Lee-Ann Wilbur on Montel Williams
Lee-Ann Wilbur, co-owner of the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, appeared on the Montel Williams show to discuss her paranormal experiences with psychic Sylvia Browne. The show aired on Halloween, October 31, 2007. Her segment lasted a little over 7 minutes. Here it is in its entirety.
November 26, 2007 at 5:44 pm
First, thanks for posting this clip– hated to miss the show, especially since I enjoy Syvlia Browne’s books and TV appearances, which seem more and more confined to “Montel.”
Most interesting to me, here, is that Sylvia termed Lizzie “bipolar” (although, of course, we’ll never know for sure), which is how I assessed the approach that Elizabeth Montgomery took in her performance in “the movie,” with help from the teleplay and the direction, in a previous post.
What renders that all the more remarkable is that “bipolar” was hardly a byword back in 1975, and that the writer, director, and Ms. Montgomery would arrive at that assessment of Lizzie– with or without a clinical take on bipolar disorder– makes the movie all the more effective, and perhaps even authentic, in a general sense.
Of course, Lizzie had ample motive, plus means and opportunity. Still, why not push Stepmomma Dearest down those stairs (while Bridget was out at some dry-goods sale), then hightail it to the streetcar and start memorizing conductors’ cap numbers? An ax is so over-the-top (or right in the top, in this case), although quick and effective. Maybe she thought no one would believe a woman of her era would stoop to that. If so, she probably saved herself in so doing.