Just Another Dumb ‘Blonde’?

Blonde

Well, the Marilyn movie we’ve all been dreading is finally here… Blonde.

It premiered yesterday on Netflix and I sat down to watch it last night and I can tell you, I went in wary. With the subject matter having been talked to death online, to say I was against this movie before it came out, is an understatement. However, I thought my biggest issue with it would be some of its scenes. You know the ones I mean, the shocking ones, the ones that I know not to be true. That hasn’t turned out to the be case. My biggest issue with this movie is that it’s not the Marilyn I know up there.

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How To Survive Being A Marilyn Fan Online

How To Survive Being A Marilyn Fan Online

I’ve been a Marilyn fan for over 20 years. The majority of that time in the online community, and I’ve found it can be a double edged sword. When I started out I was so excited to find people with the same interests as me. I quickly learned that there are a few different types of Marilyn fan, and today I’m going to talk you through them, and how to survive being online with them!

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The Happy Birthday Dress Saga

Happy Birthday Dress

So… I’ve held my tongue on my site for a long time but I’m finally giving my view on the Happy Birthday Dress saga that is currently raging over a month after the initial incident.

For any of you out there who have possibly been living in outer Mongolia and haven’t heard about this, let’s go back to the beginning…

What is the Met Gala?

The Met Gala as it is currently known, is a yearly fundraising gala held in New York City. It is held to raise funds to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute. The gala is organised by Vogue Magazine and is attended by celebrities from the world of fashion, entertainment and politics. Each year the gala has a theme, which the guests are expected to follow, though this is not enforced.

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The True Story of Marilyn and Joe

The True Story of Marilyn and Joe

This is the true story of Marilyn and Joe DiMaggio’s relationship. For so many years I’ve read and researched Marilyn’s life and through the many, many misconceptions therein, this one seems to go undissected. In an age where we’ve seen hashtags like #MeToo and #IBelieveHer why are we still reluctant to face the reality of this toxic relationship that Marilyn found herself in?

People deem it to be a good thing, a “safe” thing when someone is always there for you, however, this can be a classic trait in abusive relationships. Throughout Marilyn’s relationship with Joe, I’ve noticed this a lot. Whatever was going on in either of their lives;

Joe was always there.

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Arthur Miller: Advocate or Antagonist? – Part I

Arthur Miller: Advocate or Antagonist

Disclaimer: This article is my opinion based on research done over the years I’ve been a Marilyn fan. It is based on the facts that we know to be true, taken from the most reliable sources we have.

This is not an article written to make you fall in love with Arthur Miller. My reason for doing it is to try to provide you with all the facts we have so that you can have an informed opinion about him.

Misconception 1: Arthur cheated on his wife with Marilyn.

When Marilyn met Arthur for the first time, he was married to his first wife, Mary Slattery, with two young children. They met through mutual friend Elia Kazan at a party. Author Michelle Morgan writes in Marilyn Monroe Private and Undisclosed, that Marilyn was open about her attraction to Arthur, whilst a “terrified” Arthur fled California after spending time with her. The two kept in touch by letter but did not meet again for four years.

Continue reading “Arthur Miller: Advocate or Antagonist? – Part I”

‘The Girl’ Who Inspired A Generation

The Girl

When you hear the name Marilyn Monroe, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?  Do you think of ‘The Girl’ in The Seven Year Itch, or someone who inspired a generation? Most people think of her as the blonde bombshell of the fifties.   A woman who was dumb but beautiful.  The headline from when she married Arthur Miller in 1956 speaks volumes for how she was viewed – “Egghead Marries Hourglass” – can you tell which one is Marilyn in that?

The truth of who Marilyn was couldn’t be further from this.  Books like The Girl: Marilyn Monroe, The Seven Year Itch, and the Birth of an Unlikely Feminist  by Michelle Morgan are making great strides toward changing perceptions but it will take time.  It seems Marilyn played a dumb blonde so well, it’s stuck! Continue reading “‘The Girl’ Who Inspired A Generation”

My Sources of Information

Sources of Information

People often ask me what my sources of information are; which books, websites, forums etc. I reference, so I decided to do an article highlighting three or four sources I use regularly.

Marilyn Monroe A Day In The Life – April VeVea

This book was self-published in 2016 and, in my opinion, is one of, if not the best source of Marilyn information out there. Marilyn’s life is set out year by year and the book references all the events in her life, from childhood right up to her death, that information is available for. Continue reading “My Sources of Information”

The Marilyn Monroe Collection Interview – Part Two

In part two of my interview with Scott Fortner – owner of The Marilyn Monroe Collection – Scott talks more about his collection, bidding at auctions and how he became an integral part of the longest running Marilyn Monroe fanclub, Marilyn Remembered.

When was the first time you saw something of Marilyn’s in person and what was it?

Well that’s an interesting story.  The first time I even made a connection between Marilyn and her personal possessions was when I saw her trunk that was filled with her personal items in the Marilyn Monroe Encyclopedia by Adam Victor.  The trunk had been auctioned by Christie’s in 1995.  I just thought, “Man, that is so cool!”  And, quite luckily, that trunk and many of its contents, including Marilyn’s personal childhood Brownie camera, are part of my collection today. Continue reading “The Marilyn Monroe Collection Interview – Part Two”

The Marilyn Monroe Collection Interview – Part One

The Marilyn Monroe Collection

The Marilyn Monroe Collection is a collection of her belongings, owned by super-fan, Scott Fortner.  I love nothing more than when a genuine fan is able to buy something of Marilyns at auction – so you can understand how excited I am to share part one of my interview with Scott, which gives us insight into his love of Marilyn and how he has acquired one of,  if not, the world’s largest private collections of her belongings.

When did you become a Marilyn fan?

I don’t remember exactly when I became interested in Marilyn.  In junior high I saw Loni Anderson in “The Jayne Mansfield Story” and that’s really when I started to develop an interest in old Hollywood.  Very soon after that I discovered Marilyn and the rest is history. Continue reading “The Marilyn Monroe Collection Interview – Part One”