NEWS: The Real Bettie Page Returns

CULTURE: The Real Bettie Page Returns

The LA Times profiles the real Bettie Page in "A Golden Age for a Pinup." Now 82, Page declined to be photographed for the article, saying, “I want to be remembered as I was when I was young," but she discusses her life at length. She was born Bettie Mae Page in Jackson, Tennessee, and her father, she says, molested all three of his daughters. After holding a series of jobs that went nowhere, Page met amateur photographer and New York police officer Jerry Tibbs, who got her started modeling for "shutterbug clubs" and suggested her now iconic bangs. As a pinup girl, she became a sensation, although, she says, she regrets the kitten with a whip, bondage-style photos. Eventually, Page became a born-again Christian but ended up spending a decade in a mental institution after attacking her landlady with a knife. To this day, Page remains mystified as to why her sexy image has endured.

whoa attacked her landlady with a knife...

she probably deserved it (the landlady)... you don't fuck with Page.

She needs to tell that to this guy...

Oh my God!!!

I MUST SEE HER!!!

That's a beautiful article. What a life, what a woman.

She has got to be the most adorable little old lady ever im sure.

and generations of women.

[Edited on Mar 11, 2006 by BetweentheSounds]

Aw, man. Seriously, I've lusted after hundreds of girls that had the "Bettie Page" look to them. She's a goddess who's made a very profound impact on the culture and styles of several generations, both past and future. But why does she have to be a jesus freak? (My standard operating procedure for meeting new people includes shaving 50 points off of my estimation of their IQ the second I hear "Have a blessed day" or "Have you found Jesus?"). I've spent most of my adult life trying to forget all that catholic horseshit my mom tried to inundate me and my brother with...

I'm pretty much an agnostic. And I dislike when people try to force their faith on others.

That being said, I would shave 50 points off my estimation of the IQ of anyone who would lower their estimation of someone's IQ based solely on their religion.

Many, many intelligent people have strong religious beliefs.

It's good to see she is a bit more stable in her later years. When she first resurfaced she was loony as all hell. She was completely obsorbed in her born again crusade and swore that every photograph taken of her was done during a drunken weekend or something silly like that.

Looks like she is finally comming to terms with who she was and who she is which is actually really impressive considering the crazy world she inhabited a little over a decade ago.

I totally respect her 'not wanting to be photographed as an old woman' stance. There is something to be said for wanting to be remembered at your best.

I kind of disagree there... people can be beautiful and chronologically gifted.

I mean, okay, please, no negligee, but still.

Some people can, but some don't look their best and I respect accepting that.

[Edited on Mar 11, 2006 by LuLuKiTTyFoo]

That they keep to themselves...


[Edited on Mar 11, 2006 2:23PM]

Fuck Alberto Gonzales...

Most intelligent people keep their religious intolerance to themselves as well.

I thought she was dead :o so this article was a surprise

this story is nicely bittersweet. im glad shes still around, and cognizant, but, wow. a decade in an institution? that was always her real name? molested?

props to ms page, for having the power of personality to shine through above all the anonymous pin up girls.

dare i say it, but she is SG-core.

..Its a funny thing about ICONS they usually have no clue as to why people emulate them. If Sid vicious were alive today he would probably spit on anyone copying his style of hair and the much copied pad lock necklace ............

sid vicious haha that crazy bastard, that guy was truely only out to please himself. But I guess there's nothing wrong with that if your an anarchist. Crazy guy, but I did love a lot of his music.

As for bettie, a true cultural story of this age. Everyone with a head set right on them will recognize and respect her for what she is and what she did.

Religious conversations are funny... But I am agnostic too and I also learn to just accept people for who they are not on their religious zealousy.

ANY WAY LONG LIVE THE PAGE

I wish she'd do like Amina and copyright the haircut so that I don't have to see another five gals with the same fucking unoriginal look at every other show I attend.

Nice article!

[Edited on Mar 11, 2006 by seanvegas]

Its nice to finally hear something from her. Last I heard she was living about 5 miles away from me in Hawthorne/Lawndale.Everytime i saw an elderly woman on a walk in that area, i always wonder "could it be her?"

It's always good to hear that Bettie Page is alive and kicking. I thought she was dead for the longest time, until I saw on TV a while ago that she had resurfaced. What made it funnier was that my friend Freak had been trying to contact her through a Ouija Board for like a year.