Ok - I know this is verging on Ashley Judd overkill, but you guys, I’m just so totally irritated by her. So I told you that she recently got back from Rwanda and from the DRC. And don’t misunderstand - I appreciate hers or anyone else’s efforts to do positive things for others. I’m not ripping on that. In fact, let me just go on the record as saying that she should get a nice big batch of kudos for any positive difference she’s making. It’s just that everything else about her makes me involuntarily roll my eyes.
Case in point. Her journal from each of her humanitarian adventures is accessible on line. And they’re filled with stories of unspeakable devastation and horrible living conditions and incredibly unfortunate people. They’re also filled with this sort of tripe:
“I felt guided and led the whole time, in fact. I had some choices about hotel (airport, or city centre?) and did not struggle with the decision. Some key phrases from my daily reading came true: When in doubt, we ask for inspiration or a decision. We don’t struggle. We relax and take it easy. Except for complaining to my husband about the cost of living in Brussels, which I did more to keep up my reputation for being “tighter than two coats of paint,” it was all emotionally effortless. The meeting I found was fantastic and heartening. In my room, I had a chance to read the many, kind emails I had received last week for my birthday. I caught up on voicemail. I finished my book.”
I seriously laughed out loud at the part where she considers herself “tight”. Seriously? Um, yeah. Building a garage to house 20+ vehicles which is attached to your Scottish castle really has me feeling like you are the poster child for frugality there, Ash. Here’s more from her journal:
“The excitement of my 40th birthday at Skibo, the forced layover in Brussels, and whirlwind and emotional assault of the day; I was exhausted and a little worried I was starting a 14 day trip this tired. To my surprise, because I am experienced “rester” but necessarily a talented “napper,” I fell asleep for an hour and half. I slept with my pretty new sapphire earrings still in my ears, head perfectly straight on the pillow, ankles crossed. I did not flinch, apparently.”
How do you fill pages and pages of paper/blank screen with impossibly horrible tales of woe about victims of genocide and rape and all sorts of other heartbreaking stuff, and literally in the SAME JOURNAL ENTRY express glee about your happy little birthday party or your new sapphire earrings??!
It’s precisely this kind of crap that leaves me feeling at a loss that she still has so many people snowed.
Help me spread the word, mockers.
HATE.
I just hate that she acts like she cares more than everyone else. What a narcissist.
I don’t know about you all, but when I sleep, I don’t lay all perfect and wonderful, i sprawl all over, drool, and snore…and I hate her, so she must, too. HATE.
Ahh, this is more like it! THIS is the Ashley I love to hate! Only Ashley, in one short paragraph, can offend me on so many levels.
1) Err, isn’t she supposed to be talking about RWANDA and the SUFFERING there? I mean, I know it’s her journal and all, but does it really have to read like “Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret” merged with Deepak Chopra? 2) She reminds us that she is above everyone else, so much so that God (or “Her Creator”) takes the time to guide her to the proper hotels (!) 3) In a few short sentences, she reminds us how efficient and accomplished she is (writing a book in between charity speaking engagements?), how popular she is (fan emails and birthday blow-outs), and how rich she is (sapphire earrings and Skibo castle) yet how country-girl she remains (“tighter than two coats of paint”?? Heehaw, Minnie Pearl!). This thing reads like a Christmas letter from Martha Stewart (but at least Martha would never pretend that everyone loves her…)
SHANNON! I wanted to tell you this specifically because I know you’ll appreciate it. I read a quote today of hers which was as follows:
“It is very difficult to leave behind people I know are victims of human trafficking. I defy anyone to walk out of a brothel or to walk out of an orphanage leaving those people behind.”
See what she did there? She leaves these people behind on every trip, yet defies ANYONE ELSE to have the same kind of strength and self resolve that she does.
HATE.
Didn’t Ashley get married at Skibo shortly after Madonna took her vows there? She couldn’t stand someone else getting ALL the attention. Her marriage is a shame, btw.