Furore over call to boycott Nigella: Dee Dee Dunleavy's unfortunate column

Furore over call to boycott Nigella: Dee Dee Dunleavy's unfortunate column

THERE'S a brouhaha brewing this morning over a blog which calls for a ban on Nigella Lawson's books until she takes a stand against domestic violence. Dee Dee Dunleavy, who somewhat immodestly calls herself "The Queen of Melbourne radio", infuriated people when she wrote: "Nigella, like it or not, you're a beacon for women from all walks of life. If you want us to buy your books and watch your shows on how to run our kitchens, then we need you to make a stand on domestic violence." Ms Dunleavy's words came after Lawson was reportedly assaulted by her husband in a restaurant this weekend. The celebrity chef was later seen leaving her home with suitcases packed. Ms Dunleavy this afternoon issued a statement saying she is "mortified" that anyone would think she was bullying or victimising the celebrity chef and admitted she had copped a torrent of abuse over it. "First and foremost, my wish for Nigella Lawson is that she is safe and well, and as far away from her beastly husband as possible," the 3AW presenter wrote. "The fact that I have copped a torrent of abuse today for urging her to take a stand against domestic violence pales into insignificance compared to what she must be going through." Read her full statement here: But many had already taken offense with Ms Dunlevy's sentiment, arguing that Nigella should be allowed to take emotional stock of the (alleged) assault, in order to process the events and deal with the trauma. But according to Ms Dunleavy, it's pretty much time to start a Facebook group and get out there pasting anti-violence posters to telegraph poles. "Why, at about the same time the pictures went viral on the internet, did Nigella post a picture of a buttered, toasted bagel on her official Twitter page, as though nothing else was on her mind but food?" Dunlevy wrote. "That's not the response we were after, Nigella." Ms Dunleavy hasn't exactly gotten the response she was after either. The Twitter outcry is more or less mirrored by the first published response on 3AW blog. "VICTIMS need support NOT more thuggery at the hands of Radio jerks ( jocks). How dare you presume the higher moral ground. When will Australian radio clean up its act and image - it's a national disgrace that rubbish like this is allowed." And then this one: "I never comment on random internet articles unless I feel really strongly, but this article has really offended me - who are you to tell a victim of domestic violence how she should and shouldn't behave as a victim? She didn't ask for this to happen, she owes nobody anything. It is her husband's fault for hurting her - where is the blame being placed on him and telling him that we'll stop providing him with revenue until he ceases to be a violent partner? Awful." Dunleavy has since tried to defend her initial blog, tweeting: "I did not call for a boycott on Nigella's books. That's absurd. My point is that she should file a complaint with police. Make a stand." Didn't call for a boycott? Hmmm... let's just go back over Dee Dee's initial comment, shall we? "If you want us to buy your books and watch your shows on how to run our kitchens, then we need you to make a stand on domestic violence." Not to editorialise or anything, but it kind of reads like a call for a boycott to us. White Ribbon Australia CEO Libby Davies said there were steps people could take if they witnessed a violent incident. “No woman deserves to be treated as a second class citizen," Ms Davies said. "This incident is one of many that highlights the insidiousness of men’s violence against women and the need to change attitudes and behaviours that lead to and perpetuate such violence. "White Ribbon Australia says no to violence against women in all its forms."



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'The Bachelorette' kicks off with 25 stud muffins

