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As a media personality, there is a lot of pressure to always look your best, especially when the cameras are around. Since this pandemic kicked into high gear, many personalities have had to make adjustments to the way they work.
Today host Savannah Guthrie is no different.
She made adjustments just like most of the rest of the country's work force has had to. Unfortunately, for an on-air personality, those adjustments sometimes happen in the public eye. The public, as you all know, can be incredibly critical and not at all shy about it.
Recently one "helpful" viewer hopped on Twitter to tell Savannah Guthrie that her adjustments need more adjusting.
@SavannahGuthrie Cmon. With what they pay you, can't you afford a hair stylist? I love the natural unkempt look but its distracting on @NBCNews national news.
— Susan Soltero (@SusanSoltero) June 23, 2020
Susan, who is an Emmy Award winning meteorologist according to her Twitter bio as well as a reporter in Puerto Rico, was watching the news one day and just couldn't focus on what Savannah was saying. Savannah, like pretty much every other on air personality, has been doing her own hair and makeup for her broadcasts.
Those broadcasts often include mention of her two young children, ages 3 and 5. Guthrie has also been open about the relatively minor inconvenience/struggle of having to learn how to dye and process her own hair at home. Since she cannot safely use the stylists she normally does, she is taking a crack at handling these things at home like so many of us have done.
Savannah Guthrie is not a professional hair stylist or makeup artists, so she's been doing her best - something she graciously pointed out in her response.
We are all doing our own hair and makeup during the pandemic. And yes it shows! https://t.co/w6QVY0Zhyt
— Savannah Guthrie (@SavannahGuthrie) June 23, 2020
Savannah's response was the sort of thing only people with years of public-facing jobs can manage.
Gracious, but gets the point across. We're in the middle of a pandemic, Susan. So yes, Savannah Guthrie could very likely afford a hair stylist "with what they pay" her. However, she would rather not risk her health, her children's health, or the health of a hair stylist and their close circle.
We mentioned how gracious Savannah was in her response. That doesn't mean anyone else on Twitter was. Susan didn't post her thoughts as a comment buried in a thread. She made it a whole tweet, tagging Savannah and all.
Tons of people saw it... and chimed in to tell Susan exactly what they were thinking.
If I were rude like you I'd tell you that jealousy doesn't look good on you, Susan and neither does that ugly green thing you're trying to pass off as a blouse in your profile pic, but I won't.
— Jason Gray (@jasongray77) June 23, 2020
I find it sad that in today's world - with a pandemic, a horrible government, riots, murders that someone actually focused on and felt the need to comment about Savannah's hair. HER HAIR???????? pic.twitter.com/2O2iYBwRWH
— Christine Peace (@bobbitz57) June 24, 2020
Really Susan? I'm a Karen and even I wouldn't say that.
— Karen 🏳️🌈 (@Shermanscorner) June 23, 2020
Uh because we're in the middle of a pandemic and you can't social distance having someone else do your hair and makeup. But I'm sure she appreciates your input becky
— Minstrel Psycho (@MinstrelPsycho1) June 24, 2020
Class act @SavannahGuthrie. I'm sorry @SusanSoltero doesn't have something more constructive and productive to do with her time ... other than critique your appearance. In a pandemic. While wrangling two kids. In front of a national television audience. A true act of strength.
— Lisa Hannum (@lisa_beehivepr) June 23, 2020
Ms Susan, shame on you! There is nothing to distract from a brilliant, well spoken, keen & analytical reporter working in the news media. If you are distracted, consider that U R viewing 4 the wrong reason!
— Donna Taylor (@recmusic1) June 24, 2020
Seriously! How crass. I could not care less about people's hair and make up these days. Over 120,000 Americans are dead due to an incompetent national response to a global pandemic and you think it's important to comment in appearance. Unbelievable
— Kkramer (@cogasdvt) June 24, 2020
I love when TV news people are assumed to have stylists. Very polite comment of you, Susan. Your profile says you're a meteorologist. I somehow doubt you'd appreciate a viewer saying that about you.
— Jeremiah Khampadith (@JeremiahWAVE3) June 23, 2020
This would be the point where most people would just bow out and stop talking.
Not Susan, though. Instead, she opted to defend herself.
Her defense actually kind of made it worse.
I didn't mean to be mean. I worked in television for 32 years. I was just surprised that the makeup artists would let the hair slide on national tv for two days. You do look great. Its the hair that needs a little love. We love you in Puerto Rico! #mujeresalpoder
— Susan Soltero (@SusanSoltero) June 23, 2020
For you non-Spanish speakers, #MujeresAlPoder is a girlpower chant calling for women to be more empowered and in charge.
It seems like a really strange hashtag for Susan to use considering she just finished acting like Savannah's petty tia (aunt) masterfully delivering the backhanded compliments.
Again, Twitter had something to say.
You just need to chill. Maybe not say anything about this for awhile and allow this to blow over. Even in your “apology" you were mean. So see over there >>>> yeah, time to sit in the corner.
— Sandy (@SandyKinCA) June 24, 2020
And who can forget this gem?https://t.co/2PGvcbiHIO
— Estadity Náu (@estadity) June 24, 2020
Lady is an ass-hat
— Steve Walley (@batteryman29) June 24, 2020
Susan opted to then play the victim, essentially saying she thought she was just doing her job and she won't write what she thinks anymore.
Alright! You win. @SavannahGuthrie I'm sorry I critized your hair. I really thought it was part of our job to keep up appearances, especially on the evening news. Times, they are a-changing. From now on I will not write about what I think. Lesson learned.
— Susan Soltero (@SusanSoltero) June 25, 2020
You can guess how well that went over.
@SusanSoltero this is all mean-girl behavior. You're exactly what I tell me daughters to avoid being around. Pandemic. Get your priorities straight AND take actual responsibility for your public actions.
— Emily Quinn (@auctionemily) June 25, 2020
Right?!?! This lady is rude, mean, and obviously has no conscience or common sense. You reap what you sow. I hope you will one day recognize how dark your true heart is to be unable to see the ridiculousness and insensitivity of what you have done. @SusanSoltero
— Beverly Burton (@beverly95) June 25, 2020
Now, Michelle, times they are a-changing, remember? I'm sure Susan is having a hard time in this modern world, longing for the times when women just had to worry about their appearance and not pesky things like spelling and voting....
— Dawn Thames (@RabidSnarf) June 25, 2020
A JEALOUS one?!!
— Lady J A Saxton (@JASaxton1) June 26, 2020
Yep, that's the lesson, and not that a) we should be social-distancing, so getting a stylist would be irresponsible and b) maybe examine your own internalized misogyny.
— Scum & Villainy (@wr3tched_hive) June 25, 2020
Yep, that's the lesson, and not that a) we should be social-distancing, so getting a stylist would be irresponsible and b) maybe examine your own internalized misogyny.
— Scum & Villainy (@wr3tched_hive) June 25, 2020
If you are in the business why wouldn't you understand what times have become? It was just spiteful to say it in the first place and this so called apology is just as spiteful.
— thatssomeBS💩 (@EatACookieToots) June 25, 2020
Susan has, perhaps wisely, stopped responding. She seems to have gone back to talking about animal welfare. Savannah Guthrie has made no comment other than the one acknowledging that she is doing her own hair during the pandemic.