July 9, 2020

"When the English Twitter account for the French foreign ministry revealed Franck Riester’s new title of junior minister for trade and 'attractiveness'..."

"... it immediately elicited mocking online and questions about whether it had been mistranslated. In France, the term 'attractivité' is often used to refer to attracting investment. The French foreign ministry assured its followers it had looked up the definition of the word in English, but that did little to shut down the jokes and memes."

So... they've modified it to "economic attractiveness."

Politico reports.

I love the photograph of the (erstwhile) Minister for Attractiveness:



Such delicate hands! I myself am mesmerized.

21 comments:

Earnest Prole said...

Speaking of attractif, an author no less famous than Michael Lewis wrote that “ The French male is a gaydar-jamming device” — in Slate, no less.

Wince said...

Perhaps they should have used the word opportunité?

"Such delicate hands!"

The better to pick your pocket.

"You got city hands, Mr. Riester. You been counting money all you life."

tcrosse said...

Lovely hands. Is he Master of his Domain?

rhhardin said...

He looks like Philippe Duclos, Judge Roban in Spiral (2005-).

Ann Althouse said...

Something about his haircut and facial expression makes me think of Jane Hathaway.

Ann Althouse said...

"In 1999, TV Guide ranked Jane Hathaway number 38 on its list titled '50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time.'"

Come on! What the hell was going on in 1999?

Ann Althouse said...

From Nancy Kulp's Wikipedia page:

"Kulp married Charles Malcolm Dacus on April 1, 1951, in Dade County, Florida; they divorced in 1961.... In 1989, Kulp gave an interview to author and LGBT activist Boze Hadleigh in which she said: 'As long as you reproduce my reply word for word, and the question, you may use it … I'd appreciate it if you'd let me phrase the question. There is more than one way. Here's how I would ask it: "Do you think that opposites attract?" My own reply would be that I'm the other sort — I find that birds of a feather flock together. That answers your question.'"

gspencer said...

The "Minister for Attractiveness" looks like a poofter who tried for a teaching spot at the University of Woolamaloo but was rejected.

Dave Begley said...

Haircut kind of like Ken Burns; the PBS guy.

Rory said...

The other Nancy Culp - stage name Chickee James - was a dancer at the Latin Quarter. She was cute as a button:

http://www.johnhemmerarchive.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/cast_culp.jpg

gspencer said...

What's more attractive to have, "lovely hands" or "beautiful plumage?"

traditionalguy said...

French fingers are attractive.Vive La France. Without the Frogs we would never have learned about French Kissing, etc..
“Lafayette we are here “ was the death knell of Kaiser Wilhelm’s Reich.

mikee said...

Remember that leading up to 1999, feminism had pushed forward lotsa ugly women, as musicians, comediennes, actresses, politicians. Jane Hathaway was a smart female character, supporting but unappreciated by her idiot male boss, who fit the 1999 mold for oppressed women.

I, for one, find the idea of sourcing TV Guide for anything other than what time a show plays on which channel might be not be using the best resources for your investigation. They also had Cosby on the cover a lot.

Nichevo said...

Earnest Prole said...
Speaking of attractif, an author no less famous than Michael Lewis wrote that “ The French male is a gaydar-jamming device” — in Slate, no less.


SO true.

Skeptical Voter said...

What could a girl say? He's a hottie.

Bruce Hayden said...

I think that it very much depends on your background, whether you find this guy attractive or not. The French, no doubt do. My partner looks French, and no doubt would find hin attractive. But her base for determining good looks is based on her father and his family. He had thick, curly, black hair, high forehead, narrow face, and high, prominent cheekbones. She has much of the look except that she is naturally much fairer, in her skin color, hair and eyes. There was recently a TV series set in a French village revolving around their WW II Resistance. Everyone In the village had the same French look. Her father could have been added to that group, and no one would have blinked. He had the same look. She thinks that I have a Welsh horse’s ass face (her father’s terminology). I think most French men (like this one) look effeminate. No doubt I am joined by the Germans and many of the English. Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys.

Sam L. said...

You are getting sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeepy, sleeeeeeeeeeeepy, sleeeeeeeeeeeeepy.

walter said...

Hand shamer

gadfly said...

Ugly nose and too young for gray hair. Doesn't know how to knot his tie. Puffy around his too-close-together eyes. Needs to learn to shave.

Craig Howard said...

Translation is an art -- "Minister for Trade and Investment" would have sufficed.

rhhardin said...

It is hard to find the just word.