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Why I’d Irene Cara’s Career Go Down the....

....you know...

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by Anonymousreply 335July 9, 2021 2:26 PM

Why’d not Why I’d.

by Anonymousreply 1November 13, 2020 6:33 PM

She showed her sad tits in Fame and any sex appeal she had went down the drain. I'm still convinced that scene made many young boys gay.

by Anonymousreply 2November 13, 2020 6:35 PM

Her tragic breasts

by Anonymousreply 3November 13, 2020 6:35 PM

It was those ugly titties. It was such a mistake to flash them in movies when she was younger. I never could think of her for the rest of my life without thinking, "God those puppies were sure hideous."

by Anonymousreply 4November 13, 2020 6:36 PM

Make it happen girl... 🎬📽💃

by Anonymousreply 5November 13, 2020 6:37 PM

Raisin titties, drugs, a legal battle with her record company, accusations she was a Donna Summer rip-off (the Moroder factor), doing shit films like Certain Fury.

by Anonymousreply 6November 13, 2020 6:39 PM

[Quote] After 16 Years in Showbiz, Irene Cara, 21, Gets Her Diploma in Movies with Fame

[Quote] By David Sheff, November 10, 1980.

[Quote] She vows, “I’m gonna live forever,” in her rousing hit from the movie Fame, but the real Irene Cara isn’t about to wait that long. What’s she done so far to get her name in lights? “You’re obviously not from New York,” Cara sniffs to an interrogator. “Everyone in New York knows what I’ve done.”

[Quote] That attitude better becomes a prima donna than a Donna Summer. But no one denies that, at just 21, Irene Cara is hot stuff. She was a regular on PBS’ The Electric Company at 13. She starred in her first movie, Sparkle, at 16. She has acted in Tony-winning plays like The Me Nobody Knows and in the original off-Broadway cast of Ain’t Misbehavin’. In 1979 she portrayed Alex Haley’s young mother in Roots: The Next Generations. More recently, she played opposite Powers Boothe as a mistress of the Rev. Jim Jones in the Emmy-winning Guyana Tragedy.

[Quote] So, for Cara, Fame is the inevitable name of her game. “After all these years, it just makes sense,” she says. “I’ve been working longer and harder than most adults.” It doesn’t bother her that some see her role as Fame’s overly ambitious student singer-actress, Coco, as typecasting. “In talent and ability, Coco was obviously modeled on me,” she airily concludes. “I’m very well known in New York with all the casting people. I got the role in Fame even before they heard me sing.”

[Quote] The movie is set in a school modeled after New York’s High School of Performing Arts (which refused official cooperation). Though some of her co-stars are actually older than she, Irene blesses them all as “unaffected kids; they were great—they didn’t need me for nothing.”

[Quote] Since its release, Cara’s Fame hit has propelled the sound track LP to sales of more than 500,000, and now Out Here on My Own, her powerful ballad follow-up from the film, is also heading toward the top. Her musical training is solid—she once sang backup for Evelyn “Champagne” King and Lou Reed—and, post-Fame this summer, she was chosen to open Ray Charles’ 50th birthday concert in L.A. (The critics were lukewarm, however, and one Hollywood exec in the audience groaned, “She should go back to doing background vocals—she’s not a solo artist.”)

by Anonymousreply 7November 13, 2020 6:41 PM

[Quote] Few can dispute her performing credits, however, which began at an early age. Raised the youngest of five in the now squalid South Bronx, she had “performing in the blood from the beginning. There’s no childhood for a lot of kids in the Bronx—only survival and killing. But my career gave me a childhood.” Her Puerto Rican father, Gaspar Escalera, a retired professional saxophone player, and her Cuban-American mother recognized Irene’s talents early on and arranged for her training, which started with dancing lessons at 5. She attended private schools, among them the posh Lincoln Square Academy. “I had the most expensive education,” Cara brags. “And my mom was the greatest stage mother. The money I made acting as a child went toward my schooling, but still my parents had to work all the time to pay for my education.” (Her father worked in a steel factory; her mother as a movie theater usher.) Co-incidentally, Irene was accepted at the High School of Performing Arts (where Liza Minnelli and Al Pacino were once students), but did not attend because it would have meant giving up her paid work with The Electric Company.

[Quote] Cara, who now lives temporarily in her mother’s Manhattan apartment, can be feisty and at times abrasive. Eating in an L.A. restaurant, she became belligerent when a waiter took her still burning cigarette away and clamorously berated him to the maître d’. She remains hush-hush about the men in her life, but says she prefers to spend her time among close women friends. “Men have put me through so many changes,” she complains. “They can’t deal with me as just a person, as pretty and as talented as them. They get very ‘Where’s my Barbie Doll?’ ‘Where’s my groupie?’ ” Though she doesn’t frequent discos, she likes to go “partying until you see daylight and people start falling out.”

[Quote] Now Irene has been cast by ABC as an anorexia nervosa victim who befriends Jodie Foster in a forthcoming made-for-TV movie, The Best Little Girl in the World. Though she has her astrological chart read regularly, Cara isn’t sure whether a Fame sequel is in the cards: “Yeah, maybe,” she shrugs coolly, “called Failure.”

by Anonymousreply 8November 13, 2020 6:41 PM

Alan Parker should have known better. Some stunt tits would have worked better.

She did the ROOTS II miniseries, SPARKLE, FAME, the Oscar for the FLASHDANCE movie. Then a series of bad films and albums...didn’t she have a coke problem as well?

by Anonymousreply 9November 13, 2020 6:41 PM

And we were supposed to be convinced that photographer was turned on by them?

by Anonymousreply 10November 13, 2020 6:41 PM

That article makes her sound arrogant as fuck.

by Anonymousreply 11November 13, 2020 6:44 PM

Irene Cara was basically just a stand-in for Donna Summer, who for some insane reason refused to sing the themes from Fame and Flashdance. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

by Anonymousreply 12November 13, 2020 6:45 PM

Do all the drugs you like as long as you show up to work.

by Anonymousreply 13November 13, 2020 6:47 PM

Donna became Born Again in 1980, and basically stopped having fun. Irene sounded a bit like Donna and thus, the door was open for her to sing Moroder's fun songs. Even Laura Branigan's Gloria sounded like the songs Donna should have been singing in the '80s. When Donna did sing a more upbeat song like She Works Hard for the Money, she had a huge hit. She could have had so many hit songs because she basically created the template of '80s pop girls with Bad Girls.

Irene just didn't have enough of a presence on stage. Every live performance she gave she was really pedestrian. I remember seeing her guest on the Kids from Fame concert and she was so dull.

by Anonymousreply 14November 13, 2020 6:49 PM

Her failed sitcom pilot....wretched. I think that she is pretty though.

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by Anonymousreply 15November 13, 2020 6:49 PM

Donna really sabotaged her career in the 80s. She could've been just as huge as she was in the 70s if she'd done the right material and didn't turn down so many songs that went on to be huge hits for other artists. The Jesus stuff and her stupid husband being her manager really hurt her professionally.

by Anonymousreply 16November 13, 2020 6:50 PM

Didn't a lot of people initially think that Donna Summer was singing "Gloria" when that song first came out?

by Anonymousreply 17November 13, 2020 6:51 PM

Donna was on the Flashdance soundtrack, singing the less than inspired "Romeo."

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by Anonymousreply 18November 13, 2020 6:52 PM

She could hack it as a child star, but not as an adult.

by Anonymousreply 19November 13, 2020 6:52 PM

Wow, this thr is about Irene Cara and we’re going on about Donna Summer.

I guess Irene does lack presence 😃

by Anonymousreply 20November 13, 2020 6:53 PM

Irene Cara was, as my father used to say, "uglier than a dog's ass." She was never going to be a huge star.

by Anonymousreply 21November 13, 2020 6:54 PM

She wasn't ugly. She wasn't much of an entertainer and he voice wasn't first class.

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by Anonymousreply 22November 13, 2020 6:55 PM

we talked about this once here, some posters claimed she was a complete cunt to work with and THAT’s what did her in, not her little tiddies.

by Anonymousreply 23November 13, 2020 6:56 PM

Horrible tits aside, she really is great in Fame. She was born to play that part. The arrogance in the article above in r7 and r8 is probably why she was perfect as Coco, because she was a diva, too.

Although you would have expected a supposedly street smart character like Coco to know that sleazy filmmaker's game.

by Anonymousreply 24November 13, 2020 6:57 PM

I always thought Erica Gimpel who played Coco on the TV series was prettier and more likable. Gimpel also aged really well.

Irene is talented but she lacks something.

