NGT - How to deal with NFT like the Jenn Sterger Interview (edit by Vette)

[Philosophers]

Let's see Jenn.  At around 20 years of age, you are a college student but feel the need to get a boob job.  Did you think that would help you in your Spanish class?  Then, after you luckily are seen on a camera with the Brent Mustburger famous quote, you get some attention only for your looks and then you leverage that into photo shoots in Maxim and Playboy.

You use those looks to help you land a NY Jets gig as a "hostess".  In every shot, you're dress screams cleavage.  A famous football player sends you suggestive texts and voicemessages.

Now you can't get a job and all you want is to be taken seriously with the history of provocative dress. Got news Jenn.  Being taken seriously starts with your brain and goes to your mouth.  

Are you kidding?  Nice job parenting Mr. and Mrs. Sterger.  
 

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[Sect122Mike]

Let's see Jenn.  At around 20 years of age, you are a college student but feel the need to get a boob job.  Did you think that would help you in your Spanish class?  Then, after you luckily are seen on a camera with the Brent Mustburger famous quote, you get some attention only for your looks and then you leverage that into photo shoots in Maxim and Playboy.

You use those looks to help you land a NY Jets gig as a "hostess".  In every shot, you're dress screams cleavage.  A famous football player sends you suggestive texts and voicemessages.

Now you can't get a job and all you want is to be taken seriously with the history of provocative dress. Got news Jenn.  Being taken seriously starts with your brain and goes to your mouth. 

Are you kidding?  Nice job parenting Mr. and Mrs. Sterger. 
 

I disagree with your opinion of this woman.  The way I see it, this young woman wanted to maximize her ability to make money, so she had plastic surgery to increase her already natural good looks.  The money she made modeling more than made up for that expense, so it sounds like it was a great business decision and shows incredibly sound thinking.   

I'm not sure what her breasts have to do with Spanish class and I really don;t get that reference.  If you are suggesting that students should not be models, I don't get it.  I worked to pay my way through college, why can't she.  Regardless, she was discovered nationally on ESPN, just as every other model was discovered by someone who thought she was beautiful.  She parleyed that fame into further modeling jobs and made even more money.  Then she was able to get a job as a "personality" with an NFL team.  To me, everything she had done up to that point seemed like a great career move.  she was making money at a job she enjoyed.  What seems bad about this to you?

While at that team, she was the subject of harassment.  She chose not to report that harassment and never made a single complaint to anyone, other than talking to her friends about her life.  She just continued to do her job.  Later, when her contract was not renewed, she did not sue alleging that her refusal to sleep with the star QB led to her not being brought back.  Instead, she just kept on looking for work and moving on with her life.  Later, when the NFL launched an investigation into that star QB, she cooperated.  Now, she would like to pick up her life and move on. 

She wants to make money as a public personality.  While I would never want public fame, there are thousands of people who seek this profession.  Its natural that she would go to media outlets to further her marketability.  Again, this shows tremendous business sense to me.  She was the victim of disgusting activity, and instead of rushing off to sue, showed that she can deal with it quietly. If I was in the sports media business, she is exactly what I would like working for me.  she seems incredibly trustworthy and very bright. 

I fail to see why her dress style impacts your ability to take her seriously.  I've never thought she was anything other than 1) an incredibly sexy woman, 2) a sports fan and 3) an astute business woman.  I take her very seriously, or at least as seriously as I take any person in the sports media/marketing business.  I wish her all the best.  I feel badly that this man treated her like he did.  Some people think that just because a woman wears sexy clothing, you have the right to disrespect her.  I do not.   

As for her parentage, I think its clear that you and I know next to nothing about this woman and her parents.  But based solely upon the little bit that I do know, I'd be proud if she was daughter.  She seems like a young woman who does her job and lets jerks and their comments roll off of her.  I think, from the little I have seen, that she was raised very well.   I respectfully disagree with your opinion of her and her parents. 

Again, another topic better fit for the "back porch."   

