I can't stand celebrity lookalikes. (Doesn't the word "lookalike" look weird -- like it would be a Hawaiian flower pronounced loo-KAH-lih-kee?) I don't know exactly what it is about them that annoys me so much. Maybe it's the "mugs" they sport when they invariably play up to the camera. Maybe it's that they always look desperate. Or maybe it's because they're usually worse versions of celebrities who are bad enough in original form.
Well, however you slice 'em, no matter how you dice 'em, no matter if you set 'em afire and exclaim, "Cherries jubilee!!!", I just don't like celebrity lookalikes. (But I do like the idea of a delicately aromatic Hawaiian flower, presented in a simple vase, on the sill of an open window.)
One riveting segment of "Live With Regis and Kelly" this morning featured a group of so-called regular people assembled to represent the cast of "Friends". The Jennifer Aniston lookalike was particularly ridiculous, in that the only resemblance she had to Aniston (this girl called her "Jennifer", though, as if being selected, however fallaciously, to be the celebrity lookalike, gave her permission to be so familiar) was the haircut. Unless, of course, Aniston, overnight, gained about 40 pounds, five inches, and a decidedly square chin. The rest of the "cast" at least bore a faint (in the case of "Joey", it was extremely faint) resemblance to the celebrities they were supposed to represent.
In all fairness to today's "Jennifer Aniston" lookalike, she said that she didn't think she resembled Aniston. So she's not a total loser. (Therefore, I may be willing to forgive her for the "Jennifer" thing.) But the people for whom I reserve the most disdain are those who actually offer their unsolicited opinions about whom they think they resemble. People like those on "AOL Today" (even though I have a "real" cable internet connection, I still have AOL too; why, I don't know) who have the nerve not only to say they look like someone famous but the guts to ask for ratings. Or people who submit their pictures to sites like this.
People (both strangers and friends) have told me I look like Gina Gershon and Linda Fiorentino (especially as she appeared in The Last Seduction). I've also gotten "Julia Roberts" (but no, I refuse to include a picture of her, because she rankles the hell out of me), and "even better than Julia Roberts!" from one particularly ardent admirer.
The Julia Roberts deal is just ridiculous (although I must say I think I am "even better" than she is). However, overall, I'd have to say that Linda Fiorentino is the best choice. (She has, indeed, been approached to be my lookalike on a FOX program slated to air sometime this fall.) But when I'm at the gym, and delicately perspiring, I'd have to go with Gina Gershon. Either way, I can't lose!
So how about you? Who have people told you you resemble? Imogene Coca, the Bradys' "Aunt Jenny"? Nadia Comenici circa 1976? A young Tab Hunter? Underdog?
P.S. Go here for a fun-tastic piece written by someone I don't know but wish I did. It has nothing to do with celebrity lookalikes, but manages to excoriate quite a few of the genuine articles. Delicious.
Wow, Kim! First an apple for Miss Lawrence ... and now this! Thanks!
Offered by: Jodi on July 3, 2002 12:03 AMMy vote is Gina Gershon!
Offered by: Kim on July 2, 2002 11:50 PMWhen I was young, someone once said I looked like Ernie Reyes Jr. (From the short-lived "Sidekicks" tv show with Chuck Norris, and more recently from the Tony Robbins Personal Power infomercials).
I used to wear round glasses and a few people said I looked like a 'Chinese' Elton John. Yuch.
Offered by: Don on July 2, 2002 10:24 PMMrs Choksondik on South Park. I think I look like her: (expect for the boobs)
http://thesouthparkrealm.tripod.com/teacher2D.html
Aaron:
You don't look that much like Chef Boyardee. He doesn't have spaghetti sauce all over the front of his shirt like you do.
Offered by: Don on July 2, 2002 1:51 PMMy wife says I look like Bob Hoskins. I'm not sure it's a compliment.
Offered by: JEfromCanada on July 2, 2002 12:37 PMOh yeah..The other one I get a lot is the taller guy from Milli Vanilli. That guy and Chef Boyardee. Those are the two that I get the most often. Occasionally someone will tell me I look like Lou Ferrigno, or the actor who played HR Pufnstuff.
Funny story, A police officer once said that I had "Jackie Chan's Ankles." I thanked him for the compliment, but it turns out to have actually been an accusation. (They turned up eventually, and I was cleared of all charges.)
Offered by: aaron on July 2, 2002 12:36 PMAaron: It's the mustache and the twinkle in the eye.
Jenn: Yes, re: your ass. Absolutely!
Offered by: Jodi on July 2, 2002 11:59 AMI've been told I look like Andie McDowell (spell?). Although I barely see a resemblance, and know it's barely there, I see why some think it---cheekbone spread, eye shape, er, somewhat gummy smile. (I've been told by about two aquaintances (again, spell?, two or three strangers, and interestingly, two boyfriends of a good friend of mine.)She has several inches on me (and quite arguably several other things), but I have a (much) better ass.
Offered by: Jenn on July 2, 2002 11:12 AMPeople sometimes tell me that I look like Chef Boyardee. I don't see it though.
Offered by: aaron on July 2, 2002 11:08 AMI've been told I look like Janeane Garafalo, but that resemblance has nothing so much to do with looks as it does attitude.
When I was in high school I was a dead ringer for Marcie from the Peanuts comic strip. I even hung around a girl everyone called Peppermint Patty, although this girl did NOT later turn out to be a lesbian, much to my disappointment.
These days, I'd say I just look like me.
Offered by: Eyre ni Rhuth on July 2, 2002 10:12 AM::"hot-or-not" phenom::
I know what you mean, Joan. I was shocked when I first saw one of those. Do these people really have the sort of armored self esteem to handle being rated like that? Are they really so vain they need to be validated by strangers rating them online? I just don't get it.
