Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Richard Gere and the hamster

Recently, my 65-year-old mother called me up and said: "Guess what! I discovered the most amazing actor ever!"

Me: "Who?"

Mom: "His name is Richard Gare."

Me: "Richard Gere?"

Mom: "Yes!"

Me: "How is it possible that you're just discovering him now? He's been famous since, like, the 80s."

Mom: "Well, I knew who he was. But I didn't know how wonderful he was!"

Apparently, she watched some movie called Primal Fear and now she's in love with Richard Gere (who she keeps calling Richard Gare). Anyway, I told this story to my husband.

Me: "How could she not know who Richard Gere is! He's so famous."

Husband: "He was the one in Pretty Woman, right?"

Me: "Yes, and he was married to Cindy Crawford."

Husband: "He was?"

Me: "Yes! How do you not know that?"

Husband: "The only thing I know about Richard Gere is about how he put that hamster up his butt."

Me: "What??"

Husband: "You haven't heard that story?"

Me: "No..."

Husband: "It's pretty well known. That's probably what most people think of when they think of Richard Gere."

Me: "I really don't think so."

Husband: "Yes. If you asked a group of guys, I bet that would be the first thing that most of them would say about Richard Gere."

Me: "That's definitely not true."

But apparently, it is true. Thanks for proving me wrong.

So now settle another argument:

Is the term "amazeballs" more likely to be said by a man or a woman?

18 comments:

  1. I've only heard the term "amazeballs" used by two people. Both are men who have recently moved back to Canada after living in the US for over 10/20 years. Is this an American term, or have I been living under a rock?

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  2. Amazeballs eh, 50/50 M/F

    Richard Gere, Buddhist, Tibet Independence, Aging better than George Clooney, (Droool!)
    Movies as follows:
    American Gigolo
    Officer and a Gentleman
    Breathless
    Pretty Woman
    And the Band Played On
    Runaway Bride
    Amelia

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  3. Why do I hear "George Coztazes voice in my head right now?

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  4. I know a woman who says "amaze balls" also writes it on FB. Not a fan. … I thought it was a gerbil up his butt.

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  5. If you google you can find the relevant article in snopes.
    It's false.

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  6. never heard the term. Expat Brit in Canada for 10 years

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  7. I've never heard or read the term before (Female)
    BTW, I associate Gere with Pretty Woman. The Snopes article can be found here: http://www.snopes.com/risque/homosexuality/gerbil.asp

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  8. In my circle I think I'm the only one guilty of using "amazeballs" and I'm a female!

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  9. I should be disqualified as I am your mother's age or very close to death depending on your viewpoint. My knowledge of pop culture from about the early 80's on is spotty at best, but I do know who Richard Gere is. I'm pretty sure the hamster thing is an urban legend. I've never heard amazeballs and was confused the first time I heard someone use the word gobsmacked in an actual conversation. I blame it on aging in a rural community.

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  10. Amazeballs. Said by this woman.

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  11. the only person I know in real life who uses the word "amazeballs" is my first cousin, who is about 35 years old and is a college english professor. Go figure.

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  12. I've heard one person use "amazeballs" and she has a PhD.

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  13. I've heard one person use "amazeballs" and she has a PhD.

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  14. A group of old friends used to use that term a ton in college... they were all male.

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  15. I've never heard that term before today.

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  16. For the record, in the actual conversation above, I identified the hamster story as a rumor that was almost certainly made up by some sexually-insecure guys.

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  17. In Australia, teenage girls are the most likely people to use the term 'amazeballs', and frequently at that. I don't think I've ever heard a guy say it.

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