Yank; I should like the home-grown variety, but I really don't for all the reasons Mr. Safran states.

Poshboy, Arlington, Vriginia

Strong agreement here with David of Wisconsin. Unless you live in the rarefied hyperreality of of Sex and the City or Desperate Housewives, most American women -- let's be honest, most Americans-- are verging on Desperately Obese and strain even the sturdiest spandex. Less fat and more time on the treadmill would benefit both sides of the Atlantic. As for Safran's obsession with cosmetics, many of us red-blooded males who like our beauties au naturel would concur with the ancient Chinese maxim: 'the good-looking woman needs no paint.'

Jon Paul, New York,

How funny! I doubt British women are as ugly as the author seems to indicate. If they are, maybe that explains the falling birth statistics in the UK?

Anyway, I wish American women were less appearance obsessed and more brain and spirit obsessed. I would rather spend time reading a good book or hiking in the wilderness with a friend than getting beauty treatments, and I'd rather invest my money or give it to charity.

Basic things like good hygiene and a sensible diet and exercise are just common sense - beyond that... I tend to like well read, witty people with a spiritual component to their lives, not over-groomed, hot house flowers. I myself am 40 years old, have a few laugh lines (because I don't do plastic surgery) and yet I regularly have younger men hitting on me. It's totally unexpected, frankly, but fun.

Re. British women - the few I know are engaging and charming and are loyal and caring friends. In the long run, those qualities are more important to me than perfect nails.

Shefali, Austin, Texas, USA

While the author is entirely correct about British women, he's offbase about American women. Upper middle-class and above women, especially in major cities, do make this sort of effort. However, this probably describes no more than 15% of American women. Most American women are just..fat--disgustingly so.

David Nystrom, Antigo, Wisconsin, USA

Wow, what an article! How could someone like you still be single?

Bridget, Detroit,

The reason why British women are not obsessed with their looks is because everything is just so expensive here. Once you go out with a british woman you will laugh like you have never laughed before. British women don't care what car you drive or how much you earn and wouldn't dream of asking all these intimate questions. It is just not in our culture to be obsessed with looks we like to put others first.....and no we don't have bad teeth.....but at least out teeth don't glow in the dark when the light is switched off!!.

jennifer , England,

I remember reading some time ago that Parisian women were considered to be the most skilled at beauty upkeep in the Western world. I also remember reading that Parisian wives show few compunctions about yelling at their children, including in public, for stepping out of line.

I don't quite know why I associate those two factoids...

Daniel M. Ryan, Toronto, Canada

Interesting article, even if it irritates.

My first reaction was, boy if Brit women are worse than American women, I feel sorry for Brit men!

I think New York and LA are atypical, though.

Far too many women eat too damn much and exercise not at all. They're even worse than their men.

If you want women who don't turn into the Michelin Man at age 25, go to France. Or check out a Wyoming "cowgal". Nothing cowlike about 'em.

Paul X, Casper, Wyoming

Take it from an American: the women here are no prizes either.

Their physical manifestations are a result of their character, of which not much can be said.

I tried a mail order bride once but it did not work out.

They didn't put holes in the box for air so all I got was a skeleton but at least a complete adult skeleton sells well on E-bay.

Ok the last part is a joke - c'mon lighten up people it's just an article and one persons opinion.

JSB, Seattle, WA

The women who are spluttering with indignation over this need to get a grip. I'm 31 and sick of watching overweight, lardy 20somethings, with muffin tops and drooping breasts, waddle about the streets of Britain. Or 30somethings who seem to think drinking a bottle of wine with a bag of kettle chips a night is fine.

I'm British, but in terms of looks, makeup, and maintenance, am completely American. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in your appearance, and everything wrong with pretending it doesn't matter. And before you all start telling me I'm superficial, I'm a teacher. Yes, you can have looks and brains! Wow!

Cassie, Stevenage, UK

Is this boy nearsighted? Where has he been in USA? Inside a movie? The quantity of fat women I saw in my last visit was enormous. Junk food and beer are the gods of choice. Maybe all his English women friends were fat but not fatter than American average females.

Susy Wagg, Sao Paulo, Brazil

What a loser. Safran, grow up.

Signed...an American woman who niether needs to, nor can justify spending as much as you say your female friends do, on my own "upkeep."

Forget marrying a beautiful British rose. Consider ragweed. More your speed.

tara, ny, ny

I can't believe anyone is complaining about this article at all. It's hilarious!

Sorry ladies, but you DO need to make an effort with your appearances. There is NO reason you can't be beautiful AND have a wonderful personality. All my Australian friends (and myself) manage it.

American women aren't that great either though. Obesity epidemic anyone?

Seriously, if you take offence to this article, go find a reflective surface and FIX YOURSELF! You don't live alone in the jungle, other people have to see, smell and talk to you.

Really, it's not hard at all to be drop dead gorgeous, nor does it have to be as expensive as the American women think. Wear nice clothes, wash your face, style your hair and cut back on the freeking potato chips. It takes about 5 minutes a day. Learn how to do it right.

Lauren, Coffs Harbour, Australia

I am much too busy getting my hair colored and having my bikini line deforested to take the time to decipher whether this is a joke or not. For Mr. Safran's sake I hope he is having fun with this.