 'The Bachelorette' kicks off with 25 stud muffins

Welcome back to the land of whine and roses, Blog Babes! This time around we're wandering off into the sunset with Desiree Hartsock, who you may recall was cruelly cast to the curb by last season's Bachelor, Sean Lowe. But that's all a distant memory now. We're ensconced in a lovely bachelorette pad overlooking the beach in Malibu with keys to our baby-blue Bentley dangling from our fingers and my first thought is ... who needs the guy? But then I remember there are 25 stud muffins just waiting to make their memorable exit from that ever-present shiny black limo to hopefully rock Desiree's world and make our own hearts go pitter pat. Or, you know, give us plenty of something to dish over. Either way, we're all going to be winners. So grab that fruity umbrella drink and join me in the shallow end of the pool, will you? If these previews are any indication, we're in for an entertaining ride! And speaking of previews ... if you thought throwing 25 women together to scratch, claw and manipulate their way into one man's heart was a recipe for drama, well ... you haven't met the guys vying for Des' heart this season. Holy tears and fisticuffs, Blog Babes! Whoever said women are hormonal and overly emotional haven't met these dudes. Wow. Before the limo rolls up, we're introduced to a handful of the guys with a personal video montage. We get to know earnest Iraq War vet Bryden, from Montana, who spent enough time in the desert to know what he wants from life, and that is Desiree. We meet overly caffeinated Will, who high-fives everyone on the street and is way too shiny, followed by Drew from Arizona, our guy with the hardship family stories and heart of gold who knows Des is the right one for him. Her similar tale of a challenging childhood makes me slide Drew over to the Has Potential column. Then we cringe through meeting Chicago clothier Nick, who moonlights as a magician and ... yeah ... I'm worried that this guy will make it past the first night because I'm already way done with Nick. We meet Texan Zach, who is at one with nature and his own nudity. And given he's carved like a Greek statue, I'm all in favor of being at one with his nudity, too. As long as he stops talking. Oh, Zach. Just be pretty, k? Then it's advertising guru Robert, whose claim to fame is his company launched the whole guy-on-corner-spinning-signs industry. Um ... OK. Next! But first we need to gaze upon the beauty that is half-clothed Robert a little longer, and I'm a fan ... but despite him telling us he has this global business that's rockin' ... is it just me, or does everything about this guy scream "I want a modeling contract! Discover me!" Dental guy Mike from Dallas says he's a Renaissance man, but I'm wondering if that translates to "can't stick with one thing more than two seconds" ... and if that's why he hasn't had any long-term relationships, either. Danger, danger, Des! Then it's adrenaline junkie Brandon, who initially looks like Never Grow Up Brandon, but he reveals his own challenging life and then maybe ... hmm ... he hovers between columns at the moment. And we fast-forward to the limo's rolling up the drive and wonder ... can the men outdo the women for eye-rolling, laughter-inducing (just, you know, not in a good way) over-the-top entrances? And straight off, we find out that, why yes ... yes, they can. OK, so first we get sparkly-eyed, adorable Drew, then awkward-intro Brooks, and Brad rolls in with a wishbone that Des wins and you wonder if she just wants Brad to go away. Bryden is up next and he's giving off this kind of weird Jimmy Fallon vibe. Aaaand, then we get Michael G, who takes Des over the fountain where, during her limo entry in Sean's season, she and Sean tossed pennies and made wishes. His deal is to find her penny for a do-over. Now ... OK ... pretty cute and smart, too. Only the show is playing the "guy doing dorky stuff" music when Michael looks and looks, and oh dear, looks some more but, um ... no pennies. Yeah. But points from the Russian judge for a good flying mount, even if you didn't quite stick the landing. Kasey rolls in. He's in social media, so he creates hashtags for Des. Oh ... gosh. Kasey. Dude. #epicfail Then Will pops up with affirmations, and it's not enough for Will to bless her with them, but he'd like Des to give him one, too. Des is all "yeah, um, sure ... I'll think about it," total stranger guy. And we see Will's time on this program getting shorter by the second. Then it's Mikey T, who sounds exactly like his Jersey Shore name. He comments on her older bro and