While she’s much too famous to be in #scribblewits...
I thought I’d tell you the tale of Dorothy Parker during the flu epidemic of 1918-19!
DOROTHY PARKER
The Wicked Wit
1893–1967
(If you tuned in to @The_Belladonnas event last Friday, you already know this story!)
I thought I’d tell you the tale of Dorothy Parker during the flu epidemic of 1918-19!
DOROTHY PARKER
The Wicked Wit
1893–1967
(If you tuned in to @The_Belladonnas event last Friday, you already know this story!)
It was 1918.
Dorothy was just 25.
And she stepped into the unfathomably prestigious role of Vanity Fair’s drama critic.
Women couldn’t even vote yet, and here was Dorothy, telling the biggest Broadway producers in New York exactly what she hated about all of their shows.
Dorothy was just 25.
And she stepped into the unfathomably prestigious role of Vanity Fair’s drama critic.
Women couldn’t even vote yet, and here was Dorothy, telling the biggest Broadway producers in New York exactly what she hated about all of their shows.
Dorothy’s first column in Vanity Fair ran in April 1918.
That's right when the first cases of Spanish Influenza were reported in the midwest United States.
The second wave of flu, the most fatal, came to NYC in the fall of 1918.
That's right when the first cases of Spanish Influenza were reported in the midwest United States.
The second wave of flu, the most fatal, came to NYC in the fall of 1918.
Most NYC theaters didn't close down.
So, Dorothy's job as drama critic continued, fairly unaffected.
Because, you know, what’s better in the middle of a pandemic than spending an evening in a crowded theater?
CAN YOU IMAGINE?!
So, Dorothy's job as drama critic continued, fairly unaffected.
Because, you know, what’s better in the middle of a pandemic than spending an evening in a crowded theater?
CAN YOU IMAGINE?!
The NYC public health commissioner's excuse for not closing theaters was:
A crowded theater was a great place to educate the public about the dangers of coughing and sneezing!
Um, okay, you could have also sent a mailer.
A crowded theater was a great place to educate the public about the dangers of coughing and sneezing!
Um, okay, you could have also sent a mailer.
The health commissioner also said:
“I’m keeping my theatres in as good condition as my wife keeps our home.”
So, you know, he was doing a better job reinforcing gender roles than protecting the public, but what do you expect in 1918?
“I’m keeping my theatres in as good condition as my wife keeps our home.”
So, you know, he was doing a better job reinforcing gender roles than protecting the public, but what do you expect in 1918?
So Dorothy kept going to Broadway every night and writing reviews, which ranged from hilarious to hateful.
She made mention of the flu in her November column, when things were starting to get pretty dire in New York...
She made mention of the flu in her November column, when things were starting to get pretty dire in New York...
This is what she wrote:
It’s crazy to think that at the height of the epidemic, there were so many shows not just performing but OPENING on Broadway.
Dorothy notes that she and the other critics had trouble even getting to all the theaters in time.
It makes me want to wash my hands forever.
Dorothy notes that she and the other critics had trouble even getting to all the theaters in time.
It makes me want to wash my hands forever.
Dorothy even accused theater producers of using the flu as a fake excuse to close down their shitty shows!
Miraculously, Dorothy made it through the epidemic without getting sick.
But as the flu came to an end, so too did her time at Vanity Fair.
Her antics around the office meant she was frequently in trouble with her bosses—she was considered both a prankster and a loudmouth.
But as the flu came to an end, so too did her time at Vanity Fair.
Her antics around the office meant she was frequently in trouble with her bosses—she was considered both a prankster and a loudmouth.
But the final straw was when Dorothy insulted the actress Billie Burke (GLINDA!)...
who was the wife of theatrical impresario Florenz Zigfeld...
who was one of Vanity Fair's major advertisers and a friend of publisher Conde Nast
(yes he was a real person)
who was the wife of theatrical impresario Florenz Zigfeld...
who was one of Vanity Fair's major advertisers and a friend of publisher Conde Nast
(yes he was a real person)
In January 1920, Dorothy’s editor invited her to the Plaza Hotel and fired her.
He suggested she continue to work with Vanity Fair, from a distance, as a freelancer.
In response, Dorothy reportedly ordered the most expensive dessert on the menu
and
then
walked
OUT!
He suggested she continue to work with Vanity Fair, from a distance, as a freelancer.
In response, Dorothy reportedly ordered the most expensive dessert on the menu
and
then
walked
OUT!
This was a turning point in Dorothy’s career.
After she was fired, she called all of her literary friends from the Algonquin Round Table to rant and rave and gossip.
And with their powers combined, her friends avenged Dorothy’s firing by turning it into a major media scandal.
After she was fired, she called all of her literary friends from the Algonquin Round Table to rant and rave and gossip.
And with their powers combined, her friends avenged Dorothy’s firing by turning it into a major media scandal.
Her Algonq buds got stories printed in The NY Times and The Tribune.
They publicly shamed Vanity Fair, praised Dorothy Parker and gave her the best publicity she could ever ask for.
She would never hold a steady full-time job again.
She wouldn’t need to!
They publicly shamed Vanity Fair, praised Dorothy Parker and gave her the best publicity she could ever ask for.
She would never hold a steady full-time job again.
She wouldn’t need to!
Dorothy became an in-demand freelance critic, short story writer, poet, playwright and Hollywood screenwriter.
And without Vanity Fair breathing down her neck, she found that everyone ADORED her signature scathing wit.
It wasn’t a liability at all...
But her greatest asset.
And without Vanity Fair breathing down her neck, she found that everyone ADORED her signature scathing wit.
It wasn’t a liability at all...
But her greatest asset.
And here's a great writeup in @AmericanTheatre about the performing arts during the influenza...
americantheatre.org/2020/03/24/the…
americantheatre.org/2020/03/24/the…
I'll leave you with some fun Dorothy Parker facts!
She had many dogs in her life, including a poodle named CLICHE!
Her dogs were never/rarely house trained and therefore destroyed all of her floors and her friends’ floors for years and years.
She had many dogs in her life, including a poodle named CLICHE!
Her dogs were never/rarely house trained and therefore destroyed all of her floors and her friends’ floors for years and years.
Fun fact!
Dorothy Parker co-wrote the screenplay for the 1937 film A Star Is Born, for which she was nominated for an Oscar!
(She lost to Lady Gaga.)
Dorothy Parker co-wrote the screenplay for the 1937 film A Star Is Born, for which she was nominated for an Oscar!
(She lost to Lady Gaga.)
Another fun fact...
When she died, Dorothy Parker left her entire estate (LITERALLY EVERYTHING) to Martin Luther King Jr.
When MLK died the following year, her estate was given to the NAACP.
When she died, Dorothy Parker left her entire estate (LITERALLY EVERYTHING) to Martin Luther King Jr.
When MLK died the following year, her estate was given to the NAACP.
I'll leave you with a few of her (many) memorable quotes:
“Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.”
The favorite of writers everywhere:
“I hate writing. I love having written.”
“Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.”
The favorite of writers everywhere:
“I hate writing. I love having written.”
And some inspiration for all you funny women out there:
"There's a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words."
That's it for today!
See you next week for more Scribblewits.
"There's a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words."
That's it for today!
See you next week for more Scribblewits.
