Thank You For Being a Friend

Bea Arthur died this weekend. The Golden Girl was 86.

I loved Bea Arthur. I thought she kicked ass. She was smart and clever and embodied the fearless, feisty old bag that I aspire to one day become.

I really do think "The Golden Girls" was ahead of its time; a senior citizens' "Sex and the City," if you will. And those of you who know me are already well-aware of my SATC obsession.

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Arthur made waves before GG, however, as "Maude" on "All in the Family." Her progressive character kept Archie Bunker in line and bridged taboos like abortion on the sitcom.

If you question my using the term "progressive," remember: This was in the 1970s -- and abortion is still a huge faux pas for prime time family viewing. (Can you imagine the uproar amongst "Everybody Loves Raymond" viewers if "Amy" [Ray's sister-in-law, his brother Robert's wife] had an abortion during the peak of the now-canceled show's popularity a few years back?)

Alas, I digress. Bea Arthur is dead and she will be missed. As will Estelle Getty, who died last summer, just three days shy of her 84th birthday.

Bea, if you're out there, thank you for being a friend. And by friend, I mean an inspiration.