February 06, 2004
Praise the Lord and pass the hot wings

I can't believe I missed this in this week's Press. Obviously, between Tim Fleck's departure and Rich Connelly's Super Bowl diary, I got distracted.


It's tough work transforming our government into a Southern Baptist church, so where does U.S. Representative Tom DeLay go when he wants to relax and refuel? Nowhere else but Hooters, the soft-porn restaurant chain where waitresses are judged by how tightly they squeeze into skimpy tops and shorts.

We don't know if DeLay himself went and showed the ladies just why he's nicknamed The Hammer -- his office didn't return our calls -- but it's obvious he endorses Hooters' philosophy that it ain't a meal unless you can ogle some Men's Club wannabe.

The December financial report of DeLay's political action committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, shows an outlay of $117.19 at a Washington, D.C., Hooters. (Pretty large bill; we can only hope the ARM PACers did not imbibe any ungodly alcohol while leering at the cleavage.)

Judging from the filing and DeLay's past statements, we know: a) Don't send your kids to liberal schools like Baylor or Texas A&M because they have "coed dorms"; and b) Fine family-values dinner conversation can include "Check out the tits on that waitress!"

Is Hooters worried about being taken over by fundamentalists? "We're in the hospitality business," says Mike McNeil, marketing vice president for the chain. "We're not going to discriminate against anyone based on politics."


I like to think that one lesson I've learned in this life is that there are certain debts which should always be paid in cash. Apparently, Tom DeLay hasn't figured that out yet, and we're all the more entertained for it. This isn't quite on the order of a mayor's aide taking prospective conventioneers to Rick's Cabaret on the city's dime because "that's where they wanted to go", but it's still pretty funny. Maybe the next time DeLay is preaching in church about how Texas A&M and Baylor are dens of sin and iniquity, someone will ask him about this. I'd pay to see that.

Thanks to JD and Drew for the tip.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 06, 2004 to Scandalized! | TrackBack
Comments

Not to defend Tom DeLay. He represents my district yet I have not voted for him in over a decade. I'm not sure there is anything the man can do to earn my vote . . .

But this allegation is downright silly. Hooter's is soft porn? Then what are many of the Houston Press advertisers? Prostitutes? (Actually that accusation may not be far off base.) I suppose the Super Bowl halftime show was hard core porn.

I have taken my 4 year old kid to Hooters. If this story is supposed to make me think less of Tom DeLay, then it hasn't worked. And honestly, I don't think any objective observer can take that argument seriously.

Posted by: Greg V. on February 6, 2004 2:17 PM

In New York, Hooters is called a lousy restaurant. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a soft-porn restaurant, however, there is a reason why it's called Hooters. ;-)

As far as DeLay is concerned, the waitress he is seeing might just be living in a coed dorm at Texas A&M or Baylor.

Posted by: William Hughes on February 6, 2004 3:08 PM

I've gone to Hooters a few times in Texas, and they've all served some of the coldest Shiner Bock I've had outside of a true Texas icehouse.

If that holds true elsewhere, sounds like Tom DeLay has good instincts about where to find a cold Shiner away from home. Gotta respect that about him.

The Press really has become awfully pedestrian in a lot of ways. This is somehow scandalous? Geez. I guess that's what happens when "alternative press" become corporate press. Too bad the Public News is no longer around.

Posted by: kevin whited on February 7, 2004 10:24 AM

Hooters is soft porn, but there's nothing wrong with that. The food ain't that great and who the hell drinks shiner bock, have you seen the people from shiner. Their moonshine is better

Posted by: Tek_XX on February 8, 2004 1:22 AM

If Hooters isn't acceptable as a place for Our Children to work and get high school credit, then it's certainly not good for a member of Congress to be caught there, is it?

Posted by: Sue on February 8, 2004 9:31 AM