Why I Love Kelly Cutrone

I first saw Kelly Cutrone on The Hills. Yes, I admit to watching occasional drivel, maybe quite a bit of drivel these days. But the show became interesting to me when Whitney Port went to work at People's Revolution, and for founder Kelly Cutrone. After four seasons of The Hills, Whitney left the show to star in The City that featured Whitney's career at People's Revolution.

I found Whitney's boss, Kelly Cutrone to be a great role model for Whitney and for the other young people that she mentors. Her demanding presence seems to intimidate her staff; she has high expectations of everyone around her. But I notice that she's a real softie once she sees someone making an effort to learn their job. Cutrone gets angry when a staff member does something foolish, but her bark is often worse than her bite--often, but not always.

People's Revolution is a branding public relations firm that produces fashion shows all over the world and gets press for their clients. They take the clothes out of the show room and get them onto the pages of magazines and onto the backs of clients. People's Revolution represents 46 clients; they have produced fashion shows for: Nicky Hilton, Vivienne Westwood, Marisa Ribisi, and many others. People's Revolution produced 10 different shows during the last Fashion week at Bryant Park. Kelli Cutrone and Jeremy Kost below:

Pamela Anderson's Reality Show

Somehow, Pamela Anderson comes across as the down-to-earth girl next door, no matter how she handles her private or public life. Last night I tuned into Pam: Girl on the Loose, the new reality show that features Pam and everybody in her life except her kids.

Note: I don't know why Denise Richards received all the flack for featuring her daughters in her reality show when their air time is probably less than 30 seconds per episode. I guess I do know why. The media does not like Denise. But the media sure likes Pam, and I'm trying to figure out why. She could appear in a skin flick--whoops! She has--and still be treated like the consummate mom and animal lover.

Girl on the Loose is filmed with a grainy low-quality texture that is meant to look campy, but I find it hard on the eyes. Episode One was also difficult to watch because the show caters to a short attention span. The camera jumps around. The interviews and moving shots are constantly interspersed with naked shots of Pam, who gives some of her "confessional" talks from the bath tub.

Name a Perfume after Me

I could almost buy into the idea that Elizabeth Taylor had a perfume created on her behalf, White Diamonds. Even though the ad probably shows Elizabeth some 20 years ago, she is a dame, and she was once a bigger than life movie star. Since I finally got over her breaking up somebody else's marriage, I can appreciate the work she did to raise money for AIDS--before this cause was generally accepted.

Elizabeth's ad is pure class. She says, "These have always brought me luck." She does not have to try too hard to be appealing.

Would I buy her perfume? No. Why would I want to smell like Elizabeth, when I'm my own person?

Dancing with the Stars: Who Should Win?

Maks should win. Well, I mean....Mel B. (AKA Scary Spice) and her professional partner Maksim Chmerskovkiy should win. I had a crush on Maks until I realized he is younger than my own son. Still, he is fun to watch, whether he shaves his chest or not. And I'm happy to see that he got paired with a celebrity who can dance, and can dance very well.

I've had fun watching Mel B., who is spirited and confident. Yet, she is modest and grateful--or would seem so. And, wow, has she lost some weight or what? She had a baby not long ago.

I was a bit disappointed in Mel and Maks last night. I voted for them because they still dominate the competition. There is something about both of their routines that did not flow smoothly. Does anyone know who selects the music? One of the professional dancers implied that they do not get to choose, and sometimes I wonder how anybody would want to dance to some of these music selections. For instance, last week Mel and Maks did the Pasa Doble--a Latin dance--to the song "Satisfaction."

My Favorite Reality Shows

A reality show no longer needs to be a guilty pleasure. After all, there must be hundreds of them on the air by now. Each show is on a spectrum of "reality." The editing often determines the likability of each participant. And often, the situation is structured to create tension and even hostility between contestants. Some "reality" shows, like The Hills, for instance, are obviously scripted.

However, here are some shows that I highly recommend, beginning with my favorite: Dancing with the Stars (ABC) is beginning its fifth season on Monday, September 24, 2007. Past competitors have shown determination and great skill in learning difficult postures and moves. These moves require flexibility, especially on the part of the women, and the younger contestants have an obvious advantage here.

In this show, a professional ballroom dancer is paired with a famous person who may know how to dance, but is no expert in ballroom dancing. Past winners include actress Kelly Monaco from General Hospital, Drew Lachey from boy band 98 Degrees, football great Emmit Smith, and skater Apolo Anton Ono.

Why I Love Paula Deen

There was a time when I thought cooking was a job for the unliberated woman. As I've said before, I once let my views on feminism stifle my freedom. At this great time in my life I love to cook, and I'm crazy about the Food Network.

I had thought that the Food Network only chose trained chefs to host their shows. I enjoy fancy cooking, but thanks to Paula Deen, I see that unpretentious foods that are a part of American culture, especially Southern culture, can be deeply satisfying to prepare and to eat. Paula calls dishes like fried chicken and potato salad "comfort foods."

