#honestly everything judy garland wears in that movie

[funnygirlthatbelle]

the singin' in the rain purple dress is easily the film dress i've most consistently been obsessed with over the years- which is ironic, because it's the exact opposite of what would be flattering on me

[chikirya]

Lies of P sequel spoilers/theory

Yo, I know we're all anticipating the next game of the Lies of P franchise to have the main focus shifted to The Wizard of Oz, but i cant help but wonder....

The first pic is from the Wizard of Oz movie, the Wicked Witch of the East, crushed by Dorothy's house when she arrives in Oz.

The second pic is from the cut scene at the end of the first game. The girl is wearing the iconic ruby shoes but she wears a red dress. (I honestly haven't delved deeper into TWO lore if Dorothy's really depicted with a blue/silver dress as the Judy Garland movie plays out)

My theory is that we may be playing a sort of "prequel" to Lies of P or... That the game can be happening simultaneously with the LOP storyline (similar to the Little Nightmares DLC)

The only reason why i think of it is because

1.) the ending cut scene shows Krat not being destroyed at all. And i doubt that everything would be fixed by the time Paracelsus leaves. And

2.) the girl might be the Witch of the East. Just from her dress color and socks.

If we meet/challenge the witch of the east, it would tie nicely to the sequel game that would focus on The Wizard of Oz. (We might defeat her then enter Dorothy: "Toto, i have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." Scene cuts to black).

Even though i strongly believe the DLC will still focus on Pinocchio based on the teaser images. (Hopefully we'll get some Carlo/Legendary Stalker/Gemini lore!) I guess it wouldn't hurt for a little more teaser stuff for the sequel. Like meeting an Npc or so.

[starfieldcanvas]

omg i just watched goncharov (1973) absolutely life changing

i have adopted goncharov as a blorbo but especially mariella???? omg

it took me over a decade to realize mariella was LIZA FUCKING MINELLI lol i was just very clueless. everybody knows her for her super-dark dark-haired 'mod' cabaret look (she had JUST won the cabaret oscar right before Goncharov came out, i don't think i realized that until i was checking wikipedia for this ask) and in Goncharov she's got that long straight hair that doesn't really make sense for the time period, and honestly makes liza minelli look unnervingly like her mother (judy garland) in Meet Me In Saint Louis

anyway that dress she wears when she finally gets to sing in the nightclub right before everything goes to shit was kiiiiind of a sexual awakening for me? i didn't get any of the contrast of her youthful yet already-doomed dream of fame and fortune with katya's struggle to let go of the power she commanded as a mafioso's wife back in torino, i was just like. omg boobs sparkly

(there was no way i was old enough to watch the movie, i was like, 10 and i barely remembered it, my grandma feel asleep on the couch and it was playing on TV lol)

anyway yes stan mariella! now that I'm an adult i do think sofia is way hotter, for obvious reasons, but the subplot of mariella's youthful aspirations in the background while the older characters are all fucking each other up is honestly refreshing and the movie would be needlessly dark without her imo.

i do believe that in a modern AU she'd be an aspiring influencer. her first big break viral happens right before some kind of global disaster that resets all the hashtags 😭

[utterlyinevitable]

7/12/21/34/41/58/63/77/89/99 oc asks for odette (sorry its a lot!)

> oc asks <

Oh thank you! Sometimes I forget Odette exists 🙈

7. What’s their “type”? What romantically attracts them to another person?

Initially I was like ‘Odette doesn’t have a type. She’s just out here lovin’ people that amaze her and make her feel good!’. But then I remembered that she was not attracted to Ethan at all. As a friend towards the end of book 1, sure. But a romantic partner? Hell, No! He’s much too much for her. She needs someone who’s going to be completely and opening honest with her -- Odette doesn’t do games, or falderal. She saves that for her art. And Ethan Ramsey was too much of an enigma for her from the get-go. 

Physically, she tends to gravitate towards the creative types (*cough* Raleigh Carrera *cough*) - not too muscular and with a soft face and kind eyes. 

She’s mostly attracted to people she can instantly get on with. Friends to lovers generally because the shift towards intimacy is a big thing for her. 

12. What’s their position in their friend group? (leader, mom friend, chaos goblin, etc)

The dad friend (in a matriarchal household)? 

She’s a leader but likes to take a step back most of the time. She lets the others with bigger personalities take control, but she’s always there to throw in advice and accolades. She loves her friends fiercely and protects her pack. 

21. What’s their ideal date like?

She doesn’t like fancy smancy things, even though she tends to overdress for absolutely everything. She’s been to enough industry things in her young adult life to last a lifetime. 

So for her, she prefers a lowkey date. Her first date with Bryce was one of her favorites. Not the one where they went to the concert in Book 1 - it was a time after that when they went Xtreme mini golfing and sat overlooking the water with some tacos and a beer and talked until the wind got too cold and they had to go home.  

34. What’s their favourite drink? (Coffee, tea, juice, hot chocolate, soda, etc)

Water or green tea. She’s all about that clean living (though she’s partial to a cheat day here and there). Honestly, this girl has the strongest willpower ever I am so envious. 

41. What would they dress up as for Halloween?

She likes to dress up as old movie characters almost exclusively and finds extreme pleasure when people don’t get it. She hates couples costumes though. 

This year she’d probably go as Judy Garland in ‘In The Good Old Summertime’. 

58. Which friend do they immediately become a zero-braincelled idiot around?

Jackie. She loves getting into trouble with Jackie. 

63. Do they wear makeup?

Yes. You will never ever ever catch Odette leaving her bedroom without a lick of makeup on. Even if she’s ill she’ll have at least concealer, bronzer and mascara on. 

77. What’s their music taste like?

So she’s very eclectic in her tastes. The only genres she cannot stand are heavy metal and screamo because they give her a headache. Jazz and crooners are on her comfort playlist. 

As for writing music, she leans towards folk and smooth pop. 

i like to pretend she wrote ‘green eyes’ by dani sylvia 

89. What would they get into a petty argument over?

Cases. She argues with Ethan and her friends about cases all the time. 

