“For the rest of us, here is Judy Garland singing “The Man That Got Away”, the Oscar-nominated mother-of-all-torch-songs, written by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin. If you’ve seen it before, watch it again with fresh eyes and if you’ve never seen it, here is the genius of Judy Garland, a performer without peer.”
The Streisand persona, a powerful tonic for all the world’s exceptional outcasts, was delineated by an biding belief that outsiders could achieve not only mainstream acceptance, but massive cultural impact. This coping mechanism appealed to me in commensurate proportion to my sadness, which is to say, extensively.
I know whence I speak, for I too have been publicly “O’Donnelled” not once but twice in the mid-nineties. In the years that have passed I have heard similar horror stories anecdotally from many, many other people. After hearing about Rosie’s most recent spree of bullying on Oprah’s network, I have decided that something must be done: I propose we form a twelve-step group called “Rosie Anonymous,” where people who have been publicly humiliated or whose lives have otherwise been negatively impacted by this monster can share their stories and let each other know that they are not alone.
