Laying It Out

I've got a bunch of stuff top of mind today so in no particular order:

1. Eliot Spitzer's prostitute is now suing Girls Gone Wild's Joe Francis for more than $10 million claiming illegal use of her name and image:

In the lawsuit, filed on Monday in federal court in Miami, Ashley Alexandra Dupre contends that she was 17 and not old enough to sign a legally binding contract when she appeared partially nude in video footage filmed in 2003 by members of Francis' Mantra Films production company in Miami Beach.

On a spring break vacation at the time, Dupre was also drunk when told to sign a video "release" form, according to the complaint, which seeks damages in excess of $10 million from Francis and his co-defendants.

She was 17, not 12. She reportedly produced a fake I.D. and insisted she was of age. She also allegedly jumped on the bus voluntarily knowing full well what it was and what being on it entailed. And she stayed on said bus for a week. Not one drunken night. A week. Once you've admittedly made a living getting paid for sex, you sort of lose the benefit of the doubt in any scenario where you've signed off on 7 days worth of promiscuous behavior. I've got no sympathy.

2. I'm also sort of bothered by this whole Miley Cyrus Vanity Fair debacle, but not for the obvious reasons. Who reads Vanity Fair? Certainly not Miley Cyrus fans. She's 15 and being marketed much older to an adult audience. Not only did she and her parents know exactly what they were getting into when they agreed to the feature, but they all gave the okay during too:

"Miley's parents and/or minders were on the set all day," the magazine said. "Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley."

Sorry you didn't think it through and anticipate the backlash of touting your teenager as a sex symbol, but now that you're embarrassed, take some responsibility for your own poor judgment. Blaming the magazine or the photographer is disingenuous and reprehensible.

3. Back to politics for a second. Either hold candidates accountable for everything that anyone they've ever known has ever said (ridiculous, right?) or just stop. You know whom Reverend Wright speaks for? Reverend Wright. Period. No one can control what comes out of his mouth except him, and that's who - and only who - should be to blame if you've got issue with it. I heard North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley used the word "pansy" while introducing Senator Clinton in Raleigh this morning:

The Governor formally expressed his support saying that there was "nothing I love more than a strong powerful woman." Easley concluded his remarks saying Clinton -- "makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy"

Now "pansy" is officially defined as "disparaging and offensive" slang. And yet Clinton - who was there in person - reportedly ignored its use. That's fine by me. Why dignify ignorance with acknowledgment? BUT then her campaign should just stop wasting our time going after Obama for Reverend Wright's thoughts and opinions. They're his. Not Obama's. And if you presume otherwise, then by the Clinton Campaign Transitive Property of Affiliation, Clinton's just condoned the use of the word pansy. You want to go there? Really? I didn't think so.

Her people should stop with the double standards once and for all. Pointing them out is getting downright exhausting.