Odette is very kind and welcoming but also very prideful. She can’t say sorry for things she knows she’s at least 1% right on. sometimes i think she has a hot girl complex. 

99. What would they wear to a formal event? Describe their outfit!

Odette does not shop off the rack. Well, she tries not too. She got very spoiled early on with up and coming designers making things for her that she’s always on the look out for fresh new talent to custom make her clothing. Her work clothes are usually boutique, and style generally inspired by the cuts of the ‘50s and ‘60s. 

But formal.. well proper formal. Like, Grammys formal. She goes sexy - throws on her most charming of smiles and taps into that old persona her A&R team tried so hard to cultivate for her. Since she generally wears dark tones, this dress was a deep midnight blue with rhinestones and a high leg slit. The neckline a mix of sweetheart down to low v stopping just between her breasts. The shoulders an off shoulder sheer fabric that looked like little clouds wrapping against her upper arm. Very sexy and certainly not something she would ever wear in front of her IRL and Boston cohort. 

When she goes to hospital formal things and the occasional opera charity with Ethan, she still dones long gowns but they’re modest. She hates long-sleeves and thinks spaghetti straps are tacky so it’ll either be cap or off the shoulder. 

[myassbrokethefall]

1. Are you thinking about watching The Crown? (I don't remember ever seeing post stuff about it so I assume you haven't yet) I only started it when Helena Bonham Carter was announced as Princess Margaret, she's my fave and I knew I'd want to watch her episodes so I might as well catch up untill those . I liked it much more and I was much more engrossed in it than I thought I would.

2. I find the reactions to Gillian being cast as Thatcher very interesting. Many have focused on the fact that her boyfriend is the writer/creator of the show and that’s why she was cast in it and/or she accepted the role. Then there’s people who don’t want to see her as Thatcher because she was an awful person. That might the reason Gillian was interested on the part, maybe she wants to play a monster, but do I think worrying Thatcher might be whitewashed is a very legit concern.

I’ll probably watch the Gillian parts, eventually. I haven’t watched The Crown. It’s not really the kind of thing I’m super into, I had just made it through Downton Abbey (which I started watching with my sister and had gotten sucked into and then was strapped in for until the end) and I was a bit landed-gentry-of-the-early-20th-century’d out, and in the raw days when we had just found out G was dating Peter I WAS bummed out initially by the whole end-of-the-gillovny-ferris-wheel-ride situation and so I had a bummer association with it. (Plus I got defensive about it when it became apparent that the fandom was dividing into newly minted The Crown stans versus people who thought Peter was a nefarious wife abuser or whatever it is, and I did not want to choose either of those sides and felt like I was being asked to do that to some degree and felt resentful about it. For a while, to be honest, it became impossible for me to even identify my actual feelings about the show The Crown in a vacuum.) I wouldn’t now not watch it for that reason, but now it’s been on for a while and I don’t really wanna catch up on something that is not my thing. I’m just not that into Period Drama. I’m allergic to the Jane Austen and all that kind of stuff. I like historical stuff up to about Elizabeth I times and then it gets more boring for me. If Peter Morgan does an Anglo-Saxon thing next or a thing about the bubonic plague I will watch the hell out of it. 

I’m sure if I did watch it I’d be sucked in as well like I was with Downton. I did get sick of hearing about it, both because Gillian would not shut up about it for months when she got together with Peter, and also Netflix used to offer it to me 45 different ways every time I logged in and it got old. (Netflix has more content now. That is good.) But if none of that had happened I probably still would not have watched it because it’s just not my thing any more than Marvel shit or like, The Bachelor. People are welcome to all of those things and everyone has different tastes. 

(OK, I’m putting the rest of this under a cut because as usual I went on and on, sorry. tl;dr the rest: Gillian in “iconic” roles has gotten real old for me.)

I agree Thatcher being whitewashed is a concern, but honestly I’m sure it’ll be fine and I’m not that concerned about that part of it. I know the show is well-written and I’m sure PM or whoever isn’t going in all ready to make Margaret fricking Thatcher out to be some kind of unsung hero (I hope at least). For me the main eyerolly part of her being Margaret Thatcher is that I have become very sick of Gillian playing “iconic” roles and also “strong women” roles that are like battleaxes/mean bosses. I pretty much hit my capacity for the “icon” ones with American Gods, and like, I love Gillian! You know? Of course she’s amazing and can play anything but…it felt so silly dressing her up as all these people and making her do an impression of them. Like, why? I just don’t get what the appeal of that is. It’s sort of novel and fun when you first see it but then what is the point? The David Bowie one was neat but like…I still didn’t really get it. I feel like her range could have been so much more awesomely showcased if she’d played TYPES of people on TV (we had a whole discussion about this before one time so if I’m stealing someone’s shit I’m sorry), like a sitcom mom, a Real Housewife type, a news anchor, a soap opera lady, a yelly talk show person…the possibilities are ENDLESS and would allow for some ACTINGGGGGGG. But no, Bryan Fuller loves Gillian so much that he wants to make her dress up like Judy Garland. WHATEVER. Anyway. Tangent. (I love BF but that choice was a miss for me. There are hits and there are misses etc.)

Anyway. So when I heard Thatcher I was like UGGHHH. But maybe it won’t be like that. But all this Gillian worship in the past few years, which is awesome, still sometimes frustrates me because this particular flavor of it feels very remote. I haven’t seen The Spy Who I Forget The Title but that’s an example. She’s like, a scary remote icy boss lady that everyone thinks is hot? OK, thanks for your EXTREMELY SURFACE-LEVEL appreciation of GA based on a time that you watched one (1) episode of XF for 10 minutes at 3 am while you were doing your homework 22 years ago. (ETA: I freely admit also that this is a way of looking at/appreciating Gillian that many people do relate to and that I simply do not.) And all the press for that movie is, omg Gillian is so hot I was nervous to meet her. I thought she would be mean and scary but she was nice. Like she’s this visiting deity. It’s cute that people are so impressed by her and I love that (I have that “keep complimenting my baby” tag for a reason), but after a while it’s like, we get it, Gillian Anderson is a celebrity! The other people in the movie are just people I guess but Gillian Anderson is Gillian Anderson, omg! 

