Jailhouse rock

Posted by Lakshmi Chaudhry at 12:08 PM on August 19, 2005.

Someone wants Jason Epstein's head -- and it is likely to be NYT honcho Bill Keller, who has been doing his best to anoint Judith of the Hamptons for early sainthood:

Jason Epstein continues to find odd ways of showing support for his jailed spouse, Judith Miller. The esteemed book publisher is currently telling friends that his wife "is having the time of her life" in prison. ...

According to a Wednesday report on Salon.com, Miller, .. "is holding up well, but has had some stomach problems related to jail food, misses the Internet and outside contact, and has had to withstand a constant stream of hip-hop videos on the communal television sets."

Fifty Cents: cruel and unusual punishment for the Saks Fifth Avenue set. But what's that you say Mr. Keller:

Times executive editor Bill Keller told The Los Angeles Times recently, "Sadly, Judy is not on a fellowship at some writers' colony. She is in JAIL. She is sleeping on a foam mattress on the floor, and her communications are, shall we say, constrained."

But what's a little discomfort -- as in, say, sleeping on a FOAM MATTRESS -- in the pursuit of a good book deal:

[F]riends of the couple said earlier reports of Miller's suffering in jail are dated now that she's settled in at the Alexandria Detention Center in Virginia. The hip-hop and bad food, coupled with a parade of important visitors have, they said, made the experience a novel and interesting one for her. Too, Miller is evidently enjoying all the attention she's getting in the press and is likely to have her pick of book deals if she emerges from the ordeal with her reputation intact. [LINK]

And on that note, I'm retiring to bed in order to more fully contemplate the unfairness of life, absence of god, and other related phenomena.

Lakshmi Chaudhry is the former senior editor of AlterNet. You can write to her at lakshmi@alternet.org.