“Charlie, how your Angels get down like that?” Destiny’s Child asked in “Independent Women, Pt. 1,” a runaway hit from the Charlie’s Angels (2000) soundtrack, and it’s a question we’re still asking all these years later. At the end of last week’s Black Death post, I singled out Kate Jackson fans for their humor and devotion to the actress, and thought I’d delve into that a bit more here.
In terms of review traffic, only Elizabeth Montgomery rivals Jackson at Cranky Lesbian. Almost 30 years after Montgomery’s death, fans are still bewitched by a decades-long TV movie career that included the landmark A Case of Rape, the suspense classic The Victim, adaptations of mystery novels and enduringly popular takes on true crime cases. I’ve been asked if I’ll review The Legend of Lizzie Borden and the answer is sure, one of these days.*
Jackson’s last TV credit was almost 20 years ago, and in the decade prior to that she mostly booked guest spots (possibly to hold onto health insurance through the Screen Actors Guild, shades of Madlyn Rhue). Her faithful fans, like Montgomery’s, use search engines and IMDb to read about her work, but they’re just as likely to find my posts through social media or message boards. When there’s a sudden surge in traffic to Thin Ice, Death at Love House or another Jackson post, it usually means a fan site promoted it.
Sometimes these groups or pages are public and I can follow the reactions; other times they’re private. Few readers bother commenting directly on Cranky or replying to Instagram posts; most who get in touch with me do so through the contact form. They’re usually gay men or lesbians who’ve loved her since they were kids and appreciate the absurdity of Killer Bees, Satan’s School for Girls, or “Angels in Chains” as adults. They’re also amused by references to her ‘pinging,’ which is slang for registering on the ol’ gaydar.**
There’s a particular strain of straight guy reader — ‘strain’ makes them sound like viruses when they’re merely mouth-breathing perverts — that imagines a lascivious angle when I write about actresses or female characters. (Here’s one in the replies to Schoolboy Father.) Jackson’s attractive, as anyone with at least partial vision could observe, but that’s incidental to her talent; her comedic timing is my favorite thing about her. Additionally, I have a soft spot for her because of the personal challenges she’s faced.
Jackson was 39 during her first go-round with breast cancer. Receiving a life-changing diagnosis like that at an early age is a test of mettle, and she’s proven hers repeatedly. Cancer can also cause surgical disfigurement (temporary or permanent) and other treatments may potentially alter your appearance as well. How stressful would those possibilities have been for someone whose job was demanding of physical perfection? Or for any actor whose work required arduous shooting schedules?
Sadly, her medical problems didn’t end there. She ran into a string of bad luck that included a second clash with cancer, followed by open-heart surgery, which meant additional career pauses while she regained her health. Crankenstein and I have faced similar setbacks with our respective illnesses, but Jackson’s came at the most dangerous time in any actress’s career: middle age. Then there’s delayed motherhood — she adopted in the ’90s, when she was in her forties, and that’s something I’d also like to do if my health and marriage allow for it.
Finally, yes, there have been tabloid rumors about pills and other issues, which I won’t link to because the oozing slime might damage your phone or computer. My feelings about mental health struggles, including addiction, should be clear from what I’ve shared about my wife and brother. If the rumors were true, it’s disgusting to kick someone when they’re down and exploit a personal tragedy (which is what addiction is) for monetary gain. And if it’s untrue… well, that changes none of those criticisms, or the fact that Jackson should be the one to tell her own story, whatever it is, if she wants it shared.
There you have it, my thoughts on Kate Jackson, which may or may not align with yours. I’ll add that her talk show appearances usually made for great viewing. Last week, after replying to a reader’s Andrew Stevens comment with a “Brink’s truck” divorce reference, I decided to look for a source and thought she’d said it to Joan Rivers. It was easy to find clips of their interviews and sure enough, the Brink’s joke was there, along with a brutal rejoinder, expertly delivered: “I don’t want to offend his fan.” That’s why you’ve gotta love her. You can find more Rivers/Jackson segments here and here.
* The Montgomery titles I’m most curious about myself are When the Circus Came to Town (with Eileen Brennan and Christopher Plummer) and 1982’s The Rules of Marriage, which costars Elliott Gould. So far I’ve found the former on streaming platforms but not the latter.
** Two things: You’d be surprised how many readers take offense if you poke fun at their favorite actors or movies. As for ‘pinging,’ when I was growing up in the ’90s and early aughts it was often dismissed as wishful thinking. Despite that, many off-the-charts pingers eventually came out or were outed. A partial list would include Jodie Foster, Sara Gilbert, Kelly McGillis, Meredith Baxter, Whitney Houston, Wentworth Miller, Ricky Martin, Neil Patrick Harris, Matt Bomer, Raúl Esparza and Kevin Spacey.
In Jackson’s case, I heard no specific gossip; she was just a mainstay in discussions of actors who ‘ping’ despite having been in heterosexual relationships. I’d be surprised if she took offense at such chatter or my dumb jokes; Charlie’s Angels has a large gay fanbase and it’s a compliment that some boys wanted to be Sabrina Duncan and some girls wanted to be wooed by her. She further endeared herself to us by costarring in Making Love, but her sense of humor would’ve made her a gay favorite regardless.