Guess where I was last night? I attended the final of Le Fer d'or, the 1st ironing championship in the world! This amazing contest, organized by the company Philips, took place in a club (La Scala) and was really fun. Each contestant (they were 6 for the semi final then 3 for the final) had to iron a shirt and a pair of pants in as little time as possible. A judge - dressed up like a soccer referee! - then inspected the result and gave penalties (10 seconds) for each remaining wrinkle. This championship was so successful that Philips announced they were going to export it throughout the world! BTW, find out who the winner is on the "making of"...
That is hilarious! Plus, you've gotta love the fact that the contestants are male!
ReplyDeleteActually not 100% male. On the photo you cannot see the 3rd contestant who is a woman. But still times have really changed; if they had done that 20 years ago, not a single man would have participated in this.
ReplyDeleteI am not at all embarrassed to admit that I am one of those men (and there can't be any of us) who actually enjoys ironing. I did, however, get a giggle out of your heading, as where I come from the term Iron Man is associated with physical manliness, endurance and prowess, not the gentle, "feminine" art of flattening creases. (But I'm sure you know all of this - that it is, in fact, the basis of your play on words.)
ReplyDeleteOh la la! Christophe can iron my panties, oops, I mean my pants, anytime ;-)
ReplyDeleteFun post! (Eric, you sure do get around...)
Lol! I must say that I am terrible at ironing and will gladly give up this "feminine" activity to a big, strong man!
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that the winner, Christophe, is a very handsome man and just my type!
Can you make an introduction Eric?
Eric, that is great! You will have to ask my daughter about my ironing a celebrity's shirt when Megan was in college. Story is way too long for here.
ReplyDeleteooooo...great photo and it really makes me laugh!!
ReplyDelete:)hee hee...
i like to see this kind of contest!!!and i agree with susan, haha..so handsome winner!! :D
and where is you, dear Eric???
:))
jing
www.shanghaidailyphoto.com
So who are the dudes standing around in their underwear? Did they just volunteer to have their clothes ironed? (Next time, a few more pictures of those guys, please. LOL)
ReplyDeleteHehehe, this is so funny! I love it! We can't see Melodie on these pictures, but was she in her underwear, too? This is funny!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd these guys (including Melodie) can come to my place and practice on my clothes ANYTIME!!!
Boy do I need one of them to make a house call. Not because they are good looking, but because I could use some extra help around the house. Of course it helps that they are good looking!
ReplyDeleteI love it! What a grand idea for a contest...so unique. The "making of" had me in stitches. I love the bizarre and unusual. This definitely qualifies. I must check out that particular Phillips iron.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great idea for a contest!!!
ReplyDeleteI hate to iron and I only do it when it's absolutely necessary...
In the making of I saw it took the winner a little more than 4 minutes to iron (¿both things?)... I take about 10 minutes just to iron a shirt!!!
Congratulations for being there, I heard the info on radio this morning. Eric, you were not the only VIP, I see you caught 2 of them : on the right with the microphones on 10th picture are Nelson Monfort, famous sports TV specialist, and Philippe Candeloro, ice-skating champion ;o))))
ReplyDeleteLOL. Yes Soosha, Isabella, Tomate, Carol (and surely soon Lynn!)... the winner is good looking. And I am sure that is what his fiancée (in the background on some photos in the making of) thinks...
ReplyDeleteAnd even more since he won A TRIP TO HAWAI thanks to this contest!
Yes Lili, you're right, Nelson Monfort and Philippe Candeloro were on stage too. They contributed a great deal to the atmosphere.
And Jing, no I did not participate in this contest, I must say, unlike Louis not only am I a lousing ironer but I also dislike it very much!
What a great event! Eric you get some fab invitations don't you.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see them so smooth, smart and not a wrinkle in sight - and the ironing wasn't bad either!
I loved No. 10 of your photos in the making of... can't think why.... WHA..T?
Also the last shot: Man Threatened By Ironing Board, Successfully Wrestles It To The Ground.
I'm the type of ironer who puts it off because i hate the thought of it. Once i'm into it, though i rather enjoy it. I usually watch a couple of episodes of Sex and the City while doing it. Ironing!
lol Eric! Yes here i am, suitably drooling and fawning. Well, what else can a girl do with a pic like that??
ReplyDeleteExtreme Ironing.
ReplyDeleteI'd iron anyone's pants or panties for a trip to Hawai'i! Fun photos, especially on the link. We have some rather lusty females in the daily photo family, don't we? Had to laugh about your comment re. visiting St. Paul the other day--OF COURSE!!
ReplyDeleteLaughed at Ham's link! Ahhh ha ha ha ... then i considered why are they doing that and who thought of the idea of Extreme Ironing? Brilliant anyway!
ReplyDeleteI can't think to whom you are referring, Kate... ;)
Now I am not sure if I like better a man who can cook really well or one who is the genuine "iron man." I guess I want the iron man who can cook.
