Darlings, Are We Supposed To Be So Surprised, Or What??????

Would you believe, girls, that the first news item of the day I spot, over my morning coffee, is about someone who has been out of the public eye for so long, there are young people out there, who would not who she is???? I am talking, of course, about Kristy McNichol, who, to those of a Certain Age, will always be Buddy (because remember, her REAL name was Letitia, so wouldn't you call yourself something else???) Lawrence on "Family." I just adored Kristy, felt just like her, as I was making my way through young adult/late adolescence (like Rhoda Morganstern, "I had a bad puberty...It lasted seventeen years!!!!!"), not to mention my friend, Mary Ann, who, being of a similar age, I would always compare to Buddy on this show. Except Mary Ann was not strident, like Kristy, and I was always trying to fix her up with eligible men in show biz!!! Like when Bill Murray was the rage on SNL, years back, I thought he would be a great choice!!!!!! Am I glad that did not work out!!!!!! I mean, have you seen Bill Murray lately???????

Now, Buddy was a tomboy, which meant nothing to me, besides which she was still, basically, a little girl. Remember, when the series began she hadn't "crossed the threshold" (remember that phrase, my REAL girls????) so she was young!!!! I never gave such things a thought.

But, by the time "Family" ended (which I foresaw, once they brought on Quinn Cummings!!!!), and Kristy had netted for herself two Emmys, and she next appeared as Barbara Weston on "Empty Nest" in the Eighties, she was not a little girl, anymore; she was a young woman, and very nice looking, but I thought....Uhm Hmmmm!!!!!! Something about Kristy's manner just suggested to me that while she may not be chomping down on cigars, she was never going to be a gushing, blushing bridesmaid, or bride!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In fact, so did most of us, who thought about Kristy!!!! Hey, I thought the same thing about my second cousin, Meghann, but then she married this Italian wine salesman, named Angelo, and began popping out babies like nobody's business, so you just never know!!!!!! But with Kristy, one always knew, so, from time to time, we would say, "Come on, Kristy!" Out with it!

Well, now, on the cusp this year of turning 50, Kristy has decided to come out!!!!! While I support Kristy in every way, I have to say, couldn't you do this a little sooner???? According to sources, her coming age, and the epidemic of bullying, inspired her to do this. Fine and good, Kristy, but it might have been more impacting, back in September 2010, when bullying became a national issue, thanks to the still ongoing tragedy of Tyler Clementi.

Kristy has been in a long term (20 years) and, it would appear, happy relationship, with her partnter, Martie Allen, also her age. I would gather Martie is not in the business, and, while Kristy walked away from acting years ago, she still keeps a foothold, what with announcements like this, and sponsoring a tennis tourney in Hollywood named after her. Hey, Mary Ann, I want to see you in this tourney; I bet you could beat Kristy!!!!!!!

The two women certainly make an attractive pair, and, while older, Kristy still retains that cuteness that made her so popular during those TV years!!!!!!!

To think she was up for Jodie Foster's role in "Taxi Driver." Now, speaking of Jodie, there is someone else who needs to come forth, like it would be some surprise?????? Yeah, right!!!!!!! But I was the one who desperately wanted to play that role in "Taxi Driver," when it was being cast; I still would love, in Summer, to hang out in Times Square, dressed in that floppy hunt, short shorts, halter top and platform shoes Jodie wore!!!!!!!!!! Think what I would score with that!!!!!! Probably nursing home escapees!!!!!!!!!!

But, really, girls, we salute Kristy, but is anyone of us surprised??????

Now...if Lea De Laria were to come out as straight...THAT would be a surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!