Cameron Diaz is Candid About Body Talk

Can you believe Cameron Diaz is 41? There's much to be said about the Charlie's Angels star (look, I know she's been in a lot of other stuff, but Charlie's Angels is by far her magnum opus) and her candor about body talk in her new book, The Body Book. In a truly Diazian interview with Chelsea Handler Monday night on Chelsea Lately, Diaz talked about being a "science nerd" and approaching her book from a clinical scientific standpoint (my words, not Diaz's).

As goofy goober as Cameron Diaz has always been, her interview on Lately was pretty endearing and refreshing. Diaz and Handler talked casually about pubic hair, smoking (a still taboo subject that many celebs are reticent to broach), and taking care of your vagina. Even though Handler and Diaz are both known for being "crass," their chat was an ideal for the way that women should be talking about their bodies: candidly and without shame, and not afraid to admit they have questions.

On the board for discussion: smoking (Handler asked Diaz about her smoking habit; Diaz said she quit once when she was 26, before Charlie's Angels, and then again "for good" after that), pubic hair (Diaz advises against lasering it all off because "permanency is forever. It doesn't come back"), and getting to know yourself — "We think the vagina is on the outside. I say grab a mirror and play along. Get in there."

Also encouraging was Diaz commending Chelsea on taking care of herself: "I know that you care about it and that you take care of it, and that makes me happy." For the most part, the two avoided talk about beauty ideals and thinness, which is rare to see in a discussion about physical health and appearance.

Not saying that Cameron Diaz is our frontrunner for science education now by any means, but I'm glad she's back on our radar; I think her cool-girl persona that's been so cultivated since the dawn of Diaz actually works perfectly with The Body Book. She's helping take the shame out of being uncertain about yourself, and that's a step forward.