For a glimpse into Hollywood's ongoing efforts to empower women, please click here. Actress Kari Wuhrer is convinced that she was fired from "General Hospital" because she became pregnant. Thus, she is suing ABC-TV, seeking $3 million in damages.
"The vile underbelly of the Hollywood Machine encourages female actors to be as beautiful and slim as possible," the suit said.
It added that an actress who "dares" to become pregnant has one choice: "Terminate her pregnancy or be terminated."
The short Associated Press report does not answer a question that lawyers would want to know ("Was there a pregnancy clause in the contract that she signed?") or another question that Dr. James Dobson may or may not want to know before he takes this case on the air ("Is this woman married?"). The New York Times report notes that Wuhrer's lawsuit says that ABC killed off the contract of the former MTV star because she was not "sexy enough." It would appear that Google Images disagrees.
All of this soap-opera drama would draw mixed, but predictable, ratings out there in Oprah America, according to a very helpful set of abortion-related materials assembled by the Public Agenda organization.
The culture remains pretty much where it has been for several decades -- 20 percent in favor of abortion on demand, 20 percent in favor of banning abortion and about 60 percent saying they want it banned under some circumstances, but legal under others.
In other words, the mushy middle continues to change with the wind, depending on how poll questions are worded. But it is clear that the middle wants political and legal compromise, in part because the middle is willing to accept or look past moral compromise. That's America.
Meanwhile, what's on the soaps today?