THE GODDESS OF THE VALLEY! (Part 2)
An unauthorized tribute to Julie Brown, one of the funniest comediennes of all time. (Is also the sexiest comedienne of all time)
Meanwhile, after "The Edge" ceased production Julie fell in love with, and soon married, her current husband, Ken Rathjen. Early in 1994 Julie became a mother. Later in the year Julie made guest appearances on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and on "Late Show with David Letterman," and ended the year with the movie "Attack of the 5'2" Women." (So titled because of Julie's height.) Julie spoofed Tonya Harding and Lorena Bobbitt. This movie did poorly, having been beaten in the ratings when it first aired (December 31, 1994) opposite a Barbra Streisand concert. In 1995 Julie had a bit role in the hit movie "Clueless," in the role of a gym teacher. In 1996 Paramount Television turned the movie into a series.
It premiered in the fall of 1996 and remained on the air for three years. Brown had a recurring role in the series as the by-now married gym teacher at Bronson Alcott High School (which in real life is Grant High School in Studio City).. Brown also was one of the series' producers and even wrote several episodes. In 1998 she even directed an episode titled, "Cher and Cher-alike." During the offseason La Julie starred in two movies, "Plump Fiction" and "Alien Avengers II," both of which did poorly. When "Clueless" ceased production most of that series staff left Paramount. Cast member Elisa Donovan was added to "Sabrina the Teenage Witch's" cast during 1999-2000, remaining until its cancellation in 2003, and Donald Faison went on to star on the hit NBC series "Scrubs" (2001-). Rachel Blanchard, who played Cher Horwitz on the series, did make a few good movies after the series ended.
As 2000 began, most of "Clueless'" unemployed--Brown, staff director Al Cohn, costume designer Mona May (who has been Julie's dressmaker since 1989, when "Just Say Julie" premiered), and a few writers and producers, Charlie Coffey included--teamed up with Howard Klein (Julie's agent), and Mike Rotenberg ("King of the Hill," "Shipmates," "Friend or Foe?") of 3 Arts to create "Strip Mall" for Comedy Central. This is a hilarious series in which Julie was cast as ex-child star Tammi Tyler. Tyler had found work as a waitress, and then married Harvey Krudup (Jim O'Heir). Tammi tries to survive every incident that occurs. In the series' final episode Tammi is pushed off an airplane--and screams embarrassingly. "Goodbye Tammi Tyler!" In 2001 Comedy Central had come to the decision that it was at the time too expensive to produce a scripted comedy series due to a recession (what hath reality TV wrought?) and, therefore, the cable network dropped not only "Strip Mall" but also "That's My Bush," from the producers of "South Park." But La Julie did not disappear from TV and movies, however. Brown was a contestant on a 2001 celebrity edition episode of the NBC version of "The Weakest Link;" you can occasionally catch this episode on Game Show Network. And in 2002 Brown was cast as a mother in the basketball movie "Like Mike." That same year she lent her voice to an episode of "Oh Yeah! Cartoons" entitled "Elise: Mere Mortal."In 2003 She appeared in a couple of TV specials, VH1's "50 Greatest Funny Moments in Music" and "50 Greatest Teen Idols." During 2004 she appeared in the E! specials "101 Reasons the '90s Ruled," "101 Most Starlicious Makeovers" and "101 Most Awesome Moments in Entertainment," and "101 Most Sensational Crimes of Fashion." She also wrote episodes for a short-lived ABC sitcom, "BIg House" that same year, and just recently she completed work on her first studio record album since 1987. Many of her songs still get airplay on radio stations, In addition, reruns of many of Julie's TV appearances and movies continue to air, and probably will run forever, on many TV stations.
Julie's son currently attends a Catholic elementary school in the San Fernando Valley, and she and Ken Rathjen recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of their marriage. Julie Ann Brown has evolved from a California Valley Girl to one of the most successful comics of all time. She is comedy's ultimate sex icon (even exposing her cleavage in many of her TV and movie acting appearances--another of her trademarks), and a comic diva whose humor is universal. Twenty-five years from the start of her career in San Francisco, Julie remains not only one of Hollywood's most beautiful comediennes, but also one of comedy's true divas.
