GIRLS WHO GET IT-RUE McCLANAHAN

4:04 PM Posted by MS.NOVA

Before we had 'Samantha Jones' there was the fabulous "Blanche Devereaux". The gorgeous sexpot that was Rue McClanahan was known for doing 'whatever the hell she wanted' with no apologies. That a girl! Outspoken, vibrant and oozing with charm, her popular Golden Girls character shared similarities to the real life Rue.

People always ask me if I`m like Blanche. And I say, `Well, Blanche was an oversexed,

self-involved, man-crazy, vain Southern Belle from Atlanta -- and I`m not from Atlanta!`

Few folks knew that she was half native Indian (Choctaw) and being raised in the 1930's in small town Oaklahoma, that stayed a secret. Her passionate opinions however were harder to keep under wraps. A Southern Belle to the core, Rue left for the east coast and put her theatre degree to good use. Bit parts in theatre and soap opera programs grew into recurring roles. In 1972 and for six years following, fate paired Rue and the incomparable Bea Arthur as best friends on Maude. The chemistry between the cynical New Yorker and dreamy belle was magic and the two struck gold again with the classic Golden Girls, acting another 7 years together.

Rue was lost and found in love 5 times (resulting in 5 marriage) and where some would be embarrassed with that statistic, she was very matter of fact about it all. Later in her years, she privately battled breast cancer and remained a committed vegetarian, one of the first celebrity supporters of PETA and constant activist for Gay rights.

For bringing sexy back to the mature woman and embracing the ability to laugh at herself,

Rue McClanahan is a Girl Who Gets It.