'Nother Vocab Question

[TarnishedPenny]

Is there a name or tag for when a supremely attractive woman, one successful in her own right, marries a very plain man? Think Christie Brinkley with Billy Joel, Julia Roberts with Lyle Lovett or Cameron Diaz with Benji Madden?

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I doubt the reference would be understood beyond the UK, but that would be a Mrs Merton marriage, after the late great Caroline Aherne whose character asked the beautiful Debbie McGee, “So, what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?”

Daniels was a short balding large-eared magician in his 60s, she was his glamorous assistant in her 20s, they got married. I think he popularised the phrase 'and here's my glamorous assistant'

Otherwise I suppose you'd have to say 'hes punching above his weight, looks wise.'

 

[NotWise]

Is there a name or tag for when a supremely attractive woman, one successful in her own right, marries a very plain man? Think Christie Brinkley with Billy Joel, Julia Roberts with Lyle Lovett or Cameron Diaz with Benji Madden?

I can't think of anything short and sweet for the hot wife/ugly husband pair. You might be able to use simile -- "Like the Flintstones," for instance.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Thanks, folks.

 

[Ian_Snow]

It's not exactly the simple term you're looking for, but punching above his weight class or her punching down is a term for it.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Is there a name or tag for when a supremely attractive woman, one successful in her own right, marries a very plain man? Think Christie Brinkley with Billy Joel, Julia Roberts with Lyle Lovett or Cameron Diaz with Benji Madden?

I'll be the asshole and say "in love."

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Is there a name or tag for when a supremely attractive woman, one successful in her own right, marries a very plain man? Think Christie Brinkley with Billy Joel, Julia Roberts with Lyle Lovett or Cameron Diaz with Benji Madden?

Consider if she might be a sapiosexual.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I'll be the asshole and say "in love."

One would like to think so.

 

[Voboy]

I'd invent my own term.

Then, include a conversation between two catty characters who snidely discuss your couple and then use your word to describe it.

Presto.

 

[SimonDoom]

I mulled this over quite a bit and did a little research online, and couldn't find anything.

I'd suggest taking up Voboy's idea: come up with your own metaphor or description. You'd probably be good at that, anyway. If and when you do, post here about what you chose.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Thanks, all. I was sort of hoping there was something snappy and modestly current, like 'metrosexual'. Oh, well.

 

[NotWise]

Thanks, all. I was sort of hoping there was something snappy and modestly current, like 'metrosexual'. Oh, well.

mismatched?

 

[Emirus]

Is there a name or tag for when a supremely attractive woman, one successful in her own right, marries a very plain man? Think Christie Brinkley with Billy Joel, Julia Roberts with Lyle Lovett or Cameron Diaz with Benji Madden?

The first couple I can remember who would fall into the category would be Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti who were married for 41 years, not counting their bigamous marriage in 1957 because he was still married to his first wife. He was 21 years older than her and little, tubby and bald.
*
Paul Daniels was 50 and Debbie McGee 29 when they married and they’d been together for several years before that. There was a 21 year difference in their ages and they were married for 28 years until his death.
*
*
How about Good Choice for the beautiful woman and the plain man. It would certainly have been a good choice for him.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I know what you would call the guy... Lucky!

 

[NotWise]

I know what you would call the guy... Lucky!

And she might be the trophy bride.

 

[Nouh_Bdee]

Maybe not necessarily including the “successful in her own right” bit, but there was a phenomenon of early 2000s U.S. network sitcoms with couples like this: King of Queens, According to Jim, etc. I feel like I read a good description of it in an article about those shows, but it was a long time ago and I can’t remember it now. Maybe there’s something there involving unfair beauty standards for women? Like screen-test-sexual? That one’s bad, but I can’t think of a good one so bad’s what you get.

 

[mynameisben]

There used to be a term used at meat market pick-up bars, where men would sometimes employ a pick-up strategy called "Go Ugly Early." The idea behind this strategy is: Why waste time and money on drinks trying to pick up one of the hottest looking women at the bar when you can take home an ugly one with little to no effort?

I'd say that Christie Brinkley, Julia Roberts, and Cameron Diaz all employed the "Go Ugly Early" strategy. They have a good sense of economics.


Ben

 

[Handley_Page]

There used to be a term used at meat market pick-up bars, where men would sometimes employ a pick-up strategy called "Go Ugly Early." The idea behind this strategy is: Why waste time and money on drinks trying to pick up one of the hottest looking women at the bar when you can take home an ugly one with little to no effort?

I'd say that Christie Brinkley, Julia Roberts, and Cameron Diaz all employed the "Go Ugly Early" strategy. They have a good sense of economics.


Ben

But those models you mention are hardly broke, are they .

 

[mynameisben]

But those models you mention are hardly broke, are they .

No, they are all obviously rather well off. I was referring to the economics of time management and an economy of effort.


Ben

 

[jaF0]

Maybe not necessarily including the “successful in her own right” bit, but there was a phenomenon of early 2000s U.S. network sitcoms with couples like this: King of Queens, According to Jim, etc.

Still Standing

Grounded for Life

 

[Rustyoznail]

Still Standing

Grounded for Life

The Simpson's

Family Guy...

 

[SimonDoom]

T

I'd say that Christie Brinkley, Julia Roberts, and Cameron Diaz all employed the "Go Ugly Early" strategy.

Ben

I'd say they are all examples of the "Hot women like musicians, no matter what they look like" phenomenon.

Eddie Murphy had a funny comic routine about this in the 1980s. He said the best thing about being an entertainer was getting p***y. But singers get the most.