I had no idea that the hours I spent watching Designing Women in my childhood (and in syndication) was necessary for surviving this time in my life. I specifically remember Julia Sugarbaker's rant about THE DONALD and have spent the last 9 years wondering why hasn't that clip gotten more traction??
Our first look at The Simpsons came via The Tracey Ullman show and we all talked about how weird it was. lol Not weirder than Tracey Ullman, but still.
This episode sparked such great discussions with my husband and me. Everything from Beth’s thought experiment to Golden Girls to which is the longest running sitcom !?!
OOP- When Sarah said "...from a male centered show, you don't hear about infighting between the 2 lead investigators on SVU" Beth immediately followed, "I would read that though." I LOL'ed because me too, me too. Also I laughed again at, "Hold on, justice for Rose." Rose reminds me of Olaf from Frozen. Usually aloof, too literal, but hidden wisdom in her simplicity. Regardless of how they were personally, the 4 of them and their comic timing and mannerisms are hard to replicate. Same with Designing Women. So good!
Also my 14 year old nephew and his "bros" all watch Golden Girls which I don't know if this is an isolated event or common, but either way I love it.
I admittedly feel constantly confused by foreign affairs and I listened to this while shuttling kids to school then trying to work so I apologize if I missed anything. I guess I'm confused by notion that any other president would have done the same thing, primarily bc as I understand it the risk of a nuclear bomb in Iran's hands has been imminent/right around the corner/any minute now my entire life. While I don't trust Tulsi Gabbard, Trump put her in charge and she said the US intelligence community's belief was they don't have WMD right now, right? Would another president have just said "I don't care what my DNI says, I smell trouble"?
While I agree that I fear a nuclear bomb in Iran's hands, I fear one in anyone's hands really. For the sake of Ukraine I fear a nuclear bomb in Russias hands. The ICC has an arrest warrant out for Netanyahu and he won't say whether they have nukes. For the sake of anyone I fear a nuclear bomb in Trumps hands (despite what he says about them). I guess I'm just saying can't a case be made for many countries and whether they should be allowed to have nuclear bombs? Who finally gets to decide - whoever has them and won't be agreeing to any deal to give them up?
Given our current administration, would another country be justified in taking action to disarm us? We're disappearing people, rejecting our own constitution and making deals with a self described dictator to house uncharged unconvicted prisoners indefinitely.
Let's say Trump stages a coup and stays on for a 3rd term or things devolve further then could another country decide we're not democratic enough to have a nuclear bomb? Not sure any of this makes sense but just very confused and distraught and overdone with constant terrifying news.
In regards to Rose being dumb/the idiot from St. Olaf, I went to St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. Northfield is home to St. Olaf College (Oles) and Carleton College (Carls). Legend has it that one of the writers on the Golden Girls graduated from Carleton college and they decided to have the dumb one be from St. Olaf.
And then St. Olaf got back at Carleton by naming the uncool, super preppy character on Fresh Prince Carlton.
Again, not sure how true this actually is, but it's become a legend that we now accept as true as Oles and Carls!
I worry about biological warfare as the next line of attack. We are extremely vulnerable now. We wouldn’t even need anything crazy, like smallpox. We are rapidly losing herd immunity and now I hear so much vaccine skepticism that the next pandemic-because there will be one-will be so much more deadly (whether natural or lab created).
Lifetime (a TV Channel for women- whatever that meant- for anyone under 35) after school specials were two episodes of Designing Women from 4-5 followed by Golden Girls from 5-6. I watched these reruns RELIGIOUSLY.
But today was the first time I heard Dixie Carter was not politically aligned with her character!! I made this Instagram reel several years ago based off one of Julia Sugarbaker’s most iconic monologues because I adored the show so much: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CdhJErKDKfb/?igsh=bWQwdWptZzI2YnRo
I'm late to this because I spent Tuesday galivanting about, but I had a few hours of driving time and listened to WNYC which had some interesting interviews with Iranians (living in Iran) who were quite anxious for the regime to be toppled and wanted the strikes to continue. And while I don't think it's presidential to say fuck on camera, you-know-who wasn't wrong and I'm glad he called out Israel.
