Oh, Georgia, stop embarrassing me!

I love the state of Georgia. It has the best state song ever, "Georgia On My Mind" (actually written about a woman named Georgia, not the state, rumor has it). Atlanta is a beautiful city, though it tends to knock down anything with a decade's worth of history. Its neighborhoods are the loveliest anywhere, especially those with "Peachtree" in the name (Peachtree Battle, Peachtree Hills, etc.). Savannah's a beautiful, historic city. A lot of golf gets played in Augusta. The north Georgia mountains are spectacular. Yes, I love my state of Georgia.

However, dear Georgia, you are causing me real embarrassment these days on a couple of fronts.

First, "Real Housewives of Atlanta." Though I must admit that I have not watched one complete episode of this trash, I have watched enough to know that: a) they are not real; b) they are not housewives; and c) they are not from Atlanta. I think the City of Atlanta could legitimately sue Bravo Network for defamation of character (and it does take a lot to defame the ATL). The program is touted as showing "what life is like in the most exclusive areas of Atlanta" and that these are examples of "classy Southern women." God help us! No!

Um, as far as I can tell, none - as in zip, nada, none - of these women actually live in Atlanta. They are all OTP (Outside the Perimeter) - 'way outside. No self-respecting Atlantan would claim an OTP-er, however gated their McMansion neighborhoods might be. And "classy"? I'm thinking 'trashy" better describes it. And, yeah, the Orange County and New York housewives are trashy, too, but don't go attaching the women of this show to the flower of Southern womanhood.

Of course, the show's a major hit. Which is the problem. And the embarrassment. Oh, Atlanta. Your phoenix is going up in flames again!

The other really embarrassing thing for Georgia right now is the Senate race. Specifically, that appalling Thanksgiving Greeting ad by Saxby Chambliss, where his grandchildren call him "Big Daddy." I couldn't believe it when I saw it! And it airs constantly on Atlanta television. Big Daddy? What is this? A Tennessee Williams nightmare? Who calls their grandpaw "Big Daddy"? (Though it's totally Southernized as "Big Diddy.") Oh, geez! And this guy's a senator? Talk about setting us back 100 years! Aargh!

Every blogster out there, except for the ultra-right wing ones, is making huge fun of this spot and the South goes right down with it. I am so mortified that we come from the same neck of the woods. Thank goodness the election's over after tomorrow. And I hope we're spared from seeing what ol' Saxby has up his, er, sleeve for Christmas.

Georgia is full of smart, wise, classy people - liberal and conservative - who would never stoop to "Real Housewives" or "Big Diddy" level. At what point do we refuse to promote these backward, trashy yahoos?

Stop it. Stop it right now. Don't make me have to come home from New York to straighten you out, Georgia!