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ChickSpeak remembers Rue McClanahan

posted by ChickSpeak
Monday, June 21, 2010 at 12:00pm CDT

A southern belle to the core, Blanche Devereaux lit up television screens around the world for nearly a decade with her beauty, fiery sexuality, and attitude. As one of the four original Golden Girls, Blanche embodied qualities, which were clearly lacking in her roommates.

While Dorothy (Bea Arthur) might have been the strongest of the four women, she was frequently insecure about her body, looks, and sexual appeal. Rose (Betty White), arguably the least sophisticated and worldly member of the group, did not possess Blanche’s charm or know-how about men, romance, and sex. Even Sophia (Estelle Getty), the most experienced and independent character on the show, occasionally turned to Blanche for pointers on beauty and dressing to impress.

The woman behind Blanche Devereaux, Rue McClanahan, was no less beautiful during her lifetime. As one of the first celebrity supporters of PETA and a staunch advocate of gay rights, McClanahan was just as outspoken in real life as her most beloved character. Though McClanahan starred in other television and film projects as well, including “Maude,” “Boy Meets World,” “Columbo,” and “Murder, She Wrote,” her greatest legacy is without a doubt the wholesome and drop-dead gorgeous character of Blanche.

What made Blanche so intriguing a character was the depth of her personality and the range of her life experiences. At first, she may come across as a somewhat superficial character. She is critical of Dorothy’s appearance and does not think twice about telling Rose to shut up whenever she launches into a story about St. Olaf. However, on closer analysis, Blanche is clearly not as perfect as she perhaps believes herself to be.

In a number of episodes, she is stood up by the very men she actively pursues. She prides herself on being knowledgeable about art, but frequently displays less-than-impressive expertise in this field. On Mother’s Day, she confesses to Dorothy and Rose that she does not expect any of her children to call, since she did not devote all that much time and energy to raising them. And despite what many viewers may perceive to be promiscuous behavior, it is clear in more than one instance that Blanche has only ever loved one man in her life, her late husband George.

Blanche Devereaux was one character who could make people laugh and cry at the same time. The tragedy of her romantic affairs, though funny, revealed an unexpected vulnerability and desperation to be loved. Her confidence and flirtatious behavior, we discover, can only take her so far before she feels forced to cast aside her relationship for a new one. In a later episode, viewers discover that Blanche is unwilling to commit herself to a relationship because she does not want to duplicate the love she had for George. Even after she discovers her late husband’s affair (he fathered an illegitimate son), her affection and loyalty to him does not waver, a characteristic that may seem, on the surface, contradictory to her otherwise actively sexual behavior.

Blanche was the original cougar, the predecessor to the infamous Samantha Jones of “Sex and the City.” Gaudy and spirited, Blanche was, to some women, the confidence boost they needed to pick a guy up at the bar, go on a date, or just enjoy themselves outside of what society deems “acceptable.” If Blanche Devereaux has taught the world anything, it is that there is nothing like living in the moment. If you crave a slice of cheesecake, eat it. If you want to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new, be it going back to school to get your degree or dating a considerably younger man, why not take a risk and see what happens?

From being stood up at the altar (in the debut episode of the show no less) to standing up to sexual harassment in the classroom, Blanche was and always will be that vivacious and feisty woman we looked up to and continue to love. It is due entirely to McClanahan’s artistry and talent as an actress that Blanche became the character she is today, and not the one-dimensional flirt she could very well have been reduced to had a less gifted actress filled her shoes.

Katherine J. Chen is a rising junior at Princeton University majoring in English with a certificate in Creative Writing. She is an avid fan of “The Golden Girls” and owns the complete collection. Blanche Devereaux is her second-favorite character on the show (preceded only by Dorothy Zbornak).