Xander cheered, Marlou jeered: What netizens say about his transformation

After Xander Ford revealed his transformation on television, social media buzzed with mixed reactions.

There was praise, pity, and, well, jokes.

Like this comparison:

And this uncanny resemblance to a favorite cartoon makeover:

And how after Xander was met with cheers during his first public outing, haters were put in their place:

A product of a ‘judgmental’ society?

Xander’s surgery also sparked discussion on society’s view of beauty, which generally favors Western standards that uphold fair skin and sharp features.

While both women and men in showbiz go under the knife, Xander’s case stands out, as he admitted it all stemmed from how other people perceived him.

“Binago ko lang sa pangalan, sa pagkatao, sa panlabas ko para mabago din ang tingin sa ‘kin ng ibang tao (I’ve changed my name, my personality, my physical appearance so that people can change the way they look at me),” said the performer on “Rated K”.

Marlou was subject to cyberbullying, becoming the butt of memes, and all the bullying went as far as him receiving death threats, according to an ABS-CBN interview with his former boyband Hasht5.

Part of Marlou’s notoriety was his attitude, which drew in bashers who viewed him as mayabang (arrogant).

He still drew sympathy from netizens who were alarmed at what the makeover meant.

“Xander Ford is nothing but a testament of how judgmental and cruel society is,” wrote one Twitter user.

The situation also served as “an example of ‘Everyone will adore you only if you’re beautiful,'” and “proof that cyberbullying could get to the point that someone has to change just to be accepted.”

While Xander’s social media accounts state a clear stance against cyberbullying, not once did it mention that standards of beauty shown on media are unrealistic and is also an issue that the youth face.

Ironic to others too is that the same society which panned Jake Zyrus for seeking a sex change welcomes surgery to improve one’s physical appearance.

No pity party for Marlou

Still, others respect his decision to have undergone the painful and sometimes risky process of plastic surgery.

Even Marlou’s publicity to Xander Ford has minced no words, stating “Marlou is now dead” while posting insulting memes referring to the entertainer’s former self:

While his management plays up his new look, given the intense competition in showbiz, time will tell if he has what it takes to go beyond his 15 minutes of fame. JB

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LOOK: Xander Ford introduced to public post-surgery