Heather, Portland, Maine

GET A GRIP! WHY GO TO EITHER EXTREME?!? looking after yourself nicely is just like goodhousekeeping...what's the big deal??I like a clean and tidy house, I like a clean and tidy body- we are social beings and part of grooming is for others in our world who have to look at us,why not be somebody easy on the eyes...and nose..what is wrong with being a pleasure to be around- case in point- i have a beautiful friend very talented artist,very vry pretty-gorgeous yes english-girl, has a sence of style, BUT SHE ONLY BATHES,WASHES HER HAIR ONCE A MONTH..SHE SLEEPS WITH HER KITTENS,THIS GIRL smells..of cat and old curry...as much as i love to meet up with her,i can't stand the odour , her nail polish is months old,toe nails disgustingly dirty and over grown- all you posters who bitterly argue agaisnt tads article,go get cleaned up..do it for your friends.. you can be smart AND clean

lady, berkshire,

This is utter and ubelievable crap! I'm a very attractive and intelligent US female, and if that's your picture...ummm wouldn't date you. I'm dating a British man and couldn't be happier. He is so much less egotistical and arrogant than American men. And, guess what....he actually has a real high paying job and owns a home, yet doesn't 'pretend' he has money to lure women into dates or bed with him, or use women as sex toys. He is very respectful, courteous, gentlemanly, and romantic. I am of average weight and work out consistantly....not anorexic....but 130 pounds and 5'6" more the curvy type Jessica Simpson girl. I get monthly pedicures and facials that HE pays for, not me. I take pride in my appearance, but have let it go as far as me fasting anorexic days in which i ran up credit cards on new beauty creams and $100 a session work outs as he thinks I'm very beautiful the way I am. It's not a British woman thing or an American woman thing....it's narcissitic US Men!!!!!!!!!

lola, san diego, usa

I don't even have words for this. Please introduce me to Sophie -- I would choose her over you in a heartbeat. I don't care HOW clean your shirt is.

Marcia, Burlington, VT,

Can everyone please get a sense of humour!! Cat

cat , london,

Dear Ted,
I sympathise with the terrible problem of being single and not being able to find a beautiful and intelligent British woman to show any interest in you. Perhaps a less narcissistic and less image-driven approach would help to ease your idealistic expectations of what it is that makes a woman sexy and attractive. It may also lessen the chances of young British females being driven to suffer from eating disorders (as a result of reading articles such as yours!) I suspect that if you were to be less critical of women everywhere and less prone to generalising outrageously about their looks and habits, you might have some better luck soon...

Bridget, Swansea, UK

The author needs to get out more often - out of LA and NYC. The "American Woman" he represents does not actually exist outside those two cities.

Katherine, Seattle,

Commenters-- don't buy into this game. This article doesn't say anything about relative beauty; all it does is reveal the name and identity of a 'man' who refers to women as 'orcs' and cows and, therefore, should be robustly ignored by self-respecting ladies on both sides of the Atlantic.

Good luck finding dates, Mr Safran.

Rachel, Cambridge, UK

I'm an American girl, but seriously, dude....where did you get that ridiculous statistic about our monthly beauty budget? The author divides his time between New York and L.A., which, un-coincedentally, are international capitals of the fashion and entertainment industries. This means that the bar for physical attractiveness is set much higher and the bar for brains and emotional depth is significantly lower. He then extrapolates this to cover all American women , who in reality are far less looks-obsessed and far more interesting than the artificially-enhanced bimbos he is meeting. In other words, most of us are probably very similar to the British women he maligns so viciously.

Having spent significant time on both sides of the pond, I do have to admit a definite preference for American men. ..and this author has done nothing to change my mind about that.

Megan, Louisville, Kentucky

I love how the expert on women is a man. We like to think that things have changed, but they really haven't.

Monika, Edmonton, Canada

size 12 is not slim?? do you know how hard I work to maintain a size 12 and now I read it's not even considered slim??

divvy, maidenhead,

Here is a typical arrogant elitist well educated (but not mature) American travelling all sides of the world making money by apparently writing trite articles like this one…

What a superior, shallow attitude towards women. Apparently he is mixing with a crowd that is giving him what he deserves. Let him look a bit further and he will find what he wants… although I sincerely think what he wants to find wouldn’t take satisfaction with him.

Grow up little man…. And enter the real world….

G , The Hague, The Netherlands

As an American living and studying in the U.K. I must say I feel a little less groomed in the U.K. - it is just too expensive for a simple mani-pedi that is half the quality of those in the U.S.

I think on both sides of the pond you can find extremes. The British women that I am friends with in the U.K. all care about the way they look, are well groomed and are above the age of 23.

GG, Chevy Chase, MD , Leeds, UK

It's a "grass is greener on the other side" perspective, to be sure. The author definitely saw the very wealthiest American women at their best.

I can assure him that we have plenty of slovenly, fat, ugly, and even downright DIRTY women waddling all around America, usually going into or coming out of a Wal-Mart. We call them "trailer trash."

Calybos, Atlanta, GA

While I don't care one way or another about Todd(?)'s opinion, I did want to say that while I have Nick from London and Ed from Cambridge as countrymen, I'm very proud to be British.

Marnie Goodbody, Ely, UK

what's wrong with generalising on people who know how to do something better than oneself...some of you posters just sound envious... I believe beauty will save humanity...but you have to have completeness to be called beautiful...inside,outside,lifestyle..the whole package..the most beautiful people I ever met were Hungarians-who would have thought

mary fairy, london,

Single? I'm shocked!

Lyo, Pittsburgh,

Sexist, at all points of view.

