Red Hats infecting every aspect of the culture

Only this morning, while we were sorting out old stereo equipment and throwing away cassette tapes, I was talking about the brilliance of Melissa Manchester's first two albums. They were never put on CD, but I still have the tapes of both "Bright Eyes" and "Home To Myself." In later albums, the extremely gifted Manchester left her creative lyricism at the door and went for pop fame instead, grinding out such cringe-worthy singles as "Don't Cry Out Loud" and "You Should Hear How She Talks About You."

I never forgave her for that, but now I find she has committed an even greater art crime: She has written songs for Hats! the musical. Yes, the dreaded Red Hat Society now has its own musical comedy. Apparently, politics wasn't enough--now these women have to become involved in theatre. And the once-great Melissa Manchester now finds herself in the company of other revered songwriters like...Kathie Lee Gifford. Even Gretchen Cryer has signed on for this project; somebody help me.

Women over 50 who want to feel good about themselves would do well to read some Gloria Steinem essays, get down with Eve Ensler, lobby their Congresspeople on behalf of women's health and economic issues, and go out and kick some patriarchal ass.