DIVORCE AMERICAN STYLE

[defrog]

BoingBoing recently mentioned this post about a Chicago alderman who didn’t find the following billboard from lawyers Corri Fetman and Kelly Garland funny and found a legal excuse unrelated to censorship to have it taken down:



Here's another version:



As it turns out, the story is a couple of years old and the alderman in question, Burton Natarus, has since lost his seat (not for the billboard flap so much as verbally abusing journalists, I hear).

But there’s a wealth of extras and discussion points in this story.

I confess, my first thought on seeing the ad is, “And conservatives blame gays for wanting to devalue marriage.” Even if you accept the notion that it’s intended to be humorous, the idea of divorce lawyers drumming up business is funny only in the sense that Nick Naylor promoting cigarettes is funny.

That aside, if you believe that there’s no such thing as bad publicity (and it was probably a lawyer who came up with that phrase), as a marketing gimmick it’s arguably a success – enough to justify creating a dedicated web site.

It gets better. Meet one of the lawyers, Corri Fetman Esq.



After the billboard takedown incident, Corri ended up posing for Playboy, and now has her own Lawyer Of Love advice column. [Both links NSFW, incidentally.]

Which is fine. I’m just thinking there’s got to be a Farrelly Brothers movie in here somewhere. Or, you know, Paul Verhoeven or someone. Surely someone’s written a screenplay based on all this by now.

And here’s the punchline (no, the Playboy gig wasn’t it):

In a nationwide survey of divorce lawyers by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 37 percent reported a drop in divorce cases. Why? More couples are putting off divorce because of the economic slump. See, it’s cheaper to stay married to someone you hate than to go through the cost of a divorce.

The economic meltdown: hard on divorce lawyers, but keeping America’s families together.

Lawyers in love,

This is dF

Comments

[eriksangel15.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, but I think that just sends out the wrong message. People, I believe, need to be reminded that marriages were and still are meant to be life-long commitments, not something to be "cheapened".

But hey, that's just my own two cents.

[def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com]

If I was, say, the Nick Naylor of divorce lawyers, I would argue that historically, marriages have far more in common with real estate contracts than romance. But by contemporary standards, sure, it's pretty cold. I feel the same about pre-nups, for what it's worth.

[wickedsin.livejournal.com]

from the standpoint of advertising I think it's brilliant

as a human being, it makes me a little sick

[def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com]

My advice: don't go to law school. I like you as you are. Plus, lawyers can't bowl. It's a rule of some kind.

[wickedsin.livejournal.com]

I hate to break this to you, but I am planning to go to law school once I finish up my undergrad

I write contracts for a living, it's a natural progression. However, I plan to stick to contract law / intellectual property law so I doubt I'll become the typical lawyer scumbag

[def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com]

*face*palm*

What I meant to say of course was, "You should become a lawyer, we need more decent ones." Something like that. Serves me right for going for the easy jokes.

[wickedsin.livejournal.com]

don't worry, I wasn't offended. I think that there's a difference in being someone with a law degree and a "lawyer"

I hope to accomplish the first without ever becoming the second, if that makes any sense

I guess you can't an chase ambulance in fuck me pumps

[lorilori.livejournal.com]

Nothing says professional like showing your boobs. And nothing says predatory like encouraging infidelity and divorce.

[thelastaerie.livejournal.com]

I remember there's this lawyer in HK (he used to go out with a famous female DJ who is some 20+years older than him), he had an advertisement saying "HK$899 for divorce", I always find it very funny. But at least he was only saying "it's cheaper than you thought"...

[isis-lives.livejournal.com]

[Insert obligatory commentary on graphic. It is what it is what it is. If someone is looking for an excuse to do something they want to do, they'll find it with or without billboards.]

But what I really want to say is I am very intrigued by the stats indicating that divorce is in a slump due to the economic slump. I may have to write about that myself.