Marilyn Who?

We forget what pieces are lost when information drifts down from one generation to the next.  Humans become icons, then legend, then fragments of pop culture.  It’s sad, but it makes sense and somewhere in there those pieces become the generational ties that bind and separate at the same time.

“Mom, there’s that Marilyn again” my daughter said while pointing at a tshirt in a store window.

“I keep trying to figure out what the best first Marilyn movie would be to show you” I replied.

“Why is she so famous?” she asked.

I thought about that one.  “That’s hard to say. She’s kind of like Madonna.  Or really, Madonna was kind of like her.  Do you know Madonna?” I asked.

“Madonna?  Yeah! That’s Phineas and Ferb’s mom’s name when she was a singer!” she answered excitedly.

Deep sigh.  I feel like I’m my grandma talking about Jack Benny.  

“No…. That was LADonna and they named her that as a reference to Madonna.  I… I’m… I’ll just find a movie to show you….”

Marilyn. Madonna.  LaDonna from Phineas and Ferb.  Sure, ok.  Baby steps right?