I don't know why I even care
I've been repeating that line since about this time yesterday, when Donald Trump announced that Miss USA would keep her crown, in spite of allegations that she was partying like a real celebrity - meaning drinking underage, drinking too much, and doing hard drugs - and possibly engaged in lesbian activity with another pageant winner.
But I do care a little. Actually, let me say first that these accusations were just that. I don't know if The Donald had any proof that she did this stuff or if it was all made up. Second, I don't care who Tara Conner hooks up with. If she wants to make hay with another beautiful young lady, let them make bales and bales of the stuff.
However, while I appreciated The Donald being compassionate and giving Conner a second change, I couldn't help but be a little cynical and wonder if it was just a PR move. This is a man who has fired people on The Apprentice for not having good personalities or representing their teams well in public. He fired one man - a Miami attorney - who had immunity but as a goodwill, team player gesture offered to put himself on the chopping block with others. The Donald told that man that it was a stupid move to give up his immunity, a stupid move that warranted firing. Maybe it was stupid, but it was genuine. It was old school. It was the captain being willing to go down with the ship.
There's nothing wrong with partying with good sense. But this young woman from Russell Springs, KY, signed contracts saying she'd follow strict behavioral guidelines during her reign. Then at yesterday's press conference she used the oldest BS line in the books. She blamed her recent alleged behavior on being overwhelmed by the craziness of the big city. So New York made her go bananas? I have more wild friends who live in the 'burbs and the countryside than I've ever had in the "big city."
There's an old saying that I heard TV head shrinker Dr. Keith Ablow repeat this morning: "Wherever you go, that's where you are."
I know I shouldn't care. I just can't help it.
But I do care a little. Actually, let me say first that these accusations were just that. I don't know if The Donald had any proof that she did this stuff or if it was all made up. Second, I don't care who Tara Conner hooks up with. If she wants to make hay with another beautiful young lady, let them make bales and bales of the stuff.
However, while I appreciated The Donald being compassionate and giving Conner a second change, I couldn't help but be a little cynical and wonder if it was just a PR move. This is a man who has fired people on The Apprentice for not having good personalities or representing their teams well in public. He fired one man - a Miami attorney - who had immunity but as a goodwill, team player gesture offered to put himself on the chopping block with others. The Donald told that man that it was a stupid move to give up his immunity, a stupid move that warranted firing. Maybe it was stupid, but it was genuine. It was old school. It was the captain being willing to go down with the ship.
There's nothing wrong with partying with good sense. But this young woman from Russell Springs, KY, signed contracts saying she'd follow strict behavioral guidelines during her reign. Then at yesterday's press conference she used the oldest BS line in the books. She blamed her recent alleged behavior on being overwhelmed by the craziness of the big city. So New York made her go bananas? I have more wild friends who live in the 'burbs and the countryside than I've ever had in the "big city."
There's an old saying that I heard TV head shrinker Dr. Keith Ablow repeat this morning: "Wherever you go, that's where you are."
I know I shouldn't care. I just can't help it.
Labels: Miss USA, pageant, second chances
posted by James Burnett at
11:54 AM
23 Comments:
Okay, the primary difference between those two human resources decisions were that one was an expendable character on a television show and the other is a real-world representative of a major business.
Tell me you don't also watch General Hospital....
By
M@, at 1:20 PM
Nope, I'm an As the Stomach Churns kinda guy.
By
James Burnett, at 1:40 PM
Donald and this pageant tramp hold about as much interest for me as Britney and Paris. Just don't care.
By
Christina_the_wench, at 1:48 PM
But Christina, Britney bought undies now!
Kidding. I know. I shouldn't care. I just let this stuff bug me, and then I have to say something about it before my head explodes.
By
James Burnett, at 1:57 PM
I got totally drunk with Miss America. We played find-the-needle-in-the-haystack. Best night in recent memory.
By
mist1, at 3:21 PM
Mist1, tsk tsk. I hope you guys cleaned that hay before baling it up for public consumption.
By
James Burnett, at 3:36 PM
Total PR move. Why? Does anyone here remember the name of the last Miss America or whatever she's called since Vanessa Williams' famous Penthouse pics? Does anyone care?
Trump owns the Miss America or Miss USA pageant and wants to get some free press to hype the event. He needs publicity and what better way to get it than running some bullsh*t story about Miss USA and underage drinking.
Rehab? For having drinks as a minor in NYC? I think there are about 60-70 percent of college students who need rehab if she does. Trump man is and has always been a product of smoke and mirrors and we let our greed blind us to that fact. The emperor wears a bad toupee in this fable.
By
Anonymous, at 4:09 PM
She signed a contract holding her to follow strict behavioral guidelines during her reign. If it can be proven she broke her contract, the pageant, (The Donald,) can execute whatever disciplinary actions her contract states, including dismissal. The promoters are just trying to uphold the upstanding traditions this fine pageant has represented to America since 1952. And what can represent Ma and Apple Pie better than the Miss USA Pageant?wjtykwp
By
Anonymous, at 5:46 PM
BD, I know there's something to the PR angle. It's free pub. Still, I don't know if it was a PR conspiracy. It's an awful dramatic step to send your winner off to rehab - at the potential expense of whatever tiny rep she has - for some free ink and airtime.
