My Weekend (In Memoriam) Crush

As a certified Gen Xer, I regret to inform my fellow Xers that we’ve reached the age when the major stars from our childhoods are passing away. We lost Shannen Doherty and Shelley Duvall (not to mention Richard Simmons, RIP) earlier this month. While neither Shannen or Shelley were queer, per se, I’d say both reached iconic status within the community. I mean “90210” and “Charmed.” “Popeye” and “The Shining.” And, of course, “Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre” and “Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories.”

Yet both these actors are examples of our failed healthcare system and cultural callousness particularly toward female celebrities. If you read anything about the filming of “The Shining,” you know its acclaimed director Stanley Kubrick was extremely demanding of the cast – in particular on Shelley who he wanted in a constant state of, basically, fear. They spent three weeks alone shooting the pivotal stairway scene where Nicholson says he wants to “bash your brains in.” The experience left her mental health forever scarred, and you can understand why.

Meanwhile Shannen attributes a lapse in her health insurance, which delayed her seeing a doctor, for the relapse of breast cancer which ultimately killed her. Not to mention her realization that her ex-husband was waiting for her to die so he didn’t have to pay spousal support. Both women, it should be noted, also got sexist coverage over the years – from Shelley being labeled kooky to Shannen being called difficult.

I hope both women felt the outpouring of adoration at their deaths during their lives. I know their performances brought me untold hours of happiness over the years. May their memories be a blessing to all who enjoyed their work. Happy weekend, all.

Girls Still Wanna Have Fun

I can’t remember if I’ve shared this before (I mean, it’s been SEVENTEEN YEARS after all — also I’m old), but “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” was one of my favorite 1980s movies. I was a child of the MTV Generation (shout out to my Gen X peeps — how those knees doing?). And this movie was so incredibly cool to my little grade school mind. I also remember it getting played what seems like endlessly on TV (or maybe that was just my family’s pirated HBO subscription).

I haven’t watched it in ages, obviously. But Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt and Shannen Doherty all in one movie? Please. Like this little future gay isn’t going to be obsessed with this movie. In fact, I think perhaps the only 80s movie I hold in even closer regard is “Just One of the Guys.” And, lesbians, we all know the reason(s) for that. Two of them in particularly. Like, raise your hand if that’s your root because hello.

Right, where was I? Proving you can’t keep a dancing queen down/there are no new ideas, Hollywood is planning a “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” reboot. And, hope of hopes, this one might actually be gay. The script is from “The L Word: Generation Q” showrunner Marja-Lewis Ryan and Executive Story Editor Allie Romano. Like, come on, if they don’t make it gay we riot, right?

One of the things I sincerely hope they do not bring back the Jonathan Silverman nerd character who is actually just a sexist horndog/future incel. Think any Anthony Michael Hall role in the 1980s that’s supposed to be dweeby cute but actually secretly misogynistic. Like, tune in Tokyo? That’s a Me Too nightmare.

Though, I do deeply appreciate that every single one of its female stars went on to be wildly famous while the John “Cougar” Mellencamp look-alike they cast as the lead apparently sells real estate in Solvang.

As I was saying, MAKE IT QUEER AND LET’S HAVE FUN. The end.