Leather Trocadero: Suzy Quatro

The first rule of screenwriters guild since 1977 is "introduce a sexy woman in a hot outfit if ratings are tanking."

Suzi Quatro as Leather Trocadero. Happy Days back in 1977.

Judging by the number of hits, hardly anyone in femdom knows who Rick and Morty are. So much for handing over femdom to the next generation. Guess you have to be over 50 or so to appreciate female domination. And no findommes don't count. Because Dutch lives to serve, let's talk about something demi-centennials can relate to: Happy Days.

The Guardian newspaper just finished a series on jumping the shark, TV shows that go downhill even faster after an unlikely occurrence desperately attempting to keep viewers' interest. Moments labeled as "jumping the shark" are considered indications that writers have exhausted their focus, that the show has strayed irretrievably from an older and better formula, or that the series as a whole is declining in quality.

Happy Days was a TV show that ran from 1974 to 1984, depicting an idealized vision of life in the mid-1950s to mid-1960s Midwestern United States. Most people [that are still alive] remember it for the character of high school dropout, biker and suave ladies' man Arthur "Fonzie"/"The Fonz" Fonzarelli.

The show ran for 11 [LOL] seasons and by the end, the series was taking place in that historical period known as the 1950-60-70-80s. Desperate to keep viewers' attention, the writers let a water-skiing Fonzie jump over a confined shark. Of course he does so while wearing his trademark leather jacket. Dutch loves leather but there is a time and place for everything. Guess that's the real lesson Happy Days teaches us.

Reading the comments I noticed the phrase Leather Tuscadero. Turns out that Fonzie jumping a shark was not the only desperate attempt at holding viewers attention. Remember this is the  1970s. Leather Tuscadero is not the girlfriend of Fonzie, despite the obvious leather catsuit. She is his girlfriend's little sister. The character was played by singer Suzi Quatro.

In a similar retrospective The Guardian wrote about Suzi Quatro's leather outfits as singer in "The Look I Love." Femdom Resource discussed it last December.

A famous person wearing a leather catsuit is not enough to blog about. What makes her interesting is that Quatro is a true pioneer. "She redefined the role of women in rock ‘n roll. There were female singers and musicians before Suzi, but she was the first to break through as lead vocalist who was also just part of the band."

Next month Suzi Q, a documentary about her life will be launched and unlike the Den of Geek feature it's about much more than leather. As it should.

Leather never goes out of style.