THE NANNY - ONE FAB NANNY

In my not too distant youth (am I hearing snickers here?), I loved watching the tv sitcom The Nanny starring Fran Drescher.  I remember my whole family and I glued to the seat everytime we watched it, musing over the nanny's teeny-tiny dresses and her hilarious tirades with her boss (Mr. Sheffield), the butler (Niles), and Mr. Sheffield's business partner (C. C. Babcock).  She is hardly the kind of househelp you'd find in real life and the kind of employee you'd actually want in your household.  But hey, this is tv, anything can happen!




The whole cast of the "The Nanny"

The lead character (Fran Fine)  in this show was one fab nanny, but not entirely ditzy as she would give doses of streetsmart advice to the 3 Sheffield children.  Actually, she made a lot of common sense to the children who were like their prim and proper English father.  Mr. Sheffield's business partner, C. C. Babcock, was always vying for her partner's affections, who in turn was secretly smitten with Ms. Fine.  If that wasn't enough, Niles and Fran would gang up on C.C. in a word war that often had  the latter on the losing end and everybody else in stitches. 

C. C. Babcock making advances to an oblivious Mr. Sheffield

And that big, BIG HAIR!  Fran's mother and grandma had it!  Fran had it, though not as flamboyant and her kinswomen.  All upswept and styled in a sort of beehive ("ensaymada" is what actually comes to mind), they are a funny lot as they give sound advice to Fran on matters of love, sex and what not.  Proudly of Jewish-Yiddish race, it gives you a glimpse how clannish they are, almost to a fault.


On a lighter note, Fran's colorful and figure-hugging dresses are something to drool about, even for an old soul like me who hardly wears anything above the knee. It's a sharp contrast to the Sheffield household who even at home wears slacks and loafers!  In a tropical climate country like the Philippines where shorts and sando are the norm, it's unthinkable to see Pinoys wearing this kind of get up at home.  This is casual wear!


I've had a househelper who reminded me of her.  Not as glam as the tv nanny, but just as flashy and flirty as well.  She wore form-fitting shorts and teeny-weeny blouses that screamed "I'm here world!" She also had a manicure and pedicure which never chipped even as she did the laundy at home. She also wore make up everytime hubby and I were off to work.  Surprising her one day with an early break from the office (I do surprise checks on all my househelpers), I caught her sweeping the lawn all made up.  Seeing me a little surpised of her appearance, she explained that it was her daily habit which was just fine by me.  Fast forward, I got a stern warning from my mother-in-law to be careful of the maid, who was out to snatch my husband.  In the end, we let her go - but for an entirely different reason altogether.  

Going back to the sitcom.... I'm sure The Nanny still has reruns in some places and I'll be glad to watch it anytime it's available on cable.  It'll be nostalgic to for me.  But do I want this kind of nanny for my kid?  Yes and no.  Yes, for her streetsmart sense and wit; no, because she could put a risk in any marital relationship.  Still, Fran Fine was worth watching and I'd still recommend it anytime.


Good day to all!