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Surely this IS the thread for Chuck Norris*
*Jokes...When Chuck does Long division there are never any remainders...
James Newell Osterberg Jr? Hmmm maybe not...
Iggy Pop then.
Cool is the opposite of warm, it means always having some control and never being entirely caught in the moment, not getting too engaged and wound up in situations, standing back a bit, not losing it, opposite of passionate and enthusiastic, not a wally, having self-awareness without being self conscious. Not being creepy or needy. Cat not dog. Not needing validation from others. Not giving everything away about yourself. Perhaps risking it, but not looking stupid. That sort of thing.
It's not everything. Lots of brilliant people are the opposite of cool. On the above basis Billie Eilish probably actually is pretty cool. Pains me to say it but Keith Richards probably is cool whereas Mick Jagger isn't and never was (Keith declined a CBE, Jagger accepted a knighthood, instant lifetime cool disqualification not that after "Let's Work" one was necessary). So Jonny Marr - comes across as a good(ish, I've a problem with privately educating your kids, paying to give them advantages over mine) lad but is too much of an enthusiast to be cool.
Slightly more up to date: J Hus is probably cool (I only know the music); Stormzy probably isn't...
It goes without saying that anyone who's thought it through to this extent is the opposite of cool. I could go on. In fact I might after I've done a bit of work.
Cool is the opposite of warm, it means always having some control and never being entirely caught in the moment, not getting too engaged and wound up in situations, standing back a bit [etc]
Completely agree. I think most of us (*cough* nearing middle age men) are caught up in the idea of being 'cool'. Certainly in my formative years there was little else that was important. But younguns these days don't seem so wrapped up in being cool. Being inclusive, having fun and expressing your individuality gets a lot more credence. And that's a good thing.
I therefore put it to you that the notion of 'cool' is actually the uncool preserve of irrelevant almost-middle-aged men.
I therefore put it to you that the notion of ‘cool’ is actually the uncool preserve of irrelevant almost-middle-aged men.
Honestly; the last time I think I gave any thought to who was cool, I think I was 10 and at that point was also heavily invested into knowing whether my friends new shoes meant they could run faster than me.
I therefore put it to you that the notion of ‘cool’ is actually the uncool preserve of irrelevant almost-middle-aged men.
A convincing argument and summary.
Thread closed
Rick Astley.
Mani.
Marcus Rashford.
Judi Dench.
Peter Capaldi.
Shazia Mirza.
Helen Mirren.
Mick Jones.
Aziz Ibrahim.
Rob Halford.
Don Letts.
Miriam Margolyes.
Bill Nighy.
Charlie Watts.
Wilko Johnson.
Julie Walters.
Samuel L Jackson
Travolta, possibly
Travolta? The wig wearing, closeted Scientologist?
Nah.
See also Johnny Marr - bad dye job.
No one cool was ever named on a list of cool people.
Steve Earle, or is that just surprising!!
With celebrities, it's impossible to know what they're really like (c.f. Mel Gibson), but I was always impressed with how Warren Beatty reacted to a comedy ambush by Garry Macdonald. I think a lot of Hollywood people would have thrown a tantrum over having their time wasted.
Bob Mould
Tim Burgess
Shirley Manson
Brian Cox
Steve Earle, or is that just surprising!!
I appreciate that you and I are the two Steve Earle fans on the forum, but I don't think he's cool, in fact, I can imagine he's a bit of a knob, and the fact that he's the common denominator in his seven(?) failed marriages suggests that too.
Pretty sure I saw John Robb on the beach in Arnside last night, I reckon he could count as cool just about. 🙂
I'm not sure about this 'young people don't care about being cool' stuff - surely having lots of followers on tiktok is the height of cool these days and lots of youngsters seem to be pretty obsessed with that.
I'm glad no one thinks John Lydon is cool any more.
Ewan Mcgregor.
Don Letts.
With some friends, we met him after a gig a few years ago, he definitely wasn't cool, but something else beginning with C.
Kristin Scott Thomas.
Steve McQueen was cool. Possibly the definition of cool in his time, same with James Dean and Debbie Harry.
Now though, it's fleeting. Iconic celebrities seem to be manufactured and have a short shelf life. I'm not sure I could name one person in film or music that is young and could be classed as cool.
But then I am old and work in IT.
Jeff Goldblum
Kylie
Daveed Diggs
I’m not sure I could name one person in film or music that is young and could be classed as cool.
I consulted with a child and these are the correct answers.
Jesus! this thread couldn't display how old and out of touch with modern day culture STW`ers really are!
I’m not sure about this ‘young people don’t care about being cool’ stuff – surely having lots of followers on tiktok is the height of cool these days and lots of youngsters seem to be pretty obsessed with that.
I think I'm trying to draw a distinction between being cool and being popular. Most people enjoy the latter but perhaps they get there in a different way by being genuine, inclusive, accepting and less self-conscious. Maybe.
Or, to put it another way, it doesn't seem necessary to be aloof, distant and uncaring (AKA 'cool') to have friends in 2021.
That singer from Savages, she's cool.
Jesus! this thread couldn’t display how old and out of touch with modern day culture STW`ers really are!
You do realise most folk are taking the piss (or is that not cool these days)?
George Greenough
Legendary surfer, inventor and film maker.
Cuts his own hair using a bowl over his head, has only worn shoes twice in his life and now lives in a pyramid.
trailwagger
Free Member
Jesus! this thread couldn’t display how old and out of touch with modern day culture STW`ers really are!
or they've read the OP, is reading not cool these days?
Rumer
Sade
Anna Nalick
Tina Arena
The Hoff
The two guys from CHiPS (still showing nightly on ForcesTV) - well they were when I was 10
Daley Thompson
Edit: Laird Hamilton
Marcus Rashford is pretty cool. And Dawn Butler. And Gareth Southgate.
The Hoff
Oh yeah.
I was going to say Lenny Kravitz isn't cool. But he is , if you compare him to 'Call me Dave' Cameron. Probably
Iconic celebrities seem to be manufactured and have a short shelf life.
Yeah like Beyonce who's only been around since 1990. Or Missy Elliott who started a girl group in 1991.
Back to older white dudes - Jeremy Jones is pretty damn cool. Travis Rice not so much.
No takers for Valentino Rossi yet?
duncancallum
Full Member
Sir Ranaulph FinnesPosted 4 hours ago
Comes across as a mahoosive narcissist so...
No.
Definitely not cool.
Janelle Monae
Josh Homme
Steve McQueen was cool. Possibly the definition of cool in his time
You're not going far out on the limb there when he's routinely described as The King of Cool!
Struggling to think of a woman who’s cool.
Really? For the coolest of them all I have one word for you:
Ling!
John McGuinness Isle of Man TT legend
Ugly as * cool as *
"So John what are your ambitions for the TT going forward"
"Not to get killed"
"Thats it"
"Yes thats it"
Samantha Fish.. very very cool
You do realise most folk are taking the piss (or is that not cool these days)?
Lets review some of the answers so far....
Clint Eastwood,
Jude Law,
Nick Cave,
Iggy Pop,
Sean Bean,
Tom Waites,
Debbie Harry,
etc etc....
Most no doubt cool in their day, but none of them have been relevant for at least 20 years.
John Cooper Clark
Piers Morgan
Jezza Clarkson
Andrew Neil
Matthew Parris
Nick Ferrari
Julie Burchill