The Nanny Gets Divorced ... Happily

Did anyone else absolutely adore The Nanny? It was one of my favourite TV shows, and I honestly wanted to be as perfectly funny, well-dressed and in as many different wigs as Fran Fine.

(Note: it's unbelievable how few pictures there are of her outfits!)

Anyway. As die-hard fans probably know, Fran was married to co-creator Peter Marc Jacobsen. And now they're divorced. And he's gay. And they're writing another show based on their situation called Happily Divorced. Huffington Post did an interview with Fran Drescher on the show, and also on her relationship with Jacobsen today (which is ... happily divorced).

This is pretty amazing:

In the show everyone asks your character 'how'd you miss the signs you ex was gay?’ In retrospect, were there signs you missed?

Yes. He was very into my wardrobe, picking out my clothes, buying my clothes, picking out my shoes, discussing my makeup. But he was a very controlling person, and I kind of assumed it was him being a Svengali, which he was. He was also very into musicals, show tunes, Judy Garland, Diana Ross, Cher. At the time, the “metrosexual” was becoming a part of pop culture, so I chalked it up to that.

People weren’t surprised he was gay, and that the only people who weren’t willing to face it were Peter and I. We replicate that on the show. Fran is constantly un-connecting dots—seeing things that were blatantly red flags of being gay that she chose not to see.

The name of the show is 'Happily Divorced' Is it possible to have a happy divorce? Would you describe yours as happy?

Most definitely. We had a life together. We had a love together. And we were sort of obligated to figure out how to put it on another shelf and reinvent it. It takes as much work to be angry divorced as it does to be happily married. And it’s an effort that’s well worth exercising.

Cancer helped bring us together, but I wouldn’t suggest that you wait for life to bite you in the ass before you realize how fleeting it is. Look within yourself, though--if you’re holding onto anger, ask why that is. If you can turn it into an opportunity to learn about yourself, grow as a human being, and feel peaceful and forgiving and loving, you’ll be doing yourself a favor.

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I doubt I'll be rushing to see the show, but I loved the interview. And her own personal insights... And the fact that my love of big hair and mini-skirts is probably down to her gay ex-husband.