family in a surprisingly insightful way, but Des' eyes are glazing over and yeah, next! Jonathan strides up with a "date card" and as she's reading "if you choose to forgo dating all the other guys and pick me," I'm all "cute idea!" — until she keeps reading and, oh, yeah, he's not asking her for a date. He's hitting her up for a Let's Pass Go and Head Straight to the Fantasy Suite complete room card. Then Des seems to be in some pharmaceutically enhanced haze as she's all, "Um, Jonathan? Not a whore. Sorry." Or, you know, words to that effect. And he's all zoned and goes, "Oh, really? Um, sure then, yeah. OK." And ambles off, we think to the house, but he may just be wandering the gardens looking for something he can roll up and smoke. Wow. And, here we go! Naked Zach is on the scene and he's, well, at least partially dressed. I've never met a guy more into his own six-pack, but thanks for letting us gaze upon it. From a distance. A mercifully long, long distance. He asks Des if she'll "accept these abs," and she can't see through the pink in her cheeks, but yeah, Greek god torso or not, his time on my TV needs to end now. (Every guy in the house instantly agrees.) Next up is suave James, who is very heart-on-his-sleeve, but Des is kind of cutely jittery around him, so ... that's interesting. Then kinda creepy bespectacled Dr. Larry pops out, and he's all, "Let me show you a dance move," and it's just not leading-man-like enough that Des is all, "What are you going to do?" just as he tries to dip her ... and rips her gown. Awkward! You're so done. He's all, "I hope we get to dance again soon," and she's thinking, "Not in this life. Next!" Oh boy. She meets Magic Nick, who is so not to be confused with Magic Mike. He produces a rose from a napkin, which is clearly the only part of him that impresses Des. And us. Zack pops out in a tux and sneakers, and it's all awkward and not zippy. Des looks like she's gone from excited to meet the possible man of her dreams to wondering just exactly when she stumbled into this nightmare of bad speed dating. Honey Pie (Photo: ) And then it gets worse when a guy who possibly noted that the chick in Sean's season who got out of the limo in a wedding dress went pretty far into that season, so tries to top it by climbing out in ... a suit of armor. A real suit of armor. Which, possibly astride a horse would be romantic, but trying awkwardly to get the suit out of the limo without taking off the door or his head while he's at it proves ... less than studly. Oh, Diogo. Never be a cartoon character. She talked to him like she was talking to someone from another planet. Understandable. So ... I don't know who is more nervous about what comes out of the limo next, me or Des, but I'm in this for the long haul. So I'm off to top off my fruity umbrella drink and settle in for what promises to possibly be the most boring Bachelorette cocktail party ever. But before we head inside, let's have a little fun right here and now! To thank you for going on this journey with me, let's do a little giveaway this week! To enter to win a copy of my recent release, Honey Pie, just drop me an e-mail to donna@donnakauffman.com with "Fruity umbrella drinks and a free book? I'm in!" in the subject line. I'll draw a name from the pile and announce the winner in next week's post. Good luck! And good luck to Des ... and us ... as we head into the mansion to the party. Or, more likely "party." Go refresh your fruity umbrella drink, then pop on over to my Big-Time Author Blog and join me, won't you? I'll bring the chocolate. I have a feeling we're going to need it. Donna Kauffman is a best-selling romance author. Her latest release in her popular Cupcake Club series is Honey Pie. Random House has also been e-releasing her earlier Loveswept romances. Her website is DonnaKauffman.com. related stories Today's recs by Kathy sponsored by the letter D12 days ago 'Bachelorette' kicks off with high drama17 hours ago Throwback Thursday: A little sugar and a lot of spice13 days ago Dispatches from the TBR pile: Love is Love7 days ago USA NOW The story behind the baby rescued from sewer pipe in China | USA NOW video May 28, 2013 More Stories: Jennifer Aniston strips in 'We're the Millers' People | 5 days ago Tour Brad Pitt's Malibu Home for SaleHGTV FrontDoor Amanda Seyfried used to have 'beautiful, huge breasts' People | 5 days ago Stunning Patio Design IdeasHGTV Michael Douglas gets ditched for George Clooney People | 7 days ago 10 Tips for Shopping at a Thrift StoreCouponShoeBox Best Camera for the MoneyReviewed.com Is Piracy Just a Game?Free Enterprise


