This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 at 12:04 am and is filed under Advocacy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Share Me
Amanda Brooks & The O’Reilly Factor
I received an email update from Amanda Brooks over the weekend saying she was going to appear on the O’Reilly Factor on Monday night. I have always respected Ms. Brooks and have referred many a sex worker to her writings.
I really didn’t know what to expect, I mean, The O’Reilly Factor? O’Reilly tends to be a bigot and hot-headed.
After her brief interview - Let’s add this: “Women who work as Escorts are abused, don’t know what they are talking about and are going to be murdered by the next Green River Serial Killer or Boston Stranger.”
Here is my attempt to discuss this whopping two minute interview down into a slightly longer (very meandering blog) account.
From the minute Ms. Brooks comes on, I could tell Mr. O’Reilly already had a plan of attack laid out. Provoke, he wanted to provoke, he wanted hot argument.
He quickly references her books (1 & 2) and says “You teach women how to be escorts? Aren’t you gonna get killed by having sex with strange men?”
Ms. Brooks began to speak and attempt to clarify very loaded, stereotypical statements and he cuts her off
“Escorting isn’t safe Ms. Brooks…” and when Amanda’s response is…”Actually it can be very safe, and I talk about that in my third book….” He cuts her off again.
“Third book!” O’Reilly laughs and then immediately goes to serial killers for a comparison to safety. At this point I just stop, my feelings reflected in the expression on Ms. Brooks face. Not disdain or anger, just disbelief.
There was no argument. Interview ends. Clearly nothing juicy coming out of this.
What Was The Point?
Ms. Brooks was there to try an explain and illuminate the women in adult entertainment who choose to be in it and enjoy it. O’Reilly was there to be right, like he always is.
Umm, Excuse Me, but….
This interview brought up two things for me, the first was the Green River & The Boston Strangler? He had to go back to 1982 and the mid-60s to find examples of prostitute serial killers. What, there was nothing more current?
Also, it made me me wonder about Mr. O’Reilly’s control issues and if he wouldn’t have been been better off interviewing a dominatrix. Scratch that, seeing a dominatrix might be the better solution.
Media & Our Industry
I agree, talking to the media is not a no-no. It should be a welcome opportunity if done in the right context - to educate, make distinction and give knowledge. But how can that happen when mainstream media won’t even consider a different perspective?
Example: The Fox News Story about Amanda: “Former Prostitute Publishes Internet Escort’s Handbook for Aspiring Call Girls” The stories starts by saying, when “When most schoolgirls were playing with their Barbie dolls, Amanda Brooks was dreaming of growing up to be a prostitute.”
It’s juicy and salacious, it makes you want to read it while simultaneously making the reader believe “Yes, she was abused and wanted to be like that sine she was little, she isn’t stable.”
I tried to find the interview online today and it isn’t even there. Sadly, I would say it was a wash. Mr. O’Reilly was true to form as seen HERE (potty mouth) and with Geraldo HERE.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:05 am
I still can’t believe she went on O’Reilly OVARIES. Major.
And I love how he’s telling HER escorting isn’t safe. Because he’s the expert… oh wait… no, actually she’s the one who has actually done it AND written books about it.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:11 am
LMFAO, my sentiment exactly Amber. But remember - he is the expert after all!
May 14th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
There is still a clip on YouTube, http://youtube.com/watch?v=yMS5OZKnSMc. There is another FOX clip where they showed one of my photos that used to be in my online media kit (haven’t found that clip online). My media kit also links to another FOX interview I did a week ago:
http://www.theinternetescortshandbook.com/amanda-brooks/media-kit.php
XX
May 15th, 2008 at 2:29 am
[...] Amanda Brooks & The O’Reilly Factor | Callie Simms “I agree, talking to the media is not a no-no. It should be a welcome opportunity if done in the right context - to educate, make distinction and give knowledge. But how can that happen when mainstream media won’t even consider a different perspective?” [...]
May 15th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Amanda- you have a serious set of steel ovaries there…I would have punched him. Sigh.
May 16th, 2008 at 5:22 am
I would have boxed too.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
[...] Callie Simms posted a brilliant article on the show here. [...]
April 27th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
re: Amanda Brooks & The O’Reilly Factor
In the Amanda Brooks & The O’Reilly Factor articles the name of Amanda’s book is never mentioned?
Thank you