NBC’s Playboy Club Becomes First Cancellation of the Season: The Peacock Network’s troubled drama has gotten the ax after just three weeks on the air — and probably more controversy than it even warranted. While the show was no feminist prize — the on-screen Hugh Hefner informed us in the premiere that his Bunnies were among the “few women who were allowed to be themselves” in the ’60s, which, just, no — it was also a pretty tame depiction of the Chicago club that helped kick off the sexual revolution. And yet the trusty Parents Television Council still fed the thing extra publicity by strenuously objecting. Luckily, none of this could make enough viewers tune in to TV’s most boring show about sex and murder.
Presidential Hopeful Herman Cain Defends Anti-Gay Stance: Adding to the chorus of distressing ideas promulgated by the Republican Presidential race (yay, executions? boo, HPV vaccines?), Cain told the ladies of The View this week that he’d bring back Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and that he sees homosexuality as a choice. He even challenged the panelists to “show me the science” that gayness isn’t biologically determined. Psst, Herman: As ThinkProgress.org pointed out, you can start by checking with the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Let us know if you need more.
Rethinking Pretty Woman: We’re loving this recurring Bitch magazine feature re-examining media portrayals of sex work — seeing the sex workers as people, and the stereotypes as glamorizing and ludicrous.
More Great Melissa McCarthy News: Our favorite Gilmore Girls actress (oh, yeah, and scene-stealer of Bridesmaids, and Emmy-winner for Mike and Molly, and awesome Saturday Night Livehost) is now working on a plus-size clothing line.“Trying to find stuff that’s still fashion-forward in my size is damn near impossible,” she said. “It’s either for like a 98-year-old woman or a 14-year-old hooker, and there is nothing in the middle.” Yes, she’s hilarious even when she’s designing dresses.