Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[scarimor]

<snipping to the chase...>
Me? Short and fat like all the women on my mother's side of the family. If people have an issue with what I look like, that is their problem, it doesn't stop me from dancing, battle re-enactments, standing in front of 3,000 SF fans to MC the Worldcon masquerade and basicly too busy getting on with life to worry what anyone else thinks.

Totally cool.

A woman once asked me, "If you could change one thing about your body, what would it be?"

I replied, "I'd like to have 20 20 vision." (I have mild/medium short-sight - need the specs or lenses for driving, TV etc.)

She stared at me with her jaw round her ankles for a few moments, which made me so self-conscious that I began to wonder if I was growing a boil on my nose or something, and then she said, "Yes, but what if you could change part of your body?"

I stared at her like she was growing a boil on her nose or something, pointed at my eyes, and said, "Hello? Part of my body!"

Granted, I have something resembling a Neanderthal gene in the furry leg department and wouldn't mind losing that yearly winter coat, and if I do put on any weight over Christmas it goes straight to my backside, but really... 20 20 vision would be way more useful than a cosmetic depreciation

[SunKrux]

Totally cool.

A woman once asked me, "If you could change one thing about your body, what would it be?"

I replied, "I'd like to have 20 20 vision." (I have mild/medium short-sight - need the specs or lenses for driving, TV etc.)

She stared at me with her jaw round her ankles for a few moments, which made me so self-conscious that I began to wonder if I was growing a boil on my nose or something, and then she said, "Yes, but what if you could change part of your body?"

I stared at her like she was growing a boil on her nose or something, pointed at my eyes, and said, "Hello? Part of my body!"

Granted, I have something resembling a Neanderthal gene in the furry leg department and wouldn't mind losing that yearly winter coat, and if I do put on any weight over Christmas it goes straight to my backside, but really... 20 20 vision would be way more useful than a cosmetic depreciation

scari I love you!

What would I change of my body IF I could, my nose...I have my father's nose (this round bulbous thing) and I'd much rather have my mom's nose...it's much straighter.

But I can't so I live with it and move on.

[resurgamlaura]

Funny how the conversation has turned this way, because myself and a Gater friend of mine on Tuesday were discussing how stunning Amanda is, and how her figure has naturally evolved over the years the way a tall woman who has had given birth should. She's tall. Her having slightly broader shoulders is natural because of this. As is the increase in the upper body department, because she's had a child past her twenties-its what happens. We think she looks lovely- and has done over the last ten years.
And to all those who stand proud about their relative height/weight- from someone who is 5 ft 4" and weighs seven and a half stone, when you're trying on that bikini you sure as hell don't feel any better than the bigger, curvier girl next door- because someone, somewhere, hasn't worked out how to make swimwear for girls who have the, ahem, *cheek* to have very, very small breasts but a rounded, sticky-out posterior. And in the last year or so most places have started doing great ranges for bigger busted women (which is fantastic) but forgotten that 32A gals still might want a bra- running down stairs in PJs has never been a fun experience... Women are incrediably varied in their size, shape, proportions and metabolism. Once you know how your body works and why it works, and accept what always will be and what you can change in order to be more healthy in yourself, then you're fine. The diet brigade ignore the main problem- that a)some people are just small/big anyways b)that the important thing is to teach children how to enjoy a varied lifestyle and food, and not encourage people to be obsessed with having huge portions, predominately meat, when your stomach has the mere capacity of both your fists put together. Sorry...someone pressed my 'rant' switch

[parsifal]

I missed this when it was published, so I'm guessing it will be new to some as well. From a story about last year's Gemini Awards:

Stargate SG-1's Amanda Tapping, hosting the first hour of the Geminis, was almost unrecognizable with long blond hair instead of her usual short 'do.

"Vladmir, the stylist, called me and suggested, 'Very Versace, very Versace, okay darling?' And I thought, you know what, this guy sounds like he's a lot of fun, so I'm just gonna go with it. With these Crazy Malibu Barbie hair extensions, I look like Donatella Versace, don't I?"

Now that Stargate is no longer in production after 10 swell years, Tapping says next season she hopes to guest on a few episodes of the show's spinoff, Stargate Atlantis.

"I feel like Frasier, but not as rich," the always witty actress quips.

[SunKrux]

Awww. Sunny's being kind.

That's only because in other posts I wasn't being kind.

... But I'm with FF on this one.

I don't know what that dude was smoking that day, but Mini's dead sexy. So whateva.

I'm with FF as well. He was wrong. "There's a special place in h.e.l.l for guys like him...right next to those who talk in theaters and child molestors"

[PengYn]

So does this mean that we're twins? Sorry...had to do that.

