From Vanity Fair · Clara Molot · · 1m 40s
Mar-a-Lago Face Meme Explosion
Trump administration's new ambassador sparks viral 'Mar-a-Lago face' memes.
In brief
Trump administration's new ambassador sparks viral 'Mar-a-Lago face' memes. US ambassador Barbera Thornhill's high-lifted face design became internet meme fodder after her White House appearance. Originally reported by Vanity Fair.
Trump appoints ambassador
Barbera Thornhill, a late-70s Los Angeles philanthropist and interior design executive, became US ambassador-at-large to monitor trafficking.
Social media reaction
A State Department photo of Thornhill with a statement got over 20 million views, sparking viral memes and AI videos.
Mar-a-Lago face trend
The 'Mar-a-Lago face' features high dark arched brows, cartoonishly inflated lips, and skin pulled tautly over syringes worth of filler.
Political backlash
Meghan McCain called for Republicans to highlight women without botched plastic surgery that mocks the internet.
Plastic surgeon's view
Dr. Terry Dubrow says the Mar-a-Lago face is technically successful but too extreme for most people.
Status symbol
The look is an ultimate status symbol in certain East Coast circles, with clients demanding extreme results.
Farina's critique
Melinda Anna Farina, a facelift consultant, says plastic surgery is bad in every political party and calls the meme 'stupid'.
Farina's philosophy
Farina charges $750 per hour for consultations and insists on filler-free results with recognizable outcomes.
Farina's journey
Farina is documenting her own facelift journey with three surgeons for a Disney show and Substack.
Risks of extreme surgery
Aggressive procedures increase risks of nerve damage, scarring, and hair loss, which Dubrow says he avoids.
Meme consequences
Dubrow predicts the meme will quickly change the aesthetic as it becomes less conspicuous.
Farina's advice
Farina says everyone should focus on their own face rather than criticizing others online.
Here's the gist
US ambassador Barbera Thornhill's high-lifted face design became internet meme fodder after her White House appearance.
