My inbox today contained a message about the “return” of fitness guru Susan Powter, who’s got a new website to promote her same “stop the insanity” message. My first thought was: “Whoa. Look how good she looks with hair!”

My only previous reference point was classic infomercial Susan Powter, with the buzz cut, left. (When I lived in Colorado and had no life, I would get off work at midnight and go home and watch TV to wind down, and those infomercials were like narcotics to me: They took the edge off, but I kept wanting more. Susan Powter, Victoria Jackson Cosmetics, Lori Davis hair care [with Cher and friends!], that little British guy who kept shouting “Mike! Mike!” on “Amazing Discoveries”… )

Anyway.

Powter’s new site opens with the glamourlicious B&W photo at top — under the heading “I’m Back, Better Than Ever!”

And then there are the video blogs, which show you what she really looks like.

It’s kind of startling, really.

I’m not sure how I feel: (a) Is it deceptive to post a retouched glamour shot as representative of what you look like, when the reality is noticeably different?  (b) Why should it matter?  (c) If you were inaugurating a Web site to celebrate your splashy re-entry into American society, wouldn’t you try to look nice in your video blogs, maybe wipe off some of that eye makeup?

When I look at this shoe it reminds me of calla lilies. Sure, when I examine it more closely I see the straps are silver, not white, but still. It has a sort of graceful quality about it.

However — because there is always a “however” …

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