The Metaphor Gets More Complicated When A Lady Sings It

Hot Damn. Why is this special not available on DVD?

This is really pretty amazing, from the Art or Bust TV Special in 1984. Now, I do like Lady Gaga, but it should be pointed out that Bette was rocking this square dress 2 years before she was born.



According to the internets, Bette recorded this track for the No Frills album, but Springsteen wouldn't let her use it, saying her version was too girly. Instead, she went with "Beast of Burden," and we know how that turned out. Maybe all that time in bed with Bowie made Mick Jagger more comfortable with his sexuality.

Lusts For Lifers

"Years ago, some girl wrote in the classifieds saying she was looking for a man 'with the poetic sensitivity of Leonard Cohen and the raw power of Iggy Pop,' so Leonard tried to get me to set up a three-way with her [laughs]. He said, 'Dude, we can give her both!'"

- Sir Iggy Pop

I'm excited I just downloaded this. Here's hoping the old coot has still got it.

Johnnys Guitar

God, I love this movie.

Baby This Honey's For Me

Am I sad that R.E.M. broke up? I mean, I probably thought they did 15 years ago.

Still, it's a nice excuse to play this song and get a little wistful as I dress this Casual Friday.

Thanks boys, for the memories. And the best use of Kate Pierson as a sideman this side of Iggy Pop.

I Forget Sometimes That This Is The Best Movie Ever Made

Academy-Award Winner Geena Davis never gave it so good as she did in Long Kiss Goodnight.
(Though to be fair, she was pretty good the first time I ever saw her, in this)

Debbie Does Deal'as; or, Reynolds' Wraps

So of course I follow Carrie Fisher's blog - what am I an, an animal?

Recently, she wrote about her mom's upcoming auction of Hollywood Memorabilia. What sort of stuff does Debbie Reynold's have kicking around in her garage?

Well, the classics, like these on-screen outfits from Yul Brynner, Vivien Leigh, and Dame Orson Welles.
An uber-classic, MM's 'Subway Dress':


Oh, and, what has two puff sleeves and is gayer than a Gay Unicorn? This guy here:


But for me? Someone please pick these two up, and agree to go to a Halloween Party with me. My No-Drag Rule would be happily, horrendously, smashed to bits.


Thanks for the memories, Debbie!

Them Heavy Peoples

It's been a while since I found a good tumble. And then, I found this one here, one of the more aptly-named sites on this here world wide web.

Some of the pairings are classic Hollywood, but ones I might not have seen before - Bacall, Bogie, Monroe, for example.


Some I have seen before, but are just too awesome to pass up. James Dean & Eartha Kitt taking dance class together? Thank you.

Sometimes, it's the Colonel and Alice Cooper. What would they have been talking about? I'm thrilled.

Along the same lines, what did Andy Warhol say to make Hitch laugh? Were they talking about James Brown?
Anyway, here's the one I'm submitting, which is certainly timely. I had such a good time with Pearl Bailey & Carol Channing at the Tony's that year.

Internet! Thank you.

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To

I was sad to read this article in the paper a few months back - why, oh why, must the Liberace Museum close its doors before I ever get to go?

Thankfully, Google Images will not close its doors anytime soon, at least not until world domination is achieved. Here's some of my favorites of Mr. Showmanship.

I mean, I'd have a piano-shaped pool if I could.

I'd also be friends with Phyllis Diller if I could.

Maybe not with the Walken. Stay off the boat, Liberace!


And one more Diller for good luck:


In conclusion, here he is on the Smothers Brothers - kinda long but fun.

Slippery When Wet

I had Indian Food for dinner last night, and over curry Esther Williams came up, as she does sometimes.

When I got home I asked Shorty to re-read the first chapter of Million Dollar Mermaid, Esther's late-90s memoir that I so love. I remember there was a line in that opening chapter that made me take it home from the bookstore.

So, he sat in the new chair and did just that:


And lo, there it was!

"Nobody was going to make multimillion-dollar aqua-musicals ever again." You don't find many lines better than that. Thanks, Esther.

Also, remember when we in the book biz used to make tchotchkes to promote our wares? Here's something you can print out and make at home! Ask an adult to help with the scissoring.

Some Days I Just Play on Google Image Search

Bears AND Boobs.
A dame and a pistol, WITH a pistol.
(remember how great this song is?

I Mae Have Just Discovered Something Awesome

You know those days when you wake up at 5:30 am with jet lag and just think, how am I going to face this day?

I always just say, WWMD. What Would Mae Do?

And you know what? A little googling and I discover this.


And this.



And now I can face the day. Maebe.

Remember How Christmas Was Last Month?

Maybe today is also like Christmas.

News Item:
Also? My favoritest of all her videos, today at least.



I mean, how can you go wrong with the skirt/hat/table/light combo? Oh, them heavy people.

Walken On By

So I'm Walken back from the bank at lunch today, and I hear a very familiar voice behind me. I froze, then thought of fear, then of dancing, then of staying away from the side of the boat.

Turned around - yep. I don't get super-excited by celeb sightings, but in this case it was the celeb hearing that got me goosed. Whatta voice. I'd pay to listen to him read the phone book to Michael Caine.

Also? He was talking about Toscanini, which he pronounced Toska-ninny. What a world.

What? Debbie Gibson's Schedule Was Full?

They sure do make a lot of these movies. God Bless 'em for it.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

There She Blows!

A hump like a snow hill!



Does everyone else remember this so vividly?

Birthday Boy Beinecke Boffo

Today is special because it's my friend John's birthday. Things I like about John include: he's nice, he has the same name as my pop, and he spends his day with an X-acto knife trimming prints at the Beinecke Library, which is my favorite G-rated image source on the internets.

It's where I got the gorgeous Pearl Bailey images that are framed in my apartment, and it's where I found these gems - from the Carl van Vechten collection.

I loved Anais Nin at one point. I must have re-read Spy In The House Of Love a dozen times.

God Bless you, Carol Channing.
Ooh, and you too, Midge. I mean, Barbara Bel Geddes.

Tallulah Bankhead with a baby lion? Bring. It. On.

Art is great. I can't wait for my tour of the place!

Surely, I Thank You For The Memories

Rest in Peace, you Canadian devil. Thanks for brightening up dozens of middle school sleepovers.

If you've got time, enjoy:



If you don't, here's a taste to brighten your morning:

Stairway to Heaven

Wagner, you're up.


(pictured, top to bottom: Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Robert Wagner)

Joan of Arcs

"She can't change her emotions in the middle of a scene without going through a sort of Jekyll and Hyde contortion of the face, so that when she wants to indicate that she is going from joy to sorrow, one must cut away and then cut back. Also you can never give her such a stage direction as 'telling a lie,' because if you did, she would practically give a representation of Benedict Arnold selling West Point to the British."

- F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1938 (via)

Letting Sleeping Pusses Lie

So innocent. No idea about the shark sneaking up on him.

And what's Manatee doing in the back there?

Labor Day RULES.