Miss Tiffanny Universe, 2009

Tres años sin Rocio Jurado

It's the third-year anniversary of the death of my favorite "flamenco/copla/bolero" singer, the camp icon known as La mas grande who I write about here often. I was there and participated in what I experienced as a fascinating foray into the world of Spanish paparazzi, blending into the crowd of print and television reporters at her funeral, almost getting crushed in the chaos in the process. But it was worth it! The roll call of outrageous B-list celebrities in that crowd meant that for the first time, I saw the people I watch on TV and read about in HOLA in the flesh, including faded former international movie star, Sara Montiel. I still plan to write an academic article about the (sinister) religious and polical aspects of the cult of personality around this entertainer, which are just priceless.