Those of you who follow D.C. gossip may be familiar with Andrea Rodgers a.k.a. “Miss A,” a would-be socialite who hates women who wear a size bigger than a 6 and used to travel with the douche-set of Last Night Shots. Rodgers has an advice blog where she doles out her contrived WASP wisdom to her readers on topics ranging from boys to charity balls. The advice is usually pretty contrived and naive since her idea of class and sophistication is based on the protagonists of chick lit novels written by former Vogue editors and not based on experience. She also occasionally passes judgment on her readers in a strange way. Take for example a recent question from a reader who asked how she should deal with a sticky money situation she was in with her friends. The reader had planned to go on a girls-only vacation with her friends, but a medical emergency came up and she had to back out of the trip. Her friends requested that she still pay her share of the trip’s expenses which the reader found distasteful. How does Miss A respond? Well she tells the girl to pay her money and thank her lucky stars for having such good friends that they would send her flowers the day of her surgery. She also called her “envious” of her friends because they were better-off financially than her. Um, what?

I have to agree that the girl will probably have to pay some amount of money to her friends if she wants to remain at least on friendly terms with them. However, does she need to be judged by a faux-WASP Beltway socialite?

This got me thinking about advice columns. It is obvious with the way that the reader wrote her question that she was looking for a semi-bitchy way to respond to her friends so that she could maintain some dignity. Haven’t we all been in situations like that? Dealing with passive-aggressive friends or bully co-workers or annoying neighbors can be emotionally draining, especially when you know that “the high road” is going to be humiliating or just increase the stickiness of your situation. Sometimes you need to know how to handle situations with just the right touch of bitchiness, intelligence and tact, and that is why we are launching “Bitchy Q’s,” a weekly advice column where we (okay, I) tell you how to be more of a bitch. (With apologies to the New York Times “Social Q’s” column.) Just to clarify: I am not talking about being a screaming, embarrassing and unreasonably mean bitch; I’m talking about being the kind of bitch that gets her point across, gets things done and can logically explain herself to others. More of a Kelly Cutrone-type bitch than a bullying-type bitch.

Got a messy social situation that you want some advice on? Maybe a meddlesome neighbor, a pushy would-be suitor or a bullying boss? Maybe your friends are kind of assholes to you? I want to help! Email me any and all questions at maria-mercedes@zeldalily.com with “Bitchy Q’s” in the subject line. All identities will be protected.

See you next week.

4 Responses to “Introducing Bitchy Q’s, Advice On How To Be More Of A Bitch”

1. Marie says:

   April 22, 2009 at 11:02 am

   I just want to say….this is exactly what I need.
   Thanks =)

   Reply
2. Shelly says:

   April 23, 2009 at 10:57 am

   Sorry to nitpick, but it’s called Late Night Shots, not Last Night Shots. Thought you’d want to know that. I live in DC, am a member of Late Night Shots, and that website and Miss A are so petty (not to mention her blog is so tacky, especially for someone who holds herself in such high regard). I am really looking forward to Bitchy Q’s!!

   Reply
3. Edina says:

   April 25, 2009 at 7:41 pm

   Can’t wait for Bitchy Q’s!

   Reply
4. carmella russell says:

   August 16, 2009 at 1:48 pm

   My boss has told so many lies and tells me all my co-workers do not like me and complain about me I know its not true what can I do ? she is 69 years old has retired and comes back and makes around 10000 a month so she would only be nice to me when she wanted something from the supply house because I have a stylist license we work in a clinical lab she has passed me up for promotions and bonus;s I think she has me cofused wiyh an ex employee that was my friend but I have only 3 years to go so I can retire from the state of Texas with full benifits what can I do , everyone believe her and she is saying lies what can I do?

   Reply