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If you missed 90210 the first time around, it's hard to explain. It was an instantaneous, un-self-aware camp classic. It was absolutely unwatchable while demanding that you HAD TO WATCH. Tori Spelling, before becoming the wronged daughter, the wedded-and-babied reality show chick, was simply a spoiled, freakishly untalented actress -- who was cast, in her daddy's show, as the eternal virgin (eew!). Ian Ziering, before he danced with the stars, played the cool guy -- until the producers noticed that everyone hated him, and they made him the buffoon.
The producers never noticed how much audiences hated Brenda. Or if they did, they ignored it. Soldier on, they thought, and barged ahead with classic episodes like the time when Brandon's evil girlfriend dosed everyone with Euphoria.
See, it was so camp, they couldn't say even "ecstasy" -- they had to come up with another word meaning "rapturous delight" that also began with an E. Imagine all the doctoral thesis on simulacra that followed. Or don't. We're talking about hating Brenda here.
Her stupid bangs. Her self-centered outbursts. Her strange penchant for wide collars and prim outfits. Her indecision about Dylan. Her whining. Her teeth. Her dumb dark lipstick (wait, the dark lipstick was cool). Anyway, she was so hate-able that the early zine geniuses behind Ben Is Dead started putting out a newsletter called I Hate Brenda.
The producers might not have noticed, but Shannen Doherty, the woman who brought Brenda to life, did. She tells Entertainment Weekly that she still harbors insecurities from all the hate. But a newsletter -- that wasn't all. Not nearly.
As one fans tells it, the I Hate Brenda newsletter morphed into a CD, "Hating Brenda," eight whole songs worth. It was put together by a bunch of friends of the magazine, all LA musicians, many from bands that seemed to be in the middle of breaking up.
The best track was soon recorded again by a not-broken-up band that included the songwriter, which hadn't performed it on the official hateful CD (long story). You may never get the song -- or vision of the bass player in his dress and wig -- out of your head. To celebrate the revival of "Beverly Hills, 90210," -- which we wouldn't even watch except for that kid from The Wire* -- here is "Every Day is Brenda Day."
* We are so lying. We'll watch anyway. We might have some Euphoria nearby to ease the pain, but we'll watch.
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She flirted with my brother-in-law at some club before he married my sister. True story.
Don't forget the high school radio station call letters were klxu...
I don't know what everyone's talking about - she was the best character!
Just bitchy enough to be fun to watch, and sensitive enough to not completely hate. A modern day Joan Crawford if you will...
I always thought she was the hottest one on the show. One of my gfs long ago thought she had crooked eyes. I think she does, but I think she is/was still hot.
sorry, but she's the only reason i'm watching this trainwreck of a series. hell, she was the only reason i watched the original series. kelly kapowski was no where near the awesomeness that was brenda.
Do you mean Kelly Taylor? For those of us who went through adolescence in the 90s, there wasn't a show quite like 90210. Then I grew up and bought the DVDs hoping to conjure some long lost nostalgia only to recoil in horror at how I could've loved this show so much in my youth. 90210, I'll remember you for what you were, not how I know you now.
Watch Soap Net on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 9-12, it helps cure your hangover
You know, we've been watching some high school eps lately, and Kelly annoys me way more than Brenda (Donna, of course, is still a walking tragi-comedy). She's all pouty and eating disorder-y. And get off Dylan's balls. His dad BLEW UP for crying out loud!
heh heh
YOU'RE Emily Valentine
Thanks for posting Carolyn. I remember the RUMP saga quite well - not least, the jealousy of many, many musicians who watched a non-band get a five-figure advance from Caroline Records based on snarky commentary about a pop-culture trend.
"I've been busting my ass perfecting my craft for fifteen years and what do I get? Nothing. Couple of chicks can't play instruments and make fun of a TV show? Sure we'll sign that! It's not FAIR! NOT FAIR!"
But, as the Big Lebowski's friend Walter would have said, "Fair? Who's a fucking nihilist around here?"
Darby & Kerin were nothing if not shrewd.
Brenda Day was a fun track though, often performed by PopDefect in their live set during their last few years together. And the timing couldn't be better for its re-assessment.
You mean Eu-4-ria? Just find the guy with the 4 on his shirt.
Willam Black: Brenda?
Rene: [hitting him] DICK!
I think they DO mean Kelly Kapowski (i.e. Tiffani-Amber Thiessen). Her character, Valerie, was a pisspoor attempt to replace Brenda.
I always thought Brenda (and Shannon too) just needed plenty of intromission.
I'll bet this gets me in trouble.