Émile, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada

i think theres some truth in what he writes...I'm an American woman living in the Uk for the last 15 years, and it is sad to watch the women over go frumpy- and they do not age gracefully but why not include the French and Spanish women-I am not offended by his article,men can't help but be fascinated by us..so what it's a superficial article-not every aspect of our lives needs to be deep and meaningful - he writes very well

divvy, berkshire,

I couldn't have put it better myself. Well said Tad. I am sending this to all of my female friends who wonder why I only like foreign girls and have given up meeting their own 'gorgeous' single friend who I am 'bound to fancy'.

Lawrence , London,

LOL this is hilarious! The rest of you haters need to relax. The orc comment is the best.

Olivia, San Francisco, California

It appears the one thing that British and American PAPERS share is the willingness to publish polemic tripe in order to get a rise.

Alison, Halifax, CA

Wow, I'm not sure what kind of women the author has been talking to, but in my experience, the average American woman is too busy trying to balance her career, finances, friends, and family to expend all that time and money on beauty treatments. I thought this was an incredibly lazy and sexist take on the issue at hand. I'm not surprised the author's friends keep introducing him to ugly women. With attitudes like his, I'm surprised he can get any self-respecting female to sit at a dinner table with him for more than five minutes, let alone sleep with him.

Sowell, Boston,

It's nice to see that the average American woman has the disposable income to spend that much on their appearance. Now I'm 18 and apparently "looking good takes no effort" which I can tell you it does. However I think there are more important things than beauty products to spend my money on such as gaining my degree at University for example unless you Mr Safron would like to pay my tuition fees and cost of living and do all my studying and assignments for me while I spend all my time and money I have on beauty products and making myself look nice. Somehow I don't think so.

Katy, Leeds,

Umm, Tad.... a. your mani-pedis put you squarely in the metrosexual camp and b. that unibrow of yours gives every indication that you have a large endowment--no, no not there--of back hair. I would get thee, and fast, to a laser clinic.

Allison, New York, NY

Get a grip buddy. Maybe the women on the upper east side of New York spend $1,700 a month on beauty and fitness routines, but no 'average' woman would consider that.
British women are bred with greater confidence than their North American counterparts, and that tends to make them very sexy indeed. You need to grow up, or just move to California, the land of lipo and date a barbie doll there.

honestly....

T, New York,

Nepha in New York said: Please tell me this is supposed to be along the lines of Swift's "A Modest Proposal."

Probably so, but a far more ham-fisted attempt that, by comparison to the subtleties of Swift's classic, is a whole bucket 'o fail.

D. Shaw, Houston, TX

The writer is single? I shall try to contain my amazement.

And to be honest, if putting more effort into my appearance would 'get' me a man like him, I'd be more likely to resort to backcombing and baggy jumpers. Anything to keep them away.

felicity, frome, england

Clearly, this author is not a) hanging out in the right places, b) would better invest in his chick potential by actually having a conversation with a women and not categorically sizing her up like a gay fashion designer and c) a pig. Feet bouncing on your shoulders? The definition of crass. I know British women who spend PLENTY of money grooming themselves and talking about money, and PLENTY of naturally beautiful American and American-hyphneate women who could care less about your investment portfolio, mainly because they have one of their own. Catch up, Safran. Piggy days are over. While you're at it, why don't you consult a plastic surgeon for a chin lift, an eye lift and no doubt a tummy tuck...

Suzanne Kim Lee, New York, NY

I just want to say , as an Anerican woman who has lived in the UK, Mr. Safran is unbelievably naive.

His generalizations are just that, generalizations. He bases his expericence of American women on women in New York City and Los Angeles, two of the wealthiest cities in America, while blatantly ignoring the rest of the country.

He bases his experiecnce with British women on a single blind date and a trip to a beauty parlor.

Really, sir, get off your high horse.

Or maybe not, that may be the only ride you're getting from now on.

JMiller, Reading, PA

Dude, you aren't goodlooking. That comes from a manicured American. I'm sorry the poor British girls have to put up with you. Come over here again, and next stop, we'll straighten you out. But good.

Ciar Cullen, Princeton, New Jersey USA

I'm guessing you are single and will be staying that way for a while.

J Stutt, Bethesda, MD

Perhaps its a legacy of our class system in the UK; but women here are judged and awarded for not only for their looks but also their personality and sense of humour. My American husband tells me that if you crack a joke in a room full of American "beauties" you are talking to yourself. English girls "give as good as they get" and are just as attractive, if not more so, as their American counterparts. Tad should realise that by judging women on their looks alone, he is missing the point. I went out with Tad some time ago, and even then he was fixated with the superficial. Some of his friends commented on how humourless his girlfriends usually were. Tad, as you take the stand as a self-appointed trans-Atlantic relationship guru, perhaps reflect for a moment on your own views. Even if you would prefer a woman who never gets your jokes and contains more plastic than a Skalextric set, do you really think you are entitled to beat English women over the head for being genuine.

SC, London,

I think Mr Safron needs to pluck his eyebrows.

Elisa, London, Uk

As a United States female teenaged citizen, this article made me want to laugh. Considering the average income of a US family is $40,000 (roughly 20,000 pounds), does he honestly think that the average woman spends about 21% of income on their beauty? I understand that the international stereotype might deem us that shallow, but we're not that bad... That's not to say we're completely unaware; women in general still wear makeup and are self-conscious about appearences, but not nearly to the extent he makes us all out to be.

