Take, for example, Sarah Ferguson. I don't mind when the Duchess of York exploits the notoriety she gained by marrying and divorcing a prince to get her picture taken or to get on Letterman or to get paid obscene sums to advertise cranberry juice and weight-reduction programs. But when she takes unfair advantage of her celebrity status to write a newspaper column, then she is pushing her bloody luck. And the idea of giving somebody a million dollars just because they can fill a stadium full of teen-agers is insulting. I mean, the idea of Sting as Picasso is insulting.
Honest journalists pay their dues, and if they live long enough, they get some notice.
Actors, pols and rogues say, hey, I think I'll write a column, and they get a contract. They're so damned insouciant about it, too. Well, drift into this, buddy. It happens all the time. Paul Newman acts, makes tomato sauce and pops corn, but he's still not satisfied, so he buys a piece of the Nation and starts writing commentaries.