Yesterday Bonaparte and I went to the movies. We saw “Absolutely Fabulous—The Movie”. And it was a fun hour and a half. Watching Eddie and Patsy, I felt that I was with old friends.
An hour and a half of decadent, lying, drinking, opportunistic, naughty women is always a great thing!!
Since a good deal of the movie was shot on the Cote d’Azur, it was great reliving moments of our vacation in France, and it was great to spend time with Patsy and Eddie in familiar places.
Patsy and Eddie enjoying life on the Cote d’Azur…
Just like me!! And we are both in Theoule!
But what really made the movie both pleasurable and touching was realizing that I am Edina Monsoon.
And I think that for all of us who lived through various decades of both decadence and bad fashion trends can all relate.
I make no apologies. I don’t smoke anymore. Bonaparte threw my happy pills away. But I still love the aperitifs on the weekend and still love a good and wild time!
My wild pill-popping these days is reduced to Motrin for headaches and OTC allergy medication. Which I hardly take anyway.
..and tell me. Who hasn’t looked like this after an Eddie and Patsy all-nighter. I’m ready for my crawl of shame because I can’t even walk!
The most moving moment in the film, which made me realize I am Eddie was when she was drowning in the pool at the Pierre Cardin Bubble House—which is right up the road from our apartment in Theoule-sur-mer.
OK. So Eddie was closer to the Pierre Cardin Bubble house than I was.(Oh look! You can see Port la Galere through the window. I THOUGHT I heard Eddie and Patsy calling to me!
…but I was still able to SEE the house from our terrace!
She told her daughter Saffy that she loved her. She also announced that (and this isn’t verbatim—but it’s close enough)….
“I’m a nothing, darling”
“I’m fat”
“I’ve made mistakes”
“It’s all about me. Me.Me.Me!”
Bonaparte almost jumped out of his seat because he turned to me and said:
“”Az ziz woman bin spi-eeng on ou?” “Ou sehwha’ she eez seh-eeng awl zuh time!” “muh Got!” (Translation: “Has this woman been spying on you?” “You say what she is saying all the time!” “My God!”
I thought the same sing thing!
But there are other ways that we are the same person.
Edina has been a slave to fashion trends.
A bit too clashy. But, I would wear that hat in a minute. A MINUTE. I would feel like Napoleon Bonaparte in it! I love the military look!
Eddie could sometimes be a bit too matchy-matchy. But then again, who doesn’t love Burberry? (photo from BBC)
When I was younger, I made lots of fashion mistakes. Did I really wear that?
It’s bad enough I dressed my son up like Little Lord Fauntleroy–but those jeans I’m wearing–UGH..and that shirt with the shoulder pads. No. Just. No!
I’m taking broad shoulders to new levels. Who invented shoulder pads anyway? It’s such a disgusting look!
The over sized bomber jacket was NOT a good look.
Most of my adult life has been one. long. diet.
Yeah Eddie. Me too. Me too…
Actually, I’m NOT. I’ll continue to stress-eat and not even bother to unwrap ice cream pops when I’m really emotionally hungry!
Well, then, I’m pretty darn sweet!
Yes. I AM fat here. I’m pregnant. And after I give birth, I’ll do thin things!
I’ve definitely been bad mom! Just like Saffy reminds Eddie of the awful things she’s done, Oona reminds ME of the horrific things I’ve done!
A rather nice photo of Eddie and Saffy…
A rather nice photo of me and Oona!
And one thing Oona NEVER lets me forget is the time I took her to see “There’s Something About Mary”. She was home sick from school and I wanted so badly to see this movie that I did. And with her. And she was 8 years old. I’ve done worse…
I’ve nursed my kids to the point that they didn’t have to ask to be fed. They just grabbed..
I prepared Oona for the real world at a young age by pretending she was at happy hour with a bottle and little appetizers.
And while other little girls dressed up as princesses for Halloween, I made my daughter dress up as a mermaid with two shells as a top!
My politics aren’t the same as everyone else’s. And I’m often outspoken about them—and there are just times when what I want to say just doesn’t come out right.
Thank you Buzzfeed and Tumblr for such a political gif! Eddie wants a stupidity tax and I…
I want to tax the wealthy who cheat our government with their stupid tax shelters. Tax the rich!!!
Eddie loves her champagne!
So do I!
And we love the same brand–Moet!!
Sometimes, I’m the girl who just tries too hard to fit in. I’ve done it in the past, and do it presently, and will most likely do it again.
Sometimes Eddie tries to hard…
..and so do I. It’s HERMES darling. Hermes!
..and I call THIS look, I’m channeling my inner Bardot at St. Tropez look! I look like a poseur!
And, although I want to fit in, I’ll still continue to march to the beat of my own drum.
My new look for the beach. I’ll just wear my bathing suit OVER my clothing because I got too fat!
I’m terribly self-centered. And it is all about me. And perhaps one day I will explain why I am that way. Years of therapy have helped me understand that. But I’m not ready to explain just yet why I am this way.
And like Edina, I don’t want to grow up. I want to remain youthful and I want to be blissful. I want life to be one big party. And I shall remain immature.
But—there is a bit of Eddie, as well as a touch of Patsy Stone in all of us.
So let’s embrace our inner Edina Monsoon. We’re not perfect. We make all kinds of mistakes from fashion to judgment.
We are all Eddie. The more perfect ones are like Patsy, but for the most part, there is a bit of Eddie in all of us!
We’ve all been quite naughty and selfish.
Time to take a good laugh at our mistakes and misjudgments because in the end–it gives us more character!!
And we can all have a good laugh at ourselves because we are all just Absolutely Fabulous. Don’t you think?
The theme song from AbFab. “Wheels on Fire” sung by Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and Trinity from Top of the Pops, 1968.