I spent a summer at Notre Dame doing physics research when I was in undergrad. The program was funded through the NSF and part of the funding requirements is that they provide science ethics training. Usually these trainings cover things like plagiarism and fabricating data. But ND has an excellent nuclear physics program, so we spent two days talking about the creation of the nuclear bomb and the ethical responsibility of the scientists involved. It was fascinating. We read a history of the development of the bomb and watched a PBS recording of the play “Copenhagen.” When I think about nuclear proliferation I think about the creation of the bomb: people love to play god and the science necessary to create the bomb was always inevitable. Physicists were always going to try to split the atom. The line from Oppenheimer, “there is no such thing as a humble physicist” is absolutely true. We all think we’re little gods. The bigger question is if the bomb was always inevitable. Probably not. We justified our development of the bomb as a way to keep the Nazis from getting one first. Seems a lot like our justification for bombing Iran. I support less nuclear bombs in the world. But until everyone gets rid of their nukes and there is a trustworthy watchdog to keep an eye on everyone, countries are going to tend toward wanting their own nukes because it is a powerful deterrent. The targeted killing of Iranian scientists hits me hard. They are just like our Oppenheimer, trying to develop a weapon to protect their country from a world that wants it to change. The Iranian government is not a good guy. They harm a lot of people, including their own. But as long as we and other countries (including Israel) have nuclear weapons, I don’t think we’re going to stop other countries from trying to get nuclear weapons, just as a matter of national survival.
Designing Women superfan (and also very much a Golden Girls fan) chiming in to say:
1. I would love nothing more than a thread in the chat where we can drop our favorite Designing Women quotes - there is such an embarrassment of riches!
2. Years ago when I was in acting school I took a Southern Dialects class, and we had to choose 2 monologues to work on as we learned more about the basics of the 2 branches of that dialect family (hard "R" and soft "R"). My choice for the soft "R" was the Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia speech. I just remember the first class where we all ran through our speeches (and got to see what everyone had chosen) for the first time, and I open with the line "Excuse me - aren't you Marjorie May Winnick, the current Miss Georgia World?" And I look up to see my teacher - a North Georgia native herself - drop her face into her hands and start shaking with giggles 🤣
Initial thoughts: 1) I don't want war and I'm tired of our presidents taking war actions. 2) Our previous presidents had capable and mostly reasonable adults in the room. Trump does not. 3) I reread 1984 at the beginning of the year and I'm really tired of his "War is Peace" vibes.
But, I actually feel better after this conversation.
I was doing this thought experiment while listening. A few years ago a student bluntly asked while we were analyzing W's 9/11 speech why 9/11 was such a big deal. I couldn't get mad. At this point, none of my high school students were alive during 9/11. The world they live in was shaped by 9/11. Next year is the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and Trump is going to be in charge and that is...great. But I think it's time we start putting it into perspective too. Right now, the equivalent for me in relation to my high school juniors that I'm going to see in August (so events that happened about five years before I was born) is Watergate or the US pulling out of the embassy in Saigon. And neither of those events mattered to me until I was an adult who could see the long arc of history and understand what both of those events meant to my present day.
What our attack on Iran did was further cement the lesson that only a nuke will get you any respect. Assad was toppled because he didn't have one. We had a deal (a friggin' deal!) with Ukraine that we would help protect them in exchange for not developing a nuclear weapon. Iran entered the JCPOA which fell apart due to the stupidity of the American president and the stupidity of the American voter, and now Iran gets bullied. Meanwhile, there is North Korea, acting like a total basket case and getting all the deference.
You can't rely on the western world to keep to these arrangements, or on the western voter to elect people who will keep to these arrangements. You either have nukes or everyone will treat you like a chump. That's what we made clear to Iran and every other aspiring nuclear state. Diplomacy is for fools and children; strength is all that matters. It's not the lesson I'd like us to be doling out, but it seems quite inescapable at this point.
