Brigitte Bardot, a living legend, 84 years old today. My. She quit acting before I was even born. I’ve always admired her headstrong individuality, her sincerity, her disregard for fame/status/popularity, and her courage, turning her back to acting to dedicate herself to animal rights. And of course I’ve always found her fascinating to look at, ever since I saw her on an old, discolored poster in my grandparents’ barn when I was about 7. I thought of her as a secret barn spirit, a genius loci.
I’ve only ever written two fan letters in my life: one to Yoko Ono, and one to Brigitte Bardot. Both replied to me, and both letters are proudly displayed at the Weirdland Museum. Brigitte Bardot’s, with its graceful handwriting and flower scribble, is placed between a 1970s Kermit the Frog mug and a bottle of Holy Water.
