June 5, 2012

"It'll be a fahntahzztic evahnahng, ahnnd you cahhhnn join us."

I know this is a few days old, but I've been laughing at it for a few days, and I'm convinced now that it is ageless, so embed I must:



I could swear that at 0:22, she says "We're saving the 2 best teats in the house for you," but Meade won't agree.

I'm just trying to imagine the life a person would have to live to develop these mannerisms and affectations. Perhaps Anna Wintour came upon this personal style through hard work and wonderful creativity, but it's just so freaky! Why did the Obama campaign folk imagine this wasn't horribly, embarrassingly out of touch with Americans? That's the question.

By the way, is Wintour American? Because if she is, what the hell is that accent? Some kind of Jackie-Kennedy-gone-mad inflection? Okay, she was born in England. So I can't fathom depth of the phoniness. It's a mystery. And I think she is an American citizen now, so it's not that ridiculous for the campaign to want to use her as a lure for donors. But... someone in that campaign should have realized how mockable this would be and said no.

Now, I'm seeing that Media Matters is boldly coming to the rescue by accusing "Right-Wing Media" of "Unleash[ing]" a "Sexist" attack.

Here's a feminist clue from me to Media Matters: If you think it's "sexist" to make fun of how a particular woman looks and talks, but you don't have an equivalent principle with respect to making fun of how a particular man looks and talks, then you are being sexist. No special protection for the ladies — especially when they step into the political arena.

86 comments:

FloridaSteve said...

I've already entered this 388 times... and counting! LOL

BarryD said...

If neither of you has seen the teats yet, how do you know whether he'd agree?

Michael Haz said...

That's really Sacha Barron Cohen, right?

Can't fool me.

Comanche Voter said...

Can you say out of touch wealthy doofus/rich bitch wants you for dinner with The Won?

Maybe you can't, but I can.

And as for "reich wingers" launching "sexist attack" on La Wintour, none of those liberal clowns had any difficult with bashing Sarah Palin--

What's sauce for the goose---is--sauce for the goose.

Ann Althouse said...

"That's really Sacha Barron Cohen, right?"

I was getting a Martin Short vibe.

Triangle Man said...

She is from England and so is her preposterous accent.

edutcher said...

The Dragon Lady from The Devil Wears Prada?

He really is the whitest white guy on the planet.

Offering a seat next to Christina Hendricks or, if you're into transplanted Englishwomen, Lucy Pinder I can see.

But this is too weird.

Scott M said...

I'm just trying to imagine the life a person would have to live to develop these mannerisms and affectations.

She was an understudy for Norma Desmond, that's how.

gerry said...

Obama's campaign is appealing to the 1%. Not us.

Balfegor said...

Okay, she was born in England. So I can't fathom depth of the phoniness.

I guess there's a bit of exaggerated daahhling in there, but it actually didn't seem all that outlandish to me. Should she be putting on a fake working class accent or something? I was expecting something a lot more hilarious from what you were saying. No laughs. So disappointed.

Tom G said...

Her accent is as authentic as Madonna's. And she's just about as relevant.

Patrick said...

"Some of the most incredible women in the world?" Sarah Jessica Parker and Michelle Obama?

Uh,...I hope not.

Rabel said...

She's 62 years old.

Kudos to the make-up girl, the cameraman and the surgeon, that's some nice work.

X said...

rabel wins the thread

ndspinelli said...

She's from Venus.

Ron said...

She's Morticia Adams without the life-affirming joie de vivre!

TheCrankyProfessor said...

She's only half English - and she's lived in America all of her professional life (as far as I can tell from Wikipedia). In other words, it's a carefully cultivated noise product, her accent.

I think it's a hoot and enough to sink the O in some demographics.

damikesc said...

Holy cow, I read some MM comments.

Cognitive dissonance is strong there.

"Left-wing commenters don't insult women for their looks"? I'm sure Paula Jones is stunned to hear that.

Ditto Linda Tripp.

Ditto the former FL Sec of State.

Andy said...

If you think it's "sexist" to make fun of how a particular woman looks and talks, but you don't have an equivalent principle with respect to making fun of how a particular man looks and talks, then you are being sexist.

