Regarding Eartha

It appears that everyone is doing an Earth Kitt tribute so I might as well throw my hand in since I actually met her.

11 years ago when I was working on a media production, a very unpleasant producer, who I will call the gapping maw or gm for short was able to land her for a segment. I call her the gaping maw because whether it was food or gossip she could never shut her mouth. The gaping maw made a big deal about Eartha Kitt and put the fear of god in all of us about properly treating Eartha Kitt.

In all honesty I was quite concerned about my welfare since she had certain requirements that needed to be fulfilled. One of them was that she had to have her own private green room. My primary job was to play bouncer and prevent anyone that was not part of her entourage from entering the room.

It proved nerve racking at one point when a producer and a colleague who was talent jokingly attempted to enter the room. But other than that, the day was rather pleasant.

Miss Kitt, she was exactly what everyone said about her. Professional, polite , gregarious and really strong. I am being serious. She was very strong. The gaping maw was having problems opening a door and despite outweighing Eartha Kitt by about 300 pounds. Eartha grabbed the handle and popped that sucker open with a simple pull.

I remember her also her also being very comfortable with herself. Even though she wore a wig, she still freely walked around the studios without it and instead had a small head wrap that was around her beautiful hair and was wearing what I can only describe as a simple dancer's warm up outfit.

Even though she lived in Scarsdale and had a life that most people envy, Eartha Kitt did not any project pretentious airs about herself.

My lasting impression of her was a woman who exuded class, respectability, talent and yet possessed a very strong sense of humility.

Purr away in heaven Cat Woman.