Wishful Drinking
November 25, 2008
The book arrives. White jacket. Picture of Princess Leia -- has to be: brunette, head down, braids wrapped like English muffins by each ear. Holding an empty martini glass, with five little blue/green capsules sprinkled nearby.
I toss it into my big faux hot pink alligator tote and take off for my hair appointment.
The book is by Carrie Fisher. It is called WISHFUL DRINKING, and it is a hoot. Carrie Fisher tells how beautiful and sweet her mother Debbie Reynolds is. I look up from the chair in this home-based salon, and see a black and white photo of Debbie Reynolds with an inscription to Christina Fletcher, my hair-stylist to the stars -- mostly of the 50's through the 80's. I ask Christina, "What was Debbie Reynolds like?"
"Oh she was so sweet and kind. I had her dressed up in velvet, and it was hot out, and she was wonderful about it."
I peek at the inscription. Something about "thanks" and "wonderful" yada yada.
I dip my head into Carrie's book. Daughter of a crooner-philanderer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds, Carrie cuts herself no slack. Yes, she knows she's born of Hollywood royalty, and succumbed to drugs and alcohol -- and turns out she's bipolar. But, she argues to herself, her brother Todd grew up to be okay -- no drugs, no alcoholic. Well, he is a born-again Christian -- so she knows it's not the fault of her environment she kept marrying the wrong guy -- and getting high.
The year after Carrie's daughter Billie was born, Carrie's husband left her for another man. Debbie says to her "You know dear, we've had every sort of man in our family -- we've had horse thieves, and alcoholics, and one-man bands -- but this is our first homosexual."
And being famous as she is, Carrie Fisher is not only a PEZ dispenser, she is also depicted in the Abnormal Psychology textbook. With her Princess Leia photo.
In my family, I've got my own share of philanderers, homosexuals, bipolars, alcoholics, child molestors -- which I grew up to feel were, in some way, my fault. Not so. And, now, thanks to Carrie's piquant view -- I can laugh about it.
Carrie's daughter Billie -- who's now around fifteen -- says she wants to be a neurologist with a specialty in schizophrenia. Carrie argues "Why not a grief counselor? We'll see each other more."
Recently Billie told Carrie she wants to be a comic.
"Natural progression," says Carrie.
The book arrives. White jacket. Picture of Princess Leia -- has to be: brunette, head down, braids wrapped like English muffins by each ear. Holding an empty martini glass, with five little blue/green capsules sprinkled nearby.
I toss it into my big faux hot pink alligator tote and take off for my hair appointment.
The book is by Carrie Fisher. It is called WISHFUL DRINKING, and it is a hoot. Carrie Fisher tells how beautiful and sweet her mother Debbie Reynolds is. I look up from the chair in this home-based salon, and see a black and white photo of Debbie Reynolds with an inscription to Christina Fletcher, my hair-stylist to the stars -- mostly of the 50's through the 80's. I ask Christina, "What was Debbie Reynolds like?"
"Oh she was so sweet and kind. I had her dressed up in velvet, and it was hot out, and she was wonderful about it."
I peek at the inscription. Something about "thanks" and "wonderful" yada yada.
I dip my head into Carrie's book. Daughter of a crooner-philanderer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds, Carrie cuts herself no slack. Yes, she knows she's born of Hollywood royalty, and succumbed to drugs and alcohol -- and turns out she's bipolar. But, she argues to herself, her brother Todd grew up to be okay -- no drugs, no alcoholic. Well, he is a born-again Christian -- so she knows it's not the fault of her environment she kept marrying the wrong guy -- and getting high.
The year after Carrie's daughter Billie was born, Carrie's husband left her for another man. Debbie says to her "You know dear, we've had every sort of man in our family -- we've had horse thieves, and alcoholics, and one-man bands -- but this is our first homosexual."
And being famous as she is, Carrie Fisher is not only a PEZ dispenser, she is also depicted in the Abnormal Psychology textbook. With her Princess Leia photo.
In my family, I've got my own share of philanderers, homosexuals, bipolars, alcoholics, child molestors -- which I grew up to feel were, in some way, my fault. Not so. And, now, thanks to Carrie's piquant view -- I can laugh about it.
Carrie's daughter Billie -- who's now around fifteen -- says she wants to be a neurologist with a specialty in schizophrenia. Carrie argues "Why not a grief counselor? We'll see each other more."
Recently Billie told Carrie she wants to be a comic.
"Natural progression," says Carrie.
Labels: book review, Carrie Fisher, comic, Debbie Reynolds, funny, Hollywood, stars, transcending the trauma, WISHFUL DRINKING
posted by Diana Page Jordan @ 10:24 PM
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