Yes, we remember her fabulous dresses, endless supply of spitfire energy, and glorious glamorosity. So what happened, Gabby? Where did it all go? We know they like to change things up on Wisteria Lane, but this? Yes, we understand about the Aston and all ... but the short hair, the odd unflattering outfits, the look on your face that hints that you just might strangle the neighbor’s dog at any moment? If John Rowland could see you now.
Apparently the writers at Desperate Housewives have made their minds firmly up that babies = something equivalent of the ill-conceived Motrin Mom ad campaign (i.e., frustration, depression, and the general inability to get dressed in the morning).
Babies are a handful, but given that Gabby’s kids are well out of diapers and in school, I decided to go straight to an expert on the subject of hot versus not moms to gain some fresh perspective.
Jessica Denay started Hot Moms Club a few years back and has authored a series of handbooks about being and staying at least a few degrees above where Gabby currently resides. (And we must say, Jessica bears an oddly striking resemblance to glamorous Gabby in the two photos above.)
“I can’t speak for anyone else, but I loved her character before. She had sass and confidence and her antics always made me laugh,” says Jessica of glamorous Gabby.
And when talking with several other women’s groups around the web, there seems to be a general disappointment in the progression of the character. Comments such as “You know, when I watched, these last few weeks, I have felt like … Whoa, have I stepped into the Twilight zone?” to “I love the old Gabby and the show is just not the same,” are pretty much the consensus.
As Jessica says, “It’s sad now to see her or anyone else struggle; she is almost too ‘real’—I think people watch the show to escape. But it may be a wake up call to any mom watching who thinks, that is me, I used to be ... and now I’m ... And they can get back on track and find balance.”
Jessica has worked with some of the sexiest (dare we say, actual MILFs) in Hollywood, so I wondered if she knew a lot of women who’d let themselves slip after becoming a mom.
“According to studies, 89 percent of women let themselves go on some level after they have children. I was one of those moms. I fell into the ‘mommy rut,’ but I realized, you are not the best mom unless you are the best you, and that helped me out of the funk that Gabby is clearly in,” Jessica relates. “It’s the reason Hot Moms Club was born, to help moms like her get their ‘mo-jo’ back so they can ultimately be better mothers.” (Maybe we should call it their “mom-jo.”)
But there may be hope that we’ll all be taking a ride back to Gabby-land soon. On previews of the next episode Carlos may regain his eyesight (geez, we hope so) and Gab is suddenly hit with a highly charged case of self consciousness. Ahhh, now here is where Jessica would make an excellent resource for the character.
“I would love to get a hold of Gabby’s character. We would give her a Hot Mom make-over from head to toe, starting with the things we could visually see, help her feel good about her appearance,” says Jessica. “Then we would help her get some activities going in her own life, something she can feel proud of. And help her re-arrange her schedule so she has balance, and she can find time for herself, so she can refresh and recharge.” (And we hope put some makeup on and get that ever present headband off her head.)
I suppose we will just have to wait this one out.