Indeed! Although, you look more regal and I look like I'm goofin' off (which I probably am). And, as the folks at Sam & Jack know very well by now, in my own head I look like my avatar! I tried changing it the other day to Elizabeth, yeah that lasted a half a day because I couldn't recognise myself!

In my mind... Yes, you are. Only, you're wearing a black pointy witches hat (for some reason) and MegYn the PengYn is wearing a black tux.

The mind does odd things...

lolol. Funnily enough, I do that too (for Sun, not for me), I imagine her as Vala and Idina rolled into one. And Jenn, a tux ... just no bow tie please, let's leave it open collar.

Since we're on appearances... smidgeon of a sidetrack, but I will get it on topic eventually. I was at a news stand today buying The Stage and random stranger (let's call him Bob) strolls buy and says "Shouldn't you be in school?" Umm no. He asked if I was playing truant. I told him I left highschool six years ago. Bob says that's impossible. The snark in me is an early riser so I asked him if he'd like to see my results, school, college, or otherwise. Bob then says "I'd never have guessed. Has anybody ever told you you look thirteen?" No never, oh except only about a half a billion times. I then told him that he had it completely wrong... "fourteen" I said, "I look fourteen." I danced off down to work, fairly confident with the way I look, figuring he'd never recognise me if I went all out for a night on the town so meh! The point to the story is that while I was 'dancing' down to work, I kept thinking about gabit and telling Amanda that people always think I'm younger than I look and there are always those who tell me that I look thirteen. It was Amanda who told me "That was ridiculous" and then in total jest said "You look at least fourteen!" So now I take that with me wherever I go

[SunKrux]

In my mind... Yes, you are. Only, you're wearing a black pointy witches hat (for some reason) and MegYn the PengYn is wearing a black tux.

The mind does odd things...

Probably has nothing to do with my sig image.

[JenniferJF]

The point to the story is that while I was 'dancing' down to work, I kept thinking about gabit and telling Amanda that people always think I'm younger than I look and there are always those who tell me that I look thirteen. It was Amanda who told me "That was ridiculous" and then in total jest said "You look at least fourteen!" So now I take that with me wherever I go

This story always amuses me. When I was actually 13 I was at a con and one of the guests swore I looked like I was 16... Now, I get mistaken for 13 myself. Go figure.

[Mandysg1]

This story always amuses me. When I was actually 13 I was at a con and one of the guests swore I looked like I was 16... Now, I get mistaken for 13 myself. Go figure.

But Jennifer, I get the image in my head, I don't know why, that you look like Jacob

Hmmm, maybe equating people with their avatars isn't always a good thing

[SunKrux]

Indeed! Although, you look more regal and I look like I'm goofin' off (which I probably am). And, as the folks and Sam & Jack know very well by now, in my own head I look like my avatar! I tried changing it the other day to Elizabeth, yeah that lasted a half a day because I couldn't recognise myself!



lolol. Funnily enough, I do that too (for Sun, not for me), I imagine her as Vala and Idina rolled into one. And Jenn, a tux ... just no bow tie please, let's leave it open collar.

Since we're on appearances... smidgeon of a sidetrack, but I will get it on topic eventually. I was at a news stand today buying The Stage and random stranger (let's call him Bob) strolls buy and says "Shouldn't you be in school?" Umm no. He asked if I was playing truant. I told him I left highschool six years ago. Bob says that's impossible. The snark in me is an early riser so I asked him if he'd like to see my results, school, college, or otherwise. Bob then says "I'd never have guessed. Has anybody ever told you you look thirteen?" No never, oh except only about a half a billion times. I then told him that he had it completely wrong... "fourteen" I said, "I look fourteen." I danced off down to work, fairly confident with the way I look, figuring he'd never recognise me if I went all out for a night on the town so meh! The point to the story is that while I was 'dancing' down to work, I kept thinking about gabit and telling Amanda that people always think I'm younger than I look and there are always those who tell me that I look thirteen. It was Amanda who told me "That was ridiculous" and then in total jest said "You look at least fourteen!" So now I take that with me wherever I go

hee, what can I say, I like women who are not afraid to say what they're thinking...Vala (and in a lot of ways, Claudia) and Idina (and Elphie) are like that. ;D I come from a long line of exceptionally strong willed women and have no patience for the "damsel in destress" type of woman.

