Talk:Vaneese Thomas

Birth date
We have the somewhat ludicrous situation in the present article that her date of birth is shown as August 24, 1952 (in the text), as August 11, 1952 (in the infobox) and as 1959 in the categories section. The latter detail is at least supported by a reliable reference. Can someone throw some light on these discrepancies and provide any reference(s) for either of the various 1952 versions ? It is not surprising that Wikipedia is sometimes criticised for these sort of inaccuracies. Thanks,

Derek R Bullamore (talk) 22:27, 6 April 2018 (UTC)


 * This article supports the 1952 or 1953 birth year - aged 3 in 1956.  Her brother Marvell Thomas (born 1941) is described as 11 years older.  The Connecticut Marriage Index here (subscription only, unfortunately), has her aged 36, marrying in 1989.   So, there's no real doubt that she was born in about 1952/53.   What "reliable sources" quoting her or her agents say is, of course, another matter entirely.  Ghmyrtle (talk) 16:52, 9 April 2018 (UTC)


 * Thanks for all that. I have been bold and plumped for August 24, 1952 throughout, based on consistency and weight of references - not that there are many compelling cases for that precise date.  Actually, based on those sources mentioned above, a birth year of 1953 seems just as likely.  Probably the confusion of promoting a 'showbiz age' (born 1959) is exactly that.  Something I am more and more regularly calling, "the Dave Clark effect".


 * It may be interesting, mildly, if another editor comes along with yet another variant. Given that Vaneese (what sort of name is that... "we've got your van waiting outside, Eese") is probably, most likely, definitely maybe, 65 years old at the present time, what is the point in any subterfuge ?! Could it be "the Dave Clark effect".


 * Derek R Bullamore (talk) 00:23, 10 April 2018 (UTC)


 * See African-American names and African-American_culture.  We need to take account of WP:BLP (even on talk pages).  If the sources we are favouring for the year don't include a specific date, it may be best if we don't include a date in the article, but perhaps add a footnote regarding the conflicting sources.   Of course, I should have asked for details when I met her dad.....     Ghmyrtle (talk) 08:32, 10 April 2018 (UTC)