Ok, I just had to pipe up and give the note that the Golden Girls were not retired! (Well, maybe Sophia, who nonetheless had a very active volunteer life.) Blanche worked at an art museum, Dorothy was a substitute teacher, and Rose was a mental health counselor. 😃 The fact that they were still working, but lived together to share expenses was an interesting point in an ‘80s pop culture which was often about celebrating wealth. Sarah, I forgive you for not recalling these details since you are not as obsessed as me.😆
This episode added so much to my knee jerk reaction to the news. Asking myself “What would I think of this if I trusted the people in power more?”
Also regarding the Golden Girls and Designing Women: I’ve never watched an episode of either of these shows, but I’ve heard Sarah and Beth talk about them so much. If I were to watch just one episode of each to get a feel for them, any recommendations?
Good episode. Jumbled in the best way to tackle such a complicated issue.
I have two points I’d love to put on the table.
1. It really gets my goat to see the way 47 has approached this whole thing. It appears to me that he sees himself as a Don, a capi de tutti capi. The way he expresses himself is like a big mafia boss controlling rival factions. In that context you have to be the meanest, the best armed, and willing to do whatever it takes. “If anything, his own words, tone, and timing suggest he wants to be perceived as:
• The single point of control;
• The keeper of order;
• The arbiter of war and peace;
• And above all, “the boss” whose authority can’t be questioned.”
2. This is more at the core of the whole issue for me. Why America has to police the world? Haven’t we done regime changes and lived to suffer the consequences? Look at Central America and the immigration problem we have now. Look at our mujaheddin in Afghanistan fighting Russians for us, and then returning the favor with Al-Qaida. Etc? Is it just that Empires will Empire? Is it in the name of the Pax Americana?
Because the way I see it you can always play six degrees of separation from an existential threat. And apply the doctrine of preemptive strikes. The saying “if you want peace, prepare for war” might come from Ancient Rome. But the Lockheeds, Bells, etc. are sure holding the copyright now. And every Senator wants a piece of that pork pie. “Let us manufacture the screws here Michigan. We will do window panes in Mississippi.
I had no idea that the hours I spent watching Designing Women in my childhood (and in syndication) was necessary for surviving this time in my life. I specifically remember Julia Sugarbaker's rant about THE DONALD and have spent the last 9 years wondering why hasn't that clip gotten more traction??
Our first look at The Simpsons came via The Tracey Ullman show and we all talked about how weird it was. lol Not weirder than Tracey Ullman, but still.
This episode sparked such great discussions with my husband and me. Everything from Beth’s thought experiment to Golden Girls to which is the longest running sitcom !?!
Well done!
OOP- When Sarah said "...from a male centered show, you don't hear about infighting between the 2 lead investigators on SVU" Beth immediately followed, "I would read that though." I LOL'ed because me too, me too. Also I laughed again at, "Hold on, justice for Rose." Rose reminds me of Olaf from Frozen. Usually aloof, too literal, but hidden wisdom in her simplicity. Regardless of how they were personally, the 4 of them and their comic timing and mannerisms are hard to replicate. Same with Designing Women. So good!
Also my 14 year old nephew and his "bros" all watch Golden Girls which I don't know if this is an isolated event or common, but either way I love it.
I admittedly feel constantly confused by foreign affairs and I listened to this while shuttling kids to school then trying to work so I apologize if I missed anything. I guess I'm confused by notion that any other president would have done the same thing, primarily bc as I understand it the risk of a nuclear bomb in Iran's hands has been imminent/right around the corner/any minute now my entire life. While I don't trust Tulsi Gabbard, Trump put her in charge and she said the US intelligence community's belief was they don't have WMD right now, right? Would another president have just said "I don't care what my DNI says, I smell trouble"?
While I agree that I fear a nuclear bomb in Iran's hands, I fear one in anyone's hands really. For the sake of Ukraine I fear a nuclear bomb in Russias hands. The ICC has an arrest warrant out for Netanyahu and he won't say whether they have nukes. For the sake of anyone I fear a nuclear bomb in Trumps hands (despite what he says about them). I guess I'm just saying can't a case be made for many countries and whether they should be allowed to have nuclear bombs? Who finally gets to decide - whoever has them and won't be agreeing to any deal to give them up?
