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Eliot Spitzer has a new gig--writing a regulatory issues column for Slate.com, following on a recent op-ed piece in the Washington Post--and I wonder if we’re witnessing the latest attempt to restore a public figure’s reputation after a sex scandal.
From a PR standpoint, this is probably a good move for Spitzer, and it has precedent in recent years. Two public figures faced similar situations, and at the time of their scandals it seemed as if restoring their professional lives would be impossible. Marv Albert, famed sports announcer, pled guilty to assault and battery in a case that displayed embarrassing details of his sexually deviant extramarital affair, and chick-flick heartthrob Hugh Grant was publicly embarrassed by his arrest and conviction for solicitation after engaging the services of a Hollywood streetwalker.
Both Albert and Grant seemed to be forgiven by the public, eventually, and returned to their lucrative professions. It will be interesting to see how far former Gov. Spitzer will be able to climb back from his infamous liaison with Ashley Dupre, the high-priced call girl for a Washington D.C. prostitution ring.
The PR lesson--no matter how battered the public image, America will probably offer forgiveness and provide you with a chance for restoration.
