Tag Archives: female

Feb 02 2012
13 Comments
Dave's greatest hits, Greatest hits

Bitsie Tulloch

Elizabeth “Bitsie” Tulloch is an American actress, recognized for her work on the TV show Grimm, the film The Artist, and the groundbreaking web series Quarterlife.

It seems impossible not to like someone named Bitsie.

Bitsie Tulloch at Comic Con 2011

Aside from being an impressive actress, Bitsie boasts an impressive nickname that she earned in homage to her grandfather, a bomber pilot during WWII. Recently, that’s the closest the words “pilot” and “bomb” have gotten to Bitsie, as Grimm has been exceeding expectations, and The Artist is a frontrunner for several Academy Awards. In Tinseltown, things are getting quite glitzy for Bitsie.

Despite her diminutive-sounding name, she’s an intellectual giant. Before getting into acting, she graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a double major in English and American Literature, and Visual and Environmental Studies – which actually sounds like four majors, but in any case, Bitsie is far from ditzy.

As a child, a teensy-weensy itsy-Bitsie lived in four countries – she was born in San Diego, but lived in Spain, Argentina and Uruguay as a child before settling in Bedford, New York in time for middle school.

We’re impressed, and not just ’cause her name sounds so spritzy. We hope her diverse talents translate into life becoming only more ritzy for Bitsie.

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Jan 31 2012
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Uncategorized

Quick Hits – Body Parts

Let’s see if we can form the entire human body out of funny names – a bit of a Frankenstein’s monster, only made to amuse, out of spare parts from great names :

Peter Elbow – Author and professor of writing.

Philippa Foot – British philosopher. She’s the granddaughter of President Grover Cleveland, and daughter of Esther Cleveland, who was born in the White House. Adding to her name credentials is that her paternal grandfather was Sir Frederick Albert Bosanquet, who held a major position in England in the early 20th century. She was also one of the founders of the Oxfam charity.

Toe Blake – Canadian hockey player and coach. He got his nickname “Toe” because his younger sister was as a child unable to pronounce his real name Hector, saying “Hec-toe” each time. He was eventually universally known as Toe, which replaced his previous nickname, “The Old Lamplighter”.

Jeff Finger – An American pro hockey player. He played junior hockey with the finely named Green Bay Gamblers. He made the big time in 2007 with the Colorado Avalance and was soon fingered as the next big thing on the Toronto Maple Leafs blue line, but fell out of favor and is now plying his trade in the minor league team Toronto Marlies.

David Goodwillie – Scottish soccer player, currently with the Blackburn Rovers team. There is also an American author of the same name, who was once a professional baseball player, auctioneer and private investigator.

Martin Brest – Film director, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, Gigli

Legs McNeil – Co-founder of Punk Magazine.

Not quite a complete Frankenstein’s monster, but pretty close. Unfortunately there don’t appear to be many people named Torso. A creature with a head, fingers, legs, one toe, a breast, a foot, and, ahem, a goodwillie,  would certainly be quite terrifying.

 

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Jan 31 2012
3 Comments
Dave's greatest hits, Greatest hits

Tallulah Bankhead

Tallulah Bankhead was a vivacious, delightful, and highly quotable lady. Described as an award-winning American actress of the stage and screen, talk show host, and bon vivante, she first came to my attention for her legendary last words:

Tallulah Bankhead

Tallulah Bankhead (Associated Press)

“Codeine… bourbon” – Last words of Tallulah Bankhead, December 12, 1968

Perhaps her death was partly caused by her refusal to heed her earlier advice to “never practice two vices at the same time.”  However, it was this brand of defiance that was responsible for her incredible societal contributions.

She is one of the earliest-known bisexual celebrities, and also has been cited as one of the early examples of a Southern Democrat supporting more liberal social causes. No matter what your political views are today, it’s safe to say that you probably fall to the left of most southerners during the 1920′s through 50′s. So chalk one up for Tallulah.

Some more worthwhile Tallulah quotes:

  • “I have three phobias which, could I mute them, would make my life as slick as a sonnet, but as dull as ditch water: I hate to go to bed, I hate to get up, and I hate to be alone.”
  • “If I had to live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner.”
  • “I’ll come and make love to you at five o’clock. If I’m late start without me.”
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Dec 19 2011
4 Comments
Dave's greatest hits, Greatest hits

Taffy Nivert

Comedians have an old game they sometimes play called “Not Funny, Funny, Very Funny.”

It’s fairly simple – name a category, and come up with something in that category that fits each of those labels.

For the 1970′s quartet Starland Vocal Band, the list would have gone like this:
Not Funny – Jon Carroll
Funny – Bill Danoff or Margot Chapman
Very Funny – Taffy Nivert

Starland Vocal Band: Taffy, Bill, Margot, Jon (photo: billdanoff.com)

Taffy Nivert. Say that name and try not to smile. Taffy Nivert.

Taffy Nivert (photo: http://www.billdanoff.com)

Taffy Nivert of the Starland Vocal Band. Doesn’t ring a bell? It should. After wisely changing their name from “Fat City,” Starland Vocal Band won the Best New Artist Grammy Award in 1977 for their #1 single “Afternoon Delight,” which was recently also named the 20th sexiest song of all time by Billboard.

Yes, that list did include two songs from Rod Stewart in the top 10, but let’s ignore that for a moment. I think we can all just agree that “Afternoon Delight” is a fine – and yes, sexy – song.

The video – with its rhythmically superimposed fireworks and confrontational-looking vocal faceoffs – might not make a “20 sexiest” list for music videos, but remember that it was the 70′s, and this was 5 years before MTV existed. Not a bad effort.

“We got two of the five Grammys – one was Best New Artist. So that was basically the kiss of death and I feel sorry for everyone who’s gotten it since.” – Taffy Nivert

The band, which consisted of two husband-and-wife couples who divorced after the band’s demise, was never able to duplicate their early success, but “Afternoon Delight” was recently given new life after being featured in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Classy.

Most musicians would gladly trade in their entire career to make that one hit single. Bill and Taffy – who also co-wrote “Country Roads, Take Me Home” by John Denver – had two.

So perhaps she’s not bound for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but we’re glad to welcome one member to the Funny Names Hall of Fame.  Welcome, Taffy Nivert.

Taffy Nivert.

Taffy Nivert.

Taffy Nivert.

Now stop smiling into your computer screen.

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