I thought I'd share with you some of the well known and not so well known women who have had some form of impact on my life in various ways. These aren't personal and they are not in any particular order of greatness - just the order of people coming to mind.
Jennifer Saunders
Ok, I'll admit that the "no particular order" thing wasn't entirely true. This lady is at the top of my list for very good reason and will undoubtedly remain there for the rest of my life. I spent most of my teenage years watching and rewatching everything she's written and/or starred in. Like most of us, I found my teenage years to be a struggle and found myself feeling incredibly lonely at times and it was then I realised how much something that makes you laugh really does matter. Jam and Jerusalem is my favourite, being one of the best casts I've ever seen on tv and the most subtle and funny-but-lovely-at-the-same-time scripts. The fact that Jennifer, herself has quite a small part is another reason she is so inspirational - she can write so beautifully for the other incredible acting talent on the series but still give herself just a few lines which incidentally turn out to be some of the best.
Dawn French
It's rather obvious that her's is the next name here. Seemingly a master of the art of what I will call "facial athletics", she has continued to make me laugh for as long as I can remember. One of my favourite childhood tv memories is the Vicar of Dibley Christmas special in which Geraldine agrees to 3 Christmas dinners. Anyone that can make just eating brussell sprouts that funny just by their face is a hero in my book.
Her autobiography is the best I've read - mainly because we seem to have a lot in common, she says things in there that I've always felt guilty for thinking but I know that it's not just me.
Her solo show had the audience in stitches one minute and quite literally in tears the next. It was so well written and performed.
Also - I'm just gonna leave this here...-->
It's rather obvious that her's is the next name here. Seemingly a master of the art of what I will call "facial athletics", she has continued to make me laugh for as long as I can remember. One of my favourite childhood tv memories is the Vicar of Dibley Christmas special in which Geraldine agrees to 3 Christmas dinners. Anyone that can make just eating brussell sprouts that funny just by their face is a hero in my book.
Her solo show had the audience in stitches one minute and quite literally in tears the next. It was so well written and performed.
Also - I'm just gonna leave this here...-->
Melanie C
My childhood hero. It probably started because she could do a backflip. I have seen her on 5 separate occasions - her solo concert (this was the first concert I'd ever been to!), Spice Girls concert (the reunion when I was 18) Blood Brothers, a studio recording of "Superstar" where she was on the judging panel (also with Dawn French!) to find the new Jesus Christ Superstar lead and then of course on to the O2 where she played Mary Magdalene in that very musical. I used to record my own radio show in my bedroom when I was younger and made my brother guest star in it - not as himself, obviously, but as Melanie C whilst I interviewed. Annoyingly, he met her a few years ago and sent me a photo saying he asked her for a photo because it would annoy his sister. I'm sure she was charmed. Other than that. She's. Just. Cool.
Victoria Wood
My childhood hero. It probably started because she could do a backflip. I have seen her on 5 separate occasions - her solo concert (this was the first concert I'd ever been to!), Spice Girls concert (the reunion when I was 18) Blood Brothers, a studio recording of "Superstar" where she was on the judging panel (also with Dawn French!) to find the new Jesus Christ Superstar lead and then of course on to the O2 where she played Mary Magdalene in that very musical. I used to record my own radio show in my bedroom when I was younger and made my brother guest star in it - not as himself, obviously, but as Melanie C whilst I interviewed. Annoyingly, he met her a few years ago and sent me a photo saying he asked her for a photo because it would annoy his sister. I'm sure she was charmed. Other than that. She's. Just. Cool.
Victoria Wood
The lady responsible for my other favourite series of all time. From her sketch shows such as As Seen on TV to Dinnerladies to the absolute masterpiece and a complete change in direction that is Housewife 49. I always say that the best comedians make the best actors and she just went and proved my point in this one. I mean, I don't always say it...that would make for some very repetitive conversations. Probably playing quite a big part in my next entry's rise to fame, although I have no doubt she'd have got there anyway, Victoria's sketches were a showcase of ridiculous and beautifully crafted characters. The best comedy shows are the ones you can watch years later and still find it as fantastically funny as you did the first time and will again years after that. It is in a way, timeless.
Julie Walters
Hands down, my favourite actor*. There's a lot of actors I love but she just outdoes everyone, really. The fact she doesn't have an Oscar is ridiculous. When you're all making a fuss about the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio "finally" getting one; go and compare his performances (where, in my opinion, he pretty much just plays the same person in different situations in each of his films) to hers - look at how incredibly she plays so many very different characters, from Mrs Overall - bent over and shuffling; to encompassing the hatred and anger Mary Whitehouse showed towards the BBC; to Molly Weasley, who I probably don't need to describe to you. Everything changes, her look, her accent, her attitude and demeanour - I think Leo needs a real acting masterclass from this lady.
