Ayn Rand heart Farrah Fawcett

Jennifer Burns is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Virginia.

Ayn Rand heart Farrah Fawcett

Wednesday, 01 July 2009 16:00

One of the little known factoids about Ayn Rand is that she harbored a deep love of good-old fashioned American kitsch, as this article about her and Farrah Fawcett makes clear. I knew Rand loved Fawcett – she made no secret of the fact “Charlie’s Angels” was her favorite TV show – but it is fascinating to hear Fawcett’s take on Rand. As she did for many people, Rand seems to have inspired Farrah to believe in herself, despite the critics and haters. Rand’s affection for Fawcett was part of her longstanding appreciation for pop culture, which dated from her teen fascination with American movies while she was trapped in Soviet Russia. And Rand had a special place in her heart for the sex kitten. In fact, one of my favorite pieces of writing by Rand is her 1962 obituary of Marilyn Monroe, where she celebrates the singer’s “glowing innocent sexuality uncorrupted by guilt.” Were she around today, Rand might write the same sentiments about Farrah Fawcett. May both rest in peace.

Comments (2)

|2009-11-08 10:30:08 MartianBachelor - That's all really bizarre

So Rand thought the two must have something in common because they shared a birthday? That seems a lot closer to astrology than objectivism.

One of my grandmothers was also born on 2/2, but I see absolutely nothing in common with either A.R. or F.F.

It was funny to hear F.F. say "I remember liking the movie [Fountainhead] because it was unique in that the characters seemed to be the embodiments of ideas as opposed to real flesh and blood people with interests and lives." That's precisely why I never liked Rand's work -- why write fiction with mouthpiece characters when the real objective is polemics?

And M.M. was rather narcissistic, which is perhaps why she came across as being "uncorrupted by guilt".

All this just strengthens my view of A.R. as a dilettante, who seems to appeal strongly mostly to others who are dilettantes IME.

Anyway, loved you (J.B.) on C-SPAN.

|2010-03-08 16:16:15 Sam - Re MartianBachelor

Well firstly Rand didn't like Fawcett BECAUSE they shared a birthday, in fact I remember from another article that it was a fact she learned about Fawcett after first making contact in order to express her admiration for the TV show.

As for M.M: As an Objectivist I really don't care too much about whether Rand liked one actress or another. I don't subscribe to her romanticizing cigaretter smoking either. These are mainly subjective preferences. Objectivism to me simply means agreeing with the fundamental philosophical principles, such as that morality is a province of reason, and that moral principles are essential and cannot be compromised, but only can be surrendered. Also that being moral is not a self-sacrifice, but rather a self-service! :)

Cheers