December 25, 2008

"Santa, baby...."



Eartha Kitt, died on Christmas... in 2008, at the age of 81. She was famous for singing that song about Santa Claus. But she was also famous as Cat Woman on TV's "Batman" ...



... "She may be evil, but she is attractive"....

... and for telling Lyndon Johnson that he should end the Vietnam War. And, as I've said before, I'll never forget the monkey fur dress she wore in the 60s.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Saw her in New Faces of 1952, and have been enchanted with her ever since.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

As far as I understand and remember now, she was either a republican or a conservative,, or both.

TitushasreturnedtoNYC said...

Hello I am back from Wisconsin.

Shit, it was cold and snowy out there.

Sorry I didn't email you Divine Miss A. I was basically staying in the entire week because the weather was so awful.

I was shopping on State Street the same day you were but didn't see you. Where were all the people? State Street was dead. I purchased a couple of pairs of jeans at Urban Outfitters and felt like I am too old to be shopping there.

We rented that Coen movie starring Jarvier Bardem-I hated it. Also, we rented Mamma Mia because my mother loves the music.

And I went to my niece's first grade recital in Lodi Wisconsin.

joewxman said...

i always like Julie Newmar as catwoman better than Eartha Kitt. Howver another legend has died. God be with her.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Fox makes it like a mission to put on conservative/republican black entertainers.

If I was a black conservative actor/entertainer I would not go on FOX.

Jesus son of Mary Joseph dating run away..

As bad interviews go, FOX knows bad black entertainers interviews!

Ave maria llena eres de gracia!

jeff said...

Lem, It's Christmas! Ease off the booze.

TitushasreturnedtoNYC said...

Eartha was a gay icon.

She sang I Need A Man and the gay men loved it.

Kind of like Grace Jones dressed as a man singing I need a man to a bunch of gay men-brillant.

I have never really needed a man though.

My 45 year old sister got engaged over Christmas. She has always needed a man. This will be her second marriage and her fiance's fourth. There are no children. We went to my sisters church in Mazomanie last night. There were a bunch of gays there. There was no heat in the church. She goes to a universalist unitarian church-they like gays. My sister lives in the country in Mazomanie with her fiance and has two gay couples living about a mile from her. One of the gay men is a state trooper and one of them is a pilot for Northwest Airlines. Why couldn't I live that type of normal gay relationship life like those gay guys that my sister hangs with? I was asking myself that question over the holidays.

TitushasreturnedtoNYC said...

It was different to see a bunch of gays in a venue outside of a large city.

It was a small quiet town but there were the gays living their lives. Interesting. I wonder what they thought of me? I respected them and their lives. I wasn't envious or jealous or anything. Just repsectful of them living out their lives in a small town and being (seemingly) happy. It was pretty cool.

MadisonMan said...

I love singing along with Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt. I'm sad to hear she has died.

TitushasreturnedtoNYC said...

Wisconsin was pretty depressing this past week though.

The weather was just so awful. Roads were a mess. It was minus 6 at night.

My mom told me the president of the UW is "an out lesbian" as opposed to Donna Shalala who wasn't out. My parents dog attacked Donna Shalala's dog at Indian Park once when she was walking with her "partner".

My dad likes Donna Shalala because she turned around sports at the UW when she was there. She got Pat Richter on board and my dad loves Pat Richter, although he has retired. My father also loves Bo Ryan-he received an autograph book he wrote for Christmas.

My parents are pretty cool. They don't give a shit about gay stuff. I am grateful that they are cool. I am their favorite child. My father has alzheimers-early onset-he doesn't remember stuff very well.

The minster's name at the church we attended was Caroline Kennedy. Her father's name was Joe Kennedy.

My mom couldn't stop crying when I left today. I have been gone 20 years from Wisconsin and it is the same every time I leave. She cries the entire day. I called her tonight and she was still crying. When she cries I feel guilty about not being there.

MadisonMan said...

I don't know if you can compare Biddy and La Donna. Different eras. I think Donna would be out if she came to be President now but in the mid 80s?

