Myra-Breckinridge-Gore-Vidal

instance, since the death of Marilyn Monroe, no blondevoluptuous goddess has yet appeared to take her placeand so, if I were creating stars, I would look for a girl whomost filled that particular bill, who could be the lost GoldenGirl. In fact, as in any other business, we must begin withmarket research. This means carefully analyzing Olympusto find out which archetypal roles are temporarily vacantand who are the contenders. At the moment the suave maleseducer is in great supply while the befuddled normal mannext door, filled with ludicrous fantasies, is a drug on themarket, what with at least one and a half Jack Lemmonpictures each year. But the blonde goddess, the darkgoddess, the singing girl and the inarticulate hero are eachcurrently in need of someone to make of the divine spiritliving flesh as well as eternal celluloid. At this very moment,perhaps in this very room, there are unknown boys and girlsdestined to be--for the length of a career like gods, if onlywe can find and reveal them. That is why you and I, Letitia--Imay call you that?--are similar to those Tibetan priests whoupon the death of the Dalai Lama must seek out hisreincarnation. And so, like priestesses, despite all personalhardship, we must constantly test and analyze the youngmen and women of America in order to find the glitteringfew who are immortal, who are the old, the permanent godsof our race reborn." There was a long silence when Ifinished. Buck toyed with his icebox cake while Letitia VanAllen simply stared at me. Then she said, "That is thedamnedest, truest thing I've ever heard said about thislousy racket. Come on, let's have a drink. Buck, give us a