Back in the 80's my favorite TV show was Murphy Brown, mainly because it was a sitcom that made me laugh out loud. Sitcoms rarely ever tickle my funny bone to that extent.
I never thought Candice Bergen was God's gift to acting, but the writing on the show was really sharp.
Mary Steenburgen has consistently been in good movies and I have enjoyed watching her, despite a truly annoying voice.
I also must admit that even though I am not overly fond of Diane Keaton, I have enjoyed many of her movies, most notably Something's Gotta Give -- a truly brilliant and clever movie about people over 50 falling in love.
Right now I am being BOMBARDED by ads for Book Club.
I guess I am in the target demographic, a woman over 50. Still, I feel violated. I feel abused. I feel disgusted.
Yep, I said it.
I DO NOT want to watch a movie about a bunch of old women who read Fifty Shades of Gray (insert retching sounds here) and decide to go have a lot of sex.
I realize it's politically incorrect to say that.
I don't care.
I love Lily Tomlin (a truly brilliant and funny woman) and a couple of years ago I tried to watch a show called Grace & Frankie, because it looked rather clever. I watched until the episode when Jane Fonda kissed a man about 20 years younger than her, a long passionate kiss. Then I turned off Grace and Frankie and never watched it again.
I have nothing personally against Ms. Fonda, although I know she's a figure of controversy.
I just find her appearance unsettling to the point of bizarre. She doesn't look like an 80 year old woman -- and I don't mean that as a compliment. She looks like an 80 year old woman trying desperately to look 60. Dyed hair, face surgically enhanced and makeup enhanced, flat stomach (possibly). I've never seen an 80 year old woman with a flat stomach that wasn't in the hospital, very ill, or wearing a very tight girdle.
Old ladies have poochy bellies. It's just a fact. That's life.
They also have wrinkled necks and aged hands -- no matter how smooth the face, the neck and hands don't lie.
I won't be seeing Book Club because I find it offensive. The trailer is offensive.
Here's the rundown: four old ladies read Fifty Shades of Vomit -- excuse me, Gray -- and decide to go out and have a lot of sex. They joke a lot about sex. Sex is supposed to make them happy.
Now, if anyone reading this is over 60 and likes to have sex a lot GOOD FOR YOU. More power to you.
I just don't want to hear about it.
I have read excerpts from Fifty Shades and it's not a book I will ever purchase or waste my time reading. I have to grudgingly admire the writer, though, because she has made millions off of it.
I will never write a book where the main subject is S&M because I find it nauseating. However, we live in a free country and everyone should be entitled to do as they please, as long as everyone is of legal age and consents.
I used to belong to a book club primarily consisting of women over 50. We had a lot of lively discussions. None of them were about sex. NONE OF THEM. I am no longer a member, primarily because I find it difficult to sit still for 2-3 hours at a time. I need to get up and move, or my back tends to ache. (This is not an issue for someone who works at home.)
Lots of my friends belong to book clubs, and enjoy them very much. Book clubs are, generally, great places for female bonding and I am VERY pro-book club. Plus, I love to read.
I wish there were new movies aimed at people over 50 where sex was not the main theme, or the subplot causing a lot of awkward giggles and snorts.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a good example. Cleverly written, funny, touching, beautifully acted. Ms. Fonda was in another great movie about aging, On Golden Pond.
As I've said before, there is a huge audience for movies about folks in my age group and older. Please don't insult our intelligence, though.
The men in Book Club seem to fare no better than the women. I love Andy Garcia. I just don't want to see him in such a crappy movie. Kill the Viagra jokes, please.
Film writers: please write something real, and clever, about older folks who are not desperately trying to look and act younger.
Surely we can do better than Book Club...
