Vintage Vignettes & #TDWC — Dolls

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Brenda Cox photo
Photo credit Brenda Cox

Welcome, all.  My Vintage Vignette today includes a photo by Brenda Cox as the launching pad for my thought process.  I was intrigued by the door’s pharmacy symbol. A few storylines went through my head. However, none of them were happy, and they were probably controversial too. Since I don’t blog about politics or religion, I didn’t follow the ideas.

This post relies heavily on videos. I apologize in advance if you can’t view any of them.

Video above is Dionne Warwick singing Theme from Valley of the Dolls, with clips from the 1967 film

However, “pharmacy” took my mind to drugs. Add vintage, then add songs, and I ended up at Valley of the Dolls.  If you didn’t know, “dolls” was slang for downers or mood-altering drugs — another pharmacy connection.

(The film was based on the first novel by American writer Jacqueline Susann.)  When that film finally made it to my small-town television station, I was too young to grasp much of what was going on — not to mention whatever got censored. Child-me only knew that it was puzzlingly bleak.  However, Dionne Warwick’s rendition of the haunting theme song is still with me.

Of course, I also got a kick out of the Carol Burnette Show’s send-up of the movie in the video below. It wasn’t nearly as bleak.

Valley of the Dolls (parody)-Carol Burnett Show

Yeah… you sort of have to have been there for the parody above to be really funny.  Although it’s actually a good summary of the story.

Okay, I’ve got to have something funny here.  I was trying hard to keep “downers” (pardon the pun) out of this post.  The Carol Burnette Show did touch on other pharmacy related things in a much more amusing way.  Just see Harvey Corman and Tim Conway below.

Of course, an updated version of the story would need to address the meth problem.  It would also need to have vapes, not just pills.  Saturday Night Live took care of both of those things (below).

A housekeeping note:  Several people have started assuming that all of my image collages and illustrations are created by artificial intelligence (AI), even though I add precise captions to each one, regarding the type of image.  I realize that the assumption will eventually extend to my writing and any other creations I post.  With that in mind, even though I’ve had a lot of fun using computer generated (CGI) illustrations, going forward I will not use them.  Like the serials on which I built my blog, I love it, but coping with things is not possible for me.  I also realize that many people are only here for the images (and I’m fine with that because I work hard on them), so to you, I’m sorry.

I hope these videos leave you laughing.  Friendly comments are welcome.  Wishing you a laughter-filled weekend.  Hugs!

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This post is part of Dan Antion 4th Annual Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC). Click the blue link for more information about the challenge and how to showcase your stories.)  Fortunately for me, Dan’s rules for the writing challenge are wonderfully flexible and include any sort of creativity. 

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Naturally, the obligatory shameless self-promotion must be included.

Brother Love – a Crossroad

Strange things abound in 1950s Parliament, Mississippi.  Jinx the magpie can fill you in on the details.

Jinx on rotary phone next to "Brother Love - a Crossroad" on my Kindle.
Jinx on rotary phone next to “Brother Love – a Crossroad” on my Kindle — not an AI.

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

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Copyright © 2024 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

53 thoughts on “Vintage Vignettes & #TDWC — Dolls”

  1. I remember watching The Carol Burnette Show when I was a young girl, Teagan. Some of my favorite skits were with Corman and Conway. They never failed to make me laugh. Thanks for the videos!

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  3. Great videos here, Teagan. Brought back a lot of memories from both that book/movie and the Carol Burnett Show. The whole AI situation is very fluid and evolving, and I do think some of the modest guardrails that are being assembled probably haven’t been thought through very well. I don’t know where all of this is headed from a creative standpoint, but your stories are going to be great reads with or without illustration. That much I am sure of.🙂

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    1. Hi, Bruce. Thank you. I really appreciate your kind words. Right now I’m deleting the illustrations from the book I mentioned in the reply to Kerfe (so I’ll be ready [again] to publish it very soon). So your encouragement is most timely. I’m not going to do a “book launch”, just an announcement here at my blog. Have a wonderful new week. Hugs.

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  7. Oh my gosh, Teagan. You made my morning with these clips. How wonderful to start my day with laughs. I used to watch the Carol Burnett show as a kid, and her sense of humor was a delight. Thanks for the fun.

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  9. Dionne Warwick is the best. Ditto Carol Burnett. I never saw the movie, or read the book, but I think I ingested the essence through media representations. Thanks for the smiles!