Do you think a remotely equal amount of time is spent discussing how women look and talk and how men look and talk?

Would it be sexist for society to spend vastly more time evaluating woman on their appearance than it does men?

Rob said...

Isn't it a violation of gambling laws to require a contribution in order to have a chance of winning the prize? Avoiding that issue is the reason sweepstakes allow participation without a purchase (though clearly they'd prefer if you made a purchase and make participation easier for those who do).

Ron said...

If I enter and win, I'll take Althouse if the Meadester will loan her out for the evening. We won't be late! I'll wear my Predator drone pin....

chickelit said...

Wintour is channeling Joanna Lumley in Cold Comfort Farm

Synova said...

The camera work is really strange, too.

I like naturalized citizens and think that it says something good about us when someone wants to come and be a citizen here (yes, including half the population of Mexico, though it would probably be easier to just annex Mexico) but BUT in the context of voting and not knowing if she can vote here or not, since I've not a clue who she is, the "visuals", as they say, are incomprehensible.

Why is a "foreign" lady messing around with our election?

DADvocate said...

Wintour plays the epitome of elitist snobbism perfectly. I just don't understand her equine attraction to Jessica.

traditionalguy said...

The Americans circa 1783 did NOT ever consider separating Church and State. Why should they?

But they STRONGLY separated English class rules of Aristocracy from the State and drove them all out back to England or to Ontario.

For Barack I to bring it back now as his special gift to us exposes how un-American this Destroyer-of-America-in-Chief really is.

Carol said...

I read in a Chaplin bio that actors used to develop an all-purpose, generic High Class accent to use on stage..definitely hear that in the movies of the 1930s and 1940s. Think Hepburn. The audience just expected it, or you were considered low-class, especially by the low-class.

So maybe this'll work for Obama.

Synova said...

The most amazing thing about the comments on Media Matters is the complete deep-sixing of all memory more than ... all memory whatsoever.

Liberals never mention a woman's looks instead of her ideas.

Get with the program!

Unknown said...

I especially love "Beerok and Meeshell."

I hope and pray some Repubs sign up for this dinner and win. I would love to listen in on the table talk!

A friend and I have been talking in Wintourish all day, signing off with a grim "Deey-on't be late."

Richard Dolan said...

"I could swear that at 0:22, she says "We're saving the 2 best teats in the house for you," but Meade won't agree."

Well, if he won't agree, it's not because she didn't say that.

And, despite the tone-deafness of the O Campaign's releasing this ad, it is a welcome respite from the endless Wisconsin Recall stuff. It's not just the voters of Wisconsin who are getting sick of hearing about it.

bagoh20 said...

I have liberal friends who really admire Michelle Obama as a great woman. Why? Because she is the first lady, and she's black. That's it. They never have anything else, and they have no idea what she did before that.

Liberals would buy a bag of radioactive dog shit if it was packaged right.

Synova said...

I will say, though, I object to the "horse" stuff with Sarah Jessica Parker. She's not stupid because of the shape of her face, and I rather like it when women with interesting features (as opposed to interchangeable ones) do well in television and movies.

No, she's a twit because she's a twit.

Rabel said, kudos to the surgeon. Kudos to SJP for not getting a surgeon.

(This is also the *only* thing I like about Barbara Streisand.)

Michael K said...

"Do you think a remotely equal amount of time is spent discussing how women look and talk and how men look and talk?"

Only gay men.

30yearProf said...

She's obviously one of those Aristocrats we fought the Revolutionary War to get rid of.

And at 0:22, she does say "teats." There is no "s" sound in her comments. They probably reshot that bit a dozen times. Obviously, they expect Bill Clinton to attend. ;-)

edutcher said...

Ron said...

If I enter and win, I'll take Althouse if the Meadester will loan her out for the evening.

Now an evening with Althouse would probably be a bigger draw.

Better conversation and a meal cooked by Meade?

Yeah, I'd take a shot.

chickelit said...

I will say, though, I object to the 'horse' stuff with Sarah Jessica Parker.

I thought it was because of her bowed-legs.

SJP occupies a special niche of revulsion for many men. I'm trying to think of the male equivalent...



...OK, I give up, I'm sure there is one.

Seeing Red said...

