Joanna Cassidy posted the best picture ever on her Twitter!

Judging by the content of the Ad above, it could have appeared in VIVA or PLAYGIRL (softcore ****ographic magazines for women). Joanna's outfit is mildly similar to her Pontiac television ads; in which, she plays a secret agent (both Ad campaigns were made in 1974). There is also a Japanese secret agent themed, hardcore ****ographic series; that seemingly borrows from those commercials. Ponitac's team had lifted several elements themselves from mainstream Spy genre, too.

The Ad may seem offensive to some; as it's basically saying, 'Face it ...you're a gold-digging n' husband-stealing *****. And so let's just get you into something Funky, now.' However, the rest of the magazine (PLAYGIRL, for instance) would be far more extreme than this particular page, overall. Plus, I read Funky's threads were somewhat popular back then (USA).

A bit of restoration had to be done to the scan. Most of the text was recreated, and the fashion photograph itself was slightly cleaned-up. I would have eventually posted it within the BR forum, too. I originally saw it on Joanna's page awhile back; although, I'm guessing she had only an eBay pic to post. I found a better copy than what she had, and did my thing with it. Perhaps, Joanna might like to see our posting here, sometime.

I'm all smiles, thanks Svanya.

COSMOPOLITAN (August, 1974)

Above, is one source of likely several, that features Joanna's vintage Ad (previous post). Of course, COSMO magazine is considered the most popular of women's magazines; particularly, during the 1970-80s. I did actually buy this one from time-to-time, too; however, I paid little attention to the actual articles. I was more so interested in the fashion photography, and still am.

COSMO's Helen Gurley Brown (early 1960s)

The magazine's Editor n' Chief was Helen 'Gurley' Brown. She wrote the 1962 bestseller 'Sex and the Single Girl'. A live-it-up guide to how a modern woman could conveniently manage having an affair with a married man. And of which, was one of the things that lead her to a very influential position at COSMO; beginning in 1965.

Her motto: 'Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere'. However, she was quite slow to address the consequences of 'doing whatever you want'. In the end, she was pushed into retirement in 1997; yesterday's feminism is today's sexism. I can certainly relate to her in with what she had said in many interviews. Overall, I don't really see her concept as being part of any real feminist movement (or an contemporary one). Helen's was more so her own business brand of survival; almost any which way you can, be successful (do it, girl).

She had it tough, and I can completely empathize with her, too. I was also put into a position in my childhood, were I felt the only person I could count on was myself. Of course, that changed somewhat when my Father came into my life. Helen encouraged women in doing anything they wanted (or needed to), because that's what she did; it worked for her.

Anyway, very different era, and one in which the Sexual Revolution took place. Eventually, HIV/AIDS demanded women take a reality-check. And it did a lot of people, but unfortunately a good number of them just 'got dead'. I do remember very vividly, in how badly the mysterious disease ravaged NYC (during the 1980s); truly a Nightmare on Elm Street.

I too, was quite slow to want to take that reality-check, and accept that the party was over. I love sex, and I liked variety; in hindsight, maybe I was the very definition of a 'COSMO GIRL'. Although, I didn't need anyone to encourage me to have some fun. Maybe because I was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, or ran into the Beast far sooner than one would've expected to. All 'em boys weren't very nice, either.

I went quite off-topic in an attempt, to put this retro Funky Mistress Ad (feat. Joanna) into some historical perspective (Retro American). And for those that found it offensive. As I've seen it has gotten exactly that kind of reaction, elsewhere on the web. I also had another recent look at Joanna's vintage Pontiac Ads; quite surprisingly, I found starting the video @ 11:21 reveals a collection of personal 8mm films. I'm guessing them shot late 1960s-early 1970s. I simply thought the Ads just repeated over-n-over; another fun find, indeed.