This week, Americans celebrate our independence by grilling burgers and hot dogs, drinking domestic beer, and setting off explosions in the sky. I don’t quite get it either, but it’s the American Way. And I do love me some ice cold Miller High Life!
I could descend into a lengthy rant about the current state of our fragile, damn-near broken nation. We’re still struggling to recover from the January 6, 2021 insurrection, which was instigated by a sitting goddamn president, among countless other atrocities. America feels more like a divided nation than it ever has in my lifetime.
Still, we cling to hope, right? And who better to stand as a symbol of hope—and of inclusion and love and compassion—than Marilyn Monroe? In this commentator’s humble opinion, Marilyn should replace one of those wig-wearing slave owners on our paper currency. She’s an American original, representative of us at our best. Heck, she’ll even chug back whatever cold ones you’re serving at the backyard barbecue.
Obviously, symbols of hope come in all different sizes, races, genders, etc. For this blog, Marilyn is a perfect fit. She’s the American celebrity icon of the twentieth century. Her movies have brought fans joy for decades. Without a doubt, she’s a charter member of the Starfire Lounge VIP Club.
Hope you enjoy Marilyn’s salute to American independence. These explosively sexy July 4th photos were taken by Bert Reisfeld in 1953.
Back in the day, Marilyn wasn’t the only pinup star celebrating July 4th. It was practically a rite of passage for actresses and models in midcentury America to pose cheekily with oversized rocket-fireworks. Here’s a sampling, each of which reminds us that, although we tend to think of 1950s culture as mom-and-apple-pie-wholesome, there was still plenty of not-so-subtle naughtiness at play in most or all of these “Love and Rockets” style pinup photos. It was truly the era of “let’s see how far we can push the visual (phallic) innuendo, while still seeming halfway innocent about it.”
Try not to chuckle at these, I dare you. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a few famous faces.
The Starfire Lounge 
Happy 4th of July Michael!
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