Eat Your Heart Out

Everybody knows what a “publicity whore” is (visions of Paris Hilton dance through our heads). But while the term may be on the newer side, the practice certainly isn’t. And the original publicity maven has to be the one and only Marilyn Monroe. The woman had the formula down 53 years ago.

It was today in 1956 when Monroe gathered with Sir Laurence Olivier in front of a room of reporters to announce the making of The Prince and the Showgirl (guess who played the showgirl). It was partway through the announcement when – whoops! – the strap on Monroe’s dress snapped! Well, photographers just went wild. I mean, how embarrassing, right?

Wrong.

Photographer Eve Arnold, who worked with Monroe numerous times, reports that during the appearance, Monroe leaned over to her and said, “Just watch me!” before snapping her shoulder strap herself. Nothing sells better than sex and no one sold sex better than Marilyn.

Eat your heart out, Paris.