Saturday 9: Believe
1) In 1998, Cher became the oldest woman to top the Billboard Hot 100 with "Believe." She was 52 at the time. At what age do you think you did hit/will hit your prime?
I don't think there is any such thing as "your prime". I'm not as physically attractive as judged by conventional society as I was at 20 or 30 but I have far more life experience and wisdom which makes me, hopefully, a better person. I know I'm far more comfortable in my own skin than I was 20 years ago. On the other hand, I have started to note physical decline (bifocals, arthritis, weight gain, menopause). Physically, the trend is downhill, but hopefully that will be manageable for some time.
2) Cher is as well known for her outrageous outfits as for her singing. What's the latest piece of clothing you added to your wardrobe?
I bought a beautiful scarf today, filled with oranges and golds. Not me at all, but it is lovely and I decided it will go well with black.
3) Cher credits her unique looks to her diverse ethnicity. Her father was Armenian and her mom is English/German/Cherokee. From where did your ancestors come?
My mom's family is from Austria and her grandparents on both side (I think) were immigrants. I don't know much about my Dad's paternal grandparents but the name is German and the family settled near Appleton WI. My Dad's mom was an immigrant from Russia, but the family was German, not Russian. You can Google "Volga German" or "German-Russian" to learn more about this ethnic group but basically they were Germans who settled in Russia about the time of the American revolution. They lived in German villages, spoke German and were Catholic, not Orthodox. Lawrence Welk was a German-Russian.
4) When she was a little girl, Cher produced and starred in a schoolyard production of Oklahoma. Were you involved in drama or theater in school?
I was in the Junior and Senior class plays. They were nothing to write home about and were chosen so as not to offend anyone and to have as large a cast as possible. Still, it was fun.
5) Cher is open about her plastic surgery, speaking freely about having had her breasts 'done', her nose bobbed and her teeth straightened. If you could change one physical feature about yourself, which would it be? And what would you never change, under any circumstances?
I change my hair color from gray to some shade of light brown or dark blonde on a regular basis. I would never to cosmetic surgery unless I had a very disfiguring injury.
6) There's a stubborn rumor, often denied, that Cher had a rib removed so that she could maintain her long and lean silhouette. What's the most outrageous thing anyone has said of you?
No clue.
7) When she was a kid, Cher practiced her autograph. Do you have a clear, legible signature? Or is it more of a scrawl?
Definitely a scrawl.
8) Cher asks, "Do you believe in life after love?" Crazy Sam's question is easier and less profound: Do you believe in luck?
Yes, but I think we make most of our luck.
9) Did you make any resolutions for 2014?
Yes. Lose weight. Pray more. Exercise regularly.
(while this isn't published as faith-based fiction, I found Catholicism to be important in the book)
(Amazon Link)
