Mr. O has stated that he has some thoughts coming re: the "controversy" surrounding Wonkette/Washingtonienne. (Do a Google News search if you have no idea what I'm talking about.) Before he puts his own spin on the issue, I thought I'd get my bile on and rant nonsensically about it.

With a deep breath, I must ask a simple question: WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? You know, I can understand needing some escapist "news" in the face of our current war on terror, heinous local crimes, and Michael Moore's chubby puss on every news channel, but do we really need to focus on some Paris Hilton/Monica Lewinsky wannabe-hybrid? Couldn't we come up with something a little more challenging, a little more outrageous, like say, I don't know, a possible Scott Baio/Erin Moran reunion sitcom? (For the record, I made that up, though, I do find the idea outrageous.) Seriously, some whore (and let's not mince words here; she may not have put out for money explicitly, but she jolly well knew she was getting something besides physical pleasure out of the deal) bangs some anonymous Hill people, and suddenly it's news? Haven't we moved past the days where a woman's sexual exploits are considered shocking? I mean, unless Saxby Chambliss was involved, this story isn't worth the column/screen space it's been alloted. (Yes, yes, the irony tastes delicious. Let's continue.) There's nothing outrageous or shocking or newsworthy about anything in this story. Not the libidinous **** (rhymes with "stunt") at the center of the "controversy," not the government officials who banged her, and not the fact that she blogged about the whole thing. Any genetic defective with rudimentary knowledge of the internet and some time to kill (hint: look at what you're reading) can get a blog going. So she did it on company time; pardon me while I break out the defibrillator. I'm sure 95% of all bloggers use the company hardware and time to post their irrelevant ponderings. Hell, I'm doing it right now! Where is the newsworthiness in this story? Jebus H. Vishnu, didn't Clinton drain the well on the sexual "deviance" of government? Because that seems to be the only hook, and I cannot believe that people are so eager to eat it up. Here's a little clue for you: just because it happens between elected officials and the town whore doesn't make it news. You swap "elected official" with "J.C., the Cracker Barrel custodian" and the picture of what it is becomes clear: people fucking. No more, no less. Get over your mock indignation or your 2nd-grade teehee-ing. You should be ashamed of yourselves for making one act (sex as currency, aka, "a woman can fuck in exchange for goods and services") seem like something out of the ordinary. That's about as run-of-the-mill as a D.C. cop issuing a parking ticket.

Now if you'll excuse me, I still have 20 minutes left with my freaky prostitute. Did somebody say "pastyface?"