Tony vs. Rhoda

James Gandolfini made Tony Soprano lovable.

Last March I wrote a post entitled "Rhoda Is Dying and So Are You." It was about actress Valerie Harper, who announced at age 73 that she had just three months to live, or so she had been told eight months earlier by her doctors. An inoperable brain tumor was the culprit. She gave interviews on all the TV talk shows, appeared on the  covers of many magazines--the whole bit. Then she did not die in three months, which is certainly good if a tad embarrassing. Now today I hear she is going to be on the next season of Dancing with the Stars, which begins on September 16, so I guess she is planning to be around for at least twelve more days.

Now don't get me wrong--I loved Rhoda and I hate brain tumors. But really, if Valerie just wanted to reignite her flagging career, it seems she could have done it without the sob story. And PS, when actor James Gandolfini dropped dead out of nowhere at age 51 there was no warm-up, he just up and died. That's what I call class.