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Jigjag

:-)

geting

Thank you - it is very kind of you to take in interest in my career. I suppose I have had a lot of roles. I like to use the appropriate female ending, so when I think about it, I have been actress, usherette, executrix, ballerina, charwoman, landlady, barmaid, schoolmistress, ballgirl, and possibly others that I cant remember.

I don't mind the -er ending for some jobs e.g. dancer, baker, but I will not accept author or poet, when there are established -esses.

Malone also gave me some recent career advice, but unfortunately I have been unable to secure an apprenticecandlestickmakeressship.

Grunger

You would have been screaming at the TV tonight during Univ Chall. There was a series of questions on the subject of the idiotic "female actors"

'female actors' @793

In a few years some bright spark may exclaim, "Wow! I think there is a way of saying that in one word instead of two. What about 'actresses'?'

I can't understand the logic of the trend to 'actors'. Surely women aren't ashamed to be defined as actresses?

I think I have mentioned before my regret at the possible demise of the '...as the actress said to the bishop' jokes. Substituting 'actor' renders them pointless.

jigjag, Paul

Thanks. I cant understand why some women want to be called actors. In my amdram group, all the women are actresses. I like actress/bishop jokes.

Sad news from yesterday, but note the key difference…

The Times
“Shirley Anne Field, actress, was born on June 27, 1936. She died on December 10, 2023, aged 87”

The Guardian
“Stage and screen actor Shirley Anne Field dies aged 87”

The Independent
“Shirley Anne Field, the English actor known for her film roles in The Entertainer and Alfie, has died aged 87”

Assuming this trend continues, how long before the Academy Awards etc. drop the best actor/actress distinction, especially given the increasing number of humans who identify as neither or both. "Best carbon-based life form that appeared in a film"?

Of course that discriminates against robots, AI, etc. What to do, what to do... (as he clicks "I'm not a robot" in order to post).

grunger @795

Actress/bishop jokes.

Of course these also rely on the bishop being male. With the appointment of female bishops this is not now a given. Therefore we need a suitable distinguishing word. Surely you are not going to suggest 'bishopess'?

Good spot with the newspaper obituaries, jono. Now I have another reason for subscribing exclusively to The Times.

Grunger, your long and varied career sounded fascinating. I just want to check... when you were an executrix, I hope you were dealing with estates, dead people's estates... and not making people dead?

I'm not a fan of 'actor' for female thespians, but some of them feel quite strongly about the terms used. I don't mind actress and shepherdess, but I dislike poetess and a few others (that I've now forgotten, I think my brain erases them to keep me calm).

An elderly, slightly prim and proper aunt, used to refer to consulting a 'lady doctor'. I assumed this was a gynaecologist and didn't ask too many questions. My mother told me later that it was simply a female doctor.