The fact remains is that Mr. Safran has described the smallest fraction of US women. Has he ever been in other places besides the areas we ourselves stereotype as superficial regions? Does he honestly think most women are tactless enough to ask personal information out of a complete stranger? Not only that, does he, a male, honestly think he can describe all of the British women?

In my opinion, Mr. Safran does a disservice to women on both sides of the pond.

Saoirse O'Connor, San Francisco, California, United States

After reading the article and replies it just plain saddened me. As a teacher in an American school I just about cry when I see the anorexic children this looks obsessed society has created. It is thinking like his and what you see, read, are told by mothers that is so harmful for our young. Anorexia as well as other eating disorders, is happening at the 4th grade level. Thats about age 10 people. I find his attitude absolutely disgusting, loathsome and unconscionable! You will never know the heartache this kind of thinking brings until you have lost a child or loved one to an eating disorder.

Stacey Mortenson, Santa Rosa, CA

British women (and men) are hands down more attractive than the average American wo/man.
In Ny, yes the women are beautiful. Yes, they put themselves together exceptionally well. But even in NY, most women do not spend that kind of money on upkeep--unless they work in
he fashion industry.
As for LA, yes it's different. But do you really want to look like that? A woman who has plastic surgery doesn't look younger...she looks like she's had plastic surgery.
The only points I remotely agree with? American women tend to style/blowdry/gel their hair more. Even a "pony tail" is done with care. This is even true in the South. Also, American women tend to be either overweight or health obsessed--sunscreen, less drinking, quitting smoking by 30ish etc.
Still, this guy is a tool. Spending too much time in vapid LA.

ef, NY,

The number of falsities and misogynistic claims in this article is astounding. But, whether American and British women differ in how they care about their looks is beside the point. Most revelatory and glaringly obvious is Tad's proclivity for beautiful women who are pathologically concerned with their appearance, spending a disproportionate amount of their time and earnings on transforming their physical selves. Laudatory. Tad observes though that British women are best to have a pint with. I have an inkling that Tad isn't really best for anything.

Given Tad's preference for British character and American vanity and conceit, perhaps Tad would benefit from scientist and author David Levy's book, "The Evolution of Human -Robot Relationships: Love and Sex with Robots." Levy thinks that by 2050, not only will we be having sex with robots, but we'll be marrying them. "Just think of all those lonely people who have no one to love and no one to love them. Robots can provide a solution."

Lara Graves, Toronto, Canada

Great article, I am American raised and could not of agreed more! Just read it after an English exboyfriend sent it to me stating it agrees with what I have been saying about English females all along. I hope the miserable man has a bit of a better understand about me and my American view on life after he read it. I am off to Europe for a few days and can't wait to go shopping for proper cosmetics, soaps and perfumes. Then pamper myself in the spas. hehe - the british girls don't know what they are missing!!!

Emma D'Aubrey, Dudley,

I don't know where the author meets the American girls, because girls from NY and LA cannot be generalized as the average "American girl"...He is going to have to take a Bus trip around Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee or let's say...Arkansas and then I want to hear his opinion...I'm sure he won't find any of his friends around there...

Another foreigner in US., Boston, US

The most telling sentence is "The author is a screenwriter." This is purely a work of fiction, and if you can't see that right away, you're a moron. He's lying about everything he writes here, but of course with good reason. Behind the fictionalization of his own life, he's nevertheless making the valid and 100% true point that the majority (though not all) British women are frumpy and allow themselves to go to seed prematurely. This is why I left Britain and moved to Asia where, in 5 minutes walking down the street, you can see more gorgeous women than you can in a whole week in Britain.

NJ, Hong Kong, China

i thought this was one of the most amusing articles ive ever read on the times website!!let the man have his say!

O Young, uk,

NOTE Tad is still single... He gets mani/pedis... Tad, did you know you're GAY! And these girls you know who spend $1700 / month on beauty? They are either high-priced call girls or transvestites... or both!

I noticed he didn't mention the high rate of anorexia and bulimia and other eating disorders among young American women. 90% of women are targeted with the illness. So this means for every 200 women, 1 in 6 are anorexic and unfortunately up to 20% of these women will die of this disorder.

Connie, Burbank, CA

Ignoring the obnoxiousness of this article in general, I'd love to know where the author picked up his summary of Bridget Jones' Diary. He certainly hasn't seen the film / read the book, both of which emphasize the fact that Bridget finds love by NOT changing herself at all.
I'm off to eat another lard sandwich and have a fag.

Brit in America, Princeton, USA

I don't see any problem with it as long as there are enough ugly men to go around :)

Jane, Coventry/Nuremberg,

British, size 12-14, 61 years old. I cannot afford $700
a month but what do I do:

ultra-healthy food, no alcohol at all and lots of fruit and veg.
very little red meat, drink lots of water
facial once a month and according to the beautician and
according to my daughter my skin is great for my age
haircut good hairdresser every six weeks
use concealer and expensive base
gymnastics once a week (have a full time job)
and spotless clothes which people seem to like.
That is the way most of my friends live too.
We are happy with it.

Judy, London,

Whie in Italy last year, my wife and I could not believe how few women - the celebrated Italian women! - had nice make-up or manicure/predicure, wearing open sandals and open-toe shoes. It's not that they had no polish - no, it would be chipped and neglected.

