Blog | divamensch

Diva / Mensch pair for 6/19/19

My friends Shawn and Everett helped me out with the flower diva/mensch pairs. Flowers is their business, so they know a thing or two on...

ladiesvoices

Jun 19, 20191 min read

CDA: Gloria Vanderbilt (and Zeffirelli)

This one is major - - Gloria Vanderbilt. She was the famous lady with Eastern Lockjaw who made jeans when I was a kid. Then as a...

ladiesvoices

Jun 17, 20191 min read

CDA: Franco Zefferelli

Ah, Zefferelli! The stagecraft, the wonder, the opulence! Here's the tomb scene from his crossover hit *Romeo and Juliet.* It thrilled...

ladiesvoices

Jun 17, 20192 min read

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17 finale

Before I get to my Project Runway column, I was a little baffled by a problem on my website last week. I wrote blog posts, as always,...

ladiesvoices

Jun 16, 20194 min read

Fabulous Friday: Ellen De Generes

I'm continuing our Pride Month theme with one of the most seismic moments in American television, Ellen De Generes coming out on her...

ladiesvoices

Jun 14, 20191 min read

Diva / Mensch pair for 6/12/19

Diva: Red rose Mensch: Pink rose

ladiesvoices

Jun 12, 20191 min read

Tharp Trio at ABT, 6/1/19

Maia, Seth, and I saw a trio of Twyla Tharp pieces at American Ballet Theater on 6/1/19. The first piece was *Brahms/Haydn Variations*...

ladiesvoices

Jun 11, 20192 min read

Everything That Happened and Would Happen, 6/3/19

Stephanie and I saw *Everything That Happened and Would Happen* at the Park Avenue Armory on 6/3/19. Stephanie told me about this, I had...

ladiesvoices

Jun 10, 20195 min read

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, eps 12 & 13

Episode 12 A friend had given me a spoiler that Tessa was sent home in this episode - - I think this was the first time this had...

ladiesvoices

Jun 9, 20195 min read

Fabulous Friday: Quentin Crisp

This is Pride Month in NYC and the end of the month will mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising! Wowie wow, am I right? So...

ladiesvoices

Jun 7, 20191 min read

Diva / Mensch pair for 6/5/19

We're having an actual SPRING in New York this year! Typically we go straight from winter to summer, so it's been a real treat to have...

ladiesvoices

Jun 5, 20191 min read

Oklahoma! 5/29/19

Stephanie, Francesca, Brian, Richard, and I saw *Oklahoma!* at Circle in the Square on 5/29/19. This new production originated at St....

ladiesvoices

Jun 2, 20193 min read

CDA: Leon Redbone and Claus von Bülow

Leon Redbone really was an original. I remember being fascinated by him when I was a kid and I saw him on *Saturday Night Live.* I'd...

ladiesvoices

Jun 1, 20191 min read

Fabulous Friday: "June is Bustin' Out All Over"

This story is such a scream. God bless Leslie Uggams.

ladiesvoices

May 31, 20191 min read

Diva / Mensch pair for 5/29/19

I'm veering away from my established format a bit. This week, rather than using two recordings of the same song, I'm using two settings...

ladiesvoices

May 29, 20191 min read

Reich Richter Pärt, 5/16/19

I saw *Reich Richter Pärt* at The Shed on 5/16/19. It’s a combination of artwork by Gerhard Richter and music by Arvo Pärt and Steve...

ladiesvoices

May 27, 20192 min read

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, ep 11

The episode started with one of the designers getting a text from Christian saying that they should meet him at his atelier. Wow, what a...

ladiesvoices

May 26, 20192 min read

Gary: A Sequel To Titus Andronicus, 5/23/19

Stephanie, Francesca, Brian, Richard, and I saw *Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus* on 5/23/19. It's a new play written by Taylor Mac,...

ladiesvoices

May 25, 20193 min read

Fabulous Friday: Leontyne Price interview

Not all of you are into opera, but this interview with Miss Price is such a delight. Maybe you don't want to watch the whole thing, but...

ladiesvoices

May 24, 20191 min read

CDA: I. M. Pei and Machiko Kyô

My thanks to Everett Nelson for encouraging me to do an I. M. Pei tribute. Here's a cute 60 Minutes piece from 1987, when he was...

ladiesvoices

May 23, 20191 min read

CDA: Diane Ladd

I was saddened to read in The Times about the death of actor Diane Ladd at the age of 89. She had three Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress. First for playing Flo in Alice Doesn't Live Her Anymore. She really knew how to give A Performance, just what you want in a supporting actor. Here she is off the freaking rails in Wild At Heart. And doing something more measured and understated in Rambling Rose. The Times said she and her daughter Laura Dern were the first (ma

ladiesvoices

23 hours ago1 min read

Diva/Mensch pair for Nov 5, 2025

The 2023 Grammy for Best Pop Dance Recording went to Kylie Minogue for "Padam Padam." Diva: Minogue "Padam Padam" Mensch: Piaf "Padam Padam" I know, Edith Piaf is no one's idea of a mensch but Minogue and her team doing a song called "Padam Padam" seemed to imply a wink, a nudge, and a tip of the hat to the song by the same name by Miss Piaf. The unwritten (unintended?) tribute to Piaf is a mensch move.

ladiesvoices

2 days ago1 min read

Diva / Mensch pair for 6/19/19

CDA: Gloria Vanderbilt (and Zeffirelli)

CDA: Franco Zefferelli

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17 finale

Fabulous Friday: Ellen De Generes

Diva / Mensch pair for 6/12/19

Tharp Trio at ABT, 6/1/19

*Everything That Happened and Would Happen,* 6/3/19

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, eps 12 & 13

Fabulous Friday: Quentin Crisp

Diva / Mensch pair for 6/5/19

*Oklahoma!* 5/29/19

CDA: Leon Redbone and Claus von Bülow

Fabulous Friday: "June is Bustin' Out All Over"

Diva / Mensch pair for 5/29/19

*Reich Richter Pärt,* 5/16/19

Ryan on the Runway: PR 17, ep 11

*Gary: A Sequel To Titus Andronicus,* 5/23/19

Fabulous Friday: Leontyne Price interview

CDA: I. M. Pei and Machiko Kyô

CDA: Diane Ladd

Diva/Mensch pair for Nov 5, 2025

Everything That Happened and Would Happen, 6/3/19

Oklahoma! 5/29/19

Reich Richter Pärt, 5/16/19

Gary: A Sequel To Titus Andronicus, 5/23/19