    That is an intriguing door. I wait to see what the week’s prompts are to choose my door, but they are all worthy of a story or poem. I like your take on it, expanding the way to use a door in the post.

    Your stories need no illustrations to be compelling. I don’t know why anyone would ever assume they were AI generated. So I hope you will keep writing and posting them. As an artist and designer, I’m not a big fan of AI art, but I understand its usefulness. As you said, you labeled everything, and what you created with AI had your personal touch and always illuminated your words. It is not generic at all. You were not just throwing words at a computer, you shaped them into your own vision. And your image collages are the same as my collages, just digital. It’s fun to manipulate images on a computer and you do it well. (K)

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, Kerfe. To me, AI art is what it is. It doesn’t look like paintings created by a human. When I like it, I enjoy it for what it is, just as I do with anything else. I value AI art for what it is too — and I don’t place anywhere near the value on it as I do art created by people. I feel kind of the way I did when I saw a video of an elephant painting. It would be so cool to have that elephant’s painting, but I like it for what it is.
      The biggest let-down in it was Amazon adding their excessive AI image policy — because for the past 8 months (and 150 images) I had been creating CGI images to illustrate a duology. I altered each of them, and some were collages, but that still doesn’t comply with their new requirement. Eight months and 150 images wasted. Just because they’re CGIs, it doesn’t mean it was easy to get a good one. Oh well. At least I have unexpected large home repairs to take my mind off it. Hugs.

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  10. Isn’t it interesting how many things doors open to? I don’t remember “Valley of the Dolls,” except for the title, and I didn’t know that “dolls” meant drugs. My continuing education! Carol Burnett, on the other hand, I do remember. Saturday nights used to be for laughing. Nice to be reminded!

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    1. I’m glad I could give you a smile, Maureen.
      That movie/book is the only time I’ve heard pills called “dolls.” I don’t know if it was regional slang (Westcoast, or just Hollywood), or if it was fictional slang for the story. Thanks for reading and commenting. Hugs.

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  11. This is one fun post, Teagan, thank you! It’s wonderful how many of the “Doors” have inspired you.

    Yes, AI is seeping deeper and deeper into our world and lives.

    You have a point. There very well could be a day when everything is thought to be AI. This is daunting to artists of all ilks. “Why bother” could very well replace creative desire.

    In the meantime I continue to enjoy your posts, your corner of the world, and celebrate …. you….. a creative human being.

    Big Balls of Hugs! & some for the Scoobies, too!

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    1. You are so kind, Resa — thank you. I can certainly relate to the “Why bother.” I have that thought a lot. Ultimately, I think creatives simply have to create. The type of our creation sometimes has to change to keep us going, but… What’s the phrase? Art for art’s sake? Something like that.
      LOL, big balls of hugs right back to you, from the Scoobies and me.

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  12. I remember watching Valley of the Dolls and reading the book. Very depressing, but I was into depressing. It was such fun to watch those two Carol Burnett show skits again. I never missed an episode.

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  13. To be honest, I adore the way you create these images via AI. I wish I could have those skills, maybe someday I will. However, I also come for the content you write. I think as content creators we should focus on what we want to create without bothering about what others say because content is very subjective. Initially, when I used to write for clients, I would get depressed when any client would disapprove of my content or ask refund. Today, I’m not bothered…at all. Many come to me saying that it is AI-powered and whatnot, but I know it is not. Heck, I do not have any AI program on my laptop. In the past year, I lost 90 percent of my clients, and let’s say I’m practically unemployed right now, but it’s just life. I have seen worse in my life as a teenager. I think you should not worried about what people assume of your content. I’ll end this with a immensely popular song – Kuch toh log kahenge, logo ka kaam hain kehna. Chhodo bekar ki baaton mein kahi beet na jaaye raina.

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    1. I’m sending good vibes that things will look up for you soon, my friend. There were several times when I was completely unemployed, (and one time was very long) so I understand. It’s stressful to say the least.
      “People will say something, it is the job of people to say. Raina, don’t waste your time in useless talks.”? (According to Google anyhow.) Thanks for your encouragement, Sharukh. My greater concern is becoming “known for” the images, and then as a result somebody (whether unintentional or spiteful) saying something in a review that gets me banned from Amazon. Their new content rules are excessive concerning AI images. They’re trying to prevent some kind of lawsuits down the road, but that doesn’t help. At Amazon and Facebook (and they lead the way for every other platform) you’re guilty until proven innocent and they don’t have to let you prove your innocence either. So it’s a legitimate concern. The heartbreaking part is the eight months I just spent illustrating (150 images) for The Delta Pearl… Anyhow, thanks for joining the conversation. Hugs.

