Insults

Recently, it occured to me how often people I know deliberately or indirectly insult classic movies. Sometimes they do it just to irritate me--because sadly it is very, very effective. Here are some examples of said insults:

On Fred Astaire: "Why do you want to watch that sissy tap dancer? Imagine his kids...'Oh, my father dances for a living'...[mumbling]...useless job...[more mumbling]..."

(That one was paraphrased slightly because it has taken place over the course of several years.)

On Marilyn Monroe: "People like her? Why?"

On Frank Sinatra: "At least I don't like some sissy tap dancer. [accompanied by a snobbish expression]"

(It seems my family has something against male dancers. Although not quoted here, my mother also frequently remarks on how old Fred Astaire always looks.)

"Frank Sinatra? He was part of the mafia, you know. [I protest] Aw, come on, he was Italian!"

"I think I'm prettier than Grace Kelly." (That does certainly count as an insult.)

On Rita Hayworth: "She can't dance."

On the Put the Blame on Mame number from Gilda: "I don't like the song or the dance. They're stupid."

And the absolute worst; I think it absolutely takes the cake as the most outrageous, insulting thing anyone has ever said to me about a classic movie star:

On Grace Kelly: "She looks like Paris Hilton."