Sheryl Swoopes - Womanizing?

Kerry Odell | January 23, 2007
I understand why this would be used in the clue to get us off track (a bunch of us derailed), however I'm sure that this would be just as offensive as the remark made by Washington from Grey's Anatomy. Where it doesn't affect me either way, I've have lots of friends and coworkers of a different lifestyle who might take offense at characterizing a woman who has come out of the proverbial closet as a womanizer.

I'm by no means judging either way, just curious if I'm the only person who picked up on that perspective.

As far as the clue, it sure threw me off track LOL!! :)

Amy Austin | January 23, 2007
My only thought on it is that Sexuality ought have been a category. Scott has never been one to let bad taste overrule a witty clue... and I, personally, like it that way.

Scott Hardie | January 23, 2007
All true. I wrote the word "womanizing" in poor taste because it was too good of a hint to pass up. It's not even technically true in Swoopes's case: In her words, she was never gay or in the closet, she just fell unexpectedly in love with one particular woman and is still with her today. But yeah, I write clues in poor taste on a regular basis, because a good clue is too hard to write as it is and I won't pass one up that comes to me.

I considered filing her under Sexuality (it would have led even more players to Wilt Chamberlain), but traditionally I have not put goos in that category just for being gay. There has to be more sexuality to their public persona, such as George Michael.

Isaiah Washington, though? If I were the producer he'd have been fired weeks ago, for the bad publicity if not for the disgusting remarks.

Aaron Shurtleff | January 23, 2007
Personally (not that I could speak for anyone else...why do we start out that way when we give our opinion?...anyways), when I first read womanizing, I thought that might have been Scott hinting it was a woman, but I moved away from that train of thought...wish I hadn't now. :(

I moved away from Wilt the Stilt when I realized that, while Conan movies are not the pinnacle of modern cinema, Scott would have added Cinema as a category, since Chamberlain is a "actor". :D

You win this round, but I'll be back! ;)

However, just because I did not take the word womanizing as in bad taste, did not mean is isn't (nor does it mean it is). You know?

Kerry Odell | January 23, 2007
Personally (not that I could speak for anyone else...why do we start out that way when we give our opinion?...anyways),

I do the same thing...it is a bit redundant!!

I don't find the clue offensive in context.

As far as Isaiah Washington....if TR Knight would've called him a n*****r, he would've been fired and duly crucified in the media.

It's interesting to me, not that this created a stir, but that the original offense went pretty well unnoticed by the media in the bigotry perspective. Sure the headlines went around that there was a spat, but it wasn't until he denied the whole thing at the GG's and TR went on Ellen that he got the criticism he was due.

Are we getting too sensitive as a society? Perhaps, however to me there is nothing wrong with treating people with dignity and respect, especially in a public forum. These folks are in the spotlight and with all the money and luxuries comes responsibility as well. Too often have these folks shirked the responsibilites...just look at all the mug shots on thesmokinggun.com.

No one's perfect, not by a long shot, but if you seek the spotlight in this day and age, you know darn well what you're asking for.