Former Waitress Running for United States House of Representative

Democrat Franke Wilmer is a professor of political science at Montana State University. She has served in the Montana House of Representatives since 2007.

She will run for Montana's one and only seat in the U. S. House of Representative against seven other candidates.

Her successful career began working as a waitress. She likes to say she pulled herself up by her apron strings. She also says she understands the value of educational opportunities because without Pell Grants, she would not have had any.

Hard work + access to education = a great career.

Take that, "just a stupid waitress" people! :-)

Denny's Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Whenever discussion turns to the various and sundry, tawdry claims of sexual misconduct against waitresses at places such as Hooters and the Tilted Kilt, there are always those who respond that you can't agree to work in your skivvies and expect to be treated with respect. Work in a sexually charged environment with power differentials, you may as well expect to be treated like nothing more than a set of tits and ass. D'uh.

As much as I prefer to not push blame on the victims, I have to admit that anybody who agrees to hula-hoop in a thin, white tank top for the enjoyment of fat, slovenly men sucking chicken wings shouldn't be surprised that the rest of the world isn't lining up to ask her opinions.

Predatory behavior exists everywhere, whether it be strip clubs, "family" breastaurants, or ... Denny's Restaurants. I kid you not.

A waitress at a Stockton, California Denny's was subjected to her manager, Henry Guiaro, asking her if her boobs were real. He also suggested she enter a wet t-shirt contest because she would win.

This guy really has a screw loose. His girlfriend allegedly got mad at him for calling out the waitress's name while they were having sex. Heh.

Sounds cut and dry, right? Sexual harassment, complaint, sanction. Another one bites the dust. Believe it or not, it gets even better.

Before the waitress, Brandy Cachu, went to court, she complained about the treatment she endured to another Denny's manager, James Murti. Murti, being the man of G-d that he is, told Cachu to pray about the trouble to make it go away. (Not sure if Murti is a football fan...?)

Don't know if Cachu prayed or not, but Guiaro then showed up in a doctor's costume and invited Cachu into his office for an examination.

G-d helps those who help themselves. Cachu helped herself to legal representation. Her lawyers helped them all to a court case. Good for Cachu. 

Drama and Hooters

A while back I took out a reference to blow jobs at Hooters restaurants. I had received a "we are not hookers! we are students!" email and decided that my flippant comment could be taken as fact. As I did not have specific facts at the time, I removed the joke.

Today, I have facts. It was in the mid-90's that a male manager was fired from Hooters for complaining about advice given to waitresses from a traveling employee trainer.

"In his April 7 U.S. District Court complaint... the 31-year-old Gray claims that a trainer named Cat told waitresses that they were 'the ones with the pussys [sic] and you are in control because of that.' Then she reportedly added, 'If you need the extra money, go ahead and suck a dick or fuck a customer if the money is right.'"


Whether or not this was an isolated incident is the subject of debate. Certainly, Hooters pays a contingent of lawyers to help keep them out of hot water and push a "wholesome" image.

The Ask Men website wants all Hooters customers to know that Hooters girls must sign a form giving up their rights to protection against sexual innuendo in the workplace.

'I hereby acknowledge...the work environment is one in which joking and innuendo based on female sex appeal is commonplace.' 


Kari Lyderson, writing about the recent Titled Kilt sexual harassment lawsuit for Working in These Times, hit the nail on the head when she pointed out that punishing one predatory manager for his egregious behavior does not begin to deal with the disturbing cultural trend of objectifying young women in so-called "family" restaurants. (Or anywhere else, for that matter.)  She states:

"The reliance on tips to even make minimum wage is a problem for many restaurant employees—putting them at the whim of market fluctuations and unpredictable customers—but much more so at a place like the Tilted Kilt where many tipping customers expect a sexual dynamic that would likely be considered a "hostile workplace" in most other professional settings."


The television show, Under Cover Boss, aired a segment featuring the Hooters franchise. As a fully clothed waitress, I have certainly never been required to bend over and lick beans off of a plate with my hands tied behind my back before I got to go home. What is "wholesome" about this? Were the beans organic? Is that it?

CBS.com has a bonus scene you can watch online. The under cover boss shadows Amanda, a Hooters girl. It's hard not to like Amanda; she is working because she needs the money. At 23, she has a 2 year old child.

What drives me nuts, as a waitress, is the hair. Hooters girls are required to have "styled" hair. They are not allowed to put their hair back in bands or ponytails -- they can be fired for doing so. As a result, Amanda is constantly touching her hair (and, consequently, touching her face) to move the hair off of her face. Where I work, hair has to be held back so it doesn't fall in food. Repeatedly touching one's face is grounds for reminder, reprimand, and possibly being fired. This is a basic hygiene issue enforced in real restaurants.

 Sauce was my inspiration for today's post. She was also the inspiration for Inspiration and the Objectification of Women. She recently commented to let me know that when I discussed the sadness I feel over beauty myths, sexual objectification of women, and a predatory culture that not only judges the personal value of a woman by her figure but also has unrealistic expectations for what that figure should be, I got it all wrong.

Unfortunately, she has not (yet?) come back to answer a respectfully worded question from another Anonymous. He/She/It was interested in her opinions, as an intelligent and well-educated woman, of her boss using her breasts as a marketing tool.

For the record, when Sauce writes:

"Miami happening made me nervous.  It wasn’t the “job” of it that scared me, but rather the idea of living up to 100 of the most beautiful women in the world.   


Trust me, that is some scary, intimidating shit.  Luckily I quickly realized that – besides my rather small, totally real chest – I actually fit in pretty well body-wise...


 I was ready for bitches."

it is because she is

"the sort of person who is far more interested in personalities, intelligence and kindness." 


Got it.