[NYSPORTS]

Spoken like a true lawyer and you make a strong case.  Facts are fact yet intertwined with more than enough opinion.  If Jen Sterger is an “astute business woman”, like the many beautiful women in the public eye speaking on CNBC while covering the stock market or Erin Andrews who was harassed, she will be astute enough to overcome this.  Now considering her complaints about people only liking her for her cleavage as opposed to her mind, poor Jen Sterger may want to demonstrate her intelligence though verbal communication and exercise a form of metacognition by implementing a different strategy besides simply displaying cleavage.  Her effort in her interview didn't exactly demonstrate anything mentally"astute" unless her goal of looking for sympathy, in hopes somebody else will take her photograph, proves to be successful.  

[jimv]

Good answer, Mike.  But, why did you even start this thread, Phil?  I don't want to do anything rash with this thread but, if anyone else chimes in and things start getting bad, I'll zap the whole thing in the blink of an eye.

[Sect122Mike]

Spoken like a true lawyer and you make a strong case.  Facts are fact yet intertwined with more than enough opinion.  If Jen Sterger is an “astute business woman”, like the many beautiful women in the public eye speaking on CNBC while covering the stock market or Erin Andrews who was harassed, she will be astute enough to overcome this.  Now considering her complaints about people only liking her for her cleavage as opposed to her mind, poor Jen Sterger may want to demonstrate her intelligence though verbal communication and exercise a form of metacognition by implementing a different strategy besides simply displaying cleavage.  Her effort in her interview didn't exactly demonstrate anything mentally"astute" unless her goal of looking for sympathy, in hopes somebody else will take her photograph, proves to be successful.  

Thanks for the lawyerly compliment.  I'm not sure that she has what it takes to be a national media personality.  Erin Andrews skills as both a reporter and an interviewer are quite rare.  but I don;t begrudge Sterger for wanting to see if she can do that type of job.  But even if she can;t get a job on ESPN or some other network, there are many jobs out there in the sports media world.  Lots of teams hire hostesses and pr types who make good money.  But she has a black mark on her now that appears to be of no fault of her own.  Fame for her skills is great, fame because Favre wanted to have sex with her is not.  So if sympathy and telling her side of this is what is needed, more power to her.  She was smart to not say anything until the NFL did its work.  Now she is telling her side of the story. Lots of people assumed that she egged favre on or that she in some way was inviting that behavior.  Would you hire a girl to work in a sports related job who was a QB "sex groupie". I would not.  I think she needs to make it clear that she was not doing anything wrong. 

As for her complaints about people only liking her for her cleavage, I have not seen her make those comments, but I only watched that 6 minute clip on the abc website. I certainly may have missed another interview. 

But regardless, look at her career.  she posed for Maxim and Playboy, which are both considered the top mens magazines in the US.  These are HUGE jobs for a model.  From there she gets jobs as spokesperson for major US products like Dr Pepper and Sprint.  She gets a job on E, then gets cast in two small indie films.  Finally, she gets to contribute two small pieces to SI and they get published in the print magazine and then got a weekly job on SI.com.  Thats huge.  Not even Erin Andrews had that level of success that early in life.  From there the Jets hire her for an on-camera pre-game show host.  I'm sorry, but she has long since passed the hundreds of girls who were in playboy and tried and failed to get other work. 

Then she got what she wanted, her own show.  It was small, but still her own thing.  She hosted a funny, but low budget show on a small sports network called Versus.  It was The Daily Line.  It was not a huge hit, but it stayed on the air until, coincidentally, shortly after the Favre story broke.  No one wants to have that type of story associated with their product. 

So I see this as a girl whose career only improved and improved steadily, until this story broke.  I think a lot of people view her as a girl who invited sexual advances froma married superstar.  I think it has hurt her career and re-focused attention on her as a sexual object, rather than as an attractive woman who loves sports and wants to work in the industry. 

I think her 6 months on the air with her own show do more than enough to demonstrate her "intelligence though verbal communication."  I think the problem you are having is exactly what she fears, that this incident has drawn attention to her as a sex obect, and no one will hire her if that is the case.  She may never host an ESPN daily segment or show.  But if it was because she was not talented, fine, if its because people think she is a homewrecker or that she deserved or even invited Favre's advances, than I feel badly for her. No one should have their career hurt because some disgusting old man wants to cheat on his wife with you and you shoot him down. 

[Sect122Mike]

Good answer, Mike.  But, why did you even start this thread, Phil?  I don't want to do anything rash with this thread but, if anyone else chimes in and things start getting bad, I'll zap the whole thing in the blink of an eye.

