In yesterday’s puzzle, two actors met at a crossing that was the undoing of many a solver. I knew neither of them, but guessed well. It was John CHO, of the Star Trek films, and the gorgeous HONG CHAU: Best Supporting Actress nominee for “The Whale,” 2022. They crossed at the “O.” Here’s Ms. Chau.
Hong was born in Thailand to Vietnamese parents in a refugee camp. They fled Vietnam in the late 70’s as “boat people” when her mom was six-months pregnant. She is a U.S. citizen, and she’s 44. Her parents worked as dishwashers and then ran a convenience store so she could attend college (Boston University). Even today, when they visit her, they insist on doing the dishes. She has a daughter who is three.
The puzzle was about languages. At five points it had a word in a different language — in that language’s writing. For example, it had the word CHECKERS written in Chinese lettering and we had to come up with the answer CHINESE CHECKERS. The one that was easiest for me (since I know a little Hebrew), was the word for National written in Hebrew for the answer: HEBREW NATIONAL (the hot dog).
Some folks had never heard of Hebrew Nationals — what rock are they living under? We reminded them of the “we answer to a higher authority” ad campaign I am sure you all recall.
Here’s a young lady eating a 5.5-pound, 3-foot-long hot dog. I have no idea why.
A note from LMS:
Whenever I introduce prepositions in class, I always say, Hey! Wanna see prepositions in Japanese? This usually startles them, and when I start writing a big ole sentence in Japanese kanji and hiragana on the board, even the wiseacres in the back are paying attention. 私は学校でお弁当を食べました。What the . . .? I’ll draw little arrows identifying the characters that are actually postpositions because they follow the noun they’re working with. I explain this, too, that some languages have postpositions instead of prepositions. Incredibly, the whole class pays attention even though they have no idea what the hell I’m talking about. But the grammar aspect isn’t the point. When I’m done, I say, I could have written this using our alphabet – Watashi wa gakkō de o bentō o tabemashita. Why do you think I chose to write it in Japanese? Answers vary, but finally someone will say something like to show you can? I always shriek and say BINGO! I wrote this totally to show off. As you wander off into your lives, if you ever have the chance to study a language with a different written system, do it. Because when you can write stuff in that system, you just feel really smart. Like a bad-ass boss. Happily, a few years ago, I got a postcard from a former student who was doing a year abroad in China. Said she took my advice. Yay!
Re: SARI (Dewali dress), from egsforbreakfast:
Indian Mom: Time to leave for your wedding, darling. Do you have everything?
Daughter: Yes, Mom.
Mom: Your shoes?
Daughter: Yes, Mom.
Mom: Your hat?
Daughter: Yes, Mom.
Mom: Your SARI?
Daughter: No, just a little nervous.
Well, Girl, you’ve really stuck your pretty little foot (see below) in it this time! Of all the countries to diss, it had to be Vietnam?? Things are still a little delicate out there. Sheesh.
Here’s the story: In the new Barbie movie (by Greta Gerwig) there’s a scene that includes the “nine-dash line,” a U-shaped dotted line on a map showing territory in the South China Sea that Vietnam and China both claim. Vietnam is furious with the filmmakers because the film’s use of the line supports China’s claim. Barbie was scheduled to open in Vietnam on July 21, but that’s been nixed and the film has been banned in the country. This should not come as a surprise to the pretty doll — two other movies in recent years have been banned in Vietnam for the same reason. Owl Chatter has reached out to Ken for comment, but we have not heard back. Here’s what all the fuss is about:
Another big brouhaha arose over Barbie’s perfectly arched feet. Margot Robbie is the actress who plays B and in one scene the camera zooms in on her feet as she steps out of her plush pink slippers and onto her tippy-toes. The arches struck some observers as too perfect to be human. Gerwig was accused of using special effects.
But Robbie and Gerwig, appearing together on Australian TV, refuted the charges. Robbie conceded that she did get a pedicure for the shot, but the feet are hers. All it took was a bar for her to hold onto and some double-sided tape to keep the shoes still. No special effects. “She just has the nicest feet,” Gerwig explained, “beautiful dancer feet.”
The exquisite actress/model Alexis BLEDEL visited the puzzle today at 44D, clued with her role on Gilmore Girls. She’ll be 42 in September. She was born in Texas and raised in a Spanish-speaking home. She identifies as Latina. She was 18 and attending NYU when she got the offer to join the cast of GG and dropped out. She married an actor she met while guest-starring on Mad Men and had one son with him, but they divorced last year. Not surprisingly (see photos, below), she has been on the cover of many magazines, including Glamour. This is Alexis’ first visit to Owl Chatter — Don’t be a stranger AB! — We won’t pair you with that hot-dog girl next time.
That’s about as pretty an ending as we could ever come up with. See you tomorrow.
The Wellington Files 