January 21, 2017

Recent Developments...and Zsa Zsa

This movie deserves to be seen. GSL has never been a fan of Meryl Streep or Hugh Grant but both were superb in this little gem. We were introduced to the real FFJ about 15 years ago by Terry Drama as he owns an original recording of her Carnegie Hall Massacre of Queen of the Night. Yes, I saw Meryl Streep's Golden Globes speech with her sudden concern for press freedoms. Where was Meryl and her Hollywood 'Activists', so concerned about Women's Empowerment, when the first female editor of the New York Times, Jill Abramson, got sacked for expressing outrage over the Obama Administration's criminalization of press freedoms?

With his strong, subdued performance in FFJ, The Den has considered elevating HG to Den Whipping Boy Emeritus.

We lost George Michael. His superb album, Older, came out in 1996 barely making a ripple in America. GSL had Fastlove and Move On in heavy rotation during the late '90s.

We lost Zsa Zsa. This is how I remember her, in a similar OTT outfit going on the Johnny Carson show dripping in jewels. Johnny adored Zsa Zsa and was perfect straight man as she tried to remember, in that thick Hungrarian accent, which husband she was on while proudly replying to Johnny she was indeed a marvelous housekeeper:  "dahling...every time I leave a man, I keep his house....."





Zsa Zsa has always been a huge inspiration to The Den's Sausage Pinch Workshop attendees. In her honor, we are re-naming our workshop the Zsa Zsa Gabor Institute For Advanced Sausage Pinch Studies. Oh sure, everybody belittled her meager acting talents, but nobody has ever emerged from a Rolls Royce to bitch-slap a cop (6 foot 4 and thickset) on Rodeo Drive with greater panache.

We lost Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher. Whenever Debbie Reynolds is mentioned, I remember this sweet little man I called on in the mid 1980s just out of Uni. Since I was only 22ish, and looked 12, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a return call from the Purchasing Director of a fairly large stationary company (now long gone) only minutes after  leaving a message with an underling. A few days later he greeted me in lobby and once back in his office,  shared a detailed recollection of meeting my mother at a convention in Miami Beach in the early 1960s when she got dolled-up for a night out with my father.  He closed his charming anecdote with: "your mother was the spitting image of Debbie Reynolds..."
***Debbie Reynolds was also quite a collector of Hollywood Memorabilia which our friend Jill posted on here.


9 comments:

  1. Abramson's lack of leadership may have been the issue at nyt? Lauren

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome Lauren,
    JA's "lack of leadership" certainly was the carefully articulated story leaked out but her 2 male predecessors were at least as inept. Women Advocates sat this one out because she was insufficiently pro-Obama and her replacement was the 1st Black editor of the NYT nullifying her victim leverage.
    Sulzberger was absolutely furious at her for going so public against Obama on his criminal prosecutions of journalists and JA was very soon thereafter let go.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't know much about the Jill A. sacking at the NY Times. I do feel like there has been a lot of fixing the facts to suit one's own narrative on both sides of the aisle the past four years, which is why we are where we are in this country! It seems you were at the Inauguration? Do tell. I love the story about your mother being compared to Debbie Reynolds! I loved Debbie's fresh-faced open beauty, it seemed so easy and natural. As for George, every time I hear the song "Star People" now I can't help but think of that whole Kardashian clan. It's like he wrote it just for them! Oscars Noms on Jan. 24. I expect Meryl and Hugh will be in the mix. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will soon file a report on my trip to DC to witness the Inauguration and Women's March. My mother did resemble Debbie Reynolds a bit as pictured here but wasn't quite as petite nor exuded DR's trademark Unsinkable Molly Brown pluck. I've always described Mum back in her day as a cross between Ingrid Bergman & Audrey Hepburn with a humble small town Ohio deportment.

      Jill, it's high time you came clean and admitted you're the very cute permed brunette in Wham's Last Christmas vid!

      Delete
  4. FFJ was a very agreeable film on several counts. But, what I really enjoyed the most was the stellar acting performance of Simon Helberg who portrayed Cosme McMoon as a very sympathetic character. Surely, Oscar performance would you not agree?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest CD,
      I knew you'd like FFJ but GSL yearns for an opportunity for further discussion over Afternoon Tea (or something stronger) along with Patience, your buddy Jeanette and the engineer of History's Greatest Matrimonial Upset, the Lucky Charmer, Mister CD. We'd get to the bottom of this "very agreeable on several counts" business.

      Simon Helberg, who played Cosme McMoon, was excellent as well but any Awards body that hasn't recognized the Genius of Gary Oldman or Ralph Fiennes doesn't pass muster with GSL.

      Delete
  5. It has been some time since I visited website with such high quality information. Thank you so much for providing such helpful information. This is really informative and I will for sure refer my friends the same. Thanks.
    Voluma Injections Chicago

    ReplyDelete
  6. Just checking in to say I've missed your wit and wisdom these many days---I hope the cold and ice haven't kept you from all those wonderful adventures you recount so well. We're in a thundery/rainy day today, with forties temps on the frost-bitten buds and leaves. Such hope and warmth and sun with all those promises, and then a blast from the pits of Narnia.

    I, too remember one of Zsa Zsa's evenings with Johnny (where is his like when we need him now?). She swept out and he bowed low, kissed her hand, and gave a great sigh of "M-M-M-M-M, Clorox!"

    Stay warm and sell, Faraway Friend.

    r

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for checking in Dear Rachel. The last few weeks have me hostaged by the Army at Fort Knox learning these new computer systems they seem to change and update thrice weekly. My much younger colleagues have been most patient and helpful. We have just finished most of the tedious heavy lifting and just a few days to go til departure. The weekend will have me back in Chicago at a cultural offering to give sustenance to an undernourished soul.
      I'll certainly be swinging by Lawn Tea to catch up on your many charming adventures with Sweet Pea et al.

      Delete