Louise Lasser Foresees “Hairspray” Honey Cast as Mae West

New York, NY: Louise Lasser, best known for the title role in television’s cult hit “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” wonders what Mae West would make of today’s TV. Instead of guarding her waistline, Mae West guided her IMAGE, says Lasser, adding that the buxom blonde courageously refused to play the victim or be the punch line.
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What a difference between Mae in midlife and ex-“Cheers” leader Kirstie Alley, who has stooped to cherish the short straw. Literally making herself the butt of the joke, the star of “Fat Actress” positions herself for unflattering footage, her massive thighs jiggling as she squats to do gardening.
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And what about Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Winokur? After a whirlwind run as "Tracy Turnblad," a plus-sized honey who stole the hero’s heart from a queen bee in the hit Broadway musical "Hairspray," 32-year-old Marissa is now a hapless counter clerk on the boring sitcom “Stacked.” Worse: Winokur’s real job is to make silicone-slave Pamela Anderson look more luscious. Tsk! Even in her dotage, Mae West never took a backseat on camera. Mae West fans admire an actress who would never stoop to conquer.
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Since Marissa Jaret Winokur [the niece of S.J. Perelman and Nathanael West] has a trifecta of theatre awards on her mantle, shouldn’t she be seeking “role-model” roles? La Lasser views it this way: Too often sitcoms are a woman’s personal misfortune teller, a reflecting pool that lets a lady see how each extra pound will slide her one inch closer to working-class anonymity. In this way, TV acts as an eternal hall monitor, making sure females WANT to watch their waistlines and buy beauty aids.
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But there’s a sunbeam on the horizon. Louise Lasser spotted it when Winokur told Newsweek Magazine that Mae West is her idol. Lasser hopes that Winokur will audition for “Courting Mae West,” a well-received play by downtown dramatist LindaAnn Loschiavo, a comedy which is at the center of a star-studded fundraiser that Lasser (and other celebrities) will attend on August 17, 2005 in midtown Manhattan.
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Not only do they share a monogram – M.J.W. – but also Mary Jane West and Marissa Jaret Winokur share a rare quality: the ability to turn people into ticket-buyers.

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Courting Mae West Productions
Ted Mornel, Director
212-714-7102