Tammy Faye's Eyes

I have to admit that mostly I've just been perplexed by people's reactions — and devotion — to the late Tammy Faye for the past couple of decades. I always figured it for a camp motivation, but maybe not. I never thought much of her ridiculous performances for the PTL cameras in the 80s, and I never quite understood her rehabilitation years later — nor, exactly, what happened to Jim Bakker that ignited such swift and mighty retribution. I didn't particularly care, either, since I didn't generally harbor much sympathy for televangelists, particularly adulterous ones.

I haven't altered my attitude that much after reading it, but I appreciate Gabriel Rotello's "The Lies About Tammy Faye" (Huffington Post, 24 July 2007), which has clarified, with calm dispatch, the events surrounding the downfall of the Bakkers. Perhaps I just approved because it confirmed that the late, not-lamented Jerry Falwell was even slimier than the slimy swamp-thing I already had imagined.

Posted on July 24, 2007 at 15.08 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Current Events

2 Responses

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  1. Written by Bill Morrison
    on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 at 17.50
    Permalink

    I once saw a rather tall (gay) friend wearing a sweatshirt, white, with several smudges on it: two black over purple ones at the top, close together; two larger, pink ones below and farther apart; and a bright red one slashed across the bottom, all in a vague tannish oval. The legend was, "I ran into Tammy Faye at the mall."

  2. Written by S.W. Anderson
    on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 at 23.42
    Permalink

    Bill Morrison, that was the best — no, make that the only — thing to make me laugh on a PITA day. Thank you.

    Jeff, didn't your mom tell you not to speak ill of the dead, even if they really, really have it coming?

    Mine did — a fact I hold out to Rush Limbaugh in hopes he'll take it as some sort of incentive. (Hey, he's into pills and alcohol. Anything could happen.)

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