The rabidly anti-American Europeans keep talking about how fat and dumb American women (and men) are, and the lefty media pander to that view. The truth is that the average American woman is MUCH better groomed - and SMARTER - than the average western European woman. I saw a show on BBC where a "reporter" was interviewing "randomly" selected people in the street and taking delight in their dumb answers. Journalism? Hardly. I met some really - really - dumb (and ugly) people in Italy, Germany (oh, God, Germany!), UK and France. You can find that anywhere. Comparing rich Euro elites to high-school-ed level Americans is not likely to shed light on why American beat European in just about any measure of personal and societal success

Paul Olszewski, San Francisco, CA

I oo an am American who lived in the UK for five years, By and large, hyperbole aside, I tend to agree with the writer. British women have an appalling sense of dress -they look as if they just flung their clothes on without looking at a mirror. The treat their hair as if is just an annoying growth on top of their head which is best ignored. They do have large breasts, if that's your taste, but it's hard to regard those breasts as anything but udders. I have met interesting, fascinating women in England but they do their best to disguise it.

Victor Mainwaring, Culpeper, Virginia

You're living in your own little world if you honestly believe that most women spend $700 a month on beauty. Your friends are being ripped off or overly indulgent if they are paying that much money for lotion and make up.

You expect women to be flawless but you're no catch yourself. I don't get it?

Georgia, Portland, USA

So American women are beautiful twits and British women are doughy intellectuals? Mr. Safran seems to have fallen into the trap of thinking that women cannot be good-looking and smart at the same time. Perhaps he's not meeting women who are both because he is neither?

Mary, Boston, MA, USA

nobody falls in love with a good first impression!

siobhan ward-farrell, portsmouth, england

Ok we can't generalise in absolute terms but there is a certain truth behind why you can find more beautiful women in the States than in UK.. Besides the comparative number of ppl living there, american people are mixed from different european, asian, african etc. backgrounds, which undoubtedly improved a few genes as a result, including the looks. Most of the British people are not and their looks haven't evolved much.. I believe that mixed people are in general more good-looking than those who aren't.
And as to those critising guys who found themselves happy with girls of a different culture or race, get over it. Maybe they are just open minded enough to see beyond cutural and racial stereotypes, and found love this way. Not everyone is desperate nor cycnical

Alex, London, UK

That was a really funny article, keep up the good work :D

Nicholas Morgan, Toulouse, France

Well done, ladies! Evidently Tad has failed to detect and override the Boor Repellant that every British women keeps in her grooming kit. Perhaps it's time to be charitable and share the secret with our American sisters.

Bella Furie, London, England

Now, why did I waste my time reading that piece of fantasy when I could have been reading my recipe cards ?

JaC, Columbus, Ohio

American women (in general) don't put as much effort into their appearance as this article claims. Maybe wannbe models and actresses in LA and New York (and people who think they need to keep up with them), but no one normal and sane would spend $700/month on beauty products and go to week long "bikini boot camps" in Mexico.

I've never met any British women, but considering the author's ridiculous point of reference, they can't be half as bad as he makes them out to be.

John Branson, Minneapolis, MN, USA

It's funny to read all this from self described "screenwriter" Tad Safran. A quick glance at the Internet Movie Database (generally a quite thorough source" shows that the description is a pretty generous one. 2 scripts, neither of them recognizable. Is Mr. Safran taking his frustration over his own career failings out on the women he has dated? Perhaps it becomes irritating to date women who are successful when you are yourself still living in a career fantasy. Well, if they are are more successful than he is or are seeing through the "screenwriter" line, why not hit back with a critique of the failings of their manicurist? Myself, I think it would be more effective in the long run for Mr. Safran to take a good long look in the mirror and ask himself is so unsatisfied by. Is it the women he finds himself with or the person he sees in his own reflection. I suspect the latter. A sad little man more than anything else.

Sonja Singh, Toronto, Canada

why should british women bother making themselves pretty? the men are hideous!

nancy, wells, ME

The Gender Wars play out differently in different places. Tad's generation has parties where women are expected to be hot and flash their breasts to win the approval of men (Chicago). They're not supposed to quibble with that or they're square. In NYC I've seen intelligent beautiful women endure boorish boyfriends who are behaviorally about ten years old. They can't wait to get the the Wii or get home to their Playstation. Mmm isn't that appealing... women have their choice of juvenile adult-brats. To be sure though, women get to put up with ignoramuses like Tad in most places. Tad's personal qualities are unknown, but hopefully women are judging him with the same god-like impartiality that Tad prefers. I love that he expects women to spend 700 dollars a month on upkeep and appearance although Tad looks like he spends about thirty bucks. All to meet his genders desire for superficiality exactly where it is. Only the oblivious could write remarks liek that without any self-reflection.

Jasper von Blowhole, Trenchtown, Earth

What can you expect from someone who lives in Los Angeles, the place that elevated artificiality to heights never imagined...I lived in England for 19 years & if not married to a fantastic lady when I arrived, could have easily created a harem of stunning, British women over the age of 45...fantastic creatures, lovely in appearance, stimulating in conversation, comfortable in their personas...the author needs to get out of London once in awhile.

Patrick, Dayton, Ohio USA

To all the vacuous, superficial and hysterical women of the world: Please take Tad's advice so you can skim men like him from the genepool and leave behind the men of quality for women of substance.

Dot, London, U.K.

Ridiculous stereotypes, intentionally inflammatory statements, and low-brow humor aside, the true crime in this article is the lack of logic and reason evident in your assessment.

