Tuesday, February 5th 2013

Hot Slut Of The Day!

Above The Top, the glamorous and beyond classy restaurant from the iconic 80s TV show It's A Living!

This is for Dlisted reader David Ozanich who as a kid was so mesmerized and hypnotized by the elegance and glamour oozing off of his TV screen while watching reruns of It's A Living that he convinced his high school prom committee to have their prom at the restaurant on top of the Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown L.A., where IAL took place. (Not-so-fun-and-kind-of-boring Fact: My junior prom was at the ballroom at the Bonaventure Hotel, but I chose to not go and to eat Jack In The Box tacos by myself in my room instead. And by "choose" I mean nobody invited my ass and I didn't want to show up by myself and get Carrie'd or Josie Grossie'd.)

Since my ass lives in L.A. now, I thought of going for a glamorous meal at the restaurant on top of the Bonaventure Hotel, but it's not called Above The Top and I doubt Ann Jillian is up there serving cocktails in a tank top from Capezio, so screw that.

Posted by: Michael K
Sayonara's picture

I watched it every week back in the day.

36 Chambers (The Wu)

There was "It's A Living" and "Making A Living"-- same basic show, but MAL had the dames in French maid type costumes. They were bellwethers for independent women doin it for themselves...those innocent days of old, when being a waitress equaled glamour

Thunder only happens when it's rainin
Players only love you when they're playin

crazyinjapan's picture

My senior prom date decided to take another girl to the prom and didn't tell me. I found out from my mom, who worked at my school, two days before the event. I hid in a stall and cried until this one nice girl talked me out and told me to go home. I had the dress and everything, so I asked my gay friend to go with me. It was a little awkward at first, being in the same gym with the guy who had dumped me without telling me and the girl he dumped me for, but my friend and I actually wound up having a bearding good time! We went to the dance (my date had a really ugly off-white tuxedo with a gray cummerbund because it was the last minute), danced to Tiffany and the Dirty Dancing theme song, went to a party and watched the popular kids get drunk and stupid, and ate breakfast at a greasy spoon before we went home. No kiss, but it was fun.

Dion flowerboy's picture

The valevictorian at our high school blew off senior prom to play putt-putt with losers like me and other undateable types. She was a very cool person. Yes, she had a date and he joined us.

Possum's picture

Geez. Serving food in a Capezio spaghetti-strap top... makes perfect sense!

She Stinks's picture

I loved this show, and if I recall , it was on for many seasons. It bounced around a few networks, like ABC then NBC, but then there were new episodes and went into some kind of syndication and was always on D list networks.

I always find it odd that Barrie Youngfellow seemed to get top billing, yet I never heard of her then, or after. Who the hell is she anyway? IMDB time.

She Stinks!

stefystef's picture

I stand corrected... I think there was 6 season... I think they brought it back after a hiatus:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080233/?ref_=sr_1
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"I swear, sometimes good dick is a thing of evil. It blurs your vision and screws with your brain.- MK, 01/17/13

chlyn's picture

OH YEAHHHHHH! Capezio tops with the cross-straps in the back!

big balls's picture

thank you David Ozanich!!!!!

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this shit show when I was a kid... the stoopid song gets stuck in my head from time to time... its so damn gay!!!

I went to the Bonaventure revolving bar for the first time like in 2000 with some friends and the entire time I was telling them about "It's a Living" and the damn song that was stuck in my head and NONE of my friends had any fucking idea what i was talking about, it was such a buzzkill!!!!!!!!

and MK welcome home (it was just a matter of time...). hit me up if ya wanna go have a drink!! cheers patsy!

shandi's picture

This used to be on every Saturday on our local channel when I was in my teens and watched it every Saturday!

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"Wait until the bitch finds the family of wombats living in her chocha." - MK

TrashyWilma's picture

Gotta love a food service uniform where wearing a bra is not an option.

Doll-Parts's picture

LOVED THIS SHOW!!!!

*"I got 99 problems, being a bitch ain't one!"*
-Courtney Love @ Sundance 2013

mike's picture

Is "Barrie Longfellow" a tranny? "Barrie Longfellow as Jan" sounds mighty suspicious.

letinstar's picture

i think i set aside some time in my busy 10th grade schedule to watch this nonsense...oh, the good old days...
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"The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it." --
Roseanne Barr

RandéSleepover's picture

Submitted by Gardening Girl on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 11:09am.
Stayed there 2/3 years ago when we went to watch the X Games with the boys. Nast! Like some relic from the disco era and most of the shops were empty and the ones that were there were so low rent it was embarrassing. They seriously need to redecorate.

Yes! But it's always been like that. The food court is extra sad.

misslainey's picture

I absolutely loved this show. And add me to the list of nerds not getting invited to the prom. However, I was in a denutante's ball after graduation so that was a plus.