--Would it be sexist for society to spend vastly more time evaluating woman on their appearance than it does men?---


Women critique each other, that's not sexist.

kcom said...

If this doesn't show up on Saturday Night Live it will be a travesty of justice!

"I think it's a hoot and enough to sink the O in some demographics."

Like the bitter clinger demographic? It really, really isn't your father's Democratic Party any more.

bagoh20 said...

"SJP occupies a special niche of revulsion for many men. I'm trying to think of the male equivalent..."

Andrew Dice Clay

Rob said...

I ran into SJP in Central Park and asked her if she minded the jokes about her. She didn't seem to, though to be fair she was preoccupied with pulling that Hansom cab.

robinintn said...

"Daahling I love you but give me Park Avenue"

or maybe the meaner Gabor, Zsa Zsa.

Rabel said...

You guys can sign up here:

What's wrong with her eyes

I think Sahrah Jessica is trying to hypmotize me.

Unknown said...

Well I'll be damned. Shih Tzus can talk.

I would have thought that "dahhling" would be "dahhring", though.

sonicfrog said...

Anna Wintour???? Really???? Who the HELL are they trying to appeal to??????

I asked the same question when they rolled out the Sarah Jessica Parker one, which had almost the same wording and offer. I saw one of the Democrat lackeys on CNN explaining the SJP ad is aimed at the 18 to 25 year olds….. Really? Do many 18 year olds have much of a clue who she even is, or care much about her even if they do??? Didn’t the show shes identified with go of the air 4 years ago? Didn’t the last movie they did based on that show completely bomb????

PS. When I think of Sarah Jessica Parker, I think of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfzXU2n9snI

It's probably not what they would like me to think of.

Aridog said...

Ann asks: Why did the Obama campaign folk imagine this wasn't horribly, embarrassingly out of touch with Americans?

Simple. Because the Obama & his folks are horribly, embarrassingly out of touch with Americans.

And for how Wintour's accent is allegedly aristocratic Brit? Nonsense. Just spent the morning watching the Queens Jubilee celebration, at my better half's beckoning, and with dozens of Brit speakers emoting, including aristocrats aka "Royalty", and never heard one who sounded remotely like Wintour. It's purely a "stage" accent.... fitting perhaps for a "Real Housewives" episode somewhere. Among other things known about Brits, one is that the aristocracy, such as it is, speaks relatively unaccented English. In particular the Queen.

That the Dems would put Wintour up in a advertisement is hilarious. What's next, Wintour does #Occupy?

Xmas said...

If you're gonna pick a SJP video, at least pick a funny one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2PN9tn-NsU

PS. You know, the timing of this request, and the people involved, I'm sure this is another blatant appeal to rich, gay donors.

Michael K said...

I finally watched it and that is a good facelift.

David said...

Wintour's a Brit.
Rhymes with tit.
Wouldn't it be neat
If she rhymed with teat?

Michael K said...

"And for how Wintour's accent is allegedly aristocratic Brit? "

It sounds like a Gabor to me. Ask her to say "Dahling." I watched "GiGi" the other night and it is definitely a Gabor accent.

Fen said...

Sorry, I can't get past her stupid hair.

Media Matters is boldly coming to the rescue by accusing "Right-Wing Media" of "Unleash[ing]" a "Sexist" attack.

This was supposed to be a trap. MediaMatters jumped the gun instead of waiting for bigger game.

JournoList 2.0

Funny how when you type those words into any ABCNBCBSCNN site, the mods always delete it.

David said...

Rabel said...
She's 62 years old.


Be respectful of your elders.

My wife's 64--a beautiful woman. Looks better than Anna by a country mile, and without the surgery, money and stage makeup.

bagoh20 said...

Just stop and think for a moment: why are these people at all in a position of notoriety? They didn't do anything especially hard, heroic or admirable. They are simply wealthy and famous. Like Flava Flav or The Situation, but with different accents.

Right is right! said...

Now more than ever, the Democrat and Republican party are dominated by the super wealthy and powerful.


Ann, here is the difference between you and me-I know the above and I know that I am not really part of either party. You on the other hand think you are part of the scene, but really (to quote Dylan) "you just want to be on the side that’s winning!"