Just one example...

Hypocrisy: Expecting women to be superficial enough to obsess over their appearance, while simultaneously excoriating them for being so superficial as to judge men based on salaries.

Besides, how will these "real" women (aka feminine and beautiful) afford these requisite and staggering beauty fees without the financial contributions of a "real" man (aka wealthy and most importantly, generous)? Perhaps screening out financially undesirable males who are unable to keep them looking the way those men expect them to look is merely...an "investment in their future." ; )

Lisa, Silicon (not Silicone) Valley, CA, USA

This article was meant to inflame, amuse and challenge. It achieved all of its objectives. It had me laughing out loud. For those who take PERSONAL umbrage, buy, borrow or steal a sense of humor.

Mary, California,

What sensible woman would spend money on a wax to impress the likes of Tad Safran? If I had to sit out dinner with a vitrolic bore like him, I'd turn up unkempt too. To quote the WWI poster: Women of Britain say: "Go!" (And don't come back!)
Sophie, Brussels

Sophie, Brussels, Belgium

Reading about what is considered "normal" in some circles in LA and NYC, I am newly proud to live in the common sense Midwest. Really, does this fellow think women should spend hundreds a month to look nice for jerks like him?

Claire, Saint Louis, MO, USA

I assure you that the vast majority of American women don't spend anything remotely close to $1,700 per month on personal "maintenance."
With mortgages, car payments, school loans and other financial obligations, many of us feel lucky to get to the hairdresser every few weeks. Tad Satran's U.S. female friends sound enormously rich and self-absorbed. Let them dedicate their lives to looking good for Tad and his ilk--the rest of us have worthier goals to pursue.

Jane, Baltimore, MD

Even though I spent my teen years represented by IMG models, I currently dress down so misogynist tripes like Mr. Hitchins leave me the hell alone.

Elizabeth, Washington , DC

All that grooming is possible in the US because entire armies of illegal immigrants from poor countries work in the beauty industry for next to nothing.
Give credit where it's due.

Norm, Rockville, md

All that time in Los Angeles has severly warped the author's view of the "typical" American woman. Spending $1,700 per month on grooming and physical conditioning?! Surely you jest. Perhaps that's the norm in the ultra-narcissistic world of LA/Hollywood, but that should in no way be construed as representative of American women in general.

That's like drawing conclusions about the the political beliefs of Americans from spending time in San Francisco. Interesting, maybe, but certainly not typical.

Dan, St. Louis, USA

Sure, this article is *meant* to be snide, ironic, or tongue-in cheek. But the attitude it very real. Men do think this way. Most guys won't give a normal girl (not gorgeous but not ugly) the time of day. Even if you take time to groom yourself, buy flattering clothes, go to the gym three times a week, have a college education, and are good at holding up your end of the conversation, it doesn't matter if you're not gorgeous as well. Come on guys, adtmit it. You'd take a barbie doll over an interesting girl in a heartbeat, especially if your friends were watching.

Amy, San Francisco,

I'm sure its been mentioned already, but looking at two extremes is not the way to make a judgement unless you are a fanatic of some kind.

While I have never been to England, I will say the reason that so many American women spend so much time on their looks is because many American men have made the standards of "beauty" ridiculously high; to the point where any flaw is bad. This creates alot of unhealthy competetion in many women, where the competing factor is how easily a man will sleep with you. This in effect kicks out ALOT of young shallow women who base their self worth on their ability to get a man using looks alone.

Is this better than the women you mention that spend no time on their outward appearance? Absolutely not... but I'd wager that the majority of women from each country lie somewhere in between the two polarities you've depicted.

Grant Loomis, Tualain, OR, USA

To the irritated female posters on this thread who are miffed with Taddie and his article: Relax and take this piece for what it really is—a not-so-thinly-veiled advertorial for the beauty industry. AND it’s been fun to read it—VERY amusing—there’s no denying the author clearly has talent for making people laugh.
And I don’t truly believe that he meant A SINGLE WORD here. I assume he knew full well what he was doing. He must have anticipated the avalanche of angry responses flooding in from both sides of the Atlantic as well as from other places, not that he could be daunted by this. While there are so many women who feel wronged by some of his generalizations, yet there are many, many more of the female sex out there—have no doubt of it—for whom Tad’s article went straight home. These persons won’t post angry comments, instead they will rush to the mirror, take a long hard look at themselves and quietly start considering a visit to the beautician/manicurist/pedicurist/ cosmetic surgeon (even!) /hiring a personal trainer/consulting a personal shopper. And they can’t be blamed, can they? As a male poster on this thread said a real woman, MUST be beautiful and well-groomed (yes, that’s the curse, or the blessing, whichever you like, of the female sex)!!!
To R Ferguson, Moscow, Russia
Being a Russian woman myself, I may assure you that NO, not all of us are ‘predominantly shallow’ as you put it, far from it. Though I do think that some chicks here are obsessed about the way they look a tad too much (mass culture to blame), there are lots and lots of Russian women with good education, brains, character, personality AND stunning natural beauty to match!!! And believe me it’s women like this that are REAL FUN to be with. So your post tastes of sour grapes.

Elaine, Moscow, Russia

This is obviously an extreme argument, made to make a point... but he can't honestly even believe himself that LA is representative of American women. As a San Franciscan.... just to let you know.... we hate LA for the same reason you're exaulting it.... fake teeth, fake boobs, fake hair, fake tan, fake nails. Those are not 'women' but some cookie cutter image of what a man wants and who are these women who have $1000 plus to spend on highlights??

