Andie, riding bareback

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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It was just yesterday that I mentioned seeing Ashvegas celeb and glittering movie MILF starlet Andie MacDowell on the local news and noting that I wanted more Andie in my life. She may be pushing 50, but I don’t care.

Well, my Christmas wish was answered!

Yesterday, in bit of a funk after eating waaay too many pecan tarts and downing several bellinis, I was hopelessly flipping through the television wasteland when I ended up on the Style Network. I stopped, because there was Isaac Mizrahi, style maven and funky fashionista. I’d heard he’d just started a brand new talk show this month and I’d seen tidbits before. Why? Because he’s just so playful and spunky. He exudes energy and that grabs me. Must be why he keeps getting these TV shows. He had one a few years ago on the Oxygen channel that went nowhere.

But who doesn’t love to see Hollywood’s elite bantering with a fiesty gay man? Who doesn’t like to then see Isaac hit the street with his mocha latte, polo shirt collar turned up, asking pretty ladies, “So what’s your favorite piece of clothing? Jeans? Jeans! Everybody with the jeans!” And then, who doesn’t like to see Isaac in the kitchen, hands aflutter, tossing mushrooms and shallots on the floor after trying to flip them in the pan standing next to Todd English?

So back to Andie. There was Andie! Sitting next to Isaac. You know this must just have been done, because the Isaac show is daily. So there was Andie, her hair straightened, looking like a million bucks.

Isaac asks her about living in the South. “Yes, I live in Asheville. Y’all know Asheville?” asks Andie, all wide-eyed and wonderful. “It’s a fun, funky town. Full of artists.”

Isaac nods his head like an over-excited puppy. He asks if she gets noticed.

Andie says not really, that we’re cool here in Ashvegas. “People are funny. People say ‘Hey, you’re a skinnier version of Andie MacDowell!”

Isaac moves on to talk about Andie’s latests projects. She mentions “Tara Road,” a film about and American woman and Irish woman who swap houses and change their lives. Andie said it’s based on the book by Maeve Binchy, someone I’ve never heard of. Hell, I never heard of the movie. But it apparently opened in Dublin to great applause and reception.

Andie also said she voiced Etta the Hen for the movie “Barnyard.” Tagline: “What happens in the barn stays in the barn.” (Tell that to this guy..) I recently saw the trailer for this flick and it looks cute. It will be released in the coming new year.

Isaac had to turn things back to another movie that got Andie and her co-stars a lot of attention earlier this year, the movie “Crush,” about an older woman dating a much younger man. Andie said it was fun and that she actually tried out her character’s move in real life. Just to see if it would work. She spotted a 20-something in a bar somewhere and gave him her bedroom eyes. And it worked, she said.

Isaac, nearly aflame, said, “Of course it worked! Who wouldn’t it work on! You’re Andie MacDowell! Clap for her, would you?! It’s the Andie MacDowell laboratory of dating! That’s her new book, people, “Andie MacDowell’s Laboratory of Dating!” OK, not really!
that’s me in the middle, laying a big fat wet one on Andie
So, that led Isaac to ask Andie about being single. This is when I really tuned in. Andie said she’s been single for a couple of years now and she really enjoys it. She’s now used to defining her family as just herself and her children, including a 16-year-old daughter with whom she has very intimate discussions, she said.

Isaac was intrigued. But they laughed and moved on, because we’ve got a show to do here, people. So Isaac whipped out his Isaac Questions. Say the first thing that pops into your head. Just the first thing, he told Andie.

Isaac: “Women are better than men at…”
Andie: “Everything!” Then she roars with laughter and big applause.
Isaac: “A man has to do what to win your heart?”
Andie: “Make me feel beautiful.”
Isaac: “Oh, my. Really? You? Feeling ugly? What’s that like? Because you’re Andie MacDowell! OK. The most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten…”
Andie: “Porcupine. In Africa.”
Isaac: “Did you have that sauteed, with and shallots? I’m just kidding. Strangest thing in your handbag?”
Andie: “Shout wipes for getting stains off my clothes.”
Isaac: “Oh my God! That is sooo strange! O.K. — You feel sexy when…”
Andie: “Riding bareback on a horse.”

Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Andie. I love you.

Clap for her, would you? Clap for Andie.