Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Get a Load of that Dame!

Faithful reader Kristen, sent along this delightful bit. It's about celebrity stitching. Hell it's about Dame Judi Dench. She's a cross-stitcher. I knew I loved her. But wait, it gets better:
But perhaps the most arresting memory that they take away from being on set with living legend Judi Dench is not her boundless fascination with acting but her penchant for subversive needlework. Her work certainly did not resemble the delicately stitched roses of a Mrs. Bennet. "She makes these like needlework embroideries on set in the tedium of filming", says (Matthew) MacFadyen, "but they are all: 'You Are a Cunt*'. And she gives them as presents. And it's Dame Judi Dench. And she is doing this beautifully, intricate, ornate (work). You kind of see the work materializing as the shoot goes on. Like: 'You Are a Fucking Shit.' Knightley never received her embroidered cushion from Dench but remarks: "I love that! She gives this fantastic air. She just sits there and she embroiders and you think: 'Oh, that's so nice! It's Judi Dench. It's so quaint; she's embroidering a cushion,' and you go: 'What are you embroidering?' And (it says): 'Fuck!' Apparently she's got hundreds of them just covered in swear words or rude sayings."
Kristen sent this to me from the Groupthink blog which links to the longer article that was in Premier Magazine in 2005.

Love that dame!

*This is different-ish in British than in American. It’s offensive in both languages (just ask me about the time I was explaining the difference to one of the dude’s friend’s parents!) but it is reserved for women in American in a way it is not in British. It’s also a little less horrible in British.

9 comments:

Kristen said...

'Cause she wasn't already awesome enough, right?

:D

Margaret said...

OMG, that is wonderful! That dame has class!

Katya said...

I have always loved Judy Dench's acting, and now that I know this I like her even more. Thanks!

Giovanna said...

Wonderful, isn't she?
And did you get news of the flack the Australian Prime Minister caught, for letting herself be photographed while knitting a toy kangaroo for the soon-to-be-dished-out-under-waaaaay-too-much-misguided-attention mini-royal?

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

I always think of the posh one from Sex and the City whispering "see you next Tuesday" instead of saying that word!
I think it's actually considered more offensive here than any other word. I would say the f word if really pushed but never that one! I would say "Quim" because it's from Chaucer and I won a game at an Anne Summers party with it!

Unknown said...

She's amazing.

And I love that they compared her to an Austen novel rather than to a granny!

Coral said...

*Eek, a word that totally freaks me out.

I never say it. Never! Most offensive!

And I'd never cross stitch it!

I still like Dame Judy!

doris said...

This is hilarious! I may have to start a series of some of my favorite words and phrases. Thanks for the laughs.

Berit said...

This is pretty great! Thanks for putting out the word, Anna.

I felt that February's Prairie Schooler releases (well, the Fairy Tales) were a bit stark and had some touch of that kiss-my-ass subversive--just a hint, mind you. They are more...graphic than the usual offerings, with stark palette. I love it!

Not, of course, as subversive as Dame Judi Dench producing Cunt Cushions!