And so I also often feel like people just want to put her into these huge roles like dressing her up like a paperdoll because she’s GILLIAN ANDERSON OMG how awesome would it be to see GILLIAN ANDERSON play [whatever]. Not just for the looks, I mean, also to see what she will do with it because she’s awesome. And I’ve just had ENOUGH of this. It’s not that I want to discourage her from going for these big iconic roles; she had obviously dreamed of playing Blanche for a long time and she worked super hard and did a fantastic job. And now she obviously sees something in the AAE role that speaks to her. She should do the roles she’s interested in and of course she should get credit for being awesome and iconic. But I also kinda felt this way when people were like SHE SHOULD PLAY BOND. I think she would be a great Bond, but it would be all the stuff that is boring to me: an iconic role that everyone can’t wait to give to her, a bunch of action, iciness, steeliness, all that stuff that I feel like people are always foisting on her and that she is so much more than (and more interesting than). This BIGGER THAN LIFE thing that people want her to do because GILLIAN ANDERSON!!! IS AN ICON! 

Sex Ed (which we found out that we also have Peter to thank for! So this is not a “Peter is evil” post, thanks) was so WONDERFULLY refreshing in both these regards and I hope hope hope hope hope G gets more roles like that in the future now that everyone knows that she is A DELIGHT. And she can play a fallible weirdo, and be funny, and wear normal-person clothes and not just a pencil skirt and high heels, and just be a random person that lives in a town with all the other people, and have an emotional arc where she’s unsure of herself and a little foolish, and not just be someone that basically is the silent center of everything and everyone’s afraid of her and she just walks around being amazing and intimidating everyone. She’s good at that! It’s great and fine! But that’s not all she is! And when those are the roles she plays I want to be like, how isolating is that? Maybe she likes it? I don’t know. It’s certainly flattering but to me it feels like an extension of people fangirling over her at a con or something. She shows up, she’s interacting with everyone but she’s on this pedestal. 

So, I don’t think the Thatcher thing will be exactly like that, but it’s another role where she dresses up in period clothes with a big stiff wig and does an impression of a well-known person and (I’m guessing) will be steely and untouchable and a mean boss lady. (And if she’s not that will be another concern, the “humanizing Margaret Thatcher” angle.) And everyone will be like, what an ICONIC ROLE for GILLIAN ANDERSON! So, yeah. It’ll be fun to see how it all comes together and I’ll be curious to see how she looks and how she pulls it off and all that stuff. But it’s not a role where I personally am like omg I can’t wait to see Gillian do such a thing. When am I going to get to see her in a pair of jeans working in a gardening shop with a dog or something? I’m sure she could be ICONIC and AMAZING in that role too. 

Anyway, complain complain. It’s a great role and I’m sure it’ll be good for her career. I’m GLAD everyone loves her and that she’s doing so well! I just hope she keeps getting offered more comedy-type stuff too.

Sorry, I pretty much got off track answering your ask here. Oh, and: OF COURSE she got the role partly because Peter is her boyfriend. I mean, that’s a little eyerolly but you know, it happens. I don’t think it’s like how Tori Spelling said she auditioned for Donna in 90210 in disguise wearing an ugly blouse from JC Penney (to quote a very old SNL sketch) and claimed no one knew she was Aaron Spelling’s daughter. Like, they knew. And I don’t think The Crown auditioned Margaret Thatchers and picked Gillian blindly and then Peter Morgan was like “Whaaaaaat, that’s my girlfriend!” and they were like “WHAT?? I HAD NO IDEA” like, obviously she got it partly because she’s Peter’s girlfriend. Pretending otherwise is silly. But people cast their friends/etc all the time. And it’s not like she’s some shitty actress who doesn’t deserve the role. She certainly DESERVES it, and it’s very much along the lines of stuff that people cast her for all the time. 

Anyway. These are just my opinions based very much on my specific tastes, which Gillian is not required to cater to! She will do great in this role and I hope she gets a ton of kudos and maybe even awards attention for it. I’ll mean to watch her parts of it and then knowing me I won’t get around to it as I never have for Great Expectations, the French movie, the Michael Caine movie, Viceroy’s House, the one where she plays Wallis Simpson…etc. 

[lovemesomesurveys]

Is your window in your room open? Not anymore. There’s a fire/was a fire somewhere in my city yesterday evening, but it’s super smokey all over. I had to close my window because it was too much, which sucks because my window fan really helps to make it cool in my room at night. Do you like blue cheese? No. Have you ever smoked? Just weed. Do you own a gun? No.

Do you like the American or British way of spelling words? American. I do like the spelling of “grey” with an E instead of an A, though.

Do you get nervous before going to a doctors appointment? Always. Even the one I go to weekly. What do you think of hot dogs? Not a fan. Favorite Christmas movie? I have a lot. I love Christmas movies. What do you prefer to drink in the morning or nothing? Coffee is the first thing I drink. Do you hate celebrities with big boobs and have had plastic surgery? No, I don’t care what they do. It doesn’t affect me in any way.

