Celebrities A La Mode
July 10, 2006 1:35 PM   Subscribe

Max Factors: What do Tom Hanks, Patrick Swayze, and Sigourney Weaver have in common? Well, let's just say that da Vinci isn't the only code featuring Tom Hanks these days. (Previously, on MetaFilter) (Some text may be NSFW)
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson (18 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Wow. I never knew where "scarper" came from. "Scapa Flow" = "Go." Beautiful.
posted by George_Spiggott at 1:45 PM on July 10, 2006


Fun! "Dry those Britney Spears" (tears). Wonder if that came before or after her tearful interview.
posted by dog food sugar at 1:52 PM on July 10, 2006


link hosed.
posted by craniac at 2:01 PM on July 10, 2006


Looks made up, especially since they have screwed up the slang paridigm. It is supposed to be: take common phrase A+B, B rhymes with C, then use A to mean C.

Thus from "bread and honey" you get "bread" to mean "money".

Proper slang would be "Dry those Britneys" (tears).

Sheesh.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 2:10 PM on July 10, 2006


*rewatches The Limey*
posted by Smedleyman at 2:22 PM on July 10, 2006


Full agreement with MonkeySaltedNuts. This site is Barney.

you know...Barney Rubble.

TROUBLE
posted by mcstayinskool at 2:22 PM on July 10, 2006


*rewatches Oceans Eleven with special attention to Don Cheadle*
posted by mcstayinskool at 2:23 PM on July 10, 2006


the scene in The Limey where the Limey tells his story to the FBI agent is fantastic, esp. for the line the FBI agent delivers at the end..."There's only one thing I don't understand..." (I won't spoil it for those that haven't seen it)
posted by mcstayinskool at 2:31 PM on July 10, 2006


To be honest, that's really some of the stupidest crap I've ever seen.

But it's old-world elitist so it has to be cool.

Most humans grow past that when they hit puberty.
posted by HTuttle at 2:42 PM on July 10, 2006


As the progeny of cockney stock (I was born in Essex, a few miles from the sound of the Bow Bells), I can assure you that no self-respecting London cabbie or market trader would use any of these modern, fly-by-night mockney affectations. This kind of rhyming slang is less about working-class street vernacular, more an amusing parlour game for the chattering classes. "Tom Hanks" for thanks? You're having a giraffe (pronounced *gee*-rarf).

Recently, my great uncle Frank did gloriously use the phrase "Claret everywhere!" when referring to the time a railway barrier hit him in the head. Not strictly rhyming slang, but a colourful use of (actual) language nonetheless.

And (on preview) don't start me on The Limey. *shudder*.
posted by bokeh at 2:49 PM on July 10, 2006


the scene in The Limey where the Limey tells his story to the FBI agent is fantastic, esp. for the line the FBI agent delivers at the end..."There's only one thing I don't understand..." (I won't spoil it for those that haven't seen it)


Absolutely.
posted by docpops at 3:08 PM on July 10, 2006


I can assure you that no self-respecting London cabbie or market trader would use any of these modern, fly-by-night mockney affectations

Well that's just not true at all. Rhyming slang has always drawn on the world around it, and such 'pop culture' references like that absolutely are used in the real world. e.g. "I don't have a Scooby"
posted by influx at 4:06 PM on July 10, 2006


influx

Scooby Doo = Loo = Toilet?
posted by The Confessor at 6:55 PM on July 10, 2006


Clue.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:22 PM on July 10, 2006


I've been in England for 4 years now and Cockney rhyming slang is the final hurdle before I can fully consider myself integrated. And it's fucking impossible.

Fancy a butcher's?
butcher's hook -> look

China. (from the aforementioned Limey)
china plate -> mate

It's so impenetrable!
posted by slimepuppy at 5:00 AM on July 11, 2006


MonkeySaltedNuts: the only exception that I can think of (which is a bit dated now) is Pete Tong, as in "It's all gone a bit Pete Tong" which you wouldn't hear as "It's all gone a bit Pete".
posted by patricio at 5:13 AM on July 11, 2006


The only time I have ever heard 'Britneys' used was for beers, and that was by a mockney twat.
posted by catchmurray at 5:55 AM on July 11, 2006


Simon Schamas????
posted by barjo at 9:04 AM on July 11, 2006


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