Happy Mother’s Day WAWA. One day dedicated to all of you amazing MAMAs is surely not enough. For everything you do, you should really have everyday devoted to you! But you’re not alone. For this week’s WAWA, let’s take a look at some of the greatest non-traditional mother’s in FILM, TV and real life.
For our first mom, let’s reflect on the champion of all moms, and the mother of a champion as well: Lucille LaRusso. “Karate Kid” was THE movie for kids in my generation* (*see WAWA 3), and Daniel LaRusso was our star. But it all started with his mom, Lucille LaRusso, played by Randee Heller. This single mom moved from New Jersey to Reseda with her son for a new job and to make a better life for her and her son. She works hard to provide and is a caring mother to Daniel. Mrs. LaRusso is a very optimistic woman. She is always upbeat and even gives Daniel a ride for a date with Ali, his high-school crush. Like most moms, she even finds time to attend her son's sporting events. Never focusing on herself, she pushes naïve and shy Daniel to make friends and encourages him to spend time with the mythical Mr. Miyagi. Lucille is there for Daniel, and is by Daniel’s side at the All Valley Karate Tournament. Here she is comforting our young hero:
Another great movie mom, also non-traditional, is Cass Hamada, the overworked but always supportive aunt of brothers Hiro and Tadashi in Disney's 2014 animated feature film “Big Hero 6”. Although she is technically not their mother, she is clearly the mother figure for both Hiro and Tadashi. The owner of a popular San Fransokyo bakery and coffee shop, Aunt Cass is proud, ebullient and thinks the world of her two genius nephews. She's always good for a laugh and ready with a hug, tirelessly there for support and a great home-cooked meal. Voiced by Maya Rudolph (best know from her stint on Saturday Night Live), Cass is a caring woman who loves her nephews above all else. She is very loving towards them, but knows when to be strict. This is shown when she picks them up after they are released from prison. She hugs them and asks if they are okay before lecturing them about how much they worried her. Here she is, supportive, and none the wiser to Hiro’s hijinks:
Here’s actress Maya Rudolph (mother of FOUR in real life) voicing the part:
Definitely NOT Mr. Dante’s cup of tea, but a notable mom nonetheless is Meryl Streep as the promiscuous, yet loving, single mom, who sings and dances her way through the soundtrack of ABBA hits in “Mamma Mia!”. ANOTHER single mom (there’s a real trend here in this week’s WAWA), Donna’s (Streep) 20-year-old bride-to-be daughter, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), finds out that there are three men who could be her father and invites them all to her mother’s home in Greece before the wedding to determine who should walk her down the aisle. Soak in this clip of dancetastic MAMA action:
When it comes to TV mom’s, nothing compares to the take no bull, matriarch of the house, partner at her law firm, and mother of FIVE, Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show”. “The Cosby Show” was the biggest show of the 1980’s, battling it out with “the Simpsons” for the top ratings title every year. The show, which ran from 1984 to 1992, starred Bill Cosby as obstetrician Cliff Huxtable, and his lawyer wife Clair Huxtable, and focused on their life with their five children. Here are “28 reasons that Clair Huxtable is Perfection Embodied” via buzzfeed.com:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannarebolini/reasons-clair-huxtable-is-perfection-embodied#.odpZ96XD6
And here are some highlights from the show:
It’s often not just fun and games for a mother. Mother’s not only deserve respect and praise for their unending support, but also for the tyranny from their own children that they must often face. I know that I was at times an incorrigible brat in my younger years, and I have no idea how my mom bared it! One of the most epic mom vs. daughter arguments is from the movie “Mildred Pierce”. Joan Crawford delivers an Oscar-winning performance in this murder mystery. This was a comeback for Crawford in the title role as a successful single mom dealing with an increasingly difficult relationship with her haughty, demanding daughter.
To flip this week’s WAWA on its head, let’s take a look back at an oft forgotten, but great 80’s fodder movie about a man mom, “Mr. Mom”. Living with his wife, Caroline, and their three children, Alex, Kenny, and Megan, in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, during the early 1980s recession; Jack Butler (Michael Keaton) and his two friends, Larry and Stan, lose their engineering jobs at the Ford Motor Company. Caroline, having been a housewife for years, utilizes her college education and prior experience to re-enter the workforce, leaving Jack to deal with new and bewildering responsibilities as a stay at home dad. Hilarity ensues. Here’s the trailer:
For our last mother, let’s take in the greatness of the top MAMA: the first lady. Mother of two, inspiration to millions, and the woman behind the main man; Michelle Obama is the definition of the modern mother. She has redefined the role of the first lady, lives what she talks, and walks the walk. This clip really says it all:
And here she is with Jimmy Fallon:
Till next time MAMA NATION. – Mr. Dante