Hollywood: The Land of Opportunity?

Make no mistake about it, Hollywood is a tough town. In close-up you find that the glitter you see from a distance is not tinsel at all - it is razor wire. Most things here revolve around the movie industry, and the competition is cut-throat.

No one admits to having an ordinary job. Almost everyone is an actor or actress "filling-in" to earn a little money until the next part comes along. Even the girl on the supermarket checkout will tell you she is working on a screenplay. And the chances are she is!

Trying to spot the rich and famous in the department store, supermarket or in the restaurant is a constant occupation. Starwatching is a bit like Where's Waldo? come to life. Anyone who is half-way handsome stands a chance of being mistaken for a celebrity and there is even status in second or third-hand stardom, like knowing Madonna's manicurist.

Life in the world's glamour capital is very much a fashion statement. Appearances must be kept up at all costs. Success breeds success and it is essential to look the part. You need the right clothes, the right car, and an apartment in the right part of the town. You cannot afford not to look your best in case you blow your big break. It puts pressure on everyone and brings its own special kind of stress.

There is a need in Hollywood like nowhere else to make the best of what nature gave you. Check out the shops and restaurants. Look at the sidewalks or into cars cruising Sunset or Hollywood Boulevard; anywhere, and you will see that seven out of every ten people are young, beautiful and probably blonde.

Small wonder then that so many Hollywood women (and men) are developing body armour to counter the constant threat of these eternal youths. Jane Fonda and the other exercise divas have shown health and fitness programmes to be a way to keep both looks and figure looking lovelier longer, so whereas everyone used to have an analyst now almost everyone has a trainer.