She was constantly told she was too pretty to be funny, but former beauty queen turned Hollywood bombshell Rhonda Shear shattered the glass ceiling for beautiful comediennes in the 80s & 90s, only to reinvent herself as a successful lingerie mogul. 

SYNOPSIS:

1990. Rhonda Shear, late 30s, auditions for the late-night B-movie sketch show “Up All Night.” She’s a knockout in her spandex outfit— and funny! Later, her boyfriend, Bobby Kelton, a successful standup comedian in his 30s, asks how the audition went. Rhonda’s unsure, seems a little down. Bobby tells her maybe she should switch careers. Rhonda wants to know, if Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller and Roseanne Barr can make it in a male dominated profession, why can’t she? Bobby reminds her that none of those women look like beauty queens. Rhonda reflects on his words, as we go back to….

New Orleans, 1950s. Rhonda’s mother, Jennie, grooms a young Rhonda to become a southern belle. By the time Rhonda is 16, she is a featured dancer on "The John Pela Show," performs with The New Orleans Saints Dance Team and appears in numerous TV commercials and print ads.

Then, Rhonda competes in beauty pageants, which puts a strain on her relationship with her boyfriend, Van Fagan, 17. Rhonda is a natural beauty, but self-conscious of her curvy behind. She creates “the Rhonda walk" so Judges focus on her face instead of her behind. Rhonda becomes the girl to beat in pageants. Meanwhile, she breaks up with Van.

Jennie pushes Rhonda to become Miss America. Rhonda wins several national titles, only doesn’t make the cut for Miss America. Jennie is heartbroken.

1977. Rhonda attends Loyola University, majoring in communications. During this time she poses for Playboy, clothed, in a pictorial called “Girls of the New South.” The issue comes out just before Rhonda is to be crowned queen of a prestigious pageant called The Floral Trail Society. Rhonda is dethroned when the pageant committee says she is showing her nipples. Rhonda files an injunction, defending herself against lawyer Gasper Schiro. Rhonda puts up a good fight, but loses her case. A year later, Rhonda is empowered to run against Gasper for Orleans Parish Registrar of Conveyances position. She loses by a narrow margin and moves to Hollywood.

Rhonda’s perseverance lands her roles on hit TV shows and winner of the Miss Los Angles Press Club Pageant, while experiencing ‘me too’ encounters of the era. She also competes in beauty pageants for a chance to become Miss California to fulfill Jennie’s dream of her becoming Miss America. A week before Rhonda competes in a pageant that will qualify her for Miss California, she appears in Chuck Barris’ TV show The $1.98 Beauty Show. The pageant Judges think she’s mocking beauty pageants, costing Rhonda the title. Jennie’s devastation is an indication she’s living her life through Rhonda.

Rhonda dates Bobby Kelton, while focusing on becoming a stand-up comedienne. She breaks the glass ceiling that “pretty women aren’t funny” when she is cast as Gilbert Gottfried’s co-host on the late-night cult hit "Up All Night." After a 10-year run, the show is cancelled. Rhonda breaks up with Bobby, leaving her ‘a woman of certain age’ unable to find work.

2000. Out of the blue, Rhonda receives an instant message from Van. He’s divorced with two teenage kids, and wants to reconnect. They do at Christmastime in Louisiana. Sparks fly, and 14 days later they marry. Rhonda has to adapt to country living and being a stepmom. When Van loses his job at a software company, they fall on hard times. Rhonda hocks her jewelry to keep them financially stable, when a friend suggests she sell a product on HSN.

Denied bank loans, Rhonda and Van learn to create a multi-million dollar intimate apparel line and award winning Ahh…Bra. In her acceptance speech for the Ernst & Young Award, Rhonda jokes that she never thought of herself as an entrepreneur. A bimboprenuer, maybe! She reminds the audience that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself at any age and receives a standing ovation. Parents now deceased; Rhonda envisions them in the crowd smiling.