Chaos Attraction

Designing Women: The Play

2021-10-19, 6:47 p.m.

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Cast list as of November 2019

I continued to Not Sleep Well again, or at least I don't think I lost consciousness at any point, SIGH. Way to waste two days off, body.

Ashley and I decided to go for lunch, going to IHOP so as to avoid the downtown crowds at lunch. We had a good time ordering chocolate chip pancakes (her) and Reese's Pieces pancakes (me), which were the best I ever had, along with peanut butter themed hot chocolate for me. DELICIOUS. Then we hung out at Target for a bit before going home to well, nap since nobody slept too well after partying last night.

As for therapy, that went really well.

Fun fact: apparently my mom texted my therapist on the 8th to say "now that you and Jen are quitting therapy...." and I was all, the fuck? (As was my therapist, who said she didn't know what to say other than a "thanks for the text") God knows Mom was trying to talk me into quitting therapy oh....last month or so, but where did this crazy come from, I do not know. I don't know if I'll bring it up to her or not....probably not. I said that Mom and Jackie in particular are always saying I haven't improved in therapy and she said "You're not driving? You're not acting?" and we agreed that this probably translates into "not improving in whatever way they want me to."

Anyway, I told her what Meg said and she said "strong energy" was me having strong negative opinions/saying no and not changing them, which....is legit. If I firmly believe something, then I do, if I'm not willing to try something...but she said I'm not "no'ing" as much as I used to, and notes that everyone would bully me, especially family, when I tried to do something different. And I've been disappointed when I was being helpful. Also, I make others feel uncomfortable about their own shit.

As for Scott: I'm still not getting my needs met, it doesn't matter what he feels if he can't reach out about it, and she figures he's being like her at times in just not being able to deal with people At All. "I think that you guys are polite acquaintances." I'd go more with "somebody that I used to know."

She said that her husband said that a lot of men are dogs--in as in, they just wanted to be petted, loved, attaboy'd, and they will be yours forever. I said I wanted to do that with Scott. She said he wasn't ready.

As for all the signs I got, she said maybe that was the universe saying don't give up in general. I dunno there.


I had bought a streaming ticket to watching "Designing Women: The Play" online, which updates the girls for November 2020. (Review here.)

"It’s 2020, and Julia, Suzanne, Mary Jo, and Charlene are partners in the Atlanta-based interior design firm, Sugarbaker’s—but with the firm in crisis, they’re on the verge of a radical decision to sell the business and separate. A timely, whip-smart and deeply funny new Southern comedy set to take the theatre world by storm. Designing Women is set in Atlanta before and after the presidential election in November 2020. The show contains adult language and themes, a confetti cannon, and—much like the television show that preceded it—fiery political debate and humor with many references to recent events."

Julia in 2020: here's where the masks and hand sanitizer are, don't let in anyone with a MAGA hat, and she has her own blog now. The lady playing her is dead on. Charlene's husband now has another star as a general. Julia on their book club: "My sister's a member and she thinks A Farewell to Arms is a diet book."

They're getting a new receptionist (Charlene's sister Hayley), who's in a "covenant" marriage and her husband "let" her get the job. Charming. "If that's what you want to do, get off my back and do it!" he said. He's a youth choir director, acts out their child's pageant routines and is still mad about Hayley giving away his Glee episodes. Also, she voted for Donald Trump and wants to bless people.

We now have Cleo, Anthony's cousin and a landscape designer, and her teen daughter Alfie. (Anthony's gone into law.) "I'm a Christian lesbian and I still get cards that say, "Repent now, you clam-diving infidel."

New Mary Jo (blonde) was grateful that she had her mask on because was giggling like a first grader at someone's naked pregnant picture. Life with Mary Jo: the guy who sexually harassed her died of Covid and she went to his grave to make a speech and film it for therapy and the guy's wife was there with a cake to celebrate his birthday....

New Suzanne's future ex-husband wants to repossess her boob job: "I would appreciate it if we could all speak more like ladies." (To which she gets, "Shut the fuck up" from Mary Jo. I want to play Mary Jo in this play. Also she says, "we're not the kind of women who go around slashing tires. We cut brakes.")

Haley finds it very awkward when Cleo's Jamaican professor wife calls. "It's okay, they know."

Suzanne's future ex Calder, btw, has that MAGA hat and hangs out with exactly who you'd expect. "Why not wear a mask?" Julia asks. ".....Because...."

Suzanne says that telling people off is the one thing Julia does better than her. Julia thinks she does more than one thing...

A fellow named Wynn Dollarhyde (Suzanne demands to be fixed up with him for the name alone) that Julia works on a project with, comes on to her. He recounts that his last pre-pandemic date brought her own vibrator in case he faltered, "told me her safe word if I wanted to choke her" and refused to eat any food that could have an orgasm. "When you walk into a room, the weather changes." TRUE DAT. He wants to dance. "We don't have any music." "ALEXA!" Anyway, the two of them get it on late at night in Julia's living room....and then everyone walks in on them the morning after. "I'm not ashamed," Julia says.