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry? Yes. Favorite hobby? Reading, coloring, surveys. What’s the one thing you hate about yourself? Where do I start? Current worry? Health stuff. Do you own slippers? No. Would you ever want to be a pirate? No. Where would you like to go? Sweden. What type of songs do you sing in the shower? I have a shower playlist. If you could make everything on earth one color, what would you choose? I wouldn’t want that. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I never have slept on satin sheets. How do you bring in the new year? The past couple of years I’ve just stayed home and watched the New Year’s festivities on TV with my family. I don’t make a thing about it anymore. Favorite place to be? My bed. Would you rather live in 1980 or 2080? Hmm. At least in the 1980s I’d kinda know what to expect, ya know? 2080 is completely unknown and that’s scary. I’m also curious, though. Favorite color? Yellow, teal, mint green, and pastels. What color of shirt are you wearing? Black. What’s the last thing that made you laugh? Something on TV. What artist to do you find yourself singing a lot of? It varies. Can you whistle? Nope. Where do you wish you were right now? Somewhere cooler. When you were younger, did you ever have cartoon sheets? Yeah. I specifically remember this Lion King comforter I had. What’s in your pocket right now? No pockets. I never put anything in them anyway. Do you love where you live? Not the city. Do you care what strangers think about you? Unfortunately, but it would also seem like I don’t since I go out of the house looking like I do nowadays... I really don’t put much effort anymore. Do you use any acne medication? No. Do you know when it’s just a little crush vs. true love? I thought I experienced true love, but I’m honestly not sure anymore. But yes, I know when it’s just a little crush and what I felt was more than that, but I don’t know if I was truly in love. Have you picked out flower petals, saying, ‘He loves me, he loves me not? Yeah, when I was younger. I did it jokingly. Are you a small town girl, or from the big city? Just a small town girl living in a lonely world. Do you ever look in the mirror and are surprised by how good you look? Hahahahahahaahah thank you for that laugh, I needed it. Do you ever look in the mirror and feel revolted? All the time. I avoid looking in the mirror as much as possible. Do you have a hard time talking to people? Yes. Is anybody in your family schizophrenic? If so, what is their life like? I have a cousin who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. They say it was drug induced after he OD’d. He struggled for awhile at first after that, but he’s come a long way since then. He’s in a stable, healthy relationship and about to be a father soon. What’s something somebody can do to make you hate them instantly? It’d have to be something major for me to hate them, but they could instantly make me not like them by being super cocky and arrogant. Do you like it when you find yourself in a conflict? Uh, no? Are you emotional or very stoic? I’m emotional. How late do you go to bed during summer nights? I go to bed late all year round. I’m usually up until 4AM, sometimes later. Are you feminine, masculine, or quite androgynous? Feminine. What’s the first red object you see in the room? My clothes hamper. Who did you last have a text conversation with and what was it about? My brother briefly regarding a photo he sent me. Are there regular trains in and out of your town/city? Yeah. Do you have a mailbox or do you collect your mail from the post office? Mailbox. What was the last animal you saw, and was it a pet? My pup. Have you ever had an ear infection? No, not that I can recall. If you could watch any TV series right now, what would it be? I’m ready for Riverdale to come back. Would you have any clue when your best friend last got their hair cut? Last month before her best friend’s wedding. Someone messages you just as you’re about to go to sleep. Do you reply? No. I likely wouldn’t even check it until later. Is there anything you need to remember to do before the day ends? I have a bill to pay, but I have a reminder on my phone for that. Do your parents have any authority over who you date? No, but they’re opinion does matter to me. How many different shades of nail polish do you have? I have a few somewhere. I’m sure they all have to be thrown out now cause I got them a few years ago, and  I haven’t even painted my nails in over 2 years. What did you have for breakfast this morning? It’s only 2:25AM. I did just eat something, but I wouldn’t call that breakfast. Are you lucky enough to have an ice maker in your refrigerator door? No. Are you the type to wake up before the sun has even risen? I’m still up until it rises sometimes, and definitely before. Have you ever watched an anime series, start to finish? Yes, actually.

Do you feel the need to rant about anything right now? If so, go for it. Nah. Have you seen any films with Judy Garland in them?: Just The Wizard of Oz. How did you feel when you woke up today? Why? I haven’t gone to bed, yet. Who was the last person you messaged on Facebook? A friend. When was the last time you saw them? Last September. Do you have a friend named Nick? What’s his favourite food? Nope. What are you listening to? Catfish. Do you prefer non-diet or diet soda? Regular, but I like a Diet Coke now and then. Do you like seafood? I’ll eat a tuna sandwich, but I have to add mayo and mustard to it and I don’t like to think too much about what I’m eating haha. Are you craving anything right now? Not at this moment.

Do you dress appropriately for your age? Yeah. If McDonald’s sold hot dogs, would you buy them? No. I don’t like hot dogs. How long is your hair? It reaches my butt. Do you like your neighbors? I don’t like when their dog excessively barks late at night/early morning. What’s your school motto? I’m finished with school. Has a bird ever flown into your window? No. Which word did you say first, mama or dada? I don’t know. How old were you when you learned to walk? My accident occurred before I could. What was your first pet’s name? Scruffy. How many kids were in your class in kindergarten? Maybe like 25. Who was your best friend in elementary? I feel like it changed all the time. I had my first real best friends in 6th grade, and I’m still friends with one of them today (if I can still call her a friend since I don’t deserve to have her as one anymore). Who was the best athlete in your freshman class? *shrug* I didn’t pay attention to that stuff. Where do you see yourself in a year? I can’t think about that. One day at a time. If you were able to change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Better mental health would help a lot with the physical health and everything else. Are you content just blending in with the crowd? Yes.

[toyahinterviews]

TOYAH ON MEMORY LANE 80's WITH HAYLEY PALMER 25.7.2020

HAYLEY: Hello and welcome to the Memory Lane 80’s show on Spotlight TV. I'm Hayley Palmer. Really good to have you here with me today. Great news! We have got more 80's pop royalty with us today. Oh yes! It’s Toyah Willcox and here is what happened when I caught up with her. Toyah! It’s fantastic to have you on the show! TOYAH: Hello, Hayley is so lovely to see you! HAYLEY: Aww, you too! You look lovely and bright and colourful today TOYAH: Well, I found it really important during lockdown and even in semi out of lockdown to dress up. HAYLEY: Yes, you're right. Absolutely. TOYAH: I don't think I've even had one pyjama day. Just literally I am going to get up and I'm going to wear my favourite clothes and I'm going to act as if the world is as normal

HAYLEY: Oh, I love this! You'll be so ashamed to me. I've had a couple of pyjama days ... eating Doritos. Don't judge me (they both laugh) But anyway, I know you been really busy in lockdown, haven't you?   TOYAH: This is a very weird and I hope not a distasteful thing to say, but lockdown has being really OK for me and my husband. We’re  both writers, so I've done about five children's books, which have just kind of silly nonsense, rhymes, things which I've illustrated. I'm doing a solo album and I get about 50 requests a day from people who just need geeing up and I have no problem with geeing people up. I really love doing it, so it's been very busy and it's helped me realise that I'm not ready to go back to gigs where I have to share the dressing room with my band. There's no toilet backstage and the stage is sticky with beer. I've realised no! I'm going to go back into art centres and theatres and festivals! It's really helped me sort myself out.