Given our current administration, would another country be justified in taking action to disarm us? We're disappearing people, rejecting our own constitution and making deals with a self described dictator to house uncharged unconvicted prisoners indefinitely.
Let's say Trump stages a coup and stays on for a 3rd term or things devolve further then could another country decide we're not democratic enough to have a nuclear bomb? Not sure any of this makes sense but just very confused and distraught and overdone with constant terrifying news.
In regards to Rose being dumb/the idiot from St. Olaf, I went to St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. Northfield is home to St. Olaf College (Oles) and Carleton College (Carls). Legend has it that one of the writers on the Golden Girls graduated from Carleton college and they decided to have the dumb one be from St. Olaf.
And then St. Olaf got back at Carleton by naming the uncool, super preppy character on Fresh Prince Carlton.
Again, not sure how true this actually is, but it's become a legend that we now accept as true as Oles and Carls!
I hope that’s true because it’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing!
I worry about biological warfare as the next line of attack. We are extremely vulnerable now. We wouldn’t even need anything crazy, like smallpox. We are rapidly losing herd immunity and now I hear so much vaccine skepticism that the next pandemic-because there will be one-will be so much more deadly (whether natural or lab created).
Lifetime (a TV Channel for women- whatever that meant- for anyone under 35) after school specials were two episodes of Designing Women from 4-5 followed by Golden Girls from 5-6. I watched these reruns RELIGIOUSLY.
But today was the first time I heard Dixie Carter was not politically aligned with her character!! I made this Instagram reel several years ago based off one of Julia Sugarbaker’s most iconic monologues because I adored the show so much: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CdhJErKDKfb/?igsh=bWQwdWptZzI2YnRo
I'm late to this because I spent Tuesday galivanting about, but I had a few hours of driving time and listened to WNYC which had some interesting interviews with Iranians (living in Iran) who were quite anxious for the regime to be toppled and wanted the strikes to continue. And while I don't think it's presidential to say fuck on camera, you-know-who wasn't wrong and I'm glad he called out Israel.
I spent a summer at Notre Dame doing physics research when I was in undergrad. The program was funded through the NSF and part of the funding requirements is that they provide science ethics training. Usually these trainings cover things like plagiarism and fabricating data. But ND has an excellent nuclear physics program, so we spent two days talking about the creation of the nuclear bomb and the ethical responsibility of the scientists involved. It was fascinating. We read a history of the development of the bomb and watched a PBS recording of the play “Copenhagen.” When I think about nuclear proliferation I think about the creation of the bomb: people love to play god and the science necessary to create the bomb was always inevitable. Physicists were always going to try to split the atom. The line from Oppenheimer, “there is no such thing as a humble physicist” is absolutely true. We all think we’re little gods. The bigger question is if the bomb was always inevitable. Probably not. We justified our development of the bomb as a way to keep the Nazis from getting one first. Seems a lot like our justification for bombing Iran. I support less nuclear bombs in the world. But until everyone gets rid of their nukes and there is a trustworthy watchdog to keep an eye on everyone, countries are going to tend toward wanting their own nukes because it is a powerful deterrent. The targeted killing of Iranian scientists hits me hard. They are just like our Oppenheimer, trying to develop a weapon to protect their country from a world that wants it to change. The Iranian government is not a good guy. They harm a lot of people, including their own. But as long as we and other countries (including Israel) have nuclear weapons, I don’t think we’re going to stop other countries from trying to get nuclear weapons, just as a matter of national survival.
Designing Women superfan (and also very much a Golden Girls fan) chiming in to say:
1. I would love nothing more than a thread in the chat where we can drop our favorite Designing Women quotes - there is such an embarrassment of riches!