OH if we're playing the "name your fav Amanda moment" I'll just have to fall back on my (so far) ONLY experience of meeting her. At GateCon last year when I was in line for my photo op with AT I asked the Creation lady if I had to give my gifts to her or could I give them straight away to AT? I got to give them to AT myself. So I stood in line waiting and then my evil twinny (she was in line before me) made me switch because she wanted to see my reaction to AT's reaction to my gifts (for those who don't remember/know, I took two Glow-in-the-Dark Devil Duckies (see www.mcphee.com for them) - a normal 'rubber duckie' sized one for Olivia and a keychain one for AT). Anyhoo, I walk up to Amanda and she sticks out her hand and says hello. I shoke her hand (good strong handshake on that woman! ) and then proceeded to give her the gifts. She was genuinely appreciative about it, especially the one for Olivia. I mentioned that I had wanted to get the GIANT Devil Duckie (it's frellin' huge!) for Olivia, but decided against it since O is a toddler and I had images of her using it to pelt mom and dad with...it would have killed them. She gave me a hug! That's right, I got a HUG from Amanda and didn't even ask. I NEVER ask actors on TV shows for hugs because it's, IMHO, quite rude. But if they offer one, you bet your eema I'll take it. HUGS ARE GOOD!

Anyway...that's my fav Amanda moment.

[resurgamlaura]

Since we're on appearances... smidgeon of a sidetrack, but I will get it on topic eventually. I was at a news stand today buying The Stage and random stranger (let's call him Bob) strolls buy and says "Shouldn't you be in school?" Umm no. He asked if I was playing truant. I told him I left highschool six years ago. Bob says that's impossible. The snark in me is an early riser so I asked him if he'd like to see my results, school, college, or otherwise. Bob then says "I'd never have guessed. Has anybody ever told you you look thirteen?" No never, oh except only about a half a billion times. I then told him that he had it completely wrong... "fourteen" I said, "I look fourteen." I danced off down to work, fairly confident with the way I look, figuring he'd never recognise me if I went all out for a night on the town so meh! The point to the story is that while I was 'dancing' down to work, I kept thinking about gabit and telling Amanda that people always think I'm younger than I look and there are always those who tell me that I look thirteen. It was Amanda who told me "That was ridiculous" and then in total jest said "You look at least fourteen!" So now I take that with me wherever I go

Nothing like that has ever happened to me. Nope Though I'd confuse people, because to distinguish myself from all the identikit jeans/trackie bottoms crowd, as a teenager and now I dress sort of classic ladylike with a twist and do the same with the make-up, and they don't know what to think my age is-'body of a girl, face made-up like a darker version of a 1940's woman-WTF?!' So cute that you remember Amanda saying that. And its no bad thing that you look younger than you are...

[SamJackShipLover]

I normally lurk, but now I've made some icons of Sam / AT so I thought it was a good idea to post them here

It's easy to make pretty icons, with her in it

[starprops]

My turn to tell one of my stories, forget Amanda, lets talk about ME!

About eight years ago, I'd started to gain a smidge of weight. I was about a size 8 beforehand (which for someone who's 5'9(ish) is pretty slim), and I'd gone up to a size 10 (much to my mortification - because I was acting a lot at the time, and as Sky already said, it's a tough business for image). Anyhow, I was in a play and we were rehearsing on stage, and there was a short stage combat bit amongst the guys. Well, one of them fell into me (accidentally) at the time, and I fell over with him, landed face-first on stage. He got up and I was about to do the same when the director (a woefully insensitive yet very professionally accomplished man whose name I won't mention), says:

"Ohhhh, beached whale..."

Well.

I. Froze.

Right there on the stage, face first on the ground with my nose in the dust, staring at a piece of green blocking tape. I even remember what the place smelled like. A moment frozen in time. And I was thinking... well, thinking things about myself which shall never be repeated. I also thought, I have to get up now. But I will not cry. And of course, everyone was watching me. So I did get up. And I did not cry (in front of them, at least).

The director didn't INTEND to be cruel, he just didn't censor his thoughts, but once the words came out, there they were. And I felt pretty humiliated.

Three words, one man's complete lack of thought, and I will remember that moment for the rest of my life.

Amazing how a thoughtless phrase in passing can still be cruel, isn't it? Well, he didn't MEAN IT that way. Perhaps not ... he's still not back on my Christmas card list, though.

(Now, of course, I'd kill to be a size 12 again!)

Soon, I tell you!!

Hugs,
mini(the beached whale)geek

Mini, Sky
You're right about show biz being rough on women and their weight. I've worked backstage in a theatre for over 25 years and I've heard directors come down hard on a female actor for having gained 4 lbs., for heaven's sake. My Godchild is in the movies, [Evan Rachel Wood], and I know she worried about it before she was even in her teens but she inherited the slim gene so she's never had to worry but get's accused of being anorexic, which she isn't.

I feel really upset when I hear comments about AT having gained a little weight, so what! She looks great, in fact incredible. I agree that the beauty within her, her lovely spirit even add to the beauty we see.

