Our Bodies, Our Sourpusses

It appears that feminist author Naomi Wolf, who's been known to complain about the lack of cowgirl outfits in maternity clothes (scroll down), lacks a sense of humor as well as a fashion sense.

According to Ananova, Wolf was outraged after being interviewed for HBO's great spoof talk show, Da Ali G Show. At one point, Ali G (a self-consciously stupid wannabe rapper/whigger played by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen) got the author of The Beauty Myth and Misconceptions to rap, "Yo, yo, don't be sexist, I'll let you ride in my Lexus." Ali G also asked tough questions such as whether Wolf thought women would ever be allowed to fly airliners; he fretted that if women got "equal rights" in the workplace, then they'd want them at home, too.

Wolf has reportedly called in her lawyers and pressured HBO not to show the interview on the grounds that she was unknowingly being used to offensive comic effect (given that some of her books sold very well, this may well become a class action lawsuit against her readers all over the country).

Just how sore a sport is she being? Consider that Donald Trump, Newt Gingrich, C. Everett Koop, Inside the Actor's Studio's James Lipton, and former CIA director James Woolsey have all been similarly duped by Ali G without calling in the legal eagles. Ali G even got former US Attorney General Ed Meese to rap and insisted that another former top cop, Dick Thornburgh, explain what is legal, what is illegal, and what is barely legal.

The current issue of Reason–available on newsstands and to subscribers only!–has a wonderful appreciation of Da Ali G Show in it. Which is one more reason to subscribe today.