La Vida Lindsay

Here's a tip to writers. If you have a delicate disposition, a thin skin, don’t write about Lindsay Lohan. Don’t defend her anyway. Keep subjects to Dick Cheney, the war in Iraq, Michael Moore—whatever—just stay away from La Lohan, a young woman who, according to the loads of email I received from my MSN essay, is a blight on society, the gatekeeper to Gomorrah.  Which, in turn, makes me something like the Queen of Sodom. Based on my belief that Lindsay endures intense media scrutiny and is talented, surely I must be, as one reader wrote, servicing the starlet. Yes, yes. Linds and I are like Laura Harring and Naomi Watts in Mulholland Dr., only, I’m Watts after that mysterious box is opened and I've become so suicidally obsessed that I’m moping around my Hollywood apartment doing crazy things like…writing an essay about Lindsay Lohan.   

But to be serious, I stand by my take on Lohan, even though I wrote this piece before her recent arrest (from actions that were of course, reckless, dangerous to others and totally self destructive). I wrote it, in fact, over two weeks ago, while sitting in my sleeper car on a train, stuck in the middle of Kansas for over three hours during a lightning storm and tornado warning.  The entire process of writing this piece has been well, aptly dramatic. And aside from a few typos that might have resulted from this shaky situation (which I quickly corrected the first day the story was up) I have no regrets. I’m still in Lindsay’s corner onscreen. Offscreen--I hope she gets some serious help.

Viva La Lindsay

Leave Lindsay Lohan alone. I'm serious. Just leave that girl, or, at this point, that woman and, lest we have forgotten, that actress alone. Why? Because all this negative attention concerning her personal drama deflects from what she does best: act.

That's right, act. Forget the freshly 21-year-old's stints in rehab (or rather, her time to reflect on healing, cheeseburgers, boys and the next time she might hang with Karl Lagerfeld), because despite tabloid fodder -- be it real (her lateness, her unprofessionalism on set, her DUI, her alleged cocaine problem) or imagined -- she is an actress, first and foremost. And when cast in the right role, she's an interesting one at that.

And yes, I know she seems to court controversy and even brings it upon herself -- ever thought of staying in one night and simply watching or reading Valley of the Dolls, not living it, Lindsay? I only wish her mother, Dina, would stress the implications of overpartying to her child and point her not to Los Angeles' notorious hot spot, Forty Deuce, but instead to its legendary film and drama bookstore, Samuel French. While among books ranging from the films of director Howard Hawks to the plays of Ibsen, Lindsay could study up on Bette Davis, Jane Fonda and Elizabeth Taylor, women who themselves endured intense scrutiny, and in some cases public hatred, yet emerged not only as Oscar winners but also as legends. Sure, they didn't have the same round-the-clock Internet surveillance and predatory paparazzi covering their every move (can you imagine if poor Patty Duke, who suffered from bipolar disorder, or the luminous Tuesday Weld, who was drinking before she was a teenager, had to endure such vampirism?), but they did undertake a fair share of controversy.

Now before you claim I'm comparing La Lindsay to Dame Elizabeth or my beloved Tuesday Weld, I'm not -- Lindsay hasn't lived long enough, she hasn't nabbed enough meaty roles, she hasn't exposed her extra layers of depth -- and looking at her family, you know she's got a lot from which to draw. But plenty of other sexy stars from the golden period (Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe) had to prove themselves past their obvious sexuality while using their genetic gifts with sparkling, salty charisma and, when given the chance, their major league acting talent. The big screen loves talent, but it also loves a gorgeous face.

Nowadays the smaller screen (Internet gossip) and smaller mags (Us, Life & Style, Hello! and my evergreen favorite, National Enquirer) seem to only love a gorgeous face when they can cut it down to size -- or in the case of rich boy Brandon Davis, so eloquently label it as "firecrotch." Though I know certain stars from the past spewed plenty invective toward their peers (Harry Cohn was renowned for calling the gorgeous Kim Novak "that fat Polack"), they didn't have TMZ filming their every angry, cruel, drunken outburst. And as much as I find the long-standing Hollywood rags entertaining and even amusingly written at times (though so many are far too witlessly mean-spirited) and have scribed a few gossipy bits myself, I worry the endless coverage may damage certain other actors genuinely trying to develop their careers, unlike "actors" such as that woman who flashed her unmentionables while exiting a Mercedes. I can already hear you saying, 'They should be more careful; they're in the public eye,' but when you think about it, who cares? Who cares if an actress doesn't wear underwear? Why has the entire nation turned into one of Lindsay's movies, Mean Girls?

To further this assertion, I don't entirely care what so-and-so movie writer from whatever newspaper or Web site feels about Lindsay's partying or sexy lifestyle (there's a strong strain of misogyny in this kind of critique). The real question is, can she act? And if so-and-so movie critic doesn't think she can act, then I can only wonder whether he or she is judging the actress for her offscreen behavior. If critics assessed Jack Nicholson for his offscreen behavior, he might not have the Oscars he so richly deserves. And I won't even get started on legendary lothario Warren Beatty. And then there's Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole and Dennis Hopper.

I revere these men for their work and for their legend. But these are movie stars, for heaven's sake! Since when are they role models? How boring Hollywood would be if stars had absolutely no scandal in their lives. Lindsay's antics aren't anything new -- actors have often been wild, especially young ones. From early actors such as Clara Bow (who for a time was shunned from "decent" Hollywood society) to current star Angelina Jolie (she may be a saint now, but she used to wear vials of blood and yammer about limo sex with Billy Bob Thornton, and I loved her for it), the world has punished mostly the female wild actors, while simultaneously reveling in their photographs, fantasizing about their bodies and downloading their boring drugs/sex/or whatever else videos from the Internet.

Here's a thought: How about when a young, talented female star veers out of control (which appears to be the case of Lindsay), we root for her? If we actually like an actress on-screen, we want to see her writ large and in charge. As for me, I yearn for Lindsay to get back on track -- but nowhere near...tracks.

Read page two of my defense including my assertion that Lohan can act, and why, oh why can't her hero Ann-Margret have a sit down with her?

Comments

[LakeyPodge]

I totally agree with you, Ms. Sunset Gun. Lindsey Lohan is a gifted actress, she could be another Natasha Richardson if she keeps growing in acting skill as she gets older. As for her personal life, feck it. I don't read that stuff 'cause I don't want reality to muck up my enjoyment of a good performance. Thanks for the lucid article, Kim!

[Anna]

Thank you Kim you rock! Im a HUGE Lindsay fan and proud of it too. I believe she is one of the only actresses in Hollywood today with the gift of screen presence. Definately one of the most talented of her generation. Thank you so much again, lets hope Lindsay can get her life back again. She's too talented to just disappear.

[sara sssss]

very nice

[Busby SEO Test]

i like lindsay style... thanks for your info anyway :)