15 minutes of fame

So far as Andy Warhol is concerned, Susan Finkelstein no doubt has gotten more than her money’s worth.

And more than she ever wanted.

Warhol of course once famously commented about our society that “everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.”

Little did he know how our culture – and our media – would evolve.

Finkelstein is the West Philly woman who police in Bucks County say offered sex for Phillies World Series tickets. It’s a charge she vehemently denies.

When the story broke back in October, Finkelstein got her 15 minutes – and then some. It probably did not help that the team the Phillies were playing was the New York Yankees. Finkelstein soon found herself on the cover of the New York tabs, and from there a world-wide Internet sensation.

She was in court for her preliminary hearing on the charges yesterday.
It didn’t go very well.

A couple of Bensalem detectives testified in the case. One indicated that after he came upon her ad on Craigslist, with its “buxom blonde desperate for World Series tickets – price negotiable ad,” he contacted her. He testified that she sent him topless pictures of her.

It got worse. Another detective who met with her in a bar testified she exposed herself to him during their conversation.

Not only is Finkelstein facing trial on the original charges, she now faces a charge of prostitution.

She continues to profess her innocence, and her lawyer points out there is no corroboration for the salacious testimony, no video, no audio, just the cop’s word against that of his client.

Enough, already.

I’m not going to stand in judgment of Finkelstein. She’s paid a pretty steep price already, having lost her job in the fallout from the story.

I can’t help thinking this, however. Don’t the cops in Bensalem have anything better to do?

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