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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Ladies / Video of the Day Lunchtime Quickie: When You're Old, Do You Get to Say Whatever You Want?

Posted by Kelly O on Tue, May 10, 2011 at 12:30 PM

Tell 'em Royce, you tell 'em, girl.

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Oh, isn't she glorious! Reminds me of some of the characters in our own SRO hotels downtown, back when we had such things.

I found some Royce & Marilyn backstory written in '96:

http://www.laweekly.com/1999-06-10/news/…

Posted by gloomy gus on May 10, 2011 at 12:51 PM

Er, '99, sorry.

Posted by gloomy gus on May 10, 2011 at 12:52 PM

Forté means loud.

Posted by Danger on May 10, 2011 at 1:05 PM

Honestly that clip and the article make me very uncomfortable in the same way that Grey Gardens did. It feels an awful lot like people who are Sane(tm) getting their rocks off by watching someone who is Crazy(tm) engage in their behaviors. It feels very mean spirited and exploitative.

Posted by loopback on May 10, 2011 at 1:10 PM

She loves her wine, pieces of shit from nowhere!

Posted by Vince on May 10, 2011 at 1:13 PM

It's not mean spirited. You know Royce constantly bit her tongue when she was a young to-do NYC society girl. Now she says whatever the h-e-double-hockey-sticks she wants on her own YouTube channel.

I admire this. It's ok to appreciate her, and her history

Posted by Kelly O on May 10, 2011 at 1:19 PM

I am 112 and what is this?

Posted by K on May 10, 2011 at 1:46 PM

@7 it's the Internet, sweetie.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on May 10, 2011 at 1:52 PM

Honestly my first thought on seeing the preview image was "Joanna Lumley can't be THAT old, can she?"

Posted by K on May 10, 2011 at 2:03 PM

@4. . . she was just enjoying some sauvignon blanc. . . and expressing her opinion. That's not "grey Gardens."

Although if I end up all grey gardens, that'll be okay.

Posted by Lady Ga Ga on May 10, 2011 at 3:06 PM

Here's a longer clip...

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGldM85dX…"

The story of these 2 ladies was in the Los Angeles Times a while back I believe. FASCINATING story they have. Also see "Quando, Quando?" clip... Royce drunk & dancing!

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGHyqd_MY…"

Posted by tmink on May 10, 2011 at 4:16 PM

Was that Joanna Lumley satirizing AbFab -OR- has Waylan Flowers come back from the grave to bring Madame back to us?

Posted by BearNecessity on May 10, 2011 at 6:30 PM

@4 - I think it's always a good question to ask about someone's exploitation, specifically if it's seems someone is exploiting a vulnerable population, ie the mentally ill. I've worked with the "mentally ill" (schizophrenic, bi-polar, etc) for years & grew up with an uncle who had/has schizo-affective disorder. I have taped interviews with him many times having his full volition & approval. The difference I see is whether this person/persons know they're being taped/recorded etc. If it's a hidden camera or microphone it is clearly exploiting this person. My uncle LOVED & still LOVES to be taped & interviewed and he is aware I will either show it to others or portray him myself, which he also feels very proud about & tells others he knows about either situation. From everything that I have read about the "Maysles" (documentary film directors) concerning the "Beales" Big Edie & Little Edie (Grey Gardens) they knew they were being taped & loved going to showings of the movie & laughed along. They also loved being interviewed & the whole process. I'm not familiar with the people behind these clips but I can tell "Royce" (the woman in the hat) is having loads of fun ranting & raving about anything she wanted. I enjoy watching any sort of eccentric person being themselves. God knows I've said things plenty of times that, after I left, someone found eccentric or funny... I've even had it happen in my presence. Now if someone had hidden a recording device & was presenting it in a negative fashion at my expense, ie a way that it was presented to slander or otherwise misrepresent me I would be angry.

That's my take on it. As I said above I think continually keeping watch out for exploitation is a good thing... but I think the women in these clips knew what they were doing...

I think it's a great lively, ongoing conversation to have.

More...

Posted by tmink on May 10, 2011 at 6:59 PM