Dr. Laura

[MissCrabette]

I agree with all of that. And if you want to get free advice from a call-in doctor, call Dr. Joy Browne! That's a sharp lady and she's actually a psychologist! http://www.drjoy.com/

I love Dr. Joy. She's awesome and she has so much common sense.

Jenn, you hit the nail on the head, she is mean. I only listened to her once or twice and I found it painful to hear her just savaging these emotionally vulnerable people.

The more interesting question, is why is she so popular? What is it in society that craves her brand of advice?

I think she is popular for the same reason that "Rules book" was popular. People are drawn to strict rules and the idea that if you follow the rules you will have a nice life. Following very defined gender roles because Dr. Laura says so takes away alot of the demands of finding your own path. There is a sense that these rules may simplify interactions and relationships by increasing predictibility.

But, I think the whole point of life is to create your own path. And to base your intimate relationships on Dr. Laura's rules, its like reading a play - - its a script, not a marriage.

The more interesting question, is why is she so popular? What is it in society that craves her brand of advice?

From the little bit of her radio show I have listened to -- why do people call her? I think Julie's statement about that fits best.

[PrincessFiona]

The more interesting question, is why is she so popular? What is it in society that craves her brand of advice?

I have often wondered this too. I've listened to her show before but it was more of a "watch the trainwreck" kind of a thing. I found it entertaining and appalling at the same time.

There are peoplet that take her very seriously. I know someone here who...shaves her husband each morning and puts his toothpaste onto his toothbrush. I guess that works great for them...but...I think it's much nicer to have a more equal relationship.

Also, there is a woman here that I know with 4 school-aged children. They are in the process of potentially losing their house, and are more broke than all get-out, but...she is "her kid's mom" and refuses to work in order to provide that *stable*, nurturing home. The reality, of course, is that there is a lot of sadness, unhappiness and uncertainty. Her children have a lot of problems due in part to the poverty, marital strife because of the poverty etc. She has been fed a message though that "good" moms don't work and she adheres to that in the face of having to go to chatholic charities to get groceries, etc.....

kris

shaves her husband each morning

Kris,

For the picture I'm developing in my mind's eye, are we talking about:

1) steaming towels, horse-hair brush to whip up the shaving cream and straight razor setup

or

2) electric norelco at the breakfast table

For the record, either way I'm envisioning a Victoria's secret model as part of this daily ritual and myself with rock hard abs preparing for a day on Wall Street as a commodities broker.

[fluffhead]

Kevin, I'm there.

re Dr. Laura -
I'd first heard her when I was travelling around the country in 1995 - she could always be picked up on some AM station, and it was great fun listening in on other people's problems. She wasn't very judgemental, and actually offered some sound advice.
When she went national and got syndicated with a major label, I think she realized that the Mean Holier Than Thou Perfect Therapist model would land her alot more listeners and much more press. Is she nasty in real life? Quite possibly, but the whole radio persona, I think, is just a clever way to boost listenership.
Of course, it was still gratifying when she tried to explain away those polaroids which surfaced several years ago.

[houseelf]

Kevin



Thanks for the laugh!

Kelly

[DCJenn]

Kevin and Fluff-

remind me to tell you guys about how the guys (and the lesbians) at work envisioned the voice from the Hertz gps system- you know the 'turn left in .5 miles voice. It involved leaning over a large wooden desk (where the map was) with high heels and nothing else...

Jenn

[Sheherezade]

I'd first heard her when I was travelling around the country in 1995 - she could always be picked up on some AM station, and it was great fun listening in on other people's problems. She wasn't very judgemental, and actually offered some sound advice.

That's the only time I've ever heard her as well....back in 1996. As I stated before, I think I only listened to her because she endorsed stay at home parenting and I was so ambivalent about it at the time. It was re-assuring. I bet she has a lot of listeners like that--- people that agree with everything she says and just listen for validation of their life choices. It's the callers that I wonder about. Who signs up for that?

It's the callers that I wonder about. Who signs up for that?

The same people who sign up to go on reality T.V. shows, etc.

Kevin & Fluff --

Let's us know when the dream comes true, will you?

[Rapunzel]

So there seems to be several things going on here in regard to this topic:

1) People find Laura Schlessinger (sp?) to be a hypocrite because she does not practice what she preaches.

2) Schlessinger's radio show is conducted in a mean-spirited manner.

3) Schlessinger's advice is awful/unreasonable/wrong.

To number one I have to say I think I completely understand. And, I agree that her hypocrisy is wrong. She is the wrong messenger in many ways for the messages she gives.

To number two I cannot say much. I read her books and find them to be far from mean-spirited. Rather, they tend to be quite rational. She doesn't pussy-foot in her books and if you're looking to be babied or gently coerced she is not the read for you!

To number three I have to say I disagree. Her advice in her books is quite sound. I have yet to come upon an idea that the man in a relationship is always right - or even mostly or often right! Much of her relationship advice actually jibes well with "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" in that she emphasizes loving your spouse in the way he/she desires to be loved and being more selfless and kind in your interactions in this important relationship.

I would be interested in discussing (in book club fashion) here an actual book she has written. It would be much easier for people to understand her popularity if they actually read a book by her and saw that her advice IS simply sound common sense. I can only think that, if her radio program is quite mean-spirited and negative, her books are the main reason for her celebrity status.

I have found her advice quite helpful in my own marital relationship. And, it isn't because she is a "wise" person with amazing incites. I disagree with that idea. I think she is simply regurgitating universal truths and plain old common sense - much of which has been erased from our current culture due to popular, unrealistic modern ideals.

[Rapunzel]

[
some people like to make others feel bad (because it makes them feel superior about their own lives) and the Dr. Laura Show was a vehicle for those people to meet each other.

Totally agree. She caters to the "look how virtuous I am, and therefore better than you" crowd.

See, I think that there are a lot of people in the world who look down on genuinely happy people and justify it by labeling them, "holier than thou." That's a cop-out and a judgemental one at that. Rather than face their own issues they would rather attack the happiness of others. I've met people like that in my life - and they are without exception angry, bitter, and sad.

[DCJenn]

My opposition to her is primarily professional. We spends hours and hours with people with serious mental health needs- convincing them that it isn't going to be traumatic, that medication can help, no one is going to judge them.

and then there's someone that they CAN listen to every day who is judging and dispensing advice, most of which a person with actual mental illness probably doesn't need to hear.

Her books? haven't read one- listening to her about did me in.

There are plenty of 'real' (licensed, educated) therapists who dispense very similar advice to hers- if that's the message that people find helpful- more power to them- if it helps their marriages, their families, their lives- great. It's not for me but hey, whatever works. "Dr. Phil" annoys me too but I think his 'sessions' are motivated by a genuine need to help people. I don't get that from the Good Doctor Laura

I just have a serious, serious problem with her methods having spent the better part of my adult life with as and with mental health professionals.

Jenn

[rainbabies]

i know she has a strong christian follwing.(submissive wives to be exact) the only other thing i know about her...she was a gung ho jew for a while, then decided against it. saying something along the lines of, "the jewish community has not been supportive, in fact, the most support i get is from the christian community."

i dont remember the exact words, but it was somthing like that.

[MissCrabette]

Speaking of religion, she mentions this in the book and she's so very judgmental about it. She discusses the situation of a jewish-Christian couple and she says that clearly neither of them is very devoted to their religion since they married a person from a different religion.

Maybe I don't understand how that's wrong because I'm not very religious myself. It just strikes me as such a harsh thing to say when you don't really know what's in those people's heart.