gives good camera

Jesse Sheidlower jester at PANIX.COM
Mon Jul 28 14:46:00 UTC 2008


On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 10:32:40AM -0400, Benjamin Zimmer wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 9:40 AM, Baker, John <JMB at stradley.com> wrote:
> >
> > Current use is probably heavily influenced by the 1990 Madonna song Vogue:  They had style, they
> > had grace | Rita Hayworth gave good face.
> >
> > I don't see any earlier "give good face," but from the 11/7/1988 L.A. Times there is:  Face it, Jerome
> > knows how to give good meeting.
>
> 1981 _Globe and Mail_ 11 Apr. E3 (Factiva) But moviemaking and
> interview-giving are two different art forms, and Boorman, in current
> Hollywood parlance, gives good interview and lousy movie.

HDAS has an example from 1971.

I don't think the Madonna song help to popularize this; it was
just using something that had been in circulation for some
time. It was a notable use, though.

Jesse Sheidlower
OED

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