HAYLEY: Brilliant! I've also been watching your YouTube channel as well. It's "Toyah At Home", isn't it? TOYAH: Yes. "Toyah At Home" every Saturday, which brings my music to the fans and then on Sunday what I started as a thing to keep my husband Robert Fripp - oh got my glasses on! I’m going take them off ... HAYLEY: No, I like it. I like it! TOYAH: Do you like it, shall I keep them on? HAYLEY: Yeah! TOYAH: This is a first! ... To keep my husband, Robert Fripp, who's a world acclaimed guitarist, King Crimson, played with Bowie on “Heroes” and “Scary Monsters” ... to keep him engaged with the outside world. We've been doing quite ridiculous dance videos which he enjoyed. HAYLEY: They’re not ridiculous, they’re brilliant! I've seen them TOYAH: Good good. So that's all on Toyah official Facebook (NB She means Youtube) and it's been very, very rewarding for all of us.

HAYLEY: Just fabulous. We're going play out your first song “I Want To Be Free”. Talk us through the lyrics. Is it right that you actually started writing this when you were 14 at school? TOYAH: Yes, I'm severely dyslexic. You don't get over dyslexia, but what dyslexics are utterly brilliant at doing is bluffing their way I think to the top jobs in the world. Trump is probably dyslexic. He's definitely dyspraxic. So you've got wonderful artists ... I think Gary Numan could possibly be dyslexic. We find a way of acting normal within the world.     So at the age of 14, I realised I should not be at school because the three R's were never going to work. I should have been at drama school or a music school, so in a maths lesson I was just writing down these words “I don't want to go to school, don't wanna be nobody's fool. I wanna be me, I wanna be free” and that's the birth of that song.

HAYLEY: Wow, I love that! I think I was the same in math as well. My parents always wanted me to get a C and I always got a D so it's not good,Toyah. We're going to play “I Want To Be Free”. Top Ten in 1981. Here we go. (Video plays) I want to talk about how it all started for you because I just look at you and I just think, wow, you're just born to be on stage - but it hasn't always been that way, has it? TOYAH: Not really. I was born in Birmingham, my family never believed I could be in show business. I'm ridiculously small. And when I was young, I had a very pronounced limp because I had one leg longer than the other, which is now being corrected. It was corrected when I was 51 and I'm now 62. HAYLEY: Wow, you look amazing by the way! I want to know your secret!

TOYAH: I've been through quite a lot, so movement and music as two related things mean a to me thus  I was born to be on stage. I was born to be a performer. I was very lucky that the head of Pebble Mill, which was where BBC was based during the Birmingham period, up from about the 1950’s into the 70’s. The head of that building said to my parents “your daughter is dyslexic. She is a star in the making. Get her out of normal school and put her in drama school” and he got me into a Birmingham drama school.  

And I never looked back and within a year I was the youngest member of the National Theatre in London. I starring in a play with Warren Clarke, Kate Nelligan and then I went on to work with Derek Jarman. I made a movie with Katharine Hepburn, directed by George Cukor, who directed “Star Is Born” with Judy Garland. And then I ended up at these really high end art places - ICA, the Royal Court Theatre.

I had a fabulous beginning in acting, but all along I was developing my music because I realised that if I was going to become a singing superstar, I had to do it young. I couldn't leave it on the back burner as a hobby. I had to go for it hell for leather.

HAYLEY: Yeah, because your voice is just incredible, it's almost operatic, isn't it?

TOYAH: I studied opera. Even though I don't think I fitted into my school, they taught ballet which is why I went there to help me with my disability, to give me balance and strength. It also taught music, which is the only O level I got. And it taught me opera. So my first singing lessons which I had - two weeks with German and Italian opera. HAYLEY: God! Toyah, you'd be so ashamed with me - I can't sing a note. Honestly, I've tried on this programme before. TOYAH: Really? HAYLEY: Yeah, maybe you could give me some lessons, Toyah! (laughs) TOYAH: I don't believe people can't sing because people can express so you may say you can't sing, but there is a form of music out there that you would fit. HAYLEY: Wow! I would take that! We’re going to go into your next song. “Thunder InThe Mountains” I really feel like this is when you are bringing in the punk energy here, don’t you, Toyah?

TOYAH: Yes! Totally bringing in the punk energy. I had started my career in 1976, the end of - into 77’, so I was very much a punk rocker right through to 1980 and the majority of my audience was serious punk rockers. So I felt I needed to bring that energy with me into the new wave into the New Romantic because my first international hit was 1981, so that's a long career before you have commercial success. So “Thunder In The Mountains” (sings the song)  I mean, it's all about pogoing. It's all about rebellion, so it's very much bringing punk into the 1980’s.

HAYLEY: Well, we love it. Is bringing back a lot of happy memories, I know, for our viewers. Here is “Thunder In The Mountains”. Number 4 in 1981 (Video plays) We've got a question from one of our viewers, Simon. He wants to know what's your favourite TV show that you've worked on because he's just been watching you on “Invasion Planet Earth” and said he really enjoyed that. He said it was very well made. TOYAH: Oh, that's so lovely. That was a crowdfunded movie and it was made for £60 000 and it just looks so good and I loved doing it. I did it as a favour to the director, Simon Cox, and I sang the outro song as well, which is excellent song. So what’s my favourite TV programme I've ever worked on? This is such a difficult question to answer because everything I do I tend to love with a passion.  

Doing “French and Saunders” at the end of the 80’s singing “Because The Night” with them on a huge wooden wheel in the background distracting me was a joy, but I would say they are slightly pipped to the post when I did Kenny Everett (below)

HAYLEY: Oh wow! Totally brilliant! TOYAH: He was just a master and you might be realising by now if you've watched my my clips on Sunday is that I love comedy. I don't think I'm a stand-up comedian but I think or like to think that I do have slightly good comic timing. So to be on Kenny Everett and to watch a master. Wow! It was fabulous!