Not to long from now you will come to realize how much of a fool you made of yourself over the past few years.

chickelit said...

Free@last warned: Not to long from now you will come to realize how much of a fool you made of yourself over the past few years.

But what if you're on the wrong side of history?

Right is right! said...

The current Republican party will not deliver on limiting the size and role of government. You are a fool if you think Mitt Romney will be anything but a big government Republican. The rich and powerful that are increasingly dominating both the Republicans and Democrats are going to further use government to their own ends. That does not include limiting the size of government, hense limiting their power.

I know there are a lot of fools here like Ann and meade who believe otherwise. But you are fools.

がんこもん said...

I suspect that Ms Wintour has exaggerated and frustrated thespian tendencies and has probably adopted this ludicrous and inauthentic accent primarily to assuage her own self-image as an 'outsider'. Outsider? Wintour? She is the epitome of the '1%' if there ever was one!

And as for how she came to be in an Obama ad, she fits the Obama mold perfectly. here is a person who undeniably used her family and personal assets (even Wikipedia admits she made up to older, powerful men who got her her early jobs) to ascend to her current position. She is infamous for her atrocious behavior and based on her history it seems she is the classic bully - she fawns over her superiors and brutalizes her underlings. She would make an excellent lapdog for people like Josef Stalin or Kim Jong Il.

wv: peartl. A miniature variant of the better known pear.

Right is right! said...

We will see who is on the right side of history and who was fooled by it.

Anonymous said...

C'mon Synova, I challenge you not to laugh at these takedowns of Wintour/Parker from Iowahawk :

"Hello fashion fans, I'm Anna Wintour. Register for a chance to meet Sarah Jessica Parker and a private tour of her new bridle collection."


"Hello, I'm Anna Wintour. Enter to win a fabulous dinner with Sarah Jessica Parker, and we'll throw in the carrots and sugar cubes."

bagoh20 said...

SJP says Obama ended the war in Iraq.

When you have to go that far, just skip right to it and say it loud and proud: I love Obama just because he's awesome!

Balfegor said...

Re: Aridog:

Among other things known about Brits, one is that the aristocracy, such as it is, speaks relatively unaccented English. In particular the Queen.

I think the aristocracy has differed from family to family -- I think landed gentry used to speak with the regional accent of wherever they came from, although that probably changed when they started sending all their children away to public school and all their daughters to London. The Queen speaks with a pretty standard RP accent now, but her accent when she was young was one of those ultra-posh "heppy to see you" Upper-RP accents.

rhhardin said...

There may be a salad fork in your future.

Synova said...

"C'mon Synova, I challenge you not to laugh..."

Oh, I laugh... I just feel bad about it. Sometimes being in bad taste is why something is funny. It's still in bad taste, though, and not something for polite company.

Think of it this way... if things aren't naughty anymore, they aren't half as much fun. This is a good reason to keep the line for "naughty" somewhere accessible.

rehajm said...

How one sounds when you have the collective head of the fashion industry up your ass 24/7...

Seven Machos said...

We must march, my darlings.

Bob Ellison said...

Is it ok that I find SJP beautiful?

Jenny said...

She looks like that cat with fruit on it's head like a helmet. She really is laughable, such drama, dahling.

ampersand said...

W-I-N-T-O-U-R, is that pronounced Bouquet?

Synova said...

"W-I-N-T-O-U-R, is that pronounced Bouquet?"

I can't say how very glad I am I wasn't drinking anything.

Dear gawd.

pm317 said...

She has famously said 'can't we get the WH to do something about the retail stores selling our designer merchandize at cheap prices.' And the other designer in on that conversation had to inform her that it was illegal.

Biff said...

sonicfrog said: "Anna Wintour???? Really???? Who the HELL are they trying to appeal to??????"

This video was targeted squarely at New York's Upper East Side and, to a lesser degree, the Upper West Side. It's not trying to get massive numbers of votes, at least not directly. It's all about raising money in NYC in order to fund the campaign elsewhere.

Believe me, there are people in those neighborhoods who saw this video and became positively orgasmic at the possibility of attending such a dinner. A chance at dinner with any ONE of the hosts would be enough for some people to mortgage the weekend place in the Hamptons. Having dinner with A.W., S.J.P., M.O., and B.O.? As I type, goats, virgins, and trust funds are being sacrificed...