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Many US Women Can't Afford To Do What Angelina Jolie Did

Many US Women Can't Afford To Do What Angelina Jolie Did

A TAKE ON THE TALK - I did a double take when I saw the headline announcing that Angelina Jolie has recently had a double mastectomy. The woman who has kept stealing headlines for years with her beautiful babies and her beautiful baby daddy, her charitable works and her constantly evolving career was brave enough to put her human vulnerability out there for public consumption in an op-ed in the New York Times titled My Medical Choice. Her goal was to encourage other women at high risk of developing cancer to explore their choices and to take whatever steps may be necessary to save their own lives. Unfortunately the reality for many women in America and elsewhere is that quite often when it comes to making decisions about their health, they often have no choice at all. In her op-ed, Angelina disclosed that she carries the BRCA1 gene that meant in her case that she had an 87% chance of getting breast cancer and a 50% chance of getting ovarian cancer. Having lost her mother prematurely to the disease at a vulnerable time when she had only recently become a mother herself, she was hyper aware of what it would mean for her children to undergo a similar loss. So she took the plunge and made the probably wise decision to have a preventable double mastectomy. As a person with breasts, I can only imagine what a difficult decision this was for her to make, (particularly as her pair have had more than their fair share of attention over the years). She acknowledged that the choice she made was not an easy one, but not one she regrets either, particularly as her chances of developing breast cancer since having the procedure have dropped from 87% to less than 5%. Many women in similar circumstances will no doubt be comforted and encouraged by her experience and her decision to share it. She does have one major advantage over a lot of women dealing with cancer or facing the prospect of developing cancer, however, and this is that for her money is not an object. She didn't mention how much the procedure or reconstruction surgery set her back, but it's safe to assume she got the best possible care and paid top dollar for it. She did allude to the $3,000 fee for the gene test that led her to make her potentially lifesaving decision and pointed out that this cost alone can be an obstacle for many women. It certainly is, particularly as the test is not commonly covered by insurance, but the costs of the mastectomy itself and the reconstructive surgery can also be prohibitively expensive, even for women who have decent health insurance. It's difficult to get an exact estimate of how much such a procedure typically costs because cases vary, insurance packages vary and surgeons' prices vary. Under the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA), which was signed into law in 1998, most insurance plans that cover mastectomies are required by the law to also cover the cost of breast reconstruction. There are many criteria to be met, however, and there are always exceptions. But even though most cases deemed medically necessary will be covered, women still report having to pay out between $10,000 and $25,000 on co-pays or fees the insurance company will not pick up. Still at least women who do have health coverage have some chance of getting the care they need. For the estimated 21 million women and girls in America who have no health insurance not only are the costs of such a procedure insurmountable, but they even face obstacles from a hostile congress to gaining access to the most basic cancer screening services. Every year, for example, millions of women avail of Planned Parenthood, an organization that offers cancer screening services on a sliding pay scale. In 2011, the organization, such as pap smears and breast exams, which accounts for 12% of their total services. Undoubtedly many cancers are detected early because of these screenings and many lives are saved. Yet two years ago, the House of Representatives approved an amendment (by a margin of 240 to 185) to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood, all because of their objections to the fact that the organization also offers women the legal medical procedure of abortion. Fortunately the bill never made it past the house but the disregard for women's health was painful to observe. The same disregard for women's health and for poor people's health in general was evident in the viscous battle over the Affordable Care Act. Miraculously, it survived the various onslaughts, including a Supreme Court challenge, more or less intact and it should make a significant difference to women's health (pdf). Until now, insurance companies were able to charge women more than men (sometimes 150% more) for comparable coverage and were able to deny women coverage for pre-existing conditions, such as being pregnant. As of 2014, when the act goes into effect, that will no longer be possible. This should mean that in the near future more women will have access to health insurance and more women will be in a better position to avail of regular screenings and breast exams. This could not be more important since the National Cancer Institute estimates that around 12% of women in America will develop breast cancer in their lives. Angelina Jolie has done a great thing by sharing her decision to make a brave choice regarding her health. I'm sure she would be the first person to agree, however, that no woman should be denied that right because of a lack of income or insurance. (Sadhbh Walshe is a film-maker and former staff writer for the CBS drama series The District. Her opinion pieces have also been published in the Chicago Tribune and Irish Times. This piece was posted first at guardian.co.uk)


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