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Let’s face it, in as much as I don’t happen to like or agree with the way that it is…

…this a man’s world.

And it’s quite evident in show business.

Roles are written primarily by men FOR men.

And being someone who comes from a theater background, I know for a fact that there are many more substantial stage roles for men, than women.

The pickin's are slim.

Therefore, this places women in a very narrow box of competition.

And then there’s the old double standard….

Men grow gracefully with age, so their careers usually grow with them.

Whereas women simply age, so their careers are usually ticking by a clock.

Women are also much more pigeonholed into “types.”

And it’s really only the women who have been fortunate enough to move past a certain age bracket, and have managed to achieve a certain amount of clout because of box office ticket sales, who continue to get offered roles.

And it’s also the women who have wisely used that clout to take control over their own careers, by finding, producing, and directing their own projects, that sustains them.

And oh!…what a threat these women are to Hollywood.

Because they have created their own power.

Women such as: Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon, Meryl Streep, and Geena Davis to name but a few, are women who have overridden the odds and have gotten to a place of independent choice.

I once heard Susan Sarandon speak during a Q&A, and she shared that the public would be amazed at how many god-awful scripts are offered to her, which she turns down.

So when I see women who have had long illustrious careers, and in a position to freely pick and choose, it makes me happy and proud for them…

…because I know it hasn’t been easy.

You GO, girls!





28 comments:

  1. I think you're right Ron, it is still a man's world mainly because it is still woman who give up work to look after the children. Good post Ron.

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  2. They deserve happy stickers!

    :-)

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  3. Celebrating women is a wonderful thing!!
    I love the cartoon picture, especially because it has Phyllis Diller in it. She is fabulous!!

    Meryl Streep is probably my favorite actress. Susan Sarandon runs right up there too.
    I also enjoy Glenn Close. One of my very favorite movies, probably my MOST favorite (altho it's definitely in the running with 'Chocolat') is 'Dangerous Liasons' and there are a couple lines that her character says which came to mind.

    "When I came out into society I was 15. I already knew that the role I was condemned to, namely to keep quiet and do what I was told, gave me the perfect opportunity to listen and observe. Not to what people told me, which naturally was of no interest, but to whatever it was they were trying to hide. I practiced detachment. I learned how to look cheerful while under the table I stuck a fork into the back of my hand. I became a virtuoso of deceit. It wasn't pleasure I was afer, it was knowledge. I consulted the strictest moralists to learn how to appear, philosophers to find out what to think, and novelists to see what I could get away with, and in the end, I distilled everything to one wonderfully simple principle: win or die."

    And another one:

    "Well, I had no choice, did I? I'm a woman. Women are obliged to be far more skillful than men. You can ruin our reputation and our life with a few well-chosen words. So, of course, I had to invent, not only myself, but ways of escape no one has every thought of before. And I've succeeded because I've always known I was born to dominate your sex and avenge my own."

    She played the Marquise de Merteuil really really well!!
    Of course things don't end so well for the Marquise or Vicomte but I love to watch them together anyway.
    Even though Glenn might be considered more for roles of the bad girl.... the Marquise, Alex something or another in Fatal Attraction and Cruella DeVil in the Dalmation movie she still has made each of those characters memorable in her own way.

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  4. BRAVO Ron !!!
    Such a wonderful post and I really loved the celebrity caractures that were SO CUTE :)

    I have another talented lady artist on my blog today...

    Hugs to ya buddy XXX

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  5. Don't you think that the fact we women still appreciate men as they get older, have hair growing in their ears, and their noses, old man farts, speaks volumes about us women and our ability to look beyond the "package"?

    *grin*

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  6. Morning Akelamalu!

    Yes...you're absolutely, right!

    And even though looking after the children is a wonderful and fulfilling vocation, I still feel that women should be seen as "equals" in show biz.

    Thanks for stopping by, dear lady!

    Happy Wednesday to ya!

    X

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  7. Mornin' Mel!

    HAPPY STICKERS! HAPPY STICKERS HAPPY STICKERS!...for all you ladies!!!

    Thanks for dropping by today, dear Mel!