Winnyfranfran's picture

Hey MK! When did you move back to LA? You're from there, right? Didn't you live in NYC for a while?

stefystef's picture

I loved that show when I was a kid. Watched every week.
I think it ended after one season, but it was fun. Very VERY 80s.
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"I swear, sometimes good dick is a thing of evil. It blurs your vision and screws with your brain.- MK, 01/17/13

M.E.'s picture

HOLY SHIT! I think I remember watching this mess as a little girl. WOW.

cocoebert's picture

Never mind. She's the mom from Dharma and Greg and the grandma from Castle.

cocoebert's picture

Susan Sullivan. Is that the woman from Two and a Half Men, meaning the grandma?

Also, that jingle sucked.

elanenergy's picture

You city bitches and your fancy proms. Mine was in the high school gym, where we hide liquor bottles under our fancy polyester "gowns" ; followed by drunken debauchery down at "the lake" where we stayed in pitched tents.

Why I left for the city shortly thereafter. AND NEVER WENT BACK.

My vision of world peace: a chicken in every pot, and pot for all us chickens...and weasels.

kate773's picture

HA! I used to love that show. The building looked so glamorous.

Bossy's picture

I've gone to the rotating lounge at the top of the Bonaventure. It's definitely fun at night time because it affords a great view. Drinks and apps are kind of overpriced but that's a given. It's a good alternative to the usual L.A. stuff.

Also, the brunch at the Bonaventure is AWESOME. I stayed in a suite there about 2 years ago and the room was great, so not sure what people are complaining about.

The5thelementofbytches's picture

How many cast changes went on during its 6 seasons?

I remember Sheryl Lee Ralph on the show? And they had uniforms?

Am I remembering incorrectly?

Gardening Girl's picture

Stayed there 2/3 years ago when we went to watch the X Games with the boys. Nast! Like some relic from the disco era and most of the shops were empty and the ones that were there were so low rent it was embarrassing. They seriously need to redecorate.

"Let them all boil in their own hotdog juice." Deb 7/2012

RandéSleepover's picture

That place was a dump even in the '80s. Now it's just an anachronism.

super8atefilm's picture

Submitted by jerseygirl17 on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 10:28am.

Yes, she did look better w/ dark hair - probably much closer to her natural color. I also remember her for her breast cancer battle and her openness about it, in People Magazine no less. Kind of killed her career though. You know Hollywood: no tits, no job.

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Why don't you dance with me? I'm not no limburger.

TexnDoc's picture

You were probably going to get "Carrie'd" because your dirty pillows were showing. Through your assless chaps.

FaerieBad1's picture

Trivia fact about Ann Jillian: She played Dainty June in Gypsy. She and Natalie Wood sang the song "Mama"( I think that is the name of that song). She looked so cute in her little white fur outfit.

Submitted by super8atefilm on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 10:19am.
This show made Ann Jillian's career for a hot minute. I think she also played Mae West in some 80's tv movie, maybe with James Brolin? She was really good in it, lol. My taste sucks.
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I remember her as the Red Queen in the Alice in Wonderland miniseries, with Carol Channing as the White Queen. I think she actually looks better with that dark red haircolor than the blonde.

Deb's picture

I forgot about this show! I used to watch it too. Now when I looked at that intro, all I could think of was long hairs and armpit juice in the food.

"JUST SMILE LIKE A NORMAL FUCKED UP PERSON."
Charles Manson

super8atefilm's picture

This show made Ann Jillian's career for a hot minute. I think she also played Mae West in some 80's tv movie, maybe with James Brolin? She was really good in it, lol. My taste sucks.
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Why don't you dance with me? I'm not no limburger.

BoredSlore's picture

This was on for 6 seasons?!? Dafuq???

Now that that's out of the way, where can I find it to watch it again? DirecTV sux!

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I don't understand alts and I am NOT interesting enough to have one. Damn.

Boo1212's picture

Man, I used to watch that show religiously lol

Go Verb Yourself!

I think I have this show confused with another 80s show where they wore French maid-like outfits.

Aphid's picture

Sorry double post

Aphid's picture

Had my senior prom there. I remember everyone was freaking out because Run DMC were playing a show and were staying there at the same time. I was always fascinated with Ann Gillian's hair.

Bigbendy's picture

MK, those stupid hos didn't know what they were missing by not inviting you. I wish I had known you. We would have made an awesome King and Queen. My date was a douchbag.

snowpiece's picture

AWWW my sister and I used to make so much fun of this show but still watch it anyway. remember when there were three channels and PBS?
poor MK, didn't go to his prom, I'm sure many Dlisters can sympathize. I can't even remember if we had a "prom" since I went to an all girls school but i think there was some thing and I didn't go, LOL

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"OBAMA PLEASE HELP ME I DON'T HAVE A JOB"
"NO SORRY BUT HERE'S SOME WEED AND A VOUCHER TO GET MARRIED TO YOUR UNCLE" THANKS OBAMA

Sucky 12/19

ewesocrazy's picture

Life's not the French Riviera, believe me, no seriously, believe me.

miz cynical's picture

Awww. I used to love that show! I didn't realize that it took place in L.A.! Wasn't that another show that Tootie was on?