2. Years ago when I was in acting school I took a Southern Dialects class, and we had to choose 2 monologues to work on as we learned more about the basics of the 2 branches of that dialect family (hard "R" and soft "R"). My choice for the soft "R" was the Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia speech. I just remember the first class where we all ran through our speeches (and got to see what everyone had chosen) for the first time, and I open with the line "Excuse me - aren't you Marjorie May Winnick, the current Miss Georgia World?" And I look up to see my teacher - a North Georgia native herself - drop her face into her hands and start shaking with giggles 🤣
Initial thoughts: 1) I don't want war and I'm tired of our presidents taking war actions. 2) Our previous presidents had capable and mostly reasonable adults in the room. Trump does not. 3) I reread 1984 at the beginning of the year and I'm really tired of his "War is Peace" vibes.
But, I actually feel better after this conversation.
I was doing this thought experiment while listening. A few years ago a student bluntly asked while we were analyzing W's 9/11 speech why 9/11 was such a big deal. I couldn't get mad. At this point, none of my high school students were alive during 9/11. The world they live in was shaped by 9/11. Next year is the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and Trump is going to be in charge and that is...great. But I think it's time we start putting it into perspective too. Right now, the equivalent for me in relation to my high school juniors that I'm going to see in August (so events that happened about five years before I was born) is Watergate or the US pulling out of the embassy in Saigon. And neither of those events mattered to me until I was an adult who could see the long arc of history and understand what both of those events meant to my present day.
Anyway, appreciated it, ladies!
What our attack on Iran did was further cement the lesson that only a nuke will get you any respect. Assad was toppled because he didn't have one. We had a deal (a friggin' deal!) with Ukraine that we would help protect them in exchange for not developing a nuclear weapon. Iran entered the JCPOA which fell apart due to the stupidity of the American president and the stupidity of the American voter, and now Iran gets bullied. Meanwhile, there is North Korea, acting like a total basket case and getting all the deference.
You can't rely on the western world to keep to these arrangements, or on the western voter to elect people who will keep to these arrangements. You either have nukes or everyone will treat you like a chump. That's what we made clear to Iran and every other aspiring nuclear state. Diplomacy is for fools and children; strength is all that matters. It's not the lesson I'd like us to be doling out, but it seems quite inescapable at this point.
Ok, I just had to pipe up and give the note that the Golden Girls were not retired! (Well, maybe Sophia, who nonetheless had a very active volunteer life.) Blanche worked at an art museum, Dorothy was a substitute teacher, and Rose was a mental health counselor. 😃 The fact that they were still working, but lived together to share expenses was an interesting point in an ‘80s pop culture which was often about celebrating wealth. Sarah, I forgive you for not recalling these details since you are not as obsessed as me.😆
This episode added so much to my knee jerk reaction to the news. Asking myself “What would I think of this if I trusted the people in power more?”
Also regarding the Golden Girls and Designing Women: I’ve never watched an episode of either of these shows, but I’ve heard Sarah and Beth talk about them so much. If I were to watch just one episode of each to get a feel for them, any recommendations?
Good episode. Jumbled in the best way to tackle such a complicated issue.
I have two points I’d love to put on the table.
1. It really gets my goat to see the way 47 has approached this whole thing. It appears to me that he sees himself as a Don, a capi de tutti capi. The way he expresses himself is like a big mafia boss controlling rival factions. In that context you have to be the meanest, the best armed, and willing to do whatever it takes. “If anything, his own words, tone, and timing suggest he wants to be perceived as:
• The single point of control;
• The keeper of order;
• The arbiter of war and peace;
• And above all, “the boss” whose authority can’t be questioned.”
2. This is more at the core of the whole issue for me. Why America has to police the world? Haven’t we done regime changes and lived to suffer the consequences? Look at Central America and the immigration problem we have now. Look at our mujaheddin in Afghanistan fighting Russians for us, and then returning the favor with Al-Qaida. Etc? Is it just that Empires will Empire? Is it in the name of the Pax Americana?
Because the way I see it you can always play six degrees of separation from an existential threat. And apply the doctrine of preemptive strikes. The saying “if you want peace, prepare for war” might come from Ancient Rome. But the Lockheeds, Bells, etc. are sure holding the copyright now. And every Senator wants a piece of that pork pie. “Let us manufacture the screws here Michigan. We will do window panes in Mississippi.
But at the end, what do I know?