Plum Sykes on the picket line • The WGA writer’s strike isn’t just a tough on writers and crew members whose projects have been discontinued.  No, it’s a definite hardship for fashion’s elite, too.  Witness the dilemma Plum Sykes (who’s adapting her novel into a screenplay and is therefore on strike) faces as she prepares to protest on the streets of New York:  “...what on earth does a Voguette wear to picket?”  Yes, she’s serious. 

In this piece for New York magazine, Sykes then proceeds to seek advice from an unnamed “society hostess” and fellow Vogue writer William Norwich, who are probably two of the least helpful people on Earth when it comes to unions, picket lines, and most any other topic.  Her ruminations on the subject are the most self-absorbed take on the writer’s strike yet—and, quite possibly, ever.  If only screenwriting weren’t the sole kind of work she’s forbidden right now.  [via Fashionista]

Comments

[pinkbrontosaurus]

Plum needs to go to Mars. I remember a Vogue article about how everyone was scared of SARS but she was tired of loosing buttons on her Marc Jacob overcoat.
Her schtick was never cute but now she's middle-aged she needs to lose the "insouciante gamine" 'tude.
Oh, and "My fur coat was bought with my book revenue so wearing it at the picket line is cool, you know, British, like me, I'm so British." Almost more annoying than when Bergdorf Blondes came out and she said that everyone compared her to Candace Bushnell but that she saw herself as Truman Capote. Yeah, dream on. Did her second book sell well?

[A Martian]

On behalf of all Martians, please do not send Plum Sykes to us.

She'd probably criticize our gold sashes, try to moisturize our lizard-like skin, and declare our antennae "out of season."

We know you're planning to send people to our planet. Do NOT include Plum Sykes in that crew.

Or we will death-ray you.

[Miriam]

Either she has a great sense of humour, or she deserves to be shot. What a horrible, shallow woman she must be....it makes me sick.

[jaundiced janitor]

Miriam, when people are jobless around Christmas and TV crews dependant on charity from their millionaire employers, whatever irony the Plum could muster is so out of line. And I'm not a PC guy.

[Molly]

I agree with Miriam. She's either the least self-aware writer I've ever read, or the most brilliant satirist I've ever read. Since I can't imagine her writing "A Modest Proposal"-like article about skinning the homeless to make chic hobo bags, I'm going to go with not self-aware.

[Glossed Over]

Huh. The idea of Plum Sykes as a genius satirist is quite intriguing, if only because it provides the only plausible explanation for her behavior. Still, we can't quite imagine her pulling one over on her interview subjects, Daily Show-style.

[magaddict]

Miriam--my thoughts exactly whenever I read ANYTHING from her. She's either a deliciously-wicked satirist or the craziest f'ing b*tch I've ever seen.

[Emily]

No no no, NO-ONE would (favourably) compare Candace Bushnell and Plum Sykes. I picked up Plum's book in a thrift store (should have been a clue right there) and took it on a flight, and couldn't get past the first few pages. I kept going back and trying, but each time I was amazed- 'Nope, it really IS less boring to look at the back of the seat in front of me than to continue with this book."