Who's Da Boss?

So. Last Tues, I went for a late lunch from work, and was walking down Madison Ave at like 3 in the afternoon or something, stopped at a crosswalk, blasting Hindi music on my ipod, and who do i spot? JUDITH LIGHT!!!!

When I saw her, she was on her phone and we made DIRECT eye contact. It was intense and beautiful… Okay, maybe neither of those are appropriate adjectives, but it definitely was something that happened that I didn’t think ever would in my lifetime. The JL sighting is actually the catalyzing force behind my energies in getting this blog started. So, thanks Judy!

The queer activist extraordinaire and Mama Meade on today’s Ugly Betty will always always be dear to me as Tony Danza’s employer/boo on Who’s the Boss? Hence, the aforewritten all-caps and multiple exclamations are totes necess, thanks.

She was so uptight, so obnoxious, so PERFECT for the anal WASP who had her world turned upside down by the exciting Italian from Brooklyn, whose finished career as a player for the St. Louis Cardinals (holla STL!) brought him to Connecticut to cook dinners, and vacuum curtains. Remember how he used to say her name? ANgeluhhh. Her mom, Mona, was that red head who would wear the high waisted pants and always go on dates. I think she was supposed to be a sexy milfy type of person… strange. Jeez, how do these shows get made? The premise is so bizarrely specific and brings up questions of class, privilege, gender roles and diversities in our conceptions of whiteness. Maaaybe the whole thing was a political project! Tony was white but Italian, and even though he could’ve presumably been rich from his baseball days, his Brooklyn roots and role as Angela’s maid made a romantical connection with her against all odds. BUT if he wasn’t white, who are we kidding? she probs wouldn’t even hire him, let alone marry him by the end…anyway, I’d have to go back and watch an episode and see how it makes me feel now. But I remember what it was like to watch back then.

Another significant point: Alyssa Milano got her start on that show. She’s so fly, and so BAD. (Poison Ivy II, anyone?) She was always playing the bad girl roles after WTB? – love it! Who remembers how she used to be Justin Timberlake’s special lady, pre- Jessica Biel (famous for no reason) and Cameron Diaz (whom I secretly don’t hate). Oh, Alyssa Milano. Oh, Who’s the Boss? Oh, Judith Light. I love it all! I miss you! I don’t know that I ever cared when I had you!

Does it all still matter? I suggest you watch the following and decide. Love the Tony Danza boxing clip. The choice is up to you m’friend!