Supporting Characters
Never have so many shallow, ludicrous characters been brought together on one show. They are hysterical to watch, but the idea that people could really be this way is rather frightening...........
Peter
PETER: What is it with you women? Why this overwhelming need to share everything with each other? Do I feel the need to share with my male friends the fact that occasionally I like to wear MaryJanes and those cute little white socks with the lace around them? No, that's my business, and I keep it to myself......... because I'm a man, and that's what men do.
ELLIE: (to Dott) What is that.......like the third time he's told us that?
Dott's business partner, Peter, is a real
charmer...... not!! He's a serious skirt chaser
(even girl scout skirts!!) He would admittedly
compromise his ailing mother's health for a hot
sexual encounter --- however brief. Pathetically
trying to retain his youth, Peter is the constant
target of insults from Ellie and Dott's assistant
Stephano --- both of whom find him horribly
unappealing.
Stephano
DOTT: Good morning, Stephano. You look exhausted.
STEPHANO: Oh, I had some night. I went dancing at the new Latin lesbian bar, Chicks 'n' Salsa.
DOTT: Chicks 'n' Salsa..........why did you go there?
STEPHANO: I like to spend time with my mother.
A strapping young Italian immigrant, Stephano is
Dott's perfect assistant. He is stylish to a fault,
always on top of the latest gossip, has the
perfect connections all over the city, and is
extremely loyal. Of course, he is also very
arrogant and vain --- though justifiably so.
Every homosexual in New York must want
him, and he falls right in with the
ridiculously shallow people that he works for
--- possibly even being their influence.
Brendan Emerson
BRENDAN: This facelift thing makes no sense. You, Mother, are an enormously successful publisher, and you (to Ellie) are an enormously successful novelist, and you are both very attractive women.
DOTT: Oh, there you go. Now you said successful first. Why isn't "attractive" the first thing that comes to mind?
BRENDAN: ....... because you're my mother.
ELLIE: Well what about me?
BRENDAN: I am terrified to give you any sort of encouragement.
Though he loves and respects his mother,
Brendan is almost more mature than Dott. He
also has rebelled against her influence with his
strict republican views. He wears suits to school
and is involved in activities such as debate clubs,
soccer, and the Young Republicans. Brendan is
also the target of Ellie's constant sexual pursuit and overactive labido,
depite his only being 17 years old.
Val Brumberg
VAL: Ellie, in your own perverted and twisted way you did this for me. Thank you.
ELLIE: Well, what kind of friend would I be if I wasn't willing to sleep with your husband?
VAL: You consider me as a friend?
ELLIE: Well.....let's take one disgusting hurdle at a time.
VAL: Well, like it or not I consider you one. Oh, and Mitchell (to her husband), I may have been born yesterday, but I've been up all night!!
An old college friend of Dott and Ellie, frumpish
Val comes to live with Dott after finding her low
class husband having a sexual encounter with his
secretary. Dott is basically just an uncultured
housewife and doesn't relate to the lifestyle the
ladies live. Ellie is absolutely infuriated by her
presence, while Dott tries very hard to mediate
between the two and grits her teeth at Val's lack
of style and sophistication.
Alice Morgan-DuPont-Sutton-Cushing-Ferruke
DOTT: If I don't get a chance to tell you after you die, I love you too, and I shall miss you.
ALICE: You're not gonna get rid of me that easily. Oh no no no.........I plan to dig my way out of the grave and haunt you!
DOTT: Dig all you want.............I'm gonna bury you upside down.
Dott's mother Alice comes from money and is
continuously marrying to keep herself in it.
Her latest husband --- the seventh to date --- is a
Persian oil man. She is snotty and stuck-up,
and she and Dott are forever pelting each other
with insulting little quips, --- and she enjoys
taking digs at Ellie. She is vain and shallow to
extremes, and seems to have a bit of a memory
problem --- or likes to feign one for effect.
Jayne Meadows received an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Alice.
