# Sexy, but not beautiful **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968 "2006-01-01T17:15:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/21 "2006-01-01T21:43:42Z")
Drea De Mateo Chrissie Hyndes of the Pretenders…love that black eyeliner. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/22 "2006-01-01T21:45:59Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > Allison Janney…Allison Janney…did I mention [Allison Janney](http://jeenfromwashington.free.fr/galcj_fichiers/aj48.jpg)??? She’s who I came in here to post. So I’ll say it again. Allison Janney. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/23 "2006-01-01T22:22:58Z")
Felicity Huffman (at least from Sports Night; I’ve never seen Desperate Housewives). ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/24 "2006-01-01T22:23:30Z")
Don’t forget Allison Janney. ---
**Author:** ![Agnostic\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@Agnostic\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agnostic_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/25 "2006-01-01T22:34:08Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Gina Gershon (I’m sure some people think she’s beautiful, but I don’t) I’ll go along with that. I think she is smokin’ hot, but not quite in the category of the women in the other thread. Also on my list, Lori Petty. Tank Girl only clinched it for me, but she struck a chord the first time I saw her. Allyson Hannigan. I know some don’t find her sexy. I feel sorry for those people. Alicia Silverstone. mmmmm, women who pout, hmmm, hmmmm. For singers, Joan Jett and Lita Ford were my first ‘celebrity’ crushes when I was a teenager. Give me the chance today, I’d still give it a go. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/26 "2006-01-01T22:44:59Z")
Lindsey Lohan. Oh, and Anna Paquin. Hubba hubba! ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/27 "2006-01-01T22:45:02Z")
The French have a name for it, of course (French has as many words for female allure as Eskimo has for snow): _jolie laide_. Yes, I said _jolie_. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/28 "2006-01-01T22:48:10Z")
But Americans who don’t know French will look at _jolie laide_ and read “jolly laid,” thinking, that sounds more English than French. —How was the date last night, old chap? —Jolly laid! In French it’s pronounced zho-lee led. As in Zeppelin. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/29 "2006-01-01T23:47:28Z")
I’ll mention Ileana Douglas again because she was the first one I thought of when I saw the title of this thread. Also, she deserves credit for not yielding to the temptation to get a nose job which, arguably, could’ve helped her land more conventional “leading lady” roles. Still, I think all the women mentioned in this thread are certainly not ugly by any means. You may not think they’re “beautiful” in the mainstream mass-media sense but they’re all quite physically attractive in their own way. ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/30 "2006-01-02T00:00:29Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > **Ellen Barkin** > **Angelina Jolie**. Sorry, but the last time I saw a mouth like that, it had a hook in it. But there’s no denying the hotness. Ellen Barkin in Sea of Love. Ellen Barkin in The Big Easy Holy Moley Smoking Hot! ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/31 "2006-01-02T00:08:11Z")
[Joely Richardson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000613/) She plays Julia in _Nip/Tuck_. Not too pretty in the face but overall definitely sexy as hell. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/32 "2006-01-02T00:25:57Z")
> [@Ronald C. Semone](#): > > I can start off the list with three of my nominees: Eartha Kitt, Ann Margaret, and Miss Piggy. You’re kidding, right? In what universe is Miss Piggy not beautiful? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/33 "2006-01-02T00:35:05Z")
Good body + not-so-beautiful face (or at least not Hollywood beautiful) = sexy but not beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/34 "2006-01-02T00:55:17Z")
just one point of difference: i think allison janney is drop dead gorgeous ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/35 "2006-01-02T01:14:28Z")
[Nena](http://www.nena.de/fotos/22/videodreh-willst-du-mit-mir-gehn/1550/barcelona9), of 99 Luftballon fame! I had a huge crush on her as a teenager. She makes me Bockgeil! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/36 "2006-01-02T01:33:56Z")
I’d be Jolly Laid with a 1970-era [Karen Black](http://imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1330/Mptv/1330/4255_0001.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Black,%20Karen%20(I)). Controversial choice? Not quite beautiful? Absolutely _incredible_ pair ‘o’ gams? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Emilio\_Lizardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Emilio\_Lizardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emilio_Lizardo)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/37 "2006-01-02T01:40:01Z")
Tilda Swinton. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/38 "2006-01-02T01:43:39Z")
> [@Emilio Lizardo](#): > > Tilda Swinton. Ohhhh, good choice. I fell madly in lust with her after her role as Gabriel in _Constantine_. Which is funny though because I first thought she was a really effiminate male. ---
**Author:** ![parsnip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parsnip/32/4564_2.png) [@parsnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parsnip)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/39 "2006-01-02T02:04:19Z")
Marcia Gaye Harden ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968/40 "2006-01-02T02:27:29Z")
OK I can’t let this go on any longer. I don’t see why this should be confind to females. I don’t have to start another thread do I? I mean it seems bisexual enough… So therefore Wilim Defoe Jeff Goldblum Steve Buchemi Iggy Pop Of course I think all those guys are in fact beautiful but probably only according to me. And yes I like wide expressive mouths and large eyes…does seem to be a trend there. Guess I’ve learned something about myself today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexy-but-not-beautiful/337968.md?page=3)