Thursday, January 29, 2009
Year of Decision
We have decided to wear a headdress all day, every day, to also achieve Three Degrees of fabulousity.
Celebrity Boudoirs
Glamour of an era long since passed. Can one even buy a negligee or peignoir anymore? Does anyone want to? Besides trannies? 
Until the Real Thing Comes Along
Here at Chez Twist, we endeavor to provide you with the utmost in superior nightclub entertainment. True, we may not always be able to get the actual Cyd Charisse...
...or secure the services of the authentic Debbie Reynolds...
...and, no, we couldn't actually bill our last smash act as "The REAL Danny Kaye and Yul Brynner, in The Queen and I"...
...but we did manage to book Johnnie Ray!
Anyone? Hello?
...or secure the services of the authentic Debbie Reynolds...
...and, no, we couldn't actually bill our last smash act as "The REAL Danny Kaye and Yul Brynner, in The Queen and I"...
...but we did manage to book Johnnie Ray!
Anyone? Hello?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Guess Who I Saw Today On The DL?
We don't know how we missed seeing this fabulous mini-movie (set to one of our all-time favorite songs), but many thanks to the uber-fabulous Toby Worthington for drawing our attention to it.
Yo...Adrien?
One thing we love about the whole blogging experience is that, very often, reading someone else's blog makes one scream like a little girl, "Oh, my GOD! I used to LOVE ______!" Or, at least, it tends to have that effect on us, worldly sophisticates we may be at any other time. Suffering Fools Badly's recent musings on former childhood crushes, and an unusually hot photo of a name we haven't heard, thought of, and barely even remembered from days gone by, Adrien Zmed, recently brought on an unexpected jolt of memories. And while, as we will explain further, we too often neglected Adrien Zmed's considerable charms in favor of other hunks du jour, we thank ilduce for a pleasant trip down memory lane, to a time and place when our adolescent hormones could be easily stirred by a blow-dried coif and a tight pair of Jordache jeans.
Mr. Zmed's primary claim to fame was his role as Officer Romano on T.J. Hooker (1982-85). It wasn't a show that we watched very often, loyal as we were to C.H.I.P.S. and dear, sweet Erik Estrada; and when we did watch it, we were frankly too enamored of James Darren (budding daddy hunters that we were) and too appalled by William Shatner to really notice the ungathered rosebud that was Adrien Zmed.
But, Scott Baio apparently took notice:
According to his list of credits, Adrien Zmed also appeared in Grease 2 (1982), but we can only remember Maxwell Caulfield and that leather jumpsuit. Sorry, Adrien. We hardly knew ye. But perhaps a reappreciation is in order.
Mr. Zmed's primary claim to fame was his role as Officer Romano on T.J. Hooker (1982-85). It wasn't a show that we watched very often, loyal as we were to C.H.I.P.S. and dear, sweet Erik Estrada; and when we did watch it, we were frankly too enamored of James Darren (budding daddy hunters that we were) and too appalled by William Shatner to really notice the ungathered rosebud that was Adrien Zmed.
But, Scott Baio apparently took notice:
According to his list of credits, Adrien Zmed also appeared in Grease 2 (1982), but we can only remember Maxwell Caulfield and that leather jumpsuit. Sorry, Adrien. We hardly knew ye. But perhaps a reappreciation is in order.
We're Still Recovering From Our Weekend
We set off bright and early, taking care, of course, to match our traveling togs and accessories to our automotive transporation. And to only choose a raincoat with a sunny disposition.
We attended many gay afternoon parties, some involving copious amounts of champagne and glamorously-gowned gargoyles waiting to suck our very souls out of our gaping maws.
At 5 o'clock each afternoon, we donned our cocktail best, went down to the bar, requested "Something Cool" repeatedly, and attempted to pick up disinterested strangers.
Awards galas, premiere nights, supermarket openings...it all became a glamorous whirlwind of activity. But we tried to remain serenely detatched from reality.
Alas, all good things must come to an end. But if you wear the right chapeau, you can pick up a last-minute trick at the rest area on your way home.
We attended many gay afternoon parties, some involving copious amounts of champagne and glamorously-gowned gargoyles waiting to suck our very souls out of our gaping maws.