Suzanne, of course, has slept with Trump.

Charlene calls in to say that she and Bill have Covid and she apologizes for hugging everyone, but you're going to have to quarantine for the next ten days. And that's Act 1! (God, I miss Charlene actually being in this show. Will she be in it more?!) So since they're already "in a pod" together, they all stay in the house. I will say this: for a show taking place pre-vaccine during the pandemic, it does mostly feel like the TV show, with people dropping in and out and no masks on actually within the place (I note the drama regarding masks on stage being A Thing in general....you know what my experience is.). Except for the occasional Covid reference, you kind of forget about it a lot? From what I recall of November 2020, people didn't just casually wander in and out of anyone's anything like

I adore Wynn dropping by Julia's and staying outside the clear door to see her. They hold hands up against the door, AWWWWW. "Alexa!" Then they uh...make out by the door...literally with the door....Okay, seriously, I'm a Mary Jo but Julia has the best part in this. I'd love to have a hot makeout with the door, it's hilarious. THEN HE'S GOING DOWN ON HER THROUGH THE DOOR AND THIS IS BEING ACTED OUT HOLY SHIT. And then, of course, everyone else walks in...."That's right, that's what dating during a pandemic looks like! And I'm not ashamed! Well, a little ashamed."

Julia's ethical dilemma: ending up with Haley's absentee ballot. Even worse, Josh tells her how to vote.

Rules for book club involve "no heavy drinking and no calling 911."

"She's a recreational provocateur," says Julia of Suzanne.

At one point Haley gets (unknowingly) drunk on tequila and tells off her husband by quoting Jane Eyre. Love it. "If you read enough strong women, they pile up inside of you!" she says about sneaking books behind her husband's back. "It's really the evangelical "don't have sex" Elf on a Shelf," she says about her older daughter's uh...engagement to Jesus.

Julia and Suzanne have a huge fight and want to break up the business. Haley calls Charlene to tell her about this, and we find out that Charlene doesn't zoom in from book club because she's in the hospital :( Charlene starts filming her last words....

"The virus is getting stronger and people are getting dumber," Julia says from November 2020's election day.

OH, THE HUGGING WHEN GEORGIA GOES BLUE. So sweet. Dancing busts out. The confetti cannon breaks out. Haley "voted for democracy!" And Wynn is at the door...

"We're going to take over the Capital," says Suzanne's ex. "Oh, that's not going to happen," Mary Jo scoffs. Julia: "Calder, my sister's been after me for months to tell you off....." OOOOOOOH. She promptly schools him on "pussy." Then he bursts out into tears about his sister giving birth and his mother getting Covid (probably from him, he already had it) and apologizes and says he'll never use the word again. "Ladies, we have to take note of this!" Julia is inspired.

FINALLY CHARLENE IS BACK to tell people off for splitting up, and she's pretty tired of the hick jokes while she's at it and assumptions for how she votes. Also, delete that video she made when her temperature was 103. Of course they turn it on anyway, and she asks that they stay together.

"We're just New Yorkers in a good mood," Julia says of Atlantans.

Suzanne confesses that she didn't actually have sex with Trump--she claimed it to Calder "and he liked it, and I had to keep going...." then she just kind of enjoyed the reactions....

"You want pussy? THEN BUY A CAT, MOTHERFUCKER!" -Suzanne, of all people.

Overall I really liked/enjoyed it, as a fan of the show. I had a good time. The modern-day girls are fabulous, I enjoyed Cleo's snark and sass and realism, Haley's plot is a good one about coming out of her shell, and Julia is FABULOUS and dead on with the voice to boot. I wish Mary Jo had a bit more to do (and Charlene had a lot more to do) since her plotline apparently got cut due to Covid.

My few quibbles are: * I'm not at all sure why Cleo has a kid in the show? She's in maybe a few scenes and doesn't end up doing much? Give the kid a plotline if she's here. * I really wanted Charlene in this more. I get why she's not, but it actively hurt me to not have her with the girls for most of the show. I'm not sure how you'd do that with her plotline being "I have Covid elsewhere," but still. * The show definitely ah...forgets Covid is going on, a fair amount. Nobody's ever taking masks off and on, everyone rolls in and out like a TV show, they didn't have vaccines then, and frankly, PEOPLE WERE MORE FREAKED OUT at the time, you know? Okay, I know it's "the South" but "oh, we have to quarantine for ten days" doesn't really worry anybody. Nobody ever gets tested and it's never mentioned that anyone does get tested. Nobody's freaking out that they might have gotten it. At one point Mary Jo isn't feeling well due to "hot dog water" (?????) and at no point does she go "Shit, I might have Covid," which is what everyone has been doing at the slightest nose sniffle or the sudden desire to empty the contents of one's body. At the end they all happily roll out the door.

So...I mean, I'd amend it for some realism, but mostly I really enjoyed it.


I feel better about the loss of Scott today? He's just gone, like a lot of other people I wish I could have kept, but turns out they don't like me that much. He's going to be nothing to me for the rest of my life. That sucks, but that's what he wants and why keep knocking on a closed door.


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