McLaughlin and Kraus: Struggle! Suffer! Straddle!

Apparently getting a $2 million advance involves “struggling.” Of course, back in February, they were “suffering” through a potential sophomore slump despite a revolving door of editors and agents, many of them fired, hired or retired. And let’s not forget how the two labored to cut a deal whereby they demanded hair and makeup services for all of their promotional appearances.

Yes, it’s those bright young Nanny things again: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. And this time, the nouveau riche duo of the publishing world are claiming that critics are “dismissing the feminist aspects” of their new book, Citizen Girl. Well if Tom Wolfe can spin his bad sex as “ironic,” then I suppose it’s plausible to claim that women in the bathroom ogling over “Pam’s purple clogs” and other accoutrements came straight from bell hooks.