Thanks Jim. I think we can behave.  Its just a thread about a hot topic right now thats getting play on ESPN.  That it involves a Jets employee makes it even more fun to talk about, plus, I really dislike Favre. 

[FuglyStick]

Hey, the Jersey Shore cast will be making six figures per episode each for their spin-off shows.  Snooki was paid 32 grand to speak at Rutgers.  Think about that.  This is the world we live in.  These are the values we promote.  This is the future--no, I take that back, this is the PRESENT.

[Sect122Mike]

Hey, the Jersey Shore cast will be making six figures per episode each for their spin-off shows.  Snooki was paid 32 grand to speak at Rutgers.  Think about that.  This is the world we live in.  These are the values we promote.  This is the future--no, I take that back, this is the PRESENT.

Thats a great point.  I mean if that girl Snooki can make 32 grand for a speaker gig and get $100k per episode, she can earn more in 4 years than I will in my lifetime.  I give her credit for doing it.  If you have something that makes people want to hire you, use it.  Even if its just being offensive.  Fame does not last for most people, so earn it while you can. 

[zephirus]

"While at that team, she was the subject of harassment.  She chose not to report that harassment and never made a single complaint to anyone, other than talking to her friends about her life. "

This is the biggest key of all for me.  If we are going to take sexual harassment seriously it HAS TO BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY.  Anything less means that the attention was, at best, welcome or warranted, and at worst, ignored.  Unless it is made clear that the actions taken are offensive, the "victim" loses all credibility.  Favre is culpable for harassment.  Sterger is equally culpable for not reporting it.  

I disagree with the notion that what one chooses to wear has no relevance to their ability to be taken seriously.  Most companies have strict dress codes (I myself must wear a tie every day).  I have no problem with anyone selling their sexuality, reporters, models, athletes.  That makes good business sense.  That being said, you can't "cry wolf", if you aren't taken seriously.  Ines Sainz and Jenn Sterger had/have valid complaints, but their appearances in the media wasn't because they asked hard line questions, it was because they have epic figures.  If I recall correctly, Sainz didn't even ask Sanchez football related questions.  And I won't buy the notion that being pretty is a hinderance for women in the media.  There are plenty of attractive women who are good reporters.  Suzy Kolber and Erin Andrews come to mind.  It's interesting to note that I've never seen either of them dress provacatively (Andrews typically goes with turtlenecks).

[NYSPORTS]

Hey, the Jersey Shore cast will be making six figures per episode each for their spin-off shows.  Snooki was paid 32 grand to speak at Rutgers.  Think about that.  This is the world we live in.  These are the values we promote.  This is the future--no, I take that back, this is the PRESENT.

Was it Rutgers who paid the $32K to have her speak or did somebody else pay her $32K to speak at Rutgers?

[Philosophers]

Perception is reality.  If you want to be taken seriously, lead with the brain.  If you want to be a poster, lead with the boobs.

I disagree completely that she's an astute businesswoman.  She's the perfect example of a person who thinks for the present while ignoring any future consequences.  Jenn, you're 15 minutes are up. 

[Sect122Mike]

"While at that team, she was the subject of harassment.  She chose not to report that harassment and never made a single complaint to anyone, other than talking to her friends about her life. "

This is the biggest key of all for me.  If we are going to take sexual harassment seriously it HAS TO BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY.  Anything less means that the attention was, at best, welcome or warranted, and at worst, ignored.  Unless it is made clear that the actions taken are offensive, the "victim" loses all credibility.  Favre is culpable for harassment.  Sterger is equally culpable for not reporting it.  

I disagree with the notion that what one chooses to wear has no relevance to their ability to be taken seriously.  Most companies have strict dress codes (I myself must wear a tie every day).  I have no problem with anyone selling their sexuality, reporters, models, athletes.  That makes good business sense.  That being said, you can't "cry wolf", if you aren't taken seriously.  Ines Sainz and Jenn Sterger had/have valid complaints, but their appearances in the media wasn't because they asked hard line questions, it was because they have epic figures.  If I recall correctly, Sainz didn't even ask Sanchez football related questions.  And I won't buy the notion that being pretty is a hinderance for women in the media.  There are plenty of attractive women who are good reporters.  Suzy Kolber and Erin Andrews come to mind.  It's interesting to note that I've never seen either of them dress provacatively (Andrews typically goes with turtlenecks).

