Tuesday 12 February 2019

On looking like


Apparently it is possible for the same person to look like all of these people...

About twelve years ago, when I had a bit more hair, kept my stubble trimmed and was running three times a week (i.e. was a lot slimmer), I quite often got told I looked like Simon Pegg. At one friend's 40th birthday party, I was told this by three different people, separately. One of them even said, "I'm sure you hear this all the time but you look just like..." Now for the record, I didn't really look like Simon Pegg, though I can see where they were coming from, I guess.

Prior to the age of Pegg comparison, I was told on more than one occasion that I looked like a young Tony Blair in certain photographs. Since the Pegg years, I've most often been told I look like Dave Gorman. More accurately, Dave looks like me (I am older). But again, neither of those is really accurate, both simplistic comparisons based on a single feature (hair for Blair, beard for Dave G).

Today I had the most unexpected "you look like" yet. I have new glasses. Not only that, I'm having to wear my glasses more of the time, so I guess they are more noticeable, especially to people I don't see that often. And today, from a colleague at work, this: "I've been talking with XXXX and we've decided your new glasses make you look like Jeff Goldblum."

Now, by no stretch of even the most fertile imagination do I look anything remotely like Jeff Goldblum.

What XXXX and YYYY mean is that my new glasses look a little bit like Jeff Goldblum's glasses.

Whatever, I'll take that as a win, because Jeff rules.

12 comments:

  1. I do like the sound of your new glasses, Martin!
    That's a pretty cool selection of people to look like (well, apart from Blair!) and how good to be able to add Jeff to the list - I'm so glad it's nothing to do with your wings and large compound eyes ;-)
    Although I know what you mean about the single feature, I do believe it's more than that because lots of people may share that one characteristic, but the specific person who you get likened to has sprung to mind over all the others for a reason. A subtle combination of other things perhaps, the shape of the face, the smile, the distance between eyes and eyebrows, any of those things that just make you more similar than you realise.

    I know I look nothing like her, but I was once told (about 12 years ago and before I wore glasses) that I had a look of Kylie about me!?!?! I decided it must be because we both have quite big teeth - so perhaps just something about the smile at that moment!

    Also if you're interested, I wrote a post here about some other people's lookalikes:
    https://sundriedsparrows.blogspot.com/2017/04/excuse-me-but-arent-you.html)



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    1. Kylie, that's a cool lookalike to have in your back pocket!

      I don't know about the one factor or many. Coincidentally, Dave Gorman used to do a bit in his stand-up routine about the lookalikes he was sent by fans, most of whom looked nothing like him - they just has beards. I don't know, maybe it's a combination of factors but the conscious mind fixates on the obvious one or two.

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  2. Spookily this was a convo that came up in the pub yesterday. On good days I get Steve Coogan and Peter Sellers. On bad days I get Alan Carr *shudders*

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    1. Peter Sellers, cool. Alan Carr...not so much...

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    2. I consider the Carr comment an insult! I've also had Stephen Mangan and Richard E Grant too. Like you say, none of these people look alike!

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    3. Basically then, aside from Carr, a pretty good roster of lookalikes for you!

      I think next time I update my profile picture on dreaded social media, I might just opt for a photograph of my glasses, since that is clearly how I am now recognised...

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  3. When I was a teenager, they told me I looked like Adam Carrington from Dynasty / The Colbys.

    I didn't.

    A student a couple if years ago kept telling me I looked like the lead singer if Pznjc At The Disco.

    I don't.

    There have been others, but the best one I heard recently was one of Louise's friends who said I look like Bruno Mars.

    I mean... I don't even own a hat!

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  4. The Man Of Cheese20 February 2019 at 20:12

    I was thinking more of a feathered lookalike but they're all quite decent. At work they say that I look like the banjo playing child with mental problems from the film Deliverance. Not quite what I was hoping for!

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    1. That, my friend, seems harsh. Quite amusing, but harsh nonetheless...

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