OMG! WTF, Weiner’s weiner? Paris Hilton got famous after the release of a sex tape prior to the premiere of her new TV show. Kim Kardashian was also a “victim” of a sex tape gone awry. She subsequently launched a franchise from her exploitation. Sex sells, as they say, and it’s pretty telling that a large number of celebrities have been successful in getting their, ahem, assets out to the public eye. They’ve earned relative fame. That is, if starring in a reality TV show counts as fame.
One area where sex doesn’t sell is the world of politics as Representative Anthony Weiner, a champion of health care and now boxer briefs, knows. Weiner was attempting to send a direct message with an explicit photo attached to a Twitter follower. Instead, it was sent out to all of his followers. He tried to wash it away by saying that he was pranked, but last week had to retract the claim.
Photos are all the rage on social media. LeeAnn Rimes has been under attack for posting a photo of herself in a bikini on a beach. She’s too skinny, says her critics. Author Meghan McCain, daughter of Senator John McCain, faced scrutiny after posting a photo of herself with a book that showed off an ample amount of cleavage. She later said that she learned from the mistake of not thinking before posting pictures. That came a little late as it was already blasted over sites like TMZ and made it all the way to CNN.com’s homepage.
Perhaps most famous in sex scandals, at least in recent history, are former President Bill Clinton’s indiscretions with Monica Lewinsky. The blue dress, the “I did not have sexual relations with that woman,” and the Kenneth Starr investigation were fodder for years and likely still make it into Jay Leno’s monologue on a monthly basis. Clinton’s problem was spun into legal territory. That’s something that former senator John Edwards is facing today. Both men wanted to hide their indiscretions, of course. The way Edwards allegedly did it could lead to jail time. He plead not guilty last week to six counts of violating federal campaign laws. For Clinton, his punishment was impeachment by the House of Representatives and years of bad press.
It’s not a surprise that people enjoy watching careers come to a screeching halt. One doesn’t have to look past the ongoing, but slowly decreasing, popularity of Charlie Sheen to determine that. There are plenty of lessons to be learned here. Naked photos are bound to get out into the public if they are taken. Want to star in a reality TV show? Release them. Want a career doing anything else? Delete them. OMG! WTF, Weiner’s weiner?
