For more than a century, the myth of California has held that it is a land of plenty, the ever-desired fountain of youth, and the home of the brilliant, the beautiful, and the blessed. Blond hair, suntans, and eternally young, fit bodies grace every inch of it, and lifestyles there are characterized by nothing if not fun and relaxation. In truth, however, California is as full of middle-aged housewives, the grossly out of shape, and the pallid-skinned office worker as any other American state. Because the cost of living is so high, people find it just as necessary, if not more so, to work as hard as they can just to make ends meet and, for many, the suntans, if present, are fake because the beaches have all been privatized or so crowded that finding sand is like finding a bum on Rodeo Drive. So how did California come to have the reputation it does for the youthful, slim, beautiful, and fabulously wealthy, and, more importantly, what kind of effect has this had on the rest of the country? A large part of their fame is due in large part to the development of Hollywood and the products it produces which in turn have fostered a nationwide fascination and fixation upon the need to remain young and beautiful regardless of the ultimate price. Hollywood has made a science out of portraying the female figure to a standardized ideal rather than a true rendition. As a result, society has grown up believing that the true worth of a woman lies not in her intellect or her talents, but instead in her appearance alone. We still have numerous pop culture stars out there like Paris Hilton and her bunch, which seem to think being an object talked about is better than being a human making a difference. These empty-headed material-culture superstars have achieved their fame based solely on their beautiful bodies and extreme spending habits, fostering the California myth and reinforcing these culturally ingrained stereotypes. The idea of the ‘Barbie complex’ is not new, but the importance placed on being blonde, slim, and young has created a culture that is inordinately focused upon appearance to the great detriment of most of its members. Numerous studies have been conducted that link aspects of the appearance culture, grown directly out of the messages sent by Hollywood, with increased rates of eating disorders, negative self-image, and peer acceptance among adolescents. In a book discussing the unique issues faced by overweight children, Dr. Sylvia Rimm (2004) discusses several of the reasons why children who enter school slightly overweight often find it impossible to overcome this deficit thanks to modern society’s focus on outward appearance. This cycle sees the child increasingly gaining weight as a result of the emotional turmoil that occurs as other children begin to make fun of them or as they perceive themselves not being able to keep up with other children on the sports field and not measuring up to the expected ideals. More than just focusing on appearance, these children begin seeing themselves as somehow less than average-weight children in every way, severely negating any true worth they may have in other areas of life. Many adults reinforce these beliefs with the idea that an overweight child must be lazy and not as bright as other children, further placing restrictions on them based merely upon their appe