Even Mrs. Brady Makes Bad Decisions. Like Getting Crabs From The Mayor.

Plenty of moms make bad decisions every day. But in case you’re needing a moment of relief from your own personal bad moves today,  Florence Henderson is here to give you a little relief. The actress best known for playing Mrs. Brady in the 1970s has a new autobiography (out in September) where she dishes about some of her more outrageous behavior over the years. The item everyone’s picking up on today? A one night stand she had with then New York City mayor John Lindsay that left her with crabs.

Thanks for that mental picture Florence!

Let this bit of information serve as a reminder that no matter what neuroses you’re inflicting on your children, there was plenty worse happening in the middle of the 20th century. This particular story took place before the wife swapping and commune living that was popularized in the 1970s. But Mrs. Brady was always a trend setter. In the 1960s, Mrs. Brady’s marriage wasn’t going so well and she decided to sleep with her friend the mayor, for no real reason aside from the fact that he was interested.

And when she decided to sleep with John Lindsay, Mrs. Henderson didn’t even enjoy herself. According to Reuters:

“Henderson, now 77, recounts in her upcoming memoir that she was cheating on her husband during the 1960s, and gave in to her better judgment when her married and unattractive friend put the moves on her over drinks at the Beverly Hills Hotel.”

I’ll save you from the gory details that Reuters republished (though feel free to click through if you’re curious how Mrs. Brady learned about genital lice).

Though I think Reuters meant she did so “against her better judgment.” Because having an affair with a friend you describe first as unattractive doesn’t sound like a particularly great idea in any direction.

Perhaps her judgment has improved since. She went on to marry her therapist a few years after the crab sharing incident. And most importantly, she waited until Lindsay (and his wife) passed on before introducing him to all of us as The Crab King Of New York.

(Photo: Getty)