# Who is your thinking man's (or woman's) crumpet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 28, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777 "2010-02-28T21:53:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/1 "2010-02-28T21:53:25Z")
This a term familiar to us in the Uk, but I don’t know if it has traveled. The wiki link gives a basic intro. Anyway I thought it would be fun to start a thread - eg the young Joan Bakewell - from whom the term originally became popular in the late 60s > [@](#): > > In British English, the term thinking man’s crumpet refers to any woman who is intelligent and good looking, particularly one who has a high profile in the broadcast media. It derives from the slang “crumpet” to refer to a woman who is regarded as an object of sexual desire, which is itself an association with the crumpet, a baked product usually eaten warm after being toasted and spread with butter.[1] > > Perhaps the first person to be considered “thinking man’s crumpet” was Joan Bakewell, christened thus by humorist Frank Muir following her appearances in high-brow television discussion programmes such as BBC2’s Late Night Line-Up.[2] The term has subsequently been applied to high-profile women such as Anne Gregg,[3] Joanna Lumley,[3] and Felicity Kendal,[3] and, more recently, Helen Mirren[4] and Gillian Anderson.[5] In a poll in the Radio Times in 2003, Nigella Lawson received the most votes to be the readers’ “thinking man’s crumpet”,[6] with Carol Vorderman in second place.[7] > > The phrase is occasionally reversed, to refer to “thinking woman’s crumpet”, > **[Thinking man's crumpet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking_man's_crumpet)** > > In British English, the thinking man's crumpet or thinking woman's crumpet is a humorous term for a person who is popular with the opposite sex because of their intelligence and their physical attractiveness. > The expression is derived from the slang use of the term "crumpet" to refer to a woman who is regarded as an object of sexual desire. > The first person to be called "the thinking man's crumpet" was Joan Bakewell, by humourist Frank Muir, following her appearances in highbrow television disc... this is her interviewing Marcel Duchamp [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7CFQY0Yf1iI/hqdefault.jpg "Duchamp interviews") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CFQY0Yf1iI) So who are your candidates? They can be scientists, news presenters, authors , politicians, artists etc Anyone who is primarily known for other than their looks or in the case of actors has often become identified with certain iconic roles ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/2 "2010-02-28T21:56:14Z")
Salma Hayek ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/3 "2010-02-28T21:59:55Z")
. . . not to be confused with a thinking man’s strumpet. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/4 "2010-02-28T22:10:47Z")
…or a stinking man’s trumpet. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/5 "2010-03-01T02:40:01Z")
Since most Americans have no idea who Carol Vorderman is, I thought I would provide a link to her Wikipedia entry so they can see why she is considered to be in this category: > **[Carol Vorderman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Vorderman)** > > Carol Jean Vorderman (born 24 December 1960) is a Welsh broadcaster, media personality and author. Her career began in 1982 when she joined the Channel 4 game show Countdown, appearing on the show with Richard Whiteley from 1982 until his death in 2005, and subsequently with Des Lynam and Des O'Connor, before leaving in 2008. > While appearing on Countdown, Vorderman began presenting other television shows for various broadcasters including Better Homes (1991–2003) and The Pride of Britain Award... ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/6 "2010-03-01T03:06:29Z")
I’m going to go out on a limb here and nominate Kari Byron, even though I’m sure the entire rest of the board will disagree with me. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/7 "2010-03-01T03:06:37Z")
Writer Neil Gaiman is considered a total hottie by many bookish ladies. (Trust me, I’m a librarian.) This is despite the fact that he’s perpetually in need of a haircut. ---
**Author:** ![Torpor\_Beast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@Torpor\_Beast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torpor_Beast)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/8 "2010-03-01T09:16:33Z")
Mine would be [Ariane Sherine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariane_Sherine) And, some of you might recognize [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Fey)… ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/9 "2010-03-01T09:33:19Z")
Tina Fey? ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/10 "2010-03-01T09:35:57Z")
It’s sad that I honestly don’t know any high profile, attractive women off the top of my head, I suppose. I know quite a few low profile, sexy women… but no one really famous. ---
**Author:** ![Torpor\_Beast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@Torpor\_Beast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torpor_Beast)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/11 "2010-03-01T10:46:54Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Tina Fey? Yeahhhh… She seems like the stereotypical “nerd hottie”, so I figured she’d be an obvious candidate for the “thinking man’s crumpet”-title for many men. How about a less obvious one? [Megan Fox](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7BlaM6Du1U). Based on her interviews up on Youtube, she seems decently smart. And she’s certainly “high profile”. Bonus points for the “FFS, I’ve been hugging a Twilight pillow”-bit. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/12 "2010-03-01T10:48:46Z")
Yup, Tina Fey was the first name that came to mind. Christiana Amanpour (I may be misspelling her name) comes to mind as well. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/13 "2010-03-01T11:06:59Z")
I would say [Danica McKellar](http://www.bscreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/danica-mckellar-big-bang-theory.jpg). I was expecting her to be mentioned much earlier. ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/14 "2010-03-01T14:07:55Z")
Your thinking may vary, but Janeane Garofalo. ---
**Author:** ![HotSmoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d9b06d/32.png) [@HotSmoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotSmoke)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/15 "2010-03-01T18:23:09Z")
Anderson Cooper. He’s hot,smart and rich…although rumor has it that he is gay. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/16 "2010-03-01T18:26:23Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Writer Neil Gaiman is considered a total hottie by many bookish ladies. (Trust me, I’m a librarian.) This is despite the fact that he’s perpetually in need of a haircut. According to my bookish wife, it’s because of the haircut, not despite it. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/17 "2010-03-01T18:29:30Z")
Those of us who watch The Weather Network in Canada, especially in the afternoons, will be very familiar with [Suzanne Leonard.](http://www.theweathernetwork.com/tv/npafternoons) ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/18 "2010-03-01T18:52:29Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Writer Neil Gaiman is considered a total hottie by many bookish ladies. (Trust me, I’m a librarian.) This is despite the fact that he’s perpetually in need of a haircut. or because of ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/19 "2010-03-01T20:34:45Z")
[Historian, author, & presenter Bettany Hughes](http://www.bettanyhughes.co.uk/) [Comedian Lucy Porter](http://media.photobucket.com/image/Lucy%20Porter/RichardH/lucy-porter1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777/20 "2010-03-01T20:37:52Z")
As a thinking woman, Alan Rickman comes to mind… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-thinking-mans-or-womans-crumpet/530777.md?page=2)