One Giant Shag for Womankind.

SEE.


All the fuss about Sarah Palin's hair these days got me thinking about coiffure feminism. You know- the fight for equality in hairstyling. (Her style choice could apparently determine the election.) In view of the historical hair choice facing our nation this November (and despite the Warren Beatty hair debacle in "The Parallax View"), I decided to explore Jane Fonda's take on coiffure feminism in the Alan J.Pakula thriller "Klute."

Ah, I love hooker hair films...I mean complex, socially insightful films which feature prostitutes trying to improve their lots in life while being stalked by psycho businessmen and rescued by naive out-of-state cops and somehow maintaining too-cute hairstyles. As Bree Daniels, Jane works that 'do and works her "johns." A "hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold" she ain't. Cunning, savvy and confused. Do you know a lot of prostitutes who see shrinks? Okay, maybe you do. At least Bree is trying to break out of the life and become a model/actress. An important stride for coiffure feminism! I take it back. She's gonna need that shrink. Alan J. Pakula really helped me decide something here. If this election is to be decided by a hairstyle, my vote is that Sarah Palin adopt the shag a la Klute. There's more than one John who might benefit from it.


EAT.


This one was tough. While Warren's shag in "The Parallax View" made him seem more feminine and made me want to eat less. Jane's shag has the opposite effect. Not that she seems more like a man but she's just plain confident and that makes me hungry. In honor of walking the streets of New York, and the fact that a busy working girl like Fonda's Bree Daniels hardly has time for a sit down meal, I say, check out the street vendors of New York. After all, both professions hawk their wares on the street. Go to www.nymag.com/restaurants/features/33526. Or look up your own local street action.

SHOP.

Lately, films and television shows have featured a number of social misfits with therapists trying to work through their social, well, misanthropy. Jane Fonda's conflicted prostitute may well have been one of the pioneers. Need to work through some issues (maybe your job as an assassin is cutting into family life) but short on time? Don't fret. Check out http://www.onlinetherapy.org/. Get right with life from the comfort of whatever dark alley you work in. Okay, it's not really shopping but it's important nonetheless. Mental health is in short supply these days. Just ask Sarah Palin's hairstylist.