Fashion

There was a guy in the Army who had a talent for delivering spontaneous one-liners. Once someone was quoting Dr. Johnson, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel," and L. piped up, without missing a beat, "True -- but fashion is the first!" I've used the line ever since: Fashion is the first refuge of a scoundrel.

Which makes it scoundrel time in Hollywood tonight. All that money spent on all those gowns and tuxes on the red carpet.


But dressing up can be fun, I must admit. When my first hyperdrama, performed at the Pittock Mansion, sold out opening night in a few hours at $100 a pop, astronomical for Portland in the 1980s, I knew this was going to be a special event. I ended up arriving in a white tuxedo, and for a few years after that this became my opening night costume, arriving to my play premieres in a white tux. I have a very ugly story about how this tradition ended but this isn't the time to tell it.