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10 Critical Thoughts About... Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer

Highly specific observations on the documentary about the New York Governor's call-girl scandal.

Eliot Spitzer, Client 9

By Ray Rahman

In Client 9, documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney charts the rise and fall of former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Spitzer was a rising star in the Democratic Party, until a high-profile prostitution scandal brought him down, earning him the nickname 'Luv Guv.' The movie offers candid interviews with Spitzer, his friends, and his enemies.

1. Apparently there's a "Lucky Sperm Club," and Eliot Spitzer is a member.
This movie sets its tone early: one of Spitzer's colleagues tells the camera that the former governor is part of the "Lucky Sperm Club." This is not the only compliment that commentators lavish on Spitzer, but it's probably the weirdest.

2. Spitzer could've been the first Jewish U.S. President.
The movie reminds us of this on many occasions. It's a weird thought, because it's hard to imagine who will actually become the first Jewish president. Unless Jon Stewart stops joking and starts campaigning, it might be someone like the Republican 'Young Gun' Eric Cantor. And that would be terrible for everyone, across all faiths.

3. Ironic t-shirts aren't always ironic.
Not everybody who wears a t-shirt that says "NYPD" or "Boy Scouts Troop 237" is an officer of the law or an expert at tying knots. Yet the guy who runs New York's top escort agency wears a shirt that reads, "I am your girlfriend's pimp," and he means it. It's not a joke, just a heads-up.

4. Spitzer's an idiot not only for breaking the law, but for cheating on his wife.
Silda Spitzer is one of those "total packages" men are always claiming to want. She's insanely good-looking, smart as a whip, and was nice enough to not murder Spitzer after he embarrassed her in front of the entire country. "Wife material" would be an understatement.

5. But he's still an idiot for breaking the law.
Client 9 seems to forget this. The movie goes to great lengths to establish the Luv Guv's intelligence and features a great many people who have nothing but positive things to say about him. "This wouldn't happen in France," or "It's not a crime to sleep with someone" are the types of defenses presented. No, but it is a crime to pay someone for sex, at least in New York — the same state that Spitzer was governing the whole time.

6. I really wish they'd gotten Spitzer's favorite prostitute to talk.
Spitzer apparently had a favorite escort — not Ashley Dupré — and she tells us all sorts of interesting things about the guy. Or at least the movie leads us to believe she does; then, halfway through, the narrator informs us that the real call girl wanted to stay anonymous, and that an actress is reciting her prepared statements to us. Never have I felt so violated.

7. Spitzer's likable, if not relateable.
The man himself humbly summarizes his pre-scandal status like so: "The only metaphor I can think of is Icarus." Yes, of course — Icarus, the Greek mythological figure famously punished for sleeping with prostitutes.

8. Ashley Dupré is little more than a glorified Jersey Shore person.
I'm sorry, but this woman is quite literally a publicity whore. Although she's the one widely associated with Spitzer's downfall, she had the least to do with it (and with him, for that matter). Yet this ultra-tanned, hard-partying Jersey girl has capitalized off of her sudden fame. That would be fine if she wasn't doing it wrong — she'd definitely be more famous if she just gave in and joined the cast of Jersey Shore.

9. Cat Power's music and the phrase "blowjob in the Oval Office" just don't mix.
No matter how much the movie tries to make us think they do.

10. This movie is biased and better for it.
Client 9 really wants you to sympathize with Eliot Spitzer. It presents his enemies, from Republican politicians to NewsCorp (both Fox News and the NY Post are called out), as devious opportunists who spend all of their time cruelly exploiting Spitzer's weaknesses. This stance makes the movie much more interesting than it would've been if it'd taken no stance at all. It ends up being fairly persuasive and very refreshing.

Commentarium (6 Comments)

Nov 12 10 - 8:38am
WhatThe

Very refreshing? A movie that wants you to sympathize with a politician that got caught breaking the law and cheating on his wife is very refreshing?

Nov 12 10 - 11:07am
Synth Break

"Silda Spitzer is one of those 'total packages' men are always claiming to want."
.
While true, spouses and partners and significant others often find their side of the relationship 'suffering,' at times, from a bit of boredom. Has anyone come out and asked Spitzer, "What made you want to fuck other women?"

Nov 13 10 - 9:05pm
francois88

Has anyone forgotten he was hated by Wall Street for convicting many there on criminal charges as Attorney General and hated as well by the Republican legislature over which he presided? He supported Sen. Hillary Clinton for President which also didn't lower his profile. Sleeping with a pro didn't result in the same punishment for Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana. Why is that?

Nov 14 10 - 4:06am
gennotgwen

A married man sleeps with a whore because he is bored. Which is obviously his wife's fault. Seriously, SynthBreak?

Nov 14 10 - 2:08pm
Junebug

My girlfriend has an apartment in a building on the UWS of Manhattan that has now been turned into condos. Many of the people in the condos rent theirs out for evenings, weekends, it's allowed by the management. And at least three times the illustrious Mr. Spitzer has been seen in the lobby (trying to be in disguise, of course) checking in with a prostitute. His new TV show is just a ploy by the networks for ratings, and for him to find some way to ligitimize himself and his aspirations for re-entering the world of politics. It's a joke...the man is a creep.

Oct 31 11 - 10:53pm
Creole Kitty is...

Pussy is the devil's trump card. Spitzer is an idiot for allowing himself to be so weak.

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