I was always fascinated with the "cult of personality" pop icons who languished at the periphery of fame in my formative years (AKA the 1980's). The John DeLoreans', the Bernard Goetz's and the like. This fascination was amplified by coming of age during the second renaissance of Saturday Night Live. The mid-to-late 80's saw the show come into its own again as a comedic juggernaut. Frequently these two indulgences, my pop-fascination and my SNL exuberance, would cross paths. As was the case when the ultra-dependable SNL cast member Nora Dunn (the female Phil Hartman, IMHO) would do her spot-on impersonation of the "Queen of Mean" Leona Helmsley.

Nora Dunn as Her Royal Meanness

Leona always seemed like a caricature to me, too audacious to be a real person. The former hotelier and real estate magnate turned ex con was a compelling figure for anyone whose net worth was less than a billion dollars to rally against. Nothing will turn the middle class against you faster than casually saying "only the little people pay taxes." She denied to the very end ever saying it, but it was a damning piece of character witness testimony. She was branded a tycoon by the media and a monster by her employees, allegedly humiliating her underlings on all levels, from the shoe-shine guy in the lobby up to her lackeys in the board room. She was the physical embodiment of the power-suit woman of the 80's. A compelling dichotomy, to some a devoted wife, philanthrope and shrewd businesswoman, to most a cold hard bitch.

She got busted for tax evasion in the late 80's and did hard time. You think Martha Stewart had it rough? Hardly, by comparison. Martha is wealthy, but she doesn't own the Empire State Building. It may be sympathy for the devil, but going from billionaire to the new fish in cell block H must have been a shock to the system.

Leona passed away today at the age of 87. Regardless of her circumstances, she was an icon of the 80's and a terrific comic vehicle for the under-appreciated Nora Dunn.

Sayonara, Leona. They say only the good die young. In your case... well...

You can read the whole story here.

Huzzah, kids.