And she must have been horrible to work with because although she had issues with her recording career, her acting career completely washed up too.

by Anonymousreply 25November 13, 2020 6:59 PM

Coco was so thirsty and desperate for fame she went against her instincts and she showed her breastuses.

by Anonymousreply 26November 13, 2020 6:59 PM

I loved her song "The Dream" from the DC Cab soundtrack.

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by Anonymousreply 27November 13, 2020 7:10 PM

I called in sick today because I’m burned out. Came across this thread and decided to watch Fame the OG version, still watching it now. I’ve never watched the entire movie, maybe snippets of it on tv when I was little.

I must say I find Irene Cara annoying in the movie and not annoying in a charismatic way, just annoying. She’s supposed to be a diva in the making but when she’s onscreen there’s nothing to justify it. Now Leroy, that’s a diva. WHET Leroy?

by Anonymousreply 28November 13, 2020 8:00 PM

Drugs, AIDS.

by Anonymousreply 29November 13, 2020 8:05 PM

Whatever the real reason was, it was a really weird ending to her career.

One minute she was at the top of the charts, and then she was...gone. There was no slow, downward slide to the bottom. There was no highly publicized scandal that did her in. There was no massive flop disaster album that she couldn't recover from. There was no announcement of her needing to take a break from showbiz or whatever. She just disappeared, seemingly overnight, from the airwaves and the public consciousness.

"Breakdance" was her 3rd biggest hit single, after the two movie themes. Yeah, it was a terrible song, a song about break dancing that nobody wanted to break dance to, but it was a hit, and she should have followed it up with something to keep the momentum going. Nothing came, and the public moved on pretty quickly and forgot about her.

by Anonymousreply 30November 13, 2020 8:16 PM

She had an album on Elektra records in 1987. It's not accurate to say she just disappeared. She declined commercially, like most do.

by Anonymousreply 31November 13, 2020 8:21 PM

[Quote] I remember a story about her touring in JCS with Dennis DeYoung in the 90s. She played Mary Magdelene and the legend has it she sneezed during I Don't Know How to Love Him and half her collapsed septum went flying across the stage.

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by Anonymousreply 32November 13, 2020 8:22 PM

[quote] She wasn't ugly.

No one said her face was ugly. Only her titties. And they were not just ugly, they were hideous.

by Anonymousreply 33November 13, 2020 8:22 PM

I guess she tried to launch a girl group.

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by Anonymousreply 34November 13, 2020 8:23 PM

[Quote] No one said her face was ugly. Only her titties.

[Quote] Irene Cara was, as my father used to say, "uglier than a dog's ass."

by Anonymousreply 35November 13, 2020 8:26 PM

It always amuse me when gay men are contemptuous of small tits. As if big pendulous breasts are your thing...

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by Anonymousreply 36November 13, 2020 8:26 PM

Oh. The "Flashdance" girl (sniff.)

by Anonymousreply 37November 13, 2020 8:31 PM

[quote] She showed her sad tits in Fame and any sex appeal she had went down the drain.

She became a one-tit wonder.

by Anonymousreply 38November 13, 2020 8:37 PM

R36, I can't quite recall every detail of her tits, but didn't see achieve the rare small, pendulous tits?

by Anonymousreply 39November 13, 2020 8:39 PM

She was a drunk.

by Anonymousreply 40November 13, 2020 8:39 PM

Just saw her tits as I’m still watching the movie now. The tits, wow you guys weren’t exaggerating. There are small tits that look great, in fact small round tits are great on women because they look perky and youthful, plus they don’t sag. But Irene’s are small, wide apart, pendulous banana tits. I can’t unsee them now.

by Anonymousreply 41November 13, 2020 8:45 PM

Her tits made me gay.

by Anonymousreply 42November 13, 2020 8:49 PM

She sued her record label for non-payment of royalties and they barred her from recording elsewhere while the suit was pending (or so she claims) and then other labels didn't want to sign her because she stood up for herself. I'm sure she was owed money, but her career was already on the wane. That plus a horrendous drug problem all but killed her chances at a comeback.

by Anonymousreply 43November 13, 2020 8:52 PM

[Quote] the rare small, pendulous tits?

Don't think so.

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by Anonymousreply 44November 13, 2020 8:52 PM

[Quote] other labels didn't want to sign her because she stood up for herself.

Elektra records was a label.

by Anonymousreply 45November 13, 2020 8:53 PM

How has she managed to live for the past 35 years? Could royalties from two songs she didn't even write be enough?

I always wonder that about artists who haven't worked in decades and didn't have a huge catalog.

by Anonymousreply 46November 13, 2020 8:54 PM

In no way are they pendulous.

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by Anonymousreply 47November 13, 2020 8:55 PM

Small tits look great in clothes.

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by Anonymousreply 48November 13, 2020 8:56 PM

[quote] How has she managed to live for the past 35 years? Could royalties from two songs she didn't even write be enough?

She co-wrote Flashdance (and won an Oscar for it). I'm sure she's lived comfortably off the royalties of that song and will continue to do so.

by Anonymousreply 49November 13, 2020 8:57 PM

She guested on Wendy Williams' show earlier in the decade and she was clearly still able to afford pep-me-ups.

by Anonymousreply 50November 13, 2020 9:00 PM

I cant believe that utter shit like"Breakdance" charted higher than both "The Dream" and "Why Me". Shockingly wrong!

by Anonymousreply 51November 13, 2020 9:01 PM

[quote] Elektra records was a label.

I believe the suit happened after she was dropped by Elektra. I know it wasn't settled until the '90s (in her favor).

But that's why I said (OR SO SHE CLAIMS) in plain English.

by Anonymousreply 52November 13, 2020 9:04 PM

Wasn't the suit related to her first label?

by Anonymousreply 53November 13, 2020 9:10 PM

Irene was in the 1985ish feature film "Certain Fury" with Tatum O'Neal. BOX. OFFICE. BOMB. Killed her film career.

by Anonymousreply 54November 13, 2020 9:10 PM

The guy who wrote YEAR OF THE CAT lives nicely off the royalties so I'm sure the Flashdance royalties keep her housed, clothed and fed. (It is an amazing song having nothing to do with the lyrics but it worked for her)

by Anonymousreply 55November 13, 2020 9:13 PM

[quote] Wasn't the suit related to her first label?

Yes, but the poster was refuting the claim that she couldn't get signed by another label after the suit. I believe she had already been signed by Elektra before the suit was filed (but I don't know that for sure). However, Elektra was a one and done deal and she was dropped very quickly after Carasmatic was released. Cara was claiming that once the damage to her reputation had been done due to the prolonged nature of the suit and the slurs about her character, she was unable to score another record deal.

I'm sure she'd like to think it was that, but she was also a nasty person with a drug habit and a flop album in her rear view mirror. No one was clamoring for her.

by Anonymousreply 56November 13, 2020 10:00 PM

She looks like Maya Rudolph in the OP.

by Anonymousreply 57November 13, 2020 10:15 PM

i can’t imagine what’s she’s doing in 2020.

by Anonymousreply 58November 13, 2020 10:46 PM

[quote] Irene Cara was, as my father used to say, "uglier than a dog's ass." She was never going to be a huge star.

That doesn't stop a homely girl with talent, hunty!

by Anonymousreply 59November 13, 2020 10:51 PM

Co-writing one song from 40 years ago could support her all this time?

by Anonymousreply 60November 13, 2020 10:54 PM

Seriously. Where is she?

by Anonymousreply 61November 13, 2020 11:00 PM

[quote] It always amuse me when gay men are contemptuous of small tits.

Did we complain they were small? NO. We complained they are UGLY and that she showed them off in two movies anyway.

Don't put words in other posters' mouths.

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by Anonymousreply 62November 13, 2020 11:05 PM

Raisin tits.

by Anonymousreply 63November 13, 2020 11:11 PM

Vivian Vance.

And them titties of hers.

by Anonymousreply 64November 13, 2020 11:16 PM

Uglyass titties.

by Anonymousreply 65November 13, 2020 11:27 PM

What do people like Irene Cara do after their fame fades? You never hear about them going into another profession or anything like that. How has she spent her time for the past thirtysomething years?

by Anonymousreply 66November 13, 2020 11:28 PM

[quote] Co-writing one song from 40 years ago could support her all this time?

Do you know how many times Flashdance has been used in other forms of media over the past 40 years? And every time a hefty license fee is secured, part of which goes to Cara. Plus continued sales on all sorts of 80s compilations over the years, huge streaming numbers, film licensing to all manner of home media, worldwide. She's the artist and the co-writer, so she gets a larger slice in many of those situations.

