Big melon research, day 2

We have a breakthrough. Thanks to the all-encompassing memory banks of Bryce (see the comment on the 3/28 post) we now have a reference point. For those who did not read the 3/28 post, and have a strained index finger and can't scroll down, I have been looking for the basis of the belief I hold that people with unusually large heads are more successful in on-screen roles on TV and in movies. It's one of those "I know I heard it somewhere" things. So here's our definitive citation:

Well y’know, that’s why Merv Griffin hired Vanna White — her head is too big for her body. Apparently big-headed people are thought to “read well” on TV.

And yes, that is the only qualification to be a TV “journalist.

This is attributed to a person using the name "Cervantes" commenting on a blog here. (This blog also refers to Tony Snow and Brit Hume as examples of the big head phenomenon, and along with some crude language and general meanness, uses the term megacephalic, which may be useful going forward.) For those who don't think a single, anonymous blog comment qualifies as solid sourcing (what's the weather like back there in 2003?) I have something even better:

Overheard on the recent E! True Hollywood Story, Vanna White: Merv Griffin believes that people with slightly larger heads tend to be more successful. The game show creator says it was one reason he originally chose Vanna over a smaller-headed letter-turning competitor.

Attribution to E! should be enough for even the most skeptical, so we'll just stamp "fact" on this one.

So now we know - if you want to succeed in TV but you're not an idol, ballroom dancer, castaway or ex-jock, take a good hard look in the mirror as say, "Is my head - and I mean this literally, not figuratively - really big enough?" And after that, better stop talking to yourself in the mirror, that might be misinterpreted.




Comments

Anonymous said…
The comment was posted by bryce, Barry, not me, but I will ante up:
This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine's boyfriend is a "bad breaker-upper" and during a spat of anger he refers to her as "big head", because he feels her head is disproportionally large. This ruffles her feathers somewhat and she walks around being very self-conscious and worrying that she looks like a "walking candy apple". Hello, Newman...
Barry Martin said…
Sorry about that. You are right, it was Bryce that got me going toward Vanna and her dome. Your Seinfeld reference leads me to add Julia Louis Dreyfus to my list of the megacephalic stars. I thank you, and all of America thanks you.

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