Whedonesque Mobile : Comments on 16259 : Christina Hendricks Among People's 100 Most Beautiful.

Curiously, People is listing her age as 33, when all the other birthday posts yesterday were listing her as 30.

"Year of the Redhead"?

That sounds like something guaranteed to have me looking at nothing else for several days.

She really is gorgeous.

When I first read that URL, I thought it said "thegossipix. I was both amused and confused. Then I clicked on the link and was disappointed - WHERE'S GOSSI in the 100 most beautiful?

catalyst2 | May 05, 04:14 CET

Well, Gossi would ask to be removed because that list is like, so sexist. (Ohh it's 'People', not 'FHM'. That's okay, then. ;-) )

But I am somewhat gobsmacked that Rumer Willis is considered the standard for 'sexy'. Come on, I mean, am I the only one totally missing out on a joke or something?

missb | May 05, 11:55 CET

Year of the Ranga?

God help us all.....

aus-mitch | May 05, 17:02 CET

I met Christina Hendricks at the SFX convention in Toronto last summer, where she was there with Morena. I have one picture of me with the two of them. When I look at it I wonder if I've died. Wow wow wow.

WilliamTheB | May 06, 06:50 CET

I wish more rangas looked like Christina Hendricks.

Swil | May 06, 10:08 CET

Must we use the word "ranga"?

alien lanes | May 06, 14:54 CET

What does it mean (nothing good i'm assuming) ?

Saje | May 06, 15:03 CET

It's a slang word for redhead - adapted from the word Orangutan. I think it's offensive, but quite apart from that, what is wrong with just using the word redhead?!

alien lanes | May 06, 15:09 CET

Yeah agreed, that's pretty much just "carrot-top" or "duracell" in different clothes.

(and apart from anything else the 'orang' part apparently means 'man' or 'person' anyway - it's nothing to do with the colour)

Saje | May 06, 15:16 CET

'Ranga' is a great word, and it is far more entertaining than 'redhead'.

It is my obligation as an Australian to stand up for the use of needless slang words everywhere. If we don't, we'll all be snagged as a wombat's todger.

Swil | May 06, 16:52 CET

Probably I am making too much of this, but why don't we just call Christina Hendricks an Orangutan and be done with it? As I see it, ranga is not just a slang word, it's intended as an insult.

alien lanes | May 06, 17:08 CET

Over the years, I spent thousands of $'s trying to get my hair the color of Christina's. Never did get it. Since I've gone back to my natural dark brown, would that make me a rilla? Or is the term panzee?

Dizzy | May 06, 17:22 CET

Or maybe a 'caque' (or are monkeys excluded. Here we go again, with the "great apes only" club ;-) ?

Guess the issue is Swil that it's not a very flattering comparison rather than how necessary it is (obviously no slang is actually necessary). Not everyone would see being likened to an ape as value neutral.

Saje | May 06, 17:49 CET

I read somewhere that redheads are supposed to be extinct within the next century.

That'd be a shame, I love me some ginger (Damian Lewis, Simon Pegg... and didn't someone here bring up the fact that Joss has some red?).

Anyway, yes Christina definitely deserves to be on anyone's 'sexy' list. She's got that ka-POW thing happening, like Charisma.

Willowy | May 06, 18:52 CET

... and didn't someone here bring up the fact that Joss has some red?

That may have been me. His beard's always looked quite ginger to me and (though I can't find it now) the "viking princess" photo of him (when he was younger and so his hair would probably have been lighter) was pretty redheaded IIRC. Others disagree right enough.

Re: redheads dying out BTW, here's a similar thing about blondes that proved to be a hoax. Genuine redheads make up about 2% of the world's population (or about 120 million people) so they're not going to die out within the next 100 years (unless there's some kind of pogrom and I don't see that happening - Scotland has the highest percentages of redheads at up to 14% with about 40% of folk carrying the gene and just try and pogrom us ya bampots, I dare ye ;-).

Saje | May 06, 19:59 CET

Interesting. I had to look up 'pogrom', btw. Gah!

Willowy | May 06, 20:53 CET

Glad to see a woman who is not incredibly thin getting a nod.

In other news, I don't get the term "ginger". I mean I understand what people mean, though I have not heard it used in the USA. I just don't understand why. The ginger root I have seen was tannish brown on the outside and off-white on the inside. Have I lived a sheltered life when it comes to an exposure to ginger? Should I go on a hunt for reddish ginger? I feel deprived somehow.

Re: redheads dying out and blondes dying out

A lot would depend on the definition of each. With bottle blondes being so prevelent, people who used to be considered blondes aren't any longer. So in that sense there are less blondes in the world.

Ironically, in a family I know that had 4 carrot-top redheaded children, most married brunettes and had blonde children and grandchildren...whose hair later turned light brown. That said, I would think many of those children are carrying redheaded genes that could show up in any generation. So I'm thinking even pogroms are not going to do it.

newcj | May 06, 23:54 CET

Well, when I think of ginger I think of three things: ginger, ginger and ginger and though colour wise the root is arguably the least ginger, it's certainly not a million miles away from the other two IMO. Or I may have developed late-onset colour-blindness ;).

