Suzanne Somers made a career playing ditzy blondes, but she was anything but dumb. Somers — who died on Sunday, one day short of her 77th birthday — was a household name for years, primarily for her work as an actress but later for her entrepreneurial endeavors as co-owner of the Somers Licensing Co. As a “Suzanne,” I’ve frequently corrected people who called me Susan by saying, “Like Suzanne Somers.”
Along with costars Joyce Dewitt and John Ritter, Somers appeared in the hit show Three’s Company. As a child in this era, my parents forbid me from watching this show about Jack (Ritter), a straight man who pretends to be gay so he can live with Chrissy (Somers) and Janet (Dewitt). It was full of sexual innuendos, and they were correct to say I wasn’t old enough to watch it.
So, of course, I saw every episode — as did all my friends, whose parents also prohibited watching this scandalous show.
But what went on behind the scenes affected my life and the life of every woman in the working world. Three’s Company soon became a top-rated hit — beating out even M*A*S*H — so Somers asked for a raise.
To keep reading, click here: Every Working Woman Owes a Debt to Suzanne Somers
Excellent point and thank you for bringing that to the forefront — her actions then were especially brave (and of course, correct), however, the fact that such differences still exist today is disheartening.