Let's Talk: Judy Garland

Originally, I planned to go completely off on MGM, Ethel Gumm, and many others. However, Ms. Garland's own children have said that they hate when their mother is portrayed as a "tragedy"--which I also hate. Her life was quite sad, but Judy Garland loved life. Out of respect and understanding of that, I don't want to make this a rant about all the wrongdoers in Ms. Garland's life. Okay, it won't exactly be a "rant" but it will be more like a "vent" and some things that I wish I were old enough and around to tell Ms. Garland.

I remember when Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows first aired on ABC. I was so anxious to see it. I was in my early stages of "Old Hollywood fandom". I remember loving it because of what it was--I love biopics, but I really didn't know a lot about Judy's life beforehand and being as young as I was, I really didn't understand everything that was going on or about any of the other things that went on with lots of Hollywood stars who suffered parallel fates with Judy--Dorothy Dandridge, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, now Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. 

Now, over ten years later I'm watching the movie again for the first time (in its entirety) since it originally aired. Since then, I've learned more about Judy Garland, I have the Gerald Clarke biography "Get Happy" and I'm hoping to get Lorna Luft's book as well (the book in which the miniseries was based on and named after). I now fully understand just how rough and unimaginably frustrating her life was. I don't want to go into detail--either you know or you should research. I just want to talk.

We're all responsible for ourselves and with people like Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Dorothy Dandridge, etc. there are more people against them than there are for them. Heck, it's like that with everyone. I sympathize will all of these stars and their families and I also do believe that they share (very little in my opinion) some of the fault of what went wrong in their lives. But...

I'm sorry. I must honestly come forth and say that I believe Judy Garland is the first and only star I have come across in all my 20 years and sympathized with COMPLETELY. This was a woman who had been in show business literally almost all her life--since she was two years old. Even before she was born, her mother wanted to abort her and praise God that didn't happen. Then, all throughout her life this woman took attacks on her self-esteem and self-confidence. Every time she came back up, it seemed like something pushed her back down. 

Also, I'm not going to say, "Oh, Judy Garland was beautiful in her own way" or call her beautiful because "Every woman should be called beautiful."

NO.

Judy Garland was beautiful. Judy Garland was gorgeous. 

Look at these freaking pictures!

If there was anything that made her look a little rough sometimes (making her look older than what she should have looked!)--it was probably those freakin' pills that people were throwin' at her to make her lose weight, stay up, fall asleep--therefore making her highly dependent on them, taking a toll on her mental and physical health and that pretty face (that still remained pretty of course, not contradicting myself, but not as pretty as she could have and should have been if not for the pills)

But like I said, this isn't a rant.

*pulls self back*

Judy Garland made MGM millions of dollars. Millions. If Judy Garland was in it--it was destined to be a success. She made people happy--some 60 years later just seeing her and hearing her voice (speaking and singing) puts a smile on my face. She should have been treated like a QUEEN. If they didn't treat her like a little princess when she first came to "Metro" they should have bowed down as SOON as they realized her impact in 1939/1940. 

But it doesn't matter now. I have to stop myself before this becomes what I said it wouldn't be.

Judy Garland, if you're up there reading this:

You were BEAUTIFUL. GORGEOUS. RADIANT. I wouldn't say it to make you "feel good about yourself" or "because you're beautiful on the inside" none of that crap. You were beautiful Ms. Garland. Your legacy will FOREVER march on.

You were all that a fan could ask for--beautiful, witty, bright, kind, a DIVINE singer, an excellent actress, a powerful entertainer. You were and you are a QUEEN and I salute you. What you had to go through was horrendous, but you marched on until the very last minute. If I were your friend back then, I probably would tell you "Girl--you are Judy Garland. You are baddest woman in Hollywood and you're a wonderful woman and human being. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise."