I’m not a Typepad member, so I can’t login and comment, but I wanted to point out Melissa’s summary of her Exciting Day on NBC over at [tag]Suburban Bliss[/tag].
This was when she was invited to go on the [tag]Today show[/tag] (or the yesterday show, or whatever it’s called) and talk about playgroups and whether or not a mom could (gasp!) handle herself, her kids, and a drink at the same time.
Huh?
I think the other commenters and blogs have covered most of the important bits, and agree with most of the ones I’ve read. Since I have a penis, I obviously have no problem combining alcohol and babysitting, and often get the little guys to mix [tag]jello shots[/tag] while I’m busy with the crack pipe.
(just kidding, NBC! We don’t do jello shots here, only upside-down margaritas while lying on the Little Tikes slide!)
update
I’ve been thinking about this, and I think down deep what really bugs me isn’t even what the debate seems to be about (“to drink or not to drink,” or as James put it, “Shaken? Or stirred?”). It’s this:
NBC is hitting me (us) over the head with their “message” of ‘Do This because our Expert Says it Must be Done’ and they are doing it by setting up an ‘interview’ with somebody who was totally blindsided by what actually went down.
And of course, NBC isn’t the only one to do this, it’s SOP on Fox (watch O’Really and the Hannity Colmes ‘debates’ as they follow their little scripts) and I even see it on sports shows when they have two or three has-beens on to “discuss” the event and if you watch you can catch them reading their cues as they settle into their little practiced position.
It isn’t an open debate, not by a long shot, but it is staged in such a manner to look like it is an interview, to lend credibility. Why did they attack mom’s? Well, who is their number one demographic of their show at that time of the morning? And they have what’s her name (pre-view host) who’s making umpteen millions but still pretending to be a normal mom (whatever that is) as part of the equation. It’s smoke and mirrors.
I don’t like being insulted, which is exactly what the show was about – insulting people who can think through both sides of an issue.
I got a beer out of the fridge, with my daughter in my arms, and silently toasted Melissa. Heh.
Thanks for this, Ben – I linked her post and yours on mine. While I’m not a mom (unless you count Sadie, in which case I’m in big trouble because I’ve drunk poop scooped before), I think this whole thing is ridiculous.
However I’m not sure if mom’s aren’t doing this to themselves. not ALL moms, of course, but good lord, I’ve heard stories. Mom’s can be the most judgmental vindictive people on earth, I think. It’s the few that hold themselves to such a high standard and shit on everyone else from their high horse that hold a good portion of the blame.
If I wasn’t on cold meds, I’d have a drink too. Actually taking cold meds is like being tipsy… Crap, I’m such an unfit mom. :X
Typepad sign up is screwy, I fought my way through because I had to comment at Melissa’s. I’m kinda over the whole “babysitter” thing so now I’m upset on Melissa’s behalf because they obviously set her up. I even canceled my ClubMom membership (Meredith Viera is a “co-founder.”)