Consider that since 1994, Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas has made $60m in royalties. Carey sang the song and co-wrote it so she likely earned a good chunk of that figure for herself. Yes, it's a perennial song, but Flashdance is part of pop culture legend, and was around for an additional 11 years, so it's safe to assume that Cara has taken home a commensurate amount. Yes, she blew through a lot of it early on, and her lawsuits ate up a lot of money, but the song is the gift that keeps on giving. And if she invested well since then, then she's set for life.

by Anonymousreply 67November 13, 2020 11:29 PM

I remember reading she was fired from aint misbehavin before it went to broadway when she was found strung out on drugs either when she missed or right before a performance.

Also that her mother was a dragon lady stage parent.

by Anonymousreply 68November 13, 2020 11:35 PM

She probably invested her money wisely and is content to live comfortably in obscurity. According to Wikipedia, she divides her time between New Mexico and Florida. That can't be cheap. Not everyone is a desperate Jennifer Garner-style famewhore.

by Anonymousreply 69November 13, 2020 11:42 PM

No one is saying small tits are ugly, just that hers were, well she should have insisted on using a tits double. Someone like Miley Cyrus who has small and nice, round tits could pull it off.

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by Anonymousreply 70November 13, 2020 11:43 PM

Ola! Ola! Ola!

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by Anonymousreply 71November 13, 2020 11:49 PM

Miley's tits aren't small, they're medium size. If you want to see small tits, look at Kate Hudson.

by Anonymousreply 72November 14, 2020 12:00 AM

Yay.

Another Irene Cara thread.

Yippee.

I guess it's that time of year again.

Whee.

by Anonymousreply 73November 14, 2020 12:17 AM

Miss Mills @ R59, don’t make me start a thread on you!

by Anonymousreply 74November 14, 2020 12:24 AM

Karen Kamon, you just died recently.

by Anonymousreply 75November 14, 2020 12:30 AM

For those asking how you can afford to live off the proceeds of one single hit song? Patrick Hernandez has been living very comfortably for 40 years in the south of France off the royalties of just one song, the global mega-hit “Born to be alive” (the one that features DL fave Madonna as a backup singer).

by Anonymousreply 76November 14, 2020 12:32 AM

Pancake tits

by Anonymousreply 77November 14, 2020 12:38 AM

James Blunt with his hit, You’re Beautiful, lives quite nicely from royalties from that one song.

by Anonymousreply 78November 14, 2020 12:41 AM

R72 no Miley’s tits are small, she herself said so but said she was proud to be A-cup. Kate Hudson’s tits (before fake ones) were not small, they were non-existent pretty much pancake tits.

by Anonymousreply 79November 14, 2020 12:44 AM

Patrick and Madonna.

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by Anonymousreply 80November 14, 2020 12:50 AM

Has she been arrested for meth?

by Anonymousreply 81November 14, 2020 12:53 AM

I wonder if Alan Parker asked her to show those raisin titties before shooting?

I'm surprised she wasn't asked to get a boob job.

by Anonymousreply 82November 14, 2020 1:09 AM

Raisin titties = small tits, no?

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by Anonymousreply 83November 14, 2020 1:10 AM

Kate Hudson and Irene are sisters in breasts. Both cute.

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by Anonymousreply 84November 14, 2020 1:12 AM

Out here on my own is still a beautiful song and she did it wonderfully. I remember even back then hearing she was "difficult" .I loved her as Coco,and I will always love Fame.

by Anonymousreply 85November 14, 2020 1:18 AM

Flashdance was also turned into a stage show, so Irene gets some money from live performances of it.

by Anonymousreply 86November 14, 2020 1:20 AM

Irene's duet with Freddie Jackson, from the 1989 animated movie "All Dogs Go to Heaven."

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by Anonymousreply 87November 14, 2020 1:23 AM

Was Irene's nemesis David Geffen?

by Anonymousreply 88November 14, 2020 1:24 AM

There was a show on youtube I watched where some British guy tracked down cast members from Fame the TV show and movie.

Cara was the hardest to find (I think they built it up for dramatic purposes)

He eventually found her and they talked in a restaurant somewhere in AZ or NM.

by Anonymousreply 89November 14, 2020 1:27 AM

I thought she sued Geffen and won? And wasn't the Electra album was pulled as part of that lawsuit against Geffen Records? You piss off a bitch like Geffen and your career is dead in the water, big boobs or tiny titays.

by Anonymousreply 90November 14, 2020 1:29 AM

r57 I though the picture was of Maya too. She looks more like Irene than she odes her mother, Minnie Riperton.

by Anonymousreply 91November 14, 2020 1:29 AM

does*

by Anonymousreply 92November 14, 2020 1:30 AM

"Karen Kamon, you just died recently."

Even death does not stop the manhunt, R75.

by Anonymousreply 93November 14, 2020 1:31 AM

If she divides her time between Florida and New Mexico then she probably claims residence in the former because there’s no income tax there.

It’s not that hard for someone to not work if they have a decent stream of income from real estate investments. A rental property or two will generate enough income if you live within your means. It’s how Ryan O’Neal hasn’t had to work for decades. For someone like Cara who wasn’t a big star but had success nonetheless, it’s still likely that she had earned enough money to invest wisely to generate income stream aside from royalties. The smart ones don’t live on royalties, they use money to make more money so they don’t have to rely on royalties l.

by Anonymousreply 94November 14, 2020 1:38 AM

Irene's mom cameos at the 0:20 mark. I don't know how anyone expected this song to be a hit.

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by Anonymousreply 95November 14, 2020 1:39 AM

Maybe she has a husband or boyfriend that works.

by Anonymousreply 96November 14, 2020 1:39 AM

Donna Summer pissed off David Geffen and look what happened to her career.

by Anonymousreply 97November 14, 2020 1:46 AM

She has the tits of a 12 yo in her first training bra.

by Anonymousreply 98November 14, 2020 1:51 AM

So, small?

by Anonymousreply 99November 14, 2020 1:54 AM

Fame was written by Michael Gore, who won an Oscar for ir and got his break in show biz thanks to older sister Lesley, who in turn got to write On My Own at a time when her star had dimmed thanks to little brother Mikey coming to the rescue.

It’s as if Warren Beatty had help cast Shirley on some relevant movie during her 70s downtime - which he didn’t.

by Anonymousreply 100November 14, 2020 1:56 AM

Way too small for an adult woman. Women have small tits, but hers were the arrested development version.

by Anonymousreply 101November 14, 2020 1:56 AM

Way too small for an adult woman. Women have small tits, but hers were the arrested development version.

by Anonymousreply 102November 14, 2020 1:56 AM

That 1985 set of that movie with Tatum O’Neal must have been one huge continuous pile of coke on each trailer.

by Anonymousreply 103November 14, 2020 1:59 AM

I remember being shocked that she won the Best Female Vocalist Grammy. I was sure it was going to be either Linda Ronstadt for her Nelson Riddle collaboration "What's New" or Donna Summer for "She Works Hard For The Money".

So Irene had 2 major hits (Fame, Flashdance) and 2 minor (Breakdance, Out Here On My Own) , and that was it?

by Anonymousreply 104November 14, 2020 2:05 AM

I can only imagine you all going in on Ellen Foley.

by Anonymousreply 105November 14, 2020 2:13 AM

We like Ellen Foley. She's been discussed in numerous threads.

by Anonymousreply 106November 14, 2020 2:29 AM

Siedah Garrett lives of royalties for Man in the Mirror she co-wrote the song

by Anonymousreply 107November 14, 2020 2:32 AM

I love this song by Irene -- You Were Made for Me.

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by Anonymousreply 108November 14, 2020 2:44 AM

"It's not accurate to say she just disappeared. She declined commercially, like most do."

There really was no "decline", per se. There was considerable success....a 2nd album that contained a #1 hit, another top 10 hit, and also a top 20 hit...and then, nothing at all.

Until 4 years later, when an album was released that didn't chart, and the single released from it didn't make ANY chart either. Not the pop chart, not the R&B chart, not the adult contemporary chart, not the dance chart. Nada. That's not a decline, that's a complete vanishing act from the public.

I maintain that it's one of the weirder career arcs I've ever seen. At the end of the "What a Feeling" album cycle in 1984, she appeared to be in ascendance. For her to completely fall off the cliff into total career oblivion seemed very unusual.

by Anonymousreply 109November 14, 2020 3:20 AM

r109 that's also how I remember it. She had a hot streak for a while in both music and movies and then she just seemed to disappear. You never heard anything about her, which was weird for someone who had a number of solid credits behind her. She wasn't exactly a one-hit wonder.

by Anonymousreply 110November 14, 2020 3:25 AM

[Quote] There really was no "decline", per se. There was considerable success....a 2nd album that contained a #1 hit, another top 10 hit, and also a top 20 hit...and then, nothing at all.

