FAMOUS NAMES THAT FOR SOME REASON PEOPLE WHO OUGHT TO KNOW BETTER STILL CANNOT PRONOUNCE CORRECTLY

Raquel Welch…

For those of you who may not know, her surname is pronounced “Welsh”.

She must have the thickest skin in the world, because if I had such an easy-to-say name, and people screwed it up year after year on television, I’d be annoyed.

Apparently, Jerry is the only one who can say it properly.

Even the Muppets struggle with it…actually Kermit appears to go back and forth between correct and incorrect pronunciations. But the best part of this clip is Raquel introducing youngsters everywhere to the term “sex-sational” just before 7:10 as she attempts to seduce Fozzy Bear.

I guess this is as good a place as any to clear up any other common mispronunciations of screen performer’s/director’s names.

You’re creepy.

Excuse me?

Raquel Welch is the one attempting to have sexual relations with one of Jim Henson’s Muppets, not me. But I still wouldn’t call her anything bad for doing so. Fozzy had sex appeal written all over him.

no, he means in general, Vanselow. you’re a weird, creepy guy.

bieksa

This thread is fucking weird.

RUS, you calling someone else creepy is like Magda Szubanski being Australia national ambassador for weight loss (look her up).

It’s never been established what GW meant so I could only guess he/she had a problem with Raquel putting the moves on a fluffy Muppet. Or maybe it was more that she was attracted to Frank Oz’s arm.

No, seriously, what are some names that people commonly screw up? We ought to have a list of some sort of not already.

Kim Basinger is one that always fooled me—it’s actually Base-singer.

P.S. That’s no cheap fat joke about Magda, she really does hold that position.

Heddy Lamarr (that’s Hedly!)

Hedly? Really?

brad, you’re adorable.

Mark! Stop whatever you’re doing and go watch Blazing Saddles!

@TDM
:)

Michael Haneke

which is pronounced….?

how is nicolas winding refn pronounced?

i’ve just been saying nick-o-las win-ding ref-en

and michael haneke? i say mike-al han-a-key.

you’re probably closer than me. i’ve been saying ‘han-EEK’. at least in my head :P

Haneke is pronounced like the Jewish holiday… Hahn-uh-kuh

thank you drunken father :)

I’m likin’ this thread already, especially for that photo above of Racquel “Welsh.”

Yeah, I mispronounced Kim Basinger for a long time.

Recently in another thread someone told me that John Cazale is pronounced Kuh-zal (with the “zale” part rhyming with “pal”)

And I’m sure that the list of Asian names I pronounce is neverending for me.

@ Mark: “Raquel on Seinfeld video” I noticed that the doctor in the video pronounces George’s last name differently. (I prefer Cant-stand-jya :)) Is that a theme in the episode?

Yes, Haneke is pronounced like the Jewish holiday.

And I believe Winding is prounounced like “the wind is blowing” and not “a wind up toy”

Can I get some Apictochatpong Wheresathatskull up in here!

@ Sunday: When I saw Uncle Boonmee, the festival worker introducing the film asked if anybody in the audience knew how to pronounce his name. Nobody spoke up.

I would’ve blurted out something horrendous had I been there.

Also, folks continue to mispronounce ‘Henry Selick’ as ‘Tim Burton’… ಠ_ಠ

Brad S:

“Blazing Saddles” has been on my “to see” list for many years. It’s one of those films that seems to have spawned lots of “in jokes” and cute film buff references.

I’m actually surprised that more folks DON’T have trouble saying “Magda Szubanski”. (It’s Zoo-ban-skee).

Speaking of the big gals, I’ve always wondered how to say “Marianne Sägebrecht” (pictured below). I’ve got ideas how it might be said but figured it might help to ask a German.

Captain:

The episode of “Seinfeld” wasn’t based around mispronouncing names. It was centred upon Raquel Welch and her supposedly lousy temper (in real life, Raquel has a reputation as a no-nonsense, speaks-her-mind type of lady—I believe this was just played up for comedic effect in the episode).

One of the key jokes in the episode is that Raquel doesn’t swing her arms when she dances and walks. I tip my hat to whoever decided to cast Raquel—she’s a very underrated comic actress and it helps bring her to a new generation. I think outside North America and maybe the UK (where she was mega-famous and worked regularly in the ‘60s and ‘70s), not a lot of people under 25 would recognise her.

I know: poor, deprived people.

Apictochatpong Wheresathatskull is actually quite easy to pronounce.

It’s pronounced Joe.

:)

I keep hearing people refer to Ralph Fiennes as “Ral-ph Fee-ens” while he insists it is “Rafe Fines”.