lifeSTYLE |PROFILE THE STORY OF FUNNY BY THAT GIRL By Dorri Olds From pg 241 Ò On the set of That Girl, with a clean-cut, buttoned-up, relatively unknown George CarlinÓ Ò One thing that keeps me vital is I al- ThomasÕ s face lit up when asked about ways have a dream, a new plan,Ó said the website. Ò IÕ ve always had the feeling I Marlo Thomas. Ò When George Burns was lived behind a one-way mirror. This is my about 98 and asked why he was still work- chance to have a conversation with women. ing, George said, Ô No time to die, IÕ ve got Women make lists, we plan our whole week. too many plans.Õ Ó So I’m doing Mondays With Marlo live. Your Thomas, who looks 20 years younger Turn on Tuesdays I tell a story then say, Ô Your than her 72 years, just published her first turn.Õ WednesdaysÕ The Hero Next Door is memoir, Growing Up Laughing: My Story and about inspiring everyday people. Thurs- the Story of Funny. With AOL CEO Tim daysÕ Girls Night Out women and I dish. Fri- Armstrong she launched a new website, days for I Have to Ask I go to the streets and MarloThomas.com, and just wrapped ask people questions like, Ô What is the most filming LOL with Demi Moore and Miley useless advice your mother ever gave you?Õ Cyrus. Daily thereÕ s a new laugh, quote, and tip.Ó Thomas became famous on the TV sit- Ò My father was a real listener. If some- com “That Girl” which ran from 1966 to thing was bothering you, he could see it 1971 and broke ground for women. Star- from across the room. When I was thirteen ring a single career woman, it predated and completely fl at-chested, I’d gone shop- Mary Tyler Moore. Thomas was Executive ping with my mother for a dress to wear to Producer. Lucille Ball owned the studio. a dance. I hated the one sheÕ d picked. The Ò I found out later whenever someone was day of the party my father came home to looking for me, the joke was, ‘She’s having my moaning about a stomachache. I started a meeting in the menÕ s room with Lucy.Õ Ó to cry, Ô I donÕ t want to go, I donÕ t look good Without setting out to she became in my dress and all the other girls have big an activist for women. Ò I was just an ac- bazooms and I donÕ t have anything.Õ Ó tress from a comedy show but female fans “He said, ‘C’mon.’ We drove to the turned to me for help. It politicized me. store, and he helped me pick out a dress When pregnant teen girls and battered with poofy, curly things made out of tulle. women wrote to ask what they should do, it You couldnÕ t tell what I had! ItÕ s one of my made me want to help.Ó fondest memories of my father listening.Ó In 1972 she joined the team at Ms. Mag- “Losing him was traumatic. He wasn’t azine—Gloria Steinem, Patricia Carbine sick. When somebodyÕ s sick you can pre- and Letty Cottin PogrebinÑ to create the pare yourself. My father was on a book tour Ms. Foundation for Women. Free To BeÉ and dropped dead the night he got home. You and Me became a phenomenon. Many It was such a shock. It tore our hearts out.Ó of us remember every word to that album A happier topic is her husband of 30 and itÕ s still making money for the Ms. years, Phil Donahue. Foundation. Ò We really love, like and respect each Ò IÕ d been asked to do a memoir several other. We have fun and take a trip every times,Ó Thomas said, Ò but I wasnÕ t inter- year for our anniversary. He’s very support- ested in sharing my angst and who I slept ive. Here I have this new book and website, with. I realized what makes my life unusual my time is focused on that and heÕ s saying, is the comedy and laughter.Ó Ô Go Girl! Go for it.Õ Ó She grew up with comedians—her Ò WeÕ ve been in the tabloids. TheyÕ ve father, Danny Thomas, friends George had us divorced a hundred times. But you Burns, Sid Caesar, Bob Hope, and more. just don’t pay attention to it. The fi rst ten Her new book includes 20 interviews by years of our marriage it was a nightmare. I Thomas including Billy Crystal, Whoopi used to cry about it. My father said, Ô Look Goldberg, Robin Williams and Tina Fey. on the opposite page. ThereÕ s a story of Ò I chose people who make me laugh. a woman giving birth to a whale. People Nobody is funnier than Chris Rock. I asked won’t believe it.’ Liz Smith, the famous col- him why he paces back and forth. He said, umnist said, ‘Honey your biggest revenge Ô If you stay in the same place an audience will be youÕ ll have a long happy marriage.Õ Ó can look away but if youÕ re moving they have to follow you. I go back and forth then Dorri Olds (DorriOlds.com) is a writer, social BAM! Punchline. Then I move again.Õ Ó media consultant and web designer.

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