So let's assume that Patricia Krentcil did not bring her 6-year-old daughter into the tanning bed. Her daughter's school nurse reportedly believes otherwise. Her attorney is asking the world not to judge a book by its cover. That's tough to do when this book is leather bound.
Setting aside the fact that she looks like a baseball glove with lipstick and a wig, her situation calls to light a number of questions.
If we, ourselves, are so misguided about something — regardless of what it may be — that calls into question our own parenting skills. For example, if Krentcil needs to tan for 12 minutes 20 times a month, as the salon owner claims she does, what kinds of messages is she sending to her daughter about appearance and self esteem?
Not only could her face be the stunt double for a truck tire, she also uses tricks to enhance her tan, such as wearing fuschia and white lipstick.
I think it's safe to say that this is an extreme case. However, where do we draw the line? If 20 tanning visits a month are too many, what is OK? I've been in tanning beds — granted it was 20-some years ago, when I was getting ready to wear a formal gown. Having gone only a handful of visits for maybe five or six different occasions, was that acceptable?
I love being a girlie girl, getting all dolled up with hair and makeup. I think high heels are evil, and yet I still wear them. If looking like a suede coat makes Krentcil feel better about herself, how different is that from women like me who get our nails done on a regular basis? At what point does being a high-maintnence gal turn into a fetish?
Maybe I am not qualified to answer that for anyone but myself.
Still, I think it's safe to say that when someone makes an action figure of your extreme behavior, you've gone too far.
Ann Paul
9:14 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Love your comparisons, too funny! But also sad when you think about these allegations. Feel sorry for the daughter. Hope she has better role models in her life.
YourFriend
9:48 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
This is what we have resulted to? Isnt there better things we can discuss? We are judging a parent when we are not perfect ourselves. Wrong or right its not up to us to judge! There is so much we could try and do something about that is way worse then this...Hunger, abuse, neglect, our young teen using drugs & drinking. Is this what our news has left...A women who let her young daughter tan? Wow
Julie J
10:58 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
@YourFriend - judging is what YOU are doing.
Ann Paul
10:57 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
@ YourFriend, yes there is a lot to discuss but ask anyone who has had or lost someone to melanoma from sun exposure how ridiciulous and unsafe it is to bring a child to a tanning salon. I would call that child endangerment and not a fit parent. You are right none of us are perfect, nor did Erin claim to be either.
Julie J
10:57 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
That woman is a whack job. May as well hand her daughter a pack of cigarettes and a six pack of beer.
Uncle Jesus
10:58 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
This is silly talk. This person obviously has some sort of mental problem. A question mark at the end of a sentence does not automatically create a valid debate. You may as well be trying to debate when insanity becomes too insane.
Dori
1:22 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
After listening to this excessively tan woman on TV, it does sound like she has some issues, but then again who doesn’t? She thinks she looks great, good for her; I wish I had her self confidence! I don’t believe she took her daughter to use a tanning bed, she might have taken her to the salon but that’s completely different. How many of you had perfect parents? How many of us had parents who had us rolling around inside a car because we didn’t have seatbelts, or those station wagons or vans where you sat in the very back looking out the back window just waiting for a car to rear end you, I’m sure I had the lead painted crib too and let’s not forget the toys that are now considered dangerous! I think most of mothers just try to do the best we can and it doesn’t help if we are all judging each other so harshly.
Tim
2:37 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
"Her attorney is asking the world not to judge a book by its cover. That's tough to do"
No Erin, it is only tough for you to do.
You have already shown the world your glaring hypocrisy when it comes to gossip.
This gossip column says more about you, than the person you are writing it about.
Olddeegee
10:00 am on Sunday, May 20, 2012
If she's a book to judge, she's the leather-bound edition.
Andrew
4:36 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Tim
You are calling Erin a hypocrite for judging this woman, yet you go ahead and judge Erin for judging this woman. What does this say about you?
Tim
5:37 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
It quite clearly says that I am judging Erin by her own words and standards.
I have no problem judging peoples actions who lay down self-ascribed claims about themselves as if they are in the right, and then continually and deliberately violate those same self righteous claims.
I am not judging her 'soul', I am judging her words.
Cindy Jacobson
9:55 am on Sunday, May 20, 2012
No, it quite clearly states that you, Tim, are a hypocrite. You are telling people it is wrong to judge people. Which I agree with. But here you are judging Erin for writing an article about something that is on the news quite often. You are saying she's a hypocrite for judging people. Whereas YOU right here, while telling people judging is wrong and that Erin is a hypocrite, you, yourself are a hypocrite. You are judging Erin, something you have been telling us not to do in all of your responses. Hate to break it to you, but you are a hypocrite.
Flora Dora
6:43 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Wow! Tim is judge and jury. The nut from Nutley is not parenting well. No questions asked. But is this abuse? I don't think so.
Tim
9:21 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012
I call it accountability.
You call it judge and jury.
Are you not accountable for your own words and actions?
Erin Gallagher
10:46 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012
@ Tim: Uncle. You win. Are you going to keep following my column for how many more weeks to repeat the same weak point? You're getting stalker freaky.
Tim
5:14 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Calling people names because they hold you to your own words, is not going to suddenly make your point valid. It is however, a great example of how Patch can't even follow its own rules. If anyone other than you made that comment, it would have been deleted as a violation of the TOS, because it is.
Patch is supposed to be a 'hyper-local' blog network aimed at local issues. The fact that your posts are not local is a major reason why your posts are criticized. The other fact, is that you espoused a viewpoint that gossip is bad, and then immediately proceeded to gossip about things half a country away. As I am sure you noticed, there were plenty of people other than myself criticizing with this same starting point.
If your readers wanted to read about a lady in NJ who went tanning all the time, any countless number of national news websites already provided that outlet.
Either you are able to handle criticism, or you are not. If you are not able to draw the distinction between others criticizing your work, with others criticizing your person, you are going to find nothing but frustration and continue to lash out with name-calling instead of being able to support and back up your initial position.
Supporting your position is what people want to hear. Resorting to name-calling only shows that you are unable to support your positions, and leaves readers with the perception that you should not be taken seriously. What do I know though, maybe that is actually your goal.
Erin Gallagher
8:05 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
@Tim: Do you wear a moo moo and chain smoke Cool Menthols?
Tim
12:15 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
It must take days to spell check, and grammar check, the articles you write.
Julie J
10:34 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
LOL!! Erin, you are too funny. @Tim - these are purposeful typos. Get a sense of humor.
Tim
11:05 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
You are right Julie, I ignored my own observations, and made the mistake of taking Erin seriously.
What was I thinking?
Cedgar
9:58 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Tim, when it comes to this kind of opinion article, you are a buzz-kill of the highest degree; but I can't find anything wrong with the actual content of what you have written. I think you should keep it up. But it would be fun to know if you actually wear a moo moo (actually "muumuu") and if you chain smoke Cool Menthols (actually Kool, which only come in menthol). Regardless, this has been a fun and lively discussion as of late.
Dad of Two
8:03 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
Charles, I'm with you. I think she was calling Tim stupid when she deliberately misspelled those words. lol
Michael
7:54 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
I just find it entertaining that you guys are wasting heartbeats of your life arguing with Tori Spelling from 90210. I love the pearl necklace and the 90s bleach blond combover.
Michael
9:53 pm on Friday, May 11, 2012
Your internet must not have hd.
Cindy Jacobson
6:45 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Hey Tim! It's called an opinionated article! And guess what? Everyone's entitled to their own opinion.