Eugene Robinson: Tiger’s Oppressive Standard of Beauty

[marmar]

from Truthdig:



Tiger’s Oppressive Standard of Beauty

Posted on Dec 8, 2009
By Eugene Robinson


Leave Tiger alone. Enough with the puns—we get that he’s really just a “cheetah” in disguise. Enough with the Barbie-of-the-Day revelations—we get that he’s attracted to a certain type. Enough with the whole thing—we have far more important things to worry about.

Yeah, right. Sit down with a friend over lunch and try to have a conversation about health care, climate change, financial regulation or Afghanistan without straying at least once onto the oh-so-unimportant subject of Tiger Woods’ philandering. I’ve given up trying to deny that the unfolding saga is compelling, even if paying attention leaves me feeling a bit disappointed in myself. Prurient interest is rarely something to be proud of.

I’m beginning to fear, actually, that the unfolding may never end. If you’re the richest, most famous athlete on the planet, and you have an eye for cocktail waitresses and nightclub hostesses, the opportunities to cheat are probably limited only by the number of hours in the day. It’s becoming clear why Woods’ initial mea culpa was worded vaguely to cover any and all “transgressions.” Wouldn’t want to leave anybody out.

I’m not going to pronounce judgment on Woods’ moral fiber, except to state that adultery is bad. I’m also not going to judge the women who have reportedly had affairs with him, except to point out how quick they’ve been, as soon as their names have surfaced, to retain high-priced legal counsel. I will suggest that Woods consider this possibility: Random women he meets in restaurants or bars may not be reduced to putty by his good looks or sparkling wit, but may in fact be aware of how wealthy he is.

I was going to critique Woods’ technique of adultery, or at least his apparent selection of playmates, as measured against a theory about philandering developed by my colleague Roxanne Roberts, who has spent years covering the capital’s libidinous social scene for The Washington Post. Roberts postulates that famous, powerful men who decide to stray would be smart to choose women who have just as much to lose if the liaison were to be exposed. Some ultrarich tycoon’s young trophy wife, say, would fit that criterion. Cocktail waitresses and nightclub hostesses, not so much.

In fact, Woods seems to have hooked up with the kind of women who save old voice mails and text messages—giving their high-priced legal counsel something to work with. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/tigers_oppressive_taste_in_women_20091207/?ln

[yurbud]

1. funny about the voicemails

[classysassy]

2. " To much too soon"

There was a movie with that title,it was about one of the Barrymores,if Tiger had a real job,his ass woudn't be in the fix its in.None of the dolls would have given him the time of day.

[winston61]

3. When this story first broke, my initial reaction was

who gives a shit about what Tiger Woods is up to? Then I thought that Tiger is a damned fool. He is or was the king of his world with everything he could desire. Who throws that away? Then it dawned on me that this entire marriage was no more than a business deal. Duh. His managers were like Dr. Frankensteins creating a creature for public consumption. Part of the image was a wife and family. Find someone willing to go along with the deal for enough cash. Get a cash bonus for getting married, get more money for producing a child or two(someone's child) and then for every year you can stand it, more money. I'm not trashing women, there are plenty of men who would go along with the same deal. Phony marriages are part and parcel for pro athletes and show biz types, so why the fake surprise? I doubt this outburst was planned. Perhaps his 'wife' had reached the limits of her tolerance for public humiliation, despite the cash to keep silent. So who should give a shit anyway? I do feel sorry for the kids, being parented by two such obvious failures as human beings. Maybe there is a sane nanny to look after them. So there is no story here. Just another example of the public relations propaganda train jumping the tracks. The hacks and PR whores will put it back on the tracks and go on down the line. Tiger a role model? For who, Mack Daddies and Playas? Anyone who encourages a kid to look to a pro athlete as a role model is doing a terrible dis-service to that child. Unless they want the kid to grow up to be a piece of shit and a miserable bastard. Just my take.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Woods' wife has supposedly walked away from the huge cash incentives offerred to her. nt

[winston61]

6. well, I'm sure there are some thing that even seasoned old

hookers won't do either. She's young, she'll take her kids and Tiger's millions and ride off into the sunset. Ah, the good life with just a minor bump in the road.

[AlphaCentauri]

5. This scandal gives a bad reputation to American Women

it just portrait them as they are only after the money, no wonder marriage is not a contract of love anymore.

[winston61]

7. I disagree- it was just that this particular woman was willing to do just

about anything for the cash. Nearly every married couple I know is a love match.

[katty]

8. ah, i think bad rep can be served up to all the players-especially

Mr. Woods.

[AlphaCentauri]

9. He is the one with the money

is up to the ladies to engage with a rich married man

[katty]

10. sorry, his rep in this area remains tawdry just as much as

the women.

[Scout]

11. and the slutty men who fuck them, how's their reputations?

those poor, gullible men falling for those greedy gold-diggers...

[amandabeech]

12. Elin Woods is Swedish.

She was an au pair for a Swedish golfer's family when Tiger met her.

She is not American.

[winyanstaz]

13. The media is focusing on Tiger....so they don't have to report the real news.

and idiots are eating it up while their nation crumbles around them.
We have a war escalating president getting a peace prize and denying we every attacked democratic nations even as he accepted an award for peace.
We have oil companies gouging the people at the pumps while oil barges sit off shore.
We have families living on the streets and more foreclosures coming.
We have a government out of control in spending and spying.
We have the rich being bailed out at the expense of the poor and middle class.
We have our jobs being outsourced still.
We have organized religion and their nutcases trying to take over our government and force their religion down everyones neck.
The fundies now control the Airforce.
We have a Congress and a president that are keeping and extending laws that destroy our Constitution.
We have Congress selling out the people to prop up the insurance giants and a credit card collapse looming over our heads.
We are soon going to be facing prison and fines if we don't buy more insurance..never mind if it makes you lose everything and end up on the streets...its the "Law."
We have war criminals walking around free, murdering mercenaries in our wars and no one is being investigated.
And yet..what is in the news 24-7???? Tiger's affairs. My...how nice.