I just finished reading Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin'. What an inspiring story. What an inspiring woman. Paula married before she was twenty. Shortly afterwards, each of her parents died of illness. What surprises me the most about Paula is that she suffered from agoraphobia and panic attacks. For many years, she was housebound.

During this time, her husband rarely maintained a long-term job. Her family--including her two sons--struggled to keep a roof over their heads. Eventually, with the help of her sons, Paula sold home-cooked lunches to nearby businesses.

Paula Deen comes across as down to earth, funny, bawdy, sensible, and very brave. After spending hours in the kitchen with her mother, aunt and grandmothers, Paula learned to cherish her family recipes and traditions. She eventually made a career for herself--and her sons--working long hours in her Savannah, Georgia restaurant.



I can't help but feel I know Paula after reading this page-turner. I read all 304 pages in a couple of days. Paula left me feeling that I can age gracefully without pretense. She found true love and got married the second time in her fifties. After years of living in near poverty, she now has a successful restaurant, two popular shows on the Food Network (Paula's Home Cooking and Paula's Party), and she has sold thousands of cookbooks.

Several great recipes are included in this memoir, such as pan-fried corn and split-pea soup. I am inspired to cook, to try, and to maybe even love again.

Here's why I love Paula Deen: She is a nurturing woman who considers food a sensual experience. As we baby boomers age, we need to redefine how we view ourselves as sexual/sensual beings. I have come to realize that cooking is not only an art, but it is a gift to give and receive. Cooking can be an intimate experience shared between two people.

Cooking is also an activity to do with the grandbabies. Beautiful aromas wafting from the kitchen create memories for the little ones.

Paula Deen is not your typical television host. To a Californian (me), she has a strong Southern accent. She says "you all" or "y'all" a lot. She is a robust, white haired woman who finds much to laugh about. She is a late bloomer who pulled herself up again and again, and she reaps the rewards of her efforts.

I'll Miss Pete Wilson

San Franciso Bay Area broadcaster Pete Wilson died on July 20, 2007, of a heart attack during hip replacement surgery at Stanford University Hospital. He was 62 years old.

A nightly television news anchor for ABC, Wilson was also a regular radio talk show host at KGO-AM (810). He had won five Emmy Awards, a Peabody award, and various other national and local awards. Politically, he was a self-proclaimed independent.



I will miss Pete Wilson and his smooth and pleasing voice. His presence modestly commanded a combination of comfort and respect, not unlike that of Peter Jennings. We rarely realize that a media person who disseminates information can become a big part of our routine and our lives.

I personally wonder what might have gone wrong during Pete Wilson’s surgery. Besides needing a new hip, he had seemed otherwise healthy. According to Chapin Day, a spokesperson for the Wilson family, Wilson's heart attack was caused by an unknownn coronary blockage. No one seems to know what triggered the heart attack so soon after surgery began. I will update this blog, should additional information be released.

Wilson lived with his family in Mill Valley. He has one college-age son. According to Wikepedia, he was a voracious reader and oil painter who loved golf. His career on the air spanned three decades. The Bay Area does not feel or seem the same without Pete Wilson.

Rest in Peace, Tammy Faye

Tammy Faye Messner died Friday morning. I did not see her last appearance on Larry King Live, but I read summaries of her interview, and I read her last post of a couple days ago on her page TammyFaye.com.

I normally think it's in bad taste to pronounce someone's impending death, as I did in my last blog. I thought more than twice before saying what I said. After reading her last letter to her supporters and fans, I thought, If anyone can come back from near death, it would be Tammy Faye.

She kept her sense of humor until the end. She also knew that she was headed toward the arms of God. I commend Tammy for her strength and guts and faith. My good friend Janice died in 1986. Memory of her courage and faith has stayed with me all these years. And I think of her whenever I find myself hospitalized.

People die as they live, and those who go with courage, set examples for those of us they leave behind. My father also had unwavering faith, and he died how he lived, on his own terms. People who leave us on their own terms give us a gift. They somehow comfort us, instead of the other way around. And they give us an idea how we might go forward when it's our turn.

This is really about Tammy Faye, an imperfect person who got the most important things right. She didn't give up. She fought. She laughed. She believed. She did things her way (and her interpretation of God's way). She pulled herself up after several "failures."

Many people loved her. You can't do better. I will remember Tammy's courage always. She has joined that rare club with my father and my friend Janice, those who have shown me how to navigate illness and death.

Thank you, Tammy Faye. I know you're with Jesus, and I know you're at peace.

Tammy Faye: Too Ill for Television

Yesterday I flipped the remote to check out Larry King Live. The guest was Hulk Hogan, but Larry had just taped an interview with Tammy Faye Messner, which I believe will air today. He showed an excerpt from the interview.

Let me say first that I'm no stranger to ill or injured people. I spent time with my mom when she was in ICU and when she was dying. I spent time as a patient in ICU after sustaining, what they called, serious disfiguring injuries. (I look fine now, but my family was unable to recognize me at that time.) I also volunteered at the trauma center at Eden Hospital in my town. I can hold the hand of sick or injured individuals, and if I feel squeamish, I can pull myself together for someone who is suffering. I'm no lightweight when it comes to health matters.

