What Does She Have That Most Don't?

What $5,500 an Hour Buys

By Harold Meyerson
Wednesday, March 12, 2008; A19

Eliot Spitzer's fall from grace (and very soon, it seems, from power) raises a host of serious concerns, not least our ongoing and often ludicrous conflation of the personal and the political in matters of morals. But flawed mortal that I am, I confess I keep coming back to one detail as this gloomy tale unfolds: $5,500.

That's what Spitzer and his fellow numbered clients were shelling out per hour if they booked the Emperors Club VIP's top-of-the-line providers.

I've given serious thought to this over the past day, and I'm not sure that I've even had a sexual fantasy that, if actualized, would be worth $5,500 an hour. Of course, fantasies can involve particular, unattainable persons, and an economist might say that if the client has an obsession that only a certain provider could satisfy, that could drive the price way up.

But that doesn't seem to have been the case for Client 9. Of all the details in the transcript of the back-and-forth between Spitzer and the Emperors Club's traffic manager, the one I find most mind-boggling is when Spitzer, just before he hooks up with his hooker, asks to be reminded of what the lady looks like.

He's paying $4,300 for this experience and he needs a refresher on her looks? Four grand and change and he can't remember whether he booked tall or short, blond or brunette? We're not talking obsession here. We're talking positional goods.

Love John

Reporter Vs. Anchor

glumbert - Anchor vs Reporter

Love John

Reporter Vs. Anchor

glumbert - Anchor vs Reporter

You Can't Get Rid of Me That Easily John Matthews

Whether it was the Aloha shirts, the morning tabs, or the unbelievable Disney obsession, there was no escaping John Matthews unique personality. From day one via email I knew we were going to be best friends. (I know that has become one of my tag lines but this is genuine.)

John today handed me my original cover letter and resume today that I submitted over a year ago for the position of news desk assistant. I was desperate to get a foot in the door to broadcast journalism. I career choice I had very little experience in, but knew I wanted to spend my life pursuing.

John returned the resume because he was cleaning out his office. He was one of about 5 we lost in the citadel massacre. Someone in Las Vegas seemed to have been very confused and decided his position was no longer necessary. BIG MISTAKE.

Citadel Cuts MAL's Core & More - 2/29 - A bloodbath at Citadel talker WMAL today. Longtime DC radio talker Chris Core (right) has been let go and WMAL promptly erased him from its 630wmal.com website. We're told that it was "not personal," just "part of a massive cutback country-wide by Citadel." Core has worked at WMAL more than three decades, doing the Bill "Trumbull And Core" afternoon show in the 1980s. "I'm okay with it. They were very generous with me," Core, 59, told a trade pub. "It's been a great run." DCRTV hears that evening man Chris Plante will be moved into Core's 9 AM time slot. Plus, WMAL News Director John Matthews, a 25-year WMAL vet, got the axe along with reporter Matt Bush. WMAL already farms out its night and weekend newscasts to Metro Networks. Also, DCRTV is hearing that Citadel is seriously thinking about ditching WMAL's Fred Grandy and Andy Parks morning show. For Don Imus? And there are rumblings of yet more cuts at Citadel's three DC stations - WMAL, WRQX, and WJZW - including the latter's entire airstaff (see newsblurb below). Stay tuned.....

The hits came as a surprise to everyone, including Chris Core and our GM Chris Berry. So when I spoke with the management team over the loss of Chris, needless to say it came as a huge blow to find out John was included. As I am sure you all have seen in previous pieces, John was a superior boss, and is a much needed friend in this industry. But above all he is a superior boss and family member.

After taking this job as web coordinator, I have started to use the video camera for some of my web reports. The first ones I did for practice was this one here on John. This was just a week ago. Thank goodness I had the chance to make it!