Until today, Martha Stewart bugged the crap out of me only primarily for destroying one of my favorite houses [which also happened to be an important modernist masterpiece] through an arrogant, botched remodel. Now, though, I can get annoyed at her for this, too:
MR. MOM"Mr. Mom"? "Men Make Dinner Day"? "all about you, Dad"? I think it's time to storm the barricades. If thousands of breast fans can show up for a nurse-in outside The View, I'm sure we could rally a few hundred dads to protest this retrograde, matronizing schmaltz. I'll be right behind Mr. Nice Guy.
Calling all Mr. Moms: Be a part of the "Mr. Mom Show" on Martha. It's National Men Make Dinner Day and you're invited to join 164 stay-at-home Dads in the live studio audience. Join us Thursday, November 3rd. It's all about you, Dad!
Of if you're more interested in whatever free junk Martha's gonna stuff under the seats, fine, just don't tell me about it.
Mr. Mom Audience on Martha, Nov 3. [marthastewart.com via mr. nice guy]
update: rebeldad is pissed, too. not surprising since he found the National Men Make Dinner Day website
So you're against stay at home dads getting some well-deserved recognition? Curious.
[not at all. I just don't trust or respect Martha Stewart. -ed.]
I'm guessing then that you missed the latest episode of her "Apprentice" show, in which one of the contestants became a father for the first time and not only missed the birth but didn't even visit his wife and new daughter afterwards -- and Martha's response to the whole thing was a genteel "congratulations" -- speaking volumes about her belief in the importance of dads, methinks...
[yeah, somehow I let that one get by me. just more fuel for the pyre, though, thanks. -ed.]
I have to agree with greg.daddy on this one. I can see where this could be well-intentioned, but if so it's misguided.
I'm sick of the "Mr. Mom" references. While that movie is actually a great example of a stay-at-home dad, it's usually meant condescendingly. "Oh, and Dad helps out too!" Excuse me? I do everything that doesn't require functioning mammary glands. I don't "help out" any more than she does.
By making it seem cute, and putting a spotlight on it, full-time fathering is made to seem the exception that proves the rule, perpetuating outdated gender roles. (And I admit that, while that's a fine thing to be concerned with on principle, concerns me mainly because I find annoying.)
Veronica...I thought you were joking and I jus Googled Apprentice+birth and found this at blogcritic.com:
ìWe open with Crazy Jim on the phone with Mrs. Crazy Jim. She's about to give birth! Crazy Jim wants to be there, but it's too important to be a contestant on a reality show to witness the birth of your child. Crazy Jim, who is now Grinning Jim, explains that he and Mrs. Crazy Jim had decided Grinning Jim would remain on the show in order to make a better life for him and his family. Yeah, I'm sure the old advertising game just isn't paying the bills like a temporary position with Martha Stewart's company would. So, shut up, Crazy Jim. You're on the show for you. If you mugged for the camera any more often you'd be locked up in jail. Grinning Jim tells his wife good luck on her "task" which I presume is giving birth to his baby without him.î
Yup...yet another sign of the Apocalypse.
Relax, National Men Make Dinner Day is a Canadian thing and I am fairly certain there is nothing about making dinner in NAFTA.
if you're right behind me, then i'm right behind you too. i swear this makes sense. i have a diagram.
[haha, the sight of each of us trying to get behind the other is sure gonna inspire the troops. -ed.]
Hey, hey, hey. My husband works for her (and we've just had a baby, of which she's been very supportive!). Lighten up a little! Sometimes awkward people do things from good intention and it comes off a little strange, but it doesn't mean it's not well-intended. She's just giving some credit where it's due since there are many mothers that work for her, and some of those husbands in question are going to be gathered from her own workforce.
I can personally attest to the fact that she's not as creepy as she comes off sometimes. All the first-hand info I have from those who work with her is that she really is exactly as you see her. She's not awkward because of "hiding something", she's just a bit awkward. She's really not all that bad...I know everyone's entitled to an opinion, but she has been really nice to everyone I know that has worked for her.
Just my two cents.
[thanks slee. Combined with the several friends of mine who work for her, that makes about ten cents. She still bugs, and whatever intentions are sandwiched in between people's interpretation of her and her own black, Jack Welchian soul it ain't enough to win me over. -ed.]