Oh Ashley Dupré, you looked so pretty in that white bikini. You seemed so confident and self-possessed and interesting—well, your stomach seemed interesting, at least. Because of this “interest” in you and your story, our hopes were understandably high when we heard you’d be giving an interview to Diane Sawyer on 20/20. We got excited just imagining all the wonderful information you would relate—intimate details about Eliot Spitzer’s sock-wearing habits, advice on where to buy a white bikini, gossip about the sock-wearing habits of other high-profile politicians, etc.
It’s with these possibly inflated expectations that we sat down to watch Ashley Dupré--a.k.a. Kristen—the $2,000/hr “escort” tell her side of the story last Friday night.
While we realized that we weren’t gonna get a $2,000/hr visit from Kristen, was it too much to ask for a little backbone or some spunk? Ashley, buddy, where is your spirit? You’re on TV. You used to have sex for money and now you don’t and probably between the book deal, the solo album, and the endorsement possibilities you’re gonna be just fine—so give us a little more to work with then “I’m only 22 years old,” “I really love my dog” and “I’m sorry Silda.”
Link to the Dupré with the Sawyer here.
All in all the event was sort of lame and uncomfortable with Diane demanding lots of gory details and Ashley demurring and saying things like, “I’ve been advised not to discuss that matter.” Diane was really disappointed either because Ashley’s gone and thrown what could have been a perfectly good life as an administrative assistant down the drain by doing sex for money or because the interview was so dull. Frankly, it was hard not to be brought down by the whole affair.
But, the night was not a complete wash because where 20/20 fears to tread, Nightline owns property. And boy, did they manage to turn prostitution into the night’s theme. Brilliant investigative journalists that they are, Nightline learned that in these hard economic times, applications to the Nevada’s legal brothel the Mustang Ranch have skyrocketed. When the mall isn’t hiring, it’s time to check with the Madam.
Link to all the fun and games at the Mustang Ranch here.
The juxtaposition of Diane Sawyer’s stern, moralizing look at Ashley Dupré, and the gleeful depiction of an unwitting young woman’s foray into legalized prostitution—complete with an unnecessary discussion of what toiletries she’ll need and how to disinfect the dude's body—totally made staying in Friday night and watching ABC worth it. By the time Neal Karlinsky assured us that these enterprising young women we're “going to be just fine” during this recession we might as well have been on our fourth martini...at least that's how nauseous we felt.