Anita Bryant, 1940--2025

January 9, 2025 9:57 PM

'"The thing to remember is that Anita Bryant won that battle initially, but she did not win that war,” said the historian Julio Capó Jr'. 'Bryant's public victory became her private devastation. Students listed Bryant as the "woman who had done the most damage in the world" in a 1978 Ladies Home Journal poll. The man they picked was Adolf Hitler.' Anti-gay rights campaigner Anita Bryant has died at the age of 84.
posted by Fiasco da Gama (28 comments total)

I remember seeing Bryant in Michael Moore's Roger & Me, in which she was insufferably callous and condescending about the unemployed GM workers in Flint, Michigan.

She was a narcissistic asshole.
posted by orange swan at 10:08 PM on January 9 [2 favorites]

What a terrible person she was to those who were most vulnerable.
posted by Carillon at 10:13 PM on January 9 [2 favorites]

What's the opposite of a dot?
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 10:14 PM on January 9 [3 favorites]

something something "I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction." Good riddance to the JK Rowling of the 70's.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 10:18 PM on January 9 [3 favorites]

π
posted by onehalfjunco at 10:20 PM on January 9 [2 favorites]

I did not realize she was so young.
posted by Keith Talent at 10:30 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Byeeeeeee!
posted by klanawa at 10:42 PM on January 9

Rest in piss.
posted by kiblinger at 10:45 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

Earlier this evening I watched her get that pie in the face one more time. I hope the folks who find peace in this are all the people she harmed, most particularly her granddaughter and her granddaughter's wife.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 10:54 PM on January 9 [3 favorites]

To me she was always dead
posted by robbyrobs at 11:16 PM on January 9

What's the opposite of a dot?
posted by Blue Jello Elf

"At last!"
posted by DoctorFedora at 11:29 PM on January 9

Burn in hell
posted by june_dodecahedron at 11:35 PM on January 9

you know, maybe it's just me, but I aim to live a life where when I die, I don't have entire communities finding joy in that death
posted by i used to be someone else at 11:46 PM on January 9 [5 favorites]

What's the opposite of a dot?

*
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:51 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

First Le Pen, now Bryant…

There are people whose lives are celebrated (Jimmy Carter, Maggie Smith) and people whose deaths are celebrated. The latter may be a more exclusive club; let’s keep it that way?
posted by apathy at 12:00 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]

> What's the opposite of a dot?

In increasing order of bytelen:

+

:)

\o/

🎉
posted by Callisto Prime at 12:06 AM on January 10

Well now the pie is her second biggest surprise ever
posted by Chef Flamboyardee at 12:13 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]

Many a day without sunshine from here on in.
posted by non canadian guy at 12:33 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]

"You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good. Anita Bryant is dead. Good."
- Bette Davis (adapted)
posted by Karmeliet at 12:44 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]

Bye Felicia
posted by ursus_comiter at 12:46 AM on January 10

As with many horrible people, labor historian Erik Loomis has prepared a biting obituary for Bryant. His conclusion here is particularly fitting:

In 2021, Bryant’s granddaughter married another woman. And that’s the best place to end this obituary.

posted by NoxAeternum at 12:54 AM on January 10 [2 favorites]

“And I hope Anita Bryant never ever does one of my songs
No, no, no”

I know who I’d rather hang out with!
posted by drewbage1847 at 12:57 AM on January 10

Aw, that's too bad.

Anyway, I have cookies.
posted by zardoz at 1:09 AM on January 10

She was still alive? News to me.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:26 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]

Good riddance to bad rubbish.
posted by tommasz at 1:34 AM on January 10

She was still alive? News to me.

Apparently, not for a few weeks. Seems her family held onto the news to prevent those she abused and attacked from using the holidays to celebrate her passing.
posted by NoxAeternum at 1:36 AM on January 10

For what it's worth I agree with that decision. We should create an all new holiday to celebrate her passing, not hijack an old one.
posted by Ashenmote at 2:01 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]

I was a teenager when she was doing her worst. I remember her being widely condemned in the print media I consumed. She'd fit right in these days.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 3:05 AM on January 10