Anonymous said...

Wintour thought it was a good idea to laud Assad's wife in Vogue because she wears designer duds and is bone thin one month before Assad openly began to slaughter the Syrian populace. BTW He didnt suddenly become an SOB he has always been a brutal dictator. Seems morality and common sense is not a prerequisite for the Obama campaign.

Methadras said...

Why her? I don't get it? Is there no one in New York of any meaningful prominence that they could have gotten to hawk another one of their George Clooney come-to-my-house-raffles? You can just see the utter disgust behind her eyes at the prospect that she is literally making a plea to the unwashed, filthy masses beneath her to come and join her and SJP.

Mo5m said...

"I'm so lucky in my work!" I've never seen her without dark glasses. Looks like she has trouble keeping her eyes open in the light or maybe they're just little, beady eyes.

Methadras said...

Andy R. said...

Do you think a remotely equal amount of time is spent discussing how women look and talk and how men look and talk?

Would it be sexist for society to spend vastly more time evaluating woman on their appearance than it does men?


Please tell me you've penned this missive in the hopes that it will get published in Vogue so you can buy a thousand copies to send to all 3 of your friends with your letter highlighted in yellow for them to read over and over and over again while you twirl and dance and squeal like a little girl.

Methadras said...

Fen said...

Sorry, I can't get past her stupid hair.

Media Matters is boldly coming to the rescue by accusing "Right-Wing Media" of "Unleash[ing]" a "Sexist" attack.


Yeah, they sent Andy R. as their vanguard in the war. lulz.

Methadras said...

Bob Ellison said...

Is it ok that I find SJP beautiful?


For a philly?

ErnieG said...

To paraphrase Pauline Kael: "I don't know anyone who would vote for Romney."

Known Unknown said...

I'd love to see a spoof with Edna Mode.

Wince said...

I'm confused about the protocol: should the two winners bring their own Grey Poupon to the dinner?

Jenner said...

Good gawd. What on earth did they do to get her to wear that gaudy Obama scarf?

William said...

This will nail down the shoe designer demogaphic. People who know haute couture trust Anna Wintour's judgment, and this will probably swing their vote.....This woman begs for mockery, but the sad fact is that it will not happen. Ann Romney's wife will take more flack for indulging in dressage than this irritating shard will take for socializing with Sarah Jessica Parker--even though they're such similar sports.....Larry Flynt and Anna Wintour. You can't say that Obama doesn't have broad appeal.

Lawyer Mom said...

What a delight to see Juan Williams's wit unleashed. He could never, ever have said what he did about this Zsa Zsa ad were he still at NPR.
(FF to @ :55)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRGEZ7A57fQ&feature=player_embedded

Synova said...

That was a fun clip, thanks Lawyer Mom.

Anonymous said...

Christopher Hitchens found her beautiful, poised, and *fragrant*.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4roufOI6Gg

I've seen longer version of this clip (which I cannot find right now) in which the interviewer asks him if he's serious and he assures him he is.


English guys sometimes. I don't know. ;-)

6/6/12 1:30 AM

MayBee said...

She should have been holding the edition of Vogue with the fawning article about Mrs. Assad.

Between her and Beyonce singing for the Qaddafis, you would think Obama might question the good judgement of some of his most prominent supporters.

DEEBEE said...

It must be a Venus / MArs thing. Being a guy I clearly heard seats. Perhaps because the thought of teats from her would be well....

MayBee said...

Wintour is beneficial to the campaign because she helps bolster the whole Michelle Obama watching industry. That is targeted toward two constituencies, gay men and black women.
We also know, thanks to the Jodi Kantor book, that Democrats love to see the Obamas together. So Barack needs to try to get some of Michelle's reflected, manufactured glow.

Read the Mrs O blog, or Huffington Post's fashion pages, or even Tom and Lorenzo when they overly praise Michelle. Commenter after commenter will talk about how beautiful Michelle is and how Barack looks at her with such un-fakeable love in his eyes.
The Julias of the world are really invested in them as a beautiful couple, and that's what Anna Wintour and SJP are trying to tap into and encourage.