Long before the we were exposed to the sexcapades of Samantha Jones, the world had Blanche Devereaux. For seven much loved seasons on the iconic sitcom "The Golden Girls," Blanche lead Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia on their own sexual revolution, proving that like a fine wine, a woman gets better with age. The sultry Southern belle was given life by actress Rue McClanahan, who died yesterday of a stroke at age 76.
McClanahan was a veteran of the stage and small screen before she created Blanche, and she went on to win an Emmy for the role. TV blogger Delaina Dixon thinks Blanche was one of the first television portrayals of an older woman in touch with her sexuality, setting a precedent for a number of shows that would follow, most obviously "Sex and the City." Delaina joins The Takeaway to remember the woman who played what very well may have been television's first "cougar."
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.