Haven't listened to yet, so not sure if you mention it and you probably do, but yall know that The Golden Girls show runner Susan Harris is Sam Harris' mother, right?
My 92 year old very religious grandmother is extremely vain and is worried that she won't have lipstick on when she dies and goes home to Jesus. She also has Alzheimer's and hasn't changed even though shes confused about everything else
Golden Girls was great because it was the first show that was female-centered but for older women. Unlike other old lady shows, these gals are still working it - no mumus (Dorothy's outfits might defy this). They date men but don't need them (OK Blanche, but only for sex). FWIW, Bea Arthur hated the show the last two years because the jokes about her character were directed to the actress's physique and not character traits.
Shows with older people gave way to two things, which I think changed the way society focused on aging and empowerment: young, independent shows (Friends and the like) and a barrage of children's programming with parents on the sidelines and the kids in charge (Disney shows). I think this hyperfocus contributed to older women (and some men?) feeling invisible.
Deregulating commercialization to children also opened the doors to some very clear messaging about empowerment and age. I think this largely hurt millennials, GenX to some degree, and for sure everyone moving forward.
Haven't listened to yet, so not sure if you mention it and you probably do, but yall know that The Golden Girls show runner Susan Harris is Sam Harris' mother, right?
This is like the first thing I found when I did my Golden Girls binge and accompanying googling. Still can't get over it!
Never heard of him
I know!!!! The worlds collide!!
And also MAUDE and a bunch of other popular shows!
I like the idea of "Maude" but wasn't able to get into it.
My 92 year old very religious grandmother is extremely vain and is worried that she won't have lipstick on when she dies and goes home to Jesus. She also has Alzheimer's and hasn't changed even though shes confused about everything else
My grandmother was at a similar age with Alzheimer’s and wouldn’t be caught dead without a bright red manicure. Polish Jew.
My own Ashkenazi grandmother was all about nail polish (but more so still, checking out tall men) into her 90s, even when otherwise not quite there.
I can relate to your grandmother
Hungarian Catholic.
Golden Girls was great because it was the first show that was female-centered but for older women. Unlike other old lady shows, these gals are still working it - no mumus (Dorothy's outfits might defy this). They date men but don't need them (OK Blanche, but only for sex). FWIW, Bea Arthur hated the show the last two years because the jokes about her character were directed to the actress's physique and not character traits.
Shows with older people gave way to two things, which I think changed the way society focused on aging and empowerment: young, independent shows (Friends and the like) and a barrage of children's programming with parents on the sidelines and the kids in charge (Disney shows). I think this hyperfocus contributed to older women (and some men?) feeling invisible.
Deregulating commercialization to children also opened the doors to some very clear messaging about empowerment and age. I think this largely hurt millennials, GenX to some degree, and for sure everyone moving forward.