Did the albums sell, though? And how many flop singles? She could still get a movie theme at the end of the decade. But beyond that, she was done... (So were other, more successful recording artists of the '80s like Pat Benatar or Jody Watley.)

by Anonymousreply 111November 14, 2020 3:33 AM

Do you posit the same question about Jennifer Warnes? She had two big movie hits ("Up Where We Belong" and "I've Had The Time Of My Life") in the eighties and nothing else really hit. I don't think her critically acclaimed Leonard Cohen covers album did much business.

by Anonymousreply 112November 14, 2020 3:35 AM

Speaking of "I've Had the Time Of My Life," that was another song Donna Summer turned down. It was offered to her first, but she didn't like that the movie was called "Dirty Dancing." Seriously, that's why she turned it down. Another dumb career move.

by Anonymousreply 113November 14, 2020 3:38 AM

Irene recalls her friend Luther Vandross.

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by Anonymousreply 114November 14, 2020 3:38 AM

Luther told me, "Gurl, you got some ugly-ass titties."

by Anonymousreply 115November 14, 2020 3:42 AM

Luther told her she was no Miss Ross!

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by Anonymousreply 116November 14, 2020 4:02 AM

Irene's career lasted for about five years. Meh.

by Anonymousreply 117November 14, 2020 4:12 AM

[quote] Do you posit the same question about Jennifer Warnes? She had two big movie hits ("Up Where We Belong" and "I've Had The Time Of My Life") in the eighties and nothing else really hit. I don't think her critically acclaimed Leonard Cohen covers album did much business.

Jennifer is an odd bird, though. She's something of a recluse and wasn't really chasing success. It kind of just found her for a little while.

by Anonymousreply 118November 14, 2020 4:39 AM

[quote] Irene's career lasted for about five years. Meh. —Dionne (Farris, not Warwick)

That's about four and a half years longer than yours did, bitch!

by Anonymousreply 119November 14, 2020 4:41 AM

I know from watching Botched that she has tuberous breasts, basically a birth defect that is very difficult to correct with plastic surgery. She is probably better off by not getting them mutilated.

Kate Hudson’s pre-boob Job tits were cute. She didn’t have the sag or protruding nipples like Irene did.

by Anonymousreply 120November 14, 2020 4:43 AM

Totally tuberous.

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by Anonymousreply 121November 14, 2020 4:46 AM

I used to think that scene from Fame was unrealistic and the character too sophisticated to go through with it BUT I read Vanessa Williams describe her experiences and they were almost the same. (You'd think she'd have seen Fame and been more aware. Actually she was molested by a female cousin and she now thinks that the naked photos were away of acting out sexually to deal with the trauma.)

by Anonymousreply 122November 14, 2020 4:53 AM

Or she was happy to show off her body until she realized that such a notion wouldn't fly with her audience.

by Anonymousreply 123November 14, 2020 4:59 AM

Anorexic tits

by Anonymousreply 124November 14, 2020 5:00 AM

She killed her career singing 'Here's To The Losers' at the Oscars.

by Anonymousreply 125November 14, 2020 5:17 AM

Bitch.

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by Anonymousreply 126November 14, 2020 5:20 AM

She was able to afford a Todd Terry set of remixes in the mid 1990s.

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by Anonymousreply 127November 14, 2020 5:21 AM

She was no Jody Watley...or even Milli Vanilli.

by Anonymousreply 128November 14, 2020 7:05 AM

Wrongo, R112. It took several years, but Warnes' "Famous Blue Raincoat" album was eventually certified as a million-seller.

by Anonymousreply 129November 14, 2020 10:10 AM

I love the album, r129, but if it takes forever to sell, that's not great for an artists' career. "Dusty In Memphis" has been great for Dusty Springfield's legacy but it didn't help her career when she was still pursuing record success.

by Anonymousreply 130November 14, 2020 4:26 PM

*artist's

by Anonymousreply 131November 14, 2020 4:26 PM

I don't want to doubt you, R129, because I adore Jennifer and I think that album is amazing, but I can't find any certification or sales figures for it, and I find it hard to believe it even went gold, let alone platinum. Do you have anything to back it up?

And R130 makes an interesting point because Warnes was supposed to do a second volume of Cohen songs, but the first album sold so little at the time that they couldn't raise the money to do another. It's a real shame Warnes didn't do more recording.

by Anonymousreply 132November 14, 2020 4:33 PM

Seconding R129 on Famous Blue Raincoat. One of my favorite albums ever.

by Anonymousreply 133November 14, 2020 4:39 PM

You're seconding that it was a million seller?

by Anonymousreply 134November 14, 2020 4:44 PM

No, he's seconding that "the disc is a classic."

by Anonymousreply 135November 14, 2020 4:48 PM

Wow, some gays are obsessed with Jennifer Warnes, of all people! LMAO!

by Anonymousreply 136November 14, 2020 4:49 PM

Who do you expect to be a fan of Jennifer Warnes? Kid Rock fans?

by Anonymousreply 137November 14, 2020 4:50 PM

I love this thread.

Only on Datalounge could you move from speaking about Irene Cara's raisin titties to Jennifer Warnes' masterpiece album, Famous Blue Raincoat.

Honestly, though, FBR is a fucking masterpiece. It introduced me to Leonard Cohen and I don't think there is anyone who can sing his songs better than Jennifer. I saw Warnes in a concert a few years ago in Toronto and while it was a good show, she only sang one Cohen song - as part of a medley! When she asked for requests from the audience, we all shouted "Songs from Famous Blue Raincoat"!!!! She didn't take our advice and instead sang Up Where We Belong with a backup singer. Bitch.

by Anonymousreply 138November 14, 2020 5:12 PM

I don’t like your fashion business, mister.

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by Anonymousreply 139November 14, 2020 5:22 PM

Now let's compare Irene Raisin Cara to Juice Newton.

by Anonymousreply 140November 14, 2020 5:24 PM

Wow, how long ago was that concert, R138? I remember she did a show in LA I want to say somewhere in the past 10 years and I was away on a shoot and couldn't attend. I was so upset as I figured it would be my last shot to ever get to see her live.

I got in touch with her a while back through (I want to say) one of her reps because I wanted to interview her on camera for a project I was working on and I got a very nice note back saying that she was declining. I got the idea she was reticent about being filmed. Her participation wasn't urgent, but I would have loved to sit down with her for an hour.

by Anonymousreply 141November 14, 2020 5:28 PM

Juice Newton dodged the low note in "Angel of the Morning." She can fuck off.

by Anonymousreply 142November 14, 2020 5:28 PM

According to the RIAA website, Jennifer Warnes has achieved gold or platinum status only twice in her career, for the singles "Up Where We Belong" (platinum) and "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" (gold). None of her albums, including "Famous Blue Raincoat", have gone gold or platinum.

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by Anonymousreply 143November 14, 2020 5:28 PM

I believe Jennifer is already working on a follow up to her last album, which was only released a year or two ago.

by Anonymousreply 144November 14, 2020 5:29 PM

Believe it or not, "Up Where We Belong" was also a song that was originally offered to Donna Summer.

by Anonymousreply 145November 14, 2020 5:31 PM

Jen Warnes is still alive??! LMAO!

by Anonymousreply 146November 14, 2020 5:31 PM

It must have been about five or six years ago r141. She sounded lovely but I wish she had sung more Cohen. Everybody in the audience seemed to have the same response.

by Anonymousreply 147November 14, 2020 5:32 PM

Jennifer Warnes is one of the "whitest" singers ever.

by Anonymousreply 148November 14, 2020 5:37 PM

Those single certifications are interesting (and a little disingenuous). Before Jan 1, 1989, you had to sell 1m copies of a single to go gold and 2m to go platinum. After that date, it was reduced to 500K for gold and 1m for platinum (the same as a full album).

Up Where We Belong was certified gold and platinum on Jan 17, 1989 for sales of 1m, but all of its sales were prior to the date change, so really, the song only went gold.

One could argue similarly about I've Had the Time of My Life, which was certified gold in Feb 1989, but I'd buy that it reached a half million around that date, as the song had only been released 18 months prior.

by Anonymousreply 149November 14, 2020 5:37 PM

What about Jen's Right Time of the Night?

by Anonymousreply 150November 14, 2020 5:39 PM

I've got her number, hussy.

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by Anonymousreply 151November 14, 2020 5:40 PM

My favorite Warnes original is Shot Through the Heart.