As for myself, I've had weight problems all my life. There've been a lot of cruel things said to me. Name calling, etc... When I was young I cried, I didn't understand why some people disliked me just cause I weighed a little more then them. As I grew older I realized I had to let those comments roll off my back but it never stopped hurting. Then after 8 years of back problems I found a diet at Duke University that helped me lose 178 lbs. in 14 mo. I got down to 104 lbs., 20 lbs. underweight. I looked better when I was about 15 lbs. above my 'ideal' weight but I just couldn't put the breaks on losing weight. I remember seeing people who hadn't given me the time of day when I was overweight but now they were all so nice to me. It really opened my eyes. Here I was the same person, relatively intelligent, kind, good sense of humor , the only thing changed was my weight and it was like they wouldn't bother until my outside matched my inside. Needless to say it bothered me a lot.

Years later I gained some of the weight back because I was so unhappy trying to maintain my weight - I'd learned my metabolism was so slow I had to eat no more than 400 calories a day to maintain my weight and I'd become anorexic. So I ate healthy and exercised but didn't count my calories. I was turning 30 and was unhappy about my weight gain, even though I felt better, physically. A friend asked me to come take some photos of the plays he was in. I did. I met all the actors and crew and they were so nice. They made me feel so welcome. I started ushering, then the Tech Director asked me if I wanted to work backstage - I had just had surgery on my hand, but he said he'd find something for me. I found a 'family' and they got a prop manager/stage director/set decorator. I got lots of hugs, [I love hugs]. They made me feel like I was an old friend. My weight didn't seem to even be noticed. They saw the real me. I'm still there 25 years later and I have some dear friends and 3 Godchildren. But - there still is the insensitive Director or Tech Director who needs to think before they speak sometimes but I've ended up being the one the actors come to after that nasty moment and I do my best to build them up as well as taking the director aside to let them know what a jerk they just were. So I figure that's why I went there all those many years ago, it's made my life richer and I hope my friends at the theatre have been enriched by me being there.

I better shut up. I've been home sick, no one to talk to so I'm kinda going on ..too much.

[NZNeep]

Thank you! I've been trying to work this stuff out all week (why? - can't remember now, lol). I knew there was a difference but not by how much - I guess ours are the same as yours, NZBG.

I need to watch Dominion. I'm behind on my Sam fix

Yep, I think it's the same. And the UK are halfway between... weird.

but i still want to experience a little one. 3-4 point one, just strong enough to feel.

My cousins live in Australia and had never felt one at all. Where I live in New Zealand, we get tehm all the time. So when they were visiting a few years ago and felt one (a tiny one), they were very excited. I went online and printed off all the seismograph info I could find for it.

Very well put NZBG! I know I struggle constantly with self-image, even without external pressures upon me.

Sio

(((sio)))

It sucks! One tiny comment is sometimes all it takes to throw you off... My mother (bigger than me) and twin sister (smaller than me) are contantly on at me about me weight. Then my mum hassels me to eat more! Grrr...

Sky - having experienced a few earthquakes, trust me when I say this...YOU DO NOT WANT TO EXPERIENCE THIS. It's very unnerving and down right scary. There's nothing worse than watching your windows and house ROLL when they normally don't do that. It's just freaky. Trust me, you do NOT want to experience that, EVER.

I used to be terrified of them. Well, I still am. But because we get them all the time I had to get over it pretty quickly.

now if they'd just design clothes for us. seriously, if the average woman is 5'4" and a size 14, then why in the HELL is all you can find in the stores in that proportion are pretty ugly and all the 'fashionable' stuff is for pre teen little girls with no boobs and no hips????

When I was the "right" shape for all those clothes, I was 11-14 and the girls at school teased me for being skinny and having no boobs. So I wore cargo pants and baggy tshirts everyday. Now that I like wearing nice clothes, it's impossible. Expecially with these *points* meaning that I have to get tops 2 sizes bigger than pants. *pouts*

Totally cool.

A woman once asked me, "If you could change one thing about your body, what would it be?"

*snip* sorry!

That is so true! I would love to have my eyes fixed.

A woman who was researching for her book about teenage girls once asked me tonnes of questions regarding body image, then followed it with, "if you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?" Of course, because I was still thinking body image I said "my nose" because I broke it when I was 3. She did the same thing to my sister, then used our answers to try and argue that teenage girls cared more about their bodies than world events. Grrr. I was probably the only 13-year-old in my class who read the newspaper voluntarily.


Heh, lots of off topic again. Oh well, I'm off to my physics lecture. You know, like Sam. And Sam is great. See, I can be on topic

[JenniferJF]

But Jennifer, I get the image in my head, I don't know why, that you look like Jacob

Hmmm, maybe equating people with their avatars isn't always a good thing

I know I look like Jacob Carter to a lot of people. I've been told by one person I look a lot like Jacob with long hair.

Before that, I've been told I looked a lot like Siler.

I'm okay with that, really. There are a lot worse things I could look like. And I don't think anyone intentionally sets out to equate people with their Avatars. It just sort of happens.

And, on topic, I made the following cap of Sam smiling. It's rather a natural and spontaneous smile, and I figured I'd share: