They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery. While by and large, I agree with this sentiment, there are times when imitation is definitely not flattering.
I’ve never been happier to see this kind of imitation than I was when comedian David Walliams showed-up for misjudging gig on Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) dressed as his co-judge, Simon Cowell.
While you cannot deny that Cowell definitely has his own particular brand of personal style, it is also true that said particular brand of personal style is…well…makes him appear to be auditioning for the role of “sleazy unbuttoned shirt guy in club who is too old for you”.
I’ve always maintained that Cowell dresses a lot like he is a make figure skater – the high-waisted trousers with the shirt tucked in, the deeply unbuttoned shirt (why is it this man cannot find the top three or four buttons on an oxford shirt!? Does he need new reading glasses!? Someone get him a new prescription!), all of it is just so…heavy-handed.
Apparently I am not the only one who thinks so. Walliams ad Cowell have been having a (probably media-fuelled for publicity) “feud” on the set of BGT, and apparently Cowell had “other engagements” during the press launch for the new season of the show (yeah, sure). Never one to miss an opportunity for hijinks, comedian Walliams decided to quite literally take Cowell’s seat during the junket.
I’m in your seat at the @BGT press launch today @SimonCowell so I assume I speak on your behalf? Leave this to me I will be unbelievable
Not everyone is as self-aware as Walliams with their imitation game. Take Justin Beiber, for example. You probably read about the time, about a year ago in January, he ran into Keith Richards at a bar in the exclusive island of Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos, and things did not go so well. Here’s an account of what went down, according to the Daily Mail’s unnamed source.
There was an old guy throwing back drinks who said, “Who the f*** are you?”‘ to the posturing Beiber. When the 20-year-old pop sensation shot back, ‘I don’t know, who the f*** are you?’ the British rocker became ‘amused.’
Keith said, ‘You’re a man, I respect that.’ Then the rocker walked away.
Or so the story goes. But alas, it didn’t end there.
When Bieber learned that ‘old guy’ was Keith, he said ‘Oh s***. That was Keith Richards?’
Justin tried to bro down with him,’ said the source. But Richards was ‘unimpressed.
The guitar genius then said, ‘Let’s get one thing straight. You’re a wannabe
Apparently, the incident made quite an impression on Beiber, because not so long ago, he was photographed playing a gig in Keith Richards’ clothes!
Well, okay…not his actual clothes, but you know. The same clothes.
Flattery? I think you’d have to ask Keith Richards.
Then there was the time that Katy Perry wore Solange Knowles’ wedding dress to perform at the Grammys.
Once again, the Daily Mail covered the story, as it happened back in February of 2015.
The caped dress is from Valentino’s Sala Bianca 945 collection which was presented back in December and featured only white coloured pieces. If nothing else, Katy Perry looked angelic and the cape was a trend that was embraced and squeezed to its full potential for AW14/15, so she looks right on the money
Katy teamed up with US President Barack Obama and activist Brooke Axtell to turn the Grammys into a campaign against domestic violence for a brief moment, before going on to perform her song “By the Grace of God”.
What say we readers? Flattery?
Yes. This time, yes.
While Solange Knowles and Katy Perry didn’t exactly wear the same dress, there is a striking similarity between them. And I suppose if we’re honest about it, there’s also a similarity between those dresses and this white Tom Ford that Gwyneth Paltrow wore to the 2012 Oscars. this one is my favourite of the bunch, and really the dress that started the whole cape dress trend.
Similarities aside, Katy Perry’s white cape dress, while definitely derivative of the others, is appropriately seriously enough for the task she was performing on the night, and I gave her full marks for her choice. Solange and Gwyneth would be proud.
