Woke up this morning feeling rather snarky about the nannies in the White House: Condi, Karen and now Harriet. But that comparison isn't fair to Fran Drescher.
Fran Drescher did a superb job playing a character whose behavior did not match her outward appearance--a floozy with a heart. So then I have to wondered what it is that makes the three cronies (crones ?) so objectionable. And I was reminded of what used to be referred to as "sales ladies."
I expect that "sales ladies" in upscale department stores have largely been phased out but I can still recall that the "ladies" at Bergdorf Goodman's, for example, used to give me fits.
It was so obvious that they had two functions: to kiss the hands of wealthy customers and discourage the rabble from even setting foot beyond the front door. While I was never one to be easily discouraged and could have, in fact, bought most anything on offer, if I was so inclined, what was irksome was that a bona fide shopper with a particular purchase in mind wasn't appreciated either. The job of the "ladies" was to sell stuff that no reasonable person would actually want.
Remember the perfume counter? Can't you just see Condi, in that helmet of immovable hair, offering a dab of expensive essence and applying it ever so gently to be sniffed on the wrist?
So, what is it about Georgie and his "sales ladies?" Is it that they remind him of being treated like a little prince while Barbara cleaned out the boutiques on her shopping trips?
At the risk of being catty, I have to say that these made-up ladies in the White House offend me. Condi and Karen and Harriet are caricatures of the competent woman and that's offensive. Just as there is something offensive about Clarence Thomas, who still acts like one of those lawn ornaments. It's almost as if Thomas came to life for that one instant, to talk about a media lynching, and then resumed the position.
Posted by Hannah at October 8, 2005 06:33 AM