edited to add: Hewonhewonhewonhewonhewonwonwon!!!!!
A favorite story of mine involves two great storytellers in their own right: Garson Kanin was chatting with David Niven and mentioned in passing something to the effect of, “Now that we’re both middle-aged men…”
Niven said, “What are you talking about?” and Kanin admitted he’d just turned 55 the day before.
“And how many men do you know,” Niven asked, “who are 110?”
I bring this up because middle age — whenever it starts — sucks; but Donny managed to make all of us weary 40 & 50-somethings stand up a little straighter, tonight.
In honor of this, tomorrow I’m wearing my do-me pumps and leather bustier:
Because he paso doble’d back into the hearts of millions of middle-aged women during this season of Dancing With The Stars.
Because after discarding Bobby Sherman (too old) and David Cassidy (posed nude), and before setting eyes on Scot-the-quarterback (first non-celeb crush), I fell hard for the skinny, brown-haired, big-eyed, Boy from Utah.
Because they tried to tell me we were too young, that this was just a puppy love, that one bad apple spoiled the whole bunch…but I did not believe them.
Because he stuck his 50-year-old neck out on national TV, and ended up competing in the finals against two competitors young enough to be his daughters.
Because he’s proof that being a good man and a tough professional and a game performer means survival on all kinds of levels.
Because tonight he danced to “September”, my favorite song from high school, which means he’s sending me a sign.
Because…dayum! I knew he was adorable, but I didn’t get the sexy until this:
Because he’s a part of my past I haven’t had to mourn this year.
This show is a hubba hubba heaven…Carrie Anne Inaba,Kym Johnson,Samantha Harris,etc.Hope Donny wins one for us old guys!
I had a Donny and Marie poster when I was a kid. But if anyone asks, it was my brother’s.
Seem to recall, ahem, my brother having that poster, too.
Your brother “Eric?”
All that and Donny a Friend of “Weird Al” Yankovic. Sorry if I wrecked anything for ya there, Wanks.
Wow Matt.
I remember my sister had some fan book about the Osmonds and tehre was this picture I swear she made a shrine to of Donnie. I was like four. But dammit I remember.
What I like about it is that Donny isn’t a punchline to some old SNL joke anymore.
I love it when a person who gets ridiculed by the larger culture for being square and sneer quote uncool just keeps plugging away, doing what they always did and staying sincere, and gradually, somewhere down the line, all the groovy tastemakers notice and take another look, and realize to their shame (though they never admit it outright) that they had been totally wrong with their original assessment.
It happened to Mister Rogers, for example. Looks like now it’s happened to Donny, too. Yay for good people!
Kind of like the Bee Gees. Oh, wait. Never mind.
Shoes? Did you say shoes? I want to see a picture of your “do me” shoes! Pretty please?
My do me shoes? Pretty much any shoe I got. Though the older I get “f-me” socks do just fine.
Do me shoes? Come f-me heels? Four inch stilettos…prefebly Manolo Mary Janes. Or Christian Laboutins………..
Its good he won. Nice to see a nice guy finish first.
I got to give extra thanks to Wanks for reminding me to get a hold of Niven’s, “The Moon’s a Baloon,” autobiography. I’ve read about his wit in Barnaby Conrad’s, “Name Dropping,” and, William F. Buckley’s, “Miles Gone By.” I’m sure his book is hilarious.
He’s a fabulous writer. The sequel, which is more Hollywood-based, is “Bring On The Empty Horses” — something Michael Curtiz yelled on-set of “Charge of the Light Brigade”…
The Niven story I referenced here is from Kanin’s “Hepburn & Tracy”, one of the best Hollywood bios ever.