Author Dies After Facelift

Evening Standard ^ | 1/16/04 | James Langton

[thesummerwind]

Best-selling author Olivia Goldsmith has died after her facelift went wrong.

She was best known for The First Wives Club which was turned into the 1996 hit film starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton as three friends who take their revenge on cheating husbands who dump them for younger women.

The 54-year-old writer, whose real name was Justine Rendal, had been in a deep coma for more than a week caused by a reaction to an anaesthetic while she was having plastic surgery.

She died last night at the Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan after failing to regain consciousness during an operation at a clinic on 7 January to remove skin from under her neck.

While the official cause of death has not been made public, one report said she had suffered a heart attack.

In a recent interview she joked that she wanted to be given liposuction after her death so that friends could say: "She never looked better".

She also said that death no longer worried her and that "my favourite hobbies are reading, sex and sleeping".

Several close friends were at her bedside when she died. Her lawyer, Steven Mintz, said she had left instructions to donate her organs "to provide future life and comfort to others".

He added: "She clearly died from injuries associated with the anaesthetic. It's very sad. The whole thing is terrible."

Goldsmith claimed to have been inspired to write after her own divorce. She vowed never to marry again when her businessman husband took most of her possessions in a settlement, including their Jaguar and a house in the Hamptons.

Much of her share of the divorce went on legal fees. Almost broke, she began writing The First Wives Club on the top of a number 14 bus when she was living in Islington while working as a consultant in London.

The blockbuster eventually made her nearly £5 million.

When the film appeared, it included a cameo by Goldsmith as a mourner at the funeral of a friend who kills herself when her husband takes a new trophy wife.

The film also included the immortal line from Ivana Trump, playing herself, who advised wronged wives: "Don't get mad. Get everything."

The writer had recently completed two more novels.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Will...not...comment... < /struggle>

[Constitution Day]

*snort*

[steveo]

At least she'll look good for the funeral...

[HEY4QDEMS]

Well after all, vanity is one of the seven deadly sins.

[bullseye1911]

Permanent Botox?

[thesummerwind]

As Butch Cassidy said to the bankguard when he noticed that the old quaint beautiful bank he had robbed in the past was all "securitied-up", "small price to pay for beauty!"

[2Jedismom]

She clearly died from injuries associated with the anaesthetic

Not complications, but injuries...hmmmm...

I knew of patient in Austin that died after the doctor cauterized something in his throat after turning the O2 back on...made me believe that I'd have to need a surgery pretty bad before I'd let anyone put me under general anesthesia.

I think I'll just keep my wattles.

[G L Tirebiter]

Forgive me for stating the all too obvious, but...

There is no such thing as "risk free surgery". Just because it's elective doen't mean you'll be better off afterwards.

[BunnySlippers]

Anesthesia is usually more dangerous than the operation people are seeking. She didn't die of vanity ... I know when I have operations the anesthesia is the one thing that terrifies me.

[jetson]

Could be an angle here for the Michael Jackson defense. He died and just doesn't know it yet.

[prairiebreeze]

"She clearly died from injuries associated with the anaesthetic.

Her lawyer's use of language is not accidental. The hospital might as well start trying to settle....even though the surgery was completely elective and she signed that she had informed consent as to the risks.

Prairie

[Wright is right!]

I'm just waiting for this to happen on the ABC show "Extreme Makeover."

Speaking of which, I noticed that this weeks show, which was supposed to be a new one, was a repeat. Wonder if they're - um - having problemos....

Michael

[bmwcyle]

Vanity will kill your soul while the body still lives. After seeing "First Wives", I would say there was a dead soul.

[upchuck]

Somebody needs to tell John F*ing Kerry about this.

Connection ^ for the uninformed.

[thesummerwind]

Hope this doesn't happen to That Crazy Frisco Broad, Nancy Botox-osi.

Do Bella Pelosi's eyes ever close at night.

[HEY4QDEMS]

She didn't die of vanity

Sorry, I disagree.

[thesummerwind]

Well after all, vanity is one of the seven deadly sins.

ROFL! That's a keeper!

Some people really must get their priorities in line. ;)

[Sloth]

She didn't die of vanity

Incorrect.