They say Janet started it. Then Courtney Love got wild on David Letterman, sending the FCC, media watchers, and apparently the American public into a panic. Who knew that a female nipple could create such a stir? Interestingly enough, when actor Tim Robbins made a recent appearance on The View and revealed his nipple with a Janet-like nipple ring attached, not only was it not pixilated, it was shown in an extreme close-up. Oh, the gales of laughter! And though Robbins was quick to remove the body art (the thing pinched like the devil), he proved his point. All this brouhaha about moral values and decency and the female nipple is not about any of that at all. It’s more about images of the female body and, more importantly, who gets to decide what are appropriate representations of that image. There’s a whole master’s thesis in there somewhere, but what I’m most interested in at the moment is not that very long discussion, but the transgressive appearance of what I must say is the most refreshing, fun, and delightfully self-assured woman on television: Brini Maxwell.
With Martha Stewart looking at jail time, entertainment journalists have been falling all over themselves guessing who the heir apparent will be. Suggestions range from B. Smith to Rachael Ray to Nigella Lawson, but no one has dared mention Maxwell. Maybe because her show, The Brini Maxwell Show, was launched to guarded fanfare by the Style network. Maybe it’s because her show started as a Manhattan cable access show and is therefore too cultish to pull viewers from Middle America. It could be that Maxwell’s passion for the kitsch and retro chic from 1958 to 1974 is too narrow a focus. Or maybe it’s because the divine Brini (rhymes with “teeny”) is also known as Ben Sander. But I won’t hold that against her. A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.
Now, Brini’s appeal is a little difficult to describe. Let’s start with the obvious. There is always something riveting about someone whose passion and persona is so deeply defined with an era, even if it’s one that old-school feminists would call the dark ages. Betty Friedan called the suburbia that erupted in the 1950s a comfortable concentration camp for women. Brini ever so obliquely takes the concentration out of the camp and offers the camp in a quivery, sparkling gelatin mold that is fun and easily digestible. Whether it’s sharing a recipe for Swedish meatballs or making temporary quarters homey, Brini – always stylishly coifed and outfitted in to-die-for vintage wear – delivers each detail with panache, a twist of whimsy, and a wink.
Brini doesn’t exude the warm sensuality of Lawson, B. Smith’s sassy elegance, or Stewart’s practicality. The sense of play and pleasure she takes in the little things – something Martha never really pulled off with her “It’s a good thing” motto – makes Brini’s pitter-patter surprisingly engaging, even when she veers to the edge. Taking the time to personalize a New York public restroom is amusing (if not life-threatening), and who really needs a set of decoupage boxes? With Brini, it’s not her can-do attitude that sucks you in, it’s her how can you do it with your own sense of style and conviction. Find what enchants you and work it. If life and all of its little drudgeries are not fun, what’s the point? And if a smart pair of kitten pumps make getting through it all easier, why not?
New episodes of The Brini Maxwell Show air on the Style network on Fridays at 9pm. Check local listings for encores.
Austin on TV
Austin is quickly becoming a go-to for TV producers looking for talent and opportunities to flaunt the city’s virtues. Last week, the Food Network was in town filming a segment featuring Güero’s cuisine and celebrating the live music capital at the same time. Austin’s own Cerronato was the featured band on April’s first Thursday, with hopes that a fair share of their tunes and likeness will serve as a backdrop to the Güero’s feature to be aired on the Food Network at a future date.
Vickie Howell, the thrust behind Austin’s Stitch ‘n’ Bitch group, Ruby Goes Retro, and the Austin Craft Mafia, just finished filming 13 episodes of a new knitting show for DIY, Knitty Gritty. I’ll be sitting down with the very busy craft maven next week to find out what we can expect when the show premieres July 2.
The last woman standing on NBC’s The Apprentice is none other than Austinite Amy Henry. Though the show’s publicity folks are characteristically tight-lipped on just how far our Ms. Henry gets, I’m politely begging them to let me have first crack at her should she get down to the final three, and especially if she gets the grand prize – a job with the Donald. Speaking of Austinites, last I heard, Sheila Marshall was still in the running on USA’s Nashville Star. Everything comes to a head in the next couple of weeks.
Though this was not confirmed at press time, it seems that some reps from at least two of the broadcast networks were in town schmoozing it up with writers and their agents last weekend, hearing pitches for new projects. ‘Tis the season.
As always, stay tuned.
This article appears in April 9 • 2004.