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by Anonymousreply 152November 14, 2020 5:41 PM

Didn't grow up in the 80s so didn't get to hear Cara's other non film hits. I finally got to hear them on my 80s station and they were all really fun and enjoyable. I see that none of them were licensed to streaming services probably due to the lawsuits and there is no greatest hits album. I just love 80s cheese in general. Giorgio Moroder is a genius.

by Anonymousreply 153November 14, 2020 6:04 PM

Why Me and the D.C. Cab theme, The Dream, are BOPS!!!

I bet even Irene liked to shake her little titties to those ditties!

by Anonymousreply 154November 14, 2020 6:08 PM

Why Me is a damn good song. I like The Dream, also, but it doesn't hold up the way Why Me does.

Never cared for Breakdance and I have no idea why it was the standout.

by Anonymousreply 155November 14, 2020 6:23 PM

Jennifer made them put a boob shot at the end of the "Why Me" video just to stunt on you hoes.

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by Anonymousreply 156November 14, 2020 6:46 PM

*Irene

by Anonymousreply 157November 14, 2020 6:47 PM

I think Breakdance was a hit because of timing; it was released at the right time, at the height of breakdancing's popularity.

by Anonymousreply 158November 14, 2020 7:02 PM

I've never heard Breakdance.

by Anonymousreply 159November 14, 2020 7:03 PM

Breakdance was a top 10 hit, hitting number 8. And I don't think most people remember it.

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by Anonymousreply 160November 14, 2020 7:15 PM

I was around back then, and I can't remember Breakdance at all.

by Anonymousreply 161November 14, 2020 7:22 PM

Wow, OP. Is that a recent photo? She still looks really good as a middle aged woman.

by Anonymousreply 162November 14, 2020 8:20 PM

Poo poo 💩

by Anonymousreply 163November 14, 2020 8:27 PM

Bump

by Anonymousreply 164November 14, 2020 11:33 PM

Is it time to move on to Kim Carnes yet?

by Anonymousreply 165November 15, 2020 1:02 AM

Don't awaken the Kim Carnes troll!

by Anonymousreply 166November 15, 2020 1:04 AM

OH God, not the Kim Carnes troll, please.

I don't want to keep reading about how they got moist listening to Crazy in the Night.

by Anonymousreply 167November 15, 2020 1:16 AM

I'm available if you gays would like to chat about me.

by Anonymousreply 168November 15, 2020 1:19 AM

Kim Carnes? She had one song. At least Irene had 2-3 songs and a campy movie.

by Anonymousreply 169November 15, 2020 1:21 AM

No, I think we should talk about another singer with raisin titties.

Who's available?

by Anonymousreply 170November 15, 2020 1:21 AM

Don't look at me, R170!

by Anonymousreply 171November 15, 2020 1:23 AM

[quote]Kim Carnes? She had one song.

Oh Jesus you must not be familiar with The Kim Carnes Troll! He will go on a tirade about how she had MANY hits and was one of the most IMPORTANT artists of the 80s. He's fucking nuts.

by Anonymousreply 172November 15, 2020 1:40 AM

I nominate Stacey Q. Skinny dance pop diva who studied ballet for 10 years. Shaking them small perky ballet dancer tits. Actually like how the 80s singers didn’t feel the need to supersize to fake titties. Whitney had small ones but she got bolt-ons later.

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by Anonymousreply 173November 15, 2020 1:47 AM

Stacey Q was on The Facts of Life. Not once but twice. Her character ran off with George Clooney.

by Anonymousreply 174November 15, 2020 2:06 AM

Her character did not "run off" with GeorgeClooney. He left to work as a roadie on her world tour. Sh e was also on Mama's Family as a member of The Bonecrushers

by Anonymousreply 175November 15, 2020 2:10 AM

How has she earned a living the last 35 years?

by Anonymousreply 176November 15, 2020 2:16 AM

It's been explained above r176. Apparently the royalties from Fame (which she co-wrote) and investments. I guess that has sustained her at a middle-class level, at least.

by Anonymousreply 177November 15, 2020 2:26 AM

R177 Thanks. I didn’t want to read through 175 posts to possibly find the answer.

by Anonymousreply 178November 15, 2020 2:29 AM

R176, Facts of Life royalties. Dumb ass.

by Anonymousreply 179November 15, 2020 2:29 AM

Ok DL’ers, which gay porno did Stacey Q sing Two of Hearts?

From the brief article linked below: “ Her second attempt at a hit, We Connect failed to connect on the charts. During a visit to Tibet, Swain converted to Buddhism, where she studied at monasteries. Soon after, she recorded a “spirtually minded pop album”: 1997’s Boomerang (it bombed). Two years later, she made a guest-appearance singing “Two of Hearts” in a gay porno and has gained a following in both the gay and Buddhist communities.“

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by Anonymousreply 180November 15, 2020 2:34 AM

Irene Cara in many ways had the best kind of career. For those who just want to work for a few years in your 20s then coast on royalties and investment income for rest of your life, it’s not bad at all. No constant rejections and upping your game to compete with the next hot, young thing. No need to work for a living but still get to have a comfortable, middle-class/ upper-middle class lifestyle.nevertheless.

by Anonymousreply 181November 15, 2020 2:43 AM

I've read that Katrina Whatsername from Katrina and the Waves makes over $1 million per year from "Walking On Sunshine." If you can write a big hit song that gets lots of licensing agreements, you really can have it made.

by Anonymousreply 182November 15, 2020 2:58 AM

I thought was the anti carnes troll that was fingering themselves to crazy in the night?

by Anonymousreply 183November 15, 2020 3:01 AM

Why do I get no love?

by Anonymousreply 184November 15, 2020 3:05 AM

“WHEN WE....”

by Anonymousreply 185November 15, 2020 3:09 AM

Cara's body filled out and I'm sorry I called them "raisin tits."

by Anonymousreply 186November 15, 2020 3:13 AM

[quote] Oh Jesus you must not be familiar with The Kim Carnes Troll! He will go on a tirade about how she had MANY hits and was one of the most IMPORTANT artists of the 80s. He's fucking nuts.

I'm not the Carnes troll, but she DID have more than one hit. She's probably at the same level as Cara, actually. One super enormous hit, a couple more Top 10s and a sprinkling of Top 20s. Kim lasted a smidge longer than Cara did on the charts, but Cara had a 10+ year film/tv career and did Broadway even before that.

Kim and her husband were songwriters, though, and probably made a shit ton of money on the songs they wrote for country artists, which is ironic considering Kim did not write her biggest hit and doesn't get as much in royalties on it.

by Anonymousreply 187November 15, 2020 6:25 AM

Irene must have needed money to do "Country 2" with Jermaine Jackson, Lorenzo Lamas and Miss Sean Young.

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by Anonymousreply 188November 15, 2020 6:32 AM

Have any of you seen Irene's women in prison flick, "Caged In Paradise"?

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by Anonymousreply 189November 15, 2020 6:33 AM

One off Euro single from 1988: "I Can Sleep."

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by Anonymousreply 190November 15, 2020 6:35 AM

The Junior Vasquez mix of "All My Heart" is cute.

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by Anonymousreply 191November 15, 2020 6:38 AM

[quote] Irene must have needed money to do "Country 2" with Jermaine Jackson, Lorenzo Lamas and Miss Sean Young.

Irene also did a short lived reality/game show series on NBC about 15 years ago called Hit Me Baby One More Time where pop stars of yore (the 80s and 90s) competed against each other, singing one of their own songs and a "hit from today." She won her episode and performed the "hit from today" with her group Hot Caramel, which she was trying hard to get off the ground. She may have done the Country series for similar reasons.

by Anonymousreply 192November 15, 2020 6:49 AM

She still sounds quite arrogant.

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by Anonymousreply 193November 15, 2020 6:50 AM

PICTURES COME ALIVE, YOU CAN DANCE RIGHT THROUGH YOUR LIFE 💃 😷

by Anonymousreply 194November 15, 2020 7:15 AM

Enough of Jennifer Warnes and Kim Carnes. Let’s get back to that LOSER Irene Cara!

by Anonymousreply 195November 15, 2020 11:49 AM

She left that Gone Country series after one night in the house. She thought it was going to be serious documentary-type thing about people who wanted to write music stretching beyond their specialty (pop music, R&B, acting) to write a new song as a team. When she realized it was a Big Brother type thing, she walked off. Sorry, but I respect her for not wanting to make an ass out of herself.