ReplyDeleteGreat entry, Eric, and "The Making Of..." was hilarious!
Better still is the ironer/cook who can .... MAN! now you're talking.
ReplyDeleteFrance certainly has a lot of very handsome men. Ironer/cook/furniture mover-now that is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteEh ben voilà une super idée. Suis motivé à fond pour améliorer ma technique d'ici l'année prochaine, moi ! Et pas pour les beaux yeux de Candeloro !…
ReplyDeletei iron my own clothes, maybe i should join the competition too!
ReplyDeletemy iron is a philips too!
The French have a wacky sense of humour. It made me laugh out loud especially with the guy wearing board shorts while ironing. Très drôle!
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought that ironing could take you places?
ReplyDeleteI like the tilte of this post. Clever.
From women with Lamps for a head, to Ironing Contests!! Are we Having Fun Eric???
ReplyDeleteI wish I had known, I would have sent all my shirts...Medium Starch Please!!
Some interesting info about the homeless man from the earlier post.
ReplyDeleteFrom Anonymous: I just found your blog and was glad to see this picture of the homeless man. We lived for four months on Avenue de la Motte Picquet across the street from where this man lived on the street. Our children called him "our homeless man". The day we arrived in Paris in August, 2005, he was passed out in front of the newstand on the corner of Motte Picquet. That was our children's introduction to living in a large city. We tried to explain to the kids what was going on when an ambulance came for him. We saw him taken away a couple of times by ambulance but he always returned. One cold December night we had pizza for my husband's students and had a couple left over that my son and husband took down to him. Sometimes we would see him shopping at the Leader Price on rue Cler. The night before we left Paris, we saw him taken away again in an ambulance and my children have always wondered what happened to him. They were glad to see he was still there, with his hair and beard looking quite a bit longer than last year.
Also, I don't know if any of you saw this on the Barcelona DP or not, but a link to some very disturbing pictures of homelessness. Warning...many are disturbing. Homeless
This is very interesting and moving, thank you for posting this. I wonder why other people don't take him things, if he is so well known in the area? So, the champagne then was obviously left by a reveller after all. Perhaps a newspaper would like to pick up the story, help him find some family? Just an idea...
ReplyDeleteI always get upset when I see homeless people, even pictures of them. It is a guilt thing, I bet. You know, why them not me? What went wrong in their lives? Could it happen to me? etc. etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great and creative idea you had to get your shirts finally ironed Eric ;-)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Johnny. We say in English 'there but for the grace of God go I'
ReplyDeleteI'm not religious at all really but it makes a lot of sense to me.
lol bv! yes we didn't ask where the clothes came from which they had to iron: THEY WERE ALL FROM ERIC'S WASHING BASKET!!
Definately some things to ponder after looking at those other pictures of the homeless.
ReplyDeleteHate to make that sound so ingenuine, but I do have to ask: lynn, was kate talking about us?!?
I'm pretty sure that Kate was talking to Eric. About her town also being one he would include in the list of U.S. towns he would live....
ReplyDeleteerm ... but she said 'lusty females'. Last time i looked, Eric appeared to be pretty much male to me. So yes, Soosha, reckon it was our lusting over those shirt tails earlier in the day! lol. Well, all good harmless fun. Do we have to sit at the back of class now? Eek.
ReplyDeleteSusan, thank you for you coy and paste of this homeless story. I think it's a great story.
ReplyDeleteIt's fascinating that these kids could see he was still around thanks to a blog!
PS: yes, Kate was talking to me!
When referring to 'lusty females' ? I'm not sure i should probe any further Eric! ...
ReplyDeleteOooops I thought you were refering to her saying: "ad to laugh about your comment re. visiting St. Paul the other day--OF COURSE!!"
ReplyDeletehe he that's what Susan thought too i think! No matter, no harm done (after i nipped in pretty quickly to save you! lol)
ReplyDeletePerhaps another way of doing this comp. would have been that they had to iron each piece of their own clothing. First to hang up freshly starched clothes and stand beside them newly naked, wins!
Well, i'm only trying to be helpful to Philips, you know attempting to cut a sharp edge to their marketing strategy. Cut a sharp edge, get it? See what i did there? Ok i won't give up the day job.
I would never have thought that George Clooney did his own ironing! (The second guy in the photo with the black jumper). I am prepared to make my husband a very generous offer, if George will come round and help around the house. (and my husband does all his own ironing, and sometimes mine too. LOL)
ReplyDeleteWow Sally that's some husband.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the event in the greek tv news!!!
ReplyDeleteBut they didn't mention that you were present ...
Big omission!
;)))
With the speed of the ironing, I'd say they are all a bit "pressed" for time!
ReplyDeleteThis site is the most reliable web blog. . Cheers Glenn Prolonoff!
ReplyDelete