January 15

Events

• Current events

• 1622 - No bedroom farce in this life - The French writer known as Moliere was born in Paris on this date as Jean Baptiste Poquelin. While it may be easy to dismiss some of the commentary about him as the ramblings of jealous rivals, it is known that Moliere fell in love with 15 year old Michel Baron after taking him into his home saving him from a troupe of young actors of which he was the star. The romance ruined his marriage but Michel was with him until his death

• 1945 - Everybody loves to hear kids talking dirty - Art Linkletter starred on the CBS radio show, House Party, which debuted on this date. The show continued on the air for 22 years, including a long stint on CBS television. Linkletter wrote books about experiences with kids on the show, the segment called "Kids Say the Darndest Things." This segment of the show was among the most popular of early daytime television. What often got the biggest laughs was the unwitting sexual innuendo of the children's comments about their parents. They often were also asked about kissing and dating, too. But kids are not sexual at all, right?

• 1998 - "... but in your case, we'll make an exception." - In the United States, one spouse cannot generally testify against another because of what is called "marital privilege." But there are exceptions to that, one of which is the "pedophile exception." In Arkansas the law states that an exception to this privilege exists when one spouse is charged with sexual crimes against a minor child living in the home. On this date the Supreme Court of Arkansas ruled that exception extended to cases where the child was unrelated to the couple and only visiting the home. The rule states that it is allowed to admit "evidence of similar acts with the same or other children in the same household when it is helpful in showing a proclivity for a specific act with a person or class of persons with whom the defendant has an intimate relationship." In other words, In the special case of accusations of pedo crimes not only does the defendant lose rights he would other wise have with regard to spousal testimony, but also with regard to prejudicial prior convictions. The court said that "the probative value of the evidence outweighed the danger of unfair prejudice." In other words, it could be useful so who cares if it biases the jury.

• 1999 - - On this date The Guide, a Gay travel, entertainment, and political publication, printed an article by Richard D. Mohr called "The Pedophilia of Everyday Life." The article discussed the pedophilic aspects of an anti-drug ad and then said, "Pedophilic images are surprisingly common in society-- surprising given that society careers from hysteria to hysteria over the possible sexiness of children. Society seems to need these images." The discussion then broadened to child pornography and other advertisements (like this Tommy Hilfiger ad). The author wrote, "The hysteria over kiddy porn, then, is not simply the result of America's epicyclical prudish ness about matters sexual. Rather it is the result of our general worries about purity, innocence, and identity-- who we are."