C: PG RATING. Weiner Tweet and The Terminator

Yes, I’ve been away from blogging.  I’ve been putting in very long hours and some weekends—I’m too old for such a schedule!  Besides, it cuts into m blogging time!

But, nothing like a couple of scandals to bring me back into the game.

I had to chuckle the other day when my sister-in-law on the East Coast called to check in.

“You okay?” she asked.  “The kids (mostly college-age with a high schooler) have been saying, ‘You’d better check in with Aunt C.  She hasn’t written anything about Arnold Schwarzenegger!’” 

Ah, my reputation as a crusader against adultery…losing battle that it is.

Well, here goes:

What can I say about Arnold and Maria that hasn’t been said?  He’s a scumbag.  I think most of us knew that he had tendencies toward cheating from accusations of sexual harassment over the years, so I doubt that there were many who thought he was walking the line. 

According to the pundits I’ve heard on the topic, he is widely regarded as being a double scumbag for bringing his cheating right into his home.  I quite agree, knowing from the experience that my husband had brought his slut right on home, too.  Which makes the other woman a scumbag as well.   I can’t imagine the level of betrayal Maria felt at learning that her long-time employee—someone in her home every day, seeing her everyday life, which is extending a confidence to her—had borne her husband a son.

To the right is a picture of Arnold and his “lover.”  I don’t think that even ten years off this photo would bring her up to Maria’s beauty. 

But the questions asked are: “Is his political career over?”  “Is his acting career over.”

Let me answer: “No. Nothing is over that Arnold hasn’t planned to be over.”  (Except, maybe, for his marriage) He may not have any more political career, but I don’t think he planned to have one.  He’d already begun a new movie, and it seems to me that he had the politics out of his system with the governorship. 

As for his acting career?  Since when did adultery ever hurt that career?  Think back to the “famous scandals,” ranging from Ingrid Bergman, through Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor/Eddie Fisher (Poor Debbie Reynolds!).

Nope, society winks—at all its levels.  Fewer and fewer are thinking of his adultery when they watch Tiger play now.  Magic Johnson?  Who now remembers that he is HIV positive through his numerous (as in too many to count) adulteries?

Cheaters get to go their merry way—thank goodness Maria has her own standing.  “Her own standing” is what I wish for all women in that shaky land we call “marriage.”

Now for the other “scandal” of the day: What I like to call “Weiner Tweet.” 

The picture to the left is New York Congressman, Anthony Weiner and his beautiful wife.  (You’ve married beneath yourself, honey—you’re stunning and could do so much better…)

As you all have probably heard, Congressman Weiner has tweeted a picture of a man’s private area—thankfully clothed in undershorts—with an obvious arousal.

Really?  (insert snicker here).  This is worthy of about junior high age.  About the age we see Congressman Weiner in this photo to the right.   Is the Congressman stuck at the emotional age of fourteen?

Let me just share with you that I have seen many pictures of genitalia in my 31 years of family law practice.  In this digital age, this is only increasing.  It is so commonplace that I have become totally unfazed at holding 8 1/2 x 11 color copies up in settlement meetings saying, “Sir, is this a picture of you?” (I actually love doing this and, no it does not embarrass me.  Why should I be embarrassed?).  The intended goal of this exercise is to get them to sign on the dotted line so that they don’t have to answer that question in a more public setting, like the courtroom.

All the time I have heartbroken women come to my office with pictures they have found where hubby has photographed himself—at attention—for emailing out to his new love.  Now, why he might think his new love would want a picture of this is beyond me!  If any of you out there are in her shoes, please comment and let me know what you do with these pictures.  Frame them?  Put them in lockets and carry them close to your heart?  I’m not getting it, really…

While I have seen some pictures of my women clients (usually their boobs), the photo-sharing is vastly lopsided toward the men.  They just seem to think that their lovers cannot wait until the next moment they are together (so manly are they), so a little picture to tide her over, perhaps?

And, then, there are the advertisers who don’t have a particular new love with which to share pictures of their manly glories, so they just throw them “out there” trolling for interested women.  Weiner seemed to  be advertising with his Tweet (ahem, assuming it is actually Weiner’s body…we await the investigation).  You may remember another post about yet another New York Congressman Chris Lee  (now resigned), who earlier this year put his manly picture on Craigslist! (idiot).

They are just sooooo proud of themselves.

Representative Weiner (oh, this name is so unfortunate in this situation) has yet to confirm that the twitter picture is of his body.  He, tellingly, has also yet to deny it. 

All that to say this about Arnold and Weiner: They risked much for sex.  They risked loss to themselves and unbelievable heartache for those who love them and thought they were loved in return. 

And they look like adolescent morons to me…. C