Therefore, the lurid details behind the recent resignation of Eliot Spitzer due to his involvement in a paid prostitution ring is a national shock. Our shock is intensified by the fact that the story combines all the sordid elements that the current tabloid news media loves to exploit; the hypocrisy and scandal of a government official, adultery, lurid sex, young call girls, family tragedy, and potential criminal behavior.

If you somehow have not yet heard, Spitzer was referred to as client number 9 in a government case against the Emperors Club Escort Service. He is said to have paid the club’s VIP agency $4,300 to arrange for sex with a prostitute named Kristen on Feb. 13, 2008 in Washington’s Mayflower Hotel. Published reports indicate it was apparently the latest episode in a repetitive pattern of behavior that went on for months and involved tens of thousands of dollars.

The sad fact is that Spitzer’s legal problems may have only just begun. Based solely on the known facts, Spitzer could potentially face criminal charges concerning an attempt to hide monetary transactions, soliciting prostitution, tax evasion, and violation of the Mann Act concerning a payment for a call girl’s interstate trip. Court documents and published reports indicate that perhaps as much as $80,000 was transferred from Spitzer’s account to a trio of dummy companies that were really fronts for the Emperors Club escort service.

The amazing thing is that as a former Attorney General, Spitzer knew the risk in being involved with the Emperors Club. In fact, only four years earlier (April 8, 2004), he announced that authorities had arrested 18 people on prostitution and related charges in the investigation of another New York escort service. At that time, Spitzer said: “This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure. It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring, and now its owners and operators will be held accountable.”

The defendants in that escort case were charged with money laundering, enterprise corruption, promoting prostitution, and falsifying business records. The aspects of that case and investigation are very similar to the charges and investigation involved in the Emperors Club that soon may lead to many of the same criminal charges against Eliot Spitzer.

The sad truth is that we have often seen this type of public hypocrisy and self-destructive behavior before. While sometimes surprising, it is unfortunately really nothing new or unique. Surely Jim Swaggart and Jim Bakker must have understood the risk of their private sexual exploits while in their prominent public position of American televangelists. Every day on their televised broadcast they would preach against some of the very sins that that were, in fact, privately committing.

Jim Swaggart would expose peer televangelist Jim Bakker’s adulterous sexual indiscretions on the Larry King Show. Subsequently, Swaggart would be found with prostitutes on a couple of different occasions. Both men would experience a dramatic fall from prominence for their hypocrisy and self-destructive behavior. In addition, Bakker would spend years in jail for a series of finance charges concerning his ministry.

It is still hard to understand exactly why otherwise intelligent men become members in this club of self destruction. Some say it is the power in their celebrity that leads them astray. Others contend that it is a malfunction in the cortex of the brain that disconnects them from reality and its consequences. Arrogance and various character flaws are also mentioned as possible causes.

However, regardless of the reason, members of the club of self-destructive behavior all have one thing in common. Their behavior not only claims their personal career and respect, but, like a scorched earth policy, destroys everything they love and touch. Family and friends experience the pain of broken trust and public humiliation. It is a pain that changes lives and can last for many years.

The ultimate irony of this sad story is that the next governor of New York will be current Lieutenant Governor, David Patterson. He is an African American who is legally blind; a man who has overcome difficult personal obstacles to now become the governor of the state of New York. On election night in 2006, Patterson reflected on the promise of a newly-elected Spitzer administration. “Eliot and I have a vision for New York,” he said. “I can’t see it in my eyes, but I can feel it in my heart.”

Now less than two years later, Patterson will become the new governor of New York. He will take the position from a man with a privileged background; a man without impediment of sight who did not have the vision to see the obvious potential ramifications of his dubious behavior. Indeed, like Bakker, Swaggart and others, Eliot Spitzer is now destined to become another member in the club of self-destruction.

It’s the longest 15 minutes of fame that I have ever encountered. Even Whatshisface who won Big Brother last year has had less media space than this chick.

I can understand the initial interest, QANTAS Hostess screws upper-crust actor in cubicle 30,000 miles up in the air, gets sacked and decides to get back to her former roots (pun intended) in the brothel.

What I can’t understand is why, 3 months after the incident, The Courier Mail is still finding space on page three for her to explain to the world why  her “sex life” has dried up (Courier Mail 9/4/07 “Mile-High Hostie Says Sex Life Has Been Grounded”).

And then there is “Zoo” magazine, which today announced that they will be featuring Lisa on pages three, four, five, six and seven.

Is it just me who sees the irony here? A pro with no love life. It’s a Julie Roberts film waiting to happen.

She goes on to say that her life as prostitute “Is a lot different to what people think. Sometimes I think I should be paying them. There’s some really nice people coming in”.  Yes, I can see how turning tricks would be a great way to meet lovely new friends. I’ve been doing it all wrong! I thought perhaps the local “Book Club” was going to open the doors to meeting fresh and interesting people. Maybe I should drop my dacks and yank the guy who has been discussing “Pride and Prejudice” into the dunny for a quickie instead.

Lisa is quick to tell us that she thinks the lack of amour in her life is probably due to the fact that she rated Ralph Fiennes “10 out of 10″. Perhaps she thinks that men are avoiding her because they may never live up to her expectations (Couldn’t possibly be that men may think she is a little bit nutty and a little bit slutty – Thank you David Brock!)

Maybe Lisa is hoping her misfortunes will be reversed when Ralph (It’s RAFE! It’s RAFE dammit!!) realises the terrible mistake he has made and rushes back on the next QANTAS Flight to carry her back to his Business Class cubicle, all the while whispering the soft words that Lisa has been begging to hear “It’s a plum, plum dahhhling”

No, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Lisa is just going to have to hope that one of the good and kind clients she is servicing will perhaps see the golden halo of light surrounding her as she strips off her stockings, and decides to rescue her from her $2000.00 a night living hell.  

I tend to think Lisa will hold on to the hopes that her “English Patient” will come back; after all, as an anonymous friend quoted to the Daily Mail in the UK:

“Lisa was completely smitten by him. She just hoped that the relationship could continue on from there but perhaps she was hoping for too much.”

Well….D’uh!!!!

It’s safe to say that I am pretty much over what Lisa Robertson has to say. I wish her well with her new career and lovely friends.

She has to be happy that she has rated a mention in Wikipedia.:-

LISA ROBERTSON

Lisa Robertson (born in 1961 in Toronto) is a Canadian Poet who currently lives in France.

Her work is a deep questioning of language, history and gender that can help a reader to feel the world as constructed by words in new ways, sometimes uncomfortable, often beautiful often ugly.

Hang on……….!!! Oops!! My apologies to the aforementioned Ms Robertson. Although, this revelation has inspired me somewhat….

“There once was a hostie-come-hooker

who thought she was rather a looker.

She bonked Ralph mid-flight

and now mobney is tight

She’s hoping that Kings Cross will book her?”