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      1. Yeah, the translation was partly right. kuch toh log kahenge, logon ka kaam hain kehna. Chhodo bekar ki baaton mein kahi beet na jaye raina. This means – People will say something or the other, it’s their job to say. Ignore it, or the night will pass in these pointless talks. I completely understand your issue, Teagan. I’ll pray for your success, good health and joy. 🙂 hugs.

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  14. Great post, Teagan, and your images are always so good and creative! I have never seen Valley of the Dolls, but I remember watching Carol Burnett. What a classic show, along with Dionne Warwick! Thanks for the laughter and music! Enjoy your weekend! 💜

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  16. I vaguely remember Valley of the Dolls, Teagan. I didn’t read the book and saw only a few episodes of the series – but I recall it was wildly popular. Anything by Dionne Warwick is just fine with me! I have a friend who would love that picture of the door!

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    1. I didn’t remember about a TV series, but you aren’t the only one to mention it. Although, my local station might not have bought it. I love Dionne Warwick too. I think my favorite of hers is Say A Little Prayer — her voice bounces to those difficult notes perfectly. Brenda’s door is great, and made me curious about the inside and the rest of the street. Big hugs.

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  17. I didn’t know the slang meaning of ‘Dolls’ and I didn’t see the movie, Teagan. If I recall, there was a TV series as well. I think my mother watched that. Dionne Warwick had a lovely voice. I actually have a few of her songs in my library. However, Harvey Korman’s and Tim Conway’s skits were classic television. I love Tim Conway, and you had to feel bad for Harvey as he tried to remain serious. Thanks for bringing us back through time.

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    1. Hi, Dan. The connection with this story is the only time I’ve heard “dolls” used that way. Maybe it was Westcoast slang. But we were little kids then, so who knows. I love Dionne Warwick’s voice. I think my favorite of hers is Say A Little Prayer. It’s a difficult song, but her voice bounces to those notes effortlessly. I agree about the skits. I think the funniest ones were when it was so obvious that Tim was cracking up everybody. There was one that had something to do with an elephant I think… (Now I have to find it. Squirrel! And there I go.) Ah. Here it is. Hugs.

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  18. Great videos, Teagan. Like Robbie, I don’t think I’ve ever watched the movie but read the novel of the Valley of the Dolls, and yes, it was depressing.

    As for the images, I enjoy them and I know you’ve always dedicated a lot of time to them and managed incredible thing well before AI became widely available, but you should do whatever you feel comfortable with. (People will think whatever they think, but I believe most of your followers and readers know you are a woman of high standards and incredible talent and imagination). Big hugs and love to Velma and Daphne.

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  19. As always I loved your post: the descriptions, the images, the videos💗💗💗
    I’m really sorry that someone thinks that your work is created by artificial intelligence (AI), because I can well imagine the seriousness and commitment of your research

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  21. Hi Teagan, I have not seen Valley of the Dolls but I did read the book when I was a teenager. Heavy going. I don’t think readers assume your pictures are AI generated. I thought you created them using various images which is what I do, although not nearly as well. Don’t stop creating them. At the end of the day, people can think what they want but they will never create what you do, of that I am completely sure.

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    1. Hi, Robbie. Thanks for your kind words. My concern is more along the lines of reputation combined with Amazon’s over-the-top aggressive new rules for CGI image content. I get that they’re trying to avoid lawsuits in the future (similar to the causes of the crazy warning labels on products). But one well-meaning comment about images in a review could end up as a disaster for me. (That said, I just wasted 8 months of creating 150 images to illustrate The Delta Pearl… Oh well.) I’m looking forward to seeing photos from your upcoming trip. Big hugs.

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      1. HI Teagan, I understand. When I uploaded Square Peg onto Amazon, there was a question about the images and AI. I don’t use AI either and nearly all the images are my own, but … I saw your email earlier and will try to download the books later tonight. Thank you so much. Huge hugs.

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  22. Great post. So many memories. I saw Valley of the Dolls years ago. She looked great from someone who washes up on the beach. Amazing how Hollywood does that. I loved the Coral Burnett show. I’m not sure that Harvey Korman ever got through a skit with Tim Conway without cracking up.

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