more than a laugh

The Brake brothers were sitting on the porch when we heard Suzanne Somers died.    We talked about the two most important things about her:  her comic talent, and her steel insistence on business fairness.

Everyone thinks of Ritter as the genius of the show, which was, like many of its time, unworthy of their talent.    He was indeed a genius, but Somers' fizzy presence and flawless comic timing made it what it was —– as we found out.

When contracts were up for renewal, the smash popularity of the show meant they all got raises.    Ritter got well over half a million per episode in today's dollars.    Per episode.    Somers got one-fifth of that.    She said she wanted as much as he got, and wouldn't settle for less. 

The network brass held firm.    (Insiders said they didn't want women to be emboldened by her example.)  So she was cut.  The show was never the same.    They got a standard good actress to replace her;  then another when she didn't last.   But they weren't Suzanne.   The ratings were still good but never as good.

She went on to build an entertainment empire, estranged from her co-stars.    She says in his final days Ritter got in touch with her, ready to reconcile.    His message:  he forgave her. 

Forgave her?!    Think of how she could have responded.    But she showed herself more evolved:  she saw that was what he could muster, she accepted, and they ended on good terms.

I never liked the stuff she did later as well as her bubbly characterization of Chrissy.    But she had, and has, my enduring respect.