histrionics
plural noun

- very emotional and energetic behaviour that lacks sincerity and real meaning

- the deliberate display of emotion for effect

The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary / Merriam-Webster

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WORD ORIGIN

“Histrionic” meaning “theatrical” (figuratively, “hypocritical”), is from the 1640s, from French histrionique “pertaining to an actor,” from stem of Latin histrio “actor”, a word said to be of Etruscan origin.

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HOW NAOMI CAMPBELL DIDN’T WRITE A NOVEL

In 1994, avid readers were surprised to find a new novel (“Swan”) from the pen of belligerent supermodel Naomi Campbell on bookstore shelves. It was soon revealed that Naomi had had some help in the writing department. A lot of help. In fact, Naomi hadn’t written a single word. The book (about a supermodel being blackmailed) was ghostwritten by Caroline Upcher. Naomi’s explanation? “I just did not have time to sit down and write a book.”

Prettyandstupid dot com further commented: “Not everyone has time on their hands the way Jane Bloody Austen did! If you want to write a book, you hire someone to write it for you and take all the credit. And when you want to have histrionics that the book didn’t sell well, you can always keep stacks of said unsold books all over the house for handy bitch-to-assistant projectiles.”

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GONE WITH THE WIND

Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive attention-seeking behaviors, usually beginning in early childhood, including inappropriate seduction and an excessive desire for approval.

People diagnosed with the disorder are said to be lively, dramatic, vivacious, enthusiastic, extroverted and flirtatious.

Arguably the best cinematographic example of HPD is Scarlett O’Hara (played by Vivien Leigh) in “Gone With The Wind”.

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SYNONYMS

- a public display of emotion or anger:

apoplexy, bad humor (mood, temper), blind rage, brouhaha, carry-on, contretemps, dander, drama, fit of anger (bad humour, bad temper, fury, pique, rage, temper, sulks), flare-up, frothing, fuming, furore, hissie fit, HISTRIONICS, hue and cry, huff, hump, hysterics, ill-temper (humour), miff, outburst (of anger), paddywhack, paroxysm (of anger, of rage), paroxysms, scene, song and dance, tantrum(s), temper (tantrum), tizzy, to-do, towering rage, wingding, wobbler, wobbly

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Don’t pay attention to his HISTRIONICS. He always puts on a big show whenever the network goes down.”

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HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations at:

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and,

Paul Smith, IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40