Caged in Pardiso is a horrible B-movie. Her husband was a stuntman who aspired to direct. The result is proof he should have stuck to falling out windows. Totally "Up All Night" quality. And it was made just two or three years after her hot streak. It really was a strange descent for her, to go from household name to. . .that.

by Anonymousreply 196November 15, 2020 12:18 PM

Screw Irene, why didn't her "Sparkle" co-star Lonette McKee have a bigger career? She was (for a time) much prettier than Irene and a more interesting singer. I wish Curtis Mayfield had allowed the original cast to appear on the Sparkle OST rather than acquiescing to Aretha's demands...

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by Anonymousreply 197November 15, 2020 12:32 PM

Rainey’s original version of “I can fly” is much better though irenes’s probably would’ve been pretty good if the production values weren’t karaoke level.

by Anonymousreply 198November 15, 2020 1:32 PM

Whoops! Rainey’s version of “I can fly”

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by Anonymousreply 199November 15, 2020 1:33 PM

I Can Fly? You mean I Believe I Can Fly. #1 for me, bitches.

by Anonymousreply 200November 15, 2020 4:32 PM

Lonette was incredible in Sparkle. Oscar-worthy.

by Anonymousreply 201November 15, 2020 4:35 PM

[quote]Screw Irene, why didn't her "Sparkle" co-star Lonette McKee have a bigger career?

Pauline Kael said the movie made a huge mistake by killing off Lonette and Dorian Harewood's characters and leaving the audience with Irene and Phillip Michael Thomas' insufferable characters.

There was buzz for Irene at the time of Fame's release that Irene would get a Best Supporting actress nomination.

by Anonymousreply 202November 15, 2020 4:41 PM

Yeah, Sparkle suffers when Lonette leaves the movie. That Cara is supposed to become a huge star seemed odd because she lacked the charisma of Lonette, whose character should have become a megastar.

by Anonymousreply 203November 15, 2020 4:45 PM

But Lonette DIDN'T become a megastar... and if she coulda been, she woulda been. And that's. Show business.

by Anonymousreply 204November 15, 2020 4:59 PM

No, No Lonette

by Anonymousreply 205November 15, 2020 5:10 PM

Lonette is great in Cotton Club, and great to see the new version with all her character put back.

by Anonymousreply 206November 15, 2020 5:16 PM

If she was starting now, Irene would’ve been made to get a nose job before she ever made a movie. Also she would’ve gotten fake tits. She would’ve been marketed like a Selena Gomez type.

by Anonymousreply 207November 15, 2020 5:26 PM

....

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by Anonymousreply 208November 15, 2020 5:29 PM

Kim Carnes had a Top 10 hit with her cover of “more love” and another one with Kenny Rogers called “don’t fall in love with a dreamer”. She is a renowned songwriter and has written multiple top 10 country hits for other artists.

by Anonymousreply 209November 15, 2020 5:51 PM

^ But what are her tits like?

by Anonymousreply 210November 15, 2020 5:54 PM

Kim Carnes had ten top 40 hits from `1980- 1985 as well as appeared on the Flashdance and the We Are the World albums.

She was a huge star.

by Anonymousreply 211November 15, 2020 5:56 PM

^ But, what are her tits like?

by Anonymousreply 212November 15, 2020 6:01 PM

Irene, gurl, my Sparkle is the one everyone remembers. Remember my name!! Everyone remembers Whitney!!

And Irene, I got a little work done on my breasts. Best decision I ever made. Bobby loved grabbing my new babies. BOBB-AY!!!

You should try it too. Work with what the Lord gave you. I love the Lord!!

by Anonymousreply 213November 15, 2020 6:04 PM

This thread trashing Irene is why we hate you.

by Anonymousreply 214November 15, 2020 6:05 PM

Whitney had small tits and I think she didn’t get them done until after Waiting to Exhale because her tits still looked small in that movie. She may have had small banana tits but we just never saw them.

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by Anonymousreply 215November 15, 2020 6:23 PM

[Quote] we just never saw them.

Not true.

by Anonymousreply 216November 15, 2020 6:25 PM

Merv, the only way you saw her tits is if she gave you her bra for you to try on.

by Anonymousreply 217November 15, 2020 6:31 PM

No, hon. Watch circa the 4:00 mark.

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by Anonymousreply 218November 15, 2020 6:35 PM

OP's pic looks like Maya Rudolph.

by Anonymousreply 219November 15, 2020 6:37 PM

And yet you are on an Irene Cara thread on DL on a Sunday afternoon r214.

You hate yourself.

by Anonymousreply 220November 15, 2020 6:46 PM

Didn't she just write one line of the Flashdance song?

by Anonymousreply 221November 16, 2020 2:13 AM

Her voice was too raspy.

by Anonymousreply 222November 16, 2020 2:25 AM

OP’s pic looks like if Maya Rudolph and Tatiana Ali had a baby.

by Anonymousreply 223November 16, 2020 2:27 AM

Her flop album, [italic]Carasmatic[/italic], has some decent tunes on it, in particular "Be Your Number One" and "Say Goodnight Irene (to your career)", written by John Farrar.

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by Anonymousreply 224November 16, 2020 3:18 AM

[Quote] Didn't she just write one line of the Flashdance song?

I wrote one line of the Arthur Theme but it's the one everyone remembers.

by Anonymousreply 225November 16, 2020 3:58 AM

I think Cara wrote "what a feeling" so she wrote the most remembered line too.

by Anonymousreply 226November 16, 2020 4:17 AM

Who was she married to? Did she ever spawn? I don't think she did.

by Anonymousreply 227November 21, 2020 3:01 PM

Is it just me, or does a young Irene Cara look like a Downs Syndrome version of AOC?

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by Anonymousreply 228November 21, 2020 3:24 PM

She married the stunt co-ordinator of the movie she made with Tatum O'Neal. He went on to direct Irene in the women in prison movie she did. They were married from 1986 to 1991.

by Anonymousreply 229November 21, 2020 3:28 PM

Where did you hear Cara only wrote one line of what a feeling?

by Anonymousreply 230November 22, 2020 1:21 AM

Joe Bean Esposito was in line to sing the theme tune to Flashdance, so it wasn't a given that Irene would sing it. Did she give away any songs to other artists? Above she mentioned Luther covering one of her songs - did she release the song first?

by Anonymousreply 231November 22, 2020 1:23 AM

R230, on Datalounge, Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush are the only women who could ever write a song. The story always went that Moroder wrote the music and needed a lyricist who could evoke something like Cara's "Fame". He didn't know she didn't write "Fame" but she and Keith Forsey got together and wrote the lyrics while riding around NYC in a cab. Only on DL does her role in the song get diminished to having just written one line. Sbe has several solo songwriting credits before and after "Flashdance" but, supposedly, those must be fraudulent, as her name is neither Joni nor Kate.

by Anonymousreply 232November 22, 2020 1:28 AM

IIRC correctly, Irene was a holdout. Why would she be a holdout for a song she wrote? I guess there could have been label issues.

by Anonymousreply 233November 22, 2020 1:31 AM

An Irene Cara co-write with the Brother Johnson.

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by Anonymousreply 234November 22, 2020 1:36 AM

[quote] on Datalounge, Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush are the only women who could ever write a song. The story always went that Moroder wrote the music and needed a lyricist who could evoke something like Cara's "Fame". He didn't know she didn't write "Fame" but she and Keith Forsey got together and wrote the lyrics while riding around NYC in a cab. Only on DL does her role in the song get diminished to having just written one line. Sbe has several solo songwriting credits before and after "Flashdance" but, supposedly, those must be fraudulent, as her name is neither Joni nor Kate.

In fairness to DL, I have actually heard that rumor (and as far as I know, that's all it is- a rumor), for years, well before there was a Datalounge.

by Anonymousreply 235November 22, 2020 6:00 AM

Taylor Dayne stole her career.

by Anonymousreply 236November 22, 2020 6:02 AM

That song is horrible R234.

by Anonymousreply 237November 22, 2020 10:22 PM

It's not a horrible song. It's a jam.

by Anonymousreply 238November 22, 2020 11:42 PM

Jams are horrible.

by Anonymousreply 239November 22, 2020 11:48 PM

Master Blaster (Jammin')?

by Anonymousreply 240November 22, 2020 11:52 PM

Jam On It

by Anonymousreply 241November 23, 2020 3:20 AM

Jammin on the one...

by Anonymousreply 242November 23, 2020 4:20 AM

Whitney Houston

by Anonymousreply 243November 23, 2020 5:33 AM

[quote] Lonette was incredible in Sparkle. Oscar-worthy.