    HAPPY WEDNESDAY to ya!

    X

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  8. Girls kick ass. :)

    And Nice site!

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  9. Yeah, but it's only a few years till the Olsen Twins take over the world, so we better "enjoy" it now.

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  10. Howdy Crytal Chick!

    When I saw that cartoon picture online, I said..."THAT'S THE ONE!"

    Isn't it great???

    Yes, Phyllis Diller is FABULOUS! I actually have a story about her that I should one day post here. I lived in her house in Lake Tahoe while I was performing there.

    Yes, and Glenn Close is also one of these fabulous ladies who has managed to get to the point of clout. I love her. You GO, Glenn!

    OMG...thank you SO MUCH for sharing those lines from the movie! WOW...you REALLY know your stuff!!! Dangerous Liasonss is also one of my favs! I really need to watch that again.

    "Women are obliged to be far more skillful than men."

    YES!!!!!

    Thanks so much for sharing today, M!

    You ROCK!!!!

    Have an awesome Wednesday!

    Wasn't yesterday CHILLY?? I was in NYC all day and the wind was blowing me all over the street! I was watching them shoot a movie in front of the Plaza Hotel. It was SO cool!!!

    X

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  11. Bonjour Barbara!

    Hope you're feeling tip-top and healing well!

    Thanks, dear friend! The celebrity caricature photo caught my eye online...so I HAD to use it for this post. It was PERFECT!

    ooooh...I can't wait to read about the lady artist on your blog! I'll be sure to stop by sometime this evening when I get home from work.

    Have a wonderful Wednesday Barb!

    Love to Didier!

    X

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  12. Good Morning Anndi!

    Beautifully stated!

    And I agree!

    My brother once told me that women are obligated to keep up their appearances for their husbands/boyfriends. And I said to him..."When is the last time YOU looked into a mirror, bro?"

    tee, hee!

    Thanks for stopping by my Libra Twin!

    Have a great Wednesday!

    X

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  13. Greetings Rica!

    Hey...thanks for stopping to say Hi!

    So nice meeting you!

    Kiss ass, girls!!!!

    Please stop by anytime!

    Enjoy your day!

    X

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  14. Bwhahahahahaaha Chris!

    OMG, man...you KILL me!!!

    That was funny!

    Bring on the Olsen twins!!!

    Great seeing ya, bud!

    Have a great Wednesday!

    X

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  15. I just saw Susan Sarandon in an awesome movie Called "noel"
    I loved it.
    I don't think I ever noticed the issues in the movies you speak of.
    probably have my head in the sand a lot.
    I tend to get moves by actresses, and by directors.
    I have my favorites. and thats that!
    LOL
    (((((HUGS))))))

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  16. You've named some of my favorite actresses. I too celebrate the longevity of their careers. Let's add Francis McDormand. She's not quite as old as the others, but she's in her 50s and I do love the diversity of roles she has embraced.

    When it comes to unfairness, though, it seems to me there are more juicy roles for men who are average in the looks department, whereas most women who land the big roles are almost always beautiful, as are the ones we've mentioned. Look at Kathy Bates--she's brilliant, but she's also heavier than the Hollywood norm, so her roles are limited.

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  17. Hellooooooo Lady Sorrow!!!

    SOOOOOO great seeing ya!!!!

    Thanks for stopping by!

    OMG...I actually own the movie "Noel"!!!! Don't you just LOVE it??? I know it's a Christmas movie, but I will sometimes watch it throughout the year because it makes me feel so GOOD!

    Susan Sarandon is wonderful in it!!

    I too will mostly choose my films by the actress or actor. Some films are not always the best stories, but I will watch them anyway just to see my favorite actor/actress.

    I guess because of being involved in the "Biz" I've noticed this a lot about male versus female roles and find it totally unfair.

    You GO girls!

    Happy Wednesday to ya!

    Love ya!
    X

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  18. That's a great picture!

    You're so right. And yet so many women allow that cycle to continue. I guess money talks.

    Who am I kidding? I would do it for the dosh, too. Where do I sign?? :-)

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  19. Hiya San!!!

