Okay, first... MasterLcZ... LOVE your Dolly Sisters icon.

As for Bernadette...
I've heard from someone who's worked back stage with her that she *has* had a face lift or two and it was botchy. (Okay, really never wanted to say that on this message board... but I felt it was appropriate for what I'm about to say...)
I *adore* Bernadette and I don't know if that's exactly true about the face lift or if he was just messing with me, but if it is true... isn't it sad that society today encourages beautiful performers to change their appearance to avoid topics such as the thread started here? Who CARES if she DOES look her age? She still looks gorgeous (and personally, I don't think she looks old). People should be given the encouragement to age gracefully and not have to worry about what their public is saying. Everyone gets older, it's a part of life. Contrary to popular belief... people can still look beautiful or attractive with wrinkles. Look underneath the wrinkles, people! Beauty comes from within... leave the poor woman alone.
I know looking at Vanessa Redgrave she looks so washed and frail... but I still think she's beautiful, even if she hasn't "aged as gracefully" as her sister (who *is* a lot younger than her). She may look "old" but she's so regal and classy, and that's what gives her character.
"You! You are the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber! And you, well, I just plain don't like you."
~Stewart Gilligan Griffin