Give me a natural, and yes well-groomed, woman over an LA Barbie anyday.

EB, San Francisco, Ca

Yeah - like British middle-aged men are SO dreamy... like - say - Christopher Hitchens.

MMcClure, San Francisco,

As a 23 year old American female who has lived in both the UK and America, I can't completely agree with your sentiments. Pockets of America such as Southern California and large metropolitan cities such as NYC and DC skew the statistics for the rest of the country. I grew up in Southern California, around the superficial self-obsession with combating the effects of age, but I've traveled enough of America to know that's not the norm.As a whole, I would say American women are well groomed and place importance on appearances, but so do many British women. I must admit the thing I find refreshing about UK women, is not that they don't care about what they look like, but that for the most part, they are comfortable with themselves. British women embrace healthy curves and there isn't the ever-present self-loathing to be a twig.I embrace that because while a woman should be healthy, she shouldn't make her appearance her first priority. Beauty truly is more than skin deep. We need balance.

Jackie, Orange County, CA

I'm an American female. I work on my appearance, am not obese, consider myself a "regular" woman. But normal people do not, I repeat do not, spend $1000 or more a month on their appearance. Sure, if I was a rich man's wife or a Hollywood-ite or on the NY social scene, it might be possible. Instead, I'm just a lawyer in Florida. I'm allegedly among the top 10% of earners in the entire country and I promise you I could not afford $1000 a month on grooming. California and NY have clearly warped Tad's mind. Visit the United States sometime why don't you?

Y, Orlando, FL

What a silly argument - everybody knows that Australian women are top of the tree.

Zoe, Sydney, Australia

There is grooming and there is the madness of me, myself and my reflection. In the land of the narcissist nutters, the sane will appear mad. Will you be writing an episode of Nip/Tuck when the screenwriter strike is over?
You have made a name for yourself Tad but Toby Young is so much more funny, sorry.

D, London ,

I wonder what kind of exhalted circles he moves in but as he is in the movie business one can guess.
Whenever one sees an 'ordinary' woman interviewed in the street in USA she is nearly always obese and in dire need of some of the treatments Mr Safran describes. The starlets and wanabees he obviously associates with are so far removed from reality and obsessed with personal appearance they are untypical of the regular US woman.
The egregious and massive consumerism that keeops the US engine going is also part of the pattern.
Most women in UK cannot afford to spend 3-400 pounds a month on their appearance.

bill, hull, uk

I dont agree with Tads article.
However - please take note. As a british man Ive spent the last ten years being told how we british men must improve our act. I find it revealing the level of vitriol on here and the numbers of respondents.
Yes - this article is looking at extreme and men want brains. However theres some truth in what he says about our sexuality and how, like many other things - we've lost the basics of relationships in this country. I work in Amsterdam and my partner is an Aussie, so I see the differences.
Some British women have become expectant and complacent. The amount of angry replies on here reflects that. If its ok to knock men for being ignorant, fat, smelly or whatever in mags, then its ok to write articles like this. Why?
Because thats sexual equality sisters...

Tony, Bristol, Avon

Sorry, but this "informal poll" of women is complete crap. In no way do LA and NYC women represent the whole of American women. They represnt about 0.5% of the population and live in cities that are all about juding how tan your skin is and how white your teeth are. The average American women does not visit the salon, nail spa and cosmetic dentist monthly!!! I am an American living in the UK and I think English women are gorgeous! The "Yummy Mummy" label didn't get made up for no reason!

Emily, expat, London,

I dont agree. My girlfriend four years ago lived in Rome where I am and was english. She was the most beutiful girl I ever was with. She was 19. We left each other 3 years ago and she is back in england now but this month was in rome. My friend and I met her and she is 23 now but still beutiful. Never met a american or italian girl/woman so pretty. And she was very intelligent but no did not spend lots on her nails but did go gym sometime.

Luca, Roma, Italy

I am pretty sure you were only looking at the extreme ends of things. I've met some, make that a lot of naturally beautiful women from both the UK and the US.

The best are still in Canada though!! ; )

Ash, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

I have often suspected that Earth supports more than it's fair share of dim-witted, humourless people. However, on the bright side, many of the comments are actually more humorous than the article. Tongue-in-cheek is not a physical exercise.

Graham, Vancouver, Canada

I should hope most British women would not spend outlandish sums on such "simple investments for the future"! Evidently we have better things to do with our time & money (if we have that much left over to waste).

Margaret , Cambridge, England

Oh Tad. You silly, silly, boring, juvenile man. If and when some lucky goddess gains your approval and your commitment, I just know you'll deserve each other. Please don't breed. Julia, NZ.

Julia, Wellington, New Zealand

We're laughing at you Tad, not with you.

Awww bless, are you trying to be funny?

Sarah, Gillingham,

If you're so delighted with how down to earth and self-effacing British women are, what are you playing at throwing this kind of poisonous crap at them? It's appalling. Perhaps their first priority isn't your opinion of their palms.

K.Smith, London, UK

Not all of us consider the Buchenwald-survivor look to be the height of beauty.

As a native New Yorker, I'll take the lovely English Rose, at any age, over the emaciated American bimbette.

