“Pink looks so old, she should be called Purple.”
That’s the unfunny, nonsensical jab that a Twitter troll tried to throw at Pink on Wednesday morning, only to be completely shut down by the pop star.
Responding to a radio station’s tweet about a girl who sang at a concert of Pink’s, the troll wrote the “purple” cutdown. Colorful wit aside, however, the heckler’s taunt doesn’t seem to make much sense—is purple just an “old” shade of pink? Did he mean that people get more vibrant, or darker, as they age?
Wow Pink looks so old that should be named Purple instead
— Huachinango Refrito (@huachinango83) May 16, 2018
Regardless, it was a jab meant to take aim at Pink’s age, reinforcing the idea that entertainers, specifically women, are only valuable and deserve their status when they’re young. It’s a fear ingrained in celebrity culture, surrounded by costly age-defying products and procedures used to avoid the look of “age” even beyond retirement.
The painful reality is best satirized by a skit from Amy Schumer’s Comedy Central show, during which she stumbles upon Tina Fey, Patricia Arquette, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus celebrating Louis-Dreyfus’ “last fuckable day”—the day when the entertainment industry decides that women are no longer valuable for their looks—a day that never comes for men, the sketch points out.
Much to this troll’s misfortune, Pink doesn’t back down. In response to his ignorant comment, Pink told him that “there are a few people left in the world that choose to age naturally,” and she’s earned “every fucking minute of my 38 years,” before taking him down a peg by calling him her “little purple troll.”
https://twitter.com/Pink/status/996677721810812928
She went on to tweet that she’s of the mindset that growing old is a blessing, and that it shows someone has enjoyed life.
“I pray I look older in 10 years, cause that will mean I’m alive,” Pink wrote.
https://twitter.com/Pink/status/996680451304505345
Supporters of the pop star responded positively to her take down, calling out the troll for continuing the gross objectification of women in the industry.
You are real. In this fake and pretend world you always has been. Motherhood and age has come to you in most wonderful way. +Beautiful than ever
— Gabriela Vergara (@vergaragabriela) May 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/JenKoz4/status/996678328689070080
You are Fucking Perfect!!! As is your response!!!!!
— Laura Wright (@lldubs) May 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/embeedub/status/996750148800794629
Several of Pink’s fans cheered at the concept of her still kicking and screaming on stage at nearly 40—aerial stunts included.
“You know I will! I’ll call it ‘the wrinkles and rolls tour,'” she responded.
https://twitter.com/Pink/status/996682469054152704
Wrinkles and rolls, indeed.