Eartha Kitt – RIP

Sultry, kitten-like singer, dancer and actress passed away this Christmas Day. You see many obits and stories about the unique entertainer, but the one story we loved that captures her diva essence is in the Washington Post by Wil Haygood.

Purrfect Diva
The Purrrfect Diva By Wil Haygood
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 26, 2008

In her fantastical life, Eartha Kitt came to like a great many things. Men, sex, bawdy songs. I personally know about the lemon sorbet, the mango sorbet and the strawberry sorbet.

I found myself dining with Kitt — who died of cancer at the age of 81 yesterday — at the swanky Cafe Carlyle in Manhattan several years ago. I was working on a book about Sammy Davis Jr., once a romantic interest of Kitt’s. Kitt’s office suggested the Carlyle. Being on book leave, without a steady income and counting pennies, I gulped: The Carlyle wasn’t the place for a penny-pincher. But I needed the interview, so I dared not back out of the chance to talk with her. Kitt had known Davis when both were very young and both were hanging out at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

Arriving early on the day of our meeting, I was led to a table. There was fine sunlight, lovely wood and an attentive waiter. I looked at the prices on the menu and wanted to scram. Kitt was late — first 10 minutes, then 20. She may have been born poor, but she traveled through life with the blood of a true diva. So, of course, she’d be late. But I fretted she might have forgotten, or changed her mind. Then I noticed heads swiveling toward the entrance — and there stood Eartha Kitt, wearing a short, bone-white fur coat, white slacks and a canary yellow turban atop her head. She had a white poodle cupped in each arm. I gave a wave, and she strode over, the poodles twisting in her arms.

“Let’s order!” she demanded. She said she didn’t care to remove her sunglasses because it was still early in the day. It was around 1:30 in the afternoon.

continued here

Popularity: 5%

Tags: christmas, eartha, r.i.p.