HAYLEY: Fabulous! I want to know have you ever recovered from your challenge on “I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here” because I was watching it last night and I was like my goodness you are brave!

TOYAH: Thank you! It was a pretty mean thing to do because they put me in a cesspit, but what they also did is they used a chemical that stayed on my skin for five days and that chemical smelt of sewerage so they then put me back in the camp where no one would come near me. 

What I experienced doing “Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here” was that all the beautiful women and there were many - you had Daniella Westbrook, you had Catalina ... there was quite a few others, but they were all beautiful. They all got helped when they needed the gunge washed off them. With me ... I walked into the camp and everyone parted like that – like the great waves. It was like “we're not coming anywhere near you, you smell!”

HAYLEY: But you got five stars, didn’t you? TOYAH: Yeah, I did really well. HAYLEY: Yeah you did! Well, we loved it. TOYAH: Another thing - I went into the jungle weighing about 7 stone 10 pounds and I came out weighing seven stone. HAYLEY: Aww yeah, I don't know how you do it.   TOYAH: Well, it was a fabulous diet! HAYLEY: Straight to the Versace hotel afterwards though. That’s the reward! TOYAH: Yes! HAYLEY: Next song, “Brave New World” is just brilliant. Talk us through the memories for this.

TOYAH: This is produced by Steve Lillywhite, who was married to Kirsty MacColl and Steve Lillywhite then went on to produce U2. I'm very very proud of this song and it's off an album called The Changeling from 1982, which is about to be re-released at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. It's a very mature album for me, and this single is a very mature single and the video has won awards around the world. It was a ground breaking video. It was one of the most expensive videos to be made at the time with £32,000.         But to put that into perspective, I think three years later  Michael Jackson made “Captain EO” for the Epcot Centre for $10 million, so that shows the journey of video. This was the beginning of video, the beginning of MTV. MTV had only been launched in August of 81’, so it was ascending, but I'm really, really proud of this. HAYLEY: Yeah, I love the video to this one. From 1982 here is “Brave New World” (Video plays) Now we have got a quick fire 80’s quiz for you

TOYAH: Oh good! HAYLEY:  She's ready to go! So - favourite TV show from the 80’s? TOYAH: "Young Ones"! HAYLEY:  Ah! Good Choice! A thing you wish you could bring back from the 80’s? TOYAH: There’s 2 things. JR of “Dallas” or the rah rah skirt. HAYLEY: Oh yes! I like that! Best outfit from the 80’s? That's going to be hard for you because I'm pretty sure you've got an amazing wardrobe! TOYAH: Yes, my designer - she was called Melissa Caplan. She made everything by hand, but she made me a dress that was actually a Japanese Samurai outfit, so it was a Samurai armour, but made in cotton, which she painted. It was utterly beautiful. I still have it and I still love wearing it. 

HAYLEY: Ah, we love that! Favourite hairdo from the 80’s? Again (Toyah is furiously poining at her hair) I mean how can we decide this? TOYAH: You've just seen it – “Brave New World”. The pink and orange hair, standing up. For me … I nailed that one!

HAYLEY: You did! I just haven't got the confidence with my hair. I wish I did because it makes you  feel so different, doesn't it, when you dye your hair TOYAH: You look beautiful, you don't need to dye anything! HAYLEY: OK. And best thing a fan sent you from the 80’s? TOYAH: I've got it here. This (a ring) arrived in a book from a palace in Saudi Arabia. It  was a princess. She was a huge Toyah fan and obviously summered in the UK in London, the way the Saudi royals do for six months and she sent me a book and I opened the book and it was hollowed out and in it was a necklace and this ring and she said “I'm not allowed follow music but I absolutely love you” and that was about 1984. HAYLEY: God, it’s just beautiful! Oh how lovely! TOYAH: So I treasure that HAYLEY: Yes, I bet you do. Well, your next song “It’s A Mystery”. Yes! My favourite. This is your first appearance on Top Of The Pops. That was an instant hit, wasn't it?

TOYAH: And you know, it was hit because of a very lucky mistake. Melissa wasn't ready. Melissa Caplan, my costume designer, wasn't ready with the outfit I was going to wear and if that outfit was ready I'd have been leaping around the stage the way I normally do. So I wore instead a beautiful dress (above) by a designer, male designer called Brown, I can't remember his first name now, but he did all of Bowie's clothes for the “Heroes” album. And I just looked demure and beautiful, and there I was terrified on the set of Top Of The Pops, singing “It’s A Mystery” and just keeping still because I was in a dress and didn't know how to wear that dress as I never wore dresses. That I think was the winning factor that for the first and only time in my life I was really feminine because of that dress and it gave me a hit HAYLEY:  Well, it did give you a huge hit!  Here it is from 1981 “It’s A Mystery” (Video plays) Oh, Toyah! I could talk to you all day! It’s gone really quickly!

TOYAH: It does go really quickly, doesn't it, Hayley, when you're having fun! HAYLEY: Yeah! Let’s talk about the new projects because I know you've got a little bit of inside information for us, haven’t you? TOYAH: Yes, we're doing a Rewind tour and it's going to be a drive-in tour. So I can tell you the dates (reads the dates) Now, if those go well, we're going to carry on through September. That’s drive-in and they've managed to organise it that people can get out their cars and dance, which is quite a new concept because previously you had stay in cars, which is very unappealing. So that's Rewind. HAYLEY: This is such exciting news. I'm delighted because obviously everyone has had things cancelled, but it does look like things are coming back and things are being rescheduled.

TOYAH: Excuse the pun, but it's a brave new world and there's a lot of us out there who are just willing to perform. And also, I've got a movie coming out. “To Be Someone” which is nothing to do with “Quadrophenia”, but it does star myself, Leslie Ash, Mark Wingate, Gary Shail, who happened to have been in “Quadrophenia.” And it's a gangster comedy, so that's due out as well. Another another movie called “Give Them Wings” - which hopefully will make it out into the big world this year. At the moment it's at the Venice Film Festival. HAYLEY: Great stuff and we will definitely keep our eyes open for that. We’re going to leave you  with “Sensational” of course, because Toyah has been sensational on today's show. Toyah Willcox, thank you so much for your time and your energy. You’re an inspiration to us all! TOYAH: Yay! It’s a pleasure!

