Have Yourselves a Bewitching Little Christmas

Ever since childhood, when I watched a steady diet of Bewitched reruns, I’ve held the belief that Elizabeth Montgomery is one of the most beautiful humans to ever grace this earth. While certainly a stunner, Montgomery also exuded great warmth and true inner beauty, both on and off screen. In old fashioned parlance, she was … Continue reading Have Yourselves a Bewitching Little Christmas →

Forty Years of Fast Times

If you grew up at a certain time—the 1980s—and in a certain place—suburban America—then there’s a better than average chance Fast Times at Ridgemont High means an awful lot to you. Earlier this year the movie celebrated its fortieth anniversary, which feels like the right time to express my undying love for it. In his … Continue reading Forty Years of Fast Times →

From the Vault: Kelly Bundy and the Alternative Family Ideal

This was originally published at my old site four years ago. I've revised it a bit to share here because of actress Christina Applegate's recent disclosure that she has multiple sclerosis. Applegate holds a special place in my heart and has since I was roughly 12 years old, thanks to her funny and sexy performance … Continue reading From the Vault: Kelly Bundy and the Alternative Family Ideal →

My Angel: Kate Jackson

A few years ago I stumbled on a 2009 blog post about Kate Jackson and had that wonderful moment of recognition when your exact feelings are perfectly expressed through someone else’s words. Even the title of the post captures how I feel: “Kate Jackson Was My Village.” Yes, exactly this: Kate Jackson was my village … Continue reading My Angel: Kate Jackson →

Season of the Witch: Elizabeth Montgomery

Popular culture is littered with fantastical witches, but not all reside in the realm of horror. Back in the 1960s, American households thrilled to the domestic misadventures of Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha on Bewitched. Montgomery made witchcraft both sweet and sexy, with her signature nose twitch ensuring her place in the pop culture pantheon forever. … Continue reading Season of the Witch: Elizabeth Montgomery →

Men Love Scrambled

Recently, while watching a favorite film of mine, Ron Howard’s Night Shift (1982)—about a pair of unlikely “love brokers” in early eighties New York City—I had an epiphany. Specifically, this moment of clarity occurred during an early scene when Shelley Long’s character Belinda, a gorgeous and statuesque hooker with a heart of gold, scrambles up … Continue reading Men Love Scrambled →