I have a sentimental attachment to "Sparkle." It wasn't a masterpiece by any stretch but Lonette jumps off the screen -- beautiful and charismatic -- she was a natural star. In a different world she would have actually been a star. She is a musician/singer who became an actress.

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by Anonymousreply 244November 23, 2020 6:00 AM

[quote] Lonette was incredible in Sparkle. Oscar-worthy.

I have a sentimental attachment to "Sparkle." It wasn't a masterpiece by any stretch but Lonette jumps off the screen -- beautiful and charismatic -- she was a natural star. In a different world she would have actually been a star. She is a musician/singer who became an actress.

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by Anonymousreply 245November 23, 2020 6:00 AM

Lonette must be difficult to work with, or her representation at the time was giving her terrible advice, or she just didn't want it that badly- something- because she was arguably the best black female singer actress at that time (not most famous, but one of the most talented), and she was gorgeous. She could have worked much more in film (although she may not have found the roles in film back then as fulfilling, as they were likely wife and girlfriend or hooker roles) and she absolutely could have been one of the premier stage musical actresses of the 80s. I'd love to know what happened there.

by Anonymousreply 246November 23, 2020 6:39 AM

Lonette has always said her racially ambiguous looks worked against her. No one would cast her as a white woman. While many casting directors felt her looks were not representative of black womanhood and could alienate a black female audience. "The Cotton Club" could have been another Oscar nomination for her but Coppola was forced by the studio to cut most of her storyline as well as her dazzling performance of "Stormy Weather" from the theatrical version. Spike Lee used her regularly but in small roles.

by Anonymousreply 247November 23, 2020 1:22 PM

Lonette doesn't mince her words...

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by Anonymousreply 248November 23, 2020 1:48 PM

Lonette is rude AF. Be gone, has-been!

by Anonymousreply 249November 23, 2020 2:25 PM

Her response at R248 is hysterical.

by Anonymousreply 250November 23, 2020 2:44 PM

Amazing that a person can write one song and live off of it for forty years.

by Anonymousreply 251November 23, 2020 3:00 PM

I know R251.

by Anonymousreply 252November 23, 2020 3:09 PM

Yes, apparently Katrina is another one with Walking On Sunshine. Lucky bitches!

by Anonymousreply 253November 23, 2020 3:11 PM

Bump for Irene!

by Anonymousreply 254November 23, 2020 5:44 PM

I've never heard Lonette's version of Stormy Weather, but her Ill Wind is pretty stunning.

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by Anonymousreply 255November 24, 2020 1:21 AM

Irene Cara thought she was the star of Fame. She wasn't. Carol Massenburg as Shirley Mulholland was.

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by Anonymousreply 256November 24, 2020 1:38 AM

R255. It's not on YouTube otherwise I'd post. Lonette has said her character in "Cotton Club" was inspired by Lena Horne. So appropriately her performance was dazzling. It was sumptuously shot, with chorines flouncing about and VERY dramatic -- hands dancing, bared teeth, bugged eyes, arms outstretched -- she acted the song. If the original cut of 'The Cotton Club' was released theatrically she could have received a Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.

by Anonymousreply 257November 24, 2020 1:39 AM

R257, she would have lost that Oscar, you cheeky bugger!

by Anonymousreply 258November 24, 2020 1:42 AM

Yes, she would have lost but a nomination would have set her career on another trajectory.

by Anonymousreply 259November 24, 2020 1:59 AM

Yes, she would have lost but a nomination would have set her career on another trajectory.

by Anonymousreply 260November 24, 2020 1:59 AM

at first glance, I thought that was Mya Rudolph in the op pic.

by Anonymousreply 261November 24, 2020 2:34 AM

[quote] Mya

Oh, DEAR.

by Anonymousreply 262November 24, 2020 2:00 PM

Mamma Maya. Here I go again.

by Anonymousreply 263November 24, 2020 10:32 PM

If my name was Lonette, I'd be angry too.

by Anonymousreply 264November 25, 2020 12:58 AM

Lonette had her own singer-songwriter album.

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by Anonymousreply 265November 25, 2020 1:23 AM

That whore Lonette better stop trying to take the focus off of Irene!

by Anonymousreply 266November 25, 2020 1:24 AM

No No Lonette

by Anonymousreply 267November 25, 2020 1:27 AM

Young, young Lonette.

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by Anonymousreply 268November 25, 2020 1:39 AM

None of the Fame cast did very well afterwards except Paul McCrane.

by Anonymousreply 269November 25, 2020 1:40 AM

Meg Tilly had a good run until she voluntarily retired. She played Brad Pitt's wife a few years ago.

by Anonymousreply 270November 25, 2020 1:42 AM

Meg was pretty much an extra in Fame not sure any attention she got afterwards came from Fame. She did get that prime lift right at prime moment in the dance in the street of the title song. Iconic film moment.

by Anonymousreply 271November 25, 2020 1:45 AM

R269, Paul McCartney was not in fame.

by Anonymousreply 272November 25, 2020 1:49 AM

We know who the REAL star of FAME was!

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by Anonymousreply 273November 25, 2020 1:50 AM

r272 yes dear we know. Now take your pills and get some rest.

by Anonymousreply 274November 25, 2020 1:51 AM

I would suggest that Debbie Allen has had a bigger career than Paul McCrane.

by Anonymousreply 275November 25, 2020 1:52 AM

Boyd Gaines has had a very successful stage career - Broadway etc.

by Anonymousreply 276November 25, 2020 1:53 AM

Debbie Allen? Wasn't she a minor celibrity in 1988?

by Anonymousreply 277November 25, 2020 1:54 AM

Yeah, and Debbie is still going. She is a big wig on Grey's Anatomy, still acts and still directs.

Fame COSTS!!!

by Anonymousreply 278November 25, 2020 1:54 AM

Isaac Mizrahi also became a quite well known fashion designer.

by Anonymousreply 279November 25, 2020 1:55 AM

Boyd Gaines licked my snatch!

by Anonymousreply 280November 25, 2020 1:55 AM

Holland Taylor has also had a long career.

by Anonymousreply 281November 25, 2020 1:57 AM

[quote] None of the Fame cast did very well afterwards except Paul McCrane.

Go fuck yourself!

by Anonymousreply 282November 25, 2020 1:57 AM

Yes Debbie Allen had a bigger career but she wasn't one of the key players in the original Fame film. I was referring to them: Montgomery, Doris, Ralph, Coco, Bruno, Leroy, Lisa, and Hillary. There's a cool picture of them in Times Square somewhere in this thread. I love the way Paul McCrane dressed in the film.

by Anonymousreply 283November 25, 2020 1:58 AM

lol r282 I was going to say Teefy really followed Fame up with some notorious flops

by Anonymousreply 284November 25, 2020 1:58 AM

I felt bad for Gene Anthony Ray. I know I know, he pretty much sabotaged himself but what a waste of talent. He must’ve been heavy into the cocaine. Who was he dating? I can’t imagine him being a snow queen.

by Anonymousreply 285November 25, 2020 2:04 AM

Guys, you're all forgetting about Barry Miller, who went on to have a solid career in film, tv and stage for the next 20 years, winning a Tony award in 1985.

Strangely, he doesn't seem to have acted since 2003 (unless it's been onstage regionally).

by Anonymousreply 286November 25, 2020 2:20 AM

I think Lonette lied about her age. She doesn't sound 14 on this 1968 release.

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by Anonymousreply 287November 25, 2020 2:21 AM

Miller did do ok. Won a Tony for Biloxi Blues but then oddly didn't get to reprise the part in the movie.

On Illeana Douglas youtube show she had Penelope Ann Miller on and Miller came up in conversation. Douglas said where is he. Miller laughed and made a gesture of "he's crazy" with her finger.

by Anonymousreply 288November 25, 2020 2:22 AM

We had a tasteful friends thread about Miller when he sold a house in 2017. Nice house must have saved his money.

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by Anonymousreply 289November 25, 2020 2:24 AM

I CAN HAVE IT ALL.... HAVE IT ALL.... *jazz hands* 🤗

by Anonymousreply 290November 25, 2020 2:38 AM

We all remember Debbie Allen's annual interpretive dance numbers at the Oscars, which were an HOMAGE to the nominated films. Mercilessly ridiculed every year, but it went on for awhile.

by Anonymousreply 291November 25, 2020 2:50 AM

Wait a minute- Boyd Gaines is straight??

by Anonymousreply 292November 25, 2020 2:55 AM

R290

REM MEM BAH

REM MEM BAH!

by Anonymousreply 293November 25, 2020 3:21 AM

This is MY thread! MY THREAD!

by Anonymousreply 294November 25, 2020 3:35 AM

Wasn’t Debbie Allen married to James Ingram? He died recently.

by Anonymousreply 295November 25, 2020 10:27 PM

No, she was married to Norm Nixon, the basketball player.

by Anonymousreply 296November 25, 2020 10:31 PM

Irene, where are you living these days? Are you a southern CA chick? NYC broad? Miami mama?

by Anonymousreply 297November 26, 2020 12:04 AM

Irene should be proud that the song fame gave the world the incredible dancing talent of Michelle sutlovich.

