On Tuesday afternoon, I walked out of my school in a million dollar mood having passed the test that assures I will start next semester in the rank above mine, Group C. I called Husband, who said if he had more chairs in his office he would orchestrate a Wave, and then I sent Daughter a text:
I got a 100! I’m out of the room!
She responded immediately:
Let’s celebrate! I’ll get you a prostitute!
This was, of course, a reference to every New York front page this week about Governor Eliot Spitzer and his Technicolor descent from Crusader to Crud. The governor’s illegal adventures, subtitled Show Me Your Clever Way of Getting On and Off, sparked discussion in all of my mostly female classes and some of the perspectives were surprising. In general, this appears to be the equivalent of that moment on Oprah’s sofa when Tom Cruise went from Icon to Head Case.
Since the story broke, the reactions of my fellow students, who represent a broad swatch of humanity, have spanned everything from justified outrage and disappointment to ‘all men cheat; this is news?’ and ‘I hope his wife slammed the back of his pointy head the second the cameras went off’ after watching her visible pain as she stood next to him for his public apology.
One naive lass suggested perhaps this was the first time he transgressed and he just happened to get caught. Another proposed that maybe he’s being framed. Yes, you’re right, they’re very young. I felt sad for their wishful thinking because it seems like there haven’t been any real public heroes as they navigated their way to adulthood. Politicians are frauds; priests are pedophiles; sports figures cheat their game and their fans and then lie to congressional committees; adored rock stars and actors chuck it all on their way to the morgue. Hero candidates don’t seem to have time to set a good example because they’re either being indicted or buried.
With all the headlines about steroid use, only one athlete chose to honor her sport and her conscience with a full confession and heartfelt apology. This week, as prearranged last year in court, former Olympic superstar Marion Jones surrendered herself to begin her six-month sentence for steroid abuse, lying to a federal investigator, and participation in a check-fraud scheme. It doesn’t sound like the recipe for heroism, but for today’s famous people these aren’t particularly heroic times.
So much better to encounter disillusionment further down the road. I just heard a news story reporting that the actress who played Mary Ann on Gilligan’s Island was busted in Idaho on a DUI coming home from her surprise 69th birthday party. When cops pulled her over for erratic driving, they discovered marijuana in her car. I know, I know. Mary Ann, what were you thinking with the Mary Jane? You couldn’t just go on Lovey Howell’s yacht and drink martinis while you ogled the cabin boy? Think of your public.
Current Events get a workout in Daughter’s Featured Fotos
mr hater
mr peanuthead
demons
no buy zone