What Golden Girls Means to Me

With the passing of Rue McClanahan, I want to reflect for a moment on all that the Golden Girls means to me. I loved the show when it was on in the 80s - a bunch of sassy, real, older ladies were a great role model for me. Typically, you'd think of your grandma as a pearl-wearing, cake-baking woman in an apron and a housecoat (and really, only one of my grandma's even fits that bill) so this show opened up everyone's eyes that older ladies ROCK. The humor was biting while also emphasizing friendship and family. I loved it.

Back in 2007, during my self-named "Summer of Chemo" I used to watch re-runs of the a lot. It made me laugh when I didn't often feel like laughing. It transported me away from either the lonely couch at home or the hospital bed and took me to a happier place. In fact, one day I was hopped up on a combination of Ativan and some other sedatives the docs had given me so they could install the IJ line without me freaking out, I drifted in and out of a fog and figured out if they remade the Golden Girls into a movie who would play each character. The details are fuzzy, but I think I debated about whether Lindsay Lohan would make a good Blanche (if she would only stop being such a diva). I had the rest of them picked out, but I couldn't figure out who could play Dorothy. Like I said, I was hopped up on meds!

Now only the fantastically-terrific Ms. Betty White remains. She is amazing (I loved her on SNL) and I hope she will be able to continue rocking it for some time to come. Farewell, however, to the other Golden Girls: Rue McLanahan, Bea Arthur, and Estelle Getty. May you all rest and peace and thank you for being a friend.