Frederick Ewing, New York, New York, USA

I'm an Australian woman and I understand why British women don't take the trouble with their appearance and American women have no social skills when they're with you: they're trying to protect themselves from having to deal with men like you.

wonderfulworld, sydney, australia

As a woman born and raised in NYC I read this "article" with stunned amazement. Who are these creatures Tad is referring to??? Surely this must be satirical, but wait there's not a modicum of wit. Only the musings of a pompous, self-inflated fool. Tad was right about one thing...the women of Britain are natural beauties. Please don't be fooled into thinking Tad's piece is anything more than a piece of sub-par fiction.

Anita, New York, New York,

Tad, you are blind to the truth. Go back to New York or LA and walk around these two fine cities and you will see you have it backwards. Anyway, where did you get the amounts of monies these imaginary ladies spent on themselves every month. Come on wake up man and look around you not just at your peer group.

C Booth, Vancouver, Canada

i hardly know anyone who MAKES $1700 a month, let alone spends it on their appearance. this guys opinion of "american women" is apparently based on about a hundred girls in LA and NYC. he can have his plastinated social climbers-- i promise, we won't miss them.

an american girl, portland, or

"The author is a screenwriter (single) ."

Gee, I wonder why. What a total gorm.

Wanda, San Francisco, USA

I lived in London for 3 years. Your article made me giggle multiple times as it is true really true. Services such as mani/pedi's and waxing which are a normal part of life many American gals wouldn't cross the mind of the Brits. They are truely very expensive there in comparison though.

Katie, Chicago, IL

this is all a joke. a good one at that.

thomas, la jolla,

The good news for men, by the way, is they are convinced that the best way to prove they are equal to a man is by sleeping with him. Um . . . Go ahead, that’ll teach me.

------


Sshhhhhhh! You're going to ruin it!

rosignol, Seattle, USA

Camilla Parker Bowles, now that's one fine momma.

Bill, Vancouver, Canada

In Noo Yor-r-k City, there is a church that is inconspicuously located about 2000 feet from the (former) World Trade Center.

Thirty years ago, the pastor there had a practice of writing little sayings directly on the pavement in chalk. To this day, I still remember this one .....

Women sell a false appearance; men buy them with false promises.

Shakespear never said is so well!

(Note this church is NOT the pitch black one directly east of the World Trade Center. It is about 1000 feet north-east of the site)

TheProphit, New York City,

Please tell me this is supposed to be along the lines of Swift's "A Modest Proposal."

Neha, New York, NY

The "average" American woman spends $1700/month on personal grooming and exercise? That's about half of what an "average" woman earns a year before taxes. You've been spending far too much time in LA. Even my friends who are far more affluent don't spend that kind of money. But then again, a woman who earns over $100k per year doesn't have her self-worth tied into her looks... and is too busy to go for a manicure every week. We do make an effort but it doesn't consume us.

Michele, Los Gatos, CA

I have cousins in England and they sent me this article. This is hilarious! As for beautiful girls in LA, yeah there's lots of them. I attend one of the CSU universities, in my university there's about 20,000 students. Majority are residents of California. There's so many beautiful girls on my campus, whether they're White, Asian, Indian, Hispanic, Black, or Persian. I could only count a handful of cute guys on campus, but for women, there's way too many to count. Some of the girls in my class can be pretty shallow, but majority I meet are into their studies. I go to Europe once a year, as I have relatives. There are also beautiful girls there, but they all tend to look the same after a while. It's hilarious that some responses are comparing US women to Jerry Springer show, you've been watching way to much tv.
Some British celebs aren't the best role models either. Keira is pretty but every other word she says is an F word. Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen not the best role models!

Drew, Monrovia,Ca, USA

Your views on women are nothing new. Women are bombarded with messages continuosly on how we should be starving ourselves, hacking up our bodies, and spending thousands or dollars a year in order to fit into societies expectation of what a women is. It's an impossible goal, and the fact is we are born women so we shouldn't have to do anything to turn ourselves into one. To expect that we aren't going to age, or have our bodies deveople beyond the size of a thirteen year olds is ridiculous, but it's even more obscene to judge a women's worth based on her looks. The rewards in striving to your dreams in your chosen career are far more rewarding than getting the perfect cancer-causing tan. Women in Britain know this apparantly, but if American women are sadly still chained to old notions of female self-worth then they have something to learn from the Brits.

Belinda Schmid, Auckland, New Zealand

Your views on women are nothing new. Women are bombarded with messages continuosly on how we should be starving ourselves, hacking up our bodies, and spending thousands or dollars a year in order to fit into societies expectation of what a women is. It's an impossible goal, and the fact is we are born women so we shouldn't have to do anything to turn ourselves into one. To expect that we aren't going to age, or have our bodies deveople beyond the size of a thirteen year olds is ridiculous, but it's even more obscene to judge a women's worth based on her looks. The rewards in striving to your dreams in your chosen career are far more rewarding than getting the perfect cancer-causing tan. Women in Britain know this apparantly, but if American women are sadly still chained to old notions of female self-worth then they have something to learn from the Brits.

Belinda Schmid, Auckland, New Zealand

And that's not all!
Having lived in UK and USA, i find most american women kind, nice and open to foregners.
English women instead are arrogant, snob and ignorant of any culture outside their country. Many of them behave as "Ladies of the Manor".

Guy, Denver, USA

Wow! You're single? Who would have guessed!
BJN Denver CO USA

Brandy, Denver, CO USA

Ah...the men who think that women exist to turn them on (and should devote all of their time and money to that end, neglec