[suckitsurveys]

Is your window in your room open? Nope, we have the AC on. Do you like blue cheese? LOVE it. Have you ever smoked? Yes. Do you own a gun? Nope.

Do you like the American or British way of spelling words? American. I do like the spelling of “grey” with an E instead of an A, though. <---SAME! It just feels more “grey” to me to spell it that way, I don’t know why.  Do you get nervous before going to a doctors appointment? Yeah, a little. What do you think of hot dogs? 80% of my blood is hot dogs; I was born and raised in Chicago. Favorite Christmas movie? Meet me in St. Louis. What do you prefer to drink in the morning or nothing? Tea. Do you hate celebrities with big boobs and have had plastic surgery? No?

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry? Yes, my engagement ring. Favorite hobby? This. Being outside. Obsessing over TV shows. What’s the one thing you hate about yourself? M relationship with food. Current worry? ^ Do you own slippers? I do but I hardly wear them. Would you ever want to be a pirate? I did. Where would you like to go? BOSTON ALREADY. What type of songs do you sing in the shower? Eh. If you could make everything on earth one color, what would you choose? No thanks. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I don’t think I’ve done that but they sound like they’d be really sweaty. How do you bring in the new year? Mark and I had a bonfire even though it was FREEZING outside and we made crab legs and just hung out. Favorite place to be? With Mark. Would you rather live in 1980 or 2080? I’m okay here. Favorite color? Purple and blue. What color of shirt are you wearing? Grey. What’s the last thing that made you laugh? Something a coworker said. What artist to do you find yourself singing a lot of? A bunch of different ones? Can you whistle? Yes. Where do you wish you were right now? BOSTON. When you were younger, did you ever have cartoon sheets? Oh yes! I remember having Barney, Pocahontas, Sesame Street, Winnie the Poo, Nightmare Before Christmas, and She-Re. What’s in your pocket right now? Nothing. Do you love where you live? Yes. Do you care what strangers think about you? Nope. Do you use any acne medication? Just face stuff. Do you know when it’s just a little crush vs. true love? Yes. Have you picked out flower petals, saying, ‘He loves me, he loves me not? Yeah, jokingly. Are you a small town girl, or from the big city? Big city. Do you ever look in the mirror and are surprised by how good you look? Yup. Do you ever look in the mirror and feel revolted? Yup. Do you have a hard time talking to people? Eh. Yes and no. Is anybody in your family schizophrenic? If so, what is their life like? Not that I know of. What’s something somebody can do to make you hate them instantly? Support Trump. Do you like it when you find yourself in a conflict? No? Are you emotional or very stoic? I can be both. How late do you go to bed during summer nights? I still have to work so I go to bed around 10 or 11 every night. Are you feminine, masculine, or quite androgynous? Feminine, for the most part. What’s the first red object you see in the room? My nails. Who did you last have a text conversation with and what was it about? My coworker about lunch today. Are there regular trains in and out of your town/city? Oh yes, several different lines. Do you have a mailbox or do you collect your mail from the post office? Mailbox. What was the last animal you saw, and was it a pet? A squirrel. Have you ever had an ear infection? Oh yes, a ton when I was a kid. I’m honestly surprised they didn’t put tubes in my ears. If you could watch any TV series right now, what would it be? BoJack season 5 and Stranger Things season 3 which apparently isn’t coming back til NEXT SUMMER what the FUCK. Would you have any clue when your best friend last got their hair cut? Nope. Someone messages you just as you’re about to go to sleep. Do you reply? Depends on who it is. Is there anything you need to remember to do before the day ends? I need to go buy Mark flip flops on my way home from work for this weekend. Do your parents have any authority over who you date? Definitely not. How many different shades of nail polish do you have? So many. They are all at my dad’s though. What did you have for breakfast this morning? A banana. I’ll probably grab a piece of pumpkin bread when I go to Starbucks this morning. Are you lucky enough to have an ice maker in your refrigerator door? Nope. Are you the type to wake up before the sun has even risen? In the winter, yes, since the sun doesn’t rise til like after 7. I have no choice as I have to be up by 6. Have you ever watched an anime series, start to finish? FLCL, which was only 6 episodes, haha.

Do you feel the need to rant about anything right now? If so, go for it. Nah. Have you seen any films with Judy Garland in them?: Yes. I feel like I’ve taken this survey recently. I think it got mixed up with another one. How did you feel when you woke up today? Why? SLEEPY. Who was the last person you messaged on Facebook? Rachel. When was the last time you saw them? Last weekend. I’ll see her again this weekend. Do you have a friend named Nick? What’s his favourite food? Nope. What are you listening to? Coworkers. Do you prefer non-diet or diet soda? Regular soda, but I’ll only drink root beer. Do you like seafood? I LOVE SEAFOOD. Are you craving anything right now? Crab legssss.

Do you dress appropriately for your age? Eh, I don’t care. If McDonald’s sold hot dogs, would you buy them? Probably not, seeing as there are several places to get good hot dogs in Chicago. How long is your hair? Past my shoulders. Do you like your neighbors? I do. What’s your school motto? -- Has a bird ever flown into your window? No. Which word did you say first, mama or dada? I don’t know. How old were you when you learned to walk? A little over 1, I think. What was your first pet’s name? Featherbrain and Lucky; blue parakeets. How many kids were in your class in kindergarten? 20-25? Who was your best friend in elementary? Some girl named Maura. Who was the best athlete in your freshman class? I don’t know. Where do you see yourself in a year? Still here. If you were able to change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I’d not be so fucking fat. Are you content just blending in with the crowd? Sure.

[surveysbygracelynn]

Do you like meatball subs? I do. The meatball marinara used to be my favorite thing to get at subway. I just don’t get them because they’re high calorie. 

Are you severely sleep deprived? I think so, though last night was a pretty good night of sleep. 

