Gay Boyfriends, Gotta Love ‘Em
Filed Under All Posts, Cathy Fischer, Media, Pop Culture, Relationships | 20 Comments
Tommy Tune and Twiggy in The Boy Friend. Photo courtesy of NYPL.org
Cathy Fischer wraps up this month’s friendship theme with an ode to the gay boyfriend
There’s no one like a gay boyfriend to tell you, you look divine (and he probably would use that word). Only a gay boyfriend could appreciate your shoes and hairstyle as much as your most stylish girlfriends do, and there’s no one like a gay boyfriend to behave perfectly on a date, to scope out the cute boys with you and for you, when not competing with you, of course.
I’ve had gay boyfriends as long as I could remember, having always been involved in dance and play production…you know, the arts. When I was a freshman in college, I was a bit naïve. I often had crushes on the gay boys. Practically the entire cast of Guys and Dolls, were boys’ boys. You know, the pretty ones, the ones with the wicked sense of humor, the great sense of style? It took me a little while to catch on, but once I did, I accepted my fate, and was transformed and transported to fag hag heaven. Read more
Booming Egos
Filed Under All Posts, Carine Fabius, Media, Pop Culture, Politics | 10 Comments
Carine Fabius reflects on boomers, overinflated egos and signs of the times.
In what might have been George Carlin’s last stand-up gig, he aimed his razor-sharp verbal AK-47 on baby boomers, and I’m still trying to recover from all those small, bleeding slits he left on my body. Okay, so he came off just a teeny bit angry, as in The Angriest Dog in the World; but boy, did he hit the bull’s eye on our generation’s outsized egos.
Just the other night, I, the one who turned off the TV set at age 15, happened onto an Anderson Cooper special that made me remember why I hit the power button and chucked the boob tube all those years ago (no offense to all the TV lovers out there; I’m sure there’s a ton of great stuff I’ve missed out on). In this perfect demonstration of 24-hour cable presenting crap and calling it something else, like “Special,” financial guru Suze Orman was interviewed, and here’s what she said about herself: “I am the personal financial expert to the world!”
In a choreographed moment, my husband, my brother-in-law and I turned toward one other, raised our eyebrows and smiled in shock. But there was more to come. She then said, “There is nothing I don’t know about money!” The woman interviewing her did not say, “Don’t you feel ridiculous making such silly statements?” No. Although she couldn’t hide her disbelief, she smiled, and said NOTHING. That in itself deserves analysis, but that’s for another day. Read more
Wondrous Women
Filed Under All Posts, Connie Stetson, Media, Pop Culture | 12 Comments
From myth-inspired creatures to male fantasies, Connie Stetson does a fly-by on female superheroes, bad girls and spies.
I had an interesting conversation with a girlfriend the other day about which secret agent vixen one would rather be, Honey West or Emma Peel. She declared herself to absolutely to be Mrs. Peel, (she loves those stiletto boots and that black vinyl cat suit, and who wouldn’t want to be Diana Rigg anyway?) where I am sure that on my very best days, I channel Honey West, who looked great in a sweater and, to me, simply looked more comfortable. And gee, I wish I’d a been born with that cool beauty mark. Thank you, Anne Francis.
This got me thinking about female superheroes, so I decided to do a little research. Now, Honey West and Mrs. Peel, along with Ellen Ripley, Lara Croft and Aeon Flux are not necessarily superheroes. They are exceedingly intelligent, fit, courageous, righteous, strong women, gifted by nature to kick ass. They use their natural born, God-given gifts—their wits, their sexuality, their physical prowess and their brains—to defeat evil and further the cause of justice and, of course, maintain the balance of power in a world gone mad. Read more
What Not to Wear
Filed Under All Posts, Connie Stetson, Humor, Media, Pop Culture, Style | 13 Comments
I was standing in the grocery store line the other day perusing magazine headlines: “Madonna Gives Birth to Satan’s Love Child,” “Brad and Angelina Adopt Cat,” “Bulimic Brittany Barfs Barrels—Spagos Diners Disgusted,” when something so mind-boggling, so shocking caught my eye, I gasped. Glamour magazine’s cover page, in all its glossy glory headlined, “What to Wear at 20, 30, 40, to be Your Sexy Best.” I was aghast. All I could think of was when did it happen? When did I fall off the fashion radar? What about MEEEEE?????
It hadn’t occurred to me that I would be facing this dilemma so soon. I’m standing at the crossroads of Juicy Couture and Talbot’s. I’m pretty clear that at my age wearing the word “JUICY” on my ass is just false advertising, but I’m also not ready for the muumuus and leisure wear that I see in the next department, and I sure as hell don’t want to look like a Republican, all coiffed and suited up so tight I squeak. Read more
Too Much (Trivial) Information
Filed Under All Posts, Media, Pop Culture, Prudence Baird, Rants | 8 Comments
“Valerie has lost 43 lbs!” screams the 36-point magenta headline.
Raise your hand if you’re sick of knowing anything about some has-been rock star’s equally has-been ex-wife, who is baring her teeth at you from a magazine that assaults the senses of all who stand in line to buy their groceries at the local supermarket.
Raise your hand if you’re sick of Rachel Ray’s gummy smile. Raise your hand if you’re made nauseous by Dr. Phil’s pallid, paunchy face and bald pate. Raise your hand if you abhor Britney Spear’s pierced belly button, Mary-Kate and Ashley’s ghoulish eye make-up and any news of anyone’s rehab treatment, weight-loss or failed relationship, no matter how famous or infamous that person might be. Read more
Being Bea Arthur
Filed Under All Posts, Connie Stetson, Humor, Media, Pop Culture | 6 Comments
I complained to my friend Cathy, not so very long ago, that menopause was making my voice sound like Bea Arthur (if you’re around my age you’ll remember Maude); and she said soothingly, “Ohh, sweetie, you don’t sound like Bea Arthur, you sound like Harvey Fierstein.” It’s the same thing. I had hoped that as I aged I’d purr like Lauren Bacall, but no… I rasp like a drag queen. Like Bea Arthur.
Now I do have to admit that I never emitted tones anyone ever called dulcet. More Ethel Merman than Ethel Barrymore, more gym teacher than yoga instructor. Read more
Older Models In Demand
Filed Under All Posts, Carine Fabius, Media, Pop Culture, Style | 6 Comments
The Los Angeles Times recently published an article about a new trend in the fashion world: a booming demand for older models—meaning 35 and older—for magazine spreads, and advertisers looking to reel in the aging boomer population. That’s us, folks.
The market for these older fashion goddesses is so hot that a former supermodel just endowed with a graduate degree in psychology decided to put off practicing psychotherapy in favor of the ever-so-fulfilling art of auditioning. Talk about going backwards. But, that’s just me being judgmental. The money’s probably a lot better, if you can get it. Plus, I think it’s a fine idea. “After all,” the author of the piece says, “what middle-aged woman wants to buy moisturizer from a model who’s too young to order a martini?” Indeed. Read more
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