At 5 o'clock each afternoon, we donned our cocktail best, went down to the bar, requested "Something Cool" repeatedly, and attempted to pick up disinterested strangers.
Awards galas, premiere nights, supermarket openings...it all became a glamorous whirlwind of activity. But we tried to remain serenely detatched from reality.
Alas, all good things must come to an end. But if you wear the right chapeau, you can pick up a last-minute trick at the rest area on your way home.
Lindsay and Britney, Beware!
LILA LEEDSJanuary 28, 1928 - September 15, 1999
Pretty starlet Lila Leeds only starred in one film, a low-budget exploitation flick called She Shoulda Said No! (1949). It was the direct result of her notorious 1948 arrest (along with movie hunk Robert Mitchum) for -- get this, kids -- marijuana possession. Yup, the devil weed, grass, pot, whatever you want to call it.
LILA LEEDS AND ROBERT MITCHUM BEING ESCORTED TO PRISON, 1949Leeds received 90 days in prison and reams of publicity; however, unlike in today's celebrity tabloid culture, the adage "there's no such thing as bad press" didn't hold true in 1949. While Mitchum emerged from the scandal with his tough guy image unscathed, Leeds was branded a drug-addled floozy, and her career never recovered. Or, to be fair, never really took off: prior to She Shoulda Said No!, Leeds's roles were mostly uncredited bits, such as "Blonde Trying on Hat" in I Love My Wife, But... (1946) and, less convincingly, "Eurasian Girl" in Green Dolphin Street (1947).
SHE SHOULDA SAID NO! WAS ALSO KNOWN AS WILD WEED ON THE EXPLOITATION CIRCUIT
...and in 1961, she made the press rounds, claiming that Erwin "Bud" Arvey, the son of Illinois Democratic leader Jake Arvey, was the father of her son; Leeds was demanding child support payments, and used old press clippings to support her claims. 
When Leeds died in 1999, there was scant mention in the press. According to various sources, she had become a heroin addict; a minister; and a worker in a rehabilitation clinic. Wherever she is now, we hope she's getting a better break than she did in 1949 -- and hopefully, where the wild weeds don't grow. R.I.P., Lila.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Does Anyone Still Wear a Hat?
Frankly, we didn't; and we were freezing. Years of trying on various berets and skullcaps and such left us bereft of hope: no hat was ever going to flatter us, and we were doomed to either be warm and unstylish, or teeth-chatteringly cold yet chic. Then we discovered Magar Hatworks, and friends, our life (and body temperature) will never be the same. How did we go so long without trying this ultra-flattering shape? How did we exist in the winter months with so much heat escaping from our shaven head? And, most important, how the hell did we pass up the chance to accessorize with such fabulous creations?
Like anything of quality, good hats don't come cheap; and, all things considered, a luxury hat is something of a frivolity (compared against, say, a new blazer or a new winter coat). But, like Mrs. Miniver, we discovered the pleasurable thrill of buying a snappy new hat and having it improve our mood (and our chic!) immensely. Our new purchase is rabbit fur felt in a gorgeous camel shade, with a grossgrain ribbon of brown, bronze, gold, and green, and we absolutely adore it.
However, as much as we are delighting in the wearing of our new treasure, we also subscribe to the old-fashioned rules of hat etiquette for gentlemen: aspiring young dandies, please remove your hat when indoors, especially when dining and at the theater; and of course, when speaking with a lady. While we were gladdened to see so many dashing men about town this weekend accessorizing with similarly snazzy headgear, we were distressed by how many chose to leave their hats on at the dinner table, or once they settled into their seats at the theater. At the end of the day, a man's hat is primarily a functional outerwear accessory -- albeit one with which the wearer can demonstrate his superlative taste and style. Don't ruin the effect by demonstrating an oblivious lack of manners.
Ruth Gordon
Y'all are just too clever; our last mystery guest was, indeed, dear old Ruth Gordon, pictured above accepting her Best Supporting Actress Oscar at the 1969 Academy Awards. Below are two more portraits of a surprisingly soignee Ms. Gordon, looking rather like a more glamorous Katharine Hepburn, or a more sensible Margaret Sullivan.
Monday, January 26, 2009
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