Hands down, my favourite actor*. There's a lot of actors I love but she just outdoes everyone, really. The fact she doesn't have an Oscar is ridiculous. When you're all making a fuss about the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio "finally" getting one; go and compare his performances (where, in my opinion, he pretty much just plays the same person in different situations in each of his films) to hers - look at how incredibly she plays so many very different characters, from Mrs Overall - bent over and shuffling; to encompassing the hatred and anger Mary Whitehouse showed towards the BBC; to Molly Weasley, who I probably don't need to describe to you. Everything changes, her look, her accent, her attitude and demeanour - I think Leo needs a real acting masterclass from this lady.
Sarah Millican
Very funny and stands up for her right to do what she is happy doing. I'm talking about that dress. The one she wore to the BAFTAs and the media hated it. Well, not only hated it; we all have things we don't like - if it's not affecting anyone else, the thought should stay in our heads... but they wrote articles and spoke on national television about how much they hated it. She wrote this article http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-05-15/sarah-millican-twitter-was-a-pin-to-my-excitable-bafta-balloon which I encourage you to read but if not this is the gist - "I'm sorry. I thought I had been invited to such an illustrious event because I am good at my job. Putting clothes on is such a small part of my day. They may as well have been criticising me for brushing my teeth differently to them".
Ruby Wax
Very funny and stands up for her right to do what she is happy doing. I'm talking about that dress. The one she wore to the BAFTAs and the media hated it. Well, not only hated it; we all have things we don't like - if it's not affecting anyone else, the thought should stay in our heads... but they wrote articles and spoke on national television about how much they hated it. She wrote this article http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-05-15/sarah-millican-twitter-was-a-pin-to-my-excitable-bafta-balloon which I encourage you to read but if not this is the gist - "I'm sorry. I thought I had been invited to such an illustrious event because I am good at my job. Putting clothes on is such a small part of my day. They may as well have been criticising me for brushing my teeth differently to them".
Ruby Wax
As well as an incredibly funny lady, writing some of the funniest lines tv history - she's darn clever too. She's an advocate for mental health, with her shows and books revealing so much to us that no one else going through it could ever feel alone. Mental health is something that even though it seems to be "talked about" everywhere now, it's always spoken about as a subject in itself. It should be part of everyday conversation - not treated like it's something so different. According to mind.org.uk as many as 1 in 4 people experience some form of mental health problem each year. So why the stigma when a quarter of us deal with it on a daily basis? But this is what Ruby is helping to achieve; I can't imagine coming out of one of her shows or reading one of her books and not talking about it.
Caroline Lucas
Yes, I know...I didn't think I'd ever have a politician in this list either. As the first Green Party MP, her work just shows that things can change, as long as we, the public make them change. We don't just have to put up with what we're given. I think the main difference for me about her is that she actually cares. She's human. I don't know what has happened to most of the MPs we have that seems to have turned them in to a crowd of football hooligans jeering at someone trying to speak, rather than listen and respond like normal people but luckily she's not one of them. Our environment is something that I really care about, as should we all and it is inspiring to see her passion about the matter - to the extent that she gets arrested for it, which is terrible when people are peacefully protesting about something so important. If we don't fight for our planet's future as priority - there won't be anything left worth fighting for.
Lilly Singh aka Superwoman
As someone that probably watches as much Youtube content as television, there's a few names I could put here and I wanted to make sure I included the platform that could possibly have more influence than traditional media. Thinking there's too many names, I can't choose, so I won't mention any - I then remembered this video.
https://youtu.be/ZQu3E0gU0ww
I love it when people use their platform for good. Lilly recognised that she had a huge audience to speak to, so spoke about something important. She is very funny too, she films sketches and rants quite regularly so check out her other videos while you're there.
As someone that probably watches as much Youtube content as television, there's a few names I could put here and I wanted to make sure I included the platform that could possibly have more influence than traditional media. Thinking there's too many names, I can't choose, so I won't mention any - I then remembered this video.
https://youtu.be/ZQu3E0gU0ww
I love it when people use their platform for good. Lilly recognised that she had a huge audience to speak to, so spoke about something important. She is very funny too, she films sketches and rants quite regularly so check out her other videos while you're there.
Let's not forget the huge numbers of women that have fought for us in the past and the present; those who aren't named in headlines, for gender equality which, ridiculously, is still a huge issue from the poverty of the third world right up to the glitz and glam of Hollywood. In 2016, nothing should matter anymore, whoever you are, whatever you do, however you choose to live - we are all one and the same.
Thanks again for reading, be sure to let me know what you think and comment below on who has influenced or inspired you!
Catch ya later.
Falv
-x-
*I do mean "actor". I don't understand the segregation between male and female and why we need separate "best actress" and "best actor"categories at the awards shows. I was recently corrected when for whatever reason I said something along the lines of "that's because I'm such a good actor" and the response was "Actress." Pathetic, huh?
Thanks again for reading, be sure to let me know what you think and comment below on who has influenced or inspired you!
Catch ya later.
Falv
-x-
*I do mean "actor". I don't understand the segregation between male and female and why we need separate "best actress" and "best actor"categories at the awards shows. I was recently corrected when for whatever reason I said something along the lines of "that's because I'm such a good actor" and the response was "Actress." Pathetic, huh?
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