(gotta say, when I use 'ginger' I usually mean more orange than red so maybe 'redhead' isn't spot on there either ? Or rather it's not specific enough ? Didn't realise ginger-as-in-hair was a UK thing though I don't think i've ever heard someone describe their beard as 'red' but then again, I don't recall ever hearing an American describe their beard so maybe that's what you guys call 'em ;)

I had to look up 'pogrom', btw. Gah!

Hey, one day let's hope no-one knows what it means, right Willowy (*pauses to throw up*) ? Probably happen around the time I teach the world to sing in perfect harmony ;-).

(does that mean you knew what 'bampot' meant or just approximated from context ? ;)

Saje | May 07, 00:52 CET

*looks up 'bampot' and 'pogrom'*

Saje, the more I interact/read your posts, the more bewildered I get.

1) Why are you throwing up?
2) I agree with you on the singing in perfect harmony; I can't stand the "Happy Birthday" song anymore because everyone starts on a different beat- drives me nuts.
3) ~~Why did you bring up 'bampot'?~~ Maybe Willowy did what I did: got so focused on 'pogrom' that I completely skipped over 'bampot'. Are you saying that all Scottish/northern Englanders are friendly idiots? :?

korkster | May 07, 01:09 CET

"Ginger" isn't used much here in the States. Some people don't even know it means having read hair.

A few months ago, Matt Lauer interviewed Prince Harry and asked him if he had a nickname. Prince Harry said, "Ginger" and Matt gave him the oddest look. You just know he was thinking of Ginger from Gilligan's Island, heh.

Dizzy | May 07, 01:14 CET

"Hey, one day let's hope no-one knows what it means, right Willowy (*pauses to throw up*) ?"

Agreed. Though I think historians may keep it in their vernacular. Boo to the pogrom!

Willowy | May 07, 04:17 CET

As I see it, ranga is not just a slang word, it's intended as an insult.

Of course it's an insult - and we have a fine example of the cultural divide between Australia and everywhere else appearing. Here, the difference between an insult and an affectionate nickname is purely in the tone and context, not the word itself.

For example, one of my best mates (and housemates) is known to me most commonly as Bumface. Far more interesting than just calling him Jack.

Swil | May 07, 07:01 CET

Willowy"... and didn't someone here bring up the fact that Joss has some red?"

Saje: "That may have been me. His beard's always looked quite ginger to me and (though I can't find it now) the "viking princess" photo of him (when he was younger and so his hair would probably have been lighter) was pretty redheaded IIRC. Others disagree right enough."

I knew I had that photo, but was it easily accessible? Did I name the file "Joss" or "Whedon" or "Young" or "redhead" or "viking" or "princess" or any combination thereof? No, no, naturally not.

And here's what Joss says himself about his hair color when younger:

"Well, I had lovely long red hair � less and less of which I have every day � and delicate features. I was quite cute!"

And just to be at least nominally on topic, I think Christina is quite lurvely and quite talented... I like her red hair, but maybe that's because I don't have gingerphobia.

QuoterGal | May 07, 09:16 CET

Aaargh, ze hair it eez so, so ginger ! Seriously, gingerphobia ? Sheesh. Right enough, I used to know someone that was phobic about buttons so I guess there's just no reason to irrational fears ;).

(the very photo, ta QG ;)

Of course it's an insult - and we have a fine example of the cultural divide between Australia and everywhere else appearing.

Nah Swil, you lot haven't fallen that far from the tree, we do that in the UK too. Thing is, where I might call my mates absolutely anything affectionately i'm not going to go to the pub and start calling complete strangers "twatnose" or "shit fer brains" (or even "taff") without expecting them to "enquire as to my motives", possibly in quite stern terms (e.g. about size 10, with toecaps ;). Assuming Christina Hendricks is a complete stranger to you, why would the rules that apply to your mates apply to her ?

Saje, the more I interact/read your posts, the more bewildered I get.

1) Why are you throwing up? ...

Are you saying that all Scottish/northern Englanders are friendly idiots?

Yeah, i'm actually trying to reduce the average amount of knowledge in the world by adding mystery ;-).

Was pretend throwing up because although the sentiment that in the future we'll have no pogroms and everyone'll be just lovely to each other is worthy, it's also pretty saccharine and unrealistic. And re: 'bampot', it was all non-Scots I was calling that but only in the event you tried to massacre us (under which circumstances the odd insult might be justified, not to mention the odd extreme violence ;).

Saje | May 07, 13:24 CET

Of course it's an insult - and we have a fine example of the cultural divide between Australia and everywhere else appearing. Here, the difference between an insult and an affectionate nickname is purely in the tone and context, not the word itself.

Saje has already responded to this, but I cannot stop myself from (probably unnecessarily) stamping it into the dirt. Affectionate banter and insults between friends and family is not peculiar to Australia. It is a part and parcel of everyday life. My partner has all kinds of insults for me � sometimes affectionate and, occasionally, when I have been particularly irritating, not so much. That is entirely different to generalised insults directed at all and sundry, even if the insult is not intended to convey malice. Where do we draw a line?

When I first ventured into what was then for me the strange world of the �Buffy� on-line fan community (circa 2000, I guess) one of the very first messages/posts I came across concerned a certain leading actress on the show and informed us that she is a, �Slag face, bent nose, shitbag, J****h w****bag�.

Whilst the term ranga is not quite the same thing, not everyone who has red hair is going to appreciate being referred to as an Orang-utan.

alien lanes | May 07, 17:25 CET

May 04 2008