Anyway, is Biddy out? I think it's more along the lines of nobody cares. She has an enormous task ahead of her and if she can keep the UW swimming through the state's economic woes, no one will care who she sleeps with. That's the way it should work.

But how can you say the Weather here is depressing? It looks absolutely gorgeous out. It's supposed to be cold, and all the whiteness of the snow nicely offsets the too-short daytime.

I'm going to Costco tomorrow for the first time ever. I don't think I need anything, but who knows what I'll find? I think I'll like Costco more than I'd like Sam's Club (I've never been to Sam's Club either). Sam's Club sounds too much like it should be in a log cabin to me.

Titusforgethispasswordagain said...

MadisonMan that's funny you mention "Biddy". My mom told me "Biddy" is her nickname. I do understand what you are saying though 80's compared to now-nice to know things have progressed and someone doesn't have to be closeted.

I am trying to familarize myself with my new inlaws. They are from New Glarus-I may be spelling it wrong. You know everything Swiss.

I did learn one little interesting tidbit from the inlaws this week. Did you know Monroe has the only linberger cheese manufacturing plant in the country?

I purchased cheese curds for many of my work associates as they had never heard of them.

I purchased them at Brennans which is one of my favorite places to shop in Madison. They have great selection of fruit, cheese, meat and seafood. Also, my parents get their meats from Nesvigs which I probably spelled wrong. I was told that Nesvigs doesn't do individual selling of their meats but my parents know them so they get their meats there.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

I'm going to Costco tomorrow for the first time ever. I don't think I need anything, but who knows what I'll find?

Costco RULES!!

I made a snide remark about Ertha Kitt and Santa Baby on my blog...something about hearing it one more time and my head would explode.

Truly, though, she was a great singer and entertainer. She suffered through the very worst of segregation and prejudice and rose above it. She had an incredibly hard hard life. Things that the younger generation (people 35 and under) can't possibly imagine.

MadisonMan said...

The little I know about limburger (which you can also get at Brennan's) is that the classic sandwich with limburger includes only onion. Limburger Cheese and onions on bread. I've been to New Glarus once for a kid's soccer game. Ate at the Culver's there. My lifetime goal is to eat at every Culver's restaurant. New Glarus is too kitschy. All that main street looking like a Swiss Village thing going on.

Another good place to get meat is Wyttenbach's in Prairie du Sac -- bit of a drive from Waunakee for your folks, though -- but I guess if you have an in with the owner like your parents. But our Thanksgiving Turkey was from Wyttenbach's and it was no lie the best I've ever had.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

It was a small quiet town but there were the gays living their lives. Interesting. I wonder what they thought of me? I respected them and their lives. I wasn't envious or jealous or anything. Just repsectful of them living out their lives in a small town and being (seemingly) happy. It was pretty cool.

You know what Titus? This is pretty much how is is in my small town too. People living their lives and minding their own business. We know that some people are gay, like the junior high school girls basketball coach who also has a landscaping business or the son of the original founders of this area who does hair and has a wicked sense of humour or the woodworker cabninet maker who makes awesome case goods. No one cares, as long as you just live your life instead of making a crusade of your life.

Merry Christmas.

reader_iam said...

I would post a tribute, but I don't need to. I think I gave the nod to her while she was still 'n' yet alive; I did that as blogger (on more than one blog, when I was blogging) and as commenter, wherever.

And I literally do not remember when I first "learned of" Eartha Kitt, on account of my upbringing. She was, and is (and will continue to be) an intrinsic thread in the tapestry.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Lem, It's Christmas! Ease off the booze.

Here Iam expecting a shoe and that's all you got?

Bendito..

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I have IO international phone call, you think I'm bothering you?

Be gladd you are not a family member!

Titusforgethispasswordagain said...

Limberger-got it. And Leincugel which I know I spelled wrong.

And I am eating yummy cheese curds as I type.

I wish all of you the most happy of holidays.

I picked up the rare clumbers from day care tonight and they are throwing me shade. I piss them off when I travel.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Lem, It's Christmas! Ease off the booze.

Ah, cono la jente mas come mierda, es la que quiere dictar la vida ajena.

feliz navidad a ti tambien pollo focudo.