Jodi, Janet Jones is Wayne Gretzky's wife, and she's also a B-actress. I don't know what else she was in, but she had a (large, I think) role in "A League of Their Own."
Offered by: Kim on July 2, 2002 9:37 AMI've been told that I look like Neal Stephenson, the author of SNOWCRASH, THE DIAMOND AGE and CRYPTONOMICON at times. Probably when I had more hair . . .
Offered by: Scott on July 2, 2002 9:13 AMAntonio Banderas..who says so? Why me of course... and if y'all dont believe me, I'll whup your ass. ( hmm youd really like that wouldnt you?)
Offered by: BooBoo on July 2, 2002 8:23 AMDid you read my pretzel blog, Jodi? Did I write one? I'm a complete pretzel junkie.
Yes, you are even sweeter than icing.
Offered by: Joan on July 2, 2002 5:58 AMJodi:
Really Live with Regis and Kelly?
Please don't let me down with such terrible cruelty at this point. Everyone knows that Regis died years ago and Kelly is computer-generated.
I really thought we had come to know each other better at this point.
Offered by: Don on July 2, 2002 1:57 AMLaura: I say Judy Garland. Definitely. (That's a good thing, by the way. Be happy you don't look like her recently married dimwit daughter.)
Tess/Kelly: Who the hell is Janet Jones?
Joan: But I am even sweeter than that icing, wouldn't you agree? Sugar and spice and ... ahhh fuck it. A salty hard pretzel is more accurate.
Offered by: Jodi on July 2, 2002 1:01 AMThanks, Reba! hehehe
That reminds me -- I have a photo that needs to be removed. :)
Offered by: Kelly on July 2, 2002 12:53 AMKelly, you're much more attractive than Janet Jones. :)
Offered by: Tess on July 2, 2002 12:49 AMTess - thank you! Exactly. She's a very attractive woman, but we share no facial features. Nada.
Perhaps people have just forgotten who Janet Jones is. Understandable. ;)
Offered by: Kelly on July 2, 2002 12:43 AMmore better and deeper........sounds terrible. I meant....oh hell........you know what I meant. I hope.
Apparently, English is my second language today.
Offered by: Joan on July 2, 2002 12:35 AMWhat's worse than people posting pics because they hope they resemble, even vaguely, a celebrity is the "hot-or-not" phenom.
I am saddened that there are so many people who are so wrapped up in their physical appearance that they want strangers to rate them!
I believe there are more better and deeper things on which we can focus to determine the measure of a person.
Jodi, your wit alone makes you a Goddess. If you happen to look like Linda or Gina, that's just icing on the cake.
I have a big crush on Ashleigh Banfield, and I can tell you that you look nothing like her. So, apparently, you're correct: people are not remotely *looking* at you when they talk to you.
Now, this is not to say that you are not attractive as well. You are. You just don't look like Ashleigh Banfield.
Offered by: Tess on July 2, 2002 12:22 AMWhen I had long hair, I used to get the comparison to Janet Jones (a.k.a. Mrs. Wayne Gretsky) all the time. I considered that a good one.
Now, I occasionally get Ashleigh Banfield -- MSNBC correspondent. This bothers me. She's a very attractive woman, but I look *nothing* like her. We both have short hair -- well, hers is "long" by my standards -- and big, funky glasses. Beyond that, we share no physical features. But people say this to me all the time and I just think "are you even *looking* at me?"
Offered by: Kelly on July 2, 2002 12:12 AMGod! Laura, you DO look like a young Natalie Wood! Amazing...
Offered by: Tess on July 2, 2002 12:02 AMoh god. i've been told i look like ione skye, a young natalie wood (when she was like 5, not when she was hot) christina ricci, geena davis and judy garland. of all those, i think i probably look closest to judy garland in her wizard of oz days. someone told me i looked like mena suvari when i had blonde hair a few months ago - huh?
you make the call:
http://www.popcultureslut.com/laura.jpg
http://www.popcultureslut.com/laurahighschool.jpg
http://www.popcultureslut.com/blonde4.jpg
oh yeah, i've also gotten rosie o'donnell. puke.
Offered by: laura on July 1, 2002 11:42 PMIt pains me even to say it, but the person I've been told I look like is Valerie Bertinelli. Not now, but 20 years ago. My mother used to bring me to this salon to get my hair cut and they insisted on giving me a Valerie Bertinelli cut, because I looked like her. Gag. In my early 20's, I started getting my hair cut in Manhattan, so I was given a much better lookalike. While preparing to cut my hair one time, Timmy turned to his friend and said, "She has Paulina's face, doesn't she?" I definitely prefer that comparison, but I'd rather simply look like me.
Offered by: Kim on July 1, 2002 11:32 PMI'm thinking I have that Sean Connery look but Jennifer thinks I look more like Lou Costello.
I've posted some picks of yours truly on my blog. You be the judge.
Tess, I don't even know how to do the simplest of upgrades! (Either does Gina.) Uploading images to the "server" is about as technical as I've been able to get without crashing the entire World Wide Web.
Offered by: Jodi on July 1, 2002 11:09 PMSorry. I can't do white writing on a maroon background or I'd read the "whatever-dude" post.
I think you look more like Gina than Linda.
People have told me I look like... *gulp*... Reba McIntire.
See, wouldn't this be a fun post if you had Trackback?? I mean, bloggers all over could be posting about what celebrity they look like then linking back here where the whole fabulous idea started.
Offered by: Tess on July 1, 2002 11:05 PM
