It's true: unionised workers get more sex!*

Can someone explain Lefty Tim to me, please? When did a former Big Brother housemate become a spokesperson for my generation?

I'm asking because he was one of the 'celebrities' throwing down in support of Australian workers yesterday. I'd assume that you were all there, but who (besides the Shadow) knows what darkness lurks in the hearts of one's friends and neighbours? I’ve noticed that as people age, their prejudices tend to ossify, and formerly relaxed, community-minded and thoughtful people become more scared and large-L Liberal once they hit the marriage-mortgage-kids belt.

"I'm too busy" just doesn't cut it, people - there'll be plenty of time to be busy next year once these reforms become law and you enjoy fewer leave entitlements and are under increased pressure to work unpaid overtime.

Anyway, I don't hate Tim. He seems like a perfectly reasonable, intelligent fellow, sincerely committed to the causes he espouses. Probably the most intriguing thing about him is his incredible capacity to cope with mind-numbing, soul-destroying boredom; he hacked 12 weeks in the BB house, surrounded by an especially - even by the low standards of reality TV - moronic and useless gaggle of homophobes, rednecks and chauvinists. Though who is the bigger moron - the BB housemates for going for the golden ring of fame and potential fortune, or me for having watched enough BB to have formed opinions about them? Hmmm...

I'm just boggled by the response he's engendered. Some women have expressed the desire to marry him (or very least have him touch them intimately). Many others wish that he was their best friend, and have spent time making little banners attesting to this:

One blogger felt as devastated by Tim's loss of BB to one of the Logans as s/he did by the Howard Government's election victory last year (unfortunately I can't remember who or where, but trust me, ‘kay?).

A long, tall glass of perspective, anyone?

In particular, why is he so popular with the laydeez (excluding the two nurses standing behind me at the rally today, who had no idea who he was)? I can't believe it is just because of his political views. Sharing the politics of a potential mate is nice and all; it’s something over which you can bond or jerk each other off as you realise your superiority over less thoughtful and committed mortals. But is it enough? There's lots of commentators with palatable views on politics and economics, but I don't really want to sex Tim Colebatch. Or Michelle Grattan. I'd certainly give Christopher Hitchens a red hot go, but this would likely be a hatefuck given his inexplicable support for the war in Iraq. Or possibly a Children of God-style attempt to flirty fish him back to reality. Either way, I am very confused and feeling somewhat betrayed by the current incarnation of my favourite intellectual.

I suspect it's it more to do with the fact that Tim has a modicum of fame. Fame makes men more attractive to women; it's an evolutionary psychology and -biology thing to do with alpha males that tchick can probably explain a whole lot better than I can. Let me state my case in pictures:

Exhibit A**:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

(Only the most special kind of fuckwit have their own names tattooed on their person).

Would any of these guys have hordes of chicks throwing themselves at them if they were not famous?

Would Lefty Tim?

Check him here.

* Nightclub appearances a) don't really count as work and b) tend to contraindicate this phenomenon

** I feel bad about this. Poor Dave Mustaine.