TresSugar

Beatrice Arthur (1922-2009)

TresSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:10:00 -0700

I remember being on the subway one day eavesdropping on a conversation. A man in his early 20s was telling a woman he was with that when he was younger, no show could annoy his father more than the pioneering '70s show Maude, starring Bea Arthur, who passed away April 25 at the age of 87.

Bea Arthur's character, Maude, was the polar opposite of her television cousin, subservient Edith Bunker of All in the Family. No wonder your average man would feel threatened by Maude - she identified as a feminist (a first for television?), she had a commanding, sarcastic manner, and she didn't suffer fools gladly. Maude, the show, tackled issues like abortion, the Vietnam War, and divorce.

Arthur went on to reprise her popularity as an icon (this time, as a hip older woman) in the more lighthearted (but no less feminist) series The Golden Girls, beloved by women and gay men alike. In the following video, she shows she continued to be a badass by starring in a geriatric version of Sex and the City, which, if you think of it, was simply the younger-woman version of The Golden Girls! Talented, tough, funny - and not above making fun of herself. You will be missed, Bea!

Flashback: Weird Star Wars Holiday Special

GiggleSugar — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 04:00:00 -0800

Lore has it that this Star Wars holiday television special was so embarrassingly weird that George Lucas had it pulled almost as soon as it aired. How weird you ask? Well, it guest stars Bea Arthur of Maude fame dancing with drunken aliens down in the coolest dive bar in the galaxy; Chewbacca's family (that's right - furry dude has a family!); and Lola Falana showing up in a halo of lavender light to wish you happy holidays. I think this thing was sponsored by LSD. Warning: You will get a contact high. (Thanks, Yum!)

Geriatric Sex and the City

GiggleSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:02:28 -0800

Some people say that Sex and the City had an older (in more ways than one) precursor: The Golden Girls. Carrie is to Dorothy (Bea Arthur) as Samantha is to Blanche (Rue McClanahan), etc. Well, I tell you what, I would almost rather see this following version than the upcoming movie! There's Lady Bea, Sally Struthers, Mrs. Garrett from Facts of LIfe and others! I'm dying over here. This made my day. (Thanks, Jezebel!)

Drugs: The Musical

GiggleSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:17:52 -0800

Consider this a holiday aperitif. This song from the musical I Love My Wife is about how drugs have replaced the kinder, gentler ways of getting high from days of yore. Sample lyrics: "Remember when hash was fried/and tea was brewed/when someone pushing was merely rude?" It would be bizarre even if Rock Hudson and Bea Arthur were not singing a duet holding martini glasses. But they are. And it's weirder.

Grab Bag: What One Woman Learned From Judy Blume

TresSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Writer tells us 8 high school sex lessons she learned from Judy Blume. - Lemondrop
Right on! A Golden Girls Bea Arthur tattoo. - Best Week Ever
Can you start from square one with an ex? - Em & Lo
GPS panties? Awesome if your boyfriend is a stalker. - The Frisky
What your closet says about your dating life. - Your Tango
If I'm so crazy, why do people keep having sex with me? - The Onion
The "best" of Levi Johnston's Twitter. Wow, dude. - Buzzfeed
Did you like your past boyfriends' names? - Glamour
The comics world isn't just a boys' club anymore. - Double X
Emma Thompson to remove name from petition supporting Roman Polanski. - Jezebel

Front Page: Fear of Swine Flu Spreads Across the World

TresSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:00:59 -0700

The European Union has advised citizens to postpone nonessential travel to the US and Mexico, a warning the US has called unwarranted. - New York Times
President Obama says the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and other parts of the world shows that science is essential for America's security, health, and economy. - Boston Globe
Fans, friends, and costars are remembering Golden Girls actress Bea Arthur, who passed away this weekend. - BuzzSugar
Simon Cowell is not convinced Susan Boyle will win Britain's Got Talent. - MSNBC
Victims of Bernie Madoff would like to be repaid taxes they paid on nonexistent earnings. - LA Times

Source

Farewell, Estelle!

GiggleSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:00:00 -0700

We love us some Golden Girls here at GiggleSugar, so it was very sad to hear that Estelle Getty, my favorite Golden Girl, passed away yesterday, three days before her 85th birthday. Estelle got her start in the Yiddish theater and as a comedian in the Catskills' "Borscht Belt." Her star began to rise when she played Harvey Fierstein's mother in the Broadway production of Torch Song Trilogy, but it was her role as the wise-cracking, take-no-prisoners Sophia on The Golden Girls that made her a comic legend. Kvetching and bitching, Sophia gave as good as she got and made being a senior citizen look cool. "Our mother-daughter relationship was one of the greatest comic duos ever, and I will miss her," Bea Arthur was reported as saying in the LA Times. Betty White, who played Rose on the show, said "The only comfort at this moment is that although Estelle has moved on, Sophia will always be with us."

Flashback: Weirdest Star Wars Holiday Special Ever

GiggleSugar — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Lore has it that this Star Wars holiday tv special was so embarrassingly weird that George Lucas had it pulled almost as soon as it aired. It's so strange, people, that I couldn't wait until the holidays or even the weekend to bring you five minutes of its oddest moments. How odd, you ask? How about Lola Falana showing up in a halo of lavender light to wish you happy holidays? How about the revelation that Chewbacca had a family? And my fave, Bea Arthur of "Maude" fame dancing with drunken aliens down in the coolest dive bar in the galaxy? I think this thing was sponsored by LSD. Warning: You will get a contact high. (Thanks, Yum!)