| May 27, 2006 - Why gays love Judy Garland |
| Dear Friends, until recently I had never understood why gay men love Judy Garland so much. And then just last week I saw a documentary on TV that kind of clarified it for me. The program was two hours long and was called something like "Judy Garland: In her own Words". Apparently she had tried several times to write her autobiography, hiring ghost writers, tape recording, etc. But she just never seemed to be able to pull it off. Anyway, this program was culled from her writings and recordings, but also featured thoughts of people who had known her. From the very beginning MGM told her how worthless she was all the while they were raking in the bucks off of her performances. At one point they had her film 81 movies in one year, yet kept berating her about her weight and her "plain" looks. About "The Wizard of Oz" she wondered, if she was so perfect for the part, then why did they have her try on 25 different wigs and glue a rubber piece onto her nose. As her schedule became even more hectic and her addiction to the pills (which MGM got her started on) increased, she began getting a reputation for being difficult whenever she objected to the way she was being treated. So dear friends, I think if we say MGM = Society and Judy Garland = Gays, then you can see why there is an affinity in the gay community for her. Gays are OK as long as someone can make a buck off of them and they can be marketed to or fulfill work that straight people see as stereotypically gay, but the moment gays object to unfair treatment, they're called "activist" or "uppity" or even "bitchy". The revelation was an eye-opener, because I really had not understood why she was supposed to be so fabulous. Now, if someone could just enlighten me as to the reasons for the gay adulation of Babs Streisand, I would appreciate it. Maybe they need to do a two hour program about her and then I'd get it. I frankly don't care for her, although I do like her song "People". She just always comes across as self-aggrandizing. I saw some video of her singing with a young girl who was supposed to represent her at a younger age; some little lassie full of high hopes for her performing future. Babs seemed to be saying, "Yes, I was full of dreams at a tender age, but I journeyed on and now look how fabulous I am. Oh, you youngsters, just hold fast to your hopes and you, too, can eventually develop a superiority complex just like me." Babs, if you're reading this, I realize I'm judging you without knowing you. But come on, give your ego a little rest now and then. On a more interesting note, I discovered recently that I have flammable underwear. A few years ago, while in Iceland, I bought some boxer briefs by a company called Bloc & Tackle. I liked them and so I bought some more when I was in Iceland again. The other day I was sitting on the turlet when I glanced down and saw that the label on my boxer briefs said "KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE"! Wow! I'll really have to be careful the next time I light a candle in homage to my wang. I went to dinner with some friends last weekend and told them about my flammable panties, and we began a series of long jokes about instantaneous combustion, etc.; things you really had to have been there and in a drunken stupor to fully appreciate, but which still make me laugh just thinking of them. Next entry Previous entry Go to diary entries Go back home |