Thursday, October 21, 2010

Elvira: "I'm you, with bigger tits"

According to the appropriately named Cult Sirens website, Cassandra Peterson, aka "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark", was born in Manhattan, Kansas and grew up in Colorado Springs. At the age of 17 she was already a Las Vegas showgirl, but Elvis Presley encouraged her to pursue a career as a singer. She followed the King's advice, and ended up touring Europe as the lead singer in the Italian rock band I Latin's 80.

By the early 70's Cassandra was back in the States and continued to pursue her dreams (she had wanted to be a Big Star ever since she saw Ann Margaret play opposite Elvis Presley in Viva Las Vegas). During part of this time she performed with the Groundlings improv group. Other alumni of Groundlings include Pee Wee Herman, John Lovitz, Lorraine Newman, Lisa Kudrow, Kathy Griffin, Will Ferrell, and Phil Hartman. Peterson also appeared on TV in Happy Days, St. Elsewhere, and Fantasy Island, and in films including Cheech and Chong's Next Movie (while still in Europe she also had a role in Fellini's Roma).

Elvira herself came into her full glory in 1981 with the advent of Movie Macabre, a late night program that showed old horror movies, introduced by the Mistress of the Dark.

[In addition to the page at Cult Sirens, linked to above, read more about the fascinating life and times of Elvira at SciFiUpdates, Manor Macabre, TVHorrorHosts, the Cassandra Peterson Fan Page, her "alumnus" page at Groundlings, and, of course, her own official website at Elvira.Com. Also check out the interview with Cassandra Peterson at twitchfilm.net about her new film All About Evil, which also features Peaches Christ. And check out the profile of Cassandra Peterson at Swindle.Com]

Now fast forward to Election Season, 2010. Elvira was already engaged in that most time-honored tradition of the Entertainment Industry, The Comeback, when she (or some brilliant underling) got the bright idea to join in the fun and make a video mocking Christine O'Donnell!

And so, without further ado, here is what just might be the ultimate (or at least the most snarkalicious) antiphon to O'Donnell's "I'm Not A Witch" video:




And for old times' sake, here's the finale of that film classic, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark:





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