Back to Larry King Live and Tammy Faye. I was in utter shock to see Tammy Faye. At 65 pounds, she is literally skin and bone. She is dying of cancer, and she is too ill for television. I've always enjoyed Larry King, but I believe his show is exploiting someone who is too ill to realize that she no longer resembles herself.

What is the purpose of airing a show with someone so ill? I hate to say this, but Tammy Faye's image is frightening to me. Years ago when I'd been banged up in a bus accident, I did not allow reporters in my room. I did not wish to share my deepest suffering with the local media. I was afraid to let my 10-year-old son visit me, as my image might upset him. My son and I both survived, but in retrospect, my appearance wasn't as frightening as Tammy Faye's. My situation was full of hope as I improved each day. This is a hard pronouncement, but Tammy Faye is, in fact, withering away, and now she is withering before the cameras. And for what purpose?

I was once critical of Tammy Faye and the whole Jim Bakker and PTL scandal. And what woman in America wouldn't like to get hold of Tammy Faye's makeup and give her a makeover? She has always had a pretty face--with too much mascara and misplaced eyebrows.

Although Tammy Faye has battled cancer several times in recent years, she has remained steadfast in her faith in God. And during the worst of times she kept her sense of humor and her positive attitude. Surprisingly, she became someone I deeply admire. She is one strong woman.

Maybe Tammy Faye approached Larry and asked to make a public appearance. Maybe she wanted to thank the public for supporting her through trying times. Maybe after several appearances on the show, Larry and his staff's interests are honest but misguided. I hate to think this interview is for ratings.

STILL, SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THIS INTERVIEW FROM BEING VIDEOTAPED.

I wrote to the show, and asked them not to air the interview. That's all I can do. I debated about writing this blog, as I'm calling attention to the show. Curiosity sometimes draws us to look at misery. For instance, it is sometimes human nature to slow down to see traffic accidents. But if you read this blog today, I suggest bypassing the show. I will not be watching.

I'd be curious to hear from anyone on this subject, especially from someone who has lost a family member to cancer or from someone who has had cancer. Do I seem insensitive to Tammy Faye? I hope not. I would like to protect her and help her keep her death (dying) private.

Edit: July 19, 2007 @7:44 p.m.You can post prayers and good wishes to Tammy at: Tammy's Page.

Why I Love Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Where did the feminist movement go? When I was a young woman, the movement emphasized who we were on the inside. Our intelligence and determination took precedence over beauty, at least in the workplace. Showing some cleavage to get promoted was nothing I’d ever consider.

Have women made progress since then? Yes and no.

The tacky adventures of blonde celebrities infiltrates not only entertainment news, but network news as well. Attending parties. Driving drunk. Checking into rehab. Leaving rehab early. Serving jail time. Spending money. Dating someone new. Spending more money. Making a sex video. What?

I want some better role models for our nation’s young girls.

Enter Elisabeth Hasselbeck who turned 30 today. Happy Birthday, Elisabeth. Thank you for being a strong woman.

Before co-hosting The View, Elisabeth made it to the final four on Survivor: The Australian Outback. She completed the Boston Marathon in 1999, the same year she graduated from Boston College. She has worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and several other charity foundations. You can read more about her accomplishments at Wikipedia and at The Views Bios.

On a more personal note, Elisabeth is a wife, mother, and she is expecting a baby. She has Celiac Disease and can eat no wheat or gluten. Have you tried omitting wheat from your diet?

Before writing about last week’s unraveling at The View, I wanted to approach the subject without putting emphasis where it doesn’t belong. I enjoy the show. A half hour of Hot Topics rescues me from writer’s block. Since Barbara hasn’t asked me to co-host yet, I will put my two cents here.

Elisabeth is one smart, tough cookie. Anyone who speaks otherwise is a fool. She has held her ground all season, stating her conservative views, while the other women talked over her. Note: Women often talk over each other; it’s a cultural thing, but it doesn’t make for good TV. Barbara says she cringes when she watches the program from home.

One day on The View, the ladies discussed Christy Brinkley’s pending divorce. The conversation evolved--or digressed--to the subject of cheating. To my chagrin, Barbara, Rosie, and Joy took a lax position on adultery. All three of them thought cheating husbands (or wives) could still be good parents, while I yelled at the TV, waiting for someone to expect more from their partner. If children learn from example, how can cheating be tolerated?

Would you like to see a young woman with COURAGE step forward, when everyone else is jumping down her throat?

You can see the clip here.

This is why I love Elisabeth.

I often disagree with her conservative politics, and I do not share her position on abortion or the war, for that matter. What I do share--I would hope--is respect for myself and determination to stick to my convictions.

I have admired Rosie for years, and the fight between her and Elisabeth saddens me. No, I’m not posting the clip here. I would like to see Rosie take a step back and ask herself why people are criticizing her. She has perhaps let her passion turn into anger. Whether she means to or not, she is putting negative energy out there, and negative energy is like a boomerang that always comes back.

I am on a campaign to honor women who honor themselves. We need better role models for our young girls (and boys). I nominate Elisabeth.