Skip to main content

gravitas 

Kiefer Sutherland's favorite word
"What is your favorite word, Kiefer?"
"Latin, gravitas."
gravitas by kuzinrob July 21, 2008

gravitas 

Smug patriotic newsanchorliness. A hidden, invisible but extremely palpable, perceptible Dark Jedi Power possessed mostly by members of the mainstream media, and poked fun at carefully by Stephen Colbert.

Gravitas is difficult to define, but you know it when you're seeing it. Defining characteristics: deep, orotund Midwestern broadcast voice; suggestive pauses and stresses on certain words and phrases, such as "terror", "patriotism", "homeland", and "national security"; a piercing gaze from a somewhat lowered head facing camera; a sidelong gaze that says, "America, you can trust me, you should trust me, and if you don't you're probably a liberal sympathizer to terrorists"; neatly cut dark hair, above-average height, and a rugged masculine jaw; and a name like Stone Phillips.
Deceased Canadian ABC World News Tonight anchor Peter Jennings is the only known post-Walter Cronkite mainstream media news personality who used gravitas for ethical purposes. His level of gravitas was the highest since that of Cronkite. No living anchor yet has surpassed it.

Some news anchorwomen possess gravitas, such as Linda Ellerbee, but they are often assumed lesbian or shrill and do not last long, despite their credentials and professionalism. American news anchorwomen are often offered perkiness as its substitute, and eagerly take it. Samantha Bee does not know this, being Canadian, and continues to promote a weird hybrid of the two, perkitas, on The Daily Show instead.

Personalities who possess "accidental gravitas":

Former First Lady Hillary Clinton
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell
Former mayor Jerry Springer
U.S. District Attorney and Investigator Patrick Fitzgerald
ABC TV host Tom Bergeron

Gravitas developing rapidly:

Comedy Central star Stephen Colbert
Ascending TV superhostess Meredith Vieira

Personalities with weak or undeveloped gravitas:

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
Comedy Central star Jon Stewart
Comedy Central star Rob Corddry

Those who eerily possess none:

MSNBC news host Tucker Carlson
Perky TV hostess Kelly Ripa
Former Daily Show alumnus Mo Rocca
"Last night, Stone Phillips and Stephen Colbert locked jousting lances in yet another gravitas tournament. As usual, Stephen lost; because Stone Phillips is the Dark Sith Master of gravitas, and none yet can defeat him."
gravitas by Brandywine September 22, 2006

Gravitation 

A manga about an lovable singer; Shuichi Shindou, and an angsty novelist; Yuki Eiri.
Shuichi struggles through the sudden popularity of his band, and his rocky relationship with Yuki Eiri. As the author struggles with his new found love for the vocalist and his dark past.
In the end they both rely on the gravitation of love to pull them together.
An all around great manga, it's funny, it's cute, it's angsty.

It's Gravitation.
Gravitation by Renu August 14, 2006

gravitational misery 

The principle explaining the strong gravitational pull between miserable people.
Misery loves company is scientifically laid bare when you read more in depth on the topic of gravitational misery!
gravitational misery by Dr Bunnygirl September 1, 2020

gravitation 

The act of loving someone for who they are and as a "person", rather than going by gender or age. Not to be confused with the act of being gay, a lesbian, bisexual, or a pedophile. For example, a male person who is in gravitation would be in love with another particular male, but would not necessarily be attracted to males generally. This act is sometimes defined as "a straight person in love with another person who just happens to be the same gender" or "people who are attracted to other people with no restrictions on image, age, gender, or external features, and instead personality."
"Though Henry was attracted to women, he found himself falling for his good friend Charlie."

"It was gravitation: I fell in love with a person who just happened to be the same gender as I."

"Melissa was romantically attracted to Nicole because of her personality, but was not attracted to other women."

"I'm not gay, but I've been in gravitation before."

"Jason didn't consider himself bi because it wasn't a person's gender that interested him, it was their personality."

"You can fall in love with a man, but not be attracted to any other men."

"Though he was never attracted to young women, he fell in love a girl half his age because of her wit and sense of humor."
gravitation by MarlyMarlyMarly January 15, 2006

Gravitationally Attractive 

A person who is very big that creates its own gravitational field attracting other members of the human species.
Guy1: Hey do you think that chick is hot?

Guy2: No but she is sure gravitationally attractive!