One of my favorite nicknames that started in college when my dear friend Peter Adamson gave me the title was Attitudes. I guess Peter thought I had some attitude to throw around so he quickly gave me that name and it soon spread throughout campus. It was especially interesting to the theater majors as they probably thought it was a stage name or something. Attitudes had a ring that just made people cautious when meeting me. It was kind of fun to know that before people met me, they had heard all about Attitudes. To this day, if I hear someone call Attitudes, I know they are from my distant past and I turn my head very slowly..
I am a big Saturday Night Live fan and have enjoyed many SNL nicknames. Helen Madden was one of my favorites. She was the joyologist with a high kick and a sea shell belt who also loved Donna Mills. I love it, I love it, I love it!!! Then there was Sally O Malley, the 50 year old who liked to kick... stretch... and kick!! My favorite SNL nickname of all time was Candy Sweeney from the legendary Sweeney Sisters Act. My friend Peter would play the role of Candy's sister Liz and we would memorize all of their fabulous medleys and perform them at parties on demand. We even had homemade microphones that we carried with us for such occasions!! Clang clang clang went the trolley... Ding ding ding went the bell.. Thank you!! Oh the Sweeneys were a real hit!! Love you Liz!!
My dear friend Bryant and I have also had our special nicknames through the years. I named Duff Liza right after I met him, as he had the facial features of the one and only Liza Minnelli!! Bryant quickly named me Judy Garland, even though I do not share her features. Bryant and I both loved the hit show "Arrested Development" and because the character Lucille 2 was played by Liza, you guessed it, Bryant became Lucille 2!! This also meant that my nickname became Lucille Bluth, the other Lucille on the show played by Jessica Walter!! We have thoroughly enjoyed the Lucilles and even had a drink created called the Lucille!!
Sass started when the SNL sketch about Sass came about. Everything was Sassy and if you had Sass, you would live in the Sassiest neighborhood, on the Sassiest street, in the Sassiest house. It was pointed out by some friends that I was especially Sassy, so very soon, the Sass was born. This nickname has stuck with me even longer than Attitudes by now. It has taken on a life of its own. I remember being hired back at the Buckle for like the 100th time and when my manager told the DM that she was hiring Aaron back, he didn't know who that was. This conversation went on for some time, until she finally said she was hiring back Sass and he said to definitely hire back Sass, not this Aaron person!! At one point, I almost had my name tag permanently changed to Sass. Sass, like Attitudes, creates a mystery and people are always wanting to meet this person.
There are many random nicknames that I have endured during my years. Sparrow was a nickname given to me because a show choir friend's mother wanted to know who the boy was with the skinny Sparrow legs!! That would be me!! At one point, everyone was calling everyone else Kiki and I finally said that there were too many Kiki's around, so of course I got that name too!! Because of my love of Dynasty, I have also survived the nickname of Alexis. Enough said there. I was also called Fiddlesticks by a student because he couldn't remember my name and I like to say Fiddlesticks a lot at school! And let's not forget two other nicknames that I got from my friend Peter, Sister Woman and Sorceress.
Because I love fashion and people who are famous for no particular reason, I have also received some famous nicknames. At the Buckle, I was given the nickname Paris, a la Paris Hilton for knowing about fashion, posing, and catwalk struts. We also had a Mary Kate and a Carol for the supermodels. I love the Kardashians so I was also given the nickname Kim, while my two besties are Kourtney and Khloe. In another circle of friends we have a Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, Kylie, Bruce, and finally I got Kris Jenner!! Yikes!!
I cannot discuss my nicknames without mentioning some of the classics that I have handed out to my friends. Some of those nicknames include: Banshee, Shrew, Boots, Code of Lies, Siren, Sabrina, Crabs, Kiki, Diva, Toad, Circles, Yaddle, Sins, Gypsies Tramps and Thieves, Cow Clown, Shadow, Bob, Willow, Lucy, Van De Kamps, Keisha, Candy Cane, Ivana, Char, Thorn in My Side, Daria, Juanita, Slims, Cameron, Jong E Fong Fong, and finally, Spectre!!! There is a whole nother blog right there!!!
I love a good nickname. I love to give them out to people, and I love to receive them, within reason. I know I am not hitting them all in this blog, so please feel free to comment and share more!! I would love to remember them with you all!!
