well, adj.; new light on "diva"

[Jonathan Lighter]

I
On _Bridalplasty_, brides-to-be compete like crazed weasels to win the
plastic-surgery bonanza of their dreams while backstabbing and eliminating
each other.  But never mind that. Last night they competed in writing
marriage vows.  One otherwise mainstream African-American lady, about 24,
explained to the camera that "I think I'm going to win because I feel like I
am a well writer and a well speaker."

If you write good, you're a good writer. So if you write and speak well....

II
Musician and fashionista Katy Perry explained on VH1 this week, "A 'diva' is
a female version of a hustla [sic]!  I am a proud diva!"

A "diva" (at the cultural level we're talking about) used to be a female
prima donna (no redundancy there).  It widened to include male prima
donnas.  If Katy is right, it's now generated the sense "competitive,
hard-working woman."  Soon to be extended to men, of course.

JL

--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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