How Not To Rehabilitate Your Image: Bombshell McGee Edition

Michelle McGee is apparently “trying to change her Swastika-lovin’, home-wreckin’ image” using interviews and public appearances. In the process, she’s providing all would-be image-rehabbers with a pretty good list of what not to do.

McGee has apologized to Sandra Bullock, but says, “I am not a homewrecker. I don’t believe I destroyed their marriage. Jesse destroyed his marriage.” This is accurate, and as Sady Doyle pointed out, Tina Fey’s skewering of McGee was more than a little unfair (although McGee says she’s cool with it). But although she supposedly “desperately wants to tell ‘her side of the story’ so people won’t hate her so much,” she’s not doing herself any favors. Below, a few helpful tips for those who want to avoid her situation.

Don’t schedule boxing matches with porn stars.

If you’d like to be liked, you probably don’t want to be seen as parlaying your newfound notoriety into the kind of public appearances Dennis Rodman used to do after his retirement from basketball. Just sayin’.

Names are important.

If, as TMZ reports, you choose “the nightclub circuit” as the venue for your image rehabilitation, you might not want to call your events thereon “Bad Girl’s Night Out.” Try “Nice Misunderstood Girl’s Night Out,” or perhaps “I Swear I’m Not A Neo-Nazi.”

Don’t apologize … and then say you’d do it all again.

In an E! interview airing later today, McGee says, “I hope she [Sandra Bullock] does watch this. I’m sorry this all happened. I want to apologize for her hurt and embarrassment.” She also claims to have thought James was separated at the time of their affair. Still, she adds, “I would do it again.” Now, McGee didn’t necessarily owe anyone an apology, but “I feel bad, but not that bad” probably isn’t going to win any Bullock fans over to her side.

Don’t sell your story to the tabloids in the first place.

McGee also says “I’m sorry this went public” — but if you don’t want to be known as the woman who had an affair with Sandra Bullock’s husband, a first step might be not giving your sexts to In Touch. Then again, if you actually want to be seen as a “Bad Girl” who had a fling with a famous woman’s husband, selling sexts is a great opening move. At some point along the line, if public opinion tips too far against you, you may need to make some half-hearted apologies, but being the “most hated person in America” is still pretty good for getting your name on everything from boxing matches to SNL. If this was Bombshell McGee’s plan, she’s doing a bangup job.

Image via E! Online.

Bombshell McGee — I Gotta Fix My Image! [TMZ]
Bombshell McGee — The Fight Is On [TMZ]
Michelle McGee Laments “Most Hated Person In America” Status [E! Online]
Michelle McGee: I Didn’t Destroy Sandra Bullock’s Marriage [US Weekly]