Inequality on Thursday Night Television

I shouldn't be — I know I shouldn't be — but I'm just completely infuriated. Last night I watched The Celebrity Apprentice, which I know I've ranted about before but am about to do so again, and Lipstick Jungle (okay, I watched Lost too, but that I just loved, it didn't upset me at all).

On The Donald's show, which is becoming more ludicrous with every passing episode, Omarosa and Piers Morgan butted heads repeatedly last night. Piers is no saint, that's true, but Omarosa's attacks were beyond personal. Her attacks didn't just go after Piers, but went after his family as well. It was inane, it was childish, and they were even on the same team for this task.

Now, amazingly, their team won. Despite Omarosa's interrupting the entire task repeatedly and bringing in no money whatsoever on her own, the team won. In the boardroom, Piers explained exactly what Omarosa had said about him and how it was unacceptable. He was right. There's absolutely no reason that Omarosa should be attacking this man's family and his ability to raise his children. Frankly, had it been me, I would have hit her (for which, I'm sure I would have been fired). However, Trump, while acknowledging that the two of them shouldn't work together again, refused to step in and do something about Omarosa. He didn't even bother to admonish her for her actions.

One has to wonder if, looking back on the season, Trump now realizes how horrible she is? Maybe he's come to the same conclusion that surely everyone has by now, that Omarosa is no longer entertaining to watch, even as someone to root against. I think the man ought to issue an apology.

The other people that ought to apologize for yesterday are the writers of Lipstick Jungle. Last night there was a hubbub (or brouhaha, if you prefer) on the show about a tell-all book that was going to come out about Wendy (Brooke Shields's movie executive character). Apparently in the book there was a bit about how she postponed her child's third birthday party in order to work. When complaining about the unfairness of the attack against her, Wendy stated that if a man had canceled the birthday party it would have been okay, that no one would have complained or thought twice.

What world are these writers living in? How can anyone imagine that to be the case? If anyone cancels their child's birthday party in order to work, they ought to be taken to task for it. It makes no difference if they're a man or a woman, you just don't do that in order to work. You just don't. And, if you do, you certainly deserve to be called out for it. Of course you do.

It is possible that the writers didn't believe what they were saying, that it was supposed to provide insight into the character of Wendy and the alien planet on which she lives, but that seems unlikely. Why would they want to so alienate one of their main characters from the real world? If the point of the show is to illustrate the triumphs and travails of high-powered women, to show their struggle between the personal and the public, why make a character completely misunderstand the reality of the world around them? Does Wendy truly feel so persecuted?

Unquestionably, there are injustices working women have to face, I don't think that anyone would deny that. It's actually for just that reason that the show need not make up ones that don't exist.

I simply can't fathom why anyone would believe it okay for a father to cancel a birthday party and a mother not. Seriously, if there's anyone out there that thinks that's okay, speak up.