In 2018, community sites took turns covering a book every week. You can see "In 2018, we read books" to review that coverage. We didn't want to repeat ourselves in 2019 or 2020. So when Marcia came up with a way to cover books but with a twist, we were all for it. Marcia's idea was for us to digital books -- we're largely a printed text crowd -- and to use AMAZON's KINDLE UNLIMITED. So for 2021, we'll be doing a book a week and trying to just use KINDLE UNLIMITED. This week, we're talking with Dona about Nancy Bacon's LEGENDS AND LIPSTICK, MY STORIES OF HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN ERA. So you didn't like the book?
Dona: Not at all. It wasn't well written. Not by literary standards, not in a let's-dish manner either. That may have to do with changing times. But I never felt I knew the author and I always felt she was presenting a front. Who was behind it? That might have been interesting. Sadly, the book never got there, not even in the foreword which insisted to me that this author was just amazing and trailblazer and a groundbreaker and blah blah blah.
You told us, when you were reading it, that there might be some sociological value?
Dona: Hmm. Yeah. This was the age of #MeToo before fake asses like Alyssa Milano helped kill that. In that era, you could argue the book serves a purpose. It reminds that some woman choose a life. There's nothing wrong with that choice, to be clear.
Let's talk about that.
Dona: Everyone's a preyer, every male's a prey, it seems like these days, that's how it's portrayed. I have no problem with some men being called out but some of it strikes me as whining. I'm referring to the woman who tried to shame Aziz Ansari, for example. You really can't fight back against someone Aziz's size? And his crime is that he ate you out -- repeatedly -- and that you blew him? You made a decision to go out with him -- a date your pursued while out with another guy; you made a decision to go eat with him; you made a decision to go home with him; you made a decision to have oral with him -- repeatedly -- and then the next day you want to whine? No. It's not assault. I have no sympathy. And I don't have sympathy for bad dates, either. Now you go out with someone and they assault you, I've got your back. But a lot of this is regrets. Well we're all going to have regrets, that's what life is about.
The Academy Awards ruined #MeToo for you.
Dona: Absolutely. That was years ago, you guys wrote about that ("MEDIA: Male norms, Russia hate and lots of excuses...") and suddenly whining about wages was the same thing as being raped or assaulted. And that idiot Michelle Williams -- wah, wah, I didn't ask for enough money for the reshoots! Wah! Wah! That's your own damn fault and, equally true, you've never carried a hit film in your life. You're long, long past DAWSON'S CREEK which was the last time most of American cared about you. They were whining about money. They're paid hundreds of thousands of dollars and so many people live in poverty? But we're supposed to cry for them? Give me a break.
You've gotten upset regarding Kevin Spacey as well.
Dona: I have. Everyone knew Kevin Spacey was gay. But he didn't come out until he was accused of 'assault.' And don't print the prick's name, I don't want him to get publicity. But he shows up to accuse Kevin Space of? Bad kissing? Kevin was not the 50-something man that we knew when he was accused. He was a young adult. The accuser was 15. The accuser went to Kevin's apartment for a party. The accuser elected to go into Kevin's bedroom by himself. After the party is over, Kevin returns to his bedroom, sees the young boy on the bed and kisses him. Did he hold him down and rape him? No. He made a pass. A 20-something man should not be making a pass at a 15-something kid. I don't disagree. But let's stop acting like Elizabeth Montgomery would be playing you in a TV movie. You looked like you were 'down' with it. If it's one or two in the morning and a man finds you've snuck into his bedroom and are on his bed, what are most men going to think? That you were in there waiting for them, wanting something to happen. Take a little bit of the blame and stop spewing on Kevin Spacey. And the witch hunt against Kevin did have to do with his being gay. He was attacked for coming out -- for finally coming out. And we got all this nonsense. Oh, he touched my leg, whined Richard Dreyfuss' kid. Oh, he flirted with me at a bar, whined another man. America, especially American men, get over yourselves. I've waited tables. What these guys are whining about? They couldn't last one Saturday night shift. Come on. Second, it is homophobia. "Eww! The gay man made a pass at me." Grow up. And that especially goes for the little bitch who accused Kevin Spacey while hiding behind his Mommy. Tell me a rape victim who ever got to hide behind a parent? Not one. But here's a little boy who flirted with Kevin Spacey at a bar for hours and then wants to whine later that he got touched in his special place. Take some damn responsibility for your actions. Quit the pity party. Take accountability and also grasp that your little problems -- an awkward pass -- is not assault, is not rape. If Nancy Bacon's book does anything, it notes that some women like to sleep with famous people and choose to do so. A lot of charges have been made but not very many cases.
And thoughts on KINDLE UNLIMITED?
Dona: I don't think it has enough value for someone to subscribe beyond one month.
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