Riding the high tide on "Bikini-gate"

So while it's widely acknowledged that Vive Helen! is not the first, nor the only Helen Mirren appreciation forum (as well there should be more), we ought give due props to a fellow brethren's coverage of what shall now be pronounced, "Bikini-gate."

Here are the goods, courtesy of www.helenmirren.com/pages/newsblog.php:

HMAS (Helen Mirren Appreciation Society) member Barrie Smith, 61, from South Carolina was contacted by a producer for BBC Live Five to participate in a segment where a panel of various cultural "experts" discussed the idea of people finding a 60-something woman attractive in a bikini:

"I firmly believe that Helen Mirren has caused a paradigm shift," says Barrie. "There are an awful lot of women who need an example, a role model" - and Helen seems to set the bar for beauty, irrespective of age."

Would that Ken Starr commission a report on that. :)

Vive Helen! Launch Party

Mark your calendars, ladies. The Vive Helen! Launch Party is scheduled for Thursday, September 18. Details to come!

Raising Helen

Out of the mouth of [this] babe, born Illiana Lydia Petrovna Mironova (thanks, imdb!)...a few notable quotables to pepper into your coffee clatche convos:

"Being me right now is sort of amazing."

"It's great to be queen!"

"The trick in life is learning how to deal with it."

"All you have to do is to look like crap on film and everyone thinks you're a brilliant actress. Actually, all you've done is look like crap. "

"It's never been confirmed that Elizabeth I was a virgin. It's like the Virgin Mary - it's about branding, a logo. To use a modern term, Elizabeth was actually a bit of a slut."

"I'm a would-be rebel. The good girl who'd like to be a bad one."

It's Vive Helen, NOT Vive Eva!

Desperate? Housewife? Not our Helen. But there is a little issue about a certain pint-sized Loreal spokes(maudlin) and television "superstar" who takes breaks in between lingerie fittings and complicated dialogue like "I only slept with you to get pregnant, my husband doesn't have to know!" to pitch, you guessed it, consumer products. Uf. OMG - she has caramel highlights! She found a foundation to match her skin! She has a signature lipstick shade! She can contort her spine to show off Bebe bike shorts to their best advantage! She has to wear 8 1/2 inch heels to even try to save her NBA hubby from folding himself in half like Gumby to kiss her! She's. Just. So. Cute.

[cue steam escaping]

I'm sure she has lovely and substantive qualities...but honestly, Ms. Longoria Parker - how much LONGoria will the world cite you as the sexiest/best dressed/most beautiful/longest lashes/biggest lingerie collection/most likely to make men swoon?

As for the authors of this blog, we look to Helen and ponder how ELP will look at 62. Will Bebe come a'calling? Will Loreal make you the spokesmodel for "going gray with grace"? Doubtful. Besides, there's already one leading lady we admire for personifying complicated, dynamic, and REAL - our mascot Queen Helen. In fact, her signature lipstick shade is "kiss my ass, young Hollywood" and it's all over a little golden man named Oscar.

Now kiss the royal ring.

Welcome to Vive Helen!

Vive Helen! is a blog about all the things that are cool about being a chick. And the best thing about being a chick is hanging out with other chicks. This is the place to do that. We like to think of it as a virtual cocktail party.

We chose Helen Mirren as our mascot because she has it all: she's smart, strong, talented and beautiful.

So come on in and sit a spell. Have a cocktail and enjoy all of the fun stuff going on at Vive Helen! If you are interested in joining the posting, just send an email to marcy[at]wackerdesign[dot]com.