Queen, I hear ya. But it's like goosenecking when driving past a car wreck. I can't help commenting on stupid stuff like this - especially considering manufactured fame is one of my biggest pet peeves.
Sarc, I get your point. The pageant is one of those American institutions that reps some of our "traditional" culture. But we should come up with another way.
How 'bout a pageant for smart people?
I just hate that she blamed her nuttiness on moving to NYC from the country. That just supports the dumb bumkin stereotypes - the ones that suggest country folk can't handle themselves around all the bright lights.
By
James Burnett, at 6:12 PM
I know you shouldn't care, but you have to when the issue makes top news. This whole thing is the biggest crock of baloney EVER. Everything was "alleged" ... who would give a shit or even know she did anything unless they mentioned it? How are we supposed to feel about giving someone a second chance when evidence of this so-called bad behavior isn't even public?
I think they're doing this slap on the wrist thing to cover something up far worse that they don't want us to know about and yes, it's a total PR move. What's worse, is that the playing the pity-me-because-I'm-blonde-and-naive card (did you notice her mascara didn't smear) will probably use this to catapult her ehem, "career."
By
Maria de los Angeles, at 7:06 PM
It never occurred to me that this was a PR move. I just assumed she got to keep her crown in exchange for some sexual favors. But PR move makes more sense.
By
GrizzBabe, at 8:13 PM
I bet that the Trump wouldn't hire her though....
By
Claudia , at 8:38 PM
I am so appalled by NON news. This is NON news. I remember looking at the young lady in question feigning tears and thinking, not only is this pointless, but she's a terrible actress.
Between this kind of tale and the missing white chick of the week on FOX, it is hard to see where the news outlets find the energy to cover anything else.
By
Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles), at 9:42 PM
Rehab is all part of the Non-Apology System of Public Atonement (tm) that useless public personnae adopt to cleanse their amoral palates. It's the high colonic of the double aughts.
The news here isn't her "fall from grace", "breach of contract", or "bedazzlement by big city lights, so strange and hyptnotic in their beckoning", but the level of public apology felt necessary by Donnie T to make amends for whatever the transgression. I mean, it's not like she shot up crank, took off her clothes and gave Matt Lauer and Al Roker a bukkakke party on the Today Show while wearing the Miss USA sash.
So here's a shot of JD to her.
By
Anonymous, at 10:50 PM
Trouble is, James, that Americans in Public Life & Responsibility just don't go appear to go in the same sentence without a negative qualifier.
Bigger trouble is it's only a matter of time before that 'quality' infects over here!
By
Anonymous, at 5:03 AM
Good point Big Daddy. The rehab as apology thing is old and needs to be taken out to pasture. Bill Ney, Mark Foley, Mel Gibson. Bad behavior is bad behavior. I'm tired of celebs and the like running and hiding in rehab or expecting to be applauded because they've made the decision.
By
Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles), at 8:19 AM
You guys better watch it. You see what The Donald has in store for Rosie O'Donnell for questioning his pageant judgment?
Kidding. Her, he can sue. She's got money. I'm gonna assume none of us are loaded like that - except Big Daddy, taking away any possible targets on our backs.
But Stewart I do agree with you that those tears seemed fake. Her makeup wasn't even smudging.
Grizzbabe, I'm torn now. I'm thinking the sexual favors thing holds as much water as the PR stunt.
Manola, yours is an interesting theory too: PR move to cover up even worse behavior than what was alleged.
Claudia, I think you're right. Trump probably wouldn't hire her, not even to wash his car(s).
BD, I will give you that if having "a few" drinks underage required rehab, a lot of us would have been sent away. Also, rehab has become a convenient replacement from an old-fashioned admission of wrong doing and apology.
Bronchitikat, you're onto something. And while I'm always the first in line to take a dig at brainless American celebs, I'm thinking this one might just be an over-indulged celebrity culture, not just an American thing.
By
James Burnett, at 10:26 AM
i agree bad behavior is bad behavior. regardless of who you are, where you are etc....plus the donald had to string the public around for a couple days...and you know the runner up was $%#@ BUMMED!
By
acaligurl, at 10:29 AM
That's a good point, acaligurl. If I was that runner up, I'd be pissed off in a major way that they let me think I might get promoted.
By
James Burnett, at 10:43 AM
I can't believe in this day in age we prade women in front of people and pick which one we think is the "best"..
I refuse to watch them..
By
Anonymous, at 12:34 PM
Opps, how about parade instead.
By
Anonymous, at 3:32 PM
It's all good, Winter. We're just blogging, no pretentions here.
By
James Burnett, at 5:26 PM
Hey I like your blog. I have read through at least a dozen entries now. I want to link to your blog from mine. The Strange Life and Times of Rick Uyesugi
If you want to do the link swap let me know. Hope to hear from you soon.
By
Rick Uyesugi, at 12:47 AM
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