Hello World I’m Your Wild Girl

Her trademark sneer.  Raspy voice.  Androgynous sex appeal.   Fuck-you attitude.  Really, when you think about it, the only good thing to come out of the ’80s was Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.  

In case you haven’t noticed, Joan has been in the news lately because she’s working on her much-anticipated biopic The Runaways, which is about the proto-punk, all-girl band she co-founded in the 70s with drummer Sandy West.   Here’s the band:

 From left, Sandy West, Jackie Fox, Cherie Currie, Lita Ford, and Joan Jett.

You just know these girls are up to no good.  That’s lead singer Cherie Currie looking like a teenage tranny hooker (I say this with affection) in the fishnets and merry widow.  Seriously, what’s not to love?   I just hope the movie, which is due out next year, doesn’t disappoint.  Portraying Joan in the film will be Kristen Stewart, who’s looking pretty Jettish now that she’s sporting the rocker’s signature inky shag haircut.   

All this buzz about The Runaways means that I’ve been spending too much time on youtube watching clips of Jett.  I’ll admit it;  I’ve been swooning over this classic Blackhearts video:

Nowdays, Joan is still kicking ass and breaking hearts.  She’s a rock star who truly transcends categories and rises above cliches, lesbian icon or not.  And girls, did I mention she’s ripped?  And 51!  Holy shit.  I’m posting 2 relatively recent photos including one of Joan and Jenna Jameson, which I’ve shamelessly included just because I think J & J look hot together.  And because I love you, I’m putting a cherry on top from the underage, glam-rocking Queens of Noise themselves.  “Cherry Bomb,” of course. Enjoy!

  

Happy B’day Angelina

It’s Angelina Jolie’s birthday, which got me to thinking.  Remember when Angie was an unpredictable wild child and all-around badass, not the perfect wife/mother/Hollywood goddess/goodwill ambassador?   I’m glad she’s happy, really I am, but I miss the good old days when she played with knives, kissed girls, dressed like Morticia Adams, wore a vial of Billy Bob’s blood on a necklace, showed off her tattoos, and wasn’t afraid to rock out her tomboy femme side!  But hey, you know how I feel about bad girls! 😉

A Very Wicked Femme

When I was a kid and The Wizard of Oz came on TV every year, my little sister and I would always watch it, knowing that the appearance of the Witch would scare my sister into leaping under a table or bed, while I soaked it all in, riveted: the flash of green and black, the awe-inspiring powers (I want to fly too!), the dutiful flying monkeys, the sheer drama of it all.

In addition to her supernatural powers, the Wicked Witch oversees an empire. She has a fleet of flying monkeys who do her bidding and an army of solidiers defending her castle. Thanks to her kick-ass crystal ball, she has the power to see and know all. If she just talked about her spirituality a little, she’d be Oprah on a broomstick!

I always come out as a fan of the Wicked Witch, but people are often surprised or puzzled. I even had a friend recently tell me–after seeing the musical Wicked (which is fantastic, by the way)–that I reminded him of Glinda. Glinda has grown on me over the years, I’ll admit, and she’s pretty adorable in Wicked. But it’s very strange to have someone compare me with her, because, well, I’m so *not* Glinda. To me, this has everything to do with my style of (queer) femininity. People see me as Glinda for reasons that are unclear to me–because I’m pretty? high femme? However girly I may be, I identify with others who defy convention, make gender trouble, and question authority. Radicals. Outsiders. Bad girls.

So in that spirit, I want to offer a few words of praise for my Femme Icon, the Wicked Witch. Unlike the typical femme fatale whose power lies in her sexuality, the Wicked Witch claims a form of authority–the power to control her universe–that’s usually reserved for men. She’s not conventionally pretty, but her “beautiful wickedness” makes her tremendously charismatic. She’s not afraid to be a bitch to get what she wants. And last but not least, she has great nails, accessories, and a signature fashion “look” that continues to be influential today!

Today’s question: Who’s your favorite character in The Wizard of Oz, Wicked or The Wiz? Books, films, or musicals are all fair game!