The comedienne Bea Arthur passed away last weekend. The event attracted a surprising amount of national attention on mainline TV shows such as Today, etc.

I’m sorry that she passed away, and her friends report that she was a kind and generous person in her private life. But her comedic shtick, of course, was the put-down - what was referred to repeatedly on Monday as “razor-sharp” wit.

Frankly, I lost my taste for Bea Arthur years ago. In her comic persona as Maude, or Dorothy in The Golden Girls, her specialty was simply being cruel to people. Whether it was the clueless but innocent Rose, the oversexed Blanche, or just an innocent bystander, Bea Arthur (well, Dorothy) could really cut them down to size. I don’t recall that it was ever in self-defense - her victims were just targets of opportunity for laughs, and not as quick as she was. Congratulations.

Was it funny TV? Yes - millions thought so. Did I watch and laugh? Yes, for a while. But it really got tiresome over time, and I sometimes wondered if Bea Arthur ever thought about how she made a living. I quit watching years ago, as I said. It just quit being funny. By the way, have I ever delivered a “razor-sharp”, beautifully timed put-down? I’m sure I have on more than one occasion - but I’m not proud of that. It’s judgmental, as I am prone to be - and a poor way to get attention. I’d rather be known for something else.

In the way that TV does, Bea Arthur made it acceptable - and even cool - to be mean to people. Despite all the media outpouring, we don’t owe her any thanks for that. R.I. P.

http://itsyourtimes.com/?q=node/4386

This story (and the blogger) are so stupid it doesn't even deserve comment. :mad: :mad: :mad:

I think the blogger is confusing Bea with the characters of Maude & Dorothy. I've never heard anyone say that Bea was ever mean-spirited with anyone.

I think the blogger is confusing Bea with the characters of Maude & Dorothy. I've never heard anyone say that Bea was ever mean-spirited with anyone.
Ditto. I've always heard that the real Bea was quiet, sweet and somewhat shy.

Man, some one took TV a little too seriously there. I don't know her that well as Maude, but I do know her as Dorthy. She could be cruel, but I thought it was funny. The one thing that the blogger failed to mention was that she was a good friend when they needed her. Remember the episode of GG when Rose needed to do the eulogy at a funeral, and even though Dorthy was afraid to fly, she went anyways?

Unfortunately there are some people out there who have a very difficult time separating character from actor. How annoying!

The same type of thing has happened to people like Larry Linville ("Frank Burns") and Ed O'Neill ("Al Bundy"). Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much we can do about it. Reasonable people know that these actors were just roleplaying -- that's all that matters. And Bea was an excellent actress.

The same type of thing has happened to people like Larry Linville ("Frank Burns") and Ed O'Neill ("Al Bundy"). Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much we can do about it. Reasonable people know that these actors were just roleplaying -- that's all that matters. And Bea was an excellent actress.
AMEN!!!! The fact that they were able to hide so completely into not-so-likable characters speaks even more to their abilities as actors.

AMEN!!!! The fact that they were able to hide so completely into not-so-likable characters speaks even more to their abilities as actors.
Well said Monika! I agree!

Well said Monika! I agree!
The fact that Bea won Emmys for both roles speaks volumes. :nod:

The fact that Bea won Emmys for both roles speaks volumes. :nod:
That's very true. They don't give those awards to just anybody!!!

"God will get you for that, Blogger!!" :eek: :lol:

"God will get you for that, Blogger!!" :eek: :lol:
:brent :rofl: :clap

:brent :rofl: :clap
I can just hear her saying that, too!! :D

I can just hear her saying that, too!! :D
Me too!!:lol:

Me too!!:lol:
See, I have a feeling that's the way Bea would want to be remembered. I think that is indeed the way she will be remembered!! :cool:

See, I have a feeling that's the way Bea would want to be remembered. I think that is indeed the way she will be remembered!! :cool:
I agree!

One of the greatest actresses in sitcom history:

what a complete and total @$$ hole to say such utter nonsense about Bea!

"But it really got tiresome over time, and I sometimes wondered if Bea Arthur ever thought about how she made a living."

Jeez, Bea Arthur wasn't an executioner, she was an actress!

;)

People need to stop judging people by what role the play i remeber when she dide watching the today show and rue teling us that she was shy and sweet i think because of her deep voice and height that the blogger thought she was a mean person and the characters of maude finadaly and dorothy zbornak wernt mean they just joked alot :mad:

One of the greatest actresses in sitcom history:
SHE WAS AND NEEDS TO BE TREATED ACORDINGLY

:dance: :dog: :rofl: pickle: "God will get you for that, Blogger!!" :eek: :lol:
Soo good never would have thought abt that god i miss her and so do all of her fans

Me too!!:lol:
it ticks me off cause bea was my idol people make fun of me cause im tall and my voice isnt hih pitched like most ppl god will get you for that blogger

it ticks me off cause bea was my idol people make fun of me cause im tall and my voice isnt hih pitched like most ppl god will get you for that blogger

love it! gr8 response. I like Bea too. She rocks - may she rest in peace

I love Bea also she was the best.

Bea Arthur is the grandma we all wish we had:wave:

its sad, i knew of bea though the golden girls, and ads she did for a drug store chain here in canada (shoppers drug mart) but i didnt know her work untiill (specifically maude) recently but she left one hell of a legacy with maude and dorothy and her singing. and it pisses me to hear that alot of people view her as a mean lady.

its sad, i knew of bea though the golden girls, and ads she did for a drug store chain here in canada (shoppers drug mart) but i didnt know her work untiill (specifically maude) recently but she left one hell of a legacy with maude and dorothy and her singing. and it pisses me to hear that alot of people view her as a mean lady.

Sadly, some people, like the blogger who dissed Bea, have a hard time with reality testing; Bea was not Maude nor was she Dorothy - they were merely characters she acted. And yes I also heard that in real life Bea was a very kind and shy person.

And I don't think Dorothy was all that mean anyways. Most of her put downs to Blanche and Rose on GG really had no bite cause the girls all knew how much they meant to each other. And Dorothy did lots of kind things on the show - like volunteering to help teens, devoted care of Sophia etc. But when she saw red - oh boy - truly her mother's daughter lol

love it! gr8 response. I like Bea too. She rocks - may she rest in peace
lol

Many actors over the years made lucrative careers and created memorable characters doing the same kind of thing as Bea Arthur. It is funny! Bea's characters said the types of things we all wish we could say and get by with. She had a brash, overbearing essence about her, but honestly, that is why me and so many other people loved her. She was a rare, and unique talent.