Martha Stewart, whose three-year odyssey in the criminal justice system will end just about the time she turns 64 early next month, is about to figure in the nation's psyche in a big way.

Stewart already has revealed "M. Diddy" as her prison nickname in a cover story in this month's Vanity Fair. She's just wrapped up filming for her own edition of the Donald Trump reality series "The Apprentice."

That's not all. Looking for its slice of Martha mania, NBC rival CBS plans to broadcast in September its second unauthorized movie about the Stewart saga. "Martha: Behind Bars," also starring Cybill Shepherd, will detail Stewart's recent stay at a minimum-security womens' prison in West Virginia.

For whatever it’s worth, here’s the official SoCon take on Martha Mania… I’m really getting kinda sick of hearing Martha mocked, maligned and slandered. She was convicted of a crime and she served the sentence she received. Now she’s on her way back to being what she once was, a successful business woman. What's wrong with that? Good for her. I think that her success is the real reason so many people hate her in the first place. Martha Stewart is an indication that the American dream still works. If you’re willing to put in the work and if you’re determined enough, nothing will prevent you from succeeding in this country. I don't know what kind of person she is to work for, but of course her reputation is pretty bad. She's always portrayed as a "bitch," a spiteful, angry shrew with an axe to grind. Why is it that any woman who succeeds at business in this country is invariably portrayed that way? (The one exception is Oprah. Heck, even I love Oprah. I don't trust people who dislike Oprah.) Ya know, now that I think of it, anyone who is a financial success, male or female, is often seen as money-hungry, paranoid, and/or downright evil. Look, Martha found her niche, capitalized on it, and succeeded tremendously. There ain't a damn thing wrong with that. I have tremendous respect for Martha Stewart.

Permalink -- Posted by Darrell at 10:54