Sex and Money: Can You Be Bought?
As I already mentioned on Twitter yesterday morning, last night’s plans included stopping by Anna David’s private launch party for her new novel Bought. Kudos to Anna for a smash hit party!!! Damn it seemed like EVERYONE was there. Page Six even showed up. A chick who either was Emily Gould or looked a helluva lot like her was mingling in the crowds. Tons of familiar faces. LA people. New York people. People who know people. Me? I’m probably a horrible networker because, for the most part and as usual, I spent the whole night talking to people I already knew: Jahfurry (I wish I could’ve made it to the afterparty to hear him and his band), Nick (who’s got tons of pics from the party already posted on Random Night Out), Jamye (I can’t believe she’s leaving us and moving to LA!), Anna (who looked GORGEOUS in her little black dress) and Rachel (who, by the way, is soooo awesome because she returned from Europe with a CHOCOLATE housewarming gift for me.) Given the choice between making small talk with people I don’t know or catching up with folks I adore, I’d rather hang out with my friends. Granted, talking to new people could lead to new friendships. I know this and I’m working at getting better.
I like the picture Nick took of me and Rach. Apparently my cardio is working. This red shirt used to be fitted, now it looks like I’m swimming in it. Time to buy a new one and/or stick this in the dryer longer after the next wash.
This Summer: Twanna’s Big Bikini Reveal!!!! In the meantime, if you want to see more fully clothed images, Nick shot great photos of him and Anna, Jeff and Anna, Jamye and me and of course Michael and Anna. Ah, Michael Malice — a Ruskie so deliciously wonderful and PERVERTED he deserves his own FBC post. ;) Okay, enough about the kickass launch party and more about the book. Full disclosure: I know and adore Anna. So, of course I want her novel to sell really well. I haven’t read Bought in its entirety yet, but it sounds super interesting. To get a taste, you can read the first chapter here. How much do I love it that Bought opens with the James Brown lyric / quote, shake your money maker?! :) “Here’s how I see it,” Anna explains on her site. “[I]n the same way we don’t go into an interview, utter brilliant asides, and later think, ‘I really used my intelligence to nail that interview,’ we tend not to give much conscious thought to the ways we use our sexuality to get what we want.” She goes on to say that she’s “worked with agents who have made it perfectly clear that they were far more interested in what was between my legs than in what was between my ears.”
A while ago, I attended the New York premiere of Steven Soderdergh’s film The Girlfriend Experience at the Tribeca Film Festival. (My article about that is still in the can; it’s one of three on of my List of Outstanding / Overdue Pieces.) Anyway, at that event someone brought up that quote that goes something like ‘capitalism is just another version of prostitution.’ Soderbergh responded, “Life is just a series of transactions. We all want something.” True. Or is it? I mean, yeah, I’ve totally used my sexuality to get my way with men. A short black dress, the right pair of 4′ heels and deep red lipstick opens lots of doors — literally and figuratively speaking. Hmmm … You should take Anna’s “quiz” to find out if you can be bought. Also, feel free to use the comments section below to tell me: Do you think you’ve ever been bought? Have you been buying? And, if so, how?
May 19th, 2009 at 11:26 am
“No. Because you’re the idealist.”
May 19th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
“No, Because you’re the moralist”
It was pretty accurate, but I have a feeling this will change in the future for me.
And for the starbucks question…that actually did happen to me, but I didnt do any of those options. I smiled and accepted the coffee and kept it moving.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
A & Berriblk: I cheated because I took the test “twice.” Once yesterday and again today. Yesterday, the answer was: “Every now and then [you could be bought]” because I was a “vacillator” or something like that. I think it got that because of this question:
“Your gardener is either a potential flasher or a burgeoning nudist. When he’s not displaying his private parts, however, he’s making your garden more beautiful than it’s ever been — for a fraction of what all his predecessors charged. You:”
I picked the second option.
I took again today and I picked the same answers (I think!) but I got a different answer: “No. Because you’re the moralist.” So, I *kept* re-taking it and picked a bunch of different options but I couldn’t ever get the original answer again. Oh well. Fun test! :)
May 19th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I can be bought. I never have been, though – my price is waaaay too high for anyone who has ever been a potential buyer. I guess it’s plain ol’ egotism – I probably price myself higher than I’m really worth. Oh well. I can live with that.
In other news:
“…I’ve totally used my sexuality to get my way with men. A short black dress, the right pair of 4′ heels…”
Wow, I’d certainly be impressed if you walked up to me in four-foot heels! :) I’m sure that was just a typo, but the imagery was too good pass by without a snarky comment!
May 20th, 2009 at 3:15 am
sistah… ya look fit.. Irie.. whatever you are doing.. it’s working..try alternating juices such as
grapefruit juice after meals plus about 8 bottles of water to float the toxins out ya body….
lamesabassman…. Stair Master ….. or full bore running…… hang tough, mon petit….
May 20th, 2009 at 3:17 am
that’s 8 bottles of water a day…..
lamesabassman……. my bad..
May 20th, 2009 at 3:24 am
am wit Mr. D on this…. but I kinda put a swerve on it….. like…. buy me and we can go
snowboarding….. or to Napa Valley….. or Pink’s for some hellacool dawgs…… or drive
with the top down…… go to Santa Monica for some of the local food, then go put our feet
in the water….. or deep chill and do movies all day……. yeah. I’m kinda easy like that….
lamesabassman……. and if you can Rollerskate….. you’re in….
May 20th, 2009 at 8:37 am
I have never been bought and I’m not really sure if I could be. but then again, the right incentive has not been presented.
May 20th, 2009 at 11:46 am
everybody has a price……
lamesabassman……. it depends on what you can afford……
May 20th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Baba Doodlius: HILARIOUS!!! I didn’t even notice I typed 4′ instead of 4″. :) Glad my shoes are impressive — though they are only 4″ heels. By the way, I’m leaving the typo intact just for you. :)
lamesabassman: :)
Miss Pam: I sooo can’t wait to read Anna’s book. I think her premise is that we’ve all been bought (i.e. people who work 9-5 jobs have “sold” their labor for an annual salary, I’m a writer who sells my words for pay, etc.) And I know what you mean about incentive. :)