MovieChat Forums > The Golden Girls (1985) Discussion > Can someone explain the Meryl Streep jok...

Can someone explain the Meryl Streep joke?

posted 8 years ago by fiatlux-1
9 replies | jump to latest

From the episode "The Actor" in Season 2.

Dorothy seems disgusted that a local actress keeps getting cast in the local theater plays.
She describes her as 'Miami's answer to Meryl Streep.' and that she was so bad the audience mocked the play.

Meryl Streep is well~known as a popular actress nowadays. Was she not considered so in the '80s??
I cannot recall.

I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.

[–] daletterjay180 8 years ago

I always thought that Phyllis Hammerow was the theater group's favorite as lead and cast her in everything, much like Merryl Streep was in everything. If you look at her IMDB profile Streep always had movies coming out and she was in 16 movies in the 80s alone. The irony is that Phyllis was actually a terrible actress, whereas Streep is considered one of the best.

[–] deem_bastille 8 years ago

Meryl was in a lot of things and was an okay-pretty good actress in the 80's. but she is amazing now.

she is so versatile: from The Devil Wears Prada to the Iron Lady to Julie and Julia to Doubt.

I wonder if this 'SHE'S IN THE ATTIC!' actress was THINKING she was Meryl Streep.

Oh God. Fortune vomits on my eiderdown once more.

[–] Deenglow 8 years ago

The joke is that Phyllis was the group's answer to a great, respected, popular actress - but their answer was *terrible*. There's no subtle jab at Streep. It's a jab at the crummy theatre company that their main star (their Streep) is Phyllis Hammerow.

[–] hide86 8 years ago

The joke is that Phyllis was the group's answer to a great, respected, popular actress

No, the joke was that Phyllis auditioned for and got every part. Meryl was spread pretty thin in the 80s. Joke had nothing to do with the quality (or lack thereof) of the talent.

**~Not my circus, not my monkeys...~**

[–] Stratego (30498) 7 years ago

No, you are wrong and Deenglow is right. That WAS the joke. Streep is supposedly an acclaimed actress while their leading actress was not. It's called sarcasm.

[–] NorthernLad (472) 6 years ago

This!

[–] jasonmovieguy (182) 7 years ago

Meryl was not just OK in the 80s. She was at her PEAK in the 80s.

The French Leuitenant's Woman (1981) - Best Actress nomination
Sophie's Choice (1982) - Best Actress winner (setting the bar for future lead actress roles)
Silkwood (1983) - Best Actress nomination, co-starring with Cher
Out of Africa (1985) - Best Picture winner, Best Actress nomination
Ironweed (1987) - Best Actress nomination, costarring with nominee Jack Nicholson
A Cry in the Dark (1988) - Best Actress nomination, considered by many one of her top 5

Even comedies like Heartburn and She-Devil were splendid.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I still think Silkwood is her career best performance.

[–] grhqofb5 (346) 6 years ago

Don't forget She-Devil.