If you look at the Raspberry Beret music video, at 3:16-3:17, as he sings "you feel like a movie star", Prince twists his right hand's forefinger on his cheek. To me, it always looked like he was using his finger as a screwdriver and "twisting" into his cheek. Looked painful, to be honest.

Is this facial movement influenced by any artist before Prince? I'm asking because I've seen a recent interview with RuPaul, and he briefly did the same thing with his forefinger, twirling it on his cheek. Maybe it's an underground movement or I'm just looking too deep in something that's really not there?

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

If you look at the Raspberry Beret music video, at 3:16-3:17, as he sings "you feel like a movie star", Prince twists his right hand's forefinger on his cheek. To me, it always looked like he was using his finger as a screwdriver and "twisting" into his cheek. Looked painful, to be honest.

Is this facial movement influenced by any artist before Prince? I'm asking because I've seen a recent interview with RuPaul, and he briefly did the same thing with his forefinger, twirling it on his cheek. Maybe it's an underground movement or I'm just looking too deep in something that's really not there?

Very common hand gesture. https://www.ricksteves.co...n-gestures

Cheek Screw: Make a fist, stick out your index finger, and (without piercing the skin) screw it into your cheek. The cheek screw is used widely and almost exclusively in Italy to mean good, lovely, beautiful. Many Italians also use it to mean clever. But be careful: In southern Spain, the cheek screw is used to call a man effeminate.

Dear God, expand your mind beyond Prince.

It's a gesture that's been around for eons, is more or less universal (not just Italian), and means, "Look at me, aren't I cute?"

And LMAO at it being "painful."

jaawwnn said:

Dear God, expand your mind beyond Prince.

Exactly! My goodness. Next thing you know they're going to be askiing what are those strange, protective type things Prince was putting on his feet and what is meant by the motion he's doing in the mornings holding that weird, brush like object with a soapy substance on it agitating around his teeth area...

Genesia said:

Genesia said:

It's a gesture that's been around for eons, is more or less universal (not just Italian), and means, "Look at me, aren't I cute?"

And LMAO at it being "painful."

Outtakes from this video show him writhing in pain after each take of these "cheek screws." Anything for his art I guess.

Genesia said:

Behind the scenes transcript from the set of the Raspberry Beret video:

Prince: (to the Revolution) I know he's going to ask me for another cheek screw. I don't think I have another one in me.

Director: Prince, we just need one more cheek screw, and we've got it.

Prince: That's what you said ten takes ago!

Director: Well, I mean it this time. Just one more, buddy.

Prince: But it HURTS!!!!!

Director: Art is pain, my friend! One more!

Prince: (to the Revolution) This is it, you guys. One more, and I'm off to find The Ladder.

The Revolution: (Standing there looking at each other nervously, as it's Prince who is directing this video, and he's been talking to himself the entire time.)

jaawwnn said:

Dear God, expand your mind beyond Prince.

THANK YOU! It's the same people who don't know who Clara Bow is. That little cheek thing has been around since movies were a thing. Hell, go watch the Little Rascals. or a Shirley Temple film. But considering who the OP is - I'm not surprised. Next thing you know, they'll be posting about the significance of the shape of Prince's beard.

SchlomoThaHomo said:

wow...

I'll have a "Shirley Temple", please.

I'm the d.d.!

Little known fact: He actually wrote "Screwdriver" right there on the spot, immediately after the first time he screwdrivered himself. But he knew the smart move was to save that song for 30 years, because it was just that good.

jaawwnn said:

Dear God, expand your mind beyond Prince.

its all part of his mimes

Next thing they'll be saying the cough was proof he has been sick since even then.

rdhull said:

Next thing they'll be saying the cough was proof he has been sick since even then.

I need to simultaneously high five you and tell you to sit your ass down. LOL

rdhull said:

TrivialPursuit said:

jaawwnn said:

Dear God, expand your mind beyond Prince.

THANK YOU! It's the same people who don't know who Clara Bow is. That little cheek thing has been around since movies were a thing. Hell, go watch the Little Rascals. or a Shirley Temple film. But considering who the OP is - I'm not surprised. Next thing you know, they'll be posting about the significance of the shape of Prince's beard.