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by Anonymousreply 298November 26, 2020 12:46 AM

I wonder why so few of the movie cast did the TV series.

by Anonymousreply 299November 26, 2020 12:54 AM

The TV series is so different from the movie. Completely different tone. Coco is still fame-hungry but Gimpel's Coco would never have taken off her blouse, Montgomery was desexualized and the actor couldn't sing, Leroy was still feisty and fun but watered down, Ralph turned into Danny, who was less serious and more fun (in the spirit of the show).

I still like the show, though.

by Anonymousreply 300November 26, 2020 1:04 AM

Take your passion... and make it happen!!!! 💃

by Anonymousreply 301November 26, 2020 1:09 AM

I loved the way Paul McCrane dresses in Fame. I think I may try and emulate it now.

by Anonymousreply 302November 26, 2020 5:44 AM

As long as you want to go crazy like the dogs in the yard, go for it.

by Anonymousreply 303November 26, 2020 6:03 AM

Barry Miller was also in Saturday Night Fever, so he was working/in the map before Fame anyway...

I always remember him most as the physicist in Peggy Sue Got Married

by Anonymousreply 304November 26, 2020 8:58 PM

Barry Miller must have have invested very well to be able to buy that house his last film/tv credit is in 2003 and his last broadway show was in 1992.

by Anonymousreply 305November 26, 2020 10:03 PM

Maybe he's in another profession.

by Anonymousreply 306November 26, 2020 10:09 PM

Barry Miller is really good in the Fame film. I actually like all the lead performances. Alan Parker got good work from them.

by Anonymousreply 307November 26, 2020 10:31 PM

In the 1980s, I worked for a radio network and one of the shows we produced was a live performance show featuring the top music artists of the day. Irene Cara was booked for one of these performances. We were working with a production company in LA that would deal with the artists directly and handle the logistics for us (we were in New York City). So they always had gossip/feedback for us about the artists after the performance. About Irene Cara, they told us she not only arrived at the venue clearly stoned out of her mind but she puked in the limo that transported her to and from the venue.

by Anonymousreply 308November 26, 2020 10:31 PM

I still have her nose.

by Anonymousreply 309November 26, 2020 10:33 PM

I love it when posters like r308 pop up with first-hand dish!

by Anonymousreply 310November 26, 2020 10:36 PM

No kids either?

by Anonymousreply 311November 26, 2020 11:24 PM

I heard Turn the Beat Around yesterday on Sirius XM and Irene Cara's voice is so recognizable in the background vocalists. You hear her before you hear Vicki Sue Robinson.

Cara returned the favor five years later and brought VSR in to sing background on Fame.

by Anonymousreply 312December 2, 2020 4:45 PM

I loved an early pre-Flashdance single she had called 'Anyone Can See'. The title song to that shitty movie with Tatum O'Neal "Certain Fury" is pretty good as well. It was supposed to be a single but she was battling with her record company at the time.

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by Anonymousreply 313December 2, 2020 5:01 PM

Maya Rudolph could portray her in a biopic. Chocolate Chip Pancakes: The Irene Cara Story

by Anonymousreply 314December 2, 2020 5:17 PM

Y'all weren't as dismissive of Lola Falana's tits.

by Anonymousreply 315December 2, 2020 5:19 PM

I'm STILL astounded by the pure shittiness of the song at R95. Even by 1987 standards that was horrible! The only thing I can think of is that they were going for something similar to Madonna's 'True Blue'. Same cheesy Pop vibe, except Irene Cara's track is MUCH MUCH worse.

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by Anonymousreply 316December 2, 2020 5:25 PM

Agreed, R316. The Carasmatic album was a bit uneven but Girlfriends was NOT lead single material and no one should have backed that to kick off the albums promotion. (Although, due to the lawsuit with Network and Geffen, no promo actually happened other than the video no one played, if I recall. The album and single just sort of came out and were already shelved.) There were two other tracks that would have made great singles (Be Your Number One and We're Gonna Get Up). But Girlfriends sounded dated, not retro cute as had been intended, but dated in a very bad way. It didn't matter that she had a ton of big female names (at the time) singing backup; it sounded way off from anything else on the radio, but not in a good way.

by Anonymousreply 317December 2, 2020 5:33 PM

"Girlfriends" isn't dreadful, it's just an unremarkable Girl Group pastiche.

by Anonymousreply 318December 2, 2020 5:34 PM

This sounds rather dated for 1982, no?

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by Anonymousreply 319December 2, 2020 5:35 PM

Productions like this show how Madonna was really clued into the right productions sounds from the outset of her career.

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by Anonymousreply 320December 2, 2020 5:36 PM

Compare the above to "Everybody".

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by Anonymousreply 321December 2, 2020 5:37 PM

I've always loved her version of Reach Out. The Disco vibe on that is perfection. Dated, even in 1982, but the best thing on that album.

by Anonymousreply 322December 2, 2020 5:38 PM

Been there, done that.

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by Anonymousreply 323December 2, 2020 5:43 PM

R317. OK. I just checked out the 2 songs you suggested from "Carasmatic" and those would have been much better choices as singles. 'We're Gonna Get Up' has that feelgood Mid 80s/Kenny Loggins Pop feel. 'Be Your Number One' is even better and could have worked Pop AND R&B. Clubs too, if that had brought someone like Shep Pettibone or Paul Simpson to remix/extend it. A missed opportunity.

'Girlfriends' was bad. Even if it was only released because of the famous backing vocalists she had on the track, that wasn't going to do her any good without them all appearing in the music video. One thing I will say, is that Irene looked absolutely fabulous during that period. The best of her career!

R319, R20, that sound was TOTALLY dated by 1981 standards and definitely had no place on the charts in 1982! In 1981 the synths & drum machines came into Pop/R&B music. Early 1981 was the last hurrah for that traditional 70s Disco sound. Irene's look was all wrong as well. Madonna was RIGHT ON TIME with what was happening in Pop & R&B music that that time.

The ballad they released as a single from Irene's 1982 project, 'Anyone Can See' was pretty good and should have made some noise on Top 40, R&B & AC Radio. I have no idea why it stalled?

My takeaway from this topic and knowing what I already knew about Irene Cara's career, is that she's a beautiful, talented lady who's career suffered from horrible management all around. Questionable music & film choices. Questionable choices for singles. Questionable lack of promotion on things she did that actually were good. And questionable decisions all around.

I'm not sure how much Irene had to do with her own demise in the entertainment business. but her record labels and management certainly played a HUGE part in ruining what could have been a Quadruple Threat Career (Music, Films, TV & Broadway). She should have had a string of hits throughout the entire decade of the 80s and more in the 90s. Sad.

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by Anonymousreply 324December 2, 2020 8:36 PM

Oh, her music choices are tragic, but she has a nice voice. But she's lovely, seriously.

by Anonymousreply 325December 2, 2020 9:03 PM

She looks like Maya Rudolph in the OP.

by Anonymousreply 326December 2, 2020 9:49 PM

Irene Ryan had more sex appeal than Irene Cara.

by Anonymousreply 327December 10, 2020 4:40 AM

I loved Irene Ryan's topless scene.

Such bosoms!

by Anonymousreply 328December 10, 2020 10:10 PM

Years ago on here someone said that Irene's problems with Geffen Records stemmed from the fact that her & David Geffen were seeing the same man at some point. LOL.

by Anonymousreply 329December 10, 2020 10:31 PM

You guys forgot Richard Belzer was in Fame. The most famous of all.

by Anonymousreply 330December 11, 2020 2:42 AM

Has Irene ever discussed her lead role in the 1979 Broadway flop "Got Tu Go Disco"? LOL.

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by Anonymousreply 331December 15, 2020 12:48 AM

So how were dem titties?

by Anonymousreply 332July 4, 2021 1:38 AM

You mean "COCO TITS"!!!

by Anonymousreply 333July 4, 2021 4:13 AM

Damn, What a Feeling was an amazing song! Fame was equally good too. They both hold up today.

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by Anonymousreply 334July 4, 2021 4:22 AM

"Irene" is an old lady (grandma) name.

by Anonymousreply 335July 9, 2021 2:26 PM
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