Your 15 minutes are up, baby

Charles Darwin would not be surprised that a new American species is evolving amid our celebrity-mad pop culture. Homo domesticus kardashia, as the famed naturalist might call it, is drawn to fame like moths to light. When exposed to even a minute of fame, these curious hominids will do anything to stay in the limelight. They'll cling to fame even after the last dog dies. Indeed, so deep is the fervor, they'll chase it round a Mevillian Maelstrom and "round perdition's flames" before they give it up. Which brings me to Sarah Tressler, the semi-famous stripper-reporter formerly of the Houston Chronicle. The appellation "stripper-reporter" is a dead giveaway for homo domesticus kardashia. (By the way, guys in Houston, take a long look into those big, seductive, manic eyes. They spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e. Unless you're into the girlfriend-from-hell type, don't even think it.) Apparently, Ms. Tressler is suing the Chronicle for her firing, claiming gender discrimination. Lemme get this straight. Are we to seriously believe that the Chronicle would not have fired a male reporter upon discovering he moonlighted as a Chippendales hip-grinder? Really? For the love of Mike, Ms. Tressler, it truly is time to get off the stage -- at least the one not featuring a stripper pole.