Ladies, This Is For You

You cheated on this, Tiger? Just wow.
(lh5.ggpht.com)

Just when you thought the Michael Jackson coverage was a little too insane, and just to think it all started with a seemingly innocuous one-car crash. Probably like you, I have become nauseous over the excessive Tiger talk over the past two plus weeks. I'm tired of seeing the mistress count go up like the numbers on Jerry Lewis's annual telethon. I'm sick of hearing another woman in the conga line talk on the morning news when all I want is the weather. The TMZ and the E! news coverage has me wanting to put myself in a strait jacket. TIGER'S NOT PERFECT! Big whoop. I get it. He was this seemingly perfect guy who wasn't who we thought he was as a man, just another philanderer like many who are surrounded with that kind of money, power and temptation. But it's not like he presented himself to be perfect. Not like A-Rod who hired a whole Hollywood team to chisel his image. He may have looked perfect on that Accenture ad at the airport, or on the Tag Heuer ad on the I-90. In the end however, it is us, along with the media who make that preconception a reality, just because these athletes play a sport very well. We've seen it all before in the world of athletics with Kobe, Chipper Jones and the late Steve McNair (among thousands of other athletes). We've seen it recently in politics with Mark Sanford, who used South Carolina's tax money to fund his liaisons. Hell, JFK's statistics could make all of these men I've mentioned so far compare to the 40-Year Old Virgin. So other than the fact that this is arguably the biggest athlete of this generation being lumped into these salacious wrongdoings, I don't see why this is such a stunner. In the end, I'm a little worried about Tiger's marriage, but whatever is decided for them down the road I'm sure will be the best for the both of them, and it's none of my or TMZ's business. But Tiger is the least of my worries. He made his own bed, and now he must cleanse himself of this scandalous mess before he lies in it again. I believe that in the end, Tiger will overcome his demons on his leave and come back to the PGA with a fury that no sports league has ever seen. After my first Tiger entry, I promised myself not to write another Tiger rant to add to the rest of the mania, but this Tiger Tale needs to be told to display who I am really worried about. Let's just say that one out of every two of you are affected by my concerns.

Well, Tiger, they warned ya'!

(atomicblawg.blogspot.com)

While the next paragraph may seem like a Gloria Steinem column, it's all Chucky B. Yes, ladies, I'm worried about you. Each and every one of you. I'm worried after TMZ reveals another mistress from Golddigger Nation: Tiger's Chapter. Each ditsy chick coming onto nationwide TV with tales, texts and empty apologies (that we're all supposed to take seriously) to a wife they knew they have been sneaking around on for months, all while claiming betrayal themselves. Of course, we on the receiving end will gobble up anything on TMZ as the truth, even if it is another random cocktail waitress/porn star who may be fibbing to gain those 15 glorious minutes. Just like with the celebrity, the blood is on our hands when it comes to the veneration of these folks. In this celeb-obsessed, viral media world, we have celebrated that 'no publicity is bad publicity' adage to a dangerous level, especially when fame can be obtained in any way sans talent (see, William Hung). In a world with Speidi, the Kardashians and Jersey Shore, we're too influenced that all celebrity is good, no matter how idiotic, loony or unskillful we present ourselves. Not for anything Tigre, but when 'Tool Academy' is on a woman's resume, that red flag should have been waving back and forth in that head of yours. This insta-celebrity culture has been especially damaging to the overall repute of the modern woman, where gaining fame from sex tapes and celebrity black books become more of a badge of honor than switching to the top racing leagues or winning Grand Slam tennis tournaments. Meanwhile, the message is sent that endearing qualities like independence, intelligence and self-respect are second hand traits that are gained only when you and your 'Trashy Girl' body are on the wrong side of 40 (unless you go the plastic surgery route). You're being taught that there is no shame not only to garner menial attention from powerful men, but also to be an empty moral shell, to feel no shame in things you should be feeling huge remorse for, like sleeping with another woman's man. Granted, it takes two to tango, or waltz or do any meaningful dance, but there's a line of self-respect you cross when you abandon the rules of the gold band. Worse, all of these fame-pursuing activities have created a value for women that they are not worth anything unless they make a drunken mess out of themselves on a reality show, serve martinis to movie stars armed with some massive implants or sleep with as many ballplayers as possible for a quick buck. Sounds like some new-age prostitution gimmick to me. I'm very well aware that sex pushes a lot of product, and I wouldn't want that to go away for my manly reasons, however you can present yourself as sexy and powerful without going the route of a ditzy golddigger or a homewrecker, which in the end makes you a feeble disposable commodity in today's society. It's even sad to think that some of these alleged 'transgressions' may be telling those six-figure stories just to have a better chance of appearing on VH1's 'Tough Love', all while not only tarnishing the reputation of the accused, but by undermining the proud accomplishments, and attributes of the female gender. The sad part is that all of this glory hunting is making a whole gender a casualty of this fame culture, including those hard-working lady bartenders who place the tip over the titillation and the spotlight.