What music are you listening to? nothing intently, and the radio is on commercial. 

What is your favorite smell on earth? idk what my top thing is. but i do like the smell of freshly baked cookies. 

What are you doing tomorrow morning? maybe helping recycle some bottles. 

What are you supposed to be doing right now? honestly? i dont think theres anything I should be doing. 

Have you ever killed your elbows on an inflatable obstacle course? no..

Ever gone a whole day without eating? no, though i think last year when I was working I came close to. 

Do you feel that you need to improve your spiritual life? I could always be better.

Can you curse fluently in Spanish? Nope.

If you go to school (HS or college) does your school have a rival? -

What’s your school’s mascot? -

Do the numbers 44 and 53 mean anything to you? no. 

Ever had banana pudding flavored ice cream? no. 

If you have a sib, do you call him/her “brother” or “sister” sometimes? no. 

Has the weather been odd lately where you live? For January, it is a bit warm. 

Remember “Kenan and Kel”? Yes.

Does the mere mention of that show make you crave orange soda? not really. 

Are you *this* close to falling asleep? yes, except if i laid down I wouldn’t be. 

Do you own a Wii? yeah

If not, do you want one? -

Did you ever collect stickers? yes, those 50 cent ones from the machines at the store. 

Isn’t Hello Kitty just the cutest thing ever? it’s cute but not the cutest thing ever. 

Are there any songs you could just listen to over and over and over? Yes.

Do you have a favorite basketball team (NBA or college?) no

Ever had chicken curry and basmati rice? i dont think so. 

Do you have a weird obsession with numbers? not really. 

Does your job (if you have one) involve sitting at a computer for hours? yes. 

Do you get major shoulder/upper back pain from that? Or think you would? no. 

Do you have someone who will give you a massage when you need one? Brandon except idon’t see him.

Ever seen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Nope.

Do you own any diamond jewelry? no. 

Do you have an American-made car? nope.

Have you been baptized in any religious tradition? Yes.

Do you drink alcohol at all? yeah

If not, do you like the smell?  idk. jack daniels smells better than it tastes to me. that’s about it. i guess fireball because cinnamon .

Are you in a chair, on a couch, in bed, on the floor, what? chair. 

If your best male friend got a mohawk, would he look good or ridiculous? He wanted a fauxhawk and I told him no. lol Do you love the smell of sunblock? in a sense because it smells like summer.  Internet Explorer or Firefox: which do you prefer?

firefox

What are you going to do now? chill

Have you ever fallen asleep thinking about a boy/girl? Yes.

Do you have a favorite pair of jeans? yes.  Have you ever just felt like you could cry an ocean? sure. 

Have you ever woken up to wonder why you even bother? Yes.

How long do you spend on your hair each day? nope. 

Describe what you would call the perfect weather. sunny with a high of 75.. and a cool breeze.

Do you have Twitter? yeah

Do you eat cereal? nope. 

What is your favorite meal of the day? i guess dinner. 

Do you have bangs? yes

When was the last time you got your hair done? done?? wow. idk. lol danielles sweet 16?? 

Do you like the dentist? no

Would you rather study a foreign language or history? language.

Do you wear house shoes/slippers? no. 

Is there a person in your life that you know you’ll never forget? Yes.

Do you like to draw? Nope.

What is on your bedroom walls? nothing. 

What kind of cell phone do you have? galaxy s4.

Do you own a lot of hairbrushes? no

What’s the first line of the last song you listened to? i don’t remember the last song i listened to.

Who did you first talk to this morning? uh... my mom, i think. 

How many email accounts do you have? that i actively check? one for leisure. one at work. lol 

Do you still watch movies on a VCR? No.

Have you ever known someone online, then met them in real life? nope. 

Do you believe in a God? yeah

Do you like windy days? only when its warm. 

Do you have a deep, dark secret? dont we all

What’s in your pocket? nothing.

Have you ever wanted to be on TV? sure, who hasn’t. 

Have you ever been pushed into a pool? Yeah. 

Do you have birthday parties? I suppose.

Have you ever attended a costume party? Yes.

Do you still drink Mt. Dew even though it’s bad for you? Yes

Have you ever cried over another person? yeah

Are you listening to music right now? [If yes, what song?] Q1043 is on in the background. Refugee - by tom petty and the heartbreakers. 

Do you like classical music? ehhh

Do you believe in forever? eeeeeeeeeeeeh. I think things on earth are too volatile for that. 

When did you last eat Cheetos? i don’t remember :( 

Have you ever talked on the phone more than an hour? Yes.

Do you take a lot of pictures of yourself? I guess because of snapchat. I don’t save a lot though. 

Do you know anybody who is afraid of clowns? probably.

What time did you wake up this morning? I think I actually woke up at like 6:40. 

Were you ever afraid of the dark? when I was little.

Do you have a mirror in your bedroom? Yes.

What type of computer do you have? Dell. 

Do you put pepper on mostly everything you eat? no.

Have you ever seen a zebra? yeah

When was the last time you had hiccups? idk. 

Have you ever had toe cramps? yeah

What’s your middle name? Lynn

How tall are you? 5′

What grade are you in? -

Do you like the taste of burnt popcorn? Yes.

Are you a forgiving person? not as of late. When was the last time you brushed your teeth?

last night.

Have you ever touched a snake? yeah

Do you wear make-up? Not really. 

Have you ever had a rolling back pack? Yeah. 

Are you cold at the moment? yeah actually. 

What season were you born in? spring.

Do you have a person you could tell everything to? I suppose.

What colour is the soap in your bathroom? Does it have a specific scent? green. ehh.

Do you have a favourite towel? What colour is it? i like the fluffier ones. they’re all different colors. 

Have you seen any films with Judy Garland in them? wizard of oz! lol 

How did you feel when you woke up today? Why? tired. because i’m always tired

Do you have a friend named Nick? What’s his favourite food? yes. ugh. idk lol. i think ive seen him eat too many different things. 

Have you ever been to the cinema to watch a film, and found that you disliked it? AVATAR ! 

What do you plan to do tomorrow? recycle some bottles and thats about it lol