To be honest, I do know about the early movie days. I'm not going to brag and explain everything I know, such as the silent movie Ben Hur having one of the earliest Technicolor scenes, or that the first Oscars took place in a hotel, not a theatre, and that Wings was the first Best Picture in history. I know about Clara Bow and Louise Brooks and Lon Chavey and Bela Lugosi. And I'm 31.

I'm really insulted that, because I'm a Millennial, people think I'm dumb as rocks and don't know anything about movie history. Then why would I have visited Hollywood last year to visit the original film locations of the Keystone Cops movies from the 1910s? Or look at the original Tramp footprints of Charlie Chaplin at his studios (now Jim Henson Studios)?

I think the blame is on the other Millennials and their upbringing. Not me. I don't want to be insulted for something I am not.

Geez, I'm asking simple questions and I get insulted and verbally attacked.

[Edited 11/21/19 22:37pm]

LoveGalore said:

Genesia said:

It's a gesture that's been around for eons, is more or less universal (not just Italian), and means, "Look at me, aren't I cute?"

And LMAO at it being "painful."

Yeah not sure why that article hones in on it being Italian. But there's shockingly few references to... Whatever you call that gesture on the internet, lol. I've never actually run across someone who didn't understand it, tbh.

The article hones in on it being Italian because it is specifically a Sicilian gesture and you usually do that to a little kid whenever they're eating their food as if to ask them if they are enjoying it. Being Sicilian on my mother's side, I can attest to that.

anc282 said:

LoveGalore said:

Genesia said: Yeah not sure why that article hones in on it being Italian. But there's shockingly few references to... Whatever you call that gesture on the internet, lol. I've never actually run across someone who didn't understand it, tbh.

The article hones in on it being Italian because it is specifically a Sicilian gesture and you usually do that to a little kid whenever they're eating their food as if to ask them if they are enjoying it. Being Sicilian on my mother's side, I can attest to that.

If you're doing it to someone else (like a grandmother doing it to a little kid), it isn't the same gesture and wouldn't have the same meaning. Obviously.

Funny how we take cultural things for granted and assume everyone are familiar with these kind of things.

I guess I always thought if it as a sort of girly way of simulating or accentuating dimples.

emesem said:

Funny how we take cultural things for granted and assume everyone are familiar with these kind of things.

I guess I always thought if it as a sort of girly way of simulating or accentuating dimples.

You're right.

SoftSkarlettLovisa said:

TrivialPursuit said:

THANK YOU! It's the same people who don't know who Clara Bow is. That little cheek thing has been around since movies were a thing. Hell, go watch the Little Rascals. or a Shirley Temple film. But considering who the OP is - I'm not surprised. Next thing you know, they'll be posting about the significance of the shape of Prince's beard.

To be honest, I do know about the early movie days. I'm not going to brag and explain everything I know, such as the silent movie Ben Hur having one of the earliest Technicolor scenes, or that the first Oscars took place in a hotel, not a theatre, and that Wings was the first Best Picture in history. I know about Clara Bow and Louise Brooks and Lon Chavey and Bela Lugosi. And I'm 31.

I'm really insulted that, because I'm a Millennial, people think I'm dumb as rocks and don't know anything about movie history. Then why would I have visited Hollywood last year to visit the original film locations of the Keystone Cops movies from the 1910s? Or look at the original Tramp footprints of Charlie Chaplin at his studios (now Jim Henson Studios)?

I think the blame is on the other Millennials and their upbringing. Not me. I don't want to be insulted for something I am not.

Geez, I'm asking simple questions and I get insulted and verbally attacked.

Uh huh. You went on about a bunch of stuff I never mentioned. Must've struck a nerve or sumfin'. That whole coy routine is just tired.

Genesia said:

emesem said:

I guess I always thought if it as a sort of girly way of simulating or accentuating dimples.

You're right.

Common sense wins the thread, as always!

u do know Prince died and this childish stuff is tired...

jaawwnn said:

Dear God, expand your mind beyond Prince.

I'd rather ask "Dear God, is this what the Org has become?"