Titusforgethispasswordagain said...

Knox, I hope you don't think I make a crusade of my life. The last thing I am is a crusader. I am about as private and insular as you can get.

Titusforgethispasswordagain said...

And Knox I come from small town America, don't forget.

I am about as small town as you can get.

Sure, I try and mask it with name brands and all the other crap but I am small town and for that I am grateful.

Also, I come from very good people. My upbringing is humble, honest, frugal, not flashy, reserved and very midwest. I love the midwest. The midwest part of this country rules.

Titusforgethispasswordagain said...

Some day I will likely return to small town America.

Today, I need to make a decent living in order to retire and have a decent income in my old age.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

As much as i tried i could not speak to one sister..

she wants to play the black sheep to my black sheep. heh

that's my job, i'm the unmarried, childless black sheep.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Titus..

it might not mean much to you but...

every time you come on with a new ID it means you are a newbe to people that dont know you....

are you perversely complementing us?

showing us that all the hits on your ID dont mean a hill of beans?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Dont say that it dont because i wont believe you!

wgh said...

I am confused. I thought Julie Newmar was Catwoman.

Chip Ahoy said...

This is too weird for my tender mind to cope. You posted a photo to move down Harold Printer's death notice and now the photo has been moved down for Eartha Kitt's death notice. If you need a color photo to move down Eartha Kitt, you can use my pie.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I'm going to watch Zentropa/Europa for the i forget how many teenth time.

there is something i like in that film that i cant put my finger on.

i keep adding it to my nexflix expecting that it's way back in the 200's and it creeps back to #1 over and over..

it's my doing waht do i do? that that i dont want to do.. it's fun sometimes.. sometimes not, like the times. the new youk times.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Chip's pie is in the oven..

Tengo doble sentido ;)

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Sean Young from Blade Runner wanted to play cat woman, she got beat by Michelle Pfeiffer.

Michelle Pfeiffer played an excellent cat woman! period the end!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2935708704513327697

Sean made a fool of herself..

Rose said...

:) LOL Merry Christmas, guys.

(Loved Eartha Kitt as Catwoman.)

Anonymous said...

Lem: Sean Young from Blade Runner wanted to play cat woman, she got beat by Michelle Pfeiffer... Sean made a fool of herself.

Uh, I dunno. I'd have paid double the ticket price to see Sean "Limo Scene in No Way Out" Young play Catwoman vs. Michelle "..." Pfeiffer.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I'd have paid double the ticket price to see Sean "Limo Scene in No Way Out"

Oh my friend..

The very idea that she might not be human looking like a doll the way they made her up in Blade Runner?

Are you kidding me? They played with us! they never as much as even kiss! that got to me!

That limo scene was ok i suppose... if you are into that sort of thing ;)

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Where as Michelle Pfiffer took my breath away in Dangerous Liaisons and in The Age of Innocence.

Michelle Pfiffer rules! in any universe.

michael farris said...

Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt and Michelle Pfeiffer were all outstanding as Catwoman.

Newmar was more of a sex-kitten
Kitt was more of a human cat
Pfeiffer was a principled dominatrix

How people rank them is a question of individual preference.

The Drill SGT said...

Titus said...I love the midwest. The midwest part of this country rules.

So you are on one gay crusade to convert NYC into appreciating flyover country with your cheese curd? :)

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

David said...

Titus--what a sweet and honest appreciation of Wisconsin and your family. I moved from Milwaukee and then Chicago to a southern small town, Beaufort, SC. It is like what you describe your home town to be. People are quietly respectful of the way others choose to live. The northern stereotype of a conservative and censorious south is inaccurate, in my experience.

We lived in cities when I was raising my children but three of my four children live in small towns. Forestville and Saukville, Wisconsin and Victor, Idaho. I find I much prefer small town life as well. I don't know how we all turned out that way, since our history was so urban and suburban. But it has turned out well for us.

It sounds like you had a good week despite the terrible weather. Nice.

Peter Hoh said...

Obviously some plastic surgery was involved, but Kitt was darned good looking and pretty agile for a 79 year-old woman.

Was she singing or lip-synching in that performance?