Okay, I'm breaking my usual practice of waiting anywhere from 3-9 months before bestirring myself to a new blog, but (my) needs must.

The women's rights/abuse card needs to be used only when there's truly been an injury, in my opinion. Heidi Pratt, smarting from her interview with Al Roker (and aren't she and Spencer so mature to denigrate Roker as "the weatherman"), lashed out that she "was shocked at how rude he was, and I was crying afterwards because I couldn't believe I felt personally attacked. I wanted to say to him, 'Do you feel proud of how you're talking to me right now? I'm just a young woman and you're coming at me so aggressively and meanly and mean-spirited.'" Not content with the victim card, she decided to portray him as a predator, "I really would advise women especially to be careful around him because I feel like he definitely came and attacked me and I did not appreciate that at all."

Just to be clear, this is because he pressed her on whether she was proud of her behavior on I'm a Celebrity … Get Me out of Here!, pointedly restating the question when she tried to blow it off. He also asked them if they thought they acted as Christians should (quite honestly, I'm not sure they understand what this word means. Baldwin, unlike real pastors, didn't actually do any quality Bible studies with them, he just notched another mark on his conversion bedpost). It's only fair to point out that Roker has been equally childish post-interview via Twitter, but he isn't playing the sex card -- at least as far as I can tell. You can see the full interview here: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Heidi-Pratt-Al-1006892.aspx

What I find so offensive about this, aside from "Speidi"'s very existence using up my oxygen and other valuable earth resources, is the cheapening of the words and concepts. Heidi was never in danger of assault – physical, sexual or psychological. Hurt feelings or frustration that the interview didn't go your way are not the bedrock components of abuse. Ask anyone who's been abused and they'll tell you this.

So here's my plea. No matter how angry you are or how much publicity your ego needs to consume for validation, please choose your hyperbole carefully. Do not play the "abuse" card just for the heck of it, or because your divorce attorney or publicist says it's the best way to win. Don't call your husband, wife, child's teacher or late night talk show host a pedophile unless you know it's true. Do not hand defense lawyers the "eye-roll strategy" because you've sapped the words of all horror and meaning by your frivolent usage.[/rant]

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest :-) .