    It's so great seeing ya!

    Thank you for stopping by!

    OMG...you mentioned one of my favs...Kathy Bates!!! I agree, she's an awesome actress and we don't see enough of her.

    Women seem to have more of a challenging time in the business around the ages of 40-50's. There are just not as many roles written for them.

    I agree, Hollywood plays the whole "beauty thing" with women much more than with men. And it places women in a position of competition with one another over looks.

    Thanks for adding you thoughts and feelings to this post, San!

    Enjoy your evening!

    X

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  20. Hiya Chrissy!

    So glad you enjoyed the photo!

    It's so damn cute, isn't it?

    The great thing about show biz today, is that more and more women are slowly beginning to voice their opinions and using their clout to open the way for other women coming into the business. They're also learning how to say NO; searching for or creating better roles for themselves.

    You go, girls!

    Thanks for stopping by, Chrissy!

    Enjoy your evening!

    X

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  21. hi ron, great and thoughtful post and sadly so true, isn't it and I just cringe when I see some lovely actress, Jessica Lange comes to mind, who have made themselves unrecognizable because of a bad facelift! take a look at her sometime and she is/was a beautiful woman before some doctor hacked off her flesh and stretched her too tight...

    I saw an ad recently for a famous designer and all the models who had modeled for him over the years and of them all , and there were probably 20, lauren hutton looked the best of all!! so, not all women age badly...the movie business is a sad business in what it does to women ,in my opinion, and so, I do support the movies with the fabulous actresses you mentioned and then some...they deserve it!!

    as for men aging gracefully, they don't. it's just that society sees them differently and so when they wrinkle or get gray, somehow it becomes distinguished or some BS, while not so with a woman...also, women tend to put on weight more than a man as age creeps up and sometimes, that doesn't look so good...otherwise, I think men and women both age more or less the same...just in the entertainment industry, the standard is not the same and they are always looking for the next YOUNG julia roberts (who has her own production company now-looking ahead I suppose). But then again, when RR got older and Brad Pitt came along, wasn't he the "next" RR? a hard business...

    kisses and hugs to you...I'm sorry I'm not up to speed lately, I am not feeling well....please forgive... xo

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  22. Awww...you are so very sweet to take notice.

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  23. Hi Tina!

    You GO, girl!!!!!!

    Thanks for stopping by today!

    Hope you had a GREAT one!

    X

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  24. Howdy Linda!

    OMG...it's so funny that you mentioned Jessica Lange, because she was one of the actresses that I almost mentioned in my list on this post. I LOVE HER!!!! What an incredible actress she is! Everything I've ever seen her in I've enjoyed. I've not seen her lately, so I had no idea about her face lift.

    Lauren Hutton is another one you mentioned who I love. She's one those actesses who has just allowed herself to age gracefully, and in my opinion looks FAAAAABULOUS just the way she is. She's still sexy! I remember her as the Revlon model!

    I totally agree with everything you shared about men and women aging gracefully. What you said was SO RIGHT ON!!!

    And Julia Roberts is one of those ladies who has wisely used her clout to start her own production company so she can do whatever the hell she wants in the future. Good for her!!

    Yes...and I think I did hear that Brad Pitt was the next RR. I really like Brad Pitt, because he's one of those actors who actually plays against his looks and tries a variety of roles. I bet he'll have a LOOOOONG career even as he moves into his 40-50's.

    Thanks SOOOO much for sharing such a wonderful comment, dear lady!

    You've added a lot here!!!

    I've been very busy myself with going to NYC a few times a week, so no worries my friend. I appreciate whenever you stop by.

    Hope you're feeling better!

    Love to you!

    X

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  25. You are right. I have noticed for years the scripts are written for men and played by men.

    Women do deserve more reconition.

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  26. Hiya Grumpy!

    Yes they do!

    More recognition!!!

    GO, girls!!

    Thanks for stopping by, dear lady!

    X

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  27. Helloooooo Kate!

    GO Ladies...GO!!!!!!!

    Thanks for stopping by, Kate!

    Always great seeing ya!

    X

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