The Christine Jorgensen Show / Instagram
A stage star is reborn
Christine Jorgensen is coming to life. Again. Fourth time. Once inside her mom. Once as a man. Once as a woman. Now as a B’way musical.
She — of America’s first gender reassignment surgery to be known publicly — will come out at a venue called Here, 145 Sixth Ave. Shows start tonight.
You’re told: The book’s “heartwarming.” Set in NYC 1953.
Ronald Reagan — before he became president of the USA — was then president of the film industry in California, while my late husband Joey Adams was president in New York of the sister union AGVA, American Guild of Variety Artists.
We thus knew everyone who sang, danced, did magic or whatevered. Reagan was our friend.
Creators tell you the Jorgensen story is “courageous, so listen to your heart, your dreams and embrace your authentic self.”
It’s the relationship between Jorgensen and songwriter pianist Myles Bell. Set in NYC and Pittsburgh 1953, it follows their real personal relationship.
I actually knew Christine. Had dinners with her. Spent time with her. Went out with her.
I reprise some of what honorably discharged Army clerk Jorgensen — surgery, hormones and headlines later — said to me as Christie Jorgensen:
“I always felt I was female — but wrapped like a man.”
She’d come out for dinner dressed in furs, big-time makeup. She told me: “I always felt nervous, strange, stepping out in women’s clothes.
“I used to be quiet, so I was self-conscious.”
Joey supplied jokes for her appearances, like: “Would you call Christine Jorgensen — the original ‘Odd Couple’?”
And: “Winston cigarettes and Christine Jorgensen have the same claim to fame — ‘It’s up front that counts.’”
Another: “Of course, she’s a woman. She must be a woman. What man would talk so long about an operation?”
Enjoy the show.
Slayer hypeman
If you’re into oddities: Murderabilia collector William Harder told me: “Every high-profile serial killer has items for sale.”]
He actually has over 20,000 letters he personally owns that are from serial killers.
Like if you’re looking for something to buy for the holidays there’s some “notorious serial killer whom Charlize Theron played in ‘Monster.’ I have her ashes for sale for $15,000.”
Killer instincts
While we’re knocking off interesting things, Brande Nicole Roderick, born in Novato, Calif., in ’74, Playmate of the Year in 2001, played Leigh Dyer on “Baywatch” in 2000-01 and now just directed the horror movie “Wineville.”
The plot, she says: “Garden shears does a stomach gouging kill, there’s a bit of death.” Nice for Thanksgiving.
Brande: “I’m also into philanthropy and money-raising for charity.”
Enough already with our kids demonstrating hate in colleges. So there’s this conversation on campus:
Student asks: “Professor, tell me how you’ve taught 10 years at Yale and seven at Columbia, I’d like to know what was always your biggest problem?” Professor: “Spitballs.”
Not only in New York, kids, not only in New York.