Zephirus, I could not agree with you more.  Sexual harassment should be reported immediately. Alas, until women who report harassment are not made to feel like they asked for it or otherwise deserved it, its a little unrealistic to ask someone to invite those feelings onto themselves when they did nothing wrong.  So harassment is usually not reported.  However, I think its wrong to suggest that the failure to report harassment actually means that that the harassment was welcome or warranted.  so I disagree that Sterger is at all culpable for not reporting it.  The reason is that this thread even exists.  There are people who think she asked for it or deserved it.  Its why she did not report it.  She liked her job. Once the story broke, her job at Versus ended.  Its a fact of life.  These types of stories are not good for her career.  

I also never suggested that what one chooses to wear has no relevance to their being taken seriously.  I said what SHE choose to wear had no relevance to her beign taken seriously.  What she wore in a playboy shoot was what was required for that job.  What she wore for maxim was what was required for that job. What she wore on versus and what she wore on the Jets gameday shows were likewise what was required for the jobs.  I'm sure when she goes to her nephew's wedding, she does not wear a bikini top like she did at football games.  I wear a suit all day and when I go to games I wear a giants jersey.  I expect to be taken seriously despite what I wear though. I'm the same guy wearing the suit that I am wearing the jersey and jeans.  If you treat me like I'm a suit all the time, I'll probably dislike you.  I tend to think of myself as a jean and t-shirt guy who is stuck in a suit all day, but certainly you dress how you have to dress.  

I think you are misunderstanding the notion of being taken seriously.  She has been unemployed since this stroy broke yet she had steady and increasing paid employment until it broke. She is no longer taken seriously as a sports personality.  As you said, a sports personality can choose to sell their sexuality, just as models and athletes often do.  But its not that she is "crying wolf."  She is being treated differently now that she is viewed by many as a tramp, or whatever word you like.  I googled her earlier today and the number of leads that use the word whore in the page title scared me.  

Also, while I know nothing about Ines Sainz (I remember her name enough to know she was the attractive reporter who was involved in some talk at Jets camp last year, but I could not pick her out of a lineup), I can tell you that Jenn Sterger is hardly getting the jobs for her body.  While she is indeed attractive, every month there are a dozen other girls just as attractive or more so in maxim, playboy or any of a dozen other magazines that would kill to get that Jets job. A TV gig in the no. 1 tv market, its a dream gig.  But she got it. Why because she was able to market herself well.  Its a skill that she has developed and I commend her for it.  

I also agree that being pretty is not a hinderance for women in the media.  Suzy Kolber and Erin Andrews are great examples of women who are pretty and do very good medial work.  There are a great many others.  While I do not know Suzy Kolber's history, I know a lot about Erin Andrews only because I happened to be on a case in Tampa in 2000 and 2001 and practically lived there for 6 months and got to see her every day on the news.  She dressed far sexier in her young florida days, and toned it down when she got the network gigs.  that happens often too.  I'm sure if Sterger ever got on ABC, she would tone it down, but I also do not think Sterger has Erin or Suzy's skills.  But Olivia Munn has made millions by being the attractive female geek media personality and there are millions to be made as the attractive female sports media personality.  Sterger has just as good a chance as any to get a slice of that market.  

Anyway, I respectfully disagree that someone should be punished for not reporting a crime or otherwise disgusting behavior.  I disagree even more that the failure to report it is equal to the actual criminal or disgusting activity.  

[T200]

"While at that team, she was the subject of harassment.  She chose not to report that harassment and never made a single complaint to anyone, other than talking to her friends about her life. "

This is the biggest key of all for me.  If we are going to take sexual harassment seriously it HAS TO BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY.  Anything less means that the attention was, at best, welcome or warranted, and at worst, ignored.  Unless it is made clear that the actions taken are offensive, the "victim" loses all credibility.  Favre is culpable for harassment.  Sterger is equally culpable for not reporting it.  

I don't hold her accountable for the situation just because she didn't report the harassment.  Consider that the incident with Inez Sainz was still fresh, Sterger clearly didn't want that kind of scrutiny heaped on her.  Let's face it, when it comes to sexual harassment/rape, more often than not, it's the victimized woman who is put on trial, not the offender. The woman has to defend her actions before the light is cast on the perpetrator.  How is that just?

[zephirus]

"While at that team, she was the subject of harassment.  She chose not to report that harassment and never made a single complaint to anyone, other than talking to her friends about her life. "

This is the biggest key of all for me.  If we are going to take sexual harassment seriously it HAS TO BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY.  Anything less means that the attention was, at best, welcome or warranted, and at worst, ignored.  Unless it is made clear that the actions taken are offensive, the "victim" loses all credibility.  Favre is culpable for harassment.  Sterger is equally culpable for not reporting it.  

I don't hold her accountable for the situation just because she didn't report the harassment.  Consider that the incident with Inez Sainz was still fresh, Sterger clearly didn't want that kind of scrutiny heaped on her.  Let's face it, when it comes to sexual harassment/rape, more often than not, it's the victimized woman who is put on trial, not the offender. The woman has to defend her actions before the light is cast on the perpetrator.  How is that just?

Mike/T200,

I'm not suggesting that Sterger's refusal to quickly report the harassment in any way condones Favres behavior.  Nor am I suggesting that Favre's actions weren't disgusting.  I'm not even suggesting that her failure to report it makes his behavior warranted.  I'm simply suggesting that if she had reported this quickly and quietly, it would not have garnered the media frenzy that happened later as a result of her waiting.  She probably could have even made the report anonymously.  I totally agree that most women that are victimized by harassment are reluctant to step forward because of the scrutiny it will place on them, but I think it's a terribly weak excuse.  I have a hard time believing an employer would fire a female who reported sexual harassment, usually they are more than accomodating to make sure that the behavior doesn't continue (possibly by firing the perpetrator), and that male colleagues are made aware of what is and isn't acceptable.  I think not reporting it sends one of two messages.  One is that the contact/behavior is ok.  Two is that the texts (in this case) were being ignored.  Neither sends a distinct message to stop.  There was also rumors that Sterger sent a text saying "If that is you in the picture you have a reason to smile", in reference to a picture of Favre's manhood.  If true, it totally undermines her credibility that the contact was unwarranted. 

I think most self respecting females who are made uncomfortable at work by sexual harassment report it immediately.  Until females see it as the best option, this will only be cyclical.

[Sect122Mike]

Mike/T200,
I'm not suggesting that Sterger's refusal to quickly report the harassment in any way condones Favres behavior.  Nor am I suggesting that Favre's actions weren't disgusting.  I'm not even suggesting that her failure to report it makes his behavior warranted.  I'm simply suggesting that if she had reported this quickly and quietly, it would not have garnered the media frenzy that happened later as a result of her waiting.  She probably could have even made the report anonymously.  I totally agree that most women that are victimized by harassment are reluctant to step forward because of the scrutiny it will place on them, but I think it's a terribly weak excuse.  I have a hard time believing an employer would fire a female who reported sexual harassment, usually they are more than accomodating to make sure that the behavior doesn't continue (possibly by firing the perpetrator), and that male colleagues are made aware of what is and isn't acceptable.  I think not reporting it sends one of two messages.  One is that the contact/behavior is ok.  Two is that the texts (in this case) were being ignored.  Neither sends a distinct message to stop.  There was also rumors that Sterger sent a text saying "If that is you in the picture you have a reason to smile", in reference to a picture of Favre's manhood.  If true, it totally undermines her credibility that the contact was unwarranted. 

I think most self respecting females who are made uncomfortable at work by sexual harassment report it immediately.  Until females see it as the best option, this will only be cyclical.

Sadly, I think you are very wrong that had she reported this quickly and quietly, it would not have.  I fail to see how your opinion would even be possible.  Also, I find your opinion that fear of reprisal to be a terribly weak excuse to be itself a weak view.  I have friends whose entire legal practices are employment discrimination.  Sadly, the vast majority of employers take steps that are very much adverse to the harassed employee and supportive of the manager (star QB in our case).  (Also its not always a woman, female to male and same sex sexual harassment is also quite common).  I wish more employers were as accomodating as you suggest.  But its not the case.   

Your comments that most "self respecting females" report harassment immediately has really ended my desire to talk with you about this.  I think your have a great deal to learn about harassment and this is not the forum for it.  Rather than say something ungentlemanly, I think its best if I sign off on this thread. Suffice to say, we disagree and I can't see myself ever agreeing with you, so lets end it here.