# Age Gap

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [May 3, 1999, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46 "1999-05-03T13:36:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 1999, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46/1 "1999-05-03T13:36:00Z")

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## has anyone ever noticed how american shows have 22 year olds playing kids in thier teens , james van der beek a.k.a dawson from dawsons creek is like 21 and he playes a 15 going on 16 year old along with the rest of the cast . why is this do 15 year olds like like 8 year olds on camera

Greegsy Boy

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 1999, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46/2 "1999-05-03T15:09:00Z")

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(1) A lot easier to get around child-labor laws if the actors are older  
(2) A lot easier to deal with school, then, also.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 1999, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46/3 "1999-05-03T21:14:00Z")

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1. They go out of their way to make them sex symbols, and many find it morally repugnent to do so to a 15 year old.
2. Also 18 year olds and up generally are more sexy and give the kids who watch a fanatsy to cling to. (We all know no 15 year old is stacked like these girls, and has crystal clear complextions that they do.)

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The facts expressed here belong to everybody, the opinions to me. The distinction is  
yours to draw…

Omniscient; BAG

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 1999, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46/4 "1999-05-08T11:51:00Z")

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(5) More polished actors, who can handle better roles

How about when Robin Williams plays 20 year olds?

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46/5 "2002-09-30T19:48:06Z")

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It’s not just American shows, though. On **24seven** there are actors- who are supposed to be high schoolers at a boarding school- who are in their 20’s, at least one of them is 23!

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46/6 "2002-09-30T19:49:43Z")

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oops, I left out the part about it being a UK show, sorry.

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**Author:** ![cdhostage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@cdhostage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdhostage)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2002, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-gap/46/7 "2002-09-30T21:12:38Z")

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Mmmmm… Katie Holmes at the beginning of the series… I dunno how she looks now. Probably very nice still.