Wrinkles and Hollywood

It’s ironic, isn’t it. Sometimes there’s a gap between what we say and what we do. Here’s a case in point. The other day I was looking for a ‘quote of the month’ for Inanna's February newsletter. One of my favourites is from Phyllis Diller:

• “If you don’t have wrinkles, you haven’t laughed enough.”

I love that. It gives us permission to accept who we are, warts and all. Hey, even wrinkles and all. And that’s a big part of Inanna’s philosophy: that nothing can make us beautiful more than being healthy and happy. Nothing beats a smile. As Edith Ann from Laugh-In used to say: “And that’s the truth!”

So why can’t we use that quote? Because it was said by Phyllis Diller. Very ironic, considering. I always used to like Phyllis Diller. In the tough world of standup comedy, she was a rare breed: a successful female comedian. And she never traded on youth and beauty, but only on her clever humour. A Hollywood success story. But…have you seen her lately? Nary a wrinkle to be found on her, despite her advanced age. She looks like she’s wearing a mask! She can’t even move the muscles in her face, because of so much cosmetic ‘work’ done! Is that not sad? Our faces are our greatest means of expression, our identity even. Why would anyone want to lose that? Ohhh…to look young! Right! How Hollywood!

Which brings me to the rant du jour. The writers' strike, in Hollywood, soon to be followed by the actors' strike. Oy. Now, I do understand, Hollywood stars are to America what royalty was to England. An icon. But then, look what has happened to royalty in England. Way down in the pop charts lately. Why? Well, in my humble opinion, it’s because its arrogance has outweighed its usefulness. And that, I believe, is what’s happening in Hollywood.

How arrogant it is, to think that the world needs film and television that much, that we can be held ransom for it. As if the world will come to a halt, and bow to the demands of those who entertain us. Has it come to this? Do we really have no idea how to entertain ourselves?

Hey, I know~~let’s learn how to entertain ourselves. Let's reclaim what we once knew. Let’s get out the badminton rackets, or go for more walks after dinner, let’s write letters and read books. It can only help.

I consider myself a ‘film biz refugee’. After 30 years as a script supervisor for film and television production, I belatedly recognized that the values and priorities of my employers were not my values and priorities at all. Luckily, I was able to study herbal medicine, and reinvent myself as a herbalist and entrepreneur. Sure, it is a lot of hard work. But here’s the juicy irony: it is a million times more creative than my old position, in the ‘creative’ world of film and TV.

Who knew? The world of small business, often disdained by those ‘in the arts’, can actually be more expressive, more inventive, more challenging and more rewarding than the so-called arts. Especially when the business is ruled by the heart, but the art is ruled, not by creative expression, but only by the financial interests of Hollywood. Of which poor Phyllis Diller is but a sad example.

Anyway, thanks Phyllis. The original quote is still true: ‘if you don’t have wrinkles, you haven’t laughed enough.’ And if you do have wrinkles, stand proud! Show off that wise face. Take care of yourself, of course. But also~~celebrate all the laughing and living that has made those wrinkles and that face, and has made you what you are, ~~which is ~~more genuine, more beautiful, and way more entertaining than anything that Hollywood has to offer. And that's the truth!