That was mine!!

I've used this forum before to confess my fondness for Vanity Fair magazine. I've been entirely forthright about the fact that I only read it at the library or when a gratis copy falls into my lap. Yesterday I broke that contract with myself and I paid for a copy of the glossy "be rich or feel like crap" rag. Worse still, the reason was because I couldn't stop myself from reading about poor Martha Stewart and how "hideous" her house arrest is at her 13 million dollar estate. The poor dear has to wear a very painful "ankle bracelet" which she admits to knowing how to remove (apparently you can google such things). I rather like the image of Ms. Martha attempting to deshackle herself with a little cocktail spear and, perhaps, some saddle softening oinment. What a picture of a good girl gone bad. You gotta love a willful woman trying to solve a problem.

You know what? The piece did not give me the perverse thrill of sanctimony or self-righteousness that I had hoped for. The old girl came off as rather sad and I had a lot of empathy for her. I also realized how much we had in common. Martha was and is much more successful than I ever was and according to some very reliable sources capable of some pretty cruel stuff but we both like the same kind of things -- good food, nice interiors and socializing. Hell, maybe she even just got some bad advice on that stock thing?

Wait a minute. I'm doing that thing I do again. You know what I really think? Martha Stewart got greedy and she got caught. The "she got jacked because she was a woman thing" is too easy. Anybody who knows me knows I'd be the first one to argue that case if I thought it's bell had a chance to ring a note of truth.

The writer of the article wanted me to felt empathy for MS and that's not a bad thing. The ability to be naive is a wonderful thing I wish I could suspend my disbelief more often. The best writers leave you with no doubt. That I was so sympathetic to Stewart for the past 24 speaks well for the author. I wish I could rememer his name (I'm almost positive it was a "him".) I note the irony of this entire argument in that I'm a writer.

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On a lighter note, the damned Dominick Dunne (sp?) seems to be reading my blog too. He was comparing Tom Cruise's recent behavior to his character in Magnolia in VF. Damnit, that was mine!!