'Rumors have been swirling for weeks that the power couple's
relationship has been on the rocks, but at Sunday's MTV Video Music
Awards, they tried to at least present a united front.
As Beyoncé finished her 15-minute set, hubby Jay Z — carrying daughter
Blue Ivy — presented her with the Video Vanguard Award onstage. Queen
Bey said a few words to the crowd, she embraced her family, and then
they headed home. (Hopefully without having to travel in any
elevators.)
To many viewers, the family's appearance felt like something cooked up
in a p.r. boardroom in an attempt to counter the reports of their
imminent split.
Beyoncé seemed to shed tears, but were they tears of joy for her award
or of sadness over the unraveling of her six-year marriage?
"I see a lot of hurt and pain here," says Florida-based body language
expert Susan Constantine. "They're just trying to save face. They feel
no emotions toward each other," adds Constantine, who examined a video
of the appearance as well as a still photo.
The body language expert, who also works as a jury consultant, says
that pictures can sometimes be more telling than videos. Discovering
how someone truly feels is about analyzing their "microexpressions" —
brief, sometimes involuntary movements of the face that betray
emotions.
"Jay Z and Beyoncé are completely distant, and their minds are on
something else," she says. "Beyoncé feels really uncomfortable."
Even 2-year-old Blue Ivy might be trying to tell us something.
"I see this sense of sadness. It's almost like Beyoncé is looking at
her going, 'It's OK,' " Constantine says. "And the baby is saying,
'This doesn't seem right.' Children are very perceptive."
Of course, that uneasiness on the baby's part might just be about
appearing on a stage in front of thousands of screaming fans.
But peep the photo in question and see what the expert had to say about it all:
Beyoncé's face
"She's giving a false smile," Constantine says. If she were really
happy, her eyebrows would be lifted and her eyes would be more open.
Jay Z's face
"This is what we call a flat face," Constantine says. "There's no
expression whatsoever." Happiness would be indicated by upturned
corners of the mouth. But he's less strained than Beyoncé.
Eyes
"Neither one of them is looking at each other," says body language
expert Susan Constantine. "Their interest is more in their daughter."
Beyoncé's hand over midsection
She's blocking her stomach area — the home of emotions in the body —
indicating a feeling of vulnerability. Were she feeling comfortable,
she'd expose her midsection.
Beyoncé's hip
Her hips are angled away from her husband, indicating disassociation.
"In other [older] photos, you see Beyoncé leaning into her husband,"
Constantine says.
Blue Ivy
Her hands are clasped in a prayer-like way. Happiness would be
indicated by raised arms and an extended body. Instead, she's making
herself small. "Maybe she's praying her parents get back together,"
Constantine says.'
But seriously, I don't think there has ever been anything REAL about
these people.
Source: Ny post.
