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HI, ELIZABETH.
YOU LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL.
UM... [CLEARS THROAT]
GIRL,
I WANTED TO BE AS BEAUTIFUL AS ELIZABETH TAYLOR.
I WANTED TO RIDE HORSES WITH MY LONG, LUSTROUS HAIR TRAILING BEHIND ME.
I WANTED TO SWING ON A SWING T WITH A VELVET DRESS ON.
I WANTED A 16-INCH WAISTLINE.
[LAUGHTER]
AND...
I WANTED MONTGOMERy CLIFT, PAUL NEWMAN, JAMES DEAN, AND ROCK HUDSON
TO PUT THEIR ARMS AROUND IT.
[APPLAUSE]
A GIRL CAN DREAM, CAN'T SHE?
I'LL NEVER FORGET WATCHING A PLACE IN THE SUN FOR THE FIRST TIME--
I DON'T KNOW, I MUST HAVE BEEN ABT 11 OR 12--
AND THERE'S A SCENE IN THIS MOVIE
WHERE ELIZABETH AND MONTGOMERY ARE GOING TO KISS...FINALLY,
AND THEY COME TOGETHER, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE DANCING,
THEY PUT THEIR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER,
AND THEIR LIPS ARE BARELY TOUCHING,
AND SHE LOOKS UP INTO HIS EYES WITH THIS LOOK
THAT--THAT JUST KILLS ME EVERY TIME I SEE IT,
AND, SERIOUSLY, EVERY TIME I SEE THE MOVIE
IT HAS THE SAME EFFECT ON ME.
I--I WAS SO ABSOLUTELY KNOCKED OUT BY HER BEAUTY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
I THINK IT'S THIS WONDROUS LIGHT
AND IT ALWAYS TAKES MY BREATH AWAY.
MUCH TO MY REGRET,
MS,
BUT HER LIGHT CONTINUES TO SHINE
IN A MUCH MORE WONDROUS FASHION.
WITHOUT ACCOLADES AND FANFARE,
WITHOUT A MOVIE STUDIO BEHIND HER,
WITHOUT THE STAR-MAKING MACHINERY OF HOLLYWOOD,
AND WITHOUT APPLAUSE,
SINCE 1985, SHE HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY
TO RAISE MONEY FOR AIDS,
TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR AIDS,
TO ENLIGHTEN CONGRESS ABOUT THE NEED FOR A NEEDLE-EXCHANGE,
TO SHAKE UP THE UNITED NATIONS
ABOUT EDUCATING THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES,
AND SO, TONIGHT, WE HONOR YOU, ELIZABETH,
FOR YOUR COURAGE,
FOR YOUR STRENGTH,
FOR YOUR CONVICTIONS,
FOR YOUR COMPASSION,
BUT MOST OF ALL...
FOR YOUR INSPIRATION.
BY SHARING YOUR LIGHT,
YOU HAVE UNCONSCIOUSLY GIVEN US PER]ISSION
TO DO THE SAME.
YOU ARE THE MOST GOLDEN OF STARS.
THDAY.
HI.