My Weekend Crush

Oh, Tallulah, Tallulah. I imagine that’s a phrase she heard quite a lot, that sexy minx. Famed for her love of life and love of many lovers – male and female – she once quipped, “My father warned me about men and booze, but he never mentioned a word about women and cocaine.” And, oh, the women: Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Eva Le Gallienne, Laurette Taylor, Patsy Kelly, Hattie McDaniel, Estelle Winwood, Mercedes de Acosta. Allegedly.

Witty, pretty and oh so gay, Tallulah was a provocateur of the most delicious kind. The self-described “pure as the driven slush” southern starlet came up during Hollywood’s Golden Age in the 20s. She was known as much for her outsized personality as her acting abilities. If she’d been alive today, I’d imagine her shenanigans alone could keep TMZ in business. I think she would have been a hell of a gal to know.

The film critic Rex Reed famously told a story about Tallulah and Joan Crawford that kind of says it all. Joan attended a party for Tallulah dressed in a gown covered in gold glitter. Tallulah took her up to the bedroom and slammed the door, only to emerge later – stark naked – with gold glitter covering her lady business. She went to the balcony overlooking the partygoers and announced